Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume33 Chapter5 2

Parting Gift Trio. Part 2.

"The farewell address."

The vice-principal announced.

"The students' representative, second year wisteria class, Toudou Shimako."

Seated some distance away, Yumi heard Shimako respond to her name being called with a 'Here.'

It's finally starting.

"Second year pine group, Shimazu Yoshino."

"Here."

Unlike the previous answer, this 'Here' came from a much closer location. At this point, some murmuring could be heard from the seats reserved for the PTA and guests. Two people giving the farewell address? That was undoubtedly what they were muttering about.

The vice principal paused for a moment, to allow the speculative murmuring some time to die down, before continuing.

"Second year pine group, Fukuzawa Yumi."

When the third name was called out, a hush fell over the audience. During this silence, Yumi's response of, 'Here,' rang out.

Yumi hadn't meant to call out so loudly, but her throat had been agitated by a recent bout of coughing. Judging by the chuckles that were coming from the general vicinity of the earlier murmuring, Yumi's appearance was quite amusing. Or perhaps their cheeks were just relaxing after the shock of first two and then three names being called to deliver the farewell address, when they only expected one.

Either way, it didn't matter. Yumi put it from her mind.

The truth was, the gymnasium was never going to be devoid of sound – be it muttering, or chuckling, or something like her earlier coughing. Or take the sound of the human heartbeat. You wouldn't be able to live if you were bothered by each and every one.

Yumi walked to the aisle, slipping through the gap between the chair in front and the knees of her classmates. Shimako-san and Yoshino-san, whose names had been called before hers, were waiting there for her.

The gymnasium's stage was in front of Yumi.

To take that stage and deliver the farewell address to the graduating seniors was the duty that had been given to her.

It's okay. Don't cry.

At this very moment, Yumi was a representative of all the students enrolled at this school.

So the only time it would be acceptable for her to cry was when all the first and second year students were also crying.

Not just a third, but all of them.

Having told herself this, Yumi took the stage.

Onee-sama.

This farewell address is for all the third years.

But there's also a message in there that won't be apparent to anyone other than you.

Please understand this.

* * *

"Frankly, it's about the farewell address."

Yamamura-sensei said, after they had entered the Educational Guidance room.

"Cleaning…"

Since it was that time of the day, Yumi had initially thought that Yamamura-sensei had said, 'It's about the cleaning.' Shimako-san and Yoshino-san seemed to hear it the same way too.

"Well, we don't have to talk about this while we're standing, have a seat."

"Okay."

Despite her answer, Yumi was a student who hadn't needed any Guidance with her Education, so wasn't too familiar with this particular room. She honestly couldn't determine which seat it would be appropriate for her to sit in. In the center was a sofa, like something from a lounge suite, but was that the position of power, or not?

"Anywhere's fine. Look, I'll sit here, so you three can sit over that side."

Yoshino-san, Shimako-san and Yumi all followed Yamamura-sensei's brisk instructions and sat down. Yumi wondered if Shimako's place in the center was due to her being the sole current Rose, or a manifestation of the lack of confidence from the two members of pine class. One way or the other, it felt like they were relying on Shimako-san.

"Don't be so stiff. I don't have any quibbles with your behavior at school."

Their teacher smiled, but the three students couldn't see where this conversation was going and so weren't able to smile back.

The Educational Guidance room seemed quite spacious when it was just the four of them holding a secret meeting. But Yumi knew. When you cram fourteen or fifteen people in here, it gets quite tight indeed.

This was the room that Torii Eriko-sama had been summoned to regarding the 'Yellow Rose Turmoil' incident, the room where all her concerned relatives had congregated.

"Earlier, you said this was about the cleaning."

Shimako-san cut to the chase.

"Which cleaning are you talking about?"

"Which one? Well, for the graduation ceremony, of course."

"So, the gymnasium then."

"Naturally."

At this point, none of the four people in the room had yet realized that they were speaking about different things.

"What are you asking us to do?"

Shimako-san asked matter-of-factly, still under the impression that they were talking about cleaning the gymnasium. Every year, the first years were responsible for cleaning the gymnasium and setting out the chairs prior to the graduation ceremony. If that tradition continued, why were they called here to discuss this?

"Basically, I'd like the three of you to perform the farewell address."

"The three of us?"

The previously silent Yoshino-san shot back, half jokingly.

"I know it's a break with tradition, but won't you take this on?"

No kidding it's a break with tradition. Unexpectedly, all three of them simultaneously shouted out:

"It's impossible for three people."

At this point, their teacher seemed pained as she looked from face to face.

"So, you'd all prefer to do it individually?"

"...What?"

"Huh?"

Finally, they all realized. That there was something not quite right about their conversation.

"Farewell address and cleaning, huh."

