Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 26 Chapter 2
When she left the cla.s.sroom at lunch time, Sachiko-onee-sama was out in the hallway.
Touko didnt know whether she was just coincidentally pa.s.sing by the first-years area, or whether she was lying in wait. Touko tilted her head down, part bow and part hanging her head in shame, and went to walk by when Sachiko-onee-sama said:
"Are you running away?"
(Running away?)
Touko stopped and turned around, wondering what Sachiko-onee-sama was talking about.
"The treasure hunt. Are you partic.i.p.ating? Or not?"
"I dont understand what youre saying. Whether or not I partic.i.p.ate in the treasure hunt is no concern of yours, Rosa Chinensis. But even if I dont partic.i.p.ate, I dont think you could call that running away."
Talking to Sachiko-onee-sama brought back memories of last Sat.u.r.day. Touko thought that shed been wrong to look down upon the Red Rose sœurs. Shed even apologized for it. But these were two separate matters.
"I suppose."
Sachiko-onee-sama muttered.
"Although it seems consistent to me."
"Consistent?"
"How youre always running away from Yumi."
Touko wanted to retort with something, but she couldnt find the words. If she remained silent, that may be taken as tacit agreement. Nonetheless, she couldnt even come up with a hackneyed excuse.
"Are you afraid of facing Yumi?"
"Huh?"
"Its frightening. Im afraid too."
The words coming from Sachiko-onee-samas mouth were completely unexpected.
"Because shes so honest. Im sure she doesnt mean to, but being with her is an a.s.sault on your weaknesses. Like theyre reflected in a perfectly clear mirror. I dont want to look ... dont want to admit to them."
She looked down, then abruptly smiled. Seeing that expression, Touko instinctively asked:
"So then why are you still with her?"
"Isnt it obvious? I love Yumi."
Sachiko-onee-sama raised her head and answered clearly.
"Its an a.s.sault on my weaknesses, but so what? Its certainly confronting, but by no means unendurable. Not being with Yumi would be much more tough. I came to the conclusion that if there were parts of me that I dont like, then when I see them in the clear mirror that is Yumi, I should try and change them. If Im feeling envious of a sapling growing straight upwards, then I could lean against it, or tie myself to it, and we could reach for the sun together."
She seemed to be saying it was better to move forwards than to just be afraid; that there was a meaning to being together.
Why was she saying that kind of thing now?
Sachiko-onee-sama had been angry when shed accused Touko of acting high and mighty. Given that, she could have cut off all contact. So then, why?
"Id accepted that one day Yumi would chose a pet.i.te sœur. Thinking about the type of girl shed chose as her sœur left me feeling both happy and sad. But if Yumi chose her, then she was the right girl. Thats what I believed. Even now, I want to believe it."
Sachiko-onee-sama eyes were calm as she spoke.
"But you cant even be my rival."
But in those calm eyes, her fighting spirit shone through.
"Of course, the first person to find Yumis card today isnt necessarily the person that cares the most about her. Even so, I thought you were the only one that could be my rival, Touko-chan. But if youre not going to line up on the start line - what a waste."
She let out a deep sigh.
Touko knew that Sachiko-onee-sama was being intentionally provocative. She knew this, but —
"Wait a minute."
The next moment, Touko had called out to stop Sachiko-onee-sama from walking away.
"I never said I wasnt going to partic.i.p.ate."
Then Sachiko-onee-sama looked back over her shoulder and smiled in satisfaction.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Ill be there."
Even though shed been provoked, it was by no means a bad feeling.