Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume11 Chapter1 3

The Girl with the Brown Umbrella. Part 3

She thought, "What's with that?"

Yes, she was her senior, someone she respected and loved, and who was always helping her out. But setting all that aside, Yumi wanted to say, "You really are weird, aren't you?" to the person right beside her.

Yumi had accepted the invitation into this house because she'd been told that it came from Sei-sama's friend. What impulse made Sei-sama bring her drenched junior to the house of someone whose name she didn't even know? Surely there are limits to impudence. – Indeed, Yumi found it almost impossible to remain where she was any longer.

"I'd seen your face around, and you called me Satou-san. Besides."

Sei-sama wasn't acting shy as she gulped her milk- and sugar-free cocoa.

"Drying off Yumi-chan was my number one priority."

Hearing that was tough. The main culprit was herself. But even if it was with the benefit of hindsight, perhaps she should have been suspicious of their friendship when she'd seen Sei-sama standing in the kitchen.

"So, then, Katou-san – "

Why had she called out to Sei-sama, who she wasn't particularly close to, and been so accommodating of her junior? Until now, Yumi had been under the impression that Katou-san was well acquainted with Sei-sama, and had seen caring for her as an extension of caring for Sei-sama.

"It's not like I wouldn't have called out if it was just Satou-san by herself. Or an unknown high-schooler for that matter."

It wasn't quite a soothing tone, but Katou-san spun her words in a slow and detached manner. Hair-dryer in one hand. Now she was directing the airflow at the skirt pleats.

"And although I didn't know the details, I felt I had to lend a hand."

"So wise."

Like someone flipping mochi cakes, Satou-san entered the conversation with exquisite timing.

"It looked like the girl crying in the rain relied on you. It changed my opinion of you, Satou-san. You're not just some university student who's only messing around."

Messing around.

That phrase perfectly described Sei-sama's surface appearance.

"Thanks for saying so. But what about you? This is a lot of effort you've gone to, especially for someone who doesn't socialize enough to leave an impression like mine."

"University's a place to go for learning. There's no need for socializing."

"Ah, it's coming back to me now. Katou Kei, you glared at me the first time we met."

"It wasn't a glare. It was just a surprised look. You've got a persecution complex."

"A persecution complex?"

Listening to them, apparently they had a memorable meeting.

They were probably in all the same classes at university, so it was only natural that they'd recognize each other, but this was apparently confirmation that they'd had a face-to-face meeting.

"After the university entrance ceremony, when we were gathered into separate classes, they took attendance. When a certain name was called out, two people responded."

"And Satou Sei-san was in the wrong, answering, "Here," when Katou Kei-san's name was called out, right?"

"Exactly."

Yumi could picture it. But even with such an intense encounter, to forget that girl's face, what was Sei-sama –

"At any rate, you can't know a person until you talk to them. Right, Satou-san?"

"So do you think you've gotten to know me?"

"A little bit. At the very least, you're deeper than I initially thought."

There, it's done. Katou Kei-san switched off the hair dryer and turned around.

"Well then, next it's Yumi-chan's turn."

Even though Yumi could have done it herself, Kei-san dried her hair for her. She ran her fingers from the tips of her hair through to the root. The warm air reached all the way through, gently coaxing. It felt really good and made Yumi drowsy.

She dozed off for a while, and Sachiko-sama came to her in a dream.

Sachiko-sama was crying. She was sitting, hunched over, in the corner of a large room. It was dimly lit. Yumi couldn't see the tears, but she was definitely crying.

It had been Sachiko-sama who had chosen Touko-chan over Yumi. So then, why did she have to cry?

Ahh, right. Because this was a dream.

She wanted Sachiko-sama to be crying because she was lonely after their split-up. That was probably Yumi's desire.

"When you're done with that, I'll call her house."

Sei-sama's voice brought Yumi back to reality.

"Don't worry, I'll explain everything."

She shook off the illusion of Sachiko-sama, and her heart swayed like a lullaby.

Neither Sei-sama nor Katou-san had asked for any sort of explanation.

They'd simply cared for her with all their might. They'd warmed her cold body, furnished her with dry clothes, and seen to it that she could get home to her family.

But that alone was enough.

It was what Yumi needed the most at that moment.