There was a thawing as they took this in. A farewell address, then. That makes sense.

(Wait, farewell address?)

"So, you're asking the three of us to deliver the farewell address?"

It wasn't until now that the impact registered, as though the first time around had been a feint.

"Ehh!?"

It was a huge shock.

Yumi was more surprised than when she had heard that the three of them would have to clean the gymnasium by themselves.

"I'm sure you'll choose an appropriate tone and style for your speech."

Yamamura-sensei said.

"You're all smart, so I think you can infer what the core of your speech should be, underneath all the decorative and sugary phrases."

"In other words, there has to be some substance to it."

Yoshino-san looked at their teacher with searching eyes.

"That's correct."

So this was a frank discussion, huh. It was kind of incredible. The three of them looked at each other, as if to ask, 'Are you okay with this?'

"Usually it's only one person who reads the farewell address. As you know, last year's farewell address was started by one person but finished by two. Well, we'll call that an accident, since the second person joining in was probably unplanned."

Obviously, it wasn't significant enough that the teachers had bothered to confirm whether this was the truth or not. The two people who had delivered the farewell address last year were the onee-samas of the currently present Yoshino-san and Yumi.

"So, this year's graduation ceremony. We knew we couldn't ask for volunteers or hold a lottery to determine who should be the student's representative."

"Hmm."

Yumi vaguely felt that it should go to someone with outstanding grades.

"For the new student's representative at the school entrance ceremony, it's primarily based on grades. But that's because they haven't yet entered the school, so we don't have a lot of other data to use. By the time the graduation ceremony comes around, we've more or less gathered enough information to make a decision. And what do you think we pay attention to when choosing someone to be the student's representative? Naturally, we look to someone who the students can all support to represent them."

It seems like quite a difficult decision. So they don't just choose the first name on the list of students ordered by their grades.

"It would be problematic if we chose someone who excelled academically, but had a poor attitude towards school. Similarly, choosing someone who was popular but had poor grades would be inviting rebellion. So in recent years we've often chosen someone from the student council executive. Since they're elected, they've already won the trust of the student body and, as they have to lead the student council, there's generally no problems with their attitude. Their grades usually aren't too bad either, perhaps being named as the petit soeur of a Rose provides some incentive."

As she listened to this, Yumi slowly shrank inwards. She wasn't proud of it, but her grades had remained stubbornly average, making her supremely unqualified to deliver the farewell address. While she had been chosen as one of the next Roses in the election, she considered this more an endorsement of her friendly, down-to-earth nature.

"Then, there's no doubt about Shimako-san."

Yoshino-san said.

"That's right."

Yumi clapped her hands together. Shimako-san's grades were excellent, her attitude towards school was exemplary, she had the trust of the entire student body and was widely adored.

"Please, hold on. Yamamura-sensei just said that the three of us were to do it."

Shimako-san hastily interjected. Probably fearful that they would transfer the job to her if she were to remain silent.

"Toudou-san. I don't disagree with a word they've said."

Yamamura-sensei sank back into the sofa and folded her arms.

"But would you let me continue."

"Okay."

Yumi didn't need Yoshino-san to point out that if the conversation were to end here with unanimous agreement for Shimako-san then there was no point in bringing them all here and suggesting the three of them should give the speech together.

"That thing last year. Earlier I said it was an accident, but it was very well received."

"That thing?"

She said, 'that thing'. She called Rei-sama leaping out from the student's seating area to help Sachiko-sama, who had broken down in tears as she was reading the farewell address, a 'thing.'

"The farewell speech is really all about the outpouring of emotion that students have towards their graduating onee-samas."

"Huh?"

"And Toudou-san's onee-sama graduated last year."

This time it was Yumi and Yoshino-san's turn to say, 'Wait, hold on.'

"Not having an onee-sama seems like a minor detail compared to the other conditions you mentioned."

Yumi said. Then Yoshino-san continued:

"Shimako-san doesn't currently have an onee-sama, but she's like a petit soeur to all the third years."

"Right, right."

To be honest, the two of them didn't want to do it. Or, more accurately, they didn't think they could do it and were tag-teaming Shimako-san, who seemed much more capable.

"I've got it. Yumi-san and I will find an onee-sama for Shimako-san before the graduation ceremony."

"Yeah, leave it to us.... Wait, what?"

Even without Yumi's response it was plain to see that this talk about finding an onee-sama was just Yoshino-san's joke. Well, maybe she was only half joking. Shimako-san smiled wryly.

"So you would prefer a student with an onee-sama in the graduating class. Does that mean you've chosen who will give the formal reply?"

Shimako-san continued to smile as she asked this question, while Yoshino-san and Yumi's eyes widened in shock.

