Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 9 Chapter 8
[]
At first glance, the first-year Nijou Noriko was an ordinary young lady.
She had a bob haircut, although it was a bit long. Her straight black hair reached down to around her shoulders. Her bangs reached her eyebrows, forming a single line. Basically, it was an old-fashioned hairstyle that made her look like a traditional j.a.panese doll.
(Whats so special about this girl &h.e.l.lip; ?)
8:10am. Yumi was observing Shimako-sans first-year friend from a spot in the hallway where she could see into the first-year camellia group cla.s.sroom. Actually, shed shadowed her here from the main gate. Or, more accurately, she already knew what Nijou Noriko looked like because she serendipitously happened to see her yesterday after school, so when she spotted her getting off the bus this morning shed followed her here.
Incidentally, about yesterdays serendipity.
Of all things, Yumi had witnessed Touko-chan hiding Nijou Norikos shoes. At any rate, she couldnt tell if Touko-chan was being daring or mischievous. She could have chosen a less obvious hiding place, but she simply dropped the shoes at the main entrance, a couple of metres away from the changing area, and went home.
Still, she couldnt approve of hara.s.sment, no matter how light. Yumi was about to quietly return the shoes when a first-year student walked past her. Yumi realized this was Nijou Noriko when she opened her shoe locker, stopped to think for a short while, then continued on her way home still wearing her indoor shoes. The young girl seemed as undisturbed as she was new to Lillians.
Presently, she was sitting at her desk reading a paperback. After observing her like this for a couple of minutes, Yumi still couldnt detect any remarkable traits.
(What do she and Shimako-san have in common - ?)
Yumi had expected her to be a devout Christian, but this morning shed walked straight past the statue of Maria-sama at the fork in the road without stopping to pray. Even if it was an honest mistake, it seemed unlikely that a true believer would forget to greet Maria-sama.
"&h.e.l.lip; Like, does her family also run a temple?"
"No. Her fathers a public servant and her mothers a teacher. Although, her family lives a fair way away, so shes currently living with a relative."
"Ah, I see."
As she was agreeing with the voice coming from behind, Yumi suddenly realized. She hadnt come here with anyone.
(Who is it!?)
Hastily turning around, Yumi recognized the girl with ringlets that was standing there and smiling.
"Yumi-sama."
"Ah, yes!?"
Yumi was a second-year and Touko-chan a first-year. Naturally, the honorific "-sama" had been used to address the older student, Yumi, but looking at it objectively their roles were reversed. Yumi was timid, like a child that had been caught doing something naughty, while Touko-chan was calm, like an adult admonishing her.
"Playing the detective?"
"No, not really."
Although it was probably pointless denying it at this point. A second-year student peering into the first-year camellia group cla.s.sroom was bound to look suspicious, no matter how you look at it.
"If youre concerned about her, you should just ask Touko."
Touko-chan took Yumi by the hand and walked over to the cla.s.sroom door. She could get a better look at Nijou Noriko from closer in, and by being with Touko-chan it wouldnt seem unnatural. From a distance, it would look like a conversation between a close junior and senior.
Yumi cleared her throat quietly and changed the topic of conversation.
"Um &h.e.l.lip; did you just arrive at school, Touko-chan?"
Touko-chan was holding her school bag which smelled of brand-new leather.
"No, I arrived before 8, but Ive stayed away from the cla.s.sroom to establish an alibi."
"An alibi &h.e.l.lip; !?"
"See, someone who arrived after her wouldnt have had a chance to tamper with her indoor shoes, right?"
She smiled suggestively.
(Whats she done this time, the little &h.e.l.lip; )
Having just witnessed what happened yesterday, Yumi didnt want to hear about this.
"Dont be so concerned. It wasnt anything major."
" &h.e.l.lip; Ah, r-right."
Thats not so good, is it f.u.kuzawa Yumi? This person youve only just met is already able to read your mind.
"Noriko-san seems a bit standoffish, dont you think? Shes always like that."
Touko-chan glanced inside the cla.s.sroom.
