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.
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