Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume11 Chapter6 4

Visitor. Part 4

Even though it was her first time here, it seemed somehow familiar.

"Where are we?"

"Grandmother's house. Sachiko's here."

It was a quiet residential district just off a main street. At the end of a narrow street they came to an old-fashioned gate, shaped to look like a wall. After passing through this, a garden spread out around them that was cultivated to look like it was untouched.

It could be called cozy when compared to the Ogasawara estate, but for the metropolitan area, a western-style house stood on what could be described as palatial grounds.

Sachiko-sama's house was in a different direction, and since they'd said it was a private funeral she hadn't really expected a funeral house. – Such had been Yumi's thoughts as she rode in the car, but she hadn't contemplated that she might be brought to the grandmother's house.

"Long ago, this used to be a holiday house or something, when they had lots of estates. But with no heir, they were all sold off one-by-one, until only this was left. It seems like this was grandmother's favorite."

Kashiwagi-san parked his red car close to the gate. Yumi recognized the black car beside them, and, just as she thought, she recognized the chauffeur that was busily polishing the car.

"Ma'am, ma'am."

When the trio got out of the car, the chauffeur entered the western-style house ahead of them, to announce their arrival. Whereupon.

"Thank-you kindly."

Sayako oba-sama, wearing a black kimono, poked her head outside. Sayako oba-sama was Sachiko-sama's mother.

"Ah, Yumi-chan. I'm sorry, and thank-you."

When Sayako oba-sama saw Yumi's face, she hurried outside, putting on a handy pair of backless high-heels instead of the wooden sandals that were traditionally worn with a kimono.

"Oba-sama. Allow me to offer – "

Yumi's head had been so full of Sachiko-sama that she hadn't practiced saying her condolences. But, thinking about it, it would have been worse for Sayako oba-sama as she had lost her mother.

"Yes, yes. Condolences and all that."

Yumi felt a little dispirited seeing Sayako oba-sama cut her off so quickly. But having a member of the grieving family smiling coaxed forth an awkward smile from Yumi.

"Anyway, come in, come in."

Sayako oba-sama gestured to them.

"Come on. Youko-san, Suguru-san, you too."

However, Youko-sama stayed where she was and said:

"Would you mind if I had a look around the garden?"

Gardens where trees, weeds and grass were allowed to grow as they pleased had a much more interesting appearance than impeccably manicured ones. This one was like a jungle, and wasn't outshone by the Ikegami residence where Yumiko-san lived.

"That's fine. But there might be some insects about."

Sayako oba-sama warned her, but Youko-sama smiled and said, "That's alright."

That wasn't a joke, the garden looked like it would be crawling with insects. Ones with wings, ones without legs, ones with lots of legs – enough different types to start an insect collection. Thick vines that Yumi had once seen on an excursion to the mountains curled around the tall trees. A bit like a hiking course. In autumn, there would undoubtedly be an incredible harvest of nuts and berries.

"I guess I'll accompany her."

Kashiwagi-san smirked as he walked behind Youko-sama.

"Why you?"

Youko-sama scowled lightly.

"It should be fine, yeah? You somehow don't think of me as a man, right? So it shouldn't worry you. Or do you absolutely want to be by yourself? In that case, I'll hold back."

" … Honestly, you get bent out of shape over every little thing."

Victory to Kashiwagi-san this time around. Youko-sama turned and started walking, not trying to fend him off anymore. As he followed after her, Kashiwagi-san turned and waved to Sayako oba-sama.

"We'll come inside for tea in a little while."

"Ho ho … Ahh, to be young."

Sayako oba-sama smiled, then put her arm around Yumi's shoulder and brought her to the entrance.

"Pardon my intrusion."

One step inside the house and Yumi was ensconced in the gentle aroma of flowers. But despite this, there wasn't even a hint of incense.