She never lifted her gaze from the paperback when her cla.s.smates walked past her. Shed respond when asked something directly, but once the task was done she immersed herself in reading once more. Indeed, she didnt seem like the type who needed her friends to go with her to the toilet.
"But she shows a different side of her during lunchtime and after school."
"A different side?"
Yumis gaze shifted from Nijou Noriko to Touko-chan. A different side. That was an intriguing statement.
"Do you want to see it?"
"I do!"
"Shh."
Touko-chan drew her index finger up to her lips and glared at Yumi. She hadnt meant to raise her voice that loudly, but Nijou Noriko suddenly raised her head so the pair hurriedly hid behind the door.
"Alright then, today at lunch. Wait for me near the main entrance."
Touko-chan said, at extremely low volume.
"Huh? Lunchtimes not that good for me."
Yumi hesitated for a moment. She was supposed to have lunch at the Rose Mansion today. Not for a meeting about the first-years welcoming ceremony, but for a private discussion about how to go about getting Shimako-san to reveal her secret.
"Its fine if you dont want to see."
Faced with the two options, she made a bold choice. Seeing the other side of Nijou Noriko would surely come in useful in the future.
"Well, until then."
Grin. Touko-chan smiled, seemingly buoyed by her success. Yumi didnt know what Touko-chan was going to show her, but she started to feel a bit uneasy, wondering if it really would measure up against lunch with Sachiko-sama, as well as the important private discussion.
"Ah, please come alone too."
Touko-chan said, stopping to turn around after entering the cla.s.sroom as though she just remembered.
"Why?"
"If were not quiet, the wild duck will fly away. And even at the best of times, your lack of composure makes you stand out."
Yumi thought that last remark was uncalled for, but said nothing. Without Touko-chans guidance, she wouldnt be able to see the wild duck Nijou Noriko in her natural habitat. Besides, she couldnt come up with anything to refute the "lack of composure" claim.
"And Yoshino-sama?"
Touko-chan asked as soon as they met at the main entrance, checking out the area around Yumi.
"It seems shes not here."
"Well, you told me to come alone, right?"
"Even so, she might have come along too. Yoshino-sama seems quite stubborn. But you seem to have shaken her off."
She said, placing an index finger on her cheek. She was either observant, or good at deduction.
Indeed, it had been quite a bit of trouble to leave Yoshino-san and come here alone, when Yoshino-san had been expecting theyd go to the Rose Mansion together. If she had said, "Ill be going ahead," then she would have been peppered with questions like, "Why?" or "Where are you going?" In the end, Yumi fled out of the cla.s.sroom and dashed off in the opposite direction. Intentionally taking the long way around to throw off any pursuit.
She was still a little short of breath when Touko-chan arrived at their arranged meeting place, looking completely at leisure.
"Well then, shall we go?"
Touko-chan checked her watch, then started walking.
"Go? Where to?"
"To where Noriko-san is. Thats what you were told, right?"
Yumi already knew that much. What she was asking was where that was.
"Ah, youll be fine in your indoor shoes. Youll just have to wipe them on the mat when we come back to the school building."
Touko-chan said as she quickly walked out the main entrance. It seemed unbelievable that she was a new student. She had a presence as though she owned the high-school building.
The light-pink cherry blossoms had completely disappeared, replaced with yellow-green shoots as they walked half a pace apart through the cherry trees. The lunchtime rush of students heading to Milk Hall or the canteen had pa.s.sed, so they only saw a couple of other students scattered here and there.
When they reached the front of the auditorium, Touko-chan stopped and said:
"No loud noises from this point on."
After issuing this warning, Touko-chan didnt wait for Yumis response before proceeding around the auditorium to the back.
"This - "
Yumi knew this place well. A lone cherry tree blossomed amidst the ginkgo trees. Shed eaten lunch here often during autumn of the previous year, to escape the gaze of the newspaper club.
The back of the auditorium. - Shimako-sans favorite place.
"Noriko-sans here."
Walking in front, Touko-chan suddenly stopped and Yumi gently b.u.mped into her.
"&h.e.l.lip; Ow."