How quickly the situation had changed. In last year's graduation ceremony, Sachiko-sama had delivered the farewell address and Mizuno Youko-sama had delivered the formal reply. It goes without saying that those two were soeurs. And they were talking about how last year's farewell address had been received –

"Do you want me to tell you?"

"No thanks!!"

Yumi and Yoshino-san vehemently declined. They both knew they would be in quite the predicament if their soeurs were named.

Yamamura-sensei chuckled at how frantic they were.

"There's no reason not to, right?"

"Huh?"

"Or should I say, even if I told you, it still hasn't been settled. Of course, there are some obvious contenders."

Yamamura-sensei grinned as she watched the second year peach class duo. There was no doubt that Ogasawara Sachiko-sama and Hasekura Rei-sama were two of those contenders.

"Well, there's no reason that the farewell address and the formal reply have to be given by soeurs. Although it certainly makes it more interesting when they are."

Yumi wanted to jump in with, 'Just whose side are you on?' But as a teacher, she wasn't on any of their sides.

"And so, there was a run-off ballot amongst the high school faculty."

"...A run-off ballot."

This must be what she meant when she had said they were to have a frank discussion.

"Who should it be out of Toudou Shimako, Shimazu Yoshino and Fukuzawa Yumi."

"And?"

The sound of gulping was clearly audible. Yumi couldn't predict whether she would be named, or someone else would be, so she concentrated on what was about to be said next.

"It was inconclusive."

"Inconclusive?"

"I don't remember the exact vote count, but there was no clear winner. There was something like one or two votes separating all of you, so it was hard to make a decision."

"So the three of us..."

"Exactly. It's up to you."

Yamamura-sensei had put the ball squarely in their court. So, what next? Yumi looked into Yoshino-san and Shimako-san's eyes. They couldn't huddle together because they were sitting along the sofa, but Yumi felt they should have a strategy meeting to reach a consensus.

However.

"We'll do it."

A single person answered.

"Yoshino-san!?"

"We're all in this together. Right? Shimako-san, Yumi-san?"

She was just saying whatever she wanted. Surely if the three of them were all in this together, then they would agree to it first and then announce it, right? Naturally, Shimako-san's eyes were wide open too.

"Anyone that doesn't want to do this together can do it themselves."

"That's absurd."

What could possibly be her reasoning behind that?

"So then, is there anyone that doesn't want to do this?"

Well, in Yumi's case it wasn't so much 'doesn't want to,' as 'won't be able to.'

"In that case, there's no alternative but for us to accept this responsibility. Right?"

Wait. Let's slow down and think about this some more. There's no way that the three of them would be given the honor of delivering the farewell address – . Yoshino-san was either reading her mind, or her facial expressions, when she smirked and said:

"What purpose do you think Yamamura-sensei had in mind when she booked the Education Guidance room and brought us here to have a frank discussion?"

"Huh?"

Why? Yumi shook her head. The reason for their secret talk. Hmm –

"Ah."

No way.

"Gee, you girls are smart. It went just like I thought it would."

There was no point tiptoeing around now that it was out in the open. This seemed like the sort of thing an organization of super villains on TV would do.

"I understand."

Shimako-san opened her eyes and spoke. Which means they must have been closed until now. She had probably closed her eyes in order to concentrate while Yoshino-san and Yumi had been noisily arguing back and forth.

"I shall agree to do this."

"Shimako-san!?"

"After much consideration I have decided that I should accept."

Shimako-san continued.

"But this is my opinion. So it's okay if you don't agree, Yumi-san. I won't force you."

Shimako-san asked for confirmation that this was acceptable. Yamamura-sensei nodded and said, 'Of course.' So, between the two of them, they should be able to get someone to give the farewell address.

"And if I don't accept?"

Yoshino-san shot Shimako-san a light glare at this. However.

"I believe Yoshino-san has already stipulated what she intends to do in that case."

The boom was lowered and she was shut out.

"Well...I guess that's true."

Yoshino-san had been the first one to say, 'I'll do it,' so she would probably regret it if Yumi were to end up delivering the farewell address by herself.

"Okay. I'll do it."

Yumi agreed.

She felt that the decisive blow had been Shimako-san's decision. Yumi thought that if, after much thought, Shimako-san had reached the conclusion that it was better to do this, then it probably was. Really, Yumi thought it would have been better if she were to think things through for herself, but that would likely take too long. So she had decided to put her faith in Shimako-san's decision.

And so, the farewell address in this year's graduation ceremony would be jointly delivered by the three future Roses.

Yamamura-sensei seemed eminently satisfied with how the conversation had gone.

However, as they were on the way out of the Educational Guidance Room, Yamamura-sensei said, 'Oh, right,' and gave them one final guideline:

"The three of you will form up prior to the start of the address and take the stage together."

That thing last year may have been well received, but they wouldn't be allowed to join in one-by-one as the speech progressed.