Maria-sama ga Miteru Volume 24 Chapter 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Like - I - said."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san said, with a bit of bite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Even if you were s.p.a.cing out during the information session, it's all written on the printout. You'd know if you read the series of events for the election. If you read it. Here!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch time in the Rose Mansion. Tapping on the doc.u.ment she held in her hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Election Announcement, Candidate Registration &h.e.l.lip; "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling a bit like she was being pushed, Yumi read aloud the section indicated. She was better off going with the flow here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"&h.e.l.lip; Candidate Speeches, Election Day &h.e.l.lip; that's all."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a reason that Yos.h.i.+no-san's attack was focussed on Yumi alone. s.h.i.+mako-san had answered Yos.h.i.+no-san's questions properly, plus Yos.h.i.+no-san already understood exactly what would be happening next. Even Noriko-chan, who wasn't directly involved in the election, seemed to know. Yumi was a potential candidate, so why was she so inattentive?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Right. And today's the first day of candidate registration. So, let's go."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san had been on her feet the moment she put her lunch box back in the carry bag that Rei-sama had made for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Go? Where?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What are you asking? To the Electoral Committee Office. Now you're going to ask me where that is, aren't you?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

" &h.e.l.lip; It's next to the staff room."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Wonderful. And what are we going to do there?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"&h.e.l.lip; Register as candidates?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Why was there a question mark at the end of that sentence? It's a statement about yourself. Yumi-san, you need to be more self-aware."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The printout was brought down on her head a couple of times. Yumi thought that in the past Yos.h.i.+no-san would have held back more, but recently she'd been showing no restraint, like when she faced off against Rei-sama. But it was 3 pieces of A4 paper so it didn't hurt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But, you know."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi said, fending off the printout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We don't have to register on the first day."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Wha~t."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san opened her eyes wide with feigned surprise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well, like, last year, s.h.i.+mako-san cut it really really close, leaving it to the last hour."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their gaze turned to s.h.i.+mako-san, who smiled and said, "That's also an option." But she didn't seem to be doing that this year. She was getting ready to stand up and go with Yos.h.i.+no-san to the Electoral Committee's office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Back then, s.h.i.+mako-san hesitated because she had all sorts of doubts. So then, if I have some doubts - "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

s.h.i.+mako-san's doubts were due to her being a first-year, and wondering whether the second-year Rosa Canina would be more fitting, and other such internal conflicts. At the time, she was also keeping secret the fact that her family ran a temple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well then, Yumi-san, can you tell us these doubts of yours that rival s.h.i.+mako-san's?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san pressed her for an answer, saying, "Come on, come on."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Uh."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Is the current Rosa Chinensis en bouton and second-year Yumi-san less fitting as a Rose than the mere first-year Touko-chan?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That's not what I said."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Are you nervous because you're going to be leaving Lillian's in the near future?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"No, that's not it either."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi recoiled as she answered, then Yos.h.i.+no-san grinned like she was pulling out her trump card.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"In the past you told me, Yumi-san, that we should be Roses. Have you forgotten that promise?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Huh? Wasn't it that we should be good friends, like the Roses?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Same thing."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi thought that there was a little, no, a huge difference between being a Rose, and being a good friend like the Roses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Speaking of which, didn't you say that we'd be friends regardless of my t.i.tle, Yos.h.i.+no-san?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Did I say that?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She had. It was during the rainy season, when Yumi's relations.h.i.+p with Sachiko-sama was strained and she was keeping her distance from the Rose Mansion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Yos.h.i.+no-san was playing dumb because it was inconvenient to her. In truth, she should remember it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So, what? You're saying you're not interested in being a Rose, Yumi-san?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before Yumi could respond to this direct question, an answer came from the side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That's not true, Yos.h.i.+no-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

