Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume15 Chapter1

Today's Enemy: Excess Cuteness

Part 1

"There's no other volunteers?"

The brisk voice echoed around the second-year Pine classroom.

"In that case, we'll move on to nominations."

The voice coming from near the lectern belonged to someone Yumi was well acquainted with, and seemed oddly out of place in the lazy atmosphere that permeated the classroom.

– Basically, she was the only one enthusiastic about this. Rosa Foetida en bouton, Shimazu Yoshino-san.

" … Hah."

Yumi had been deep in thought the entire time that she'd been blankly looking at her friend. Thinking that, one way or the other, she had to do something.

After school on Monday.

Their teacher had finished homeroom early and Yoshino-san had appeared triumphant in front of the blackboard. For some reason Yamaguchi Mami-san was at her side, but other than when she was writing on the board her presence was so inconspicuous it was like she was a ninja.

"Now, at long last, the athletic festival is coming up next week. As a class, we have to choose who will participate in the various events."

A cry of displeasure arose from all corners of the classroom. Yoshino-san silenced them immediately with a scowl, but in their hearts, everyone was probably thinking that they just wanted to finish cleaning quickly and either head home or rush off to their club activities. Saying this out loud would only prolong things, so they remained silent – but it was written all over their faces.

Now that she'd heard this, Yumi remembered that Yoshino-san and Mami-san were both members of the Athletic Festival Organizing Committee. This committee was different to a regular club because its work was limited in time, so in that sense it was more like the School Festival Executive Committee or the Student Council Election Committee.

Now, as much as a class could be said to have a single personality, then the second-year pine class was not particularly excited about the athletics festival.

In general.

Every class has one or two all-round athletes, or stars of specific clubs, and those sports heroes, no, heroines, were typically dragged in to the sports festival.

But, sadly, there was no-one like that in this class. There were plenty of girls in sports clubs, but none that really knocked it out of the park.

They couldn't even count on their organizing committee members – if Yoshino-san entered an event, it looked like it would be her first time exercising in seventeen years, despite being on the committee.

"Raise your hand if you don't object."

In response, a scattering of hands raised from her classmates. Yumi hastily raised her hand, not having heard what was said. She wasn't sure what they were voting on, but it looked like the majority of the class supported it, so she thought she should raise her hand in approval too. She'd check the details with Tsutako-san later – there was no way Yumi was going to ask Yoshino-san.

As she followed those around her in lowering her arm, Yumi thought. One way or the other, she had to do something.

Something about Hosokawa Kanako-chan, that is.

On Saturday, a difference of opinion had turned into an argument. Even Yumi's onee-sama, Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, had got involved and broken up the fight.

There had been such a commotion at yesterday's Hanadera Academy school festival that she hadn't had time to think.

Although, thanks to that commotion, Yumi had been able to bask in the unparalleled bliss of having the strength of her soeur bonds confirmed.

But it would be a mistake to think that nothing else mattered as long as she and Sachiko-sama were happy together. Because when she was happy, the happy part of her couldn't help but wonder about other people.

Sachiko-sama had said words to the effect of, "You should let her be for now."

But after sleeping on it for a night and searching her heart again, Yumi knew she couldn't just leave things how they were. That was the answer she had found.

Yumi was suddenly brought back to her senses when someone behind her stood up and said, "But I'm already running in the club relay, doing two would be a bit tough."

"But the club relay has no bearing on the team results, right? Show a little class spirit."

Yoshino-san shot back from the podium with a bit of venom. It looked like a discussion about who would participate in the class relay was unfolding around her. Now that she thought about it, Yumi remembered that the girl who sat behind her, Karube Itsue-san, was a member of the track and field team.

"You keep going on about this class spirit, why don't you go in it then, Yoshino-san?"

Itsue-san said, just a little bit mockingly. Naturally, Yoshino-san was shaking.

"You're saying I should go in the relay?"

"You're healthy now, after your surgery, right? Don't you think that this is finally your chance to contribute to the class, Yoshino-san? If you say you're going to participate then, sure, I'll agree."

She probably thought that this would make Yoshino-san withdraw. Yumi knew full well that Yoshino-san wouldn't back down like this – she was the type that kept going, even through a red light – but there were a lot of classmates that still didn't know Yoshino-san's true nature.

"What will you do? Shall we fight together for the sake of the green team?"

Well, provoking her like that was bound to backfire. Yumi frantically tried to send this message telepathically to Itsue-san, but that time had already passed.

