Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter1 6

Onee-sama, Rosary and Petit Soeur. Part 6.

"You said you'd be back during the lunch break."

Sachiko-sama smiled as she looked straight at Yumi.

"And you really did come back."

Sachiko-sama stepped out into the hallway and closed the classroom door behind her. Before the door closed, Yumi caught a glimpse of the words 'Self-study' written on the blackboard in large letters.

"I thought you'd be busy with other things."

Sachiko-sama said, as she adjusted Yumi's tie.

"If you want to talk about your date, then I don't mind if I'm not the first person to hear about it. It can wait until we both have more time to talk."

A group of three third-years walked past them. They were probably on their way to Milk Hall, since they were carrying their purses.

"It really won't bother me at all. Even so."

Yumi called a halt to this monologue that Sachiko-sama was slowly progressing.

"Well of course I want to tell you about it. But there's something else we have to discuss."

Yumi wondered what was showing on her face as she said this. Sachiko-sama's face instantly tensed. As though Yumi's spell had worn off.

"Really. I see."

Eventually, Sachiko-sama nodded. Then she followed Yumi. She didn't ask where Yumi was taking her. Perhaps having guessed that Yumi's 'discussion' was not something that should be held in the hallway during lunchtime, she followed along as though it was perfectly natural that they should be going somewhere else.

Still wearing their indoor shoes, they stepped out through the main entrance. Even without her coat on, Yumi didn't feel cold.

Yumi walked silently alongside Sachiko-sama, who wasn't saying anything either. Not only that, but for some reason Yumi felt as though she was about to start crying. It felt as though her chest should be tightening up.

The narrow path beside the library. They had walked along it together, like this, countless times. One by one, the memories came flooding back to her.

"Why do you have such a forlorn expression?"

Unexpectedly, Sachiko-sama broke the silence. Yumi stopped walking and raised her previously downcast head.

Next to Yumi, her onee-sama was smiling. Yumi wanted to ask, 'Why are you smiling?' but all she could do was smile weakly back.

"I'm fine."

Sachiko-sama's right hand gently brushed her cheek.

It was warm. Yumi hadn't been feeling the cold, but she knew it was there because of how much her exposed face had cooled.

"You're fine too."

The hand that had stroked her cheek eventually took hold of Yumi's left hand.

"See, I'm tightly joined to you by our hands. Don't worry, I'm not going to let go."

"Onee-sama...."

Even though Sachiko-sama had removed her hand from Yumi's cheek, Yumi could still feel its warmth.

"Won't you tell me what it is you wanted to talk to me about?"

Perhaps Sachiko-sama had absolutely no idea what this was about. Yumi thought so. No matter what Yumi said next, it wouldn't change how they were.

In that case, she would definitely be fine.

Even after Yumi becomes Touko-chan's soeur, there's no need to cut her ties with Sachiko-sama. Similar to how after Yumi became Sachiko-sama's petit soeur, Sachiko-sama's relationship with Mizuno Youko-sama remained unchanged.

In that way, the tradition of soeurs at Lillian's Girls Academy is passed down. Having taken a petit soeur, you have to accept the loneliness that comes when she becomes a grande soeur.

When they arrived in front of the statue of Maria-sama, Sachiko-sama naturally drew to a halt. Perhaps she had realized they were coming here based on the path they were taking.

Sachiko-sama unclasped her hand from Yumi's, then looked up at the white statue of Maria-sama. Then she slowly turned to look at Yumi.

What was it you wanted to speak about, her quiet gaze inquired.

Consequently Yumi's stomach tied itself into even tighter knots. Looking around, as though in answer to Sachiko-sama's question, a shadow emerged from the rear of Maria-sama's garden.

"...Touko-chan."

Touko-chan bowed deeply, as though she were trying to wear Sachiko-sama's whisper upon her head. Her nose was a bit red. It must have been a long wait in the cold for her while Yumi was visiting that third-year classroom.

There was no-one else around. On special occasions, like Christmas or Valentines Day, this area would be busy morning, noon and night, but not on a cold, ordinary day like today. There was always the possibility of some late-arriving third year student passing by, but it was unlikely such a person would go out of their way to bother them.

The three people faced each other. They formed a triangle, in front of Maria-sama.

"I see. So your report isn't just about your date."

Yumi saw acceptance in Sachiko-sama's face.

"You have become soeurs."

It was incredibly quiet, like the perfectly still surface of a lake that acted like a mirror.

"No."

Yumi shook her head.

"We haven't yet formally become soeurs."

"You haven't become soeurs?"

Sachiko-sama repeated, as though she had heard a word that she didn't understand. Yumi nodded, and drew out the rosary that still hung around her neck, holding it up for Sachiko-sama to see.

It was the rosary that she had received from Sachiko-sama, in this very spot, one year ago on the night of the cultural festival. Yumi always carried it with her, to the point where it seemed like it was a part of her body.

In the same way that it had probably been a part of her onee-sama's body.

"So then…"

Yumi spoke.

"… is it alright if we hold the ceremony in front of you?"

Sachiko-sama's eyes widened. The white finger she had drawn up to her red lips trembled.

Sachiko-sama had probably been imagining all kinds of conversation topics as she walked down the path alongside Yumi. But she had obviously not predicted this.

There was a disturbance, as though a strong wind had caused a wave to form on the still lake surface.

"Onee-sama."

Yumi asked for her blessing.

"Are you okay with this?"

Sachiko-sama looked first to Yumi, then to Touko-chan. Touko-chan meekly nodded her head in acceptance.

"This is what we both desire. Touko-chan and I both want to have the ceremony in front of you, onee-sama."