Yumi whispered, "Sorry," to Touko-chan, who was glaring resentfully at her, then looked over her shoulder.
"Ah."
Nijou Noriko was there, but she wasnt alone - Shimako-san was with her.
"What do you think? Yumi-sama."
"Ah, well &h.e.l.lip; "
She wasnt close enough to hear what they were talking about, but Nijou Noriko did indeed look like a different person compared to the girl in the cla.s.sroom.
Similarly, and this was even more surprising to Yumi, Shimako-san had an expression on her face that Yumi had never seen before.
It was like she was completely relaxed. Or that she had complete peace of mind. At any rate, it was a lovely expression, calm and peaceful.
(Why?)
Was it because Nijou Noriko was there? Was she that important a person? Were we no good?
These questions burst into Yumis mind one after the other.
Even though Shimako-san had said she wasnt even thinking about a pet.i.t soeur - .
"Ah, Yumi-sama, where are you going?"
When she came to her senses, Yumis feet had already done an about turn, all the strength had drained from her body and she was staggering along uncertainly.
"Thank-you. Im leaving now."
She didnt want to see any more.
Shimako-sans relaxed expression and the first-year by her side talking animatedly. At this moment, it was probably impossible for anyone else to enter into their world. As her friend, she should be delighted that Shimako-san was happy. She thought that her inability to do so showed how small her heart was. Her emotions were in turmoil and she couldnt control them.
"I see. Ill stay and observe for a bit longer."
"Okay then, bye."
As she kept walking, Touko-chans muttering reached Yumis ears.
"Youre more delicate than you appear, Yumi-sama."
"Huh?"
When she instinctively turned around, Touko-chan laughed.
"Rosa Giganteas so far away. Thats why youre so solemn, right?"
"Thats n-"
Yumi swallowed her words and left the auditorium.
Setting aside whether she was right or not.
A know-it-all junior was a bit unpleasant. Thats what Yumi thought.
"I see."
Sachiko-sama sighed deeply.
"And after that you didnt feel up to coming to the Rose Mansion, and stayed in your cla.s.sroom the entire time."
"Yeah."
Despite telling Yoshino-san that shed be late, in the end she didnt make it to the Rose Mansion at all during lunch. She thought her explanation would have seemed a little weak, and there was no visible reason, so all she could do was speak her true feelings. Thinking hard, Yumi spun her words.
It was now after school. Only Sachiko-sama and Yumi were in the Rose Mansion.
"Its not that I dont understand."
Sachiko-sama treated her despondent pet.i.t soeur to a warm cup of black tea.
"What does it mean to be friends? When I seriously think about this sort of thing, I want some distance from my friends."
"&h.e.l.lip; Im sorry."
"Its fine. Im not concerned, because you came and told me about it. Even Yoshino-chan wont be angry now. &h.e.l.lip; So whats next? Why dont you stay for a while and calm down before you see her?"
"Okay."
She still hadnt made a full recovery. Still, she agreed.
Sachiko-sama was kind. Yumi only ever wanted to answer her cheerfully, so she tentatively agreed.
Sachiko-sama was usually scary, and while she may not have fully understood Yumi, whenever Yumi found herself bewildered and unable to cope with something, just being at Sachiko-samas side was enough to warm her heart. Her onee-sama was someone precious to her.
"Silly Yumi. Moved to tears?"
"Because."
Now that she was aware of the tears, she wanted to cry even more.
"Go ahead."
Sachiko-sama embraced Yumi around the shoulders, gently pulling her closer.
Yumi thought of Shimako-san the entire time she was pressed against her onee-samas chest.
Shimako-san no longer had an onee-sama to show her this sort of kindness. She had no-one to silently quell the tears that fell for reasons she didnt understand.
How lonely would she be? How anxious would she be?
It may be a loneliness that even friends couldnt fill.
If Shimako-san wanted someone to warm her heart, then who could blame her for that?
Even if it meant that Nijou Noriko became Shimako-sans savior.
"Onee-sama, I - "
Just when the mood was so nice.
Thud!
"Sachiko onee-sama, big news!"
