Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume11 Chapter3 2

Milk Tea, Oolong Tea. Part 2

"That's unusual. Yumiko-san doesn't usually invite people in to her living room and then doze off."

Katou-san said in amazement, when she poked her head in through the window on her arrival home.

Was it unusual that Yumiko-san invited people in, or that she dozed off in front of them? Yumi couldn't quite decide which was intended, but there wasn't any real need to investigate further, so she simply greeted Katou-san with, "Gokigenyou." Quietly, so she didn't wake Yumiko-san.

"I think she's taken a shine to you, Yumi-san. Maybe a bit envious. Despite her misanthropy."

"Misanthropy? Yumiko-san?"

Hearing Katou-san's words, Yumi instinctively laughed. Sure, when Yumi had first come, she'd drawn the curtain and hadn't come out to greet them, but she explained that that was because she wasn't at her best when it rained – . However, Katou-san was being serious.

"In truth, she can be quite difficult."

"Even to you?"

"Not so much to me. I can rent here at a reasonable price because she likes me."

While Yumiko-san slept soundly in her rocking chair, Katou-san found a lap blanket somewhere and draped it over her. Yumiko-san said, "Mmm," and moved slightly, but soon returned to the land of sleep.

Katou-san suggested they go somewhere else, and so they left Yumiko-san.

"There was a really strict interview when I applied to rent here."

Arriving back at her place, Katou-san took a can of oolong tea from the refrigerator and offered it to Yumi.

"With Yumiko-san?"

" – and a relative."

"Relative?"

Despite having milk tea with Yumiko-san, Yumi said, "Thank-you," and opened the can's pull top. In this humid season her thirst was insatiable, and oolong tea was delicious.

"See, she doesn't have any children. Her relatives live far away, and were worried about her living alone, so she decided to take in a boarder. She's not renting the room out for the income. So rather than a tenant, I'm more of a companion, caregiver, and aide."

That's just like Katou-san.

"That's why I got an incredible deal, especially for a one bedroom apartment in the metro area."

There had been a lot of applicants, because it was such an incredible deal, so she wouldn't have been staying there if she hadn't passed the interview and agreed to the strict conditions.

"Yumi-chan, if you're going to Lillian's University, I could put in a recommendation for you to live here after me."

"Huh."

"It's a joke. You seem to get along well with your family, so you probably won't leave home."

Katou-san smiled. Even though she said it was a joke, her deadpan delivery was amazing.

"So, what brings you here today?"

"Ah."

It was at this point that Yumi suddenly remembered, and handed over the same box of cookies that she'd earlier given to Yumiko-san.

"Oh, I didn't invite you back to my place because I was expecting a reward."

"But you were a huge help."

Of course there was the physical aspect of drying Yumi's uniform, but she was also grateful for the time given to her by Katou-san, which allowed her frozen heart to thaw.

"Plus these."

Yumi held out more items, wrapped in plastic, that her mother had bought at the same time she bought the sweets. There was an undershirt and a pair of boyshorts, from a 100-yen shop. They weren't exactly the same as the ones Yumi had taken, but the important part was the 100-yen pricetag.

"For the next time you have a friend that's in need."

"How conscientious … "

Katou-san smirked as she went ahead and took the items, put the underwear in a drawer and set the sweets on the traditional Japanese desk by the window.

Next to it was a small picture frame.

Yumi hadn't noticed it when she was here the other day. The snapshot inside was faded from the sun and looked quite old. There was a young couple with a child who looked about four. It looked like an amusement park in the background, and it seemed to be a happy photo.

Noticing Yumi's gaze, Katou-san said:

"It's instead of an altar."

"An altar … "

"My parents and me. Of the three, two of us are still alive, but I thought a photograph with all of us together would be less lonely. So I've got a family photo. I think my mother would be pleased by the photograph with me and dad too."

"Your mother's – "

Ooh, what to do? Yumi was suddenly beset by panic. Until now, she hadn't really considered that there were people around her age whose mother had passed away. She didn't know what she should say to those people, but then she wondered what would happen if her own mother was to die tomorrow, and was thrust into darkness by despairing thoughts.

No, she had to set aside her own emotions for now. Just now, she'd been innocently saying things like, "My mother bought these for you," and, "Mom sends her regards too." How did Katou-san feel, hearing these things?

"Oh, I'm sorry. Things turned serious there."

Katou-san spoke in an upbeat manner, in direct contradiction to her words.

"It happened fifteen years ago, so you don't have to worry about it."

"Fifteen years … "

Which meant that her mother had died not long after that photo was taken.

"So, your father must have been pretty lonely when you moved out then?"

It was a casual comment, but a needless one.

"Well, about that. Recently, a new mother arrived."

"Huh?"

Did she mean that her father remarried?