"… Alright. If that's what it takes to get you to race, then I'll happily take part."

Ahh. The spark inside Yoshino-san had finally taken hold. Now there was no way to stop the raging inferno.

"But, I've never once run in a race in my entire life. So I won't take the blame if we finish dead last. Is that alright with you?"

"If that happens, then the old saying about there being meaning in participation would apply, don't you think?

All the other students in the class held their breath and watched on. The tension stretched out and filled the classroom. The lazy atmosphere from earlier was now completely gone.

It was no longer a class discussion, it had morphed into a one-on-one showdown.

They weren't so much making eye contact as trying to stare the other down.

They were probably both thinking they wanted to withdraw. But to withdraw would be to lose.

As a result of their stubbornness, Yoshino-san and Itsue-san were basically forcing themselves into taking the relay spots that the rest of the class was avoiding. In other words, the winners were "everyone except those two."

"Don't you forget that then."

On the right-hand side of the blackboard, beneath "Color Relay (2x)" Yoshino-san added "Shimazu, Karube." Then she said, "With that, everything is decided. Thank-you for your co-operation," and abruptly left the podium.

"H-hold on, Yoshino-san, are you okay?"

Yumi was about to instinctively rush over to her when she felt a poke on her shoulder.

"Yumi-san, shouldn't you look out for yourself first, before worrying about other people?"

"Huh?"

Turning around, she saw the photography club's ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san.

"So you didn't realize, after all."

"W-what?"

"Earlier, when you reached up with all your might."

She turned to look at the blackboard, where Tsutako-san was pointing.

"Scavenger hunt race (5x) … ?"

" – Beneath that."

Her gaze lowered to the line showing the surnames of the participants that had been decided earlier. The last of the five names was "Fukuzawa."

"No way … "

Of all the things, she'd cast her vote for her own name.

Part 2

"And?"

Sachiko-sama asked as she climbed the creaky staircase.

"What do you intend to do, Yumi?"

"I'll participate. The way things turned out, I don't really have much choice, do I?"

Yumi answered, following her up the stairs.

She was still in a bit of shock when she finished cleaning and followed her usual habit of heading towards the Rose Mansion for her Yamayurikai work. Then Yumi saw her beloved onee-sama as she exited the school building and instinctively rushed over to her, and started speaking as though in a daze. Telling her all about what had happened during their afternoon homeroom.

"So, Yumi."

"I know. It's all my fault for not paying attention during homeroom. I'll be more careful from now on."

"Right, you're undoubtedly reaping what you've sown. However."

Sachiko-sama stopped at the top of the stairs and turned around.

"That wasn't what I was about to say."

"Huh?"

"You were thinking you had to do something about Kanako-chan, weren't you? I was about to ask how you intended to proceed."

"How I intend to proceed?"

"That's right."

Sachiko-sama placed her bag on the ground and quietly leaned against the wall. If they opened the door before them, they would find their fellow Yamayurikai members waiting inside. So this sisterly conversation should remain outside. That sort of demarcation undoubtedly existed within Sachiko-sama.

Consequently, after climbing the last stair, Yumi gently lined herself up alongside Sachiko-sama.

"It seems like it'll be quite difficult."

This morning, Yumi had run into Kanako-chan at the entrance and waved, but been completely ignored.

During lunch break, she'd gone to visit the first-year camellia classroom, but when Kanako-chan came out she took one look at Yumi's smiling face and turned around and went straight back into her classroom.

She wanted to talk to her, but that seemed impossible given the circumstances.

After lowering her desperately waving hand without getting an opening, and seeing the target of her smile disappear with a stiff expression, Yumi was at a bit of a loss as to what to do. Unapproachable seemed the best word to describe her.

"Oh? But, onee-sama, weren't you of the opinion that I shouldn't force myself to reconcile with Kanako-chan."

Yet, in spite of that, she'd been saying things to spur Yumi on.

"Yes, that's right."

Sachiko-sama looked down and smiled.

"It's not as though I've changed my opinion. But, even if I were to tell you, "This is what you should do," I don't expect that you would meekly follow what I said. Moreover, I want to respect your feelings about removing this ill-will between you and Kanako-chan."

"Onee-sama … "

They had been standing side-by-side looking in the same direction, but their gazes gradually met, until their special someone was projected on both of their pupils.

"You want to reconcile with her, don't you?"

"Yes."

Yumi answered decisively.