The third-wheel appeared, almost as though she knew she was entering into a good scene. Naturally, it was without any advance warning.
"Whats the matter, Touko-chan?"
Sachiko-sama asked, immediately separating her body from Yumis. Because it was such a rapid a.s.sault, she couldnt process it all immediately, so didnt have the presence of mind to issue a caution about "Sachiko onee-sama." See, because Touko-chan could climb the Rose Mansion staircase without making a sound.
"At lunchtime, Shimako-sama and Noriko-san had a secret meeting."
Touko-chan forgot to close the door as she rushed over to Sachiko-sama.
"So Ive heard."
"Youve heard &h.e.l.lip; ? Who from?"
As she spoke, Touko-chan slowly shifted her gaze to Sachiko-samas neighbor.
"Ah, Yumi-sama. It was you?"
Like shed just noticed. While she was still pulling herself together, Yumi forced a smile and said, "Gokigenyou. Thanks for earlier." Touko-chan showed she was still a new student by her response of, "Nows not the time for a cheerful greeting."
"I know that Shimako and this first-year Noriko met behind the auditorium. But they were just having lunch together."
Sachiko-sama pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Thats all that Yumi-sama saw."
Touko-chan shrugged. Yumi frowned, thinking, "Oh, so this big news happened after I left then."
"Shimako-sama gave something to Noriko-san."
"What was it?"
"It was a cloth pouch. I couldnt tell what was inside, so I gathered my courage and when Noriko-san was out of the cla.s.sroom on cleaning duty, I opened her bag and looked inside."
"Touko-chan, that was going a bit - "
Too far, Yumi tried to caution her from the sidelines.
"Shes my friend."
Touko-chan cut her off, decisively. A mind that never doubted the correctness of its actions could easily suppress any feelings of guilt.
Sachiko-sama let out a gasp of amazement, but getting into an argument about this wouldnt advance the main topic, so she pressed onwards.
"And? What was inside?"
"A juzu. Sachiko onee-sama."
"A juzu!?"
"Yes, a juzu. Um, that string of beads they use at Buddhist ceremonies, like funerals."
The string of beads they used at Buddhist funeral ceremonies. The string of beads her rural grandmother used every morning when she prayed before her household shrine. Touko-chan held her hands together in front of her chest, in a praying pose.
"Shimako brought a juzu to school &h.e.l.lip; "
Sachiko-sama put her elbows on the table, linking her fingers in front of her mouth.
"We should use it as a prop, dont you think?"
Touko-chan looked triumphant, having found the p.a.w.n, Nijou Noriko, and the juzu prop.
"Yes &h.e.l.lip; well, well see."
"And, during cla.s.s, I was working on a side-project."
Touko-chan took a notebook from her bag and handed it over to Sachiko-sama, who had a conflicted expression on her face.
""Great Detective Toukos Casebook. The Mystery of the Missing Juzu?" What is this?"
"Im not just an actor, Im also interested in writing and producing. So this &h.e.l.lip; "
Tee hee. She shrugged, laying on the cute act so thick she was practically shouting it.
"I thought Id try writing the script."
"Huh!?"
Rosa Chinensis and her pet.i.t soeur both exclaimed simultaneously.
She thought shed try writing the script. That was indeed what Touko-chan had said.
Even so, "Great Detective Touko." Pretty conceited of her to make herself the lead.
"Um, Touko-chan &h.e.l.lip; ?"
h.e.l.lo?
"Have no fear. Each of the Rose onee-samas have their moment in the spotlight."
"Um."
"Of course, the auditorium scene is the climax."
It was useless. Toukos mind was already completely occupied with her own play.
"What are you prattling on about?"
A hand came from behind and took hold of the notebook / script. It was Rei-sama standing there.
"Touko-chan, are you there? Theres something that has to be said clearly, so Ill say it. Youre not a member of this group. Thank-you for your information. But the way youre trying to seize control is laughable."
Ah, Rei-sama. Hypothetically speaking, shed cut right to the chase, saying what Yumi wanted to say but couldnt. Rosa Foetida was as reliable as ever.
"But."
"But nothing."
