Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 28 Chapter 1
"Ah, there she is. Lucky!"
Upon returning to the now clean cla.s.sroom, Yumi found the photography clubs Takeshima Tsutako-san amongst the few cla.s.smates of hers that remained. Usually Tsutako-san would head straight to the photography clubs clubroom once school had finished.
To find her settled at her desk working on something was unusual, and Yumi commented on it as she walked past Tsutako-sans desk on her journey back from putting the rubbish bin in its usual spot in the corner of the room.
"What are you up to?"
There were numerous photographs spread across Tsutako-sans desk. There were also a number of paperback-sized envelopes stacked beside her, undoubtedly containing many more photographs. It was hard to tell if shed been forced into this compromise due to the lack of s.p.a.ce on her desk or if she was just going through the envelopes one at a time.
"Im kinda doing some club work by myself."
Tsutako-san replied, without interrupting her work. Omitting any bothersome explanation.
"Oh? So why not do that in the club room?"
Yumi asked again. She was thinking that, obviously, the photography clubs main activity was taking photos, and the individual members could do that wherever they wanted to, but the best place to perform this kind of clerical work was surely the clubroom, right?
"The third years are using it, so I was banned from going there."
Tsutako-san was distributing the photographs as though she were dealing a pack of cards. It was hard to tell what rules she was using from a brief inspection, but Tsutako-san was probably using some set of guidelines that were perfectly clear to her. From time to time shed stop and move one or two photos into a different pile.
"Why were you banned?"
To minimize the interruption, Yumi waited until Tsutako-san had distributed all the photos she was holding on to her desk before asking the question. In response, Tsutako-san flicked her hair back as though drained of all energy.
"Ahh - in the end I guess I have to explain it anyway."
"&h.e.l.lip; Sorry."
Still, Yumi was intensely curious.
"Its okay. I shouldnt have skipped it to begin with."
Tsutako-san looked up at Yumi and smiled. Her story went, basically, something like this:
With the graduation ceremony almost upon them, the third-years had challenged Tsutako-san to a photography showdown. They werent looking to kick her out of the club, instead they wanted to show this prodigious second-year what her seniors were capable of. By and large, the third-year photography club members already knew what they were going to do next year, so they were getting all fired up about banding together and "Knocking out Takeshima Tsutako."
"They said we shouldnt show our cards until the actual event. And theyve thrown in all kinds of restrictions. Its such a pain."
"I see."
So the third-years had seized control of the clubroom and Tsutako-san was forced to use her cla.s.sroom.
"Have they shut out all the first and second-years?"
"Theyre not being as strict on them as they are on me, so theyre allowed in to get anything they may have left inside the clubroom. In contrast to that, theyve been very friendly to our newest club member, Shouko-chan, beckoning her to join them. Then they started making jokes, saying, Look, she doesnt know the technical details so she has to spy on us."
"Oh."
The third-years toying with the first-years. It seemed the same thing happened everywhere.
"So whens this showdown happening?"
"At the third-years farewell ceremony."
"Huh? &h.e.l.lip; Ahh, thats right."
Yumi had been momentarily confused, but when she remembered she struck her left palm with her balled-up right hand.
The Third Years Send-off. Like the name suggested, it was a farewell celebration that was held prior to the graduation ceremony. The clubs and various other groups were putting on displays and performances with the aim of entertaining their graduating seniors (which was why Yumi was a bit taken aback when she heard that it was going to be the location for the photography clubs showdown).
Well, thats how it was last year. This year, due to overwhelming demand, they had decided to showcase the work of the graduating seniors. Its possible that this showdown was the brainchild of the third-year students from the newspaper club.
"Surely youd have plenty of good photos, Tsutako-san."
Yumi patted Tsutako-san on the shoulder, as though to say, "Dont worry, itll be a piece of cake." However, Tsutako-san herself looked depressed.
"But one of the rules is that the photos have to be unpublished."
"I see."
Tsutako-san would have displayed her best photos during the school festival. Since she had to use unpublished photos, that left just those taken after the school festival. Either that or she had to choose something that, for one reason or another, she hadnt displayed at the school festival.
"Its hard enough to find a good photograph, let alone one thats unpublished. Despite that, it still leaves about five months of photos to sift through. The rest are hidden somewhere. Or maybe I should go out, concentrate, and take some new photos.
Tsutako-san grumbled, talking mainly to herself. It looks like the self-proclaimed ace of the photography club was determined to win the showdown. This was quite different to Yumis way of thinking - Yumi considered it only natural that she should lose to her seniors.
"And thats why Im doing photography club work by myself in the cla.s.sroom."
Tsutako-san thumped the desk in frustration, and the vibration caused the pile of envelopes to spill to the floor.
"Ahh - "
Tsutako-san hastily jumped out of her chair, reaching for the envelopes. Yumi squatted beside her, helping to pick up the fallen envelopes. As she was handing them back to Tsutako-san, a thought popped into Yumis head.
"Hey, Tsutako-san. Why dont you come to the Rose Mansion? The table we have on the second floor is much bigger than your desk. And theres no meeting today, so youre welcome to use it."
"Huh?"
