Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume10 Chapter3 5

Suspicious Clouds. Part 5

The Noriko-chan that Shimako-san brought along was one steely-nerved first-year.

"I'm Nijou Noriko."

She must have been nervous, but she was doing the right thing and trying her best not to let it show. In comparison, Shimako-san couldn't calm down, her eyes darting everywhere. While her concern was understandable, it made it hard to tell who was the onee-sama and who was the petit soeur. Still, when they stood next to each other, the juxtaposition between the western doll and the Japanese doll was beautiful.

"Gokigenyou. Welcome to the Rose Mansion."

Sachiko-sama smiled brilliantly as she ushered Noriko-chan in. Yoshino dispassionately thought that anyone favored with that smile would probably find themselves a bit dizzy, even if they weren't one of Sachiko-sama's fans. As for Yumi-san, who in days past had been enchanted by those lips, she wasn't even looking at her distant onee-sama, instead hurriedly preparing to make tea.

Rei-chan hadn't looked at Yoshino for a while either. Even though it may have been completely expected, Yoshino found herself wanting to complain that Rei-chan couldn't set their quarrel aside just for this afternoon.

(Oops. Smile, smile.)

When Yoshino noticed that she'd been frowning, she altered her feelings to better fit the mood. At that point, an unusual scene played out beside her.

(Huh!?)

She turned her head before she'd had time to think about it, but there, wasn't that Rei-chan embracing Noriko-chan around the shoulder? Did she have to go that far, after all, it's not like she's a host from a host club? Even for an escort, that was getting a bit too close.

On top of that.

"Yumi-chan, can you make some of the good tea?"

What's this, why's she talking so sweetly?

(Why did she ask Yumi-san? I'm your petit soeur, and I'm right here, close enough that you don't have to wave to get my attention!)

Was it an intentional snub? If that was the case, Yoshino was disappointed in herself for getting angry just like Rei-chan had expected her to. On the other hand, if Rei-chan hadn't meant anything by it, then that was equally annoying.

"Yumi-san, I'll help you."

Thinking that it had some deeper meaning, Yoshino decided to move to assist Yumi-san. If she was busy working, perhaps she could avoid over-analyzing things. At the very least, she could turn her back on Rei-chan, which would probably help bring some calm to her soul.

Inside the teapot, the tea leaves broke into a dance. It smelled so good she wanted to inhale deeply. When it came time to pour it into teacups, it made a soothing sound. Then, when it was done, it was a vivid crimson color.

As she was watching this, Yoshino found herself starting to relax. She wanted to stay gazing at it forever, however Yumi-san had already placed three teacups on a tray and was carrying them over for Noriko-chan, Sachiko-sama and Rei-chan, so Yoshino hurriedly gathered up the remaining three.

Facing the three occupied chairs were three that were, as yet, unoccupied and Yoshino placed a teacup at each of these. These were for the three second-years.

The largish oval shaped table was designed for eight people, but ten people could be crammed around it if necessary. At the moment there were six chairs at the table, but there were another three in the room, by the windows or the sink, that were moved around as needed. There was probably another ten chairs that could be found in the storehouse room on the first-floor. Naturally, all the chairs had slightly different designs.

Usually, they each had their own chair that they sat in. But when circumstances changed they'd switch around their seating order, either incidentally or deliberately. This was obviously one of those times.

Two of the Roses were seated so it looked like they were sandwiching their guest. The remaining seats were lined up facing them. Now then, who's going to sit where?

Shimako-san probably should have sat next to Noriko-chan to guard her, but since she got off to a slow start neither of the seats beside Noriko-chan were free. Ignoring the lead actresses from the White Rose family, the other colors could have opted for coherency, but both Yoshino and Yumi-san elected not to sit next to their onee-samas. Yoshino didn't want to analyze each and every thing, but she felt like she knew without asking why Yumi-san had made her choice.

Which left Rei-chan sitting next to Yumi-san, and Sachiko-sama next to Yoshino, with Shimako-san sitting in the remaining seat. With that, their 'arranged marriage' tea-party could begin.

Even if it was likened to an arranged marriage, there were four people from the Yellow and Red Rose families, and only one Noriko-chan. When it came down to it, it was closer to an interview. Shimako-san's role was a cross between matchmaker and attendant. She seemed more impatient than the interviewee herself, and just looking at Shimako-san made Yoshino feel pity for her.

Yoshino took two sticks of creamer from the hand-basket and put them in her tea.

It looked like this engagement was sorted. Sachiko-sama and Rei-chan both seemed pleased with Noriko-chan.

Yoshino thought that Noriko-chan had earned a passing grade. At any rate, anyone who could make the usually composed Shimako-san that flustered was no ordinary human.

(Geeze, must be nice.)

Yoshino found herself growing jealous as she thought about how Shimako-san and Noriko-chan's relationship was just beginning. The feeling of everything being unknown and expectantly stumbling forwards into the future. Yoshino and Rei-chan didn't really have that feeling anymore. They were cousins who were brought up like sisters and then became soeurs, so they never really experienced nervousness or suspense, much less the phantom of heart-throbbing anticipation.

(We're like an old married couple.)

That didn't mean Yoshino had applied to the kendo club just to get a reaction. However, she had to be careful because the reaction was so strong that it looked like it might escalate to a crisis resulting in divorce.

(That was a bit poor.)

Although it had been put on hold, applying to the club without talking about it first may have been a bit hasty. After all was said and done, it had been one thing after another.

But Yoshino's personality didn't allow her to stand still. Having decided on something, she ran forward swiftly. As a result, she'd often look back afterward and think, "Darn it."

Now that she was a second-year, she wished she had the composure to calmly survey her circumstances and analyze things objectively. Someday she would find a petit soeur like Shimako-san had, and who would fit an onee-sama that charged around recklessly?

(Alright.)

With Rei-chan in her current state, it didn't look like they'd be able to discuss things calmly today, so Yoshino decided to get a good night's sleep then tell her all about the day's events tomorrow. Because they were so close, if they talked about it they were sure to come to an understanding. Yoshino was even prepared to back down from her position, depending on the circumstances.

(Of course, I'm not just going to roll over.)

As she watched Rei-chan, who still wasn't looking her way, Yoshino drank the rest of her beige-colored tea.

At any rate, Rei-chan sure was smiling a lot.