Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume4 Chapter4 1

Raison d'etre for sœur. Part 1.

"Why do you look so depressed?"

In front of the Rose Mansion, someone tapped Yumi's shoulder from behind.

"… Rosa Chinensis."

The face she hadn't seen in a while was the same as usual. Kind, composed, welcoming you to cling to her while crying, and certainly belonging to the type of person whom you could devote everything to, that sort of face.

"You'd come?"

"Oh, I attend school almost every day. I've just decided to spend my extra time on studying, until I'm through with exams. … It's cold, shall we go in?"

Rosa Chinensis opened the door and invited Yumi. She was trying to gather herself enough to go in, so she was relieved she could relax and enter.

She'd gone to the Rose Mansion after school almost every day. But lately, Yumi found it difficult to come. And today even moreso.

The time had come. The Wednesday, two days before the election. In the afternoon today, the election speech presentation assembly would take place in the stead of classes. But Yumi didn't know what she was actually supposed to do. And it was frustrating. And it was the first time she'd felt this way, so she didn't know how she was supposed to deal with it. And no one was around to help her. And then she depressed herself, and fell into a bottomless pit with no way to get herself out.

And on top of it all, Rosa Canina and Shimako-san's problem was, well, to be a bit impolite and harsh, simply adding to the filled bucket, so her head was a mess. Yumi wanted the election to be over and done with quickly, or else she felt like her body would fall apart, too.

It was hard to tell if Rosa Chinensis could tell how Yumi felt, as she rhythmically climbed the stairs.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

How light.

And after climbing, the biscuit door on the right opened.

"Onee-sama."

As soon as she saw Rosa Chinensis, Sachiko-sama rushed over.

"Gokigenyou, Sachiko. Have you been well?"

"Yes, of course."

(-What?)

Seeing Sachiko-sama answer, Yumi couldn't believe her eyes.

Sachiko-sama was smiling.

She'd come in after Rosa Chinensis, so she was able to see Sachiko-sama's face the whole time. And Yumi'd watched Sachiko-sama the past two weeks. So she could affirm it. Yes, it'd been a while since Sachiko-sama had looked this lively.

(Why?) Rosa Chinensis magic.

(Because she saw Rosa Chinensis…?)

It felt like she'd been bitten by a fox.

In the second-floor room was also Rei-sama, Shimako-san, and Yoshino-san, the people who'd usually been in the room as of late. But it was just tens of minutes away from the speech presentation, so they were all busy with the final checks, like making sure their over-the-shoulder signs wouldn't slide off, or double-checking their speeches. Rosa Chinensis said she didn't need tea, so Yumi sat down next to Sachiko-sama.

It felt extremely boring. Even though she tried greeting her, Sachiko-sama never glanced in Yumi's way. She was always looking at Rosa Chinensis.

(Well, they have been together longer.)

But with such a different reaction, she couldn't help but begin wondering why she was here. Such dangerous thoughts slowly invaded her mind.

Rustle rustle.

Her heart felt like it was being laid waste.

Dying up like a worm that wandered onto hot asphalt, turning into something unrecognizable from its original form.

"Well, we'll be going ahead, then."

Rei-sama and Yoshino-san announced to everyone before they left.

Yumi thought.

In Yoshino-san's case, because they were blood-related cousins, she wouldn't be bothered so much by being left alone. Of course, Rei-sama was so glued to Yoshino-san that such a thing would never happen.

"I should go, too."

Shimako-san stood up, too. Of course, Rosa Gigantea wasn't by Shimako-san's side. But Shimako-san was the same as always.

(I'm such a fool.)

There was no point in comparing with other people. Sisterly relationships were all different, and she knew that already.

Only the crimson rose family remained in the room.

But it became depressing being there, so Yumi stood up, too.

She hoped that maybe Sachiko-sama would pay a bit of attention to her if she stood up, but it was futile. Like they were filling up their lost time, Sachiko-sama and Rosa Chinensis kept conversing, and they didn't even notice Yumi leave the room.

(I'm still such a baby…)

She thought, as she walked down the stairs with a slow tempo.

She wanted to be some help to Sachiko-sama, she would proudly say, but in the end, she was the one that was seeking something. To be necessary to Sachiko-sama, proof of it. Because she would be crushed by anxiety without it.

So childish.

If she really liked Sachiko-sama, she wouldn't need any reparation. If Sachiko-sama could peacefully laugh, with Rosa Chinensis by her side, she should be happy, too, as her sister.

But.

If she were that splendid a person, she wouldn't be troubled like this.

Yumi opened the door and stepped out.

What's the point of a little sister? She wanted to cry.

Inhaling and exhaling the outside air. She lost track of how long she stood there, cooling her head.

The courtyard in the middle of winter, even without any snow, was frigid, and when she felt resigned to going back into the Rose Mansion because her arms and feet were getting cold, the door opened from the other side.

"Yumi-chan?"

Rosa Chinensis wouldn't miss noticing that Yumi's eyes were a bit red.

