Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume17 Chapter9

Souvenir Report

Part 1

She didn't know if it was jet-lag or what, but on Saturday, just laundering everything from the trip used up all her energy. Sunday she spent the whole day sleeping.

So even though she thought about calling her onee-sama to report on how the trip went, Yumi decided to wait until she was properly awake. She was never in quite good enough shape to make calls. Eventually, Monday came.

"I'm back, onee-sama."

"Welcome back."

Seeing Sachiko-sama for the first time in a week, she was still just as beautiful as always. Yumi was a little embarrassed, since she had just sent a letter saying "I miss you."

She went to her classroom before morning prayer, and in the courtyard, presented her souvenir. A small photo album, covered in a marble pattern.

"Did you take lots of pictures?"

Sachiko-sama said while opening it.

"Oh. Yes. Tsutako-san took them."

"Ah. Did you have fun?"

"Yes."

With a big nod, Sachiko-sama laughed. "I'm glad."

"Um, but I could not find any 'Roma Manjuu' or 'Florence Senbei'."

"Huh?"

"So, um."

Yumi tried to explain. Then Sachiko-sama interrupted,

"You seriously looked for it? You didn't take it as a joke?"

"Jo, joke!?"

No way.

"As I recall, didn't Yumi laugh at that time?"

More than a laugh, it was an attempt to reel in the truth.

"How strange. Even though it was one of Sei-sama's jokes, Yumi did not get it."

"Oh. No, I'm sorry."

If Sei-sama had said it, she probably would have laughed. But not when Sachiko-sama told the joke with a straight face. Even the same gag, whether one got it or not depended on the teller's character.

"Did you buy souvenirs for the first-year students?"

"Yes. Shimako-san bought one for Noriko-chan, and I took care of Touko-chan and Kanako-chan. Yoshino-san warned that it would be better not to buy them anything and raise their expectations, but then I bought them souvenirs anyway."

"Will it raise their expectations?"

"No. Because I bought things for people other than just Touko-chan and Kanako-chan. I bought things for some of the Hanadera Academy people, too."

"Hanadera...?"

"For their help with the school festival, same as with Touko-chan and Kanako-chan."

"I see. An expression of gratitude for their help."

"Yes."

"That's eight people."

"That's fine. But."

She wasn't sure what Touko-chan and Kanako-chan would think, but her desire to give souvenirs was greater than her fear of a misunderstanding. She enjoyed giving presents. Whether it was appreciated or not, the act itself was the thing.

"I understand how you feel."

Sachiko-sama nodded. And then, while stretching, said,

"Should I ask Tsutako-chan for a reprint?"

"Huh?"

When Yumi asked, "which picture?", Sachiko-sama laughed, "I wonder?" Then turned away.

'Could it be?' Yumi thought. But might that also be her own conceit talking? She was cautious, did not want to get her hopes up too much.

If she got too persistent and clingy, she'd be scolded as "unseemly." This morning, the shapes of students could be seen here and there throughout the courtyard. Everyone seemed to be giving souvenirs to onee-samas and little sisters.

"Are you done already? You're not pushing enough."

Sachiko-sama said, looking over her shoulder. 'If you asked just a bit more, I'd tell you' she seemed to be saying.

"Well, then please tell me."

"Soon."

Saying that, Sachiko-sama waved her hand and returned to her classroom.

I still have a lot of training to do before I can become a younger sister like Shimako, who can read their onee-sama's mind.

"But sometimes, it's really easy to understand."

Yumi crossed her arms as she left the courtyard. "Well, I don't understand."

Part 2

She looked at the tall girl with long hair and the wide-eyed girl with her hair in ringlets. Neither were smiling.

Surely these two people lined up were on guard.

"Here. For you."

Extending her left and right hands simultaneously to Kanako-chan and Touko-chan, each hand presented a small bag.

"Souvenirs. Please use these if you like."

Marble-patterned mechanical pencils.

They both, after first glancing inquisitively at Yumi's face, accepted with "thank you very much."

She wasn't expecting much, nor did they smile much.

But Yumi found even that uncharming response to be charming.

Like twins, the two of them stood back to back and peeked into their bags.

Part 3

And now a follow-up to the story of the field trip.

One week after returning home. It was a day when preparations for the school festival were coming to a head. In the Rose Manor, having finished eating her bento box, Sachiko-sama beckoned Yumi "can I talk to you for a bit?" She touched Yumi's shoulder and then left the room ahead of Yumi.

Because of Sachiko-sama's sour look, Yumi panicked, wondering "what did I do?" as she went down the stairs.

"Um?"

Outside, leaning against the Rose Manor wall, Sachiko first said, "you." This side of the manor was opposite from the courtyard side, a blind spot hidden from the other school buildings.

"You. Why do you make such bad plans like this?"

"Plans? Uh, did I mess up bringing things to the gymnasium stage?　Or did I send the wrong instructions to all the club leaders?"

"Nothing like that. Your Yamayurikai work is perfect. I appreciate your work there. But."

Sachiko-sama raked her fingers through her long hair and let out a long breath.

"When you inadvertently do things, you make fallout. How am I do deal with this now? You forgot to think things all the way through."

"Yes?"

It wasn't her Yamayurikai work, it appeared to be something recent that troubled her onee-sama. While Yumi pondered, Sachiko-sama made a face like "it cannot be helped" and said softly,

"...here."

"Huh? Ack!?"

Before her eyes was clearly the postcard from Pisa.

"How should I respond when I receive this now? I see you every day."

"Aah!"

Oops.

So that was it. Shizuka-sama did say. Airmail takes some time. She did say so back then.

"Wh, when did it...?"

"It was delivered yesterday after I got home."

"Is that so?"

You cannot help but be excited as you write love letters alone late at night. But you often hear that it is embarrassing when you read them years later. Perhaps a letter written on a trip is similar to that. Even more so, a postcard. At the thought of someone in the Ogasawara household reading the postcard, Yumi's face burst flame red.

"I am sorry, onee-sama. I'll get rid of this letter."

As Yumi reached to take the letter, Sachiko-sama raised her arm to escape Yumi's grasp.

"Get rid of it? This is not a joke. I have decided to put this in the album, preserved alongside Yumi's pictures."

"What?"

"I will remember it for the rest of my life."

She had looked angry, but now her cheeks were just a bit less severe, and blushing. Yes, she was just a bit different. Yumi finally realized.

"Anyway, that was all."

With nothing more, that concluded the chat. And with that, Sachiko-sama straightened herself from leaning on the wall and stood and stopped after a few steps.

Then. "I see that I wasn't the only one who missed somebody."

Leaving those words in her wake, Sachiko-sama quickly returned to the Rose Manor.

" 'I will never forget this for the rest of my life', huh."

Yumi whispered to herself as she watched Sachiko-sama's retreating figure. After that, she touched her earlobes. Her ears were as red as Sachiko-sama's.

"... So that's it. I see."

Sachiko-sama gets a little angry when she feels embarrassed. Oh.

Ciao, Sorella!

Happy, she spontaneously looked up at the sky.

Blue.

Serene.

And pure.

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