Thinking of funerals, the first thing that came to mind was the Buddhist rituals, but perhaps this family was different. Yumi had never attended a Shinto or Christian funeral service, so she didn't know how they differed.

"Should I pay my respects … "

Yumi thought this was the right thing to do, but Sayako oba-sama said, "Later," and continued down the corridor. They passed what looked like a living room – the door was open, and the room was decorated with so many pure white flowers that it looked like it was overflowing.

"Prioritize the living over the dead."

Sayako oba-sama was talking about Sachiko-sama, that much Yumi knew.

At any rate, Sayako oba-sama's unexpected vigor was quite helpful. Vague by nature, and with every right to be pickled in tears, she was crisp and dry, like a mourning dress that had been sprinkled with a drying agent.

"Is it strange that I'm so lively?"

Sayako oba-sama said, reading Yumi's mind.

"Yeah, ahh, no … "

"In truth, I wept inconsolably up until my mother's death. But now, it's as though my tear ducts are exhausted. I used up the last of my tears during the funeral."

"Ah – "

Yumi could easily imagine Sayako oba-sama sobbing uncontrollably.

"But Sachiko didn't cry. It was as though she was being so reliable to make up for how unreliable I was. But in truth, she was pushing too hard."

"Pushing too hard … ?"

"She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She had to remain resolute. She had to brace herself. If she ever relaxed, she'd become despondent and not be able to return to how she was before. That's how it was for her."

As expected of a mother, Sayako oba-sama understood Sachiko-sama's disposition well.

"She lost her appetite, and it looks like she barely ate anything. But she went through the motions, so that nobody would notice."

She had an uneven diet at the best of times, so it probably wouldn't have seemed unusual for her to leave food on the plate. Even so, Sayako oba-sama or the household staff probably would have picked up on this normally, it was only due to her grandmother's critical illness that nobody took notice of Sachiko-sama's condition.

"When my mother died, I broke through my haze, but for her, she curled back in on herself, like a piece of thread that had been drawn taut and then cut."

Sayako oba-sama stopped in the corridor and looked straight into Yumi's eyes.

"She said without Yumi-chan there's nothing."

"Me … ?"

Yumi asked, pointing at her nose. Me? You're really talking about me? – With an incredibly stupid look on her face.

"Sachiko didn't say anything to me, but apparently she let it slip when she was crying to Youko-san. She said that Yumi-chan hated her."

"I'd never!"

"Right … that's right."

Sayako oba-sama smiled at her like a blooming flower contrasted against her mourning dress. As a human, she really was like a pretty little flower.

"Yumi-chan's a gentle girl. That you became the petit soeur of strong-willed Sachiko … I'm so glad."

"But I'm not sure that we're connecting. Because I thought that Sachiko-sama hated me too."

"Oh my."

Hearing Yumi's words, Sayako oba-sama's eyes widened in surprise.

"So Sachiko did something to make you think she hated you?"

Sayako oba-sama gently adjusted Yumi's collar.

"That girl, whenever she talks about you, she has such an affectionate face. Seeing that face, anyone would be able to tell that she loves you, Yumi-chan. She even talked about you to my mother when she was in hospital, from time to time. She said that you were adorable. Really."

As she listened, the tears flowed.

Even if Sayako oba-sama was exaggerating slightly, Sachiko-sama liked her and thought that she was adorable, and she'd said, "That's enough already."

To anything and everything, that's enough already.

A lot had happened in the last month. But it had been painful and sad, and she'd felt useless.

The one or two, well actually, three or four complaints that she wanted to launch at her onee-sama seemed trivial, while there were comparatively far more things she regretted saying.

That's enough already.

Forget all that, for now all she wanted was to see her onee-sama.

That feeling of longing had come to the fore, and there was nothing else in Yumi's heart.

"This is the door."

Sayako oba-sama pointed to an interior door.

"Go to her."

"Yes."

Yumi had started to move even before she replied.

Onee-sama.

Yumi quietly opened the door.