"Come here."

Rosa Chinensis embraced Yumi's shoulder and took her, not to the second floor, but to the room to the side of the first floor. This room had less windows and didn't get much sunlight, so it wasn't used much. So, naturally, it became a storage room for the Yamayurikai.

"Tell me what happened."

She placed a hand on Yumi's shoulders and peered into her eyes. Rosa Chinensis saw through everything.

"Were you scolded by Sachiko, before I came?"

No, Yumi shook her head.

"Then, did someone say something?"

"No, it's just… I."

"Yumi-chan?"

"I can't do anything for Sachiko-sama, even though I'm her sister."

But then, Rosa Chinensis tilted her head to the side.

"Can't do anything? You have to do something?"

"Because."

She didn't know how to continue. Because Rosa Chinensis easily did what Yumi couldn't do, no matter how hard she tried.

"It's alright, Yumi-chan."

Rosa Chinensis cackled. Like a bright, summer sky.

"Listen to me. Little sisters don't have to worry about that, because they're little sisters."

"What?"

Yumi's "because they're little sisters" and Rosa Chinensis' "because they're little sisters" were similar but seemed to point to radically different stances.

"If you want to help, just act normal. And when Sachiko says she wants something, just do that."

"… That's all?"

"That's all."

With rock-solid confidence, Rosa Chinensis concluded.

"I'm telling you this, with a long history of being an onee-sama. Understand?"

"… Yes."

"Okay then, I'll be heading out now. Yumi-chan, stay next to Sachiko."

"Rosa Chinensis?"

"Don't you worry, I'll be watching in the assembly hall."

Smiling like a flower, she left the room, first. She was no match for the third-year "aunts," the first-year Yumi thought.

She didn't know why, but she felt much better.

When she opened the door and stepped out, Sachiko-sama had just come down.

"You were gone far too long for a simple hand-washing, so I was worried."

"I'm sorry."

After bowing her head once, she was about to follow Sachiko-sama, but she thought it wouldn't be good to drag along such a fundamental concern, so Yumi squeezed every ounce of courage she had and spoke to Sachiko-sama from behind.

"Onee-sama, I-"

"What?"

Sachiko-sama slowly turned around. Even without Rosa Chinensis, she looked like the kind, strict onee-sama of usual.

"I, what can I do? I want to do something for onee-sama, but I couldn't think of anything, and I felt so powerless, and I-"

Sachiko-sama looked surprised, and then laughed. It was hard to tell if she was happy or thought it was absurd.

"You had such a cloudy look lately, was it because you were thinking such a thing?"

"What?"

She thought Sachiko-sama was disinterested, but apparently that was the wrong assumption. Even if it wasn't to the same degree as usual, Sachiko-sama was paying attention to Yumi.

"… Oh dear."

And she started giggling again. Unable to suppress her laughter, Sachiko-sama leaned against the Rose Mansion door and spoke.

"We were troubled by the same thing, as sœur."

"Same… what?"

When Yumi asked, Sachiko-sama confessed, "Actually…"

"I, too. Was agonizing over onee-sama."

Whether she could do anything for Rosa Chinensis. But in Sachiko-sama's case, Rosa Chinensis was battling with universities, so there was absolutely nothing she could do. So it was dreadful.

Like, letters or phone calls of encouragement might just be adding pressure.

Or like, maybe waking up early on the day of exams to make Rosa Chinensis lunch.

Or like, bringing one of those popular exam charms from a shrine would be hackneyed.

While she was thinking of ideas, she became depressed at how powerless she was. And then Rosa Chinensis stopped by the Rose Mansion, and when she saw how cheerful Rosa Chinensis was, it instantly cheered Sachiko-sama up, too.

"Rosa Chinensis told me, 'I came to see your face.' And I felt so much better. Because it made me think of what I expect from my own sister, Yumi."

"Me…?"

"You just need to be by my side. I just need a sister that will watch me, by my side. Just be with me, and when I become lonely, hold my hand."

As she said that, Sachiko-sama grabbed Yumi's hands and held them tight.

They were warm. But Yumi no longer felt like onee-sama's warmth was lonely. Now, the warmth melted her anxiety, her impatience, and her self-hatred away.

"Rosa Chinensis said, the elder sister is the one that wraps up and protects. And the little sister is the support… and I feel the same."

"The little sister is the support?"

What an emboldening way of saying it. The little sister is the support. With that, she felt prepared to go to the far ends of the world together. Then, she wanted to become a sister who, just by being there, her onee-sama could feel at peace. That became Yumi's goal.

"But, onee-sama is truly amazing."

The dog, now in good humor after receiving kibidango[1], excitedly followed Momotarou. First, they were to head to the sanctuary, on Onigashima.

"Why?"

"Because you weren't worried about the election."

"Election?"

Sachiko-sama laughed as they walked, brimming with confidence.

"Don't worry. I'll never lose."

And for that, she needed to defeat the speech presentation in front of her, first. And three days later, the big, decisive battle would take place.

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