Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume12

Prologue

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The clear morning greetings echo into the serene blue sky.

Today as well, the maidens who assemble in the Virgin Mary's garden pass under the tall gate with pure, angelic smiles on their faces.

Clad on their pure bodies and souls were deeply-colored school uniforms.

So as to not disturb the pleats of the skirts, or to flutter the white sailor collars, walking slowly is the standard here. Of course, the likes of such an ill-mannered student that would run when when on the verge of being late surely doesn't exist.

This is Lillian's Private Women's Academy.

Founded in Meiji 34, it is a traditional Catholic ladies' school; an establishment originally for the daughters of the peerage class.

Located in downtown Tokyo City. At this district that still remains full of greenery in the shadow of Musashino, watched over by God, the maidens of the garden are able to receive a consistent education from kindergarten to university.

The times change, but even today in the Heisei era where the era name has changed three times since the Meiji era, it is a precious academy where there still remains a system of which it is said that should this sheltered upbringing continue for 18 years, a pure cultured young lady can be produced.

The humid rainy season was over, and the refreshingly clear season that arrived was invigorating.

However, she couldn't get too carried away. Lurking before the enjoyment of summer vacation were the unavoidable end-of-semester tests.

Somehow, if I just finish this. Things like textbooks, notes, reference books, dictionaries, synopsis, and timelines were piled up on the desk, and even watching her favorite variety show, she crammed as much of each subject as she could cram into her head.

Of course, there's no complaint if all is retained, but if that's impossible, then at least while in the midst of tests do things like going to school cautiously, so as to not move the head lest the knowledge tumble out from the brain.

Somehow, if I just finish this.

Waiting beyond that, is the enjoyable summer vacation.

Plans for the Summer Vacation

Part 1

Dropping her glance onto her clipped stack of copies, Rosa Cinensis Ogasawara Sachiko-sama coolly said.

"I am not going."

"Pardon?"

"I said, I am not going. By the way, would you please do something about your inattentive replies?"

Even if you tell me to do something about it... And I cannot take back now what I have blurted out of my lips-- Fukuzawa Yumi, who had finally got accustomed after three months of bearing the rather heavy title of Rosa Chinensis en Bouton, thought to herself.

The Rose Mansion had nothing like air-conditioners to refresh one's mind, so all the windows were opened. As a result, cicadas' dry cries attacked from all around like TV broadcasts.

The rainy season had finally ended, and it had turned remarkably hot.

The season was already mid summer.

Sachiko-sama's beautiful forehead was also slightly moistened by sweat drops like freshwater pearls.

Leaving that aside.

For the moment, what Yumi had to do was to ask to repeat onee-sama's unbelievable words that reached her ears just now. I am not going. This line could not be neglected.

"But, onee-sama, your promise..."

Yumi reached out her body and pressed on with her words, and Sachiko-sama lifted her head off the printouts and gave a sigh.

"In no case am I trying to break my promise. However, Yumi, your pose is as if you are going to jump on me."

"...Why shouldn't I?"

Yumi mumbled with her slightly pouted lips. She knew full well that she was really like a racing horse behind the starting line, with her heart anxiously crying aloud being quicker, quicker.

The gate was the final tests. Only if they are over, Yumi convinced herself as she drilled on her studies with all her strength, reached the final day today unscathed, and had her spirits all hyped up. It was just natural to dash with all her power like a boar, towards something right in front of her that she had been waiting for so long. -- Though the analogy somehow turned from a horse into a boar.

"I have been waiting for so long... Amusement park"

Exactly.

Now the topic of discussion between the Red Rose sisters was about the suspended Amusement Park Date. During the rainy season, the issue became the centerpiece of a complicated big fight between the sisters, but the rain had been lifted, and the sisters had reconciled. Therefore Yumi thought it was natural to bring up the issue again. However, Sachiko-sama didn't seem to think likewise.

"I am not saying I will never go, am I? I am only suggesting that going right now seems a little..."

"That is not true. Onee-sama, you have just flatly said 'I am not going.'"

"Stop picking words for me. How defiant you have become lately! I mean 'I am not going right now,' and you have made such an ruckus over my omitting the 'right now.'"

"Ruckus? Then you should choose your words with greater attention, onee-sama. Each one of your words is rubbing against my timid heart."

"Oh my, I am so surprised by a timid heart talking back like this!"

Sachiko-sama hit the stack of printouts onto the table. Shocked by such force, Rosa Gigantea Toudou Shimako gave a cute little cry.

The Red Rose sisters' conversation was so exciting that everybody else's existence faded off. In reality, however, all six of Yamayurikai's executive members had gathered in this conference-room-cum-salon, on the second floor of the Rose Mansion, the headquarters of Lillian Girls' Academy student council.

It was the afternoon of the last day of final tests. From the day after began the post-exam break, and everyone was summoned here to make various confirmations on events happening in the summer vacation.

"Is it really a good idea to leave the two like that?"

In a low voice Shimako asked the Yellow Rose sisters, who took no notice of the Red Rose sister's debate.

"They are having a quarrel between close sisters, so we are not butting in." Rosa Foetida Hasekura Rei was pushing the core of her automatic pencil, as she put checkmarks onto the printout she was reading.

"Even if we do not interfere--?"

Rosa Gigantea en Bouton Nijou Noriko raised the same question seriously.

"Let them be, let them be. Fights of intimacy, that's all."

Rosa Foetida en Bouton Shimazu Yoshino, having the same experience but more composure than Yumi as a petite soeur, said nonchalantly as she supported her chin with her knitted fingers.

"Fights of intimacy?"

The White Rose sisters exchanged glances and cocked their heads. The two might not be able to understand through experience what it means by "quarrels between close sisters" or "fights of intimacy." They were brand new sisters, having transferred the rosary for less than a month

The problem was, Yumi has heard all of their talks.

However, it was in fact fights of intimacy, so Yumi could not protest a thing.

When the strong bonding was confirmed, Yumi could now do even things impossible when their emotions didn't quite reach each other. Rather, Yumi would like to try everything. Before, Yumi could only watch unbelievably at Yoshino and Rei-sama exchanging snaps. Now that Yumi realized that it felt good to speak straight about her feelings, and it did her body no good to swallow back her words, Yumi decided to do exactly that.

Even onee-sama's little retorts was enjoyable to listen to.

"Anyway,"

Sachiko-sama said as she touched her teacup with her finger and pulled her finger back.

"Oh, seconds? Just a moment."

Yumi stood up and hurried to the electric pot. Onee-sama had a couple of preferences about food, and cooled tea didn't suit her taste.

"Great that you know."

"Well..."

I am your petite soeur after all. Sachiko-sama returned a smile on her face, delighted that her feelings got through.

"See?" Yoshino said to Shimako. "Not even dogs or bacteria can withstand the smell of sisters' fights."

"I see. What a lesson!"

Hey, I heard everything! You other sisters, please stop teasing us.

"Amusement parks are crowded in the summer vacation, aren't they?"

Sipping the freshly prepared red tea in satisfaction, Sachiko-sama said.

"Yeah..."

Yumi gave a vague reply as she served the others with the warm tea. Every place for entertainment would be the same though.

"The School Festival is coming as well, you know."

"Argh"

Yumi was out of words as the unexpected School Festival excuse was pulled out.

What is that? What is that? Sachiko-sama is lining up small obstacles on the road towards the amusement park.

"Above all, I feel most uncomfortable by the heat."

There it went, the attacks of a princess' self-indulgence.

Pulling this excuse meant the end of conversation. Then not only a date at amusement park, any outings between the sisters during the summer vacation would have been ruled out.

"Also, I go to the summerhouse at our summer resort every summer."

"For the whole time this one and a half months?"

"Not for the whole time. This year, the plan is to be from the end of July to the beginning of August."

"Then, what about the latter half of August?"

Yumi just would not let go. Taking into consideration Sachiko-sama's grandma passing away just a while ago, she had refrained from choosing the obon period. -- Though Yumi didn't know exactly what religion Sachiko-sama's grandma believed in.

"The latter half of the summer vacation is spent preparing for the School Festival back at school."

"What?"

"Haven't we mentioned it to you? This is Yamayurikai's custom for its executive members -- voluntary school-commuting in the summer vacation."

Rei-sama said as she opened the fridge.

"Therefore, the real vacation is only at the first half."

Hearing the high-pitched sound of ice cubes from the ice-maker hitting cups, Yumi drooped her head.

What a tight schedule! Then, even if one was not uncomfortable of the heat, and the place was not crowded in the summer, one could not even squeeze out a drop of time to go to amusement parks.

"Then, the date in amusement park..."

"Let's wait till winter."

"...I guess."

Well, the result had been clear from the very beginning though. However, Yumi had already put up a good fight in front of her onee-sama. When Yumi returned to her seat, Yoshino greeted her with face that said "Great job."

"Well, the amusement park would not fly away even if you take it easy."

"But..."

I would love to go out together in the summer. Yumi mumbled in a low voice. Yoshino tuned down her volume as she whispered.

"Listen. If you suggest somewhere you can only go in the summer, even Sachiko-sama cannot just dismiss it and say to wait till winter. I did exactly this."

Yoshino advised, somehow like a demon's whisper. In fact, Rei-sama turned back her head upon Yoshino's words, so the analogy was not off the mark.

"You did exactly this? Where are you going, Yoshino?"

"He-he-he"

"He-he-he?"

"Climbing Mt. Fuji."

"What? Really?"

It was meant to be a whispered conversation in order to not get interfered, but Yumi gave a loud cry without thinking. Sachiko-sama lifted her glance, gave a stare to the two, and restarted reading her printouts.

But that would surprise just anyone. It was climbing Mt. Fuji! Mt Fuji was without said the highest mountain in Japan. What a brave heart for challenges, especially for a girl who could only watch from afar at any sports around this time last year.

"It has been my dream for soooo long. It is now ten months since the operation, the doctor has granted permission, and a supervisor will be right with me."

Rei-sama the supervisor was not participating in the conversation, but made a long face towards this way. It was imaginable Yoshino probably succeeded in convincing with threats, and high-handedly tore off permission from the doctor in charge.

I dare say because I am a friend. Yoshino is such a person.

In contrast, my other friend-- Yumi sneaked across the room during post-meeting free time, and stayed still beside the chair on which the beauty with fluffy curly hair sat on.

"Shimako-san."

"Oh!"

Noticing her friend who lifted her head while sticking herself onto the chair, Shimako had "since when are you here?" written all over her face as her eyes startled wide. Ignoring that, Yumi pulled on Shimako's sleeve with "hey hey" blurting from her lips.

"Hey, do you have any outing plans for the summer vacation?"

"I am thinking of hopping around among churches and Buddha statue exhibitions with Noriko."

Shimako exchanged glances with Noriko, and smiled.

"Wonderful! This combination really suits you two."

Without thinking, Yumi nodded convincingly. These two were the rare pair among Lillian students, in that their relation started with Buddhism.

"What about you?"

"Let me see. The family custom is to visit our grandma at Yamanashi. This year, however, grandma said she would come visit us, so I have no idea."

How boring that I am the only one without any plans. Rather than boring, Yumi felt envious to the others. Every pair of sisters had some time in their schedules together.

--Just at that moment, Sachiko-sama called Yumi's name unexpectedly.

"Yumi."

"Y-Yes."

Is she showing a dissatisfied expression? Yumi hurriedly stood up and turned back as she replied. "Say it if you have any problems." If Sachiko-sama told her so, Yumi had no words to reply. If something could be done when she said so, she would say it. If doing anything would not move Sachiko-sama, then anything said would be just meaningless.

However Sachiko-sama didn't say as Yumi expected. Instead, a phrase without a subject reached Yumi's ears.

"Coming?"

"Pardon?"

Coming? It is the present continuous tense of the verb "come."

Oh, it's after the tests, so forget about it.

The problem now is: "who" is coming to "where" ?

What if the omitted subject is the first person pronoun "I," meaning Sachiko-sama herself? In that case the destination would the most appropriately be "here" or "school." You know, it is not common to say "I am coming to Paris." "Here" is most commonly used to specify the current location. Here is not Paris, so it should be "going to Paris."

But what is the point of saying "I am coming to school (here)" ?

Sachiko-sama's expression is in the tone of a question. Then, the subject should actually be "you" or "Yumi." Then to where is Yumi supposed to be "coming" ? Using the verb "coming" means the destination must be somewhere Sachiko-sama would be at--

Seeing the question marks flying out of Yumi's head, Sachiko-sama changed her wordings for one more time in amusement.

"W, Wha, Wha, Whaaaat?"

Upon hearing that, Yumi's heart nearly fell out.

Unable to decide where to place her startlement, Yumi lined up her palms facing out without any thought, and gave them a semi-circular swipe at shoulder height like a car's wiper.

Onee-sama's words were far beyond Yumi's wildest imaginations, that's why.

Exactly.

Why not come visit our summerhouse? Sachiko-sama had said.

Part 2

The family shared the same surprise.

"Summerhouse!? At the Ogasawara's?"

Dad, in the position of opening the mizuyoukan pudding can lid, opened his eyes wide. Mom was frozen with a small teapot in her hands. The time was after dinner, while the family was chatting at the sofa.

"What shall we do? Yumi still doesn't have a passport! If it is the last week of July, it is very close. Can we make it?"

"..."

Looking her mother being all thumbs, Yumi thought, this person is definitely the one who gave birth to me. There is no point repeating, but Yumi had said almost the same line immediately after she accepted Sachiko-sama's invitation.

"Yes, it takes two weeks right? RIGHT?"

However, it was a good idea not to tell during dinner. From the surprise received now, it was imaginable that one of the parents would have been choked by a meat ball, and end up getting rushed to the hospital by an ambulance.

"I said it is inside Japan."

The summerhouse which Sachiko-sama paid a visit every summer was on a plateau summer resort one hour and a half away from Tokyo by bullet train.

"Inside Japan... Yes, it should be within Japan normally. Oh my, my brain grew numb by the double shock, from the gorgeous feel of the word 'summerhouse,' and from the name of the Ogasawara's!"

Mom laughed as she pinched her cheek.

But it was understandable to think first it is overseas. Yumi's onee-sama Ogasawara Sachiko-sama was the daughter of the one and only Ogasawara Group in the world, and the family was so rich that it was not at all strange to hold a castle in every part of the world. For example, in Sweden or Graecia or Rome. Though all are just imaginations, since Yumi has never been to any one of the places.

"But the Ogasawara family will also come, right? With such close relatives by the side, will you be a bother?"

"Sachiko-sama's father and grandpa both have a company to attend, so they will visit the summerhouse during Obon vacation. Her mother will join them at that time as well."

Sachiko-sama, who had to return to school in the latter half of summer vacation, was the odd one to stay in the summerhouse earlier than anybody else. Thinking that Yumi would feel more at ease this way, Sachiko-sama extended the invitation.

"Please~ Can I go?"

Yumi took her father's hand as she begged. It was long since the last time Yumi teased her father for anything.

"What do you think? I have no reason to object it--"

Dad's lips pouted a little as he looked at Mom.

"I guess so... But it would be impolite not to send formal greetings to the Ogasawara couple."

"To the Ogasawara couple?"

Well, it was a little different from staying at someone's house to finish a group project, so it might as well be natural turn into such a big ruckus. Or rather, Yumi's mother was one of those polite people that telephone the host family to say thanks on such trivial matters, Yumi thought to herself.

"Mom, then you are going to phone Sachiko-sama's mom to talk things over and get convinced?"

"Exactly. ... But how exciting! Just like meeting the in-laws for the first time."

"Oh come on."

Was this kind of reaction from an Old Girl from Lillian Girl's Academy? Even within the family living under the same roof, the males would have no clue about such thinking pattern.

"Well, why not some souvenirs? How about a combination of Ginza high-class delicacies? But no, the other side must have been used to eating such things. Maybe some lower-class presents might make them happier. Oh, by the way, how much shall we send as something like accommodation fee? If we send in cash, the other side might not be pleased, though. But that doesn't mean we can send in gift certificates, does it? In fact, we have no idea how much it takes to stay in that place for one day anyway."

The panicked mom even took out the "Convenient Q&A for Everyday-Life Greetings" for help, but there is no way an item called "Tips when your child go to visit the summer-house of her (extremely rich) Onee-sama" would be recorded in such a book.

But a mother has a mother's special concerns. Her eyes turned bloodshot as they stared straight at the book index.

This most probably started in the Traditional New Year this year, when Yumi stayed one night at the Ogasawara's place. That time, Yumi was lured out by Sei-sama in a surprise attack, and had had no idea that the venue was Sachiko-sama's place. To her mother Yumi fussed up the truth a little, saying only that she was on a night camp.

Didn't a small box of confectionery she had brought with her do just fine? Yumi thought, but it seemed that her mother had her regrets, because she failed to give some formal greetings before the daughter stayed a night at her Onee-sama's place. By the way, her shock doubled when she learnt her son had also stayed a night, though he had no relations with the Ogasawaras.

As Mom waited for her second chance, Yumi heard directly from school that Sachiko-sama's grandma passed away, but of course she had not brought anything with her at that time. On their way home, Yumi asked for Youko-sama's advice, but Youko-sama said, "It is a secret burial, and that side of the family hates formalities, so it is better not to bring any gift of consolation." In the end, therefore, Yumi left things like that.

That is why Mom now insisted that "This is the time." Nevertheless, as Youko-sama had said, Sachiko-sama and her mother Sayako-obasama never minded such formalities.

"Yumi. I wonder why you are eyed on by the daughter of such a great family like the Ogasawaras? That is like marrying into a family of rank! It makes even the parents nervous to think about meeting the in-laws! So please, Yumi, choose a humble household when you get married."

Mom was so entangled in her thoughts that she began to babble things that made no sense.

"All right, leave it like this and go to bed for now."

In the end, Dad couldn't bear to see it anymore, and took Mom up to the bed room a little earlier than the usual bedtime. A "husband stop" instead of a "doctor stop."

"What a fuss!"

Her brother Yuki sat with his legs crossed on the sofa. He was so quiet that his existence had been forgotten, but he had always been in the living room, looking cool-mindedly at the family soap opera from afar.

"Exactly."

Yumi nodded, and poured Japanese tea into a tea bowl. Mom had left the teapot for a long time after she poured in hot water, so the tea's color was expectedly very thick. Greenish brown, or even moss green by now.

"Even though Mom looked like that, she must be very happy."

"I guess."

The two siblings shared a friendly moment sipping tea diluted with hot water. Considering the season, it might be better to drink mugi-cha, but the warm green tea didn't taste bad. The taste was very adult, let's put it this way.

"Summerhouse... At that time I should be having a camp at that side as well."

Maybe we will meet over there, Yuki said smilingly while hugging a cushion. Yuki was in high school second-year at Hanadera Academy, neighboring Lillian Girl's Academy.

"A camp? Yuki, what club are you at again?"

"The Student Council."

"So you are also involved in a student council?"

"Yeah."

The two nondescript siblings, who had no relations at all with such things till secondary school, suddenly had a 180 degrees turn when they stepped into high school, as they were swept in the bewildering but dynamic school life.

Oh, but talking about the student council.

"Don't tell me you are with Kashiwagi-san --"

Oh no, oh no. That guy alone was dangerous.

"That guy has already graduated, though?"

"Oh, I forgot."

Kashiwagi Suguru, Sachiko-sama's cousin, was two years elder than Yumi and Yuki. This spring he graduated peacefully at the Hanadera Academy High School, and is now a student at Hanadera University.

"But exactly because he is Kashiwagi-san, won't he sneak into the camp in the name of supervising juniors? Yuki, be careful!"

"Well Yumi, I am now unable to think of an appropriate reaction as a younger brother towards his sister's problematic assertion here."

"Just be careful. Kashiwagi-san has said that he loved the way Yuki struggles."

"Then how should I be careful? If I struggle I just make him happier, but there is no way I'll surrender without a fight just because of that."

"I don't know how. Anyway, stay normal! Don't be lured into the abnormal side!"

Yumi grabbed on Yuki's shoulders and shook him violently, as if encouraging her teammates not to fall asleep while stranded in a winter mountain. But the twin brother was quite cool. His lips curled up a little at the sides as a faint laugh escaped.

"Do you know the meaning of the words you are using?"

"...On the whole, yes."

In the end, all the fuss the sister was making was of no use: Yuki had to protect himself. Being a boy has its own problems.

"So what will the student council do during a camp?"

"Mainly discussing the School Festival, but I guess it is also an encouragement and friendship strengthening group event?"

"Ah, School Festival."

The atmosphere became more and more pressing that the Lillians needed to prepare for theirs. The Roses, who are the high school student council heads, will take the position of leaders and executives in the School Festival, so the boutons will also be busy helping out. Above that, the Yamayurikai executives needed to participate in an event as representatives of Yamayurikai. Last year, it was "Cinderella" the drama.

However, every time Yumi heard the words School Festival, she would think, how fast has a single year passed away. Thinking back, it was exactly last year's School Festival when she and Sachiko-sama became soeurs.

"So what are you doing this year?"

Yuki asked.

"How about your side?"

"Undecided."

"Same here."

However the Roses seemed to have already formed an idea among them. But the boutons couldn't come to ask about it; it was a little too scary.

Why? Last year, the ex-Roses cheated the unwilling Sachiko-sama into performing as "Cinderella." Using the same logic, this year's boutons like Yumi and Yoshino would clearly be facing the fate of executing some formidable contracts. Probably even more unenviable than last year's.

"...What does a Boy School Festival look like? Maybe I should go to Hanadera this year to take a look."

She felt more like for pastime than for reference. Every year, Hanadera's School Festival was earlier than Lillian's.

Well, it's other people's business anyway. Yumi spoke in such a dreamy tone, but Yuki was quick to correct her.

"Not maybe; it is a must, isn't it?"

"Oh?"

"Isn't it already a custom between student councils in Lillian and Hanadera to help out each other during School Festivals?"

"Ah!"

"What is with this reaction? Geez."

Hey, it is okay to keep such a lamentable face to yourself.

"Then Yuki, you are also coming to our school this year right? But in last year's Lillian School Festival only Kashiwagi-san came alone, so is it that not everyone need to come?"

"We are helping in accordance to your requests."

"Ah I see. So there is actually a possibility Yuki is coming. But I hate my family staring at me. Last year Mom and Dad said they'd come, but I had stopped them no matter what."

See? Yumi asked for Yuki's agreement, but Yuki turned silent for a while. Yumi pressed on about what the silence meant, and Yuki finally divulged with a grim face.

"...I went. Last year, to Lillian."

"You're kidding!?"

"Kashiwagi-senpai was taking part. So I was brought along unwillingly by the other seniors."

"What?"

Unwilling or not, the fact that he saw "Cinderella" didn't change.

"Why are you saying this after a year? Oh my, I can't believe it!"

Yumi seized her brother's cushion to hit him with it.

No way could she believe her brother had seen such a clumsy performance of Sister B. No way could she believe she had been kept in the dark till now, being carefree about it all the time. Yumi was completely discouraged by what a naive kid she had been.

"The subject had not been brought up again after that. I also imagined you would respond this way, so I had tried to stay silent. Humm. Even after a year, Yumi is still embarrassed of it."

