Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume10 Chapter4

Signs of Rain

Part 1

On the Tuesday that Yoshino had unilaterally chosen for reconciliation, Rei-chan was absent from school.

According to Rei-chan's mother, she had a temperature late Monday night and while fever medicine had temporarily cooled her down, her condition worsened in the morning so she was having the day off.

On the trip home yesterday Rei-chan had been silent, like on the way to school, but she hadn't really looked sick. Maybe she'd spent so long in the bath thinking about things that she came down with a cold. How pathetic.

"Ah, maybe it's my fault … "

The student murmured, gathering her shoulder-length hair in her hands as she stood in front of her classroom.

Before school started, Yoshino made her way to the third-year plum classroom, having been asked by her aunt to tell them that Rei-chan would be having a two or three day break from the kendo club. And, having heard the details, it was club president Nojima's voice that said, "my fault."

"Umm, why would it be your fault?"

Yoshino asked, not understanding. As background, the club president's house was a long way away from Yoshino's, and in the conversation with her aunty neither the words 'club president' nor the name 'Nojima' were mentioned. How she could be connected to Rei-chan's illness was a complete unknown.

"Well, I called Rei-san last night."

As she said this, club president Nojima had a pained expression on her face.

"Ahh."

But even supposing they had talked for a long time, she wouldn't be responsible for the health of the person on the other end of the phone, right? As a high-school student, surely Rei-chan should be responsible for making sure she was wearing enough clothes that she didn't catch a cold.

"At first I was telling her about what happened during yesterday's club activities."

"Mmm."

Rei-chan had skipped out on those yesterday so that she could welcome Noriko-chan to the Rose Mansion.

"Then the conversation turned to you, Yoshino-chan."

"Huh!?"

"Rei-san knew that you wanted to join the club, but apparently she hadn't heard that you'd handed in an application form. So – "

You put your foot in it, club president.

"I'm sorry. I guess I messed up, right?"

Club president Nojima looked depressed, at a loss for what to do.

"… No."

They hadn't agreed to keep it secret, so Yoshino had no right to get mad at her. It was just unlucky, she thought. Yoshino had planned to come clean with Rei-chan this morning.

"Rei-san seemed to be quite shocked by it."

In that case, it was more like it was Yoshino's fault then the club president's – but, what? Rei-chan came down with a temperature because of shock? How pathetic.

The fire that had been extinguished within Yoshino's heart was once again starting to flare up.

What are you playing at, Rei-chan? – Yoshino balled her hand into a fist and glared in the direction of her house.

"Umm … Yoshino-chan?"

"Club president."

Yoshino spun around abruptly and faced the club president.

"Yes?"

The club president put herself on guard, as though unsure of what was about to happen. It was the inevitable response from someone who had been watching Yoshino for a while.

"Right or wrong, I'm going to join the kendo club."

"Okay?"

"So, I look forward to working with you."

Yoshino bowed extremely deeply then walked away from the third-year plum classroom, satisfied. With that decided, she had other arrangements she had to make elsewhere.

Left behind, the club president's exhausted muttering echoed down the corridor.

"… What just happened?"

The young lady with pigtails skipped away, then quickly turned a corner in the corridor.

Part 2

"I'll introduce you to the club member who's going to be guiding you from today."

Yoshino was taken aback when she saw who club president Nojima was introducing her to.

"Welcome aboard, Yoshino-san."

"… Tanuma Chisato."

Yoshino said her full name, without thinking. Of all people, her despised rival for the half-day date with Rei-chan. Also, the person from a somewhat sorrowful memory.

"Well, I'll leave the rest to you, Tanuma-san."

Then the club president left, leaving just the two of them at the edge of the dojo. Inside, the other club members had already started practicing their swings.

Wednesday, after school.

Yoshino's club application had involved the club president, club adviser, school nurse, school doctor and her own family doctor, and had even been raised as a topic for discussion at the staff meeting on Tuesday, but after much wrangling, in the end her application was provisionally accepted.

The relative speed with which it had all been resolved led Yoshino to believe that her "arrangements" had been effective. Although she called them arrangements, they weren't anything particularly grandiose. It just involved Yoshino going around to everyone, telling them about how she had wanted to do kendo ever since she was young, how she was so happy because after her surgery it felt like her dream was finally coming true, and that she promised not to worry anyone by overdoing it. That was all.

