Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume23 Chapter4 7

Full to Bursting at the New Year's Party. Part 7

Neither Shimako-san nor Noriko-chan were in the guest room that was the "Falcon Space." There was just the instruction card with "Fold ten paper cranes and bring them back with you" written on it and the remaining origami paper stacked neatly in the corner of the bedside table.

"They probably went down the other staircase. We must have passed them en-route."

Sachiko-sama shrugged in exasperation. Having multiple staircases had its own problems.

"It seems a waste to just head back like this. I think I'll tidy the room first."

Sachiko-sama picked up the origami paper and instructions.

"Ah, I'll take that."

"It's fine. I can handle this much – "

Then Sachiko-sama quietly said, "Ah."

"What's the matter?"

"No, it's nothing … Let's go."

Although it didn't look like it was nothing. But nor did it look like it was the sort of desperate situation where she had to do something hasty.

Then, as though nothing was wrong, Sachiko-sama left the room and took down the "Falcon Space" sign that was attached to the door. It was held up with double-sided tape in two places but it came down surprisingly easily.

"Onee-sama, if it's alright with you, may I be excused for a little while to change clothes?"

Yumi said, pointing to the "Ribbonfish Space" further down the corridor.

"Oh? You look so cute, you could keep it on for a little while longer."

"But I'd feel really bad if I got your mother's kimono dirty."

On top of that, the unfamiliar kimono was tight across her stomach.

"Really? Will you be able to undo the sash on your own?"

"… Probably."

Although she didn't know what she should do with the kimono once she'd taken it off.

"In that case, I'll tidy up a couple of other rooms around here and then come and see you. Once you've got the sash off, stay like that and wait for me. I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay."

Yumi answered, then walked off down the corridor. Sachiko-sama entered the room opposite the "Falcon Space."

When she arrived in front of the room, Yumi started by removing the "Polka-dot Ribbonfish Space" sign from the door.

"Alright, let's do this."

When she opened the sliding door, the room was dark. Yumi searched for the light switch that she assumed was around there somewhere. Tactile feedback. With a click, the warm light of the incandescent globe filled the room.

She stepped into the room and closed the door.

"Right, right."

Before she forgot, she took down the instructions from the inner-side of the door. Yumi then set the two signs down in the corner of the room.

In the center of the room there were two kimonos and two obi sashes. In the end, neither of the other teams had made it to this room.

It seemed a bit of a waste, since there had been enough laid out for all the teams. Yumi squatted down and gently ran her fingers across the top of the remaining kimono paper cases.

(… Or rather, how fortunate that the Red Rose team landed on the "Polka-dot Ribbonfish Space.")

Just as a faint chuckle escaped from Yumi's lips, she heard the sound of the door opening. She slowly stood up, thinking it was Sachiko-sama, but as she rose a voice that was obviously not her onee-sama's reached her ears.

"Saako."

By the time she'd recognized it as a man's voice, there was no time to turn around before their hand landed on her shoulder.

Why was there a man here?

Who was this person?

Those sorts of questions came later.

For now, Yumi cried out instinctively. But with all her might.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!"

And then.

"Oh no!"

Surprised by Yumi's scream, the man whose hand had been on her shoulder fell on his butt. Now that there was some distance between them, Yumi finally turned around and realized who it was.

"Oh – "

But even so, it was now too late to erase the reality of her scream.

"What's the matter!?"

The first person to appear in the doorway was Sachiko-sama, who had been surprised by her petit soeur's scream. Then, shortly afterwards, the rest of the party arrived. Yumi's scream had obviously carried all the way to the first-floor Japanese-style room.

"What happened … ah."

Upon discovering Yumi standing immobile in the spacious traditional-style room and a man fallen on his backside a short distance away, about half of the people had the same reaction. The other half didn't understand, and looked at this unknown intruder in fright.

"I heard someone scream just now!?"

For some reason, there was one more person. Yumi was thrown into confusion when she saw this latecomer.

It was supposed to be a women-only New Year's party, so why where there two men here? This was probably the same question that all the women had, not just Yumi.

Before any of the women could ask this, the young latecomer addressed the fallen man.

" … What are you doing, uncle?"

"I could ask you the same question."

Despite the age difference, they had remarkably similar faces and bearings.