Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume10 Chapter8 4

Sweets. Part 4

Time itself may flow at a fixed rate, but it can seem fast or slow depending on one's state of mind.

It dawdled excessively during class in the lead-up to recess, while it was gone in the blink of an eye during the recess spent waiting for someone who didn't come to visit.

Yumi thought that it would have been nice if Sachiko-sama had come to visit her. She didn't want to just meet up with Sachiko-sama in the Rose Mansion, she wanted Sachiko-sama to actively come and see her.

And then, she wanted to be told all about Touko-chan. If Sachiko-sama had canceled their amusement park date to go and see Touko-chan, Yumi wanted to be given an explanation that she could accept.

However, there was no follow through.

Sachiko-sama didn't come to see her, and Yumi didn't want to bump into Touko-chan, so she didn't go visiting Sachiko-sama either.

There was still the chance that there might be some action after school, although Sachiko-sama was heading home quite early these days.

Maybe she was avoiding things, and once that would have been worrying, but after seeing all these things it felt like it was better to think nothing of it, but that just made her feel even worse.

And so, Friday.

For the first time in a while, Sachiko-sama was in the Rose Mansion after school, doing some Yamayurikai paperwork. Shimako-san and the newly admitted Noriko-chan were there too. Yoshino-san and Rei-sama were at club practice, so not present.

The time spent working was pleasant enough.

Not only was Sachiko-sama there, but she wasn't off seeing someone else either, so Yumi could relax. By avoiding idle chatter and quietly working away, she could probably avoid having her doubts about her onee-sama's actions exposed.

However, when they reached a natural break in their work, Yumi suddenly felt the second-floor of the Rose Mansion become quite uncomfortable.

Sachiko-sama was right there in front of her eyes. She wasn't doing anything, just sitting on her chair.

(Yumi.)

Any time now, that voice would reach her over the distance, but the sound didn't come.

No matter the subject, Yumi would have welcomed the chat. But, in opposition to that thought, she was scared of Sachiko-sama's words.

Yumi thought she might be able to get a breather by pouring some tea, but their newest member Noriko-chan was on-the-ball and had already started preparing some.

Shimako-san was looking out the window. It looked like it was still raining, as she was looking up at the sky and sighing.

It was at that point that Sachiko-sama spoke.

"Noriko-chan. Do you think you can do something about your use of 'Shimako-san'?"

Noriko-chan was a first-year. Shimako-san was a second-year. The tradition at Lillian's Girls Academy was for junior students to use the honorific '-sama' when addressing their seniors.

But for some reason, Noriko-chan had always used 'Shimako-san' when referring to Shimako-san. This had seemed strange to Yumi at first, but over time she'd become used to it, to the point where it didn't bother her anymore. However, it seemed Sachiko-sama didn't feel the same.

"These are the sort of things that Shimako should be teaching you."

The harsh scolding went as far as including Shimako-san's responsibility. When that happened, Noriko-chan couldn't remain silent. Those who remembered the Maria ceremony would understand that she wasn't one to back down even when her opponent was a third-year.

Noriko-chan objected with, "That's none of your business," and "I'm against seniority based on time served." So much so that it made Sachiko-sama's beautiful face contort.

Yumi felt sorry for Shimako-san, caught between the Yamayurikai and Noriko-chan. Urged to make a choice between the two of them, things reached a point where she couldn't stand the pressure any more and finally fled.

"Shimako!"

"Shimako-san!"

Sachiko-sama and Noriko-chan's voices were in lovely harmony. However, they didn't bring Shimako-san back from beyond the biscuit door. Usually Shimako-san would go up or down the stairs quietly, but this time they creaked and groaned as she ran down them.

"… I wonder if I overdid it."

Sachiko-sama muttered as she swept her long, black hair.

"Now it's your turn, Noriko-chan."

"Huh?"

Noriko-chan asked, returning to her senses from a shocked daze.

"Look after Shimako-san. You can do it."

"Ah."

"Please."

Sachiko-sama turned Noriko-chan towards the door and gently pushed her forwards. Noriko-chan looked back over her shoulder and nodded.

"Leave it to me."

