Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume22 Chapter1.5

Part 5.

Yumi had first learned about Touko-chan running away from home from Kashiwagi-san's phone call. So when Kashiwagi-san came to pick up Touko-chan out of worry, he really wasn't so "unexpected". Before they had eaten, while Yumi and Touko-chan were in Yumi's room, either out of worry or because he thought it would be a nice thing to do, Yuuki had called Kashiwagi-san.

So as to not surprise or aggravate Touko-chan, Kashiwagi-san decided to wait in front of the house until Touko-chan came out. However…

"I've been a burden. I'd like to apologize once again."

While watching Kashiwagi-san stick his face out the car window and laugh, Yumi thought: to come so quickly, and to meet in such a place, he really was an unexpected person.

"Thanks for the food!" Touko-chan said as she entered the passenger's seat. She had wanted to go along with Touko-chan to her home, but she didn't want to hear a "Thanks but no" from Kashiwagi-san. She understood that it had to be done, but she didn't like it. Although Kashiwagi-san would have waited and given Sachiko-sama the benefit of staying as late as she wanted, he jut takes Touko-chan when it works for him, without offering her a choice.

"Come over some time!" It seemed that Yumi's parents both found Touko-chan and Kashiwagi-san interesting. When Kashiwagi-san's red car turned the corner past Kakinoki-san's house, they continued to wave their hands. Closing the house gate, Yumi's mother sighed as if a large event had just finished, and whispered, "Touko-chan is a nice kid."

So? Yumi wondered why her voice sounded slightly high pitched. She couldn't answer it. Her mother's voice was bothering her own train of thought.

"She seems a bit difficult, but if you lay a firm hand on her, she does okay. That girl would be a good fit to become Yumi-chan's petite soeur."

"Mom, what are you saying? Just stop teasing me."

Yumi realized that her cheeks had become hot, and walked passed her mother. She took of her shoes, and hurriedly put on her slippers. She wondered what her mother would think if she could see Yumi's bright red face.

But, what should she do? If she were to go into the living room like this, then she would be spotted by her father and Yuuki, who had already gone inside. She walked inside while keeping her eyes on the walls, and tried to make herself invisible. That way, her sadness ---

"What's wrong, Yumi?" Yumi's mother asked, after coldly observing her daughter. "Your reaction was completely different from when I mentioned Kashiwagi-san."

"Eh?!" She unexpectedly turned her head at this serious inquiry.

Then her mother said, "Yumi-chan. You have a bad poker face." And her mother laughed, with a look of pity.