Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 31 Chapter 12
March 〇 (Monday)
Today, I met with Shimako-san and Yoshino-san in the Rose Mansion, and we made presents for White Day.
We spent a bit of time thinking about what to make, but once we started work things went smoothly and we left to go home surprisingly early. Everyone was really pleased with what wed done.
On the way home, I posted an air-mail letter to Kanina Shizuka-sama using the mailbox at the north entrance of the train station. I wonder how long it will take to get to Italy.
◊ ◊ ◊
After separating from Shimako-san at the M-station ticket gate, I took about three steps before I called out, "Ah, no."
My voice was unexpectedly loud, and I quickly looked around in a bit of a panic. It was the time of day when people were commuting home from school or work, so there were a lot of pedestrians around but, luckily, my voice didnt appear to have stood out amongst the chattering, sounds of footsteps, and other noises surrounding me.
Careful, careful. Just a little bit further and Id turn into a "crazy person who talks to themselves even when no-one else is around."
Oops, if I get sidetracked with that Ill forget what I was supposed to be doing again.
The letter to Shizuka-sama that I was supposed to put in the postbox near the north entrance was still in my possession. I hadnt mailed it yet, even though Id written it in the diary.
I turned around to go back, but then thought better of it and decided to head towards the south entrance. Either the north or south would do. Thinking about it, the diary didnt form any kind of binding contract. After all, Id written, "things went smoothly" and "we left to go home surprisingly early" and its hard to tell if thats what actually happened. Well, since I was directly involved in that completely subjective measure, and thats what I wrote because thats what I thought, then thats how it must have been.
Still, it was mildly amusing to write something in a diary, and then to have the outcome comply with your prediction. The reason nothing outlandish happened, like meeting an alien, or picking up a briefcase with one hundred million yen inside, was because it wasnt written about in the diary. So it was fun to think that the diary was as close to reality as possible. But the bits where it differed were also interesting.
And thats how I found myself standing in front of the red postbox at the south entrance. Just before posting it, I made one last check.
Stamp, check. Recipients address, check. Air-mail mark, check. The seal was glued shut. Everything was in order.
Having completed the checklist, I held the letter to the silver mouth of the postbox. In my mind I wished it a safe voyage, then gave it a gentle nudge.
The topic of the letter was my pet.i.t soeur. When I met Shizuka-sama during our school trip, I promised that Id give her a full report once Id acknowledged a pet.i.t soeur. Shed been kept waiting for quite some time, but at long last I was finally able to post such a letter.
When I turned around, pleased with a job well done, I found a young women dressed in black standing before me.
"I thought that was you, Yumi-san."
I knew that face.
I was stumped on who it was for just a moment, but then the circuit in my memory snapped in to place and I called out, in a much louder voice than before.
"Ooowaaaaah!"
This time, my voice was loud enough to draw the attention of everyone in the vicinity. Because, to me, the person standing there was as outlandish as an alien.
"Wh - What is it, Yumi-san?"
Even the person I was pointing at had been lured into raising their voice.
"But, but."
I looked back and forth from that person to the mailbox, over and over.
"Im allowed to be in j.a.pan, arent I? After all, its my home country."
The person who laughed as she said that was Kanina Shizuka-sama, in the flesh. Who Id just sent a letter to.
"Dont tell me you read my letter and came flying back?"
Such a coincidence, but an unbelievable conclusion. So, for starters, I tapped Shizuka-sama lightly on the arm. Yep, her arm provided the proper tactile feedback. It didnt appear as though she were an apparition.
"Letter? To me? Sorry, I havent read it. It probably hadnt arrived by the time I left."
" &h.e.l.lip; I suppose not."
Id only just dropped it in the postbox. For it to have already arrived would have been magic. Plus, it would mean that Shizuka-sama knew how to teleport herself. That would be the only way to get from Italy to j.a.pan instantaneously.
"Theres been some misfortune in my family, so Ive temporarily returned to j.a.pan."
"Ah, my - "
condolences, was what I was about to say, but Shizuka-sama waved it away, saying, "Its fine, its fine."
"My great-grandmother on my fathers side was 101 years old. It was a peaceful death."
That probably explained why Shizuka-sama was dressed in black. They were her mourning clothes.