s.h.i.+mako-san said decisively, having remained silent until now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Some time ago, Yumi-san told me that she wanted to lead the Yamayurikai with me as a third-year, and that she wanted to be a Rose."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sole statement of a taciturn person held more persuasive power than the words of a chatterbox.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi nodded without thinking, and when she said, "Let's go then," Yumi allowed her hand to be taken and to be led out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was "bewildering" the right word to use to describe this situation? Watching them leave from the doorway, Noriko-chan mumbled, "Incredible, s.h.i.+mako-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What's weighing you down like that?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During cleaning, as she was wiping the blackboard with a cloth, Tsutako-san called out to her from behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You can tell?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I can. I've been watching you since first-year, Yumi-san. Do you really think you can fool my eyes?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They were in the same cleaning group and Tsutako-san had come over to help - apparently finished moving the desks and chairs back to their original position from where they'd been stacked off to the side. That said, Yumi was pretty much finished too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I was told off by Yos.h.i.+no-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi rinsed her cleaning cloth in the bucket and wrung it tightly. A quick check of the other cleaning cloths showed they had all been rinsed, so she picked up the bucket of dirty water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Oh, why was that?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san walked with her. It would have been dangerous to have two people carry a bucket full of water, so she'd declined Tsutako-san's offer of help, but Tsutako-san followed her anyway. Perhaps at a loose end, Tsutako-san pulled a miniature camera out of her pocket and held it in one hand, occasionally pointing it at Yumi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"At lunch time, we went to register as candidates in the election, but we were a bit slow to get going and Touko-chan got in first."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I see."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"She said it was my fault we got a late start."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And looked incredibly angry when she said it too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"My goodness. But the order in which you register doesn't determine the order you finish in the election."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san cackled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That's what s.h.i.+mako-san said too."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the record, s.h.i.+mako-san was second, Yos.h.i.+no-san third, and Yumi fourth to register.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hmm. I wonder if Yos.h.i.+no-san is a bit fl.u.s.tered."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Fl.u.s.tered?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Most students fully expect the three second-years to be elected. But you can't say for certain. There could be an upset, with Touko-chan elected. In that case, one of you three would lose, right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"And that's Yos.h.i.+no-san?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"She might think so, don't you think? It goes without saying that s.h.i.+mako-san's an inc.u.mbent, and you're popular with the first-years, right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That's not going to happen."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having arrived at the drain, she tipped the bucket over and poured the water out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yeah, it's not going to happen, but she might still be worried about it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The silver faucet was s.h.i.+ning. The students responsible for cleaning this area had done a good job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But, well, it's Yos.h.i.+no-san, so she'll get over it soon enough. Something else will catch her attention and she'll forget something as trivial as this."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I suppose."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi picked up the bucket and walked back the way they'd come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They walked in silence for a while and when they arrived at the cla.s.sroom entrance Tsutako-san mumbled under her breath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So then it isn't about Yos.h.i.+no-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Huh?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They'd already concluded that Yos.h.i.+no-san's anger would sort itself out. But despite that, Yumi was still weighed down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Is Touko-chan the cause of it?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Uh."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san laughed, before Yumi could even ask, "How did you know?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well, that much seemed obvious."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san had attended last year's Christmas party in the Rose Mansion. She wasn't a member of a Rose family, but she obviously knew the details about what happened between Yumi and Touko-chan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't understand Touko-chan at all."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi spoke frankly as she put the bucket away with the rest of the cleaning equipment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She'd been thinking about it constantly. Where had it gone wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If there was something wrong with the proposal, was it the wording, or the timing, or the situation, or was it a problem with Touko-chan? If some of these changed, would she get another chance to ask, or not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You say you don't understand Touko-chan. Naturally, since she's her own person."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san said, as though it were obvious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But you understand all sort of things, Tsutako-san. Like how Yos.h.i.+no-san's anger will pa.s.s quickly, or that I'm feeling down because of Touko-chan."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For a while now, Yumi had thought that Tsutako-san was an adult. She knew all sorts of information and could understand why things happened. Like some kind of superwoman, who could answer any question she was asked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well, that's because Yos.h.i.+no-san's behavioral pattern is easy to understand, and all your thoughts show clearly on your face, right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san walked around, checking that the windows were locked. It sounded like Tsutako-san wasn't able to figure out what everyone was thinking, it's just that her targets were easy to figure out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Then what about Touko-chan?