Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume2 Chapter4 5

Just what is going on? Part 5.

"So, what was it? You're being the carrier pigeon for Rei and Yoshino-chan?"

Sighing, resigned, Sachiko-sama fixed the ribbons that tied Yumi's hair.

"A carrier pigeon… but I'm not doing it every day. And it's more like Yoshino-san sending Rei-sama messages. Oh, but, would you like to visit Yoshino-san with me?"

It was Thursday.

Tomorrow is the Friday before the surgery, so the nurse urged me to refrain from visiting, so they could do their final check-ups and other such preparations in peace. So today was to be the last day Yumi could see Yoshino-san before surgery.

"How foolish. Yoshino-chan would end up having to pay attention to our needs, instead. And she only called Yumi because she wanted to keep everything low-key, did she not?"

"Ah…"

Then did that mean Yoshino-san didn't have to mind anything if it were just Yumi? She couldn't figure out whether to feel happy or not.

"Also."

Sachiko-sama looked serious.

"Rei's tolerating this, so I can't go, it wouldn't be fair. You go ahead yourself."

Grabbing her bag back from Yumi, who was holding it for her, Sachiko-sama began walking down the gingko pathway again. Yumi scurried after her and walked by her side.

It had been a while since they'd gone home together. Because so many things were happening.

Even though they became sisters, it didn't feel like they'd actually become any closer. Maybe they were paralyzed because of all the fuss around Yoshino-san. Yumi hadn't paid attention to other sisters before, so she didn't know how other sisters behaved.

"I wonder what Rosa Foetida is doing."

See. Even when they were together, they'd always talk about other people. But actually, Yumi was wondering the same thing.

"She's been home, sick with a fever, but it's almost been a week, has it not?"

"It is worrisome."

But as she said that, Yumi wondered, "Does she really have a fever?" Not that she was skipping out on school, but perhaps she was staying home for other reasons.

She did have the swollen cheek, so Yumi couldn't help but think there was more to it. But she made a promise with Rosa Foetida, so she couldn't discuss it even with her onee-sama.

But, should she speak about it? Without realizing it, she'd begun straggling behind in thought, so Sachiko-sama had come back, grabbed her arm, and begun dragging her.

"What are you doing? Hurry up."

And then they walked to the main entrance like they were linking arms. Even if it was through clothing, Yumi felt comforted by being physically connected with Sachiko-sama. Even though so many things were happening, she could feel, "Oh well, it'll all work out." Because Sachiko-sama was here with her. Being in touching distance with her was like a miraculously good fortune.

There were many students milling about at the bus stop, whom probably had their club activities end, so she quickly pulled her hand away from Sachiko-sama. But that ended up looking even more like they were secret lovers, so she became embarrassed. What did Sachiko-sama think? She glanced up, but Sachiko-sama looked calm and collected, as always, so on one hand she was a bit disappointed, but she also wouldn't like a Sachiko-sama who'd blush at such a paltry thing as much, either, so she felt torn.

"As Rosa Gigantea says, your face goes all over the place."

In the bus, they stood, holding onto the straps, when Sachiko-sama spoke, sighing.

"My face… goes all over the place."

Wham! It felt like the bus' ceiling came crashing down.

Going through life's many phases. Rosa Gigantea's unrivaled naming sense. But how was she supposed to comment on that? Sachiko-sama doesn't seem to understand that every one of her little actions could give Yumi extreme highs and extreme lows.

With a blameless face, she could make Yumi feel ecstatic, and then depressed. Yumi wouldn't be able to find any other person who could make her feel this way. –Is what Yumi thought, as she was rocked about in the bus heading to the train station.

After stepping out of the bus at the north gate for M Station at JR, she split up with Sachiko-sama at the wicket.

"Take care of yourself."

Sachiko-sama fixed Yumi's tie, as normal, smiled like Maria-sama, glided through the wickets and vanished on the other side. Her straight, black hair waved behind her, and she gave off an aura of beauty, even when looking at her from behind.

Yoshino-san's hospital was about fifteen minutes by bus at the south gate bus terminal. When she walked down the steps at the train station, she saw the bus she normally takes for going to school, and she almost went on it out of habit.