She hated the way things were currently. They may not be able to go back to the close relationship they had previously, but even so she wanted to at least get to the point where they could greet each other and make small talk. She couldn't bear the thought of Kanako-chan continuing to treat her as though she were invisible.

"Well then, give it your all. Make sure you properly convey your desire to reconcile with her."

The weight of her onee-sama's hand resting on her shoulder felt neither aloof nor indulgent, instead it was just right to encourage Yumi.

Magical hands.

It felt like even Sachiko-sama had been harboring this vague feeling of unease, that she'd neither named nor put words to, but that seemed to be flowing away now.

"It may not work out. But if you put your whole heart into it and it comes to naught, then you'll be able to accept that, right? If that happens, then come to me. I'll be waiting for you with open arms."

Smiling wholeheartedly, Sachiko-sama looked as divine and beautiful as Maria-sama.

Just looking at her was enough to warm Yumi's heart.

Ahh, just how much did she adore her?

Unfortunately, there was no machine to measure those feelings or unit to describe them in, so it wasn't possible to convey precisely.

For now, Yumi squeezed tightly on Sachiko-sama's left arm.

"I love you, onee-sama."

Then she quickly pivoted and did an about-face, grabbing on to the stairway railing.

"Ah, Yumi!?"

"Thank-you for your advice. I'll go and see her right away."

Yumi called out as she ran down the stairs. Full speed ahead. No time like the present.

Your onee-sama's supporting you, so go, Yumi. Go with all your might.

Reaching the ground floor, she accelerated, not letting her legs slacken, then opened the front door and burst outside.

As for the other.

Sachiko-sama found herself alone at the top of the stairs.

"… I didn't mean you had to go right this second."

Sachiko-sama let out a sigh of exasperation as she opened the biscuit door, then turned back to pick up the two school bags and carried them into the room.

Part 3

It was only when she entered the school building that she realized that Kanako-chan may have already gone home.

From what her classmate Noriko-chan had said, Kanako-chan wasn't involved in any clubs. And given the way things ended on Saturday, it seemed unlikely she'd still be stalking Yumi. Typically, students that weren't in any clubs would head home as soon as the cleaning was finished.

Yumi had been heading towards the first-year camellia classroom, but she put the brakes on, switched target and changed course.

Don't run in the hallways, walk slowly. Well, change that last bit to "relatively quickly" as she moved with a brisk pace. Even without a major school event going on, there were still a fair few students in the classrooms and hallways after school.

Arriving at the first-year camellia class shoe lockers, she saw a face she knew.

"Touko-chan."

"… Ah."

Relaxing her expression, Touko-chan added, "Yumi-sama."

"What's the matter?"

Since she'd relaxed her expression, it meant it had previously been tense. Yumi had a look out the main door to see if she could see anything, but –

"Nothing."

Touko-chan answered bluntly, and started to leave when Yumi impulsively called out to stop her.

"Ah, Touko-chan."

There.

She couldn't set aside the matter with Kanako-chan, but she was still concerned about Touko-chan's behavior.

"Yes?"

Touko-chan turned around. That done, it was now necessary for the one that had called out to her to present some reason for stopping her.

"Umm, do you know where Kanako-chan's locker is?"

Yumi asked, as a starter. And then.

"Kanako, you say?"

The muscles that Touko-chan had made an effort to relax suddenly clenched tight. It was rare that Touko-chan would be in a good mood around Yumi, but this was something even worse than usual.

"What do you want with Hosokawa Kanako?"

Her full name, but again without honorifics.

Yumi suddenly remembered that Touko-chan and Kanako-chan didn't really get along together. Indeed, they'd been called natural enemies.

"Well, I was wondering if she'd gone home already, so I came to look in her shoe locker … it's okay, I'll find it myself. Sorry for keeping you."

Better to let sleeping dogs lie. She was better off not provoking Touko-chan too much. Yumi went and checked the names on the lockers one by one.

Watching the situation unfold, Touko-chan said:

"Yumi-sama. You'd be better off not concerning yourself with someone like her. Even now … argh, so annoying!"

She almost spat this out as she looked in the direction of the exit.

"Now? … Then, ah, she's over there?"

There was no response. But Yumi said, "Thanks," and ran off.

It was only after she'd raced out the entrance that she realized she was still wearing her indoor shoes, and at that point it was too late to do anything about it. To miss this chance by going back and slowly changing her shoes would be inexcusable considering all Touko-chan had done for her, so she just had to go as she was.

The pleats of her skirt were fluttering and her white sailor collar was flapping, but even so go, go.