It may have been exaggerating things slightly, but it wasn't a lie. It was the results of the high spirits she was in about joining the club while Rei-chan had irresponsibly gone and gotten herself sick.

If someone in authority decided that there was an impediment to Yoshino continuing kendo, then she would abide by their decision. – That was one of the conditions attached to Yoshino joining the club. In other words, the moment someone said something like, "You're looking tired, so that's enough for today," or, "You don't look so well, take the day off," she had to hand over the shinai.

Yoshino thought it should be fine because her body was in good health, but she was slightly concerned that 'someone in authority' included a person by the name of 'Hasekura Rei.' Rei-chan had been given the power to snuff out her kendo life with a single word.

"Since when have you been in the kendo club?"

Yoshino asked Tanuma Chisato, while sneaking a glance at the ongoing practice.

"I joined at the end of first-year. That makes me your senior, just by a little. So it was quite an honor for me to be chosen as your guide."

At the end of first-year, so that could have been right after that date. Yoshino thought Chisato-san might have come to hate seeing Rei-chan's face, but apparently she was impudent and had a lot of nerve.

She'd boldly cut her shoulder-length hair, although not as short as Rei-chan's, and although it hurt Yoshino to admit this, it looked good on her. Much better than before – really, it was annoying how good she looked.

"Why do I need a guide?"

"You've joined midway through second-year. Not only are you inexperienced with kendo, but you haven't really done any strenuous exercise before, right?"

"Well, excuse me … So what?"

"Geez, just listen. When someone like that knocks on the door, you can't just give them a shinai straight away and let them have at it. So, first of all, we have to build up your core strength. You understand that much, right?"

The way she spoke rubbed Yoshino the wrong way, but Yoshino had been rude first, so she let it slide.

"Build my core strength? Doing what?"

"Stretching, weights, light running, that kind of thing."

So she'd be doing endless warm-up exercises during club practice. It looks like the first-years who'd joined as novices at the start of the year had been following this training regime and had only recently been allowed to wield the shinai.

"So, you mean, I'll have to do that all by myself?"

In the dojo, the practice swings continued. Mixed in amongst the sounds were the artless cries of those who'd apparently only just started kendo.

"That's why I'm with you as your guide. Don't whine, I went through all the same things when I joined without complaint. Now, let's get going."

While she wasn't wearing any kendo armor, she was in her gym clothes, and when someone in a track suit is told, "Let's get going," the only possible response is, "Okay." It was annoying that she was being guided by someone whose career was only a couple of months longer than her own, but Chisato-san wasn't someone she had to fight, so it would have been counterproductive to futilely cry about it.

"Yoshino-san. Your body is really stiff. Do some training at home before your bath, okay?"

Chisato-san spoke her mind as she pushed on Yoshino's back. But she wasn't wrong in what she said, so Yoshino couldn't object.

"Chisato-san."

"Yeah?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

Yoshino started to speak, then stopped. Although she'd called out, she didn't really know what she wanted to say.

"What's nothing?"

"Ah, can you go a bit easier on my back?"

"Like this?"

Chisato-san smiled as she pushed harder and harder on Yoshino's back. The back of her knees were stretched taut.

Back when Chisato-san had joined, who had been her guide? Yoshino was a bit bothered by this, but she didn't want Chisato-san to know, so she put all of her concentration into stretching forward.

(Rei-chan never said anything about Chisato-san.)

It wasn't a big deal, but it was bothering her.

After taking into account her suspicions, Yoshino vanquished the unworthy thought that Rei-chan was trying to keep her away from the kendo club because Chisato-san was there.

As if that would happen.

At the foundation of their relationship was trust.

The sound of the club president leading the younger girls reached her ears. It seemed incredibly strange to Yoshino that Rei-chan wasn't there.

Part 3

Thursday lunch.

They'd been called to the Rose Mansion, so Yoshino left the classroom carrying her lunch. Her classmate Yumi-san was with her.

"How's the kendo club?"

"Hm, so-so."

At the moment, it felt more like a "Stretching / marathon / weight training association." She'd only been there for one day, but already her legs felt tired and sore.