(No, no.)

She'd end up going straight home if she stepped on that bus.

After confirming the bus stop and the destination projected at the forehead of the bus, she stepped on the bus for Yoshino-san's hospital. It was packed by the time it departed. The hospital was in the middle of a quiet residential area, but it seemed like it was becoming rush hour.

By the time the bus stopped in front of the hospital, though, it had become largely empty, so she stepped off easily.

There is no night-time treatment on Thursday, read a sign, as she walked through the front entry hall.

Outpatient clinics were done for the day, so the treasury and the pharmacy were both closed, and the waiting room was empty. Maybe that was why the smell of antiseptic seemed stronger. She felt a chill run up her spine, realizing that night-time hospitals had a cold atmosphere like this.

Two days ago she'd arrived at an earlier time, and on Sunday she'd come at noon, so it was nothing like this. Interview times were until seven, and when she checked her watch, it was six fifty. It was a perfectly fine.

(But…)

After one unusual thought, things begin snowballing. Just to be clear, the hospital was very modern, clean, and even the waiting room had a more than abundant amount of lighting. It wasn't the type of old, wooden, spider webbed building that ghost stories come from. Really, it was just Yumi feeling uncomfortable with her surroundings.

(I should go up, quickly.)

There should be plenty of nurses at the in-patient ward, and Yoshino-san was in her hospital room. Other visitors like Yumi would be in the conversational rooms, too. –It seemed like she just felt uncomfortable because there was no one around.

Yumi ran to the elevator – had Sachiko-sama been there, she would have been warned – and hit the button to go up.

The elevator seemed to have been in wait, as the door immediately opened. She didn't want to have been stuck waiting, but having the door immediately open felt a bit intimidating, too.

But, there was no one in it, so she walked in, relieved. She'd been taught at school to never be alone with a man she didn't know.

She stepped out to the fifth floor and went to the nurse station. It was like a checking station. Without going through it, she couldn't see a patient.

She felt even more relieved when she saw the glass window for the nurse station. Just then, she felt a chill at the back of her neck, and she quickly spun around.

There.

(☆×■◎※△――――!?)

Yumi silently screamed. Down the corridor to hospital rooms stood one person, staring absent-mindedly.

That person, after one glance at Yumi, turned around and walked away.

(… Stop.)

It was nothing, just an in-patient. It was just a white gown.

"Don't scare me like that, please."

She felt her strength being sapped.

She was scared with no people around, and then she was scared when there was someone, so it was endless. There wasn't supposed to be any otherworldly phenomenon in this world. Either way, she was protected by Maria-sama, so it would be alright.

(… Even so.)

Hadn't she seen that person somewhere? Yumi thought.

Of course, she was surprised at first, so she didn't even have the chance to think about that. But when that figure had walked away, and she'd settled down, she couldn't help but think that face was familiar. But it wasn't Yoshino-san.

(But, who else other than Yoshino-san would be an in-patient at this hospital?)

Then, her shoulder was tapped, so she almost jumped.

"Wh, what's wrong?"

The person who'd tapped Yumi's shoulder was even more surprised, because of Yumi's look upon turning around.

"Yoshino-san…"

"Yes, pull yourself together."

She'd probably just finished calling home, as Yoshino-san waved her telephone card in front of Yumi's face.

"Did something happen, Yumi-san?"

"… I, just now, I think I just saw Rosa Foetida."

"Eh?"

"Yes. It was Rosa Foetida, that ghost!"

Yumi spoke, excited. Of course, Yoshino-san wouldn't understand her with that.

"Calm down, Yumi-san. Rosa Foetida? Rosa Foetida's alive, so she wouldn't be a ghost."

"Then… a living ghost?"

"Please, stop. You're scaring someone who's about to have surgery."

"… I'm sorry."

Yoshino-san didn't care about omens, but she seemed to be surprisingly weak to ghost stories, too. As they walked to Yoshino-san's room, Yumi explained what she'd seen. Then, Yoshino-san abruptly spoke, remembering.

"That reminds me, I saw her, too."

"Eh!?"

