Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter5 4

The Hot Second Week. Part 4.

Would it be a bit diagonally to the side of the auditorium, or would it be on the way to the secondary gymnasium. Regardless of how you would describe its location, an old greenhouse stood in an obscure place.

Because there was no gardening club at the moment, it was a mystery as to who tended to it, but someone was taking care of the plants inside. There was a separate, new greenhouse that was purchased two years ago for teaching purposes, so teachers took care of that one, and rarely popped in here. It was old and slightly broken down, so most students also didn't come here. However, it was not taken down, because there were some die-hard fans every year that took care of the greenhouse, and because there was no particular shortage of space, so there was no need to quickly tear down the greenhouse.

Sachiko-sama was in this greenhouse.

"Who is it?"

A voice asked, when she opened the door.

"It's Yumi."

"… Okay."

Yumi interpreted that answer as allowing her to come in, and so she stepped in.

It had been her first time taking a step in, and she marveled at how, despite being smaller than she expected, it was very tidy and packed. Even though it was a whole size smaller than a classroom, planters and pots were stacked on tables and shelves.

The western sun made the room very warm.

She avoided the hanging pots and walked down the path. A chunk of the floor here and there was cut out by squares, and from the ground there directly grew trees.

Sachiko-sama was sitting at the farthest ledge.

"Sorry for taking your spot."

Yumi moved the potted plant that was stationed next to Sachiko-sama and sat down. Sachiko-sama said nothing, and did not move to stop her, and instead, simply watched.

Perhaps Sachiko-sama came here often. Or maybe she had come here by chance. Either way, because every student was crowded around the school, a silent place like this was a precious commodity.

Now that hide-and-seek was over, now that she had found Sachiko-sama, Yumi did not know what to do next. Although she said Kashiwagi-san wouldn't cut it, she didn't think she could do anything, either.

Just being by Sachiko-sama's side. Just as she was wondering if that was enough.

"Stay."

Sachiko-sama mumbled.

"Stay here."

Then, a soft weight landed on Yumi's right shoulder. It took her a while to realize Sachiko-sama had laid her forehead on her shoulder and was crying.

At first, she thought Sachiko-sama was simply trembling. But eventually she began hiccoughing, and unable to restrain herself, Yumi embraced Sachiko-sama, who then grabbed Yumi and kept crying. Yumi stayed silently, simply patting Sachiko-sama's back like she would a baby. She didn't know why Sachiko-sama was crying, but she was sure crying was the most important thing for her to finish doing, right now.

Eventually Sachiko-sama's breathing calmed down, an indication that she had finished crying, but they remained grasping each other for the time being.

"Sachiko-sama."

"… mm."

"Please, give me your rosary."

After a period of silence, Sachiko-sama answered, "No."

"Why!"

Yumi let go and asked.

"No matter what. I've changed my mind."

Sachiko-sama's eyes were like that of a bunny, but she smiled. Perhaps crying had made her feel better, as she had returned to her usual, proud self.

"Even if he's my fiancée, it's one of those things our parents decided upon. Sheesh, what do they plan to do making our bloodline even more dense."

Sachiko-sama hopped off of the ledge and walked a short distance to the water supply. Then, she twisted the only knob and washed her face with both hands using the forcefully falling water.

"But, Sachiko-sama. You do like Kashiwagi-san, don't you?"

Then Sachiko-sama looked up. "A long time ago."

Instead of returning the handkerchief she used to dry her hands and head to her pocket, she stuck it on a comparatively clean window, then returned to sit next to Yumi.

"He… Suguru-san, is not a bad person. But he acts only for himself, but he doesn't seem to realize it. He can't understand how other people feel, nor does he bother to even think about it. That's why if he hurts someone, he doesn't understand why, and he doesn't even think about whether he was the cause. Every male in my family is like that."

Sachiko-sama muttered, the fact that they have no ill-will is the most bothersome part.

I see, there are no perfect people in the world, Yumi thought.

"So you began to dislike him after seeing his selfish personality?"

"Hmm. Not exactly, but something like that. He can only love men. Even so, he plans to marry me."

Sachiko-sama was an only child, so she would be used for arranged marriages, preferably to a man who could continue to manage the Ogasawara group. On that note, her cousin Kashiwagi-san seemed to be the perfect fit, so their parents agreed to the marriage.

"They're both public companies, though, so there was no need to forcibly pull someone from the Ogasawara group."

Apparently her grandfather was a stubborn, Meiji-born person obsessed with the welfare of his company. In that case, there was the option of simply adopting Kashiwagi-san and allowing him to inherit the company, but apparently he loved his only grand-daughter, and wished to have Sachiko-sama inherit everything.