"Hang in there."

"… Thanks."

Yoshino responded with an equally insipid expression of gratitude to the listless encouragement from her friend. They were both pretty exhausted.

Even though they were exhausted, they still had to do their Yamayurikai duties at lunch. Work had already started for the school festival in autumn.

After school, the remaining members would gather and work on things individually, but the work just kept on coming, so they didn't have any free time. Rei-chan was down, and Sachiko-sama would go home early to deal with family matters or something, so with the main people out it was only natural that it would end up like this.

"Ah."

Yoshino spotted Shimako-san ahead of them in the hallway. Rosa Gigantea was always so beautiful that she grabbed people's attention, but the sight of her keeping her melancholy (perhaps caused by the sudden disappearance of the sun's rays) to herself made her look kind of seductive.

The three girls exchanged smiles but omitted saying "Gokigenyou," then continued walking alongside each other.

"Is Noriko-chan coming?"

"No."

Shimako-san shook her head, as though the answer should have been obvious. Which probably meant that they still hadn't officially become soeurs. Talk about indecisive.

Yoshino had no idea why Shimako-san was hesitating. She should just give her the rosary and become soeurs. They both knew that, and due to Nijou Noriko's nature, no-one would oppose them.

Although, come to think of it, things were kind of like this during Shimako-san and Satou Sei-sama's time. The two involved seemed to be bothered by something, but Yoshino had no idea what. This time around, there were probably some things they had to work through, but why was it taking so long?

If she likes her, give her the rosary. If not, send her away. – It was such a simple thing, that should cover it.

"Gokigenyou."

A group of first-years had been lying in wait in the hallway that ran past the first-year classrooms and called out warmly to Yoshino's group.

"Gokigenyou everyone."

Beset by exhaustion, Yoshino couldn't conjure up her usual smile.

Besides, it would be a pain if they were stopped here, and by walking on looking downcast it made it hard for the first-years to follow after them.

Phrases like, "hiding their sorrow," itched at Yoshino's ears from behind, but going back and correcting the first-years would be foolish, so she continued on.

There was no need to shatter those girls' illusions. Deliberately, she walked slowly.

"What's the matter?"

Shimako-san asked, when the first-years had disappeared from view.

"What do you mean, what's the matter?"

Yoshino and Yumi-san called out in harmony, although they hadn't rehearsed beforehand.

"Well … "

Shimako-san said that they were being unusually quiet.

"Quiet?"

Yumi-san pointed out that Yoshino had hardly said a word, prompting Yoshino to highlight Yumi-san's gloomy face. Apparently things weren't going well with Sachiko-sama, or so Yoshino thought.

"It's just her imagination, right?"

After this denial, they resumed walking. But, in truth, Yoshino had noticed it too. The reason she hadn't said a word wasn't just because she was tired from club activities. The gloomy faces she was seeing weren't just because of the poor weather.

Just as they stepped out into the courtyard, all three of them sighed simultaneously.

"What?"

Blind to her own shortcomings, Yoshino attacked the other two. Not knowing how to handle her own emotions, she was getting more and more depressed by those around her.

"What do you mean?"

Yumi-san responded honestly, pushing out her lips in a pout. And then.

"Is there something bothering you two?"

Shimako-san asked, sounding concerned.

"There's no way you can talk to someone who's sighing, right?"

Yoshino bluntly responded. That was probably an outburst of anger. Looking at lovable Shimako-san's face, it had just come blurting out.

"Especially when there's not that many different species of sighs."

Yoshino felt like she had to follow that up, but the words that came out of her mouth weren't much of a follow-up. Instead, it sounded more like something she wanted to tell herself.

As they were entering the Rose Mansion, Shimako-san said there was something she had to attend to and headed back towards the school building. Yoshino was a bit worried by that.

"I guess I hurt her feelings."

Yoshino said, seeking confirmation from Yumi-san, but she simply refuted it with, "I don't think that's it." Even so, Yoshino was bothered by it, and she grabbed Yumi-san's hand to stop her climbing further up the stairs and asked:

"You know, sometimes I'll get carried away and not pay attention to things around me. Do I, unknowingly, make things worse for other people?"

"Huh?"