Kanako-chan was a bit beyond the statue of Maria-sama, on her way to the school gate. Her conspicuous figure – tall and slender, with long, black hair – made her jump into view, without having to search.

Yumi dropped her speed a little, watching Kanako-chan from behind as they walked along the pathway lined with ginkgo trees.

They had reversed their previous positions.

A few days ago, Yumi had walked down this path aware of the fact that Kanako-chan was following along behind her.

Even longer ago, she'd been unaware that Kanako-chan was there.

Yumi was walking about 20-30 meters behind Kanako-chan, and searched her heart once more.

Asking, "Do I want to make up with her?"

The answer was, "Yes." There was no hesitation. As her onee-sama had said, if she could convey her feelings then this matter could be settled.

She reduced the distance further, and the time was right to call out.

However.

"Ah, Rosa Chinensis en bouton, gokigenyou. Are you by yourself?"

Unfortunately, she'd been spotted by a group of first-years, alerting Kanako-chan to her presence. She often forget about it, but Yumi was surprisingly a bit of a celebrity within the school.

Just as she'd expected, Kanako-chan fled. The word fled may be a bit misleading, but she did pick up her pace and gradually draw further away, without even bothering to turn around and confirm whether or not it was the real Yumi there.

"Aaaah … Kanako-chan."

She stretched out her arm, but it didn't reach. On top of the natural distance in their stride length, Yumi was also surrounded by six first-years, so she couldn't give chase that effectively. She eventually shook them off and ran to the entrance, just in time to see the M station bus pull in to the bus stop. She spotted Kanako-chan lined up ready to board.

If I hurry I can make it – . Yumi was about to make a dash for it when she suddenly realized that not only was she empty-handed, she was also wearing her indoor shoes.

She'd made it all the way here but was just one step too short.

"… What a shame."

All she could do was watch in bitter disappointment as the bus pulled away in front of her eyes.

Part 4

"Pardon my intrusion."

"Welcome to our classroom … but what brings you here, Yumi-sama?"

She'd started playing along with Yumi, but then Noriko-chan returned to her usual cool demeanor to ask her question.

It was the following day, in the break between second and third period. Seeking revenge for yesterday, Yumi had mounted a solo raid on the first-year camellia classroom – where she'd been met by Noriko-chan, who was in the vicinity of the door.

"I have business with Hosokawa Kanako-san. Would you fetch her for me?"

Today, Yumi wasn't trying to appeal with her usual friendliness. She was standing up tall, projecting her voice from her abdomen, and keeping her gaze straight. She was copying the battle-ready (ie. domineering) Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, as she played the role of the unassailable older student.

"Okay, wait here."

Understanding this immediately, Noriko-chan bowed and went back into the classroom. Her intelligence was invaluable at times like this. If Yumi were required to explain why she was acting like Sachiko-sama, then the image that she had gone to great effort to construct would undoubtedly come crashing down.

"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

"Thank-you for all your hard work, Yumi-sama."

The students entering and exiting the classroom greeted Yumi as she stood by the door.

"Gokigenyou."

Yumi answered, producing a faint smile. This was in imitation of Shimako-san. But without a mirror, she couldn't say whether it was a good one or not.

While all this was happening, Kanako-chan reluctantly appeared.

"What?"

It was obvious from her expression that she wasn't doing this voluntarily. By using a classmate as an intermediary, it made it so Kanako-chan couldn't ignore her or run away.

"I want to talk to you."

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Even if you don't have anything to say, I do. You can just listen."

Yumi wasn't particularly experienced in using her authority as an older student, but she had to hold firm here.

But her enemy was shrewd too. She wouldn't submit to authority that easily.

"Unfortunately, I have to get ready for my next class, so now's not a good time."

Kanako-chan glanced back into the classroom. Inside, the members of the first-year camellia class were nonchalantly watching them, as they fetched cloth bags from the lockers in the rear of the classroom, or readied ones hanging on the hooks on the side of their desks. It looked like they had PE next.

"Then we'll nominate another time. At lunch, or after school. Pick whichever works best for you."

From the start, Yumi hadn't expected that they would have their talk in the small gap between classes. Her goal for this visit was to arrange some time that they could talk.

Now's not a good time? That's what she had wanted.

"Today?"

"That's right."

She mustn't compromise here with, "Whenever suits you." If she didn't pin it down to a specific date and time, then it would undoubtedly be delayed with, "Soon", "Soon."

"Today's not great, can we do it tomorrow?"

"No."