Even with around a year of difference in age, this formidable brother was analyzing the situation with a cool mind. Argh, how annoying. Or it should be how enviable. In terms of mental growth, maybe he had already surpassed her.

"You put up a good play. Very good."

Yuki said as he patted on Yumi, who turned her back towards him in a tantrum.

"Really?"

Yumi looked back and stared unbelievably at her brother's face, thinking just when did he become so natural at comforting others. Well, Yuki had always been a gentle boy, but he had always been bad at expressing it.

"Sure. Though playing the role of a villain sister, you were too cute to be hated."

"Hey, isn't that a problem on my performance ability...?"

"What's wrong with that? That is not your character originally, right? Among us the reviews were excellent."

It sometimes amazed Yumi how quick-witted his encouragements were. If only I could be at least half like Yuki, speaking the accurate words fluently, Yumi thought to herself. If so, she could be a more robust and supporting petite soeur to her onee-sama.

"Are you coming this year as well?"

"Well, I need to go, I guess. No matter what plans you have on your side."

Then Yuki threw again some discouraging words to Yumi.

"This year, I will be there with you to humiliate ourselves."

Part 3

It was the second day of post-exam break that Sachiko-sama phoned.

Mom received the phone first, but she had already completely recovered from the panic two days ago. Therefore she was able to be her best self and clearly greet, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter at school." Sachiko-sama also, in the tone of a dependable senior, replied, "Yumi has helped a lot, and I am indebted."

Knowing that the call was from Sachiko-sama, Yumi had positioned herself next to the receiver and listened to the whole conversation. As to the pending problem of greeting Sachiko-sama's parents, it seemed the couple had gone out, and it was enough to just say, "Please give my greetings to your parents." Though Mom was all excited herself, the reality fell short of her expectation. The call turned out to start from the other side, but that was good in itself, in that it allowed no spare time for worries.

"Are there anyone else you would like to invite to the summerhouse?"

Yumi received the phone, and Sachiko-sama said so without introduction.

" Pardon?"

" If you want, you may invite two or three more people."

" Okay..."

Unable to comprehend the meaning behind, Yumi chimed in ambiguously. It was really out of her grasp: Why would Yumi, the guest invited to Sachiko-sama's summerhouse, be responsible for asking other potential participants?

Maybe it was custom to have a big boisterous gathering every year, and Yumi was just one of the guests? This year Sachiko-sama was not with her family, so Sachiko-sama suggested so in order to gather more people? -- Ideas swirled in Yumi's head.

"Did you invite any others except me, Onee-sama?"

Yumi asked tentatively.

"No, I didn't invite any others."

The situation became more and more mysterious.

"I am fine with what it is now."

Well, me too! Yumi would like to say, but stopped. Sachiko-sama had gone through the trouble of calling in, so the deduction should be she hopes to make the gathering more lively.

"Well..."

It was hard to discover what Sachiko-sama was really thinking. Sachiko-sama is perverse in nature, and would turn more and more cranky unless the correct questions were asked.

"Then, why don't we ask Youko-sama to come?"

Mizuno Youko-sama was the previous Rosa Cinensis, sister of Sachiko-sama. Sachiko-sama's inclination was uncertain, but if someone must be pulled in no matter what, then nobody is suitable except Youko-sama.

"She always looks busy, though."

Saying that should have nothing wrong, but when Sachiko-sama said "she looks busy," then that line could not be used. What about calling the other two previous Roses except Youko-sama? Not sure why, but something sounded funny.

Next, the faces of Yoshino and Shimako came up. But that would just be a common member gathering, and if Sachiko-sama really wanted so, she should have suggested without beating around the bush, "Why not have a Yamayurikai executive member camp?"

"Then, what about onee-sama's classmates?"

"Yumi, did you hear what I said? I asked you to invite who you want to invite to the summerhouse."

I know. I know every word of it. That is exactly why I am troubled. A desparate moan cried out from Yumi's heart.

This question was harder tham those in any subject's test at the finals. So difficult that Yumi would as well just want to give up and ask for the solution set. "Anyway, ask around during the post-exam break. I will ask again at the term-end ceremony." In the end, this question remains a question for homework. Even amidst all the summer homework, this question is using the most brainpower -- probably.

"I am not going."

"What?"

"I said, I am not going. By the way, Yumi. Do something to that absent-minded reply, or Sachiko-sama will get annoyed."

Some days ago, someone different had exchanged similar conversations with me-- Yumi gave a "humm" as she grabbed the mobile receiver in her room.

"Put that aside, Yoshino, you just said you are not going, right?"

"Yes I did. Your schedule of staying at the Sachikos' summerhouse is exactly the same time as our trip to Mt. Fuji."

In the end of Yumi's confusion, she directed the "Why not go to the summerhouse" invitation call to Yoshino. The group would turn out to be the same old student body members, but that probably would not result in a big mistake. Though not really inspired by Yuki's words, if the summerhouse visit turned out as something like a Yamayurikai camp, it might be just as good.

"Shimako and Noriko most probably would be the same."

Well, school activities would eat up most of the latter half of vacation, so it is not a coincidence at all that plans are made for the not-so-busy period.

"Moreover, our club is also having a camp. It is really tough to be both in club activities and Yamayurikai."

"I can understand."

Yumi rolled over on her bed, grabbed the milk bottle close by and shook it. From this spring, Yoshino is joining the Kendo Club to be with Rei-sama.

"Also, you are the only one who got invited, right? We won't butt in." Yoshino giggled on the other side of the phone.

"Butt in..."

Yumi gave a bitter laugh.

"Sachiko-sama said it would be fine to invite others. No, the tone was more like, why not invite someone?"

"What on earth is that?"

"I don't know myself. Maybe something is amiss if there are only the two of us? Or maybe Sachiko-sama would like to have a more boisterous trip? But then, why didn't Sachiko-sama invite her own classmates? I don't mind at all if Sachiko-sama's friends are there. Actually I would like to be friendly with them in the first place. Sachiko-sama's tone felt like I can bring along anybody I would like to."

The tone was as if Sachiko-sama would provide the Ogasawaras' summerhouse if Yumi had nothing no plans to go anywhere during the summer. But it was not that Yumi would die for going to the summerhouse. She just wanted to create some memories with Onee-sama. Therefore Yumi felt something strange about this invitation, which turned out as if "there is a company resort around, so bring your friends along!"

"I don't get it."

"You think so too?"

"Nope. I am not even trying to understand what Sachiko-sama is thinking. What I would to ask is Yumi's feelings."

"Pardon?"

"Why do you not care a bit? Why didn't you say that the two of you are enough?"

Yoshino shot two whys to press for an answer.

"...Nothing really. On second thought, it is not that I need to make it just for the two of us."

"No kidding! Why?"

"Even if you ask me why..."

Yumi thought back. In the New Year at the Ogasawaras' residence, it was pretty fun with Sei-sama. A little before, when Yumi visited Sachiko-sama's grandmother's place, everything worked out because Youko-sama was there. Maybe Sachiko-sama even found it fun to have everyone together doing something exciting, Yumi thought recently.

"Unbelievable."

Yoshino's mumble transmitted clearly through the receiver.

For Yoshino, it was just normal to be with Rei-sama her Onee-sama, and Rei-sama was always her top priority, unreplacable by anything on earth. Therefore it nearly became her habit to say "Unbelievable" when any sister couples different from hers rubbed her the wrong way. For Yumi, the Yellow Rose sisters were the unbelievable pair. It could be called a miracle how close the two could stick together, Yumi often thought to herself.

"But if Yoshino and Shimako were unavaliable..."

What should Yumi do?

If Yumi talked to Tsutako or Mami, they would most probably jump on their feet to follow. But it was supposed to be private, and Yumi just didn't feel comfortable to do what she wanted under the surveillance of Photo Club and Newspaper Group. On the other hand, if the two were invited on the condition of no camera and no news coverage, it would be just to cruel to them.

"Why not invite Touko-chan?"

Mumbling without much thinking, Yumi heard yet another outburst from Yoshino from the other side of the phone.

"Stupid Stupid Stupid Stupid! Aren't you stupid or something, Yumi?"

"You don't need to use so many 'stupid' on me."

A total of five by finger count.

"This is just stupid!"

Oh, six.

"What are you up to by calling your rival out? At a place like the Ogasawara's summerhouse, you are having your debut and away game. Under such disadvantages, do you really think you are fighting on the same ground with that cheeky hair-roll?"

"Away..."

A clever analogy that surely from Yoshino, a sports watching fan.

"So Touko-chan is the home team?"

"Of course she is. Though not blood-related, she and Sachiko-sama are relatives."

"Oh, yes."

Now Yumi was reminded. She had completely forgotten about it.

"What is wrong with the weaker side sending salt to the stronger side to rub on his wounds?"

"E- Exactly"

Exactly as you said.

"Now you got it. Never ever invite her! And don't drop any stupid ideas to Sachiko-sama!"

"You are pretty scary, Yoshino."

"You are too considerate, Yumi, so I am concerned about you. I know what term describes you best: Ohitoyoshi"

"Argh--"

How harsh it is to be unable to refute. Upon Yumi's silence, Yoshino continued her arguments with increasing vigor.

"Just tell Sachiko-sama, let's go for the two of us only. Okay? Got it?" Overwhelmed by such pressure, Yumi could only nod on the spot for the time being--

Part 4

"Well, then. Why not ask Sei-sama?"

The school semester ending ceremony had finished, and after homeroom Yumi waited for Sachiko-sama at the garden. Such was Sachiko-sama's reply after listening to Yumi.

"Sei-sama?"

If it were one of the previous Roses, then it would be just fine to suggest Eriko-sama. Why did Sei-sama's name come up instead then? Perhaps the incident one month ago still left a sting at Sachiko-sama's heart? Yumi thought to herself.

That day during the rainy season, heavy clouds lingered over the sister's just like the sky in those days. Envious of Touko-chan, Yumi ended up throwing herself into Sei-sama's arms as if to escape from Sachiko-sama.

Now it was a summer afternoon.

The sky was clear blue. The sunshine was so ferocious that her arms sticking out of her short sleeves were burnt mercilessly.

The heavy rain that soaked Yumi's heart and body that day now seemed like a dream. How unbelievable that only one month had passed!

"With Sei-sama, Yumi would enjoy more, wouldn't you?"

"..."

Unbelievable as it looked, Sei-sama often appeared whenever Yumi was in danger and extended a saving hand, Yumi came to realize. Therefore Yumi grew dependent on her. Sachiko-sama must feel a little bitter about this, Yumi faintly sensed.

Perheps it was envy? -- Yumi cheekily began to analyze.

But Yumi always only had Sachiko-sama in her heart, and never flirted around. Well, there was that kiss on the cheek, but to Sei-sama that was nothing but a greeting. -- At this point, Yumi started to reflect on herself honestly. Such insensitivity was already a problem itself.

"But university students are having seminars and such, aren't they?"

Don't know for sure, but maybe.

"Well, probably."

Sachiko-sama walked slowly along the shaded paths in the garden, while gently touching the fresh lush green bush leaves. Stealing a glance around, there was nobody but the two of them. Students longing for their sunny summer vacations had quick feet to go home, that's why.

Perhaps Sachiko-sama didn't care at all, Yumi thought as she followed behind. Even so, Yumi just didn't feel right to invite Sei-sama. Searching frantically in her head for a subtitute of Sei-sama's name, Yumi replayed the first name that popped up for the time being.

"How about Touko-chan?"

In Yumi's brain, Yoshino-san was yelling the seventh "Stupid." However, the words had come out of her mouth, so she couldn't do a thing.

"Touko-chan?"

Sachiko-sama repeated with a little startle. At that time, Yumi realized something, and gave herself the eighth "Stupid" in her heart. What was the point of doing to Sachiko-sama the same thing that Sachiko-sama had once done to her? Now it would look as if Yumi was exceedingly conscious of Touko-chan.

"She is no good."

Before long, Sachiko-sama replied.

"No good...?"

Yumi probed deeper. It was all right; Sachiko-sama didn't look like she would spew fire for the time being.

"In July she is going to Canada on a trip with her parents."

"Canada..."

How grand.

"It is better for us not to invite her then."

A summering in Japan or a vacation overseas. No matter how much Touko-chan admired Sachiko-sama, putting the two choices on a scale, Touko-chan surely would choose to go overseas.

At least the situation Yoshino had scolded Yumi about could be avoided. Yumi gave a sigh of relief and looked at Sachiko-sama, to find a calm face that showed no emotions. It looked as if Sachiko-sama was in deep thoughts, and took no notice even when Yumi was staring at her.

It would be easy to ask Sachiko-sama what she was thinking about, but if Yumi raised the question, would she be intruding Sachiko-sama's time? Yumi ended up sinking into deep thoughts as well.

Finally, Sachiko-sama felt Yumi's stare and turned to her. Yumi plucked up the courage and asked.

"Onee-sama, do you feel uneasy to be just with me?"

"How can that ever be? How did you come a conclusion so wide off the mark?"

Sachiko-sama's words might be tough, but she was smiling.

"To me, it is already enough if just Yumi comes."

"Oh"

What a killer line.

--It is already enough if just Yumi comes.

Isn't it the line to drop down on Yumi's student notebook, and take it everywhere without leaving her body for a moment?

"To me also, if just Onee-sama comes...!"

Suppressing her urge to hop up, Yumi confessed. Hey, the two of us are feeling the same thing! This is just joy above anything.

But why would Sachiko-sama think of inviting other people?

Nevertheless, under such a powerful line of "if just Yumi comes," such trivial doubts became blurred right away, and soon vanished like morning smoke.

"So just the two of us is all right?"

Sachiko-sama asked the same question again.

"Yes!"

Yumi replied energetically.

With just the two of them, it should be fun regardless of the venue. At that point of time, such was believed without a doubt.

*

*

*

"Did you hear that?"

"I heard that."

After the red rose sisters returned side by side, basking in the warm sisterhood between them, two shadows appeared from within the dense bushes.

Mami and Tsutako spy on the red rose sisters

"The Ogasawara's summerhouse. No matter how, I want to receive an invitation. If impossible, it would be good even to just sneak a glimpse of the red rose sisters' vacation."

Bangs parted to one side with a hairpin, the short-haired girl who had stopped, shut the memo pad which was open and muttered.

"But, since it's private property, right?"

Replied the silver-rimmed glasses girl, gripping a small camera in her hand.

"We can't freely trespass, eh?"

"Putting that aside, by the way, concealing myself in this thicket and chasing after the red rose sisters, I didn't expect there was a visitor ahead of me."

"Geez. Me too. You appearing at times -- it's a startling thing."

"It's because the direction of our interest is the same, isn't it?"

While both were laughing, they straightened their backs and worked their shoulders. It was proof that they had lurked there in the same posture the whole time.

"Wouldn't it be better to give up here, and target either the yellow rose sisters or white rose sisters?"

As a suggestion, parted-hair girl enquired of glasses girl.

"Looks that way, doesn't it. So, the white rose sisters?"

"If I'm not mistaken, they are going around visiting churches and Buddhist statue exhibitions or something."

"Yellow rose?"

"Climbing Mt. Fuji."

The parted-hair-girl's interview notes were primarily chock-full of gossip related to Yamayurikai staff.

"Well, either way it only seems to be places that aren't without complications."

"Yeah, truly. However, better to have a chance of victory from outside the summer house's grounds, than stick to two who we don't even know when they will head out."

"Though, it's a problem even with churches and Buddhist statue exhibitions, right? Although shadowing is easy enough, because there are many situations where I can't take photos, it's a bit…"

"Such being the case, with the Mt. Fuji climbing, what's the chosen day? In the way of my motto, for a thorough article, thorough investigation, for that reason, though shadowing, I must climb to the summit."

"Or better yet, instead of shadowing, switch to travelling together? If we go to that extent, most likely, the yellow rose sisters will even cooperate with the investigation."

Glasses-girl turns the camera towards parted-hair-girl.

"But, though I'm not proud of it, I don't have confidence in my physical stamina."

"Whoa. For a newspaper reporter that is fatal."

Like a cicada's cry cut off, the shutter's delightful sound echoed once. Due to the short time it takes to enter the school building, they probably already couldn't be heard by the red rose sisters.

"Always, willpower moves the body to investigate, but climbing Mt. Fuji -- there is a feeling of defeat right from the start."

"With the opponent being Japan's best, anyone would be nervous."

Glasses-girl lowered the camera and laughed.

"Well, as expected, maybe the red rose sisters are the best choice. Do we try to ask Yumi to take us along? We might get an OK, you know."

"But. Having snuck a view of that situation's two-people-in-their-own-world feeling, it's a bit difficult to ask, right?"

"We'd be intruding, wouldn't we?"

"Yep, intruding."

The two, being Fukuzawa Yumi's classmates, know just how fond she is of her onee-sama. For that alone, and beyond that -- what a thing it would be if friendship was not able to hinder their cutting in on such modest happiness, no matter how good the photos and stories to be had.

"To that point, you know, about the sisters' vacations, it's not about getting shown, rather I want to see."

"I understand, I understand. A desire not for reporting the smiles, but for the unintentional private facial expressions."

"Just so."

Finding a kindred spirit, that's probably what this sort of thing is called. Though the genre of both photos and newspapers are different, the pair's preferences align considerably.

"Do we sneak in?"

When they can join forces, people turn on the acceleration and become confident. Parted-hair girl, tucked her hair, cut uniformly short in advance of summer vacation, behind her ear, and grinned broadly.

"That is probably reckless. It's an Ogasawara household owned summer house. Adequate security is to be expected."

If she went too far, one could say it'd be a big relief if there was a human being who is given to restraint nearby. On that point, glasses-girl, because she could determine the expected follow-up, could likely be called suitable.

"Especially, if it is during a high class lady's stay over. Of course, it's expected to encounter a flawless security system."

"If there is a trespasser, the security company will detect it immediately and come running. No, it's more than that, that's half-hearted."

"Above the fence, barbed-wire with high-voltage electric current flowing?"

"That's it. Ogasawara household employed security guards are just like sentinels guarding a gate, and also patrolling around the perimeter of the high fence ―――"

"Attending bodyguards, of course, are all uniformly handsome men in the style of Paris collection men's models."

"Although, because the two of them are immersed in their own world, they would give no regard to such men……!"

The ability to imagine passing through the defensible range, steadily swelled to be called a delusion.

"Regardless, I want to see."

"Yeah, me too."

Their dream -- the red rose sisters serene, yet beautiful, vacation relaxing at the Ogasawara household's summer house.

Incidentally, parted-hair girl is named Yamaguchi Mami, and glasses girl is named Takeshima Tsutako.

Unknown to them at that moment, Yumi, not knowing that such a conversation had unfolded, would busily set about packing that very night.

From Monday in the last week of July, she would be departing to spend one week with her onee-sama at the highland summer house.

In the Dream of Seeing Cabbage Butterflies

Part 1

Why is it impossible to go to sleep, only when one must quickly get as much sleep as possible for the next day -- like the day before an outing, or after staying up through the night for an exam?

I must sleep. I must sleep. This forced idea would only force one awake, that's for sure. However, if one tries to hint oneself 'Don't think I must sleep,' what waits ahead is just the inescapable bottomless swamp of sleeplessness. One will just sink deeper and deeper, and find no way to escape.

This effect manifests itself in the opposite way during times that one must not fall asleep, like in a lesson. I must not sleep. I must not sleep. Such commands will somehow be interpreted in the brain as urge to sleep.

So why not try giving the opposite command this time -- "I must not sleep" when early sleep is needed?

Unfortunately, the idea "I must sleep to prepare for tomorrow" was already stuck in a corner of the brain, so as expected, there is not way such a command could help with sleeping.

Because of that, when Yumi set foot in her dreams that night, it was already around two hours after she got into bed. Three hours was left before the alarm clock would be ringing.

"Good moooorning."

Yumi walked down the stairs with a grimace.

The morning came too early. Her eyelids didn't obey her brain to open. It was only five in the morning, that's why.

"Good morning, Yumi-chan. How great it is that it would be sunny today!"

Mom turned to Yumi with a smiling face from the kitchen, as she was making onigiri.

"What about breakfast? Do you feel like eating?"

"Hummmm"

What do you think, Yumi asked her stomach. Normally her stomach firmly feels like eating from the morning, but now her internal organs all seemed to be in a sleepy state.

"If you don't want rice, at least eat some yogurt. An empty stomach makes you easy to turn sick on vehicles."

"Okay."

Yumi opened the fridge and took out cereal, yogurt and strawberry jam. Her eyelids finally felt less heavy opening and closing when she was mixing stuff in her cafe au lait bowl.

On the dinning table lined neatly some wrapped umeboshi onigiri.

"I have prepared a lunchbox, so please help yourselves on the train. The lunchboxes on the trains are not bad, but somehow look dreary. For outings, mom's onigiri are to be expected!"

Mom unfastened the plastic basket lid enough that Yumi could see how it was. Inside was herb covered deep fried white fish, grilled bacon wrapped asparagus with cheese, and grilled cherry tomatoes.

"That is splendid!"

Yumi muttered while eating her yogurt with cereal in it. It was the standard menu lunchbox for outings that her mother always makes. It seemed that mom enthusiastically woke up early this morning to make them.

"I have packed enough for two people, so eat it with Sachiko-sama, ok?"

"Thanks so much! Looks delicious."

Being appreciated for her work, Mom was so pleased that she started to share her profound knowledge on cherry tomatoes' calyx. Just as Mom reached without reserve the topic of when is the best timing to wrap seaweed on onigiri, Dad entered the dining room with sleepy eyes, scratching his head.

"Oh, an outing?"

From the plate of leftover side-dishes, Dad picked a tomato and put it into his mouth.

"Yup."

"Oh it is today! That day for Yumi to stay at the Ogasawara's summerhouse. When and where are you meeting again?"

"5:50 at the gates of M Station. Dad, you said you would drive me to the station, right?"

"Oh, that's right."

Whoa. Dad clapped his hands once, reached out in the key case for his keys, and thrust his hand out.

Whoa, Whoa. Dad looks like he is going to jump into the car any minute. Before that, Dad, do something to your pajama, your five o'clock shadow, your bedhead and the gum around your eyes! Yumi pushed Dad on his back and first led him to the bathroom.

Just at that time.

"Dad, you are just too good to Yumi. If it was for me, you will definitely just say 'Get off your butt and go!'"

Probably awoken by the noise on the first floor, Yuki got down from the second floor without anyone noticing, and was standing at the corridor outside the bathroom.

"Mornin'"

"Mornin'"

Wearing pajamas crumbled during sleeping, Yuuki looked like an exact copy of Dad. Even their sleeping habits were astonishingly similar. What's it about those two?

"Yumi-chan is a girl, that's why."

Dad said as he squeezed toothpaste onto his toothbrush.

"And, she is so cute! I would never let her walk alone in a deserted street, and be abducted by some bad guy!"

"We are so blessed that you are our father!"

Yuuki laughed.