Even as she was issuing this stinging rebuke, Rei-sama was smiling and flipping through the notebook.
"Alright, alright. Ive picked out most of the important points from your scenario, Touko-chan. Now step back and be quiet. Okay?"
She rolled the notebook into a cylinder and gently tapped Touko-chan on the head with it.
"Okay."
Touko-chan answered, in good-little-girl mode.
"Shimako-san will be here soon."
Yoshino-san entered the room, a bit behind Rei-sama. Theyd arranged a meeting for this time. Not just for the people in on the secret.
"Bye then. Toukos off to her club activities."
Touko-chan skipped past Yoshino-san on her way out. Her ringlets bouncing jauntily as she did so.
"&h.e.l.lip; Incredible."
Without thinking, Yumi groaned.
"What?"
Rei-sama asked, eyebrow raised, guessing that Yumi was talking about her.
"Touko-chans behavior."
"Oh right. Well, I say that, but Im used to it."
Rei-sama nonchalantly angled her chin towards Yoshino-san.
Oh right.
"I see."
The way Touko-chan carried on. It could definitely give Yoshino-san a run for her money.
Shimako-san walked into the room carrying the musical score for "Ave Maria" on the piano.
"Ive been given permission to use the church organ."
She certainly didnt seem to think she was on a fools errand. Yumis chest burned.
(Shes my friend!)
She recited Touko-chans words in her mind like a spell, to keep a lid on those unbearable thoughts. There was no way to know what was right without seeing the results. So they all believed their only option was to see this through to the end.
Now then.
Shimako-san would be playing the organ at this years first-year welcoming ceremony. Thats what theyd decided.
There was no way they could tell Shimako-san about the play they were going to use to entrap her, so this was their decoy. And a plan that created work for Shimako-san was convenient in many ways. Since they could hold their secret meetings when Shimako-san wasnt there.
"How was it? The organ."
Rei-sama nonchalantly probed Shimako-san.
"Let me think. Like Sachiko-sama said, the keys have a different weight to a piano, so theres some parts that are tricky to play."
Then Shimako-san smiled and finished her answer by saying, "But once Im used to it, Ill manage somehow." She really didnt seem to have noticed anything.
"If youre not confident we can always switch. Back to that other - "
Sachiko-sama twirled her index finger around in a small circle.
"No please!!"
The two boutons screamed out almost simultaneously.
"I think Ill be sick that day if we change back."
"Yeah, Im burning up with enthusiasm. Wait, thats not enthusiasm, thats a fever coming on."
"&h.e.l.lip; So it looks like we all agree it would be better if I played the organ."
Shimako-san smiled wryly, raising her arm gently.
"Really? I thought it was well received."
"Oh it was. The Boutons Great Talent Show."
Traditional j.a.panese dancing to "Maria-samas Soul."
A magic act backed by "El Bimbo" on pianica.
The ara essa ssa of the Loach Scopping dance.
No-one had ever heard of the older students doing something like that at the new students welcoming ceremony.
"Youve done it before."
"That was &h.e.l.lip; "
Theyd been willing to sacrifice life and limb to properly farewell the graduating Roses. Plus, because it was in the family, so to speak, they could cut loose a bit. It wasnt something they could do in front of a large audience, especially not of first-years.
"Youre no fun."
Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama were amusing themselves by fanning the flames, but if their pet.i.t soeurs really did put on such a show then it would obviously be incredibly embarra.s.sing for them as grande soeurs too.
"At any rate, that ideas rejected. Rejected."
In solidarity with Yoshino-san, she rejected the idea. Even if it was a joke, even if it was to trick Shimako-san into going along with their dummy plan, that dreadful suggestion had to be killed off as quickly as possible. Adding her hand to their two fists, Shimako-san seemed to like the idea of playing the organ better than performing a traditional j.a.panese dance too.
"Shimako."
Sachiko-sama suddenly spoke with a serious expression.
"Yes."
"Give it your best."
"Huh? &h.e.l.lip; Okay."
Shimako-san seemed a bit confused, perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere.
The Maria Ceremony was only three days away.