"What do you think Suguru-san said, when he came to celebrate my high school entry? We're similar people, so our marriage will certainly succeed. That we should both live freely, without interfering with one another. When I asked, 'What do you mean?' he confessed, 'I hate to tell you this, but I can only love other men.' So he said I should fall in love with someone else, and have their child. He wanted to give everything to my child, as the future heir to the Ogasawara group. They would be related by blood anyways, so he would be able to love him like his own child. … What was he thinking? Making a mockery of people like that."

"A 16-year old high school student, to a girl one year younger."

"Too much cuteness results in a hundred times the hatred. Because of him, my hatred of men grew even stronger."

She tried to crack a joke, but it couldn't have been that simple.

Because Sachiko-sama truly did like Kashiwagi-san.

Before she could tell the person she liked, "I like you," they ended up becoming intended consorts. Even that was hard to digest, but then her hopes of a possible loving relationship was obliterated. –At the age of 15.

That would pervert your thoughts. Who cares about men!

"Then, why don't you have the engagement cancelled?"

"We avoided each other for a year and a half, so there was no chance to bring it up. But it was a good opportunity, so when I brought it up, he got angry."

"In front of Maria-sama!"

It all came together.

"Right."

Everything else was as she knew.

Kashiwagi-san was misunderstood to be molesting, Sachiko-sama announced that they were engaged, Kashiwagi-san went too far and got hit, Sachiko-sama fled after hitting, and Yumi chased her here.

"He doesn't know I used to like him. So he went too far."

"Too far?"

Because Rosa Gigantea seemed to have realized he was a homosexual, he tried to destroy any suspicion. Kashiwagi-san probably thought Sachiko-sama would help him by accepting a kiss. But, that calculation was wrong. He underestimated Sachiko-sama.

Sachiko-sama was right. There was no way she should be able to happily dance with such a partner. Yumi thought it was no surprise that Sachiko-sama would try to get out of dancing the entire time.

Thank you, for listening. –Saying that, Sachiko-sama jumped down from the ledge.

"Eh?"

"It was like a confession. It was hard because I couldn't tell anyone. But now I'm alright."

She said she felt so much better now.

"But, Sachiko-sama!"

But the situation was no different from before. Even home-drama-Yumi couldn't simply laugh off the matter like this.

But what could she do? What could she do to help Sachiko-sama?

"Please, give me your rosary."

Yumi asked once more. There was still time. If Sachiko-sama shook her head vertically, the Roses would accept it. It was still Saturday.

But Sachiko-sama smiled and shook her head.

"Yumi, you seem to want to switch into Cinderella for me because of what I'm going through. But I refuse. I want to do Cinderella, now."

Sachiko-sama leaned into Yumi's face and stroked her cheek.

"Right now, I just ran from him. The only way for me to make this up is to perform, tomorrow. If I can perform on the stage with him by my side, it would lay everything to rest. Let me fight. I don't want to run away anymore."

"Sachiko-sama…"

"So, shall we return?"

Yumi could not say anything more. She simply nodded, and jumped off the ledge.

Sachiko-sama neatly folded the handkerchief that was dried by the western sun, and put it back in her pocket. The tears and the moisture in the handkerchief flew off somewhere. They were certainly still in the greenhouse, but they could no longer be seen.

Along the way out, Sachiko-sama stopped in the middle of the pathway.

"Had you noticed? Over half of the plants in this greenhouse are roses."

"Eh, really?"

Because there were many that hadn't yet bloomed, she didn't notice. However, when she stopped to look, many of leaves were indeed of the rose family, and most of the flowers were roses. Roses bloomed even in the autumn.

"There are many types."

When she looked again, it was breath-taking.

From field roses, to vine roses, to even roses that looked like they came from horticultural brands. The shape and color of roses differed, too.

"This is Rosa Chinensis."

Sachiko-sama's index finger pointed at a tree right in front of them.

"This…?"

The tree itself was thin, but it was a strong tree that grew straight from the ground. Several crimson flowers to blooming, and a reinforcing army of blossoms were in wait.

"It blooms during every season."

Sachiko-sama said, proudly.

"Please remember about this flower."

They walked together through the darkening school. They walked behind the school facilities for a shortcut and returned to the Rose Mansion, where a bright light from the second floor awaited them.

A message was stuck on the door for them.

"The visitor has returned home. Make sure to clean the bottom of our indoor shoes well before entering. Bringing in the gingko smell is forbidden. →"

Under the arrow were two wet rags, wrung and hung over the side of a bucket. The two looked at each other, then carefully wiped away the gingko sap that had stuck to the bottoms of their shoes, and then entered.

For some reason, that whole cycle felt very warm.

I'm home, she wanted to say.

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