True. It is already so great for him to point to his own daughter and claim unabashedly that she is so cute. Giving him a hug in return would be nice, but Yumi suppressed the idea as Dad was brushing his teeth. It would be a little problematic to leave the bathroom smeared with toothpaste foam.

"Haim wot hurried habout Huhi hor hat, horse his a buy."

Suddenly Dad said something alien.

"What?"

Haim what? Yumi would like to ask for clarification, but Yuuki translated before that.

"I'm not worried about Yuuki for that, because he is a guy, Dad said."

"Oh."

Invoked by such a line, Yumi gave a look at the human translation-machine.

"...Hey!"

Noticing what Yumi was thinking about, Yuuki restrained his sister with a grim face that screamed "You don't dare to say anything unnecessary."

Of course not.

Dad. Your son is a guy, but he is so cute that he is being pursued by some bad guy now! -- Such words Yumi could never say, even if someone forced her mouth open.

Eluding from each other's glance, the Fukuzawa siblings did their routine errands in the morning, as if nothing had happened.

An agreement was reached: let the line they heard that morning be flushed down the bathroom drain, together with the water that washed Dad's shaver.

Part 2

"Wow, that's some effort!"

Yumi was putting on her sandals and leaving the foyer, when she found Yuuki outside retrieving the newspapers. Yuuki looked up and down his sister's looks, and laughed out.

"Thanks for your compliment!"

Yumi pouted her lips a little and stared at her brother. It was a seventeen-year-old maiden's innocence to refuse to respond with a smile and a "You're right!"

"Welcome. It really looks good on you. The best performance so far, in fact."

"The last sentence is not needed!"

Sure it is a compliment to be praised that her clothes look good on her, but Yuuki's compliment didn't sound at all pleasing. Yumi rolled her fist into a ball, and threw it straight towards the head of her brother, who was returning with a newspaper in one hand.

"But hey, you didn't wear a one-piece normally, did you?"

Yuuki laughingly raised his arms to guard his head, and barely escaped.

"My uniform is a one-piece."

"No one would put this in the same league as a uniform, would they?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Yumi quietly loosened her fist.

In fact, she knew full well: she would be embarrassed wearing this newly bought, white, French-sleeved one-piece.

Maybe she was not used to wearing it. She was confused by this different self from normal.

The feeling was a little like the next day after having her hair cut. She could not even get used to herself in the mirror. How would other people look at her? She was worried. Even when she was complimented "It suits you well," she would get doubtful whether others were talking about their true feelings.

That was why she overreacted beyond her control upon the slightest wording stimulus. It was pitiful for Yuuki to be there by chance and play on the delicate topic of dressing, but under his sister's light hysteria outburst, Yuuki could only swallow down his misfortune and accept whatever was to come.

"About this one-piece,"

Yuuki mumbled with his arms crossed. Did he not receive his lesson and continue to babble? Yumi thought, but she was so curious of Yuuki's comment that she decided to listen.

"... in it you look like a cabbage butterfly."

It was neither a compliment nor a compliant, just plain impression. But Yumi was drawn into such description very much.

Cabbage butterfly.

A one-piece like a white butterfly.

It was of a simple design, with no lace or patterns, but only a ribbon at the back. The lack of decorations makes the one-piece look very elegant.

Of course, Yumi made this very conscious choice so as not to embarrass the Onee-sama together with her. However, Yumi could never push away her doubts: was the person wearing the one-piece the real misfit? Was it a good idea for someone like her to wear the one-piece? However, if it was a one-piece like a white butterfly, Yumi's feeling became much less heavy.

Light, soft and gentle.

A cabbage butterfly commonly seen on a cabbage field represented Yumi much better than a glorious birdwing butterfly.

However, Yumi just could not give her thanks to the bragging Yuuki. It was too shameful to give Yuuki the impression that her feelings took a U-turn due to just one comment.

"There is no stripes on this one-piece though."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"Sheesh."

Yumi laughed out despite herself. Yuuki joined her in laughter. It was an uninteresting feeble joke, but once they started laughing, they could not stop themselves for a while.

"Hey, Yumi-chan. The lunchbox."

Mom who walked out of the door handed Yumi the temperature-preserving case with an amazed expression. Dad was taking the car out of the garage, and trying to parallel-park right in front of the house.

5:30 am.

It was early morning, so the roads were empty. In 15 minutes, they would arrive at M station with quite some spare time. The meeting place was at the station gate. Okay. Everything was on schedule.

To avoid feeling cold in the air-conditioned train carts, Yumi pulled a light green cardigan around her neck. Oh, a hat. Also, never forget to bring along the white parasol she bought with all her savings just this summer.

"Anything missing?"

"Nope."

Yumi lifted her travelling bag. It was a rectangular cane basket Mom used when she was young.

"Handkerchief, tissue, purse... you have them with you?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry. See?"

Yumi thrust out her hip and showed Mom a small shoulder bag that shaped like a pochette. All the small things were inside the bag.

"Are you sure you haven't missed anything when arranging your baggage for the last time? If you find anything missing, call us. We will send it you by home delivery."

"Oookay."

Mom kept sticking behind Yumi and talking about things Yumi should be careful about. No matter how old Yumi would become, Mom would probably take care of every detail like treating a kid.

"Sachiko-sama would be taking care of the train tickets, right? Remember to pay Sachiko-sama back the train fee, as soon as possible!"

"Okay, okay."

Taking everything along, Yumi got into the car's back seat.

"Madam , where would you like to go?"

Dad turned back from the driver's seat and smiled.

"M Station, please."

"My pleasure, madam."

After the door was closed, Yuuki walked near the car and knocked on the window.

"What?"

Yumi drew down the window, and Yuuki poked her cheek with his pointing finger.

"Relax, relax. It is a just summerhouse, right?"

Do I look so tense? Yumi followed Yuuki by poking her cheek, and realized that her face muscles were growing tense from some time ago.

"It is not like you are going to a battlefield. So just sit back and relax during this short vacation treat."

"...Thanks."

Yuuki left the car, so Dad quietly started the car.

"This brother of yours is pretty reliable, isn't he?"

"Yeah. I even felt defeated."

Well, though she felt defeated from a long time ago.

Looking back, Mom and Yuuki were still standing in front of the house. They were facing the car and waving, despite that they had turned very small already.

(Relax. Relax.)

Yumi gave a slight effort to mimic Yuuki, and repeated the word in her heart.

Right. No point to get tense all over.

It is just a summerhouse, right?

It is a trip to enjoy some fun time with Onee-sama, right?

Part 3

Yumi arrived at the ticket gate of M Station five minutes before the meeting time.

No young lady in Sachiko-sama's age could be found there, but after two minutes of waiting, a lady approached from a corner of the North Exit.

The lady had a cream white summer sweater inside her matching cardigan, and slim jeans that flowed along her long legs. Walking in brisk steps, the lady found Yumi and waved her hands lightly.

It was so different from her usual image that Yumi did not pay attention in the first place. However.

"Yumi."

The calling voice was the same. The gradually approaching face was the same.

"O-ooooooooh?"

Without a doubt, it was Ogasawara Sachiko.

"Doh-doh-doh..."

Like always, the confused Yumi started to drill holes on the street under construction. Hey, in Yumi's expanding imagination, when the daughter of the Ogasawara family pays a visit to the summerhouse, she would definitely be wearing a one-piece or a flaring skirt. Yumi chose the one-piece in order to suit her Onee-sama. So why the jeans? Onee-sama's appearance now was actually closer to Yumi's usual style.

Therefore the "doh" in Yumi's string of "Doh-doh-doh..." was for "doushite? (Why?)"

"Good morning."

Sachiko-sama reached out her hand to the vicinity of Yumi's chest as usual, but realized that Yumi was not wearing a tie. There was not even a lapel to Yumi's pristine collar, so instead Sachiko touched Yumi's collar and smiled.

"Good morning."

The greeting was not the usual "Good day." It might be because they were not at school. It might be because the time was actually early morning. However, such a small inconsistency was not at all irritating.

"What a cute one-piece. It suits you well."

It might just be a common compliment, but being complimented by Onee-sama was itself gratifying. Yumi barely tied down her blown-away heart, and smiled back.

"Onee-sama, those jeans suits you very well too."

The jeans, though causal-looking, were one of those expensive kinds. They looked very similar to ones that appeared in a vintage fashion show Yumi had watched on television before. The pair of jeans on the television were eye-popping expensive; so expensive that one could buy a huge fridge with the money.

"Yes. From time to time, I wear at home the jeans you have chosen for me on our Valentine date. My grandpa saw them, and bought this pair for me."

Jeans that the president of the Ogasawara Group had requested himself -- then no doubt the jeans were the real thing.

Without any sense of pity, Sachiko-sama cut the jeans to her size and wore them. Yumi could gradually feel distortion to her sense of money.

"So, let's go."

Yumi was still digesting her Onee-sama's words when Sachiko-sama turned back and retraced her steps.

"Oh?"

Yumi cocked her head.

Let's go, Onee-sama said. The ticket gate was here.

However, Sachiko-sama walked further and further to the north. Continuing walking in that direction, she would go out of the north exit. In order to ride on the train, however, they had to pass the gate and wait at the platform for the train.

Yumi decided to chase Sachiko-sama for the time being. Then she realized.

Onee-sama's hands were empty.

No way, Yumi thought, but Sachiko-sama had already walked down the stairs. Yumi also caught sight of a black car, waiting slightly away from the north exit roundabout.

Without mistake, that car was the Ogasawara's home car. Though it is a home car, the driver was not anyone in the Ogasawara family, but a chauffeur.

"Why are you so surprised? Haven't I said that we are going by car?"

Sachiko-sama turned back and said to Yumi, whose brain was stuck due to the unmatching reality.

"No, I heard nothing of that."

Yumi had just learned of it.

However, Sachiko-sama looked very confident, and Yumi started to become unsettled.

"I have said so."

"But"

Yumi hadn't heard of it, that was the truth. Yumi could never say "I have heard it," just to save Onee-sama's face.

"I have said so."

"Never heard of it."

Neither side would give way.

Then which side was telling the truth?

No, it was too early to conclude so. Both sides were holding the unwavering belief that their standpoint was right.

Speaking of that, the same thing happened once before. In the treasure hunt event, the two had argued about how deep Yumi had dug for the hidden card. At that time, Tsutako-san intervened, and the argument was somehow cleared with everyone satisfied, even though the mystery was not solved.

Unfortunately, there was no friend here now to step up and make a judgment.

(Anybody...)

Yumi looked around, and her glance met the driver, who was in standby mode in the black car's driver seat. Yumi hastily gave a slight nod.

There was no way the driver could untie the tangled web of misunderstanding. Yumi had to put out her own effort here.

"Onee-sama, do you remember that I had asked your opinion whether I should book train tickets beforehand?"

"Yes, of course."

Onee-sama nodded.

"And I replied, 'Leave it to me, and I will ask the people on my side to settle this matter.'"

"Yes."

In the end, the two began to rehearse what they had said.

"Then what did you say, Yumi?"

"'Then I would leave it to you.'"

"See, you had acknowledged my suggestion, hadn't you?"

"Pardon?"

Why? Yumi's eyes began to roll.

"Wasn't it that I leave it to you to buy the train tickets?"

"Pardon?"

Then the two finally realized. No way--

"This matter (その件)" and "The tickets (その券)" ?

"You are kidding."

"That is so silly."

Unbelievable. The two were stuck in such a clumsy misunderstanding.

"B-but, that would not equal 'going by car,' would it?"

Even if Sachiko-sama was saying "this matter" instead of "the tickets," she was telling Yumi to rely on her for arranging transportation. They could go by bike, by bus, by local trains, by Bullet train, by plane (not in this case, of course), etc. How could Yumi judge it was by car?

"But I definitely had said that we were going by car."

Sachiko-sama said with a light laugh, apparently enjoying the gradually funny scenario.

"By car, right?"

"Yes, by car."

"Car... c-a-r..."

Like solving a puzzle, the two teamed up to make it clear why such a misunderstanding took place.

"C-a-r... C-a-r..."

Yumi replayed her memory around the "This matter (ticket)" line, and searched for the keyword "car."

"Oh."

"What is it?"

Sachiko-sama asked with sparkling eyes.

"Well, at that time I was thinking about when Onee-sama should leave home..."

Yumi slowly put what she remembered into words.

"Yes. I did not know how much time it takes to travel in the morning."

"In the end, after you said that you might arrive a little before our meeting time..."

"Then?"

"You said, 'It is all right for me. If I arrive early, I would kill time before you arrive.'"

"Yes, I did say so. So what is about it?"

Sachiko-sama gave a blank stare.

"I was saying I would arrive a little earlier, instead of you waiting for me at the gate. It is all right with me, because I can wait in my car with air conditioning... Hey!"

Sachiko-sama finally got it.

This time, it was "before you arrive (来るまで)" and "in the car (車で)."

"Ha"

"Hahaha"

The funniness exploded like spring-water gushing out. The two looked at each other's face, and burst out laughing.

"Mi'ladies, would it be alright?"

The chauffeur said as he came out from the car. It seems that he was mindful of the situation and had refrained from greeting them until after their talk had concluded. Perhaps he couldn't come out earlier because the two of them were lightly quarreling at the time they were walking toward the car. Though now he probably surmised that the issue had been resolved since laughter had broken out.

"Good morning. Fukuzawa Yumi-sama, allow me to look after your luggage."

"Ah."

"That's how it is, you know. Yumi, since we're going to the summer house in this car, aren't we?"

"But..."

"This is how I go every year."

Yumi, being goldfish droppings to Sachiko-sama's summer plans, wasn't in a position where she could object. That aside, it was also one of her hidden objectives to follow onee-sama's usual behavior patterns during their trip.

"...okay."

Nodding assent, Yumi gave her luggage to the chauffeur. While thinking of what to do about the travel allowance that she had received from her mother, suddenly there was something she realized.

Her parasol wasn't there.

She was wearing her shoulder bag, cardigan, and hat. In her hand she held the cooler case that the lunch had been placed into. The basket, which she had just handed over, was in the car's trunk. But, only the white parasol wasn't to be found anywhere.

"What's the matter? Hurry up and get in."

Sachiko, who had already settled into the back seat, cracked open the door and said.

"Y-Yes."

Yumi hurried up and got into the car. An onee-sama's orders are an action that winds a petite soeur's spring. Though that might be limited to Yumi.

"What?"

Sachiko--sama asked.

"No. It's nothing."

Yumi smiled and shook her head.

After all, at this point if she said, "I can't find my umbrella," Sachiko-sama might put off the departure in order to go and search for it.

Though grateful, Yumi would also be troubled.

She didn't want to cause trouble for onee-sama, and she hated that even such a long-awaited outing should be stalled right from the start because of her.

"Chauffeur-san, let's go!"

Though she thought, I wonder if I over did it, for the sake of energizing the mood she raised her fist with abandon.

It was only a little while after the time she arrived here, but it felt that the shapes of people in the vicinity of the station had increased.

It was 6 o'clock in the morning.

The bus that Yumi always rode to school approached the station, spit out about 30 people, and departed in a state where it was mostly empty.

Afterwards, as if to follow, the black car left via the rotary at M Station's north entrance.

The parasol would be ok.

She probably just left it in her family's car.

Better not to worry about it. When compared to convenience store umbrella stands, that place was hundreds or thousands of times safer.

But.

Yumi's dream to walk the summer resort under the white parasol with onee-sama had evaporated like dew.

Part 4

"Yumi"

Sachiko-sama said shortly after the car made it onto the main street.

"You're the type that's strong in cars?"

"Strong in cars, can you be saying…? That, um, are you asking whether or not I get carsick?"

Yumi asked in return. Because of what had happened just a short while ago, she had to be cautious so as to not hear incorrectly.

"You're saying there's something else?"

"No, it's just what if by chance, you were asking whether or not I am knowledgeable about many makes of cars?"

"That's stupid, isn't it?"

Sachiko-sama let out a small laugh.

"Um, and so?"

"You can use this, if you like."

She was presented a flimsy box. Attempting to open the box revealed a row of pink pills.

"This … is it travel sickness medicine?"

That would be natural based on the flow of the conversation.

"That's right. Since I took it at home..."

"Ah, I see."

It was a package of neatly aligned pills, but there were two empty spaces where the pills had been used up. Now that she thought about it, there was talk about going out in Kashiwagi-san's car the other day and Sachiko-sama being terribly car-sick.

In addition to being a car that she wasn't used to riding in, Sachiko-sama's car-sickness was probably a result of the accumulation of such unfavorable conditions as bad roads, anxiety, and Kashiwagi-san's (probably) extreme lack of skill at driving, however it seems that with this time expected to be a long-distance outing, even though it was an outing in her own car, she had still become worried.

"I'm fine."

With Yumi declining the medicine, Sachiko-sama said "That so?" and it was momentary, but a seemingly disappointed expression floated across her face. Although Yumi thought, I wonder if perhaps onee-sama wanted me to have done the same as her, it was too late. The small box of medicine had already been returned to the pouch.

While pondering if, even now, her onee-sama would be glad were she to say, "On second thought, may I have some?" and accept the medicine, Yumi was unconsciously fiddling with the zipper of the cooler case on top of her knees, which lead to Sachiko-sama pointing with her finger and asking.

"What is that?"

By that, was she referring to this matter? The place Sachiko-sama's long white finger was pointing was just above Yumi's knees.

"This is a lunchbox."

The answer had come out sounding like translating an English sentence into Japanese.

"A lunchbox? Who made it?"

"My mom. Ah, shall we eat?"

"Is it ok?"

"Of course. She said for me to give some to onee-sama to eat as well."

She handed over bundle taken from out of the case. Sachiko-sama placed it on her own lap, and promptly set about undoing the knot.

"Yumi, isn't it wonderful. On things like outings and Sports Day, I've never had the experience of taking such a mother-made lunchbox."

"Oh? Is it that aunt Sayako-sama cannot cook?"

It was a bit unexpected. She gave of the impression of wearing a traditional cooking apron and making stews and such. Still Yumi wondered if it wasn't unusual that rich housewives didn't touch housework.

"Her cooking is skilled. But, it takes a really long time. I wonder when it was, that I experienced returning home from a trip and she still hadn't finished. And so, mostly I take something along the lines of a lunch secretly prepared for me by the servants or, intended as insurance, a lunch ordered from a caterer ahead of time."

Wow. That's something amazing.

"Um, then… what about the portion that aunt-sama prepared?"

"Of course, it's delicious and I gratefully accept it. But, if I eat it at the house, that isn't 'lunch' anymore. It has changed it's name to 'dinner.'"

Well, it could be said like that too.

"Ah, but. If it's convenience-store nabeyaki -udon, as one would expect, she can prepare that quickly."

"…"

Hey now, isn't that because you just remove the lid and put it on the stove… Ah, is there also the process for fine-tuning the fire strength? -- at any rate, aunt-sama sure is an extraordinary person.

Setting that aside, Sachiko-sama appeared to have an interest in 'mother-made lunches.' Having opened the cloth bundle that looked half-way between a furoshiki and bandana, Sachiko-sama delightedly removed the plastic container's lid.

"What lovely colors!"

Though the side dishes inside the container were leaning a bit to one side, Sachiko-sama squinted her eyes enraptured. With her having gazed at it for what seemed quite a while, Yumi was wondering if she would leave it as it was and close the lid with satisfaction, but Sachiko-sama gently plucked an asparagus and cheese bacon roll by it's toothpick, and bit into it.

"H-How is it?"

"It's delicious!"

And so, a heartened Yumi stabbed such things as fried white fish and cherry tomatoes onto a plastic fork, and spiritedly tried to smother her onee-sama with service.

"Onee-sama, the onigiri's nori , which way do you prefer it?"

"Nori?"

"Crisp or moist. My mom had been worrying about which way she would do the nori for the onigiri--"

Yumi held up the container packed with just the onigiri and then said:

"Ah, what's this… and so she made both types."

There were two each of black looking onigiri that had already been wrapped with seaweed and white onigiri that had been hand-formed, four in total. Forming a set with the white onigiri, nori had been placed into vinyl ziplock bags and included separately.

"What's the filling?"

"It's Umeboshi. During the hot season, it's customary at my house to use umeboshi, which have a preservative effect. Ah, that's right, it's also good for car sickness! … and so, crisp or moist, which will you choose?"

"Either is good. Speaking of which, lately it seems that even the convenience stores stock both types, don't they?"

Sachiko-sama got out a sheet of nori from the vinyl bag and took a white onigiri. I wonder if aunt Sayako-sama is still continuing her convenience store runs.

Sachiko-sama finished her in-car breakfast, eating the onigiri, and one of each type of side dish. Yumi, who had become hungry from all the activity, also finished, eating one moist onigiri and suitable side dishes. Since it would be bad if only the two of them were eating, she invited the chauffeur-san as to partake as well, though, as one would expect, because both hands his hands were occupied, he had to decline.

"But, it looks delicious, doesn't it? Since we are planning to make a rest stop on the highway, at that time like that I'd be grateful to have some."

"Or, at a time when the car becomes unable to move due to traffic congestion, right?"

Sachiko-sama smiled while unfolding the lap-blanket.

"Thinking about that, I feel like I can't wait for the unpleasant congestion!"

In contrast to his words, chauffeur-san handled the steering-wheel lightly.

"Yumi, you should also make yourself comfortable. There is a long way yet to go."

While Yumi was returning the lunch to the cooler case, Sachiko-sama covered, not just her lap, but her whole body below the neck with the lap blanked. Perhaps because Chauffeur-san was accustomed to this, he didn't raise the temperature of the air-conditioning.

"Although it's bad of me, I'll sleep for a bit."

"Eh?"

"G'night."

After saying that, it seemed that the moment her eyes closed, sleeping breaths were heard.

(Eh!?)

That's... there are people who sleep for the trip's going and returning, but it was so early into their vacation that one says, "Already?!" After all, hardly 20 minutes had passed since they departed from M station.

Certainly, her feeling was that some of the enjoyment of going on a trip is the recreation on the bus until arriving at the destination. But in this way with just two of them, if one of them were to sleep, there was nothing to do.

"Onee-sama"

Still in the city, she was accustomed to seeing this scenery on her own and so it wasn't even interesting. Though there was another person in the car, you wouldn't play shiritori with the chauffeur...

"Onee-sama"

Yumi nudged her for a bit, but Sachiko didn't even stir. It was as though she had taken sleeping pills or something.

Then she realized.

Onee-sama had said she took the travel-sickness medicine upon leaving from her house.

<< May cause drowsiness >>

The usage warning floated into Yumi's head and disappeared.

Part 5

Almost like sulking in bed, Yumi closed her eyes, but upon entrusting her body to the car's vibration, drowsiness really did come.

If she though about it, she hardly slept at all last night.

A crestless white cabbage butterfly flew up from out of nowhere, luring Yumi through a cabbage field.

That's so wrong. -- Yumi inserted a tsukkomi into her own dream.

It was a highland plateau, so instead of cabbage, wouldn't it something like white birch trees lining the road?

That's dumb, Yumi-san. There's no way that white birch grow on the summit of Mt. Fuji! --Yoshino-san laughed.