It had taken a long time.

Lots of things had happened.

But having overcome all kinds of trials and tribulations, they were about to join together as soeurs.

Even Maria-sama must have fretted as she watched over them. That was why this location, the place where so many entreaties had been made to Maria-sama, was the most appropriate place for the ceremony to be held. And the place where, above all else, Yumi wanted her beloved onee-sama to bear witness.

Sensing the occasion, Sachiko-sama smiled and took a step back. Yumi took a step towards Touko-chan, holding aloft the open rosary.

Touko-chan leaned forwards slightly, lowering her head. Her fringe dangled towards Yumi.

It had been a long time for both of them since they had first awoken to their desire to become soeurs. Now that they were finally here, there was no hesitation. It would only take a moment to place the rosary around Touko-chan's neck, but Yumi was still nervous. She felt as though Maria-sama might pat her on the back.

Time seemed to stretch out for Yumi as she carefully lowered the rosary down past Touko-chan's head and onto her shoulders, making sure that it didn't catch on her hair rolls. After Yumi removed her hands from the rosary, Touko-chan slowly looked upwards and straightened her back.

And with that, the two were officially soeurs.

"Congratulations."

Sachiko-sama placed her right hand on Yumi's shoulder and her left hand on Touko-chan's shoulder.

"Touko-chan. Some time ago I said that it didn't matter to me who became Yumi's petit soeur, but now, from the bottom of my heart, I'm glad that it's you."

"Thank-you. I will try my hardest to live up to the name of Rosa Chinensis en bouton's petit soeur."

"You'll be fine."

Sachiko-sama said the same thing to Touko-chan that she had said to Yumi just previously. Then she took a deep breath and smiled brightly, as though she had just switched TV channel.

"Well then, Yumi."

"Yes."

"Did you have anything else that you urgently wanted to talk about?"

"Huh? Nope."

The rosary ceremony was the main event. It wasn't that Yumi didn't have anything she wanted to talk to Sachiko-sama about, it's just that none of it was what she would call particularly urgent. Things like yesterday's date, and the future.

"Well then, my apologies, but is it okay if I take my leave now? There are some things that I should do during the lunch break."

Sachiko-sama turned towards the school buildings.

"Ahh, I'm sorry I dragged you all the way out here."

Yumi had said she had something she wanted to talk about, and then dragged her onee-sama out here, all without asking whether or not it was convenient for her. And since Yumi had shown up as soon as the lunch break had started, Sachiko-sama wouldn't have even had time to eat her lunch. Of course, Yumi didn't think that her onee-sama meant that she had to eat her lunch when she said she had things to do. Now that Yumi thought about it, she realized that her onee-sama had been quite busy recently. She should probably ask her about it when they had time to chat at length.

"That's not it at all. I'm glad you brought me here."

"Okay."

Just by looking at her onee-sama, Yumi could tell that it hadn't been a bother to her.

"You two don't have to hurry on account of me, take your time returning."

Sachiko-sama walked off, leaving them with those words.

"Thank-you."

Yumi and Touko-chan bowed, then watched Sachiko-sama walk away. They remained in place, silently standing next to each other and watching Sachiko-sama's retreating figure until she was out of sight.

Before too long, that beautiful, tall figure disappeared behind a grove of trees. They remained still for a moment afterward, as the sight lingered in their memory. Eventually, Yumi broke the silence.

"Touko-chan, becoming soeurs is just the start of our work."

When Yumi said this, Touko-chan got a strange look on her face. The kind of look you get when you put an odd flavored candy in your mouth.

"What?"

Touko-chan asked, staring straight at Yumi. Touko-chan seemed to be looking for some hidden meaning, but, alas, Yumi wasn't hiding anything so no matter how long she waited, nothing more would happen. Upon realizing this, Touko-chan smiled, somewhat disheartened, and said:

"Please just call me 'Touko.'"

"Oh."

Unable to process this sudden request, Yumi put herself on guard, ready to defend herself against a frontal assault. But, really, this time Yumi was in the wrong for being surprised. Now that they were soeurs, it was only natural that they would change how they called each other. So it was an extremely reasonable request from Touko-chan.

"Ahh, I see. But."

It would be hard for Yumi to suddenly change how she addressed Touko-chan. Especially after 11 months of addressing her a certain way.

Touko-chan smiled coolly as Yumi panicked.

"I see what's going on. I suppose you also found it hard to call Sachiko-sama 'onee-sama' then, didn't you, onee-sama?"

"Oooooh."

Yumi had no comeback. Touko-chan had hit the nail on the head.

"In that case – "

"In that case?"

Touko-chan looked defiant as she repeated Yumi's words. That's when Yumi realized what had happened, and swallowed the words she had intended to say.

"...No fair."

The phrase had just rolled off Touko-chan's tongue so fluently moments before. The first 'onee-sama' had been referring to Sachiko-sama, but there was no mistaking that the second 'onee-sama' referred to Yumi.

Since Touko-chan had so effortlessly cleared the hurdle of addressing Yumi as 'onee-sama,' there was no way Yumi could counterattack by saying, "In that case, you should start by addressing me as 'onee-sama.'"

"What's not fair?"

Even though she knew full well.

"Nothing. Anyway, we should head back soon otherwise we won't have time to eat lunch."

Yumi reached out her right hand to her soeur.

"Let's go, Touko."

"Okay."

The cool wind caressed her warm cheeks.

With that, the two of them headed off, walking side-by-side.

Everything's fine.

The warmth of Sachiko-sama's hand still lingered in Yumi's empty left hand.