"Do you want to go somewhere? Well, thats what Id like to ask, but this is the train station near school, and the cafes kinda ordinary. Plus, youre in your school uniform."
"Sorry."
"Well then, how about I get you a can of coffee?"
Shizuka-sama pointed at a convenience store. I agreed, and followed her over.
"Here you go, Yumi-san."
As she held out the warm cafe au lait, Shizuka-sama asked, "And what do good little girls say at times like this?" I bowed my head, said, "Thank-you very much," and accepted the offered drink. This time around, I managed to avoid Shizuka-sama saying I was being improper.
We leaned against the station buildings external wall and slowly sipped our cafe au laits, while calmly watching the buses and taxis proceed through the roundabout in front of us.
"The school I go to is usually strict about being absent or late, but my teacher is a bit of a j.a.panophile. "If its an important funeral, then go home," they said, and gave me a weeks vacation. In return, they asked me to bring back a lucky coin. Apparently theyd heard about some custom of handing out 5 yen coins as a longevity charm."
Two years ago, Shizuka-sama had been a student at Lillians Girls Academy, but she moved to Italy to study singing. When I met her at the leaning tower of Pisa, she said she was studying for exams, but it looked like she was in school now.
"The funeral was today, and I plan on going home tomorrow, so I hadnt contacted anyone. But despite that, I just happened to run into you, Yumi-san. At first, I couldnt believe it."
Shizuka-sama said that all her relatives had gathered at her great-grandmothers house, which was in the neighborhood, and that her parents were still there. Shed left, alone, so that she could return to her parents house and do some more preparation for tomorrow. But then shed unexpectedly caught sight of me.
"Ah -, Shimako-san was here until just recently."
I realized, finally pinning down something that had been nagging away at me for a while. Unlike Yoshino-san, who had gone her separate way at the school gate, Shimako-san had been with me up until the train station, so if things had gone perfectly then they could have met.
"Its okay, Ive sent her a letter."
"Oh."
Thats right, Shizuka-sama and Shimako-san were penfriends.
"Oh, right, what about your letter? Why on earth were you writing to me?"
"Umm - "
I couldnt answer that, Id sooner reach into the mailbox and pull out the letter Id just sent.
"Well, its - "
I was stopped mid-sentence.
"Its okay. I can tell you dont want to talk about it. And if you answer, itll spoil the fun of getting home and reading your letter."
"I suppose so."
Although, its far more likely that Shizuka-sama would arrive home before the letter.
"Then I wont ask you the other questions Id prepared either. Since it would be bad if they were related to the letters contents."
"I see."
Those questions were probably regarding a pet.i.t soeur. Therefore, obviously, thats what must have been written about in the letter. Youre sharp, Shizuka-sama.
"Its almost time for the high-school graduation ceremony, isnt it?"
"Yeah."
I agreed with her statement.
"If I hadnt gone to Italy, then Id be part of that ceremony with Sachiko-san, Rei-san, and everyone else, so my feelings on it are complicated. But since Im only one person, no matter how much I desire it, I can only walk one path."
Her feelings may be complicated, but she didnt seem to be in two minds about it. Shed freed herself from that a long time ago. Since about a year ago, when shed announced her candidacy in the student council elections.
My thoughts about my onee-samas graduation were complicated too.
In my head, I knew that we couldnt stay in the same place forever, and that this was the start of my onee-samas new journey, so I should be happy.
But, what, I wonder. When the day of the ceremony comes, how will I be? Maybe Ill break down in tears in front of everyone, just like my onee-sama one year earlier.
Feeling someones eyes on me, I looked up and saw Shizuka-sama staring at me.
"Its okay to cry, but make sure you smile when you see off - "
Her lips moved to say Sachiko-san, but her voice was drowned out by a cars horn.
"So that she can have peace of mind as she starts her new journey."
"Yes."
I couldnt ask how she knew this. Although given how expressive my face is, it was probably plainly obvious what I was thinking.
After draining her bottled cafe au lait, Shizuka-sama solemnly murmured.
"In a way, today was my great-grandmothers graduation ceremony."
After that, she cheerfully waved goodbye, then made her way up the stairs to the train station.
I smiled until shed disappeared from sight.
Just in case she happened to suddenly turn around.