How was it that Mt. Fuji appears here? Looking behind her, there Mt. Fuji was, unmistakably, towering in front of her eyes like depicted in paintings. A halo shone from Mt. Fuji, and taking a batting-pose on top was a Buddha-sama done with Jesus-sama's face. Worshiping this with a bewildered expression was Shimako-san, and, as Yumi drew near to her side, Shimako pulled out a fortune slip and presented it to her. When she opened the folded paper, there was written on it as a single word:

--Many difficulties lie ahead.

While these four characters were flying out of the screen with a kaboom as if CG, she was roused by her shoulder being shaken.

"Yumi"

"Hnnna?"

"We're at the rest stop."

She wondered when they'd gotten on the highway. She hadn't noticed at all. And, from when has Sachiko-sama been awake?

"Let's go to the restroom."

Having woken up suddenly, Yumi, unable to move her mouth and body well, rubbed her eyes and lollingly nodded her head like a waking toddler. She was already thankful enough that drool wasn't flowing.

"Though the road isn't that crowded yet, it would be good to get going just in case."

It was a weekday, and not the time of Obon homecoming rush, and we did leave early in the morning… although not smooth sailing, the cars were flowing without delay. However, they must not be careless. There was no way of knowing whether it would become majorly congested at any moment. When it becomes like that, humans in compact cars without toilets end up unable to cope.

"Your eyes, are they awake? We're getting out."

When she opened the door as she had been urged to do, the air that caressed her skin was stifling.

"Hot…"

The rest stop was to one side of the parking lot, and since there wasn't any shade, it was naturally hot. Even though the time of day was still considered mid-morning, hot air could be seen undulating as it rose up from the ground.

"Hey, Yumi. Walk properly!"

It seemed Yumi's brain was still half-asleep and she was teetering a bit. And so, Sachiko-sama took her hand and walked with her.

Although it was hot, she was a bit happy.

Certainly it was the matter of holding hands, but more than that, that they were going to the going to the restroom together…

She's happy to be going to the restroom? It's scandalous, but although it might be strange, since happy things are happy, there's nothing to be done about it.

After all, with an onee-sama of a different school year, though it was common-sense, that was the reason why there couldn't be things like having lessons in the same classroom, and so at school during break-time there wasn't even a way to ask, "Let's go to the restroom together." Thus, this was a experience to be treasured.

Sachiko-sama's hand, which was cold at first from the air-conditioning, was warmed by the outside air and Yumi's hand, gradually becoming noticeably sweaty.

The woman's toilets were moderately crowded. Since it was summer vacation, there were grandmothers, mothers, elder sisters, and little girls all lined up. There was even the presence of a baby on a baby-bed happily working it's legs, after having it's diaper changed.

"When done, wash your hands and wait here."

"Okay."

Yumi nodded, as she lined up at the end of the queue.

"Oh look, next is Yumi's turn! The innermost one became empty!"

While never like a bossy garbage sorter, an onee-sama who was briskly giving out instructions was reliable. Somehow returning Yumi back to when she was little, it had become a feeling similar to when she did outings with her mom.

By the time Yumi finished using the restroom and was washing her hands with the cold water, she'd finally come to be refreshed.

"How about we go and buy something like juice?"

Sachiko, who was standing at the neighboring wash basin, addressed the Yumi in the mirror.

"As thanks for the lunchbox, I'll buy the drinks."

"Umm…"

At times like these, it would've been fine to have straightforwardly given thanks for the meal. Onee-sama had come to want to do big-sister-like things from time to time.

"More than that, I want to eat ice cream."

Yumi placed the handkerchief she used to wipe her hands dry into her bag and turned forty-five degrees to her right, facing her real non-mirror reflected onee-sama.

"Guess it can't be helped."

While her words sounded like grumbling, Sachiko-sama looked a bit pleased.

They lined up at the rest stop's store for a bit, and bought soft-serve ice cream.

(Though she had acted a bit spoiled--success!)

Although Yumi's feet were no longer unsteady, she took her onee-sama's hand as they walked. In her right hand a delicious ice-cream, in her left hand her beloved onee-sama.

"It's hot, you know."

But, since she didn't break away from her, even while saying it like that, and that they continued to walk that way, said whether it was okay.

The black car really stood out, and they could immediately pick it out from amidst the multitude of cars and such. The chauffeur-san, who had taken a break at the same time as them, had already returned, and swung his hands to make the car's location apparent to the pair.

Sachiko-sama pulled Yumi's hand and quickened the pace a bit. The planned 15 minute break, had gone 5 minutes over.

"We'll leave right away. Finish eating quickly."

"Ye～s."

To be covered with soft-serve ice cream and melt with Ogasawara Sachiko-sama.

Her heart.

Not only was it cool, if she were to taste it, it would probably be pretty soft and sweet.

(Delicious!)

--That was Yumi's brain already beginning to melt just like soft-serve ice cream.

Midsummer Greetings with a Pressed Leaf

Part 1

We'll be arriving shortly. Hearing Sachiko-sama's voice, Yumi looked around, and found the scene outside the window had changed completely since some time ago. She had been asleep again, she realized.

The watch read almost 10am. If everything goes well, it's said to not take two hours, but with the summer season and the break included, a bit under four hours could be considered okay.

Slender and tall trees with unknown names proliferated on both sides of the road, blocking the mid-summer sun. The trees were not very dense. Shadows from branches and leaves form a natural ceiling, and lace-like shadows dropped on the road.

Stone steps surrounded by trees. Old stone fences covered by moss. The scenes were exact copies of scenic photos on a travel guidebook.

A group of young ladies were taking one another's pictures in the lush green. Couples were taking a stroll holding hands. Here and there tourist-like groups could be found.

"This area has been a summer resort since way in the past."

Sachiko-sama squinted her eyes in pride. From that expression, it was a Sachiko that had taken quite a liking to the surroundings. Well, Sachiko-sama is extremely picky, and Yumi had heard that she visits this place every year, so she must be considerably fond of this place. How lucky I am to be invited to such a place! Yumi delightfully thought.

This here is Onee-sama's favorite world.

During the one week stay, even if only by one thing more, Yumi desired to connect with the things that Onee-sama fancies. They are things related to knowing about Onee-sama, after all.

Having likely rested without any reservations due to Yumi having already fallen asleep, after yawning a bit, Sachiko-sama folded up the lap blanket.

"You can be sound asleep even without the car-sickness medicine. I didn't need to worry at all."

"Ha"

Sachiko-sama had given a somewhat awkward expression when Yumi refused her car-sickness pills. She seemed to feel guilty that she would go to sleep herself and leave Yumi by herself. However, suffering from lack of sleep, Yumi caught a healthy nap without the use of medicine in the end. It didn't turn out as Sachiko-sama had worried over, so it probably meant a happy conclusion for everyone.

The car entered a narrow track and climbed a little up a gentle slope. At the end of the track a building appeared.

The car smoothly came to a stop.

"This is it."

"...Wow!"

This was just like Alice in Wonderland.

In the woodland stood a house with white walls and tea-brown triangular roofs. The name "Summhouse under possession of the Ogasawara's" made Yumi brace herself a little, but this house looked okay, Yumi thought. It was not that big, and resembled a small resort inn.

"Is it shockingly old and small?"

"No, not at all!"

The design might be old, but it was far from worn. No cracks ran on the walls, and the entrance door panels showed signs of being repaired. All were proof that the house was properly maintained and carefully used. Ivy vines crawled on part of the walls. Moss covered the stone pavement to the entrance like velvet. The whole house exuded the aura of an antique.

And the house is small only compared to the home residence of the Ogasawaras. Compared to the Fukazawa residence, the building is comparable in size... no, even a little bigger.

Gentle breezes could be felt when they got out of the car.

Probably because there was so much green, or because the altitude was higher, the temperature here was definitely lower than that in Tokyo. It is actually cool here. This definitely marks this land as a summer resort. Not only the image of it, but this place is definitely a refuge from the hot summer.

"There isn't a gate or anything like that, is there?"

Yumi looked around the surroundings.

"That's right. The stones stacked around this place in abundance can be the sign of private land, I guess. Grandpa and Dad hope to live as close to nature as possible, so there are no high walls encircling this place. This place is not well known as our summer resort, and those who know are old friends who live in this vicinity, so we do not worry at all. Even if a burglar is to break in, there is nothing like valuables or cash for him to steal here."

Sachiko-sama laughed in delight. Probably she also longed for a worry-free life without tight security.

The driver honked the car horn, and a middle-aged couple came out of the house.

"Welcome back, madam."

"It must have been a long journey for you."

The couple surrounded Sachiko-sama and each exchanged greetings. They had not met their dear madam for over a year. Of course, neither of them took notice of Yumi.

"Both of you, Kiyo and Gensuke, seem well. I'm glad."

"Thank you very much. Come, come, you're probably tired. Please come inside and enjoy."

After nodding ascent, Sachiko-sama looked back at Yumi and brought her forward.

"My younger sister Yumi. She'll be staying for one week's time, please treat her well."

Having been suddenly introduced, Yumi hurriedly lowered her head.

"I'm Fukuzawa Yumi. I'll be in your care."

Continuing on, Sachiko-sama held out her upward facing palm in front of the older couple and said:

"Managing the property for us, the Sawamura couple."

"Welcome Yumi-sama. I am Kiyo. Please be at ease and think of this house as your home."

"Please call me Gensuke. If not accustomed to the life-style here, or should there be any inconveniences, whatever it is, please ask us."

"T-Thank you very much."

Somehow, they were very friendly people, and she was relieved. Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san. Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san. She'll be in their care, so she must input diligently. Anyway, what's with the extent to which their old-fashioned names match the building...

"Well, with that, I'll leave things here."

Chauffeur-san, who had carried the luggage which was in the trunk to the foyer, said sounding formal.

"Oh, isn't Matsui-san good! Now, since I've made tea, if you can come in for a drink...?"

Kiyo-san offered.

"I can't. In the evening I have the duty to give the master a ride, so I'll be returning. With that being the case, please excuse me, Mi'lady. Yumi-sama, thank you for the lunch. It was delicious."

It's seems that, while he was on break at the rest stop, Matsui-san, the chauffeur, had gratefully eaten the lunch that Yumi had brought. Kiyo-san received the cooler-case that Matsui-san held out and said, "I'll take care of washing it afterwards."

"I will pick you up after one week's time."

With such words lingering, the black car returned back down the road they had come and disappeared into the woods. Though for some reason, Yumi thought, wasn't the chauffeur-san with them the whole time?

After the car disappeared, the premises suddenly felt somewhat lonely, like a small stream that was flowing through a rustic bridge.

To start with, they went out from the first floor atrium onto a wide terrace, and were treated to black tea. Scones that Kiyo-san had baked, were accompanied by homemade strawberry jam that was said to have been given out by an acquaintance. It seems that these things had been prepared because they had heard that Sachiko-sama would be coming.

"Is everything all right with the master and the young master?"

While pouring a second serving of tea, Kiyo-san began the conversation.

"Thanks. Grandfather and father are both doing fine."

Gensuke-san wasn't there, and was likely working outside.

"For Lady Sayako-sama, it's unfortunate about her mother. Surely, she must have been feeling really down."

"It's alright now. Since it had been a lengthy struggle with illness, it seems that she had prepared herself."

Kiyo-san has probably been working for the Ogasawaras since ancient times. Here Sachiko-sama's grandfather was referred to as "master" and her father as "the young master". So that would be why the mother, Sayako-sama, was referred to in the same manner as Sachiko-sama, "the young lady" … complicated.

"Ah, that's right. An express delivery addressed to Lady Sachiko-sama arrived from Yumi-sama's house."

"Oh, I wonder what it could be?"

"Just a moment."

Kiyo-san withdrew into a room for a moment and with a "heave-ho" returned holding a smallish box, slightly smaller than a box for mandarin oranges. What is it, what is it? Such a heavy looking package...

"Seems like it's rice."

Kiyo-san said while looking at the product name field on the express delivery's form.

"Eh?"

Sachiko-sama asked in return. Even Yumi, who hadn't heard even a single word about such a thing from her mother, was surprised and sought confirmation.

"I-It's rice?"

"Yep, rice. Shall we open it and take a look?"

After obtaining Sachiko-sama's consent, Kiyo-san peeled off the craft-tape sealing the box with a "schwah" sound. And then, it jumped into view:

"Uonuma produced Koshihikari"

It was written in large characters on a 5 kilogram vinyl pack. It indicated beyond any doubt that contents were indeed white rice.

Drip. Although Yumi maintained a composed expression, sweat trickled down her back. Mother, it's inconceivable how you came to enthusiastically send a Japanese person's staple food.

"Kuh"

Kuh?

"Kuhkuhkuhkuhkuh"

Kuhkuhkuhkuhkuh? She sought out the source of the sound that she couldn't quite comprehend, and for some reason it was Sachiko-sama's voice squeezing out. Sachiko-sama's body literally folded over on the next "kuh", and she grabbed her stomach laughing.

"Yumi's home, isn't it wonderful? Growing into children like Yumi and Yuuki-san is because of being born and raised in such a household."

"U-um"

She wasn't sure whether she was being praised or laughed at. But, onee-sama appeared to be enjoying it considerably.

"Kiyo. During our stay, when you cook the rice, by all means please make it for me with this. The onigiri that Yumi's mother-sama made were very delicious."

"Certainly, mi'lady."

Kiyo-san promptly carried the box that the rice was in to the kitchen.

After tea, Sachiko-sama played the piano in the atrium for Yumi.

There wasn't a sofa in the almost twenty tatami mat atrium, instead there was a large dining table with six chairs, and along a wall there was a fireplace and an upright piano.

"Is there a tune you want to hear?"

After starting off at the top of the keyboard with a rising and falling Hanon piece to warm up her fingers and make sure the piano was tuned, Sachiko-sama flipped through a bundle of piano pieces with her thumb.

"Gounod's Ave Maria"

Yumi said seemingly without thinking about it.

"Ave Maria, is it?"

As Sachiko-sama narrowed her eyes and nodded agreement, she sat on the chair and proceeded to play the piano piece in it's entirety. Yumi wondered how Sachiko-sama was able to play the piece so well from memory.

This piece of music was a very special piece of music for Yumi.

In the spring of last year, Sachiko-sama, who was Rosa Chinensis en Buton at the time, had played the organ in the chapel sanctuary for Yumi and the other first year students. The song played was Gounod's Ave Maria.

It was in that moment that Yumi was completely captivated. By an onee-sama one year above, named Ogasawara Sachiko-sama.

Whenever she reminisces, it's still so.

Though Sachiko-sama might not remember, there was that time in the music room a bit before becoming Soeurs, where they played the piano together and even though it was only a short passage of the piece, it was also this piece of music. Calling it a four handed performance would be ridiculous. However, to the melody that Yumi uselessly played, Sachiko-sama added only the left hand. But, to Yumi it was a treasured memory. And so, of the numerous versions of Ave Maria, Gounod's piece was her favorite.

Sachiko-sama's fingers moved without faltering, and looked as though it was an elegant dance on top of the keyboard. The piece praising Maria-sama was perfect for her beautiful onee-sama.

By the time the piece finished, though she had no idea when they hade been lured to come there, both Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san had come to the atrium and the three of them gave her onee-sama a big applause.

Part 2

On the 2nd floor there were 3 rooms. Two of them had been assigned to Sachiko-sama and Yumi.

"It's fine, though the two of us together was good too..."

Rather, it's better that way, Yumi thought, but it was a relief when onee-sama had said, "Especially since there's an excess of rooms."

"I might do things like reading books in the middle of the night, and if that happens, Yumi would be annoyed and unable to sleep."

"… got it."

In conclusion, the opposite reason could also be said, and the interpretation that Sachiko-sama didn't want her time intruded upon could also stand to be true.

For Yumi, who was adopting a secret goal of not intruding upon onee-sama's vacation, to be properly submissive here was the correct choice.

"See to your luggage."

Leaving that said, Sachiko-sama went into her room. Yumi wanted to be together for a bit more, but she didn't even have the courage to follow after her. Since remaining in the hallway by herself wouldn't accomplish anything, Yumi decided to quietly return to her room.

The room was almost 8 tatami mats in size, and had an atmosphere similar to an old hotel except that there wasn't a toilet, bath, phone, or television. There was one semi-double bed. Of the antique furniture, there was one armoire and one chest of drawers. The rest was a desk and chair set.

The room's walls were white. Areas such as the posts and beams were dark brown. The windows were left open and a pleasant feeling breeze was stirring the lace curtains.

"Whew"

Yumi placed her basket onto the floor and flopped onto the bed.

In any case, she had arrived. She was at Sachiko-sama's summer house.

Yumi wondered if, during this one week, the things she wanted to come for would happen. She had actually come to the summer house, and more than the heart-racing, there was a feeling like the count of thrilling experiences had gone up.

Aside from the property managers Kiyo-san and Gensuke, it was just the two of them, her and Sachiko-sama. At school Sachiko-sama was everyone's Rosa Chinensis, but for this one week, she had onee-sama to herself.

Whoohoo! she thought, and as she was doing a banzai cheer while lying down, a knock was heard. She didn't know whether the brief knock was on this room's door or onee-sama's neighboring door, but since right away Kiyo-san's voice was heard saying, "Yumi-sama, is it okay?" she hurriedly hopped up from the bed.

"Y-yes. Please come in."

"Do forgive me. About this, what would you like me to do?"

Kiyo-san held out before her the cooler-case that Yumi had brought. The plastic containers that were inside had already been considerately washed clean.

"If I were to return it now, it would be a bother, right? So, if there are no plans to use it, shall I store it for you in the kitchen?"

"Ah, thank you for your trouble."

Not a problem, not a problem. While laughing, Kiyo-san withdrew the cooler-case and after a pause as her gaze fell upon the plastic containers inside the case, she said, "Well…"

"It's an awkward matter to ask about, but…, Yumi-sama"

"Yes?"

What awkward matter? Yumi thought, and tilted her head.

"The lunchbox's contents, what was it exactly?"

"The lunchbox contents? Umm, let's see, onigiri, grilled cherry tomatoes, fried white-meat fish, and… what shall I call it… grilled asparagus and cheese wrapped in bacon…but"

"There were four onigiri. All filled with umeboshi?"

"How did you know that?"

Waah, Yumi put herself on guard. Was Kiyo-san a person with psychic powers? To not only have hit the mark on the filling of onigiri that should have been completely consumed, but to have even guessed the number...

"Since four pits were left behind…"

"Oh, is that so. Guess it is like that."

So it was a matter of deduction, and not ESP. However, umeboshi pits, eh? Though it seemed understandable if thought about for a bit, Yumi's head that was up in the clouds had been spinning quite badly.

"And so, what did milady eat and about how much did she eat of it?"

"Well... a whole one of each, but…"

"So that is: onigiri, cherry tomatoes, white-meat fish, asparagus, cheese, and bacon, right?"

Humph, it wasn't a sigh, but rather Kiyo-san had expelled a deep breath.

"Umm…"

Since it was as if a nurse or nutritionist was precisely inquiring, Yumi was gradually becoming uneasy. Perhaps, could it be that there are things that must not be eaten by Sachiko-sama? Then, maybe because the well-known "Yumi's thoughts showing on her face" had unwittingly occurred, Kiyo-san hurriedly shook her head.

"I am sorry. I was only asking so that the menus for the mid-day and evening meals and such do not overlap."

"Ah, is that so?"

I see, it's that she has to take such things into consideration. Even being a manager-san is tough.

"May I help with something?"

Yumi offered. It was also something she had been told by her mother: In order to not become merely a guest, find things you can do, and get working.

"Certainly not! If Yumi-sama is Lady Sachiko-sama's little sister, you are also after all just the same as a young lady of the Ogasawara household. If such a thing were allowed to happen, I would be reprimanded. That aside, we are doing the off-season management as well of course, so including those things, it's not an exaggeration to say that we are working entirely for the Ogasawara family to spend the their summertime moments here pleasantly. Please don't take away our work, ok?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

Yumi surrendered to Kiyo-san's earnest entreaty, nodding assent. It seems that for so-called wealthy young ladies there is an unexpected inability to do as one pleases.

"I'm glad that you understand. At half past twelve o'clock, we will do lunch. Please come downstairs around that time."

Kiyo-san politely lowered her head before leaving the room, and her light footsteps descended the stairs.

"Half past twelve…"

She looked at the clock. It was eleven. Kiyo-san's scones were delicious and she had eaten two of them, so frankly she wasn't hungry yet.

Yumi took off the one-piece dress, hung it in the armoire, put on a t-shirt and a denim skirt, and tried doing sit-ups for a bit. However, it was something she wasn't accustomed to doing, so she didn't continue. Having repeated 10 times, "get up, lie down," she had become exhausted immediately, and after that it was almost one hour later that she did the 11th time's "get up."

Part 3

When she went down stairs at half past twelve, Sachiko-sama had not yet shown up.

"She said she wanted to lie down for a bit, and will be upstairs resting. She said that she didn't need lunch."

Kiyo-san entered the atrium pushing a service cart.

"Yumi-sama, where will you eat? The atrium? Or the terrace?"

"Ah, whichever…"

"Then, shall we do the terrace? It's fine weather."

Having been persuaded, Yumi went out onto the terrace and sat in a chair. So, Sachiko-sama wouldn't be eating with her.

"It happens every year. The day that she arrives, she tends to rest until nearly evening."

"I see."

Because of the after effects of the drowsiness causing motion-sickness medicine, she might be pretty much out of it until the medicine wears off. Yumi wiped her hands with a hand towel that had been prepared for her.

"Just a little while ago I asked about mi'lady's meal, but I forgot to ask about Yumi-sama's likes. Are there things that you don't eat?"

Kiyo-san inquired.

"No. I can eat just about anything."

"Oh, that helps. I have prepared egg and chicken sandwiches. For the drink, will café au lait be okay?"

"Ah, that would be terrific."

"You don't need to use polite speech for us. Please be more at ease."

"Even if you say so…"

Using casual speech to an older person was something she was not just a bit reluctant, but rather considerably reluctant, to do. After all, she wasn't a upper-class lady by birth.

"Since there is a second serving… please feel free to call for me."

With Kiyo-san apparently having completed laying out the table setting, Yumi hurriedly called out to stop her.

"Umm… aren't Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san joining?"

"We eat in a separate room."

Kiyo-san smiled sweetly and left. Evidently, it seems that in this place the masters and servants have strictly divided areas.

"Itadakimasu."

And that was how it had ended up with Yumi having lunch on the terrace alone. Sachiko-sama was skipping the meal and Yumi didn't really have much appetite, but since she felt bad for Kiyo-san who made it for her, in that way, she made up her mind to do her best to eat even though she wasn't hungry.

That said, the amount of sandwiches, neatly arranged on the large plate, wasn't skimpy. Just the bread alone seemed like it could very easily be an entire loaf. This was not an amount that a high-school girl could eat alone.

On the serving plate were chicken sandwiches and egg sandwiches, she took one each of the two kinds of sandwiches.

"Ah"

As she was preparing to take a bite, Yumi realized there was something to the left and right of the plate.

A knife and a fork.