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't really know about her. Because most of the time it feels like she's wearing a mask, don't you think?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A mask &h.e.l.lip; "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You've never got that impression?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I have."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite strongly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touko-chan was an actress, right to her core. But, sometimes, even when she wasn't standing on a stage it felt like she was playing some other character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"As for me, I think one of your good points is the way you're always showing your open and honest feelings, Yumi-san. Forcing yourself to smile when you feel like crying, even if you think you're doing a good job, just makes you look even more pitiful to me. I hate to say it, but you're not a good actor."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even so, it felt better to hear her say this directly, rather than beating around the bush. Although if she'd said it a bit earlier, say before the school festival, Yumi may not have accepted the lead role in the Yamayurikai play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But I like that. So I think you look great when you're not acting. But when an amateur gets on the same stage as a professional actress, do you think she can win?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So, you're saying that even if I understand Touko-chan, it's impossible?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"For how things are now. She's just too far ahead of you."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tsutako-san finished her check of the windows, and gave the "OK" signal to their cla.s.smate at the podium, writing in the cleaning log. To show her understanding, that girl made the "OK" sign back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Your opponent's wearing a mask, but you're going at her with your honest feelings. There's no way you can win. Ah, I'm not talking about the election here."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yeah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi nodded. It was about whether she could do something for Touko-chan, and what she should do. Yumi decided to think about it some more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thanks for the advice."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi thought that Tsutako-san was definitely an adult. Even though she said she didn't know anything, she was still able to say something pertinent. A hint. But Yumi had to come up with the answer herself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'll take your smiling face over words of thanks."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as Tsutako-san was steadying her camera, Yos.h.i.+no-san raced into the cla.s.sroom, back from where her group had been cleaning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yumi-san, Yumi-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san grabbed her by the arm. Just as the light from the flash and the sound of the shutter went off, so it must have ended up as a weird photo of the two of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Come with me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi and Tsutako-san exchanged glances and smiled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Come on."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san's mood had changed quickly, like the weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san dragged Yumi to a rather delicate position - the hallway next to the first-year camellia cla.s.sroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Got it? We'll walk past slowly, having a friendly chat, so get a good look at what's going on inside that cla.s.sroom."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Um."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slowly, friendly, good. Overly complicated orders would just result in confusion. So if she dropped the adverbs and just focused on the verbs, then, basically, they were going to walk and chat and look in to that cla.s.sroom. "That cla.s.sroom" was obviously the first-year camellia cla.s.sroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Because of what's going on, you haven't had a chance to check it out, have you Yumi-san?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"No, not really."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi didn't know how she'd react if she saw Touko-chan. So for the last couple of days she'd been avoiding the first-year cla.s.srooms as much as she could. The hallway alongside Touko-chan's cla.s.sroom was right in the danger zone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I figured as much. So I thought we should do this."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But even so, Yos.h.i.+no-san herself had obviously checked things out. Like last year, when she started investigating Rosa Canina as soon as she heard about the new contender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"At any rate, take a look. We'll talk about it after."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san grabbed Yumi by the arm and started walking off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking slowly and having a friendly chat by itself wasn't that bad, but adding on "getting a good look at what's going on in the cla.s.sroom" made it a bit more difficult.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because, wouldn't it look unnatural if she was walking along, apparently engrossed in conversation, but staring into the cla.s.sroom instead of looking at who she was talking to?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily, the first-year camellia cla.s.s looked like they were still in the middle of cleaning, with the front and back doors wide open despite it being the middle of winter, allowing for a good view into the room. But on the flip side, it allowed those inside to get a good view of them too, so they may have looked like a rather suspicious duo. To the trained eye, they may have looked like they were scoping out the enemy's positions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san said, after they'd hidden themselves around a corner - since it would have looked strange if they stopped walking just past the first-year camellia cla.s.sroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Nothing much. What was strange about it?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi tilted her head to the side in confusion. Wondering if she'd overlooked something.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi expected Yos.h.i.+no-san to get angry, saying, "Have a better look," but instead she cracked her knuckles and said, "That's it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What's it?