Yumi-san asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"I've probably done it to you, Yumi-san."

"I've never really – "

"Sure."

Even though the burden on club-less Yumi-san must have increased when Yoshino started her club activities.

Noriko-chan coming to assist had helped out a bit, but the three second-years were all without petit soeurs, so they'd constantly been short-handed since the start of the school year.

It would have been better if she hadn't started club activities – such were Yoshino's thoughts when she considered it calmly. Even if Yumi-san didn't think that, there were probably plenty of people who did.

"I guess I should get a petit soeur."

Yoshino mumbled as she climbed the creaky stairs.

"…Why do you say that?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while. Two boutons isn't enough to support the Roses."

"You'd take a petit soeur just for the manpower?"

Yumi-san stopped climbing the staircase and looked at Yoshino in amazement.

"Someone like Shimako-san might be opposed to it, but that kind of clear contract is one option, right?"

"Yeah … but … "

She couldn't bring herself to agree.

"At any rate, I need to spread my emotions."

Yoshino finished climbing the stairs and let out a huge sigh.

If she kept thinking only about Rei-chan, her brains would boil and scorch her skull.

Part 4

On Friday, Rei-chan finally came to school.

"Morning."

"Morning."

It was awkward, but they exchanged greetings and then went out the gate. It had only been three days since they'd seen each other, but Rei-chan looked noticeably worn out. She wasn't staggering or anything, but as they walked alongside each other Yoshino found herself wanting to ask Rei-chan if she was alright, out of concern.

But it would surely hurt Rei-chan's pride to have Yoshino support her, or carry her school bag for her, so Yoshino didn't make the offer.

Really, it was shocking, but that was all she knew.

"Yoshino."

Rei-chan looked straight ahead as she spoke to Yoshino walking beside her.

"I hear you've officially joined the kendo club."

"… Yeah."

Feeling a bit guilty, Yoshino replied without making direct eye-contact either.

Who it was was unknown, but someone had apparently informed Rei-chan of what happened during her absence. Well, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that everyone in the kendo club was on Rei-chan's side, so it was only natural that someone would have told her.

"Well, even though I've joined, all I'm doing is warm-up exercises."

It had been a while since they'd last talked, so Yoshino was getting a bit excited. As Yoshino soared, she tried her hardest to convey her thoughts. While she had been the one to start the fight, she was trying to encourage a friendly conversation so that they could naturally make up.

But Rei-chan coolly said, "I see," and nodded her head.

"Your life is your own, Yoshino. I have no right to stop you."

"Rei-chan … ?"

Yoshino didn't understand what Rei-chan wanted to say. Was it an acceptance of her club activities, or a rejection, or even an inability to decide? Yoshino didn't know how to respond.

"While I was in bed, I thought about a lot of things."

"Thought … about what?"

"About kendo, and about soeurs, and about other things."

In other words, she thought about Yoshino. She should have just said that straight out.

"Which led to something that needs contemplation. Because it goes to the heart of how soeurs are supposed to be."

"Huh?"

"Our relationship is different to normal soeurs. Which is why we always have these kinds of fights."

"Hmm … well, that may be true."

Yoshino agreed vaguely, unsure of where the conversation was going. It may have just been because she was worn out, but Rei-chan's face looked unusually serious, and Yoshino's heart whispered that it was times like these when extreme care was needed.

"You know, Yoshino, as your onee-sama, I could admonish you to stop club activities."

"Admonish? Implore, right?"

"Implore, maybe … But, you probably wouldn't go along with it."

"If you were right, I would. But your reasons for objecting aren't very persuasive."

Who would give up on joining the club just because they were told about morning practices, or that it was a barefoot world, or that it was strict? If Yoshino was repelled by that, then it seemed like no-one would ever join the kendo club.

"It's always puzzled me why it always comes to this."

"Isn't it tied up with how we're different to other soeurs?"

"Maybe it was a mistake for us to become soeurs in the first place."

"–"

Rei-chan spoke very calmly as she said something that was very close to a break-up line.

"What are you trying to say?"

"If you're going to do what you want, then I have to rethink things too."

Rei-chan stopped walking and turned to Yoshino, a serious look on her face as she spoke deliberately and clearly.

"I've had enough of being blown off by you."

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