"Aha…"

Because of such a thing, there sure was no doubt that this was Sachiko-sama's home, she thought. It was a shame she that couldn't be laughing about it together with onee-sama.

As an experiment, she tried eating with the knife and fork. Alas, with the egg sandwich, the filling squeezed out from both ends, and with the chicken one, she used a bit too much force and the bread was smushed.

It was a sandwich that Yumi desperately battled. If it was Sachiko-sama, she probably could skillfully cut it up and elegantly convey it to her mouth, even though it was such a difficult thing.

"I give up."

Yumi resigned herself to eating them using her hands. She started things off by picking up the lettuce that had fallen onto the plate and tossing it into her mouth.

"Chicken and egg. ...parent and child?"

She said by herself, and laughed by herself.

As for the sandwiches, the bread was done moist, and even the ingredients for the filling were fresh and tasty.

Just a bit, it was a lonely lunch.

Part 4

Sachiko-sama remained cloistered in her room until around evening.

Yumi was bored, so bored, and even though she wasn't yet grasping for things to do to the point that she must rouse onee-sama from her rest, returning to her room couldn't be helped, and she tried doing such things as moving the luggage from one place to another, and meaninglessly hopping up and down on the bed.

If she had been allowed to, something like clearing away lunch would have probably passed the time, but sure enough, that had been rejected by Kiyo-san.

When she also got tired of exploring the inside of the room, Yumi gazed out the window. The house was standing in the middle of the trees looking like they were encircling it to the extent that the force of their outstretched branches would appear almost sufficient to crack the window glass.

"If it's going to be like this, I wonder if I should have at least brought a crossword puzzle…"

Initially, she was going to bring a small guidebook, but…. She had been so happy about coming here that before leaving she had read it until she was tired of reading it. Besides, in the room by herself, looking for a page about a noteworthy spot around here would be somewhat useless. With that said, Yumi was not familiar with the area and it would probably be too reckless for her to do such things as heading out by herself relying on the guidebook. First off, she was starting from the middle of these woods, and even if there were a place she could walk to, whether could she get to a lively sight-seeing area, she really had no idea. At best, the outcome would be her becoming a "lost child."

It was quiet enough to hear herself sighing greatly.

She turned her head about after feeling like she was being watched, and there was something -- a small animal and it's eyes. At first, she thought, a long tailed rabbit?, but with the ears being short...

"Squirrel…?"

It was Squirrel-like in the way squirrels are always depicted, and while not having a vertical-stripe pattern at all, it was unmistakably a squirrel. Larger than a chipmunk, it was merely just a brown-looking squirrel. The squirrel was on the branches near the window staring her way motionlessly.

"Come here, come here ."

She tried, reaching out her hand, but, of course a wild squirrel wasn't going to be drawn closer with something like that. As if coldly disregarding Yumi, it scampered off toward the thick tree trunk.

"He mustn't like me…"

Boring.

It would be good if onee-sama woke up soon, she thought.

Sachiko-sama came downstairs just before dinner, and arrived at the dinner table with glazed over eyes. Sachiko-sama was said to be bad about having low-blood pressure when waking up in the morning. As expected, it really was the case that she might be listless for an unrelated period of time after having slept.

Dinner's menu was a full complement of blessing from the mountain.

The main course was grilled salted ayu. All kinds of mushroom tempura. Local vegetable aemono. After that, hand-made yosedofu. All of it looked delicious, but... having eaten plenty of scones and sandwiches, she should've been more anxious to take the initiative to eat sparingly from the start.

"Please have seconds."

Kiyo-san placed a steaming rice bowl on the table.

That's right, she mustn't forget. The rice was the Uonuma produced Koshihikari that had been sent from the Fukuzawa household, and there was okoge. Sachiko-sama's grandfather liked rice cooked on a traditional stove, and she'd heard that when the kitchen was renovated, the only thing to remain was the traditional stove.

As two of them began their meal sitting facing each other at the six-seater table, Sachiko-sama asked,

"What did Yumi do while I was sleeping?"

"Umm. Organizing the luggage and such, lying down for a bit…, ah, after that I also saw a squirrel from the window."

"That so. There's a lot of nature that remains here. Don't you think it's nice and quiet?"

"Ah, yeah."

After nodding agreement, Yumi added,

"But, onee-sama wasn't there and I was a bit lonely."

If there's something you want to say, please say it, were the words she'd heard Sachiko-sama say previously.

"Oh"

Sachiko-sama smiled a bit.

"Well then, in the evening shall we play some games or something?"

"Is that ok?"

Yumi asked searchingly.

"Of course"

Was the agreeable reply.

"Hurray!"

Joy surged through her body and without thinking she had stood up from the chair.

"Yumi. Don't stand up in the middle of the meal."

"...yes."

Though cautioned, it didn't halve her joy at all. That's because her happiness was already at ten fold or a hundred fold.

That aside, playing games wasn't the reason that she was so happy. Simply, it was that she would be together with her onee-sama. And, onee-sama would be using that time for her. That was what had made Yumi happy.

Yumi, resuscitated, consumed all the side dishes. After all, rather than the delicious highland air, it seems that onee-sama's single word became a stimulant for her appetite.

After the meal as promised, they played games.

Unfortunately, the holiday house only had playing cards, chess, and Go, but doing things such as hasami-shogi with the chess board and Othello with the Go board, it was sufficiently fulfilling.

Kiyo-san, who finished tidying up after the meal, and Gensuke-san, who disliked it, were dragged into doing card games such as "Old Maid" and even "Sevens". Since the Sawamura couple didn't know the rules for games such as "Daihinmin" and "Page One", they had to repeat doing those two card games, but even with that it wasn't at all tiresome.

With the classical records and the sometimes mixing in of a "ji ji ji" noise, it was at some points a nostalgic feeling night.

I want to keep staying up late like this forever, Yumi thought.

Part 5

Tuesday.

I wonder what kind of enjoyable thing I'll be waiting for today. Anticipation swelled within Yumi's bosom (though there was no change in the actual size). Climbing off the bed, Yumi used the second story landing's washbasin to wash her face, and went downstairs.

Last night, in the end she was absorbed in the games until 12:30, and by the time she took her turn to enter the bath and went to bed, it was close to two o'clock in the morning. Before disbanding, it was decided that breakfast would be at 8:00 AM, and though, calculating backwards, she had set the alarm for 7:40 AM, she woke up before the electronic "PiPiPi" sound flowed out. It was the same reason her father's generation would get up excessively early if there was golf.

"Good morning."

Yumi started off with greeting Kiyo-san who was arranging the dishes on the table.

"Good morning, Yumi-sama. Were you able to sleep well?"

Fwah. There was a smell of butter and eggs cooking.

"Yes. Soundly."

It was cooler than compared to restless Tokyo nights, so she had slept very well. Was that also why even though it was 8:00 AM, Sachiko-sama hadn't appeared in the atrium?

"Ah, Yumi-sama. Good morning."

The aromatic fragrance of freshly baked bread entered together with Gensuke-san.

"Good morning. That smells good."

"I bought freshly baked bread. Please eat them while they are piping hot."

Gensuke-san was wearing a helmet. It seems that he went out by bike to buy the bread for them. Piping hot, he had said, and sure enough steam was rising up from the bag.

"Then, shall we entrust a task to Yumi-sama?"

While wiping her hands on a towel hung from her apron, Kiyo-san winked.

"Yes!"

Whatever it was, she was happy being told to do a task. Since becoming a guest here, it seemed as if both her body and her mind had dulled.

"Before the bread and omelets get cold, could you go rouse Lady Sachiko for us? This is a serious task."

"Please entrust it to me."

Yumi thumped her chest and energetically galloped up the stairs.

She could see Onee-sama.

Standing in front of the door, she restrained her leaping heart, and after taking a deep breath, she knocked.

Knock, knock.

They were together until a few hours ago, so something like already wanting to see her might be strange... But there was no way she'd ever tire of being together with Sachiko-sama, and if she could, she wanted to be by her side, so to be able see her face even just a bit earlier, she was happy.

Knock, Knock.

Since there was no reply, she knocked again. Still, no reply came from inside.

"Onee-sama…?"

Since the door wasn't locked, she opened it a crack and called out, and even with that, there was no response.

Though she had carelessly accepted, this might really be a serious task.

Gathering her resolve, Yumi entered the room. Though she tentatively called out an "excuse me", it probably wouldn't be delivered to Sachiko-sama's ears.

In the bed, wrapped in a cotton blanket, a Sleeping Beauty slept soundly. Disheveled black hair snaked over her face and bare arms as if vines, making her pale skin stand out all the more.

Since the scene was excessively beautiful, Yumi who was about to shake her awake, had halted her outstretched hand mid-motion. This is so much like a picture.

"______"

This, although the nuance might differ a bit, would it not have the feel of: Picture of a Younger Sister Attacking her Onee-sama in her Sleep.

It was good that Tsutako-san wasn't by her side, Yumi thought with a sense of relief. If she were here, it's absolutely, absolutely for sure that the shutter would be clicking away. And that person, she would skillfully use any means necessary to bamboozle, decorating an especially large panel for the school festival.

"U……n"

She acquired Sachiko-sama's turning in her sleep. She mustn't. Since Sachiko-sama was pretty, if Yumi continued looking, she would enter into the company of perverts.

"Onee-sama, Onee-sama."

Yumi didn't know where it would be ok to touch, so with trepidation she shook Sachiko-sama's shoulder and called out.

"Nn…"

"Please get up. It's morning."

Still half-asleep, Sachiko-sama pulled the cotton blanket over her head with a sound of sliding fabric.

"Gensuke-san bought bread for us, and it'll get cold. After that, Kiyo-san's omelets will as well."

"I don't need to eat. So let me sleep."

"That's no good. Because I want to eat breakfast with onee-sama."

Though it was a bit rude, Yumi yanked off the cotton blanket. Sachiko-sama made herself into a 'く' character and her sleep-wear came to resemble a tank-top with the hem stretched to her calves. Incidentally, the color of the sleep-wear was baby-pink.

"Please get up."

"…"

"Onee-sama."

"I get it. I should get up."

Sachiko-sama gave in, brushing her hair aside and raising her self up. She was scowling just a bit, but she properly put on her slippers and got out of bed.

"Yumi."

"Yes."

"I'll go in five minutes..."

"Whaa..."

Finally noticing that Sachiko-sama was holding the shoulder area of her sleep-wear, Yumi realized she was saying, get out, I'm changing my clothes.

"Well then, I'll be waiting downstairs."

Hurriedly, Yumi left the room.

Idiot idiot idiot idiot. What an idiot.

It's not that I stood around like a fool looking. Yumi tsukomi'd herself, descending the stairs while red faced.

Part 6

The meal which began after 8:00 in the morning, was completely tidied up by 9:00.

Well, wonder what we'll do today…, Yumi thought trembling excitedly while waiting for Sachiko-sama to speak up, but whether something like: shall we go somewhere?, or shall we do something?, no such words were heard at all.

How about plans for after meal digestion exercises? Sachiko-sama went directly to reading on the terrace. Somehow or other, it had already been an hour.

"That book...?"

"Summer vacation homework. A book report."

In Sachiko-sama's hands, the Complete Works of Dazai Osamu.

"It's a travel journal and I don't really like it."

Seems the assignment was "Tsugaru". Yumi had not read it yet, but she inferred it was probably "A story where the protagonist travels through Tsugaru." It seems so for Sachiko-sama to say, "Come now, that place..."

"Though it picks up a bit toward the end."

"Is that how it is?"

While secretly peeping, she saw the characters for "Tsugaru" at the top of Sachiko-sama's open page. Having said that, the reason "Tsugaru" is still read in the present continuous tense, is because it's not supposed to arrive at an end.

"I said that since I've read it."

"..."

After all, she had read the book at this holiday house when she was a first year in middle school, she said. Shockingly, in addition to that, she said she had sought out and read her father's bookshelves after completely reading all the books she brought from home and having run out of books to read. Yumi was such that she wouldn't read a literary novel unless it was homework.

"Yumi should also get her homework done early."

Sachiko-sama said, dropping her line of sight again to the page.

"Since our schedule will be full after this."

"Eh?"

She wanted to hop up saying, some fun things were scheduled for later?

"Isn't it going to be as I said? 'In the later half of summer vacation we'll be out at school preparing for the school festival.'"

"Ah, …right. I remember."

Early. It seems she meant early in the summer vacation. Nevertheless, Yumi happily jumped to a hasty conclusion earlier this morning. Danger, danger. She was about to get off to a false start.

"Yumi, your homework?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't bring it."

"Why?"

Why she says. You wouldn't ordinarily bring your homework with you on a vacation.

No, wait, Yumi recalled. Recently on TV, there was talk of it being fashionable to go about life the same as usual at your travel destination. Wasn't there something extremely demeaning, like Japanese people having been exposed as country bumpkins, who go overseas and while sightseeing are only thinking about travel gifts for people back home.

Probably Sachiko-sama is of the faction that goes with the normal flow of things. And Yumi, the latter. In this way, can a pair whose perceptions were out of sync, sync up their lifestyles for a week? She was becoming a bit anxious.

No, it's alright, Yumi thought to herself, while shaking her head.

Wasn't the important thing that she should be together with Sachiko-sama? That she be able to share the same time with onee-sama, even if only to spend a Sunday without plans relaxing.

"You didn't bring the book for your book report either?"

Sachiko-sama muttered in amazement.

"Sorry."

Though she had bought a compilation book just in case, unfortunately, it had been left on the desk in her room still in the bag from the bookstore.

"Um… if it's in the books that came to held by onee-sama's father, could you lend it to me?

"That's fine. What would you like?"

"Natsume Souseki's 'Heart'."

"If it's Souseki, we have the complete collection. If I remember correctly, in here---"

Sachiko-sama stood up and opened the atrium's cabinet's long, narrow door. You couldn't tell from the outside, but the cabinet was jam-packed with books from top to bottom.

"Wow…"

She admired without thinking. When opened, it seemed even the cabinets abutting the entrance to the hallway and the stairway landing had similarly become bookshelves.

"Since both father and grand-father were busy people, they couldn't take time to leisurely read novels. So, they indulged in reading during the summer vacations here. But at home, only opening business writings. ...ah yes, here it is."

Sachiko-sama took out a rather substantial book and handed it over to Yumi.

"I'll gratefully borrow it."

"A friendship themed book, isn't it?"

Sachiko-sama muttered. As expected, seems she's read this book too.

Friendship.

After that, she read with Sachiko-sama on the terrace.

Yumi quietly opened the first page.

I always called that person "sensei".

The story's beginning was profoundly heavy to the extent that it rivaled the book's weight.

Part 7

That evening, Sachiko-sama started on her English-Japanese translation homework at the atrium table, so Yumi decided to write postcards alongside her.

Addressed to Yoshino-san and Shimako-san:

Midsummer greetings,
I am currently visiting Sachiko-sama's summerhouse. 
It is cool and very quiet here.
It's a shame that I can't send this delicious air together with the postcard.
                                                              -Yumi

In the blank space of the postcard, Yumi affixed the pressed leaf of a weed that she didn't even know the name of, picked from beside the terrace during the daytime.

If she can write them up by mid-evening, she'll say to Gensuke-san: tomorrow morning, while on your way to buy bread, please mail these for me.

"With only half of a day of pressing, won't the pressed leaves come off?"

Sachiko-sama said while presenting glue. She's saying, that as time passes, it'll become an ordinary wilted weed.

"Though, it would be good if it holds up until delivered to them..."

Yumi affixed the postage. Although Yumi didn't bring her homework with her, she did diligently bring postcards and stamps. As with prior trips, she'll send out postcards. That is her travel routine.

"Yeah."

Sachiko-sama took the postcards and wrote the summer home's address in the sender line for her. As was often the case, Yumi was thinking that the style of saying "At: ___" was good, but Sachiko-sama said that this way of inserting the address by both of them more readily conveyed the image of this place.

Yumi wondered, was there a need to expressly inform that this is a weed native to such-and-such place? Though at that time, the straightforward Yumi did think about it.

If she tried to think back on it later, that was probably Sachiko-sama's way of being considerate.

If the receiver did overlook it, up until that place on Yumi's postcards where the house number was written, it really was an itty-bitty autograph.

―probably.

The Rich Princes and Princesses

Part 1

Wednesday.

As usual, Sachiko-sama spent the morning reading. Yumi copied her, with the complete works of Natsume Soseki open on her lap, silently turning the pages. But at some point she couldn't take it any more and let out a deep sigh.

"What's the matter?" Sachiko-sama asked.

"Oh, nothing, it's just the book," Yumi answered.

Her spirits had been dampened from reading the part of "Kokoro" where the protagonist discussed his betrayal of his close friend. Plus, she felt those melancholic feelings had been spurred on by the fact that she was just sitting still, repeatedly running down line after line of text.

But then an unexpected visitor arrived at the summer house.

"Hey, Yumi."

Standing in the entrance, grinning and waving with his left hand, was a raccoon-faced figure wearing a familiar dungaree shirt.

"Yuuki. What are you doing here. . . ?"

For there was no doubting that it was her younger brother standing there in the entrance.

"I told you, right? We're having our meeting out here."

"Well you did say that, but—" Yumi started, but finished in thought, "I had no idea you'd come and visit." Although she had imagined they might run into each other around town.

"My, Yuuki-san. It's been a while. Please, come inside." Sachiko-sama appeared and invited him in, probably having been informed of Yuuki's arrival by Kyo-san.

"No, I have to get going, I only came to give my sister something she forgot."

Yuuki held out his right hand, which he'd been hiding behind his back, revealing her white parasol.

"You left it on the back seat of dad's car. You can't start your fun vacation without it, right?"

"Hey, you didn't have to say that, Yuuki."

When she reached out and grabbed the parasol, Sachiko-sama's rebuke was stinging.

"Yumi. That's not the way you should accept something. You're brother and sister, after all."

". . . Yes, onee-sama."

While she had become accustomed to being scolded, she didn't like that her onee-sama was sticking up for her real-life younger brother.

"But honestly, Yuuki-san, do come inside. It's almost lunch time, so why don't we all eat together?"

"I really would like to do that, but I'm supposed to meet up with the rest of the guys."

Yuuki looked at his watch. Sachiko-sama asked, "Where?" and he responded with the name of the sightseeing area / famous local shopping district.

"We just got here, so we were checking out the town together. I slipped away to come here, but if I'm gone for too long they'll start to worry."

"Wha? You're going to Main Street?"

She was so envious of Yuuki that she spoke without thinking. Consequently, her longing was probably showing clearly on her face.

"What, you haven't been yet? Then why don't you come along too?"

"Uh."

Yumi was stumped by this unexpected development. But there was no way she could say, "Yes." Sachiko-sama was watching.

However.

"That should be fine."

Sachiko-sama said.

"I won't have to worry if you're with Yuuki-san. You should go with him, Yumi."

"Uh. . ."

"You could come too, Sachiko-san," Yuuki extended the invitation.

However, "I've been there before, and I can't handle the crowds all that well."

As Yumi had expected, Sachiko-sama didn't want to go. She said she couldn't handle the crowds. But what about their Valentine's Day date around K Station? That had been on a Sunday, so the place had been packed.

Yumi started to worry that Sachiko-sama might be peeved, but sadly, her onee-sama didn't let her emotions show on her face as readily as Yumi did.

"So don't hold back on my account."

Even though she'd been told this, Yumi had to hold back. Since Sachiko-sama had invited her to stay at her family's villa, there was no way she could leave Sachiko-sama here and go out.

But still, she wanted to go because the chances of Sachiko-sama taking her there were now pretty much zero.

On one hand she had Sachiko-sama, and on the other she had Yuuki. As she was puzzling over which way to go, Yuuki took her by the arm and spoke to Sachiko-sama.

"I'm going to borrow my sister for a little while. I'll make sure she gets back here safely."

"Ah, Yuuki."

He quickly bowed and then steadily walked off, pulling Yumi along.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because you couldn't make up your mind."

After passing the low stone wall that marked the property boundary, Yuuki stopped and turned to face her. "Don't you think it'd be rude to Sachiko-san if you refrained from going on her account, even though you wanted to go?"

"But—"

"But nothing. Even if you had decided not to go, the fact that you wanted to go was written all over your face," He said in an unusually strict tone, after letting go of Yumi's arm.

". . . It was showing on my face?"

Yumi's gaze idly traced over the characters on a white nameplate casually stuck into the ground. There was a street number, followed by something that looked like a name. The letters were faded, so she could just barely make out "SAWA" but she couldn't tell if it was from "OGASAWARA" or from "SAWAMURA."

"Yeah, it was really obvious. But then you got all gloomy for some reason. So I thought it'd be better for you to let those feelings out, and forced you to come along. I think this is best for Sachiko-san too."

Yuuki started walking slowly.

"This is best for Sachiko-sama?"

Yumi continued to follow along behind her brother, even though he'd stopped holding her arm.

"Right. You'd just cause problems for everyone around you if you were depressed."

"That's horrible."

"I'm just saying you're better when you're happy."

So that's it, she was better when she was happy.

But it was tough to be happy all the time.

After walking for a little while, they bid farewell to the woods. Yumi held her hand out to shield her eyes from the dazzling sunlight.

Part 2

"Oh, Yukichi's heading this way with a girl."

The young guy with a strange sense of style — Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses, but jet black hair in a bowl cut — whistled when he spotted Yumi and Yuuki in the bustling downtown area.

"You sure about that? Kashiwagi-sempai might be watching from somewhere."

When they approached, he raised his sunglasses. Yumi thought she had seen him somewhere before, and it was indeed Yuuki's classmate, Kobayashi-kun. Once he recognized Yumi's face, his attitude changed immediately and he bowed his head.

"Oh, it's Fukuzawa-kun's sister. A pleasure to meet you once again."

He offered a proper greeting, as befitting a student of the prestigious Hanadera Academy. But . . . hmm, wouldn't a less distinguished greeting be more appropriate? Maybe Yuuki put on a front when he was outside too.

"Still, you two sure do get along well together."

"What are you talking about? She said she wanted to come, so I brought her, that's all," Yuuki spat, reddened slightly from the dig. He was obviously embarrassed to be seen by his friends hanging out with his sister. Yumi felt a slight pang of sympathy for her brother.

"So, Yumi-san, have you seen the main sights yet?"

"No. It seems like all the places mentioned in the guidebook are packed, though."

"Well, it is peak season," Kobayashi-kun readily agreed. Since he'd arrived here earlier than Yumi and Yuuki, he probably had first hand experience of that. "The lines are huge, but the cafe would have pizza and ice cream."

Yuuki sighed. Kobayashi-kun thought for a little while then said, "Ice cream, ice cream . . . alright, let's go."

Kobayashi-kun clapped once then cantered off, leaving behind the Fukuzawa siblings.

"What's he talking about?"

"How would I know?"

Kobayashi-kun ducked and weaved his way through the crowd like a baby monkey, so they chased after him to see where he was going. His loud Hawaiian shirt served as the perfect landmark as it appeared and disappeared amid the crowd.

– Ice cream. Let's go.

True to his words, Kobayashi-kun brought them to a famous coffee shop.