Kanako-chan seemed to finally resign herself to the fact that it would happen.

"So, decide. Lunch or after school, which one?"

"… After school."

"Does the same place as Saturday work for you?"

"Yes."

"Then it's agreed."

With their conversation wrapping up, Yumi turned and surveyed the classroom.

"Everyone here's a witness, so don't forget."

The students that had been pretending to do something else as they surreptitiously watched on forgot their situation and nodded in agreement.

With that done, it would turn into a major scandal if Kanako-chan tried to run away.

The hierarchical relationship between grades was quite strict, perhaps due to the soeur system. If the first-year Kanako-chan unilaterally broke an agreement with a second-year, then the girls around her would not be silent.

"Sorry for interrupting you. Do your best at PE."

Yumi smiled cheerfully, and started walking away, down the hallway. At any rate, her tactics had worked.

Yesterday, Yumi had felt so pathetic as she watched the bus leave, carrying Kanako-chan away. Nonetheless, even when she returned to the Rose Mansion, she was not able to give a full account to her onee-sama, or the rest of the group. When she gave serious thought to why she couldn't give a report, she came to the conclusion that it was probably because she had been so timid, in contrast to Kanako-chan.

While thinking that she didn't want to make things any more complicated, she'd accidentally seen Kanako-chan's expression. From an attitude perspective, she'd been defeated.

Since she didn't remember doing anything wrong, there was no reason to feel aggrieved. Wouldn't it be better if she acted with more confidence? After coming to this realization, she tried to come up with a plan. She named it the, "I'm Your Senior, You're My Junior Grand Plan." Although, as usual, her naming sense left a lot to be desired.

It went surprisingly well when she finally tried it out, which was a bit of a relief.

In any case, the real battle lay ahead.

Would she be able to open Kanako-chan's heart, or not? It would all depend on how she went about their after-school conversation.

Yumi stayed mindful of her appearance as she walked away, since she didn't know how long Kanako-chan would be watching. Half-way down the staircase she was finally out of sight from the first-year camellia classroom, giving her an opportunity to relax her shoulders and let out a long exhale.

It wasn't easy playing the role of the refined senior.

With her shoulders relaxed, Yumi returned to her usual self, and trotted back to her second-year pine classroom.

Part 5

And so, the agreed-upon after school arrived.

After cleaning, she went to the Rose Mansion and informed those gathered on the second-floor that she had a matter to attend to, then left.

"Take care."

"Don't worry about us, take as long as you need."

Nobody asked for the reason. They probably all had some idea of what Yumi was attempting.

"Yumi."

Sachiko-sama said, having followed her out the biscuit door.

"I won't intrude this time."

So, do your best on your own.

"Okay."

Yumi nodded.

"But, onee-sama. Back then, on Saturday, I was glad that you came. I didn't think you were intruding."

Instead, she was thankful for her assistance. If her onee-sama hadn't miraculously appeared, then the deep wounds Yumi had received from Kanako-chan's sharp, stinging words probably would have taken a couple of weeks to fully heal.

Yumi knew full well that the reason she had recovered so quickly was due to Sachiko-sama's timely first-aid and subsequent care.

"I see."

Sachiko-sama fixed Yumi's tie, then softly stroked her cheek, before going back into the room. Yumi also turned around, and went down the stairs.

Perhaps it was due to her onee-sama's encouragement, but as she went down the stairs one by one, she felt like she could give it her all. That confidence remained with her as she left the Rose Mansion, and by the time she arrived at their arranged meeting place behind the school building, Yumi had already won the attitude battle. It was like how Ivan felt in the folk tale, "The Little Humpbacked Horse," with his good-luck charm, the humpbacked horse.

A figure was already present in the old greenhouse.

"Since you enlisted my classmates like that, it was hard to shake them off, Yumi-sama."

As soon as Yumi entered inside, the girl standing in front of the Rosa Chinensis plant voiced her complaint, without even turning around.

"Did they think you were were running away?"

Yumi smiled as she slowly advanced.

"Yeah, but that said, I wasn't about to bring them here either. Because I wouldn't be able to stay calm if I kept seeing onlookers out of the corner of my eye. So it was a real help that you were so vague about our meeting place."

Complaints, one. Thanks, one. Overall score, one win, one loss.

At any rate, the fact that they were able to have a conversation together like this in private meant Yumi had taken a couple of steps further than yesterday.

"So, you said you wanted to talk."

"I don't want things between us to stay like they are, Kanako-chan."

" … What are you saying?"

