Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume29 Chapter4 2

Burning Bridges. Part 2.

Yumi parted company with Sachiko-sama, and when she arrived at the Rose Mansion the only people there to greet her were Shimako-san and Yoshino-san.

In other words, only the second-years were there.

"Oh, what happened to Noriko-chan?"

Yumi asked, the bag she had fetched from her classroom falling with a thud.

She already knew that Touko was rehearsing for the drama club's play. Touko had said she would stop by when the rehearsal was finished, but Yumi had told her not to overexert herself.

"Noriko went to the office to borrow the yellow pages."

"Yellow pages?"

"The florist we used last year has gone out of business, so we have to find another one."

Yumi was asked if she had run into Noriko-chan, but she hadn't seen her at all. Yumi shrugged, then sat down. Various documents were spread out across the table.

"Putting that aside. What happened with Sachiko-sama?"

Yoshino-san brought her chair around next to Yumi's.

And just like that, work was momentarily suspended as they rushed into chat-time. Even Shimako-san put down her document and adopted a listening posture.

"What happened? Nothing much."

"What do you mean, nothing much. She was calling you out in that letter."

"Ahh, about that."

Yoshino-san and Shimako-san looked exasperated after Yumi explained the reason behind that. Yumi would never say it, but she was wondering just what on earth those two were expecting.

"But surely Sachiko-sama had something in mind, since she asked you to meet her."

"She said she wanted to see my face."

On hearing that, Yoshino-san and Shimako-san looked at each other and said, "Mmm."

"...That Sachiko-sama."

"So I let her look at my face."

That kind of reasoning would make Yumi blush and feel awkward even if she wasn't talking about herself.

"And then?"

Yoshino-san lightly tapped Yumi on the shoulder, urging her to continue.

"Did she say what she was studying?"

"Sorry. I didn't ask."

"You forgot again!?"

While Yoshino-san was still gasping in shock, Yumi shook her head.

"Nope. I remembered, but I decided not to ask."

"Why?"

This time it was Shimako-san posing the question.

"Sachiko-sama said she'd tell me eventually, so I'll wait."

"Heey"

"You're not concerned?"

Yumi stopped to ponder at this question from her close friend.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't concerned.

Nor could she say that she wouldn't worry no matter where Sachiko-sama went, or what she did. If they had been trapped by the same inability to understand each other's feelings that they had during their troubles last year, then she would probably be badgering Sachiko-sama, trying to get information out of her.

"Well, it would just be to satisfy my own personal curiosity, so it's okay, I guess."

Regardless of whether or not Yumi knew about and agreed with what her onee-sama was doing, Yumi considered her onee-sama to be a reasonable person and was convinced there was no way she'd be involved in anything untoward. And since her onee-sama had said, 'For now, it's a secret,' that meant that at least there was a reason behind it.

"After all, when it comes time for me to know, I'm sure she'll leave an obvious sign that she wants to see me."

Yumi said, taking the letter of challenge from her pocket and waving it around.

And then.

"...Wonderful."

Shimako-san whispered.

"Huh?"

"Yumi-san, it's wonderful. That impression of solidness."

Again with the solid. Unlike Sachiko-sama, Shimako-san didn't push her in the shoulder, but she did half-rise from her chair, lean across the table and pat both of Yumi's hands.

Seated beside Yumi, Yoshino-san stuck a finger in her ear and tilted her head in an obvious display of boredom.

"For sure, it's the bulk of a heavyweight sumo wrestler. I wonder if it's the presence you gain upon becoming an onee-sama."

Yoshino-san's words were probably intended to be sarcastic or a backhanded compliment, but there was just a bit too much spin on it and it went sailing past Yumi. Instead, she seized upon a few of the phrases she heard.

First, solid. Then, the bulk of a sumo wrestler.

"I knew it, I am fat!?"

Yumi pinched at the area around her waist. As the dress wasn't tight around the stomach, it was possible that she was getting fat without realizing it.

"Still, her ditzy nature remains unchanged."

"Indeed."

Yoshino-san and Shimako-san smiled at each other. Yumi could tell they were speaking figuratively, but she still couldn't work out how what they saw in her that was 'solid.'