"I'll treat you to their specialty: mocha ice cream."

"Huh? Why?" Yumi asked, surprised.

Kobayashi-kun smiled awkwardly and answered, "It just seems like the right time."

But the line in front of the shop was now even longer than before. They'd need some sort of magic to jump in front of the people already lined up.

And, just like that, magic happened.

"Thank you for waiting. Two mocha ice cream."

A boy emerged from the store and handed Yumi and Yuuki each an ice cream cone.

"Thanks."

Kobayashi-kun handed the boy a 1000 yen note. The boy said, "Thank you," and walked off, meeting up with another boy that was carrying two additional ice cream cones.

"Um, uh, um." Yumi had no idea what sleight of hand she had just witnessed.

But Kobayashi-kun said, "Don't worry about it, eat up."

"It's okay, Yumi, you can eat it. Those guys are our juniors."

"That's right. Luckily, they bought a double serving. We can get them to line up again, if necessary."

"But they had another two ice cream cones."

"Those are for our seniors. I saw them, using those guys as gofers."

Striking it lucky so to speak, Kobayashi-kun had spotted them at the front of the line. They'd already ordered, but offered to sell their ice cream for 500 yen each, to which Kobayashi-kun had unhesitatingly agreed.

"Time is money, after all."

Kobayashi-kun laughed, looking satisfied. Yumi felt like that wasn't quite the right meaning of that phrase, but her ice cream was melting so she concentrated on eating it instead. One step ahead, Yuuki had already finished eating his ice cream. He pulled a 1000 yen note out of his pocket and offered it to Kobayashi-kun, who wouldn't accept it.

"You can owe me one."

"Owing you one's more costly than 1000 yen."

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

"It's not okay."

"Oh, now it's on."

They faced each other, each of them with their right hand in a fist, and catching the other's right hand in their left. They seemed to be playing around. Yumi thought that the way the boys interacted was kind of nice, even if it was a bit crude and violent. She would probably never be able to get that sort of close physical relationship with Sachiko-sama.

She watched the pleasant spectacle unfold.

"It's true, two Yukichis"

"They look identical, even though they're not twins."

Two huge men suddenly appeared before her eyes. They were both holding a half-eaten mocha ice cream.

"Nikkou-sempai, Gakkou-sempai," Yuuki said when he saw them.

Nikkou and Gakkou? The question of, "What's that?" swirled around and around in Yumi's head. She didn't know if they were first names, last names, or nicknames. Well, they were probably nicknames, since they called Yuuki "Yukichi."

"That reminds me, some time ago Kashiwagi-san said, 'Yukichi'd be cute if he were a girl.'"

She didn't know which was which, but Nikkou-san and Gakkou-san chatted to each other as though they were watching TV as they ate their soft-serve ice cream. Naturally, they were currently tuned in to watch the Fukuzawa siblings.

"Then we'd better introduce Yukichi's onee-chan to Kashiwagi-san. If they got married, he'd become Yukichi's older brother."

Guh . . . the shiver that ran through her entire body was not from the cold mocha ice cream she'd just eaten. Even if it were hypothetical, being paired with Kashiwagi-san gave her the chills.

"But he's already got a fiancée."

"Ah, I thought I'd heard something like that."

Kobayashi-kun chose that moment to happily jump into their conversation. "That's your onee-san's onee-san, right Yukichi?"

"You idiot, that's just gossip."

"Yukichi's onee-san's onee-san will be Kashiwagi-san's wife? . . . Then Yukichi and Kobayashi's relationship—"

Wasn't really anything. They disappeared into the crowd, leaving both Nikkou and Gakkou looking perplexed.

"Who were those people . . ."

Hanadera Academy. It seemed to be a collection of oddballs.

"Yuuki, I'm . . ." Yumi said, as she put the ice-cream cone wrapper into her pocket.

"Going home?"

"Yeah."

Having seen Yuuki's school friends, she'd had a sudden longing for her onee-sama. If she headed back now, she'd have missed lunch but she should still be able to make it in time for afternoon tea.

Then Yuuki seemed to hit upon an idea.

"Kobayashi."

"Mm?"

"You said something about Kashiwagi-san."

"That was Nikkou and Gakkou," Kobayashi-kun said, looking back in the direction of the two seniors.

"Not that. You said something about Kashiwagi-san seeing us."

Hearing this, Yumi also had the feeling that she'd heard Kobayashi-kun say, "Kashiwagi-san."

"Oh, that's right. I saw his car on the outskirts of town."

Thunk. Kobayashi-kun clasped his hands together.

"Where?"

"Near where I met you guys. Parked in front of a cafe or a restaurant."

"Alright, I'll lead."

"Huh, why?"

"Don't worry about that, hurry up. Let's go."

So, with Yuuki in the lead this time, they pushed their way through the crowded Main Street once more.

Part 3

"Thank-you very much."

After getting out of the back seat of the red sports car, Yumi bowed towards the driver's seat. They were in front of the white plate with the house's street number. She'd arrived by car, taking the super-express to the Ogasawara's summer house.

"I'm always happy to help you, Yumi-chan."

Kashiwagi-san laughed. The ginkgo prince had been sipping coffee at a cozy cafe when one of his juniors had charged in and demanded that Kashiwagi-san take his older sister to a holiday house. Indeed, his only real option was to laugh it off.

"Because I can always get Yuuki to pay for it."

"Wha!?"

Yumi panicked and looked at her younger brother, still sitting in the back seat of the car. Yuuki waved it away, indicating that it was all fine. Kobayashi-kun was also in the car, so he probably wasn't about to get jumped right there and then.

"Good luck, Yumi-chan."

Kashiwagi-san said, sticking his head out the window.

"Okay?"

"Oh, it's just a hunch that you'll need it."

"With what?"

She was thankful to Kashiwagi-san for bringing her here, and while she didn't dislike him as much as she once had, she wasn't particularly fond of his brand of anxiety-inducing teasing.

"I don't know, but it feels like a storm's brewing. You're the away team here, so it's going to be rough. Well then, see you around."

The away team.

Kashiwagi-san and Yoshino-san had both said the same thing.

Leaving her with those words, the car returned the way it had come.

Brrrm.

Yumi remained there until the sound of the car had faded to nothingness, then entered into the villa grounds.

It wasn't clear how much Kashiwagi-san had foreseen, but patiently waiting for Yumi to return was a series of events that brought his words sharply to mind.

"I'm back."

She heard the sound of laughter when she stepped into the entry. It was quite lively laughter, since it had echoed all the way down the hall from the terrace.

"Ah, welcome back, Yumi-sama."

It looked like she'd arrived just in time for tea, as Kyo-san was pushing a tea cart loaded with a teapot and teacups.

"It seems quite lively."

"Yes, the young ladies from the Ayanokouji, Saionji, Kyougoku and Matsudaira families heard that Sachiko-ojou-sama had arrived, so they came to visit. They've all been spending summers together here since they were little."

"So that's it."

"Why don't you go and join them, Yumi-sama? It's perfect timing, since the tea's ready too."

"No, it's okay."

She didn't want to intrude on their fun. Yumi loitered in the entrance, still holding her parasol, thinking that she'd sneak up to her room.

"Yumi, is that you?"

Now that she'd been discovered by her onee-sama, there was no way she could run away. Reluctantly, she set her parasol down and followed Kyo-san out to the terrace.

"I just got back."

The laughter, which sounded like the chirping of small birds, stopped instantly when she approached. Sachiko-sama beckoned her over, put her hands on Yumi's shoulders and positioned Yumi in front of her.

"Everyone, this is my petite sœur from school, Fukuzawa Yumi. She'll be staying here until Monday, so I hope you all get along well together."

"P-pleased to meet you."

She mustn't embarrass her onee-sama. She had to greet them properly. – Thinking these thoughts, Yumi bowed deeply. Then, when she raised her head and got her first good look at the visitors, the image seared itself into her brain as she was assailed by waves of regret.

The visitors, all of them, were colorful swallowtail butterflies.

Bright, tailored clothes in all colors, coupled with equally striking features, and faces brimming with confidence.

In contrast, she wasn't even a white cabbage butterfly at the moment. She wasn't sure what her T-shirt and jeans could be likened to, but it definitely wouldn't be a butterfly, it'd be some other sort of insect.

"A pleasure to meet you, Yumi-sama."

"How lucky for you, becoming Sachiko-sama's petite sœur and all."

"Splendid. I just know we'll get along well together."

The butterflies smiled, showering her with flowery words. But there was one butterfly that remained silent, watching on with a displeased expression.

"Touko-chan . . ."

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama."

Touko-chan smiled faintly.

She hadn't even realized that Touko-chan was here until that exchange. But, thinking back, Kyo-san had indeed said, "Matsudaira."

"What about Canada?"

Perhaps not wanting to touch on that topic, the young lady from the Matsudaira family looked away and replied, "I changed my mind."

"I see."

Her attitude towards Yumi was as cold as ever. Even so, Yumi was glad that Touko-chan was there.

For Yumi, on the away team, it was a relief just to see a familiar face. That wouldn't change, even if Touko-chan was on the home team. It could be called sentimentality, perhaps.

With the basic introductions completed, tea and cakes were served. Yumi had thought that she would withdraw after greeting them, but the butterflies wouldn't let her leave. In the end, she was forced to join their tea party, chatting with them as she drank tea and ate sweets. Unfortunately, Yumi found it hard to join in the conversation of these rich young girls.

One of them said that their favorite shop was such-and-such and they went there every month, and when Yumi asked where it was she was told it was in Paris, France.

Another one said that her parents had bought her a horse as a birthday present.

One of them was spending all of August on a luxury cruise liner. It was like they were from another time, and another place.

Yumi vaguely remembered a song she'd heard a long time ago. It started with someone claiming they owned multiple ships, then after a long series of back-and-forth discussion it turned out they were a complete liar, so you should watch out for them — that sort of song.

But the things the girls were discussing were probably all true. Assuming a world like theirs existed, those sorts of things would just be part of everyday life. Yumi felt like she'd got lost in a foreign country.

At times she'd felt as though Sachiko-sama was a space alien, but perhaps Sachiko-sama was really the earthling and Yumi herself was the alien. Majority rule was, in this case, quite terrifying.

"By the way, did you hear what happened with widow Higashiyama-sama, from Kamakura?"

"Yes, I was surprised by how audacious she was."

When the conversation turned to gossip, Touko-chan suddenly stood up and said, "I should be leaving now."

"Touko-sama?"

The three young ladies — Ayanokouji, Saionji, and Kyougoku — all stared at Touko-chan in wonder.

"I'm not particularly fond of making fun of other people. Besides, I wouldn't like other people to slander me without knowing my situation, so I refrain from doing likewise."

"We're not slandering anyone."

"Right . . ."

The trio exchanged glances, but didn't offer up any logical rebuttal.

"That's perfectly alright. Why don't we end our tea-party here for today?"

Sachiko-sama said. In truth, it felt like she was troubled by that sort of conversation too, but the other girls were her guests so she couldn't scold them.

"Yumi-sama, while you're staying here, you absolutely have to come and visit our summer house."

Saionji Yukari-sama said, grasping Yumi's hand, just as she was about to leave. Her invitation was quite enthusiastic, perhaps because they were both in second year of high school.

"Yes, thank you for the invitation," Yumi replied politely, probably because she'd been addressed politely.

With that, the three young ladies returned to their respective summer houses.

"Gokigenyou Sachiko-onee-sama, Yumi-sama."

Touko-chan was the only one to tarry a while before leaving. Curious, Yumi chased after her and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Since I stopped them in the middle of their gossip session, I just thought I'd give those poor girls some space so they could bitch about me."

"Hmm, how mature."

"Now's not the time for admiration. As soon as they get home, they'll start spreading rumors about you, Yumi-sama."

Touko-chan purposefully stopped walking as she offered this warning. No, based on her tone of voice, it was more like a threat.

"They've all admired Sachiko-onee-sama for so long, there's no way they'll say good things about her newcomer petite sœur."

"I see, so there's three more lined up behind you, Touko-chan."

Before Sachiko-sama had introduced Yumi, they'd only spared her a single glance. Indeed, their expressions had seemed to say, "Who's this?" as they sought to shut her out.

"How does it feel? A bit terrifying, right?"

Touko-chan laughed and dashed off into the woods, leaving Yumi with those words. That had been quite the tough conversation.

Sachiko-sama was waiting for her in the entry when she returned.

"Did you have fun in town?"

"Yeah, but . . ." Yumi rested her head on Sachiko-sama's shoulder. "It's more fun to be with you, onee-sama."

Here and now, in front of her onee-sama, had she been able to return to her happy self?

This was what Yumi thought as she felt the warmth of Sachiko-sama's hand gliding across her hair.

Searching in the Mist

Part 1

"Red pine. Larch."

Sachiko-sama pointed out the different trees in the woods.

"Judas tree."

Informing Yumi of their names as they slowly walked together.

"Maple … its leaves turn to red in Autumn."

Sachiko-sama had an incredible knowledge of the trees in their vicinity. But her knowledge wasn't just limited to trees – every faint bird cry would cause her to stop and say, "That was a narcissus flycatcher," or, "That was the call of the blue-and-white flycatcher."

It was Thursday.

Sachiko-sama had awoken unusually early and invited Yumi on a pre-breakfast stroll.

"Watch out, there's some broken branches over there."

Fog had rolled in and they were enveloped in a white world.

They should be fine as long as they kept going straight ahead, but the thick milk-colored fog completely cloaked everything around them to the point that Yumi felt her confidence slipping, even though they were actually walking along a path.

That said, even if they did veer slightly off course, they'd feel the cool morning dew on the ferns and other ground cover against their legs.

"I like the fog too."

Her eyes were partly closed not because she was squinting, but because she was smiling. It seemed like the fine spray of water surrounding them had sharpened her senses.

"I wanted to show this to you."

At that moment, Yumi understood that Sachiko-sama didn't simply like everything about this region.

What she loved was the woods surrounding her villa.

Sachiko-sama probably thought of everything in the guidebooks – all the shops, walking tours and art galleries – as being in some distant town, since none of them were here. Basically, it didn't matter to her whether they existed or not.

The delicious pastries that Gensuke-san fetched on his bike for their daily breakfast.

All the locally sourced meat and vegetables that Kyo-san cooked with.

The handmade jam from one of the neighborhood ladies.

The rich honey from an old retiree who had taken up beekeeping as a hobby.

Fresh wasabi from a marsh a short distance away.

Sachiko-sama liked all these things. But that was the extent of it. She didn't go out and buy them herself, nor did she go and visit where they were made.

As a result, spending all day in the villa didn't bother her at all.

To Sachiko-sama, this place must be like a familiar childhood room. She was inviting Yumi in to a space that she'd spent so much time playing in on her own.

"Onee-sama."

Yumi grabbed onto the arm in front of her. She vowed to never let go of her onee-sama again, even if it was painful, or her arm got hot.

"What's the matter? Is the fog scaring you?"

Yumi shook her head at Sachiko-sama's question.

"We'll be fine if we stay like this. The mischievous fairies only come for people traveling alone, you know."

They walked on, arms tightly linked.

On the other side of the fog, Gensuke-san's bike light shone as he made his way home.

Part 2

Kikuyo Ayanokouji-sama came to visit Sachiko-sama shortly after 10am.

Kikuyo-sama was the same age as Touko-chan, and staying in her parents' villa about 500 meters down the road from the Ogasawara estate.

"Can you help me with my homework?"

With a thump, Kikuyo-sama dropped a stack of books, including an English translation of "The Tale of Genji" plus a couple of Japanese-English dictionaries and some B5 notebooks, on the terrace table.

"We have to translate the chapter "Young Murasaki" back into Japanese. It's tough because the English translation has changed some of the nuances slightly and we have to translate it back into modern Japanese."

A Japanese classic translated into English that they had to translate back into Japanese. Sure, different schools had different homework, but even so, this would surely be a shock to its original author, Murasaki Shikibu.

"… Kikuyo-chan, homework is something you're supposed to do yourself."

Sachiko-sama put a bookmark in the book she had been reading and closed it. She'd already finished Dazai's "Tsugaru" and had moved on to Shakespeare.

"But you've always helped me out in the past. Every year, I look forward to studying with you, Sachiko-onee-sama. It's why I come to the villa. I'm not asking you to do it for me, I just want to do my homework by your side, so I can ask you questions if there's any parts I don't understand. Or, is it that – "

Kikuyo-sama shot a withering glance at Yumi.

"You don't care about me because you've got Yumi-sama this year?"

Yumi was thrown into confusion, since she had considered herself to be completely uninvolved in this matter. After all, the issue of whether or not Sachiko-sama would look over Kikuyo-sama's homework was just between them, and Yumi just happened to be in the same place.

"This has nothing to do with Yumi, though."

Sachiko-sama said, naturally.

However, Kikuyo-sama lost her temper and said, "So that's what you think? You're too greedy, Yumi-sama."

"Huh!?"

"Day and night, you're monopolizing Sachiko-onee-sama. And yet I can't even get a tiny sliver of her time. It's just unfair."

"Kikuyo-chan."

"But it's true. You've never called me selfish before, or looked at me with such a scary face. You've changed, Sachiko-onee-sama. I just know it's because of Yumi-sama."

Kikuyo-sama flopped down onto the table, sobbing. Confronted by this sort of behavior, even Sachiko-sama had to give in and offer consolation, placing her hand on Kikuyo-sama's back and speaking tenderly, saying, "There there, don't cry." At which point Kikuyo-sama, with tears streaming down her cheeks, turned and pressed her face into Sachiko-sama's chest. Then she kept sobbing, crying, "Onee-sama," "Onee-sama," over and over. She just kept going on and on, like a cicada in a tree.

"I'll go and read upstairs."

Unable to stay there any longer, Yumi closed her book and stood up.

"Yumi … I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Yumi somehow managed to force out a smile in return, then she kept going into the hallway and up the stairs, as though she were running away.

Yumi didn't think she'd done anything wrong.

Even so, she understood that she was probably responsible for Kikuyo-sama's tears – just like Kikuyo-sama had said.

A newcomer had appeared, and become Sachiko-sama's petite soeur.

It was easy to imagine that those who had known Sachiko-sama before wouldn't be particularly pleased by that.

She'd been likened to Cinderella for some time after becoming Sachiko-sama's petite soeur.

However.

Now she was starting to wonder whether the Cinderella in the story had really lived happily ever after.

Wouldn't she feel out of place, leaving her home to go and live in the prince's palace? Wouldn't she long for her old life, that had gone up in a puff of smoke?

Returning to her room, she lay down on the bed. She only had about ten pages left in "Kokoro" but she didn't feel like opening the book.

She liked Sachiko-sama.

But them liking each other, just by itself, wasn't enough for her to be happy.

Just by being next to the person she liked, she was making someone else sad.

They were surrounded by lots of other people – that's what society was made of. Although, that wouldn't be the case if they were shipwrecked on some deserted island together.

Looking up at the ceiling, Yumi gently closed her eyelids.

Still, loving someone was a precious thing.

On the away team, Yumi became her own supporter and cheered herself on with a, "Keep at it."

Part 3

Kyougoku Kieko-sama came to visit that afternoon.

After crying herself out over Sachiko-sama, Ayanokouji Kikuyo-sama spent about an hour studying then headed home in good spirits.

Given the way Sachiko-sama usually conducted herself like a queen at school, Yumi never would have imagined her soothing and placating someone like that. Internal and external, public and private. The way people interact with each other varies based on their relationship.

Now then, as for Kieko-sama: She invited Sachiko-sama back to her family's holiday house for tea. Kieko-sama said that her mother was under the weather, so she wanted Sachiko-sama to come over and pay her a visit while she was there too.

"That's true, it has been a while since I last saw your mother … I wonder what I should do."

Sachiko-sama seemed to be having trouble making a decision. She probably thought she should go, but she was being reluctant. Yumi thought that Sachiko-sama was probably hesitating because she didn't want to trouble her – although that may just have been conceit on Yumi's part. Probably the after-effects of the incident with Kikuyo-sama.

Therefore, Yumi decided to give her a little nudge in that direction.

"Why don't you go and visit her, onee-sama?"

"What about you, Yumi?"

"I have to read the book for my book report, so I'll stay here."

In truth, she'd already finished reading "Kokoro." But she thought it was okay to lie, if that lie would let her onee-sama feel at ease about leaving.

"Oh? You could come too, Yumi-sama."

"I'd just be in the way, since I don't know her, and I wouldn't want to harm her recovery."

"Really? That's a shame."

Kieko-sama said, but her expression clearly said, "That's a relief." Yumi was certain she wasn't just imagining it.

Taking the pound cake that Kiyo-san had made for their afternoon tea, Sachiko-sama headed out, accompanying Kieko-sama back to her family's summer house.

After seeing them off and returning to the entry, Kiyo-san looked a bit uneasy.

"Yumi-sama, do you have a moment?"

"Sure."

She motioned for Yumi to follow her into the kitchen. Once there, Kiyo-san looked around the area nervously. Although, no matter where she looked, there wasn't any space for a person to hide in the cozy kitchen.

"It's about Miss Kyougoku."

Kiyo-san said.

"Yes?"

By "Miss Kyougoku," she presumably meant Kieko-sama, who had just departed with Sachiko-sama.

"When she first arrived, I directed her to the terrace, but she followed me to the kitchen and asked me all sorts of questions."

"What sort of questions?"

"She was asking about you, Yumi-sama."

"About me?"

Would anyone in this day and age be happy to find out that someone was asking questions about them behind their back? Naturally, Yumi was not pleased to hear this. Especially since the person that had been asking all those questions hadn't been all that amicable towards Yumi. To put it bluntly, she was displeased. Or, more accurately, spooked.

"At first I thought she was asking those questions because she wanted to know more about you. But then she started asking about your family, and your school grades, and I became more and more concerned."

"She asked about my family and my grades … "

"Of course, I don't know about those things so I didn't answer her. But I did let some things slip accidentally."

Kyo-san bowed her head as she confessed this.

"I'm terribly sorry. I should have been more cautious."

Kyo-san said that she'd talked about Yumi and Sachiko-sama's arrival on Monday, and the three days they'd spent here, and other such matters. It didn't seem like she'd said anything of much significance.

"Thank-you for telling me this, but it's okay, you didn't say anything that would embarrass us."

"Yes, yes, that's right. But."

"But?"

"How can I put this? Those young ladies that visited the other day are overly preoccupied with things like family pedigree and social standing."

That was a bit troubling. Kyo-san put her hand to the cheek of her face and sighed deeply.

"You should take care around those ladies."

But even with that warning, how on earth should she take care? Yumi had absolutely no idea.

Part 4

Sachiko-sama was not in a good mood when she returned home from the Kyougoku's villa. As soon as she entered the house, she went straight up the stairs in silence, not bothering to stop by the salon or terrace. Yumi had been writing a rough draft of her book report at the table in the salon, but one look at Sachiko-sama's displeased profile had her chasing after her wondering what had happened.

"Did something happen?"

"Oh did it ever."

Sachiko-sama went into her room and threw the hat she'd been wearing on the bed.