Rain fell, covering the sound of her running down the stairs. This situation would probably be cleaned up quite skillfully.

But despite the likely happy ending, there was still something left that Yumi wasn't quite satisfied with. It was disheartening that her onee-sama could be so concerned about the matters of other soeurs while neglecting her own petit soeur.

"Onee-sama, it's surprising that you're meddling so."

Yumi said, as she closed the windows.

"Meddling?"

Sachiko-sama asked in return.

"Just before. You manufactured an excuse for Shimako-san to make Noriko-chan her petit soeur, right?"

"Well, who can tell."

Sachiko-sama said curtly as she started preparing to leave. Apparently she'd decided that that was enough for today, since they'd reached a break in their work and Shimako-san and Noriko-chan weren't there anymore.

"A moment please, onee-sama."

It was only the two of them in the room. If there was anything Yumi wanted to tell her onee-sama, now was the chance.

"Please arrange another time."

"Another time?"

"For us to go to the amusement park together, is what I'm talking about."

"I can't promise anything. There's a chance I'd have to cancel again."

"Even so."

Yumi pleaded.

"If you set a date, I'll have peace of mind until then."

Yumi didn't know what she was saying. That wasn't what she'd wanted to say. But perhaps the words that spring forth impulsively are the truth after all.

"Even if it comes to nothing. If you make an arrangement, until that day, I'll – "

"Yumi…"

Sachiko-sama looked at Yumi with an expression of surprise. How long had it been since she'd last looked at her so directly?

Surrounded by the sound of the rain, now much louder, the silence between the two of them spun out.

As they both waited for the other to speak, they heard the sound of footsteps ascending the staircase. If that was Noriko-chan, then she'd returned awfully quickly.

"Sachiko onee-sama!"

Touko-chan entered without knocking. She ran straight over to Sachiko-sama and whispered something in her ear.

Sachiko-sama nodded her head a number of times, then finally said, "I understand." The contents of the message hadn't reached Yumi's ears, but she could see that Sachiko-sama and Touko-chan were going to go home together.

"Onee-sama. We're still in the middle of our conversation."

Impulsively, Yumi called her to a halt. One way or another, she wanted an obstruction. At the very least, she wanted anyone but Touko-chan to accompany Sachiko-sama at that point in time.

"Yumi…"

Sachiko-sama told Touko-chan to wait downstairs, then turned to Yumi and said:

"At the moment, I can't make any plans, so I can't make a promise to you."

The sound of Touko-chan's footsteps faded.

"Then, when will you be able to?"

"I don't know the answer to that."

Sachiko-sama muttered, looking down.

"Onee-sama."

Like, summer or autumn. Even that kind of vague promise would be okay. Because with that, Yumi would know that she had a place in Sachiko-sama's heart.

"Please understand."

Sachiko-sama picked up her school bag and turned to leave.

"Don't go, onee-sama."

Even begging was no good. Her onee-sama started walking, unconcerned.

The burdensome, insufferable, tantrum-throwing petit soeur. – Surely, this must be how she was thought of.

"Rosa Chinensis – "

Touko-chan's voice came from downstairs, urging her to hurry. As Sachiko-sama put her hand to the door, Yumi cried out in desperation:

"You're choosing Touko-chan over me!"

Sachiko-sama stopped immediately. She turned around slowly, with a face that was more frightening than Yumi had ever seen it before.

"… I'm angry."

Sachiko-sama left, leaving her with those words. She walked down the stairs to where Touko-chan was waiting.

"Ohhh – you're angry."

Left alone in the room, Yumi had a brief laugh. If you want to be angry, then be angry. It was much better than the gentle smile and sweet words Sachiko-sama had used when she felt indebted.

So, somewhere inside, Yumi was glad that she'd seen that scary face. Because it meant that she could make Sachiko-sama that angry. Whether it was the anger or something else, there was value in communicating her emotions so directly.

Yumi thought about how she'd twist that around to affection. Badgering her about a promise, choosing words designed to provoke an angry reaction.

Her heart thrashed around. Yumi watched the rain falling against the glass window.

This rain.

Surely it was because of the weather.

Which would mean her feelings wouldn't brighten either.