Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume23 Chapter4 6

Full to Bursting at the New Year's Party. Part 6

After that, Yumi and Sachiko-sama gradually moved their piece forwards, while folding five origami cranes each and searching for tiddlywink counters amongst Go pieces, until they eventually arrived at two spaces from the end.

In the spot behind them, the Yellow Rose team were waiting their turn. Ahead of them, the White Rose team hadn't rolled the exact number they needed, so they were retracing their steps for the umpteenth time. They were probably folding yet another batch of paper cranes in the "Falcon Space" by now. Although it felt a bit strange to be folding paper cranes in the "Falcon Space."

Now came the Red Rose team's turn to roll the die.

"Two, two, two … "

Whispering her encouragement, Yumi rolled the die. She threw it with such force that it tumbled around before finally coming to rest in the corridor.

Naturally, everyone followed after it. The game might be settled right there.

"Oh, it's a two."

Sayako-oba-sama said calmly.

"Wha-!"

Clinging to the hallway wall, Yoshino-san's shoulders slumped when she confirmed the roll with her own eyes.

"So that means."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

"The Red Rose team are the winners, right?"

It finally felt real to Yumi when Rei-sama patted her on the shoulder and congratulated her.

"Two, two, it's a two, onee-sama."

Yumi jumped around excitedly, and Sachiko-sama looked stunned and said:

"I know I've told you this before, but you really don't have any composure, do you?"

Watching this, Sayako-oba-sama interjected.

"Sachiko-san just isn't good at showing when she's happy."

"M...mother!"

She spoke gently but that was the sort of thing you'd expect from Sachiko-sama's mother. She knew her daughter well.

But Yumi already knew that. That her onee-sama was in a wonderful mood whenever she corrected her petit soeur like that.

"Well then, the Red Rose team are victorious."

"Oba-sama, what was the prize for the winners?"

Yoshino-san couldn't contain her curiosity, even though she knew the prize wasn't hers. Sayako-oba-sama raised her index finger to her lips.

"I'll announce that when the White Rose team returns."

Then Sachiko-sama made her move.

"In that case, I'll go to the "Falcon Space" to get them."

"Ah, me too."

Yumi chased after Sachiko-sama. She caught up to her in the hallway and stuck to her tightly like a magnet. It was just what she felt like doing, for some reason or another.

"Yumi."

Sachiko-sama said quietly.

"I'm glad that everyone could make it."

"Yeah."

Yumi knew that her onee-sama meant more than just what she'd said.

"Even though they may have already had plans for today. They re-arranged their schedules so that we could meet. To cheer me up."

"You've fully grasped the situation. Wonderful."

Yumi thought that she should thank God for blessing her with such incredible friends. And for one more thing.

"But it's burned into my soul that it was you, onee-sama, who made this opportunity happen."

"… Don't be silly."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

"Don't worry about me."

"Okay."

Because her onee-sama was family. It made her simultaneously happy and grateful.

As they were climbing the stairs, she caught sight of the frosted glass windows alongside the main entrance.

Outside, it was already pitch black.

Just then, it felt like something passed in front of the glass. Yumi thought it could have been someone from the sushi store coming to pick up the empty wooden boxes.