"What do you think I saw when I got there? Kieko-san's brothers and sisters were there, along with her extended family, having a garden party."

"Um, so Kieko-sama's mother was – "

"Her mother? She was fine. She'd hardly be slurping down champagne in the middle of the day and stuffing her face full of barbecued meat if she was sick, would she?"

"I don't know, I was just asking."

Her flare up was quite intense, perhaps because it had been a while since the last one.

"… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken it out on you, Yumi."

"Don't worry about it."

Yumi was used to it. She thought it was probably because Sachiko-sama could let her guard down around her.

After all, Sachiko-sama was lenient with strangers but strict to those close to her. And understanding that, it was her petite soeur's job to support her.

"How about we go home? To Tokyo."

Sachiko-sama said, out of nowhere.

"Is something the matter?"

"Not particularly. I'm just fed up with it all. This farce of a friendship between certain people."

Sachiko-sama placed her left hand on the bed railing and covered her right eye with the palm of her right hand.

"All I wanted was to have a relaxing time here with you, Yumi. Just the two of us."

Her voice was shaking.

"Why can't they just leave us alone?"

Could she, perhaps, be crying?

"The Ogasawara name can be such a burden at times."

Yumi didn't dare to look at Sachiko-sama's face as she listened to her words in silence.

"I love my parents, and my grandfather too. And I'm grateful for the extraordinary amount of money and effort they've put into raising me. But sometimes I dream about how nice it would be for the four of us to live together in a house about the size of this villa. So, when I was young, I was always happy when we'd come and stay out here during the O-bon vacation. It was comforting to be in a small enough place that you could know where everyone was, even if you didn't know what they were doing. My father and grandfather would seek out the coolest spots in the house and sit there and read. And at least while they were here, they weren't off seeing their mistresses."

"And that's why you like this place."

Sachiko-sama gave a small nod of her head.

"And that's why I'd like to stay a bit longer."

After Yumi said this, Sachiko-sama spoke in a voice that seemed to fade to nothingness.

"I can't protect you here …"

"Huh?"

"They were talking about you at the party."

Yumi wasn't all that surprised, after what Kyo-san had told her about Kieko-sama. While she didn't know the specifics, she was sure they would have been saying something.

"What sort of things were they saying?"

"It was ridiculous."

The memory of it seemed to stir up Sachiko-sama's anger as she became agitated once more.

"Not even the Lillian Kawaraban would publish something that stupid."

There it is, the Lillian Kawaraban.

Still, in this situation, what could they have said to draw a comparison to the school newspaper?

"Then, can you tell me what they said, regardless of how stupid it was?"

Because Yumi wanted to judge that for herself. Deep in her heart she was a bit troubled, but she did her best to be cheerful as she asked. From what Kyo-san had said, there shouldn't have been anything too embarrassing if it got out.

"It was about the rice. That should be enough, right? It's of no value to you to hear anything more than that."

The rice.

The rice? Ohhhh, so that was it.

They could probably turn that episode into a funny story by expanding and embellishing on it. Yumi's feelings were, "If they want to laugh, let them laugh," but –

"I'm sorry onee-sama, for embarrassing you like this."

"It's not that – I've never once felt embarrassed by you. Don't you understand? I don't want to see you hurt. I hate that you have to suffer through this just because you're my petite soeur."

Sachiko-sama stamped her feet on the ground and waved her arms around in the air, like a young child getting angry because they couldn't properly convey their feelings. With nowhere for her arms to go, her hands eventually closed into fists and she lowered them.

"I just want you to always enjoy our time together."

"I do enjoy it."

Sachiko-sama raised her voice, getting angry. But for some reason, Yumi was able to calmly regard her onee-sama, even as she considered it strange that she could maintain her composure.

"Liar."

"It's true. I enjoy it all, even the tough times and the sad times."

Sachiko-sama's clenched fists loosened just a little.

"Just being with you makes me happy, onee-sama. Why can't you see that?"

"Yumi … "

"So if you want to go back to Tokyo, then of course I'll go back with you, but if you decide to stay then I'll remain here with you until the end."

Yumi smiled cheerfully as she said this, and Sachiko-sama's grim expression finally softened as she took a deep breath.

"Alright. If that's how you feel, then we'll stay here until Monday, like we planned. I really do hate running away, after all."

Hearing that last sentence, Yumi thought that this was just what she expected from Sachiko-sama.

Part 5

On Friday morning, they received a written invitation to a party from Saionji Yukari-sama.

The invitation said that the party would be held tomorrow evening, ie. Saturday, at Saionji's house, and was addressed to both Sachiko-sama and Yumi.

Yesterday was Ayanokouji-sama followed by Kyougoku-sama, and tomorrow would be Saionji-sama, so it felt like there was one more battle to come.

Now for the conversation about what to do.

"What is there to even talk about? Don't go."

The braided girl spoke forcibly as she picked up a financier cake.

"I agree. I think you'd be better off not going … perhaps."

Said the young girl with the fluffy, cotton-candy-like hair that looked like a western doll.

"It's kind of immature. Like they're grade-school bullies."

This was from the Japanese doll seated beside the western doll. However, none of the other guests had any experience with that so they couldn't judge whether this analogy was right or wrong, so all they could do was go, "Mmm," and ponder it.

The girl with the very short hair, that could be easily mistaken for a boy, silently sipped her tea.

It was Saturday afternoon.

They were in the familiar confines of the room on the second floor of the Rose Mansion … or not. Actually, they were most certainly in the Ogasawara family's holiday house.

The people occupying the salon for the tea-party were Yumi, Rei-sama, Yoshino-san, Shimako-san, and Noriko-chan.

The location was the only thing changed and it felt like a regular Yamayurikai meeting, but this wasn't a delusion brought on by away-team Yumi's despair, it was the real and honest truth.

It was no coincidence that the Yellow and White Rose Soeurs had come to visit on the same day.

The postcards that Yumi had mailed on Wednesday morning arrived safely at the Toudou and Shimazu households in Tokyo on Thursday. The pair then spoke to each other and decided on a time and date to make a trip out to the Ogasawara's villa. Yoshino-san and Rei-sama's ascent of Mt Fuji was on Friday, so by having the visit on Saturday they could just extend their trip.

"Because, the postcard was so tepid, it seemed like you were wasting away from boredom or something. And when I called Shimako-san, she was worried too, so we decided to come and check things out for ourselves."

That was Yoshino-san's story.

"You provided such a detailed address that I thought that was perhaps a sign that you wanted us to come and visit. I'm sorry, it looks like I jumped to a hasty conclusion – you said it was Sachiko-sama that wrote the address, didn't you?"

Shimako-san drew inwards slightly, seemingly out of embarrassment.

"Then maybe Rosa Chinensis wanted you to come – "

Noriko-chan said quietly.

"Sachiko-sama … ?"

Yumi mumbled. Perhaps some part of Sachiko-sama wanted to show this place to the other Yamayurikai members. There could be some truth to that.

"But why?"

"Probably because she noticed you were feeling a little flat too."

"Oh? I suppose, you could be right … "

Sachiko-sama had done it for Yumi's sake. If that was what the neutral observer Noriko-chan thought, then it was probably true.

"So, what did Sachiko say? About the party."

Rei-sama asked.

"Not much … there's no RSVP required, so I won't know what she's planning until right before the party. She seemed to be in two minds about it."

Yumi answered.

Sachiko-sama was away visiting the Matsudaira's holiday house. She'd been reluctant to go because she was concerned about leaving Yumi alone, but she'd gone because her late grandmother's attending physician, Touko-chan's grandfather, was staying there and she couldn't have pretended not to know this.

"She's in two minds? I see, that makes sense."

"What do you see?"

Yoshino-san asked, when she heard Rei-sama's comment.

"Right now, Sachiko's shaken. Fundamentally, if someone's looking to fight her, she'll fight. But in her case, she always wants to know as much about her opponent as she can."

"To avoid fighting a losing battle?"

"It's not that. Even if she knows she's going to lose, she won't back down until she has to. Because she'll fully understand how she's going to lose and how much damage she'll take."

Rei-sama used the examples of Sachiko-sama's contest with Satou Sei-sama over Shimako-san, and her wager with the previous Roses over the role of Cinderella. Indeed, in those situations Sachiko-sama had fought without regards to her chances of success.

"But when she doesn't know who her opponent is, or what they're thinking, then she becomes incredibly timid. Probably because she's afraid of being hurt more than necessary."

As expected of a long-time friend, Rei-sama seemed to understand Sachiko-sama incredibly well.

"I think I get it."

Yumi agreed.

Sachiko-sama boasted that she hated to run away, but had then run from place to place, avoiding her dearly beloved Kashiwagi-san. She'd probably run away because she was scared, not knowing what would happen to her if she met with him.

"That's how she was when you two were quarreling, Yumi-chan. If she'd sat down and talked to you properly, she could have cleared up that misunderstanding, but she was afraid of what might be waiting for her, so she closed herself off."

"What did she think might be waiting for her?"

Shimako-san asked, and Rei-sama answered unequivocally.

"That Yumi-chan would return her rosary."

All present fell silent. Those that had performed the soeur ceremony knew that the rosary held far more weight than just its physical mass. Even the Yellow Rose soeurs, who had temporarily split up then got back together, hadn't treated it lightly.

"She'd probably go if it was just her. Sachiko doesn't hold back when she's angry. It wouldn't necessarily be calculated, but she'd hone in on her opponent's weak point and hit them there hard, then go home."

"But this time she's got Yumi-sama with her."

Noriko-chan said.

"Exactly. That's why she's hesitating, since her opponent might target Yumi-chan. For Sachiko, it would be more painful to see Yumi-chan attacked than it would be for her to be attacked herself."

Previously, Yumi would have laughed this off with an, "As if." But having seen how Sachiko-sama had been behaving these last couple of days, she vaguely felt that Rei-sama might be on to something. Sachiko-sama had been nervous and fussy, like a mother hen watching over her chick.

"What do you want to do, Yumi-san?"

Yoshino-san asked.

"I … "

Yumi answered.

" … don't really know what I should do … or rather, whichever path I take, I don't think it'll be right."

"How so … ?"

"If I go to the Saionji's party, then I'm sure something unpleasant will happen. But if I don't go, it'll leave things unsettled. It feels like running away will just cause it to come back even stronger at some point in the future. Either way, I intend to go along with whatever Sachiko-sama chooses."

"So you might actually go to the party?"

"Yeah."

When Yumi confirmed this, Yoshino-san graced her with one of her favorite phrases:

"You idiot, Yumi-san. Don't willingly walk into their ambush. Come home with us, on the evening bullet train. You can't go to the party if you've gone home. Not even this Saionji girl would be crazy enough to chase after you."

"You're more than welcome to come with us too, although we're taking a regional express train home."

Shimako-san also extended an invitation. But Yumi shook her head.

"Thank-you for the offer, but I'm not leaving today. I've made up my mind that when I go home, it'll be with my onee-sama."

"Yumi-san … "

At that moment, Sachiko-sama arrived home from Touko-chan's villa. Then, her first words when she saw the Yamayurikai members were:

"You made it here. I'm so glad."

– that.

"Gokigenyou. When we saw the address on the postcard, we decided to gatecrash."

Yoshino-san greeted her cheerfully.

"This area is like a maze. If we didn't know the exact address, we may never have found this place."

Shimako-san remarked, and Sachiko-sama seemed to swell with pride as she answered:

"It is, isn't it. That's why I don't give it out lightly – if you don't know the address, you can't do anything."

"Like the combination to a safe."

Noriko-chan said with a straight face.

"To Sachiko's secret base."

Rei-sama joked.

"That's right. My secret base."

Sachiko-sama seemed to be truly happy. So, it really was Sachiko-sama's magnetism that had drawn them here.

"And yourself? How did you go, climbing Mt Fuji?"

Sachiko-sama prodded as she sat down.

"There's not much to say."

Rei-sama grumbled.

"We were aiming to reach the summit at dawn, so we stayed overnight in a mountain hut – although, it was hard to sleep because we were stuffed in there like sardines. Yoshino slept next to the wall, and I was beside her, but next to me was this incredibly obese old woman that snored like a chainsaw. And to top it all off, she tossed and turned in her sleep. It was such a pain."

"How was the rising sun?"

"Very spiritual."

Yoshino-san made the peace sign. This was the first time Yumi had heard the phrase "rising sun" used to refer to watching the day break from the top of a mountain, or that there were spiritual connotations to it. Lillian's Girls Academy was a Catholic school, but Yoshino-san and Rei-sama didn't seem to be too bothered by that.

"But, still, the size of the blisters on my feet."

"Blisters?"

"Although we went straight to an onsen when we came down from the mountain, so that popped them."

Rei-sama raised her foot slightly above the table, to show everyone. She said she'd worn two pairs of socks, but the unfamiliar climbing boots and mountain trails had taken their toll on the skin of her feet. But despite all that –

"Same here."

Yoshino-san said, acting as though it was no big deal.

"You cheated, Yoshino. You got on a horse half way down."

"Huh!?"

"Ahh, Rei-chan. I told you not to tell them that."

Her secret revealed, Yoshino-san hit Rei-sama on the shoulder. But this was a bit of a problem, since Rei-sama still had one foot in the air. As a result, she lost her balance and toppled out of her chair. Even so, it was a testament to Rei-sama's agility that the fall had left her more or less unscathed. The only part of her that was even slightly injured was a scrape on her blistered foot. Although, based on that result, it was hard to say whether that was lucky or unlucky given the circumstances.

"And you, Shimako? What have you been up to today?"

Sachiko-sama moved on to inquiring of the White Rose soeurs.

"We've been out on a day-trip visiting various Buddhist statues and churches. We stopped in on our way home."

They surely would have had to change their route so that they could stop in at the villa. But Shimako-san was probably taking into consideration that Sachiko-sama would likely be upset if she'd said, "We went out of our way to come here."

Even so, their eyes sparkled as they talked for the next twenty minutes about their early morning departure from Tokyo, the famous churches they went to, and the stone statues of Kannon that they saw.

Part 6

Their fun time together seemed to fly by.

When the clock struck four, their visitors said, "We should get going soon," and started preparing to leave.

"You could stay the night if you liked."

Sachiko-sama seemed reluctant to let them leave, but the four guests had to get home, and already had their train tickets, so they couldn't accept her offer.

"You'd be better off coming back with us."

Yoshino-san retorted, as they stood in front of the white nameplate.

"That would be good too."

But Sachiko-sama simply laughed it off, and did not return inside to pack.

"Well then, see you at school."

"Yes, we'll all meet again soon."

Surrounded by Sachiko-sama's beloved greenery, the friends waved goodbye and parted company.

Yumi and Sachiko-sama watched them leave, until their four visitors seemed to disappear into the grove of trees, then silently turned and started walking back to the villa.

"Yumi."

Sachiko-sama said. For some reason, Yumi knew exactly what her onee-sama was trying to say from just this.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

If that was what her onee-sama had decided, there was nothing more to say. Yumi was in total agreement.

"I'll accompany you to Saionji-sama's villa."

* * *

As an aside:

They may have slipped from mind, but let's turn our attention to hair-part and glasses – Miss Yamaguchi Mami and Miss Takeshima Tsutako.

At this time, they were in the same general area as the Yamayurikai council members. Although, the council members were unaware of this.

"At any rate, I never thought I'd run into you out here."

"Yeah, I got quite the shock when I saw you too."

The standard sort of conversation followed, but that's of no particular importance. The pair were delighted to run into each other at this place that seemed both close and far away.

Larch, red pine, Judas tree.

The tall trees formed a natural curtain. Just one step into the woods was enough to feel the temperature drop, like stepping into a cold storage room.

"By the way, Mami-san, didn't you say you were chasing after the White Rose soeurs?"

Tsutako asked.

"Yeah, I was."

Mami's expression soured as she answered.

"But I lost sight of them."

"How did that happen?"

"At a transfer, I missed the bus they got on."

"Aha."

Tsutako nodded. It was easy to imagine the difficulty of covertly following someone when they got on a bus. She'd be running the risk of getting spotted if she got on the bus, but she couldn't exactly follow them if she didn't. And as a high-school student, she could hardly hail a cab and follow after them that way.

"Based on the bus route, I took a guess at which temple they were going to, but..."

Mami shrugged.

"They weren't there."

"Exactly. Imagine my embarrassment."

Mami didn't know if they'd left before she arrived, or if they hadn't been heading to that temple to begin with. She hadn't caught sight of the White Rose soeurs from that point on.

"How about you, Tsutako-san? From memory, you were full of enthusiasm to film the Yellow Rose soeurs' ascent of Mt Fuji."

Mami asked, defensively. Tsutako looked sullen as she answered.

"Well, I had no interest in climbing Mt Fuji myself, so I decided to wait at the bottom of the mountain and film their descent. I'd found out where they were starting their ascent, and where they were staying overnight."

"That's quite the thorough preparation."

"It wasn't nearly good enough. It all came to naught in the end."

"How so?"

"The ascent and descent took different routes. So in all that time waiting, I didn't see them come down the mountain."

"That is most unfortunate."

"I was just reaping what I'd sowed, since I'd gone there based on my own investigation."

Tsutako let out a dry laugh, which lured Mami into laughing too.

After laughing for a little while, they stopped almost simultaneously and asked the other:

"So what are you doing here?"

The base of Mt Fuji and a suburban temple. They'd both lost their targets at different locations, so why were they now both standing in the same woods? That was quite the strange story.

" – I guess we both had the same thought."

"In the end, neither of us could give up on the Red Rose soeurs."

So they'd taken the opportunity to stretch their legs a little and headed here, to the summer vacation spot where the Ogasawara family's villa was located.

If they got lucky, they might run into the Red Rose soeurs. It was a slim chance, but they could still dream.

Despite their different starting points, they'd both arrived at the same location, so they decided to join forces as they tried to deduce the location of the Ogasawara holiday house.

"It's strange, isn't it? There's none of the mansions I was expecting around here."

The type surrounded by high walls, with flawless security systems. They'd been looking for something like Sleeping Beauty's castle – a thorny mansion that repelled outsiders.

"It's the holiday house for the global head of the Ogasawara Group. I thought it'd be easy to find once we got here."

"At the very least, it'd help if the nameplates were a bit more informative."

Mami flicked the white nameplate, which was pretty much the same as every other villa's. A lot of them just had the street number, with no name, or the writing was faded and impossible to read.

"What do you think SAWA means? Is it just Sawa-san? Or is it for Sawada, or Sawamura? Although it could also be Nakazawa or Shiozawa."

"But when the Sawa kanji comes second, it'd be Zawa, not Sawa, wouldn't it?"

"Ah, you're right, that happens a lot."

They moved on as they continued to chat. Preconceived notions are dreadful indeed.

"Thinking about it, there was that one place with tall walls that we passed on the way here. It seemed kind of out of place."

Most of the buildings were cozy, nestled in among the trees, and with low walls.

"So you think that was the Ogasawara's villa?"

"The nameplate clearly had "Kyogoku" written on it."

"Kyogoku isn't Ogasawara."

"Indeed."

The pair said, "Hmm," and pondered for a moment.

If things kept going this way, it felt like they wouldn't find the Red Rose soeurs even if they continued searching until the sun went down. On the other hand, they couldn't exactly knock on every door and say, "Is this the Ogasawara's villa?" either.

"I think we've just about hit our time limit, don't you?"

Tsutako said, looking at her watch.

"Yeah. Such a pity though."

Mami concurred.

They may have been mature beyond their years, but they were still actually just second-year high-school students. They had curfews, and going out without permission was preposterous.

With great reluctance, they headed towards the train station and encountered a phantom.

"Over there … it's the Yellow Rose soeurs."

"Yeah, right."

"No, look."

"Ah, you're right. There's the White Rose soeurs too."

Two famous fairy-tales immediately sprang to mind.

That happy scene that the "Little Match Girl" saw in the flame she lit with her frozen hands.

The painting by Rubens that Nello from "A Dog of Flanders" got to see in his final moments.

Oddly, they were both sad stories set during midwinter.

"What if it's winter, and we're about to freeze to death, having this happy dream of summer as the snow falls around us?"

As a newspaper reporter, Mami usually stuck to the facts, but from this remark it was clear that she hadn't completely denied fantasy.

"If it's a dream then so be it. I'll keep pressing the shutter in that dream until the end."

The camera-geek Tsutako broke into a run – whether it was a dream or reality, she was happy as long as she was taking good photographs.

"You're right. Even if it is a dream, there's nothing to lose by chasing after them. Indeed, a daring assault could net me an interview."

Mami chased after them too.

Although, thinking that this situation could be expanded into a feature article for Lillian Kawaraban's bumper back-to-school / summer vacation edition was counting her chickens before they'd hatched.

So, would she be able to get some good material for an article?

Now was her chance to showcase her skills.

Songs of an Angel

Part 1

They arrived at Saionji Yukari-sama's villa shortly after six o'clock.

The Saionji's estate didn't have any large trees to obstruct the view, and the sun hadn't set, so when they emerged from the woods it felt to Yumi as though time had slipped backwards.

Yumi was wearing her white butterfly dress. In her hair she wore a partially-opened lily flower from the garden that Sachiko-sama had picked for her, and even gone to the effort of removing each individual stamen so that it wouldn't drop pollen over her clothes.

Sachiko-sama had decided on a deep green dress with a white floral pattern. The flowers were the same color as Yumi's white dress, so when they stood next to each other they looked like a matching pair.

"Are you ready?"

Standing at the entrance to Saionji-sama's villa, Sachiko-sama looked like she was about to step on to a battlefield.

"Yes."

Yumi responded enthusiastically. Come what may. If anything did happen, she'd try her best to act with dignity and not embarrass herself.

After taking a deep breath, they rang the doorbell. Shortly thereafter, Yukari-sama came out to greet them and showed them inside.

"Do come inside, Sachiko-onee-sama, Yumi-sama."

Yukari-sama was wearing a dress with puffed sleeves made out of a pink lamé cloth, that had metallic fibers sewn through it. It was somewhat reminiscent of candy wrapping paper, and when she moved it sparkled prettily.

"Thank-you for extending this invitation to us."

"Now, now, there's no need to be so formal. Let's go inside."

Yukari-sama grinned as she said this, then looked back over her shoulder and slightly raised her voice to say:

"Mother, the Ogasawara's Sachiko-onee-sama has arrived. She has the long awaited Fukuzawa Yumi-sama with her."

The long awaited.

Was it just Yumi's suspicions working overtime, or was there something sinister lurking in that phrase?

A lady wearing a tight-fitting navy blue dress answered Yukari-sama's call. Arranged haphazardly in her dyed reddish-brown hair were feathers of the same color as her dress.

"I apologize for not visiting sooner, ma'am. This is my petite soeur, Yumi. Did I hear that you've been waiting to meet her?"

Sachiko-sama said with cool sarcasm as she handed over their gifts of wine and cheese. This was, however, completely lost on the Saionji's.

"Yes, of course. The word around the neighborhood is that you've found an adorable little sister. Welcome, Yumi-san."