Kanako-chan furrowed her brow. But Yumi continued on, unconcerned.

"I know we won't be able to return to the kind of relationship we had before, but I hate how things are now."

"You're no longer the Rosa Chinensis en bouton I admired. You completely shattered the image I had of you as an ideal person. And now, after all that, you have the gall to say you want us to be good friends."

"No, I'm not saying we have to force ourselves to be good friends."

"Then aren't things fine the way they are? Just let it be."

It looked like even Sachiko-sama's rebuke hadn't been enough to get Kanako-chan to reconsider her position, let alone apologize and admit she was wrong. As for Yumi, no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find anything she had done that would justify Kanako-chan's anger towards her.

They both thought they were in the right. In that case, even if they wanted to approach, they might keep running in parallel no matter how much time passed, like train tracks. If they couldn't come to an agreement no matter how much they discussed things, then in some sense Kanako-chan was right to turn her back on Yumi.

But it wasn't a matter of logic. Yumi felt that she didn't want to cut her ties to Kanako-chan.

"Can't you just leave me alone?"

If Yumi could answer, "Yeah, okay," to this then she never would have called Kanako-chan out like this to begin with. What would be the point of doing something she was so unaccustomed to, like using her status as an older student to coerce a junior, just to have this opportunity to talk?

"You know, I don't like having this sort of ill-will. If you hate me so much that you can't stand to see my face, then so be it, I'll step back for the sake of your mental well-being. But, if that's the case, then I want to hear you say it clearly. It's not knowing that gets me. So, what do you say? Do you want to run away because you can't stand to look at me?"

"… Not really. I don't care either way. To me, the way you are now, you're not worth thinking about in that way."

"So, in your mind, people are split into two groups – those you love, and those that aren't worth thinking about?"

"Two groups? No, it's not as crude a split as that."

Turning around, Kanako-chan spoke coldly.

"There's also those people I hate so much I want to kill. So, to be accurate, there's three groups."

Whether it was two groups or three, it was still a crude split.

"And now, I've been demoted into the group of people that aren't worth thinking about."

Yumi didn't think she'd had that much effect on Kanako-chan's life to warrant being put into the group of people she wanted to kill.

Although, taking her at her word, it meant that there were people in this world that Kanako-chan hated so much she wanted to kill. But her attitude towards Yumi seemed different than it would be to someone she wanted to kill.

Kanako-chan's likes and dislikes were wide and deep. The truth may be that, for people that she needs from the depths of her soul, "someone she wants to kill" was just the flip-side of "someone she loves."

"At the very least, couldn't we move to somewhere between "love" and "not worth thinking about?""

"You're so annoying. Couldn't you just leave someone like me alone?"

"You're running away."

"Running away?"

"Am I really that scary?"

After Yumi said this, Kanako-chan's expression twisted as she repeated, "Scary?"

"It's just unpleasant. Because, one day, the Fukuzawa Yumi-sama that I admired suddenly had her personality changed."

"I had my personality changed … "

This time it was Yumi asking for an explanation. As the person in question, she had no memory of changing her personality, or having her personality changed.

"The Fukuzawa Yumi that disappeared was my twin, who became an astronaut, and is on her way to Mars right now."

"Huh?"

"… If you think about it like that, we can build a new relationship, can't we?"

"Don't joke about this."

"But I'm being completely serious."

The moment Kanako-chan realized that the picture she had drawn of Fukuzawa Yumi in her mind was mistaken, it meant she no longer existed in this world. That was, undoubtedly, something close to death. But that was a bit morbid, so Yumi thought it was better going with, "She's gone into space." Because, even though you couldn't reach out to her, she was still out there somewhere.

"So, first of all, Kanako-chan, will you help out at the school festival? With the Yamayurikai play?"

"Why me?"

"You're not in a club, right? We can work around your class' schedule."

"I have no obligation to help you. It's like I'm paying the penalty for losing a bet."

"Alright then, let's make that the penalty. If you lose, you have to help out."

"Huh?"

"Let's see, what should we bet on … ah, right. The athletics festival is coming up soon."

Yumi thought she'd hit on a brilliant idea. There was plenty of time between the athletics festival and the school festival.

However.

"What event would we make our wager on? We're in different grades."

"Oh, right. We won't be competing directly. Ah, but there are some events where all grades compete together. I'm in the scavenger hunt race."

"The scavenger hunt race … "

The corners of Kanako-chan's mouth rose slightly.

"What?"

"No, it's nothing. I was just thinking that was fitting for you."