"Ahh, that's right."

Yoshino-san clapped her hands.

"We can talk about it now that the first years aren't here. What are we going to do about 'that'?"

"That?"

They were to discuss 'that.' However, the pronoun 'that' is mainly useful for its ability to refer to any number of things.

"When I said 'that.' I meant the talent show, the talent show."

"Ahhh..."

If they were to give a name to the talent show, it would be 'that.' Last year, for the Rose's farewell party, the three of them had risked life and limb in putting on a performance for the amusement of the graduating seniors.

"If we plan on doing that again this year, we should indirectly let the first-years know about it."

No high-school student would be able to perform a party trick on the spot if someone asked them to. Even if they did happen to know one, they probably wouldn't have the necessary props with them.

"But, you know."

Yumi sought confirmation.

"We were tricked by Satou Sei-sama into practicing for it. That doesn't mean it has to be like that every year."

"That's true."

Shimako-san nodded in agreement.

Sachiko-sama's solo ballet performance and Rei-sama's one-handed apple crushing display were just things that Sei-sama had made up. Probably.

Last year had been an anomaly. So, what should they do this year? Should they return to the way things were, or continue to trial it for another year. It deserved some consideration. Depending on their choice, a talent show performed by the first-years could become the accepted custom.

Shimako-san didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about it.

"Currently there's only two first-years, and it would be a great burden to lay on them even if they didn't have anything else going on, don't you think? But Touko-chan has her drama club commitments too. I wonder if making her practice a party performance at this busy time of year would be unfair."

"Sorry."

"My apologies."

Yoshino-san, who was still without a petit soeur, and Yumi, whose petit soeur was busy, both bowed their heads simultaneously. Shimako-san looked mortified and said, "That's not what I meant."

Still, Shimako-san had spoken truthfully. Last year, Yumi had overexerted herself and finally collapsed on the day before the party. Shimako-san and Yoshino-san wouldn't presume to raise this, but it was a bitter lesson they had all probably taken to heart.

Silence reigned for a while. The private farewell party, by itself, wasn't a lot of work, but before that was the 'Third-Years' Send Off.' While the three future Roses were the core of this effort, the first-years still had to act as their support. And since they had been first-years last year, they knew how much effort that was.

And even that was putting it lightly. For the first-years, it was brutal.

An odd atmosphere had settled around them. Their gazes shifted, as though searching for each others true intentions.

"I don't think we should perform again this year."

Finally, Shimako-san spoke, breaking the silence. In no time at all, Yoshino-san and Yumi both agreed with her.

"That's true."

It fell to them last year because they were the lowest on the totem pole. But now that they had petit soeurs of their own, nobody would want to do a magic act, or an impromptu traditional Japanese dance, or the loach scooping dance. After all, if their petit soeurs saw them performing such an act, then surely they would lose some of their dignity.

"What should we do if Rei-sama or Sachiko-sama request a performance?"

If they ask, 'What are you performing?' Like Sei-sama did last year.

"They might. Last year's performances were well received."

In that case, it would be unfair not to tell the first-years about it in advance. The more you thought about it, the more confusing it became.

They were all busy. Yet when they weren't working, it looked like they'd have this to worry about.

"Anyway, we can continue this discussion later."

In the end, the question of the talent show was shelved without an agreement being reached.

Why?

Because the squeak-squeak sound of someone climbing the stairs floating into the second-floor room.

"I'm back."

Noriko-chan cheerfully opened the biscuit door. Standing behind her was Touko. However, neither of them were holding the yellow pages.

"Looking at the advertisements and addresses, we found a number of possible matches. After calling them to find out more, we think these two meet our requirements. They should be able to fit within our budget, and they can deliver if we pre-order."

Noriko-chan reported, looking at her notebook. And then Touko added:

"But since we're dealing with flower arrangements, we shouldn't make a decision until we've seen how they handle the flowers and what the store's atmosphere is like. If you'd like, Noriko-chan and I can go and check them out on our way home – "

So that's why they took so long.

It looked as though their talented petit soeurs had gone ahead and finished this job for them.