Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume23 Chapter7 4

The Heart in the Frosted Glass. Part 4

Despite having time to think about it, there was no guarantee that she'd be able to collect her thoughts.

"You'll absolutely have to wear that kimono to your coming-of-age ceremony."

As Yumi idly listened to her mother talking about events three years in the future, more than half of her brain was occupied thinking about Touko-chan.

Why had Touko-chan fought with her parents?

It probably wasn't directly related to Touko-chan's rejection of her. But Yumi couldn't help but feel they were somehow connected.

Similarly, that glimpse of despair she'd caught on Touko-chan's face during their conversation about the blank map.

Or the question she'd thrown at Shimako-san about succeeding in the family business.

Yumi didn't know the reason why Touko-chan had refused the offer to be her petit soeur.

For example, Yumi may have been generally at fault just by failing to notice it. But if Touko-chan was in a poor state of mind, she couldn't help but wonder why.

Suppose that Touko-chan had come to feel that everything was futile, due to something at home, or some other reason. And then she'd suddenly been asked, "Won't you be my petit soeur?" Maybe she couldn't stand the thought of starting a new relationship.

Then wouldn't it be good if Yumi could find the crux of Touko-chan's troubles and resolve it? If she could, they could openly become soeurs, right?

She didn't know.

After all, she had no idea whatsoever what Touko-chan was worrying about. And she wasn't confident that she'd be able to talk to Touko-chan in an onee-sama-esque manner if she did find out.

In that case, she should ask Kashiwagi-san. That was why he'd set the deadline of the afternoon of the fourth.

Probably.

"Watch out, Yumi-chan, you're spilling it."

Deep in thought as she ate dinner, she knew she was making a mess around her plate.

"Yumi, if you're not reading the newspaper, pass it to me."

Deep in thought, not even the huge headline of the newspaper made its way into her brain.

"Ah."

Deep in thought as she took her bath, she applied conditioner before the shampoo.

Deep in thought when she went to change into her pajamas, she put on the pair of jeans that she'd just taken off.

Deep in thought – basically, she neglected all sorts of things.

Even when she went to bed, she couldn't fall asleep.

Even though she thought she'd have a whole day, tomorrow would soon be upon her.

Go to Kashiwagi-san's house.

Don't go to Kashiwagi-san's house.

One of the two. No matter which one she chose, night would fall again afterward. And she felt that when she went to bed tomorrow night, she'd think about the option she didn't take.

Due to all of this, she didn't get much sleep. But that didn't mean she overslept, she still woke up promptly at 7am.

Since she was on holidays, she wouldn't incur any divine wrath if she went back to sleep. But after lazing about in bed for half an hour, she got up. Because she knew that, in the end, her thoughts would keep wandering and she wouldn't get a restful sleep.

When she went downstairs, Yuuki was already there eating breakfast alone. Since they were on holiday, it was unusual for him to be awake before 8.

"Are you going somewhere?"

She asked, and Yuuki looked at her coldly as he ate his toast.

"A friend's house. I mentioned it at dinner last night. I guess you didn't hear."

"Really?"

Dinner, dinner … She'd been so deep in thought that she made a mess around her plate, so obviously she hadn't heard a word that her brother had said.

"I'm done."

Yuuki put his hands on the table and stood up, then took his plate and cutlery into the kitchen. As he was leaving, their mom entered the room.

"Oh, good morning Yumi-chan. You're up early."

"… Morning. Where's dad?"

"He's already eaten and is shaving, since he starts work today."

"Hmm."

It was a small architectural firm so he only had the first three days of the year off, and was back at work from the fourth. But that said, the office wasn't open to others until January 5.

The window blinds were down, the doors locked, and the answering machine was on. Inside the closed office, their father was doing things like sorting the New Year's cards, checking email, tearing off the first 3 pages of the day-by-day calendar he'd just bought.

"I'm not cooking rice this morning, but I can make mochi rice cakes or toast. Which one do you want?"

Her mother asked, holding a pack of rice cakes in her right hand and a loaf of bread in its plastic wrapping in her left.

"Umm. I wonder which one I should have."

Yumi may have been influenced by what she'd seen her brother eating earlier, as she reached out for her mother's left hand, ie. for the loaf of bread. But a moment before she got there, her mother turned around leaving Yumi grabbing at thin air.

"Ah, I can do it myself."

Her mom shouldn't be coddling her now that she was in high-school. Yumi chased after her, but her mom ignored her and started opening the bread bag and getting prepared.

"It's alright, go and sit down."

"But."

"I'd rather you sat down."

"Huh?"

"If you're anything like yesterday, you'll just burn the toast."

Apparently Yumi had come across as being a danger to herself and to others yesterday. Rather than coddling her daughter, her mom had simply been protecting their food.

"You've been spacing out ever since you got home. Well, I guess that's to be expected. The Ogasawara house is like a grand palace."

Her mom looked at her as though she was suffering from jet-lag. But it was probably only natural that she'd think that, since Yumi hadn't told her anything about Touko-chan or Kashiwagi-san's promise.

"Um, but I've had a night's sleep, so I'm fine."

Yumi clasped her hands together in front of her chest, making an appeal that she'd recovered.

"You're fine, huh?"

Her mom chucked then gave Yumi a light push on the shoulder, driving her out of the kitchen.

"At any rate, I'll make the toast for you."

Before Yumi could ask, "Why?" the answer came from behind her.

"I couldn't leave that to someone who's mis-buttoned the shirt she's wearing beneath her sweater."

"… Ah."

Since she had no response to that, Yumi decided to sit down and wait for her toast.