"Saw, or rather, I think I saw, more like. I didn't expect Rosa Foetida to be at a hospital in my wildest dreams, so I just forgot about it-"

Then it must have been Rosa Foetida. Without her uniform, she wasn't outstanding enough to immediately recognize her. So it wouldn't be too surprising if they'd both been in the same ward.

"But, it must be someone else? Because Rosa Foetida's at school-"

"Actually, she'd been absent since last week."

"Eh?"

Yoshino-san blinked, hearing this for the first time.

"When did Yoshino-san see her?"

"Last week…, no, maybe it was the beginning of this week. I'm sorry, I don't really remember."

"At school Rosa Foetida's said to be absent because of a fever."

"To the point of being hospitalized?"

The two of them sat down on the hospital bed and groaned, thinking. Because you wouldn't be hospitalized with a normal fever.

"… Shall we ask a nurse?"

"I'll pass."

"Same."

To be honest, Yumi didn't really feel like investigating any further, so she was relieved when Yoshino-san said "I'll pass." She seemed to be having her own set of problems, so she didn't feel comfortable intruding, because she had no idea what would come out.

Ahh, but, still.

Both of them had quickly decided that it was Rosa Foetida. It was a dangerous leap of faith, she thought, especially as they'd seen her, once, and not simultaneously, so they were simply trusting each other's judgment. But if she were to sell this story to the newspaper club they'd be so happy.

(Rosa Foetida's mysterious hospitalization.)

-Of course, she wouldn't even come close to doing such a thing.

"So, Yumi-san."

Yoshino-san spoke, quietly.

"What?"

"I appreciate you doing so many things for me."

Such a formal statement felt a bit like a farewell, so Yumi couldn't help but feel a bit down.

But, the surgery wasn't supposed to be difficult. Of course, it was nothing like removing a wart from your buttocks, but it was supposed to be a relatively easy surgery, for a heart operation.

"Oh, no, don't look that way. Don't worry, I don't plan on dying. This will absolutely not be my parting message."

Even in a situation like this, her thoughts were written on her face. Yumi resolved to, when becoming an adult, never play poker or mahjong.

"I just wanted to say thanks. And along with it, I have a request."

"A request?"

Yoshino-san's been doing astounding things lately, so Yumi couldn't help but feel a bit afraid of "a request." But the request was simple.

"The day after tomorrow, if you're free, could you watch Rei-chan's match?"

"-Eh?"

"I want you to see Rei-chan fight."

"Rei-sama's match."

"Right."

She simply nodded, but Yumi thought Yoshino-san wanted to add, "for me."

"Okay, no problem."

In truth, she wanted to run here immediately after class, but she'd be leaving the surgery up to the doctors, anyways, and since she was just a high school girl with the wrong blood type, she wouldn't be of any help, so she decided against that.

"I'll watch Rei-sama win."

Yoshino-san said thank you, and smiled like an angel.

Her dinner was brought up, so Yumi gave Yoshino-san a last cheer, then left the hospital. Maybe it was because she felt like she'd accepted an important mission, because her mind was more focused, and so the quiet hospital didn't seem as ominous as it did when she'd arrived. Humans are such simple creatures, she thought.

Close to the main entrance of the hospital, she could see the red light of an ambulance switching on and off. In the waiting room were people that she assumed were the family of the patient, and they were receiving an explanation from a nurse, and they didn't seem to look positive.

She didn't know if it was an illness or an accident, but she felt sorry either way. She walked out the entrance door as quietly as possible, to not disturb them, and thought about Rei-sama.

How hard was this on Rei-sama?

Even if she couldn't do anything, she must be wishing she could just be by Yoshino-san's side. But because of Yoshino-san's wish, she's gritting her teeth and toughing it out. She was concentrating on winning her match, like it was to be proof of her love.

Rei-sama was strong, being the onee-sama of Yoshino-san. She was honest, direct, and charming.

The bus to M Station had just arrived, so Yumi ran to the bus stop and stepped on. She collected her breath, sitting down at the seat closest to the door of the empty bus.

Because she'd run, and because she was thinking about everything that was to happen in two days, her heart was beating fast.

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