What to do? Yumi hadn't meant to pry into her new acquaintance's family circumstances, yet she found herself plunging headfirst into them.

"Um …"

Should she say, "Congratulations?" That felt a bit strange. From the daughter's point of view, it didn't seem like it would necessarily be a good thing either. – While Yumi was puzzling over this, Katou-san continued.

"And me, I'm repeating first-year."

"Huh?"

The hits kept coming, this time from a different direction to the one Yumi was guarding against.

"Repeating … "

In other words, while she was in the same grade as Sei-sama, who had started university this year, she was a year older.

"I didn't have a gap year, or anything like that, I entered Lillian's last year, and this is my second go at first-year. In summer last year, my father collapsed and was taken to hospital unconscious. See, he's an only child, and I'm his only family. Because of that, I couldn't concentrate on my studies, so I took a leave of absence. Even when he was over the worst of it, it took a long time until he was able to walk again. He's still going to rehab because there's a little bit of paralysis remaining even now."

"…"

Yumi had no idea how to respond to any of this.

It felt like she was gradually being dragged into the depths, with no idea where this story was going.

"But it wasn't all bad. As a result of his illness, he reconnected with an old lover from ten years ago, and they had a civil ceremony when he left hospital. I was a bit surprised, because I'd never even heard of her until recently, but she's a really nice lady. She's almost been too good to him. She takes care of him, so I could go back to university … It's a strange bit of luck. Because I waited a year, this place became available, so I could move out of home."

The proverb "Old Man Sai's Horse," that Yumi had been taught in Classical Literature leapt out of the textbook and galloped around her head.

Life wasn't all bad, so there was no call for pessimism. But neither do the good times continue forever, so you can't always be having fun.

Why had Katou-san told Yumi this story? Was she trying to cheer her up?

"I just wanted to tell you this."

She wanted to talk to someone about her situation. That's what Katou-san said. To talk about her father's sickness and about her step-mother. Apparently it had been a while since she'd been able to talk to someone.

When she was in the middle of the maelstrom, there were only her emotions, and it was hard to calmly put the situation into words. There was too much to think about, nothing she wanted to say, and no-one to listen anyway. But then one day she ran out of strength, and wanted to talk to someone about her situation. For Katou-san, it just happened to be Yumi that she talked to.

"I'm sorry that you got soaked Yumi-chan, but I'm glad it rained that day."

"Because it meant you got to know Sei-sama?"

"Sei-sama … ? Ah, Satou-san, right."

Katou-san laughed and ran a hand through her hair.

"It's interesting, that's for sure. Those Lillian traditions. Occasionally, one of the other girls will call her Rosa Gi … something."

"Rosa Gigantea."

"Right. Rosa Gigantea! Is that like a lifelong position?"

"At the moment, one of my friends has succeeded her as Rosa Gigantea."

"And you?"

"I'm Rosa Chinensis en bouton … at least for now."

"For now, huh."

Katou-san must have witnessed the scene of Sachiko-sama and Touko-chan driving off in a black car. She'd also probably heard Yumi crying out, "Onee-sama." So she could probably guess, more or less, why Yumi had been soaked like a drowned rat.

Even so, she didn't say anything. While she had opened up about herself, she didn't try to coerce Yumi into doing the same.

Yumi didn't say anything, enjoying the silence. In silence, they both drank their oolong tea.

At that point.

"Quite a suspicious atmosphere between the two of you."

An intruder appeared, sticking a boot into their quiet contemplation.

"Su-suspicious?"

Katou-san and Yumi looked at each other.

"Suspicious, suspicious. Katou-san, hands off my teddy bear."

The boot was just a figure of speech, for Sei-sama had properly removed her sandals before entering the house.

"Yumi-chan's your teddy bear?"

"Yep. She's so soft and cuddly when you hug her tight. On top of that, she's nice and warm. It feels so good that before long I start to feel sleepy."

Sei-sama sat behind Yumi and hugged her like she was trying to eat her head.

"Ah, it's been a while. Yumi-chan, wouldn't you rather be my pet?"

Squeeze, squeeze. As Sei-sama prodded her arms, Yumi drowsily said:

"I wouldn't."

If Sei-sama protected her, then she'd undoubtedly find a comfy, sleepy sort of peace of mind, but that wasn't right. While it was nice to be indulged and spoiled once in a while, if that happened all the time it felt like she'd lose the ability to think, worry, and choose for herself.

So, painful as it may be, the times she needed Sei-sama was when she had no-one else to turn to.

Like the joker in a game of cards. A superhero who protects the world.

"Hearing that, I'm relieved."

Sei-sama released Yumi, then laughed as she said:

"It takes a lot of energy to keep up with you, Yumi-chan."

Apparently it was a test of stamina, even for a superhero.