The scavenger hunt race in a high-school athletics festival. Being told that it was fitting for you was not a compliment. Because, while integral to the event, it played a secondary role.

"What about you, Kanako-chan?"

"The color team relay."

"How fitting."

This time around it was undoubtedly a compliment.

The tall Kanako-chan was, naturally, a fast runner. And being a fast runner was a huge advantage in a foot race.

"Then how about we bet on which of our teams will win?"

Kanako-chan's camellia class was on the red team, Yumi's pine class was on green.

"Isn't that beyond our individual ability to control?"

"Right. I suppose you could call it a gamble."

"If we were gambling, then I'd want to bet on the yellow team."

"That won't work. You have to give it your all to get even the smallest amount of points in the hope it brings your team victory."

"Alright."

Kanako-chan agreed to the conditions surprisingly easily.

"And? If I … in other words, if the red team wins, what will you do for me, Yumi-sama?"

"Uh."

"It would be strange if I was the only one risking something. In a bet, the two outcomes have to be evenly balanced, don't they?"

"That's a completely reasonable position."

Yumi wiped the sweat flowing over her temple with the back of her hand. It was a spur of the moment idea, so naturally she hadn't thought it through to the end.

"How about this – I'll do one thing you ask, no matter what."

"No matter what?"

"Ah, well. Nothing that involves someone else, like asking me to return my rosary to Sachiko-sama. Also, nothing that I couldn't do by myself, like asking me to give you a million yen. And don't ask me to kill myself, or anything like that."

"That's quite a lot of conditions to add on to "no matter what.""

"The two outcomes from the wager should be balanced."

"I'll think it over carefully and let you know. Thanks to this, I'm actually looking forward to the athletics festival."

Smiling boldly, Kanako-chan left the greenhouse.

When she was left on her own, Yumi said:

"Did I just made a crazy promise … ?"

– It was too late for regrets now.

Part 6

The following day, Wednesday, at lunchtime.

As soon as Noriko-chan arrived at the Rose Mansion, she walked straight to Yumi, who had just started eating her lunch, and asked a strange question.

"Yumi-sama, what on earth did you do?"

"Huh?"

It was so sudden that the surprise caused Yumi to drop the rolled omelet she was holding in her chopsticks. Luckily, it fell onto her rice, so it was safe.

"You're asking Yumi-san what on earth she did? Well, how about you, what on earth are you going on about?"

The suspicious inquiry came from Yoshino-san, who had also opened her lunch box and started eating. Well, if she knew what was going on from this little information, that would conclusively prove that Yoshino-san had ESP.

"Well, yesterday afternoon, you had a talk with Kanako-san … right?"

Noriko-chan's confidence seemed to drop as she kept talking, to the point where she seemed to fade out at the end.

"I did. And what of it?"

Yumi tilted her head in confusion. Yoshino-san wasn't the only one that didn't understand what Noriko-chan was trying to say.

"Well, that."

"That?"

Noriko-chan went over to the window and Yumi followed her. They both looked down into the courtyard, and in among the students eating their lunches on the lawn they saw a few girls practicing a baton hand-off. One of those girls was none other than Kanako-chan.

"She's taking the initiative and organizing relay practices. Two days ago, she was complaining about being in the relay, and skipped out of the red team's all-grades practice."

"An all-grades practice?"

"Yeah. And Touko was furious at her for that. Saying she was uncooperative. But this morning, it was like she was a different person. So the rumor going around the class was that you must have said something to her."

"Hmmm."

That was indeed something. Kanako-chan had started training because she was taking their wager seriously. If she did her best in the high scoring "color team relay" then it brought victory that much closer. Incidentally, Yumi's "scavenger hunt race" was more of a side event, so it wasn't worth that many points.

"At any rate, it's admirable, isn't it?"

"It's not admirable at all, Yumi-san. What do you think will happen if the red team give it their all? Our green team will come dead last."

Yoshino-san said, brandishing her chopsticks.

"What do you mean?"

"The yellow team's the favorite to win this year, while the green and red teams are expected to be fighting it out for last place. Haven't you seen the "Lillian Kawaraban?""

Yoshino-san pulled a copy of the school newspaper out of her handbag, held it up in front of Yumi and tapped on it.

"How can they know that without seeing the teams perform?"

"You can mostly work it our just by looking at which classes the major players are in. Look, see this bit here."

