Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 25 Chapter 3 Part4
In the end.
The White Roses remained close. Theyd arrived at different conclusions because they loved each other too much.
Ah, how moronic. It had been a little bit exciting but it all came to naught.
"Ill get everyone a refill of tea."
Yoshino placed both hands on the table and shot out of her seat.
"Ill help you."
Yumi-san followed her.
"Ah."
Noriko-chan stood up after a short pause, but two people were enough to do the job so she was turned down. Overly happy people were an eyesore, so she should just stay out of sight for a little while longer.
"Nice to be Shimako-san."
Yoshino mumbled, even though she knew it wouldnt help anything. Not only did Shimako-san already have herself a pet.i.t soeur, but she didnt have to see off her onee-sama either.
"Thats true."
Yumi-san agreed. But Shimako-san had had to say goodbye to her onee-sama on her own a year ago, and shed taken it upon herself to find her new partner Noriko-chan, so Yoshino couldnt really hold it against her.
And Yumi-san knew that Yoshino knew this. Which was why shed simply agreed. Because Yoshino would be satisfied with that.
The teakettle had switched to the "keeping hot" mode a while ago.
As she rinsed the collected teacups, Yumi-san whispered:
"Nana-chan will be in high-school soon."
"&h.e.l.lip; Yeah."
Thinking about this, Yoshinos chest ached a little. Nana would finally be in high-school. Swapping in for Rei-chan. Of course, Rei-chan wasnt being driven out to free up a s.p.a.ce for her.
Yoshino understood the reasons. But even so, the look of loneliness on Rei-chans face immediately after her bout against Nana during the winter break remained in Yoshinos heart.
It wasnt as though Yoshino had chosen Nana. But, in that moment, Rei-chan had let go of Yoshino.
"Yoshino-san, youre spilling the tea leaves."
Yumi-san took the tin of Darjeeling tea and teaspoon off her. Shed apparently finished washing the teacups while Yoshino had been distracted. Now she was looking in the teapot, and had estimated the amount of tea leaves Yoshino had already put in there as, "Two, no about three teaspoons, I guess."
"Say, Yumi-san."
"Mm?"
Yumi-san responded as she added another two teaspoons of tea leaves.
"Youre so calm. What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"I dont really know, youve just been calm recently."
"Well if you dont know, then I dont know."
Yumi-san laughed.
Indeed. Still, that was how she felt, so she couldnt offer a better explanation.
"Setting aside me and Nana, what do you intend to do about Touko-chan?"
"Even if I wanted to do something, theres not a lot I can do."
Yumi-san mumbled, pouring the hot water into the teapot.
"Youre not going to be soeurs?"
"Id like to, but its not going to happen if she wont say yes."
"Thats true, but &h.e.l.lip; "
She didnt know what Touko-chan was thinking, but Yumi-san had clearly conveyed that she wasnt going to give up. And because Yumi-san wasnt going to give up, it seemed as though those feelings had earned Sachiko-samas respect, and Noriko-chan seemed to think that Touko-chan actually liked Yumi-san.
Given all that, even Yoshino expected that Touko-chan would eventually become Yumi-sans pet.i.t soeur. Even though when she first heard that Yumi-san had been turned down, she had wondered what sort of a person could do that.
"If I appear calm, its probably - "
Yumi-san said, as they waited for the tea leaves to dissipate.
"Because Im not in a hurry, I guess."
"Not in a hurry?"
Yoshino asked and Yumi-san responded with, "Yeah."
"Like, do I have to find a pet.i.t soeur before my onee-sama graduates? Or, do I have to do everything I can to make Touko-chan my pet.i.t soeur? Its strange, but Im not really in a hurry."
Yoshino didnt really understand. How had she arrived at that point of view?
"But what caused it?"
"Im not sure if its actually the cause, but if I was forced Id probably say the student council election."
"The election?"
"Yeah, the election. Id been thinking about what sort of relationship I wanted to have with Touko-chan after the election. Racking my brain. And all I came up with was that I wouldnt get an answer if I rushed."
Hearing her friend talk like that, Yoshino hurriedly grasped her hand. Yumi-san had been about to pick up the teapot, so she looked at Yoshino with a, "What are you doing?" expression.
"Yumi-san, dont become an adult on your own."
Yoshino pleaded in a strangled voice.
"Huh? Im not, not at all."
"Dont leave me behind."
"What are you worrying about? Youre being strange, Yoshino-san."
Really. For some reason she suddenly wanted to cry. However.
"Because."
She could hear the ongoing chatter from the five people at the table behind her. The topic of conversation had switched from last years treasure hunt to the half-day dates and had just now returned to the treasure hunt.
"Oh, right. I just had a great idea."
Yumi-san said, having just finished pouring tea into the teacups.
"But, hmm. It could be tough. Although if it comes off, I think itll get you excited for the event."
"What is it?"
Dont just think about it on your own, share it. Yoshino didnt even know what would be tough.
"Well, theres nothing to lose."
Yumi-san turned around.
"Hey, Mami-san."
Naturally, the idle chatter that had been floating around the table came to a stop. Yumi-san paid no attention to that as she made her proposal, eyes sparkling.
"How about we let the middle-school students partic.i.p.ate this year? There were some that snuck over to have a look last year, right?"
"Hang on, Yumi-san."
Yoshino called out to stop her meddling friend, but Yumi-san apparently didnt hear as she was engrossed in her conversation with Mami-san.
The seven cups had been left behind in Yoshinos care.
Perhaps there was a chance that Nana would be able to partic.i.p.ate.
"Geeze, that Yumi-san."
The corners of Yoshinos mouth had spontaneously curved upwards.
Because, didnt she just tell Yumi-san not to leave her behind?