"Gokigenyou. Thank-you very much for favoring me with an – "

"Tonight's not a night for formalities – it's a night for eating, and drinking … ah, of juice, of course, since you're underage. At any rate, enjoy yourselves, although the toasts have already started, I'm afraid."

It looked like Yukari-sama's mother had already started drinking, and was in a good mood. She handed the cheese over to one of the waitstaff and wandered off, muttering, "Now where's that corkscrew?"

The party seemed to be in full swing, with about 30 people in the parlor, engaged in pleasant conversation. The room was about triple the size of the one in the Ogasawara's villa, and was probably built for parties like this. The tables lining the walls held an array of food and drinks from a famous hotel, and the grand piano in the center of the room was being played by a female (and likely professional) pianist, who had chosen a subdued piece of music so she wouldn't disrupt the conversation.

"I'll get some drinks. You wait here."

Sachiko-sama said, then left Yumi standing on her own and she walked towards the drinks area. It looked like the Saionji's had hired a bartender to fix whatever drinks were requested. Yumi watched Sachiko-sama walking away for a little while before a young lady in a red dress sidled up to her and said:

"I didn't think you'd come."

"… Touko-chan."

She was wearing a retro-styled dress, with short sleeves and collar and a flared skirt, which complimented her ringlets extremely well.

"Despite all those warnings I gave you. Yumi-sama are you, perhaps, a masochist?"

Touko-chan quickly drank the rest of her orange juice before continuing.

"What on earth were you thinking? I have no idea. This party isn't just a simple summer soiree."

"What can I say?"

Obviously, she wasn't expecting it to be just a simple summer soiree, but they weren't hosting this lavish party just to pick a fight with her and Sachiko-sama either.

"Why don't you just go home soon?"

Touko-chan wandered off smugly. She'd known that it wasn't an innocent affair, but still attended anyway, and now warned Yumi to, "Go home." Touko-chan's train of thought was a complete mystery to Yumi.

"You've got a lot of guts, you soeurs."

A young man in a summer suit replaced Touko-chan, standing behind and to the side of Yumi.

"Kashiwagi-san…"

Since Touko-chan was here, Yumi had though it was possible he'd show up too, and here he was.

"You've got to be expecting something bad to happen, but you've come anyway. Why?"

Kashiwagi-san offered her a glass of grapefruit juice, but Yumi shook her head and turned him down.

"So the gossip about me has even made its way to your ears?"

"More or less."

Kashiwagi-san responded vaguely, then took a sip from the glass of juice that Yumi had rejected.

It was a small world after all. It seemed like Kashiwagi-san came from a wealthy family, so it was only natural that he'd have connections to some of the people that had villas in this area.

"My onee-sama wouldn't go into the details, so were the rumors really that horrendous?"

"Horrendous … I don't know if I'd call them that. Ridiculous, perhaps?"

Ridiculous. That was pretty much the same opinion that Sachiko-sama held.

"Like the thing about the rice?"

"Ah, the "Koshihikari Rice Princess.""

Koshihikari Rice Princess!?

"… That's supposed to be me?"

She hadn't expected they'd give her such a straightforward nickname.

"Oh darn. So you hadn't heard that yet, Yumi-chan?"

Kashiwagi-san face-palmed theatrically, confirming that he was as pretentious as she'd thought.

"What else?"

"Please, don't ask me that."

Kashiwagi-san had been the one to approach her, but now he was looking to flee.

"I'll feel better when I've heard everything they said."

Yumi latched on to him like a snapping turtle until eventually Kashiwagi-san relented, sounding amazed as he said, "I guess I'm no match for you."

"You know how Sacchan went to the Kyougoku's villa on her own? They're saying you refused because you heard Mrs Kyougoku was ill and you didn't want to get infected."

"That's not – "

"I know. You wouldn't say something like that. It's a terrible rumor, especially since Mrs Kyougoku was only feigning illness."

Then Kashiwagi-san added, "But rumors spread before all the facts can be assembled." Indeed, even if a rumor was completely false, once it started spreading it took on a life of its own.

"There's more, right?"

Yumi asked, seeking confirmation, and Kashiwagi-san nodded, "Yeah."

"Although I'm partly to blame for this one. There's a rumor going around that you left Sacchan at home and went out on the town with some guys."

"With "some guys." It was you, Kobayashi-kun, and Yuuki."

"Right? I don't know who saw us though. Someone with too much time on their hands, who spreads these worthless rumors. And then to spread that rumor to me, without knowing that it was about me – it's just idiotic."

Yumi thought he was right.

"But why are they so mean … "

Sachiko-sama had been making her way back when she was caught and drawn into deep conversation by an older gentleman. Kashiwagi-san quietly said:

"There's many reasons why they're mean. But, in this specific case, I think it's mainly due to envy."

"Envy?"

"It's the flip-side of their complex."

"What, are you telling me they have a complex?"

Those brightly colored butterflies.

Cute and just a tad egotistical, they didn't look like they had any weaknesses at all.

"Absolutely. Most of the families in this area have built their fortunes over the last fifty years. When people get that kind of money, they start to want social prestige. That's not the sort of thing that can just be bought with money, so they're incredibly envious of those that have it."

"… Like the Ogasawara family."

"Exactly. They're old money."

The huge building, the gorgeous decorations, the ostentatious party. Even with the short amount of time she'd spent in the Saionji's villa, Yumi felt like she sort of understood what Kashiwagi-san was trying to say.

"So, those people that are so obsessed by pedigree feel inferior to them. And then, suddenly, you're introduced into this environment."

"Me?"

"You're Sacchan's petite soeur, so it's like you're a part of the Ogasawara family."

That was when Yumi suddenly realized:

"By finding fault with everything I do, they could cause the Ogasawara family to lose face … !"

"Exactly. If they can't climb any higher, then they can get the upper hand by dragging others down. That's how they're looking to keep the balance."

"… It's kind of sad."

"Yeah. But there's people that are slaves to that sort of thinking."

Sachiko-sama returned, carrying a glass in each hand.

"Sorry for taking so long. I ran into an old teacher of mine, who taught me how to write … What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing."

Yumi shook her head, while Kashiwagi-san smiled as he answered:

"Yumi-chan was just telling me that she wouldn't drink the juice I brought her because she was waiting for you. That sort of thing."

"I see."

The drink that Sachiko-sama gave her was a cool lemonade. Its color was slightly different to Sachiko-sama's, due to an extra measure of honey.

Part 2

Even if Sachiko-sama just stood there silently, she was constantly kept busy by other people approaching her.

Sachiko-sama would be exchanging greetings, expressing her thanks for past events, and inquiring as to the health of the other person's family, even as she was eating food.

Whenever a new guest came to see them, Yumi would also stop eating and greet them. It was always immediately obvious whether or not they had heard the rumors about her based on their reaction.

There were people who pointed at her behind her back and said, "The Koshihikari Rice Princess is wearing white," but she ignored them and didn't let it bother her.

"So, is everyone having a good time?"

Abruptly, a voice called out over a microphone.

Yumi looked around with a quizzical expression, not understanding the situation. Sachiko-sama also looked confused as she ate a slice of prosciutto.

There was, unmistakably, a master of ceremonies holding a mic.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. Tonight's leading lady is about to make her entrance. A round of applause, please."

Acquiescing to the MC's request, the invited guests clapped their hands.

A gray-haired old lady in a wheelchair, who must have been waiting on stand-by until now, was wheeled into the center of the room.

"So it begins."

Kashiwagi-san, who had made his way over to them unnoticed, whispered softly into their ears.

"The Saionji family's matriarch's birthday party. They're typically indifferent, but every so often they have these events to show off their facade of family togetherness."

Quite the harsh words from Kashiwagi-san.

"It's their great-grandmother's birthday? … I had no idea."

Sachiko-sama murmured. Indeed, their invitation had made no mention of this – although all the other guests seemed to know.

"Happy birthday, great-grandmother."

Yukari-sama approached the wheelchair carrying a bouquet of flowers. Her great-grandmother idly regarded the scene in front of her. She didn't stretch out her hands to accept the flowers, so Yukari-sama laid the bouquet on her lap and withdrew. The room fell gravely silent. It looked like the great-grandmother wasn't going to say, "Thank-you," no matter how long they waited, so the MC interjected, looking to liven things up.

"From her great-granddaughter Yukari-sama, a gift of 88 roses for her 88th birthday. A big round of applause, everyone!"

The guests came to their senses and remembered to clap.

"We'll now be accepting gifts of music, which she so loves. Take it away, Yukari-sama."

Yukari-sama seated herself at the grand piano and said, "For my great-grandmother," then played the standard piano piece, "Für Elise". Despite her dedication, it didn't seem as though her great-grandmother's name was Elise. Probably.

Following that, Yukiari-sama's cousins and other relatives stepped forward one at a time to play their favorite instruments.

The great-grandmother didn't seem particularly interested, regardless of who was playing, or what they were performing.

After a little while, people from outside the Saionji family came forward to play an instrument. Kyougoku Saeko-sama played the flute, while Ayanokouji Kikuyo-sama played the mandolin.

Touko-chan played the violin and Yumi was surprised by how skilled she was. But no matter how good the performance, the great-grandmother neither spoke nor clapped.

"Their great-grandmother loved their old villa, and she's still angry that her grandchildren tore it down and rebuilt it, destroying its charm by chopping down all the trees in the process. When she hurt her leg falling down the slippery stairs, they used that as their excuse."

Kashiwagi-san explained the internal affairs of the Saionji's household, even though nobody had asked. While it had initially looked as though great-grandmother Saionji had dementia, apparently she'd just closed her heart to her family due to despair.

"By the way Yumi-chan, do you play an instrument?"

"I played the piano a little when I was young. But it's been so long that I couldn't play anything now."

As she answered, a terrifying thought crossed Yumi's mind.

"... So you can't do something like that?"

"M-me – ?"

Coming to this realization a fraction quicker than Yumi, Sachiko-sama stiffened as she listened to the saxophone performance.

Although she'd been on the lookout for something, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that they'd use this method of attack.

What should she do? Yumi and Sachiko-sama looked at each other, and then:

"Yumi-sama."

Yukari-sama called out.

"Would you like to offer up a musical performance for my great-grandmother?"

There it was.

The way the situation had evolved meant there was no time for a strategy meeting with her onee-sama.

"Anything will be fine. Just tell me your preferred instrument – we have pretty much all of them here."

"…"

Apparently Saionji-sama's family was a musical household.

Oh, how about a Taiko drum, then? She could have asked for some improbable instrument, but the incredible shame that would befall her in the unlikely event they actually had the item meant that she rejected this idea immediately.

"Come now, don't be shy. Speak up, please."

Thank-you for your polite request, but unfortunately I lack the ability to entertain you with those musical instruments.

The correct answer to this problem was probably to say that she couldn't do it. She couldn't do what she couldn't do, and if she couldn't admit that then it seemed like it would turn into an even worse situation.

However.

You can't play any musical instrument at all? What kind of household were you raised in? – Yukari-sama hadn't said anything just yet, but Yumi could imagine what she would say, and that really ticked her off.

The other guests were looking on in excitement, wondering what was happening. There were some looks of sympathy mixed in there, from people that had already guessed the situation.

"They're just gonna ruin the party, huh?"

Kashiwagi-san whispered this so that only Yumi could hear. She had no idea what he was trying to do, but she was at least grateful for his sympathy.

"Alright then."

Yumi strode towards the middle of the room.

"Yumi … !?"

Sachiko-sama grabbed Yumi's hand to stop her. Discomfort was written all over her face. It was undeniable proof that she was looking out for Yumi.

Sachiko-sama hated running away. But the feel of her palm conveyed the screams of her heart – that Yumi had taken this far enough and should stop.

But don't worry, onee-sama, it'll be alright. – Yumi gently extricated her hand.

I'm not as delicate as you fear I am, onee-sama. Because no matter how much damage I take, I've got enough fighting spirit to quickly restore my onee-sama's gentle smile.

"Regrettably, I'm not proficient with any musical instrument. But I will perform a song in honor of your great-grandmother's birthday."

Yumi started by greeting Yukari-sama's great-grandmother, before taking a breath.

"~Maria-sama's soul, that is ~"

In front of such a large crowd, performing a cappella, and to make matters even worse, the song was, "Maria-sama's Soul."

Yumi was astounded by her own bravery – if she'd thought about it calmly, she would have been outraged by the idea of singing in front of everyone.

But, she had accepted an invitation to a birthday party (even if she hadn't been aware of that), so it would be inexcusable for her to not offer a present. She wasn't singing because of what Yukari-sama had said, she was singing for Yukari-sama's great-grandmother's sake.

Her voice didn't have the same beauty or volume as Shizuka-sama's in Italy, but she was satisfied that she was putting her heart into it.

Her voice shook on the high notes, but she was determined to keep going until the end. Because this song was a gift.

An interlude suddenly flowed in after she'd finished the first verse. Turning around, she saw Sachiko-sama at the grand piano, playing an accompaniment that matched Yumi's pitch.

It felt good to have Sachiko-sama accompany her on the piano as she sang. It wasn't a four-handed piano performance, but it felt the same as when they had played like that. It polished her soul, and her voice poured out, soaring to greater heights.

While she was singing, it felt to Yumi as though she was breathing in Maria-sama's clear, blue sky.

The sound of the piano went silent.

It was then that Yumi realized she'd sang the whole song.

All sound had disappeared from the room, it was deathly silent.

Maybe she'd made a colossal mistake by not reading the mood of the room.

Feeling nervous, she looked around the room and her eyes met Sachiko-sama's as she stood up from the piano. Sachiko-sama smiled softly and gave a small nod, indicating, "Well done."

Clap, clap, clap.

Where was that coming from? A quiet and slow round of applause.

Yumi was surprised when she found the source. The sound was coming from the palms of Yukari-sama's great-grandmother.

It was the first time that great-grandmother Saionji had applauded today, so the guests were surprised, but since she was today's leading lady they hurriedly started clapping. Reluctantly, those who had been watching on with curiosity joined in the round of applause, as did the instigator, Yukari-sama.

It looked like great-grandmother Saionji was beckoning her, so Yumi hurried over and knelt beside her wheelchair. Whereupon she stroked Yumi's cheek and smiled.

"Thank-you. That was a wonderful song. It took me back oh so many years."

It seemed to Yumi as though their great-grandmother may have had memories of singing that song in her youth, so she took the mountain lily from her hair and offered it to her, saying, "Here, have this."

"It's Maria-sama's soul, isn't it?"

"Yes."

It was the answer to a riddle that only those who had etched the lyrics of that song into their memories would know.

Part 3

"Please come and visit us again next year, angel."

Yukari-sama's great-grandmother exited the party, leaving her with those words.

As soon as the leading lady left the room, confusion descended, the mood deflated, and the party started to come to a close, with no formal announcement or farewells.

Touko-chan was nowhere to be seen – she must have gone home at some point. Yukari-sama went upstairs not long after her great-grandmother left. Kyougoku Saeko-sama and Ayanokouji Kikuyo-sama had gone home with their respective families.

Yukari-sama's mother was passed out on the couch, clutching a wine bottle. The pianist and MC were getting ready to leave, even though there were still some guests remaining.

Yumi's group was also shuffling towards the exit.

"Shall I escort you home?"

Kashiwagi-san asked, following along behind them.

"No."

"We're fine."

They both declined simultaneously. Yumi was in the mood to take a moonlit stroll with her onee-sama. Sachiko-sama apparently felt the same way too.

"Still, that was pretty impressive from you two."

Despite being turned down, Kashiwagi-san followed them and kept talking anyway.

"With just one song you captured their great-grandmother's heart."

"It was all thanks to you, onee-sama."

"It's because your feelings got through to her, Yumi."

The soeurs became animated, ignoring Kashiwagi-san's presence. It was typical of Kashiwagi-san that he was completely unconcerned by this too.

"Ah, I can just see it. Because of how much influence the Saionji's matriarch has, nobody's going to mockingly call her favorite Yumi-chan the "Koshihikari Rice Princess" any more. Although some of them might start calling you "Angel."

"Angel … ?"

Given the choice, Yumi would have preferred "Koshihikari Rice Princess." Because she'd only been called angel because she was wearing all white. It would be too funny to be called "angel" if she was wearing black clothes.

At some point she couldn't hear Kashiwagi-san any more and turned around to find he was no longer there.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?"

Sachiko-sama asked, as they were standing beneath a grove of trees.

Tomorrow was Sunday, their last day at the villa before they had to head back to Tokyo. Their last day, but the first time Yumi had been asked what she wanted to do.

"I want to have a lazy day tomorrow."

It was Sunday, so they could have gone to church or to a mass, but that wasn't the sort of thing she usually did so she passed.

"A lazy day?"

Sachiko-sama seemed confused.

"I want us to have an afternoon siesta together."

And just laze around as much as possible.

She didn't want to have to put on shoes at all tomorrow.

She didn't want to have to entertain any visitors, or read any books.

She wanted to lay out a sheet on the terrace, beneath a roof of greenery, and while away the time without doing anything in particular.

Just her and her onee-sama. A time of indulgence, no doubt.

"Ah, that sounds wonderful."

Sachiko-sama agreed immediately.

After all, this place was best suited to spending time like that.

Part 4

True to his word, Matsui-san came to pick them up early Monday morning.

The black car pulled into the villa just as they were returning from their morning stroll.

Sachiko-sama quickly folded up Yumi's parasol and placed it on the back seat, saying, "I'm sure we'll need it when we stop for a break." One parasol for them to share.

They had a lighter breakfast than usual, probably to avoid carsickness, but to make up for that Kiyo-san gave Yumi a boxed lunch to take with them. For whatever reason, the lunch menu was exactly the same as what Yumi's mother had prepared a week earlier.

"Kiyo … "

Sachiko-sama looked conflicted when she saw the contents of the lunch box.

"You should be able to eat the pickled plum and the asparagus too, right m'lady?"

"… I suppose."

"You enjoyed everything in the lunch that Yumi's mother prepared, didn't you?"

"Alright, already. You don't have to point it out, I'll make sure I eat all of it."

"Thank-you. Incidentally, the rice balls are made from top-grade Uonuma Koshihikari rice."

Kiyo-san smiled, looking somewhat triumphant.

Hearing their conversation, Yumi finally caught on.

Sachiko-sama hated pickled plums and asparagus.

Kiyo-san must have had trouble with Sachiko-sama's picky eating habits in the past. But now that she had proof that Sachiko-sama could eat something she'd previously refused, Kiyo-san had merrily made it. And by waiting until their last day, she didn't give Sachiko-sama the opportunity to complain. A tactical victory for Kiyo-san.

"I'm sorry, onee-sama, I didn't know."

"What ever are you talking about?"

Sachiko-sama hated to lose, so she would probably never admit the truth. So, once more, she would force herself to eat pickled plum and asparagus.

"Take care, have a safe trip."

Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san said when they saw them off. They didn't say "Farewell," or "Come and visit us again," but "Take care." Because this was a place that Sachiko-sama could come back to any time she liked.

Kiyo-san and Gensuke-san waved at the car until they disappeared from sight.

"Did you ladies enjoy your vacation at the summer house?"

Matsui-san asked from the driver's seat.

Because of all the rest she'd got yesterday, Yumi wasn't feeling evenly slightly tired despite their 7am departure.

"Yes."

"Absolutely."

Outside the window, the trees seemed to glide past.

The greenery sparkled brilliantly.

Just like on their journey here, Sachiko-sama took some car sickness medicine then quickly fell asleep, with a blanket across her lap. She had asked Yumi if she wanted some too, but Yumi declined once again.

Listening to her onee-sama's peaceful breathing, it seemed likely that Yumi would also fall into a sound sleep at some point.

A lot of things had happened, but it had been a fun week.

"At any rate."

With her eyes closed, Sachiko-sama smiled as she remembered something.

"My heart was beating so fast I thought it would explode back then."

"Back when?"

Yumi asked. Her onee-sama's conversation had started so abruptly that she didn't really know what she was referring to.

"At the Saionji's house, when you stepped up to sing, "Maria-sama's soul." I thought … haha."

Sachiko-sama laughed at the memory. Yumi pressed her, asking what was so funny. Sachiko-sama was laughing so hard she was crying, and she wiped away the tears with the blanket before answering.

"I thought, "What will I do if she starts doing the loach scooping dance?""

– It goes without saying, that was never going to happen.

Afterword

Soft serve ice-cream.

Scones filled to the brim with homemade jam.

Grilled sweetfish.

Tempura mushrooms.

Fresh homemade tofu.

They're not mentioned in the main body of the story, but plain omelets where the inside is all sticky (completely different to rolled egg omelets).

Crispy rice. Financier pastries … (in no particular order)

These are just a few examples, but that's how I write about food.

It's often pointed out to me that my stories typically have scenes where the food is explicitly mentioned. It's probably because I love food myself that I lay out the menu.

And then, when I write these scenes, I'll often find myself craving those foods. Naturally, I won't usually have that food on hand, so I have no choice but to endure the cravings. It leaves me feeling kind of ashamed to fall into a trap that I've set myself.

Perceptive people may have caught on by now. That I'm currently in that exact situation.

Hello, this is Konno.

As you can see, the illustration on the cover of this volume of "Maria-sama ga Miteru" does not feature a school uniform!

– In other words, it's the summer vacation issue.

Yumi has left Lillian's Girls Academy to go on a summer holiday with her onee-sama.

If that's all you heard then you might feel a bit jealous. But it's not all fun and games. With Sachiko as her onee-sama, she's not going to have a peaceful life. Living under that star, it's just something that she'll have to resign herself to :) But, in that regard, it seems like she's got better at rolling with the punches recently – You're getting used to it, aren't you Yumi-chan?

By the way.

High-school students still have some sort of homework they have to do over the summer holidays, right?

I seem to remember that back in my day, we had to do things like English to Japanese translation, conversion from ancient Japanese into modern Japanese, book reports, and things like that. Ah, more and more is coming back to me. Having to paint a self-portrait with oils for art class, and sewing a summer dress for home-economics. Thinking back on it, I really put a lot of effort into those things.

At any rate, the book report is a staple of summer vacation.

Suffering is a common theme with the assigned texts, don't you think? It often comes up in the story itself too – Dazai's "Tsugaru" and Souseki's "Kokoro" both have this sort of ill-fated characters. Especially with "Tsugaru" where you have to read to the end before you can write your report, I remember grudgingly forcing my way through it. But it gave me something I could use in a story, so I guess I should be grateful.

I've heard that some schools don't set a specific book, instead you can write a report on any book you want. Still.

I just imagined what a Japanese language teacher would feel if she saw, "I read "Maria-sama ga Miteru: Vacation of the Lambs,"" written on a book report. It feels like I should apologize to her.

Instead of that, how about a book by Dazai or Souseki? I think they'd make a better topic for a book report. But in that case, rather than just one book you're better off reading multiple. Rather than struggling through to the end of a book that you just don't get, isn't it better to ask, "Well, what should I try next?"

When I get some free time, (and when will that be!?) I'd like to have a proper re-read of "Tsugaru" and "Kokoro." I might experience them differently now that I'm an adult.

– Well, that's what I say, but it'll probably be a couple of decades until that happens.

Translator's Notes

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