The yellow team was made up of the first, second, and third-year chrysanthemum classes. They had plenty of short and long distance runners from the track and field club. On top of that, they had a regular starter from the softball club, the captain of the volleyball club, and prominent members of the tennis and gymnastics clubs.

In comparison, Yumi and Yoshino-san's green team, as well as Kanako-chan and Noriko-chan's red team, were a lot more sparse. Of course, they had some stars from the school sports clubs, but there weren't that many of them. It looked like the talent wasn't evenly split across the classes.

Practicing because they were in danger of coming last. The red team's actions were properly constructive.

"But the white team doesn't seem to have that many stars."

Yumi muttered as she looked over the data.

In that case, wouldn't it be a three-way fight between green, red, and white? But then Yoshino-san said:

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Yumi-san, don't you know about the white team's jinx?"

"Huh? What jinx?"

"The white team. They never come in last."

"They never come in last?"

"See, the white team is made up of the plum and cherry classes, right? Because the class name changes based on the grade, neither class wants to be seen as weak. So they all make a huge effort."

"Hmm."

When she heard that, it made sense. Most of the classes had the same plant names for all three grades, but the plum class was only used for first and third-years, while the second-year class was the only one called cherry.

"At any rate, why is the second-year class the only one with a different name?"

"Look, that's really not something we should be worrying about now, don't you think?"

Instead of that, Yoshino-san pressed her on, "What happened with Kanako-chan?" Noriko-chan looked on with intense interest too.

"I simply said that we should have a competition at the athletics festival. Over whether the red or green team would win."

"What, is that all?"

Hearing Noriko-chan's drained voice, Yumi asked:

"What do you mean?"

"You thought that Yumi-san might have made Hosokawa Kanako-san her soeur, didn't you Noriko?"

Shimako-san said from behind them, having entered the room at some unknown point in time.

"Yes. I thought the only thing that could make Kanako-san put in that much effort for her class would be a direct order from her onee-sama."

"And when you thought about her onee-sama, the first one to come to mind was Yumi-san, right?"

"Yumi-sama was acting in a very conspicuous manner yesterday. I was confused by my classmates' speculation, so I thought that must be it … I didn't think Kanako-san would be that enthusiastic just because she wanted to beat the green team."

Well, it wasn't just beating the green team that had her that enthusiastic.

"But it's strange, isn't it? Kanako-chan's a fan of Yumi-san, isn't she? Why would she be so happy about going up against her?"

"Hahaha. It seems like you've got the wrong idea about something."

"What, so she's just being excessively cute? What a cheeky first-year."

Yoshino-san wrung the nearby curtain like it were a washcloth. Noriko-chan seemed like she wanted to run away as she said, "Sorry."

Now then, Noriko-chan.

Even if your classmate was clumsy, there was no need for you to apologize as the class representative.

But, seeing how much of an uproar this had already caused, it seemed like Yumi was better off not mentioning their wager and what was riding on the outcome of the athletics festival.

"Listen up, Yumi-san. We have to beat the red team, no matter what."

Yoshino-san ignored the one member of the red team present (Noriko-chan) and gripped Yumi's hand tightly.

"Now that we know this, we can't take things lightly. I'm going to take charge and organize special practice for the green team relay, starting tomorrow."

Um, hello, Yoshino-san? Just as Yumi was about to call out, the Yellow and Red Roses entered into the room.

"Oh, you seem to be in high spirits, Yoshino. Is something interesting going to happen at the athletics festival?"

Rei-sama seemed to be happy that her petite soeur was so lively.

"Stay over there, onee-sama. You're on the yellow team, so you're an enemy."

Yoshino-san shooed her away with her hands, like she was driving away a cat.

"Ah, Sachiko-sama, you're an ally, so you can come over here. Let's give it our all at the athletics festival."

"Huh? Yeah … "

Under pressure from Yoshino-san, Sachiko-sama agreed uncertainly.

Now that she thought about it, the Yellow and White Rose families would be fighting on different teams.

Shimako-san's second-year wisteria class was on the purple team, while Noriko-chan's first-year camellia class was on the red team.

Rei-sama's third-year chrysanthemum class was on the yellow team, while Yoshino-san's second-year pine class was on the green team.

Only the Red Rose family, with both members in pine classes, were not split into opposing teams.

It wasn't just limited to the Yamayurikai leadership – soeurs would be separated and competing against each other, so even though the athletics festival was only one day, it looked like it could be quite the ordeal.

"Yoshinooo … "

Hearing Rei-sama's forlorn voice, Yumi was glad she was on the same team as her onee-sama.

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