Tsutako-san was initially a bit surprised and politely refused, saying "Oh, I couldnt impose." But she seemed to be swayed when Yumi said, "If you stay here, theres bound to be someone else interrupting like I did." Eventually Tsutako-san agreed to go along and started packing up her belongings. She squeezed the envelopes into a paper bag, which she carried along with her school satchel and her coat. Having made the invitation, Yumi prepared to leave too and they exited the cla.s.sroom together.
"Still, that was news to me. That there are third-years in the photography club."
As they walked down the corridor, Yumi said the first thing that came to her mind. Tsutako-san laughed incredulously.
"Did you think it was just me and Shouko-chan? It wouldnt be officially recognized as a club if there were only two members. We do have days set aside for club activities, but theres no meetings and everyones free to come and go as they please, and to take photos wherever they want. Since its a high-school club theres some pretty nice equipment in the clubroom, so the club has a fairly decent number of members. Although theres a lot who dont turn up for the club activities."
"Ohh."
Yumi thought back to the school festival and remembered that the photography clubs display did indeed feature works by photographers other than Tsutako-san. But she had no idea what the name of any of the other exhibitors were, so they hadnt really etched themselves into Yumis memory. Or perhaps she had only paid attention to the works of her friend, Tsutako-san.
"So, for this showdown, how will the winner be decided?"
Would they have a ballot box, and the person with the most votes wins? That was the sort of thing Yumi was imagining, but it seems she was somewhat wide of the mark.
"Well, its a bit complicated. Its not about accepting someone elses decision, in the end its about what we think best. Well, rather than we perhaps I should have said each of us, individually. Each of us will come to our own conclusion, and thats good enough."
"Sorry, I dont really follow you."
Yumi said earnestly, to which Tsutako-san raised a finger and said, "Its like this."
"With art, theres no ranks or levels, right? So theres no final authority that says whether something is good or bad. Well, thats setting aside compet.i.tions, which do need a judge. But thats not necessary within our club. Its better if we each look at the various works and form our own opinion."
So while it was being labeled a showdown, it was more about proving to themselves that they were better. Apparently they were supposed to maintain a poker face, so they would know their decision, but no-one else would. The contest would be decided within each of them.
Was that it? The true battle was setting up the camera, pressing the shutter and then developing the photographs that sparkled brilliantly, which Tsutako-san had done time after time.
"Wh-at, is that trying a bit too hard?"
Tsutako-san started to jog ahead, looking a bit embarra.s.sed. Yumi chased after her, then overtook her and spun around.
"No, its really pretty cool. I was just a bit overawed."
Whereupon Tsutako-san raised the tiny camera she had produced from somewhere and said, "Thanks," as she took a photo of Yumis face.
Even as she made a strange face due to the surprise attack and the dazzling flash, Yumi knew. That despite all this, Tsutako-san had taken a surprisingly good photo. This was based upon a great deal of prior experience.
"Youre welcome."
Opening the front door of the Rose Mansion, the quiet atmosphere inside the room settled around them. It looked like no-one had been here for a couple of hours. The air had an undisturbed feel to it. That was to be expected, since they had confirmed at lunch that they wouldnt be having a meeting today.
They climbed the creaking staircase. They did have rooms on the first floor, but they had been partially converted into storerooms.
As expected, there was n.o.body on the second floor.
"Im going to make some tea."
Yumi started by filling the kettle with tap water.
"Dont put yourself out on my account."
Tsutako-san dropped her satchel and coat on a chair, then immediately started removing the envelopes from the paper bag.
"Today Im a boarder, not a guest."
"Okay. But I wanted to have some tea anyway, so Ill make enough for two."
Yumi checked that it was okay with Tsutako-san, then opened all the windows. She then prepared the cups and the teapot before closing the windows again. It was still cold outside, so once they had fresh air in the room the windows were better off closed.
As she poured the tea into the two teacups, Yumi was struck by a strange sensation. Until now, tea for two had been prepared on countless occasions.
For her onee-sama, Sachiko-sama, and herself.
For Yoshino-san and herself.
For Shimako-san and herself.
Add to that for two other people, when she wasnt there.
There were many different combinations that had existed.
But this was the first time that Yumi had prepared tea for Tsutako-san and herself.
Even though theyd been in the same cla.s.s for two years now. Even though they chatted to each other quite frequently in the cla.s.sroom. Perhaps they had changed the usual atmosphere by merely changing location to the Rose Mansion.
Yumi carried the teacups over to the table, upon which Tsutako-san had arranged her photographs as though she were playing concentration.
"Ill leave this here."
Yumi placed the teacup away from the photographs, so as not to interfere. Since Tsutako-san didnt seem to be hiding the photographs, Yumi took the opportunity to have a look at them.
"Ooooh."
Yumi instinctively cried out. Each of the photographs contained a pair of girls wearing Lillians high school uniform. The envelope that the photos seemed to come from had "Soeurs - Other" written on it.
"Its okay, go ahead."
Tsutako-san said as she too looked over the photographs.
There were soeurs smiling at the camera, soeurs gazing at each other oblivious to the camera, the surprised faces of soeurs who had been ambushed, and photos of soeurs walking together holding hands.
In each of the photos there seemed to be some kind of intense personal drama taking place between the two girls featured.