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's normal. Nothing's changed in first-year camellia cla.s.s. Don't you think that's odd?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing had changed in first-year camellia cla.s.s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"It's odd that it hasn't changed?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Think back to last year, and second-year wisteria cla.s.s."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"&h.e.l.lip; Ah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that, Yumi suddenly understood too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year, Kanina s.h.i.+zuka-sama, Rosa Canina, was in second-year wisteria cla.s.s. In a sense, she had been in the same position that Touko-chan was in now, despite their difference in grades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That is indeed strange."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year's second-year wisteria cla.s.s and this year's first-year camellia cla.s.s were noticeably different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We should ask Noriko-chan."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi turned back. She was probably in the cla.s.sroom. Either that or she'd gone to the Rose Mansion. Either way, she wouldn't be where they were.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then a voice called out to her from behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ask me what?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi turned around and there she was.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"N-Noriko-chan!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Gokigenyou &h.e.l.lip; Oh, what's the matter?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan was on outdoor cleaning duty this week, and had been returning to her cla.s.sroom when she spotted the two boutons from behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan wanted to return to her cla.s.sroom and get her belongings before heading to the Rose Mansion, so they accompanied her back through the hallway. This time they had a proper conversation, unlike before, so there was no need to worry about appearing unnatural, and there were no orders to get a good look at the cla.s.sroom either, which made it a lot easier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Our cla.s.s is normal?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan asked. Apparently not immediately understanding what they were saying. The cla.s.s was normal. Indeed, there was nothing unusual about that by itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Well, one of your cla.s.smates is running in the election, right? And she's taking on the favorites - the current council and their successors. So why is your cla.s.s acting like it's business as usual? Shouldn't they be getting all fired up?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san went on and on. Caught on the back foot a bit, Noriko-chan instead posed a question.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So, you're saying the second-year pine cla.s.s is - "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We're about as fired up as normal."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like many other cla.s.ses, they had a handmade board showing "X days until the election." They also had a "Certain Victory" prayer doll, although it was made of drawing paper, not a proper one. On the back blackboard there were messages of support - "Good Luck Yumi-san, Good Luck Yos.h.i.+no-san," and they had light pink and cream (presumably meant to be red and yellow) origami flowers adorning their lockers. There were rules against doing anything in the hallway or other places, but their cla.s.smates were still getting into the spirit and showing their support by decorating their cla.s.sroom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's the level of support there was for the favorites (to borrow Yos.h.i.+no-san's phrase). The show of support for their cla.s.smate Touko-chan should have been relatively larger, to make up for her lack of name recognition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Even if you say that."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan muttered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"There's not a lot of support for Touko."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko-chan had only entered into Lillian's at the start of high-school, so, naturally enough, she didn't know anything about Rosa Canina. Consequently, she may have been under the impression that it was like this every year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But Touko's at fault here too. In the beginning, our cla.s.smates would ask her questions about the election, but she ignored them or ran away. It's hard to support someone that acts like that."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They'd just arrived at the first-year camellia cla.s.sroom and Noriko-chan looked at the door and let out a sigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was Touko-chan feeling isolated inside her cla.s.sroom?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I wonder if she's okay."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi said, also staring at the closed door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She knew there was nothing she could do to help in that cla.s.s, no matter what she wanted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- I wonder if she's okay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi-sama's words rang in her ears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So when she took another look at her cla.s.s, a couple of things caught her attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touko ate her lunch alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was alone during breaks too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After school, when she didn't have club activities, she'd sit in her seat and work on her poster, but not a single cla.s.smate approached her. Even if they didn't help, they could at least have taken a look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touko was isolated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like a single drop of oil in water. She didn't mix with anyone in cla.s.s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ah, I asked her if she wanted any help once, but she turned me down."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kanako-san said. Noriko had called out to her during a break and they were talking in the hallway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for why she was talking to Kanako-san, that was because she alone possessed an aura that was different to everyone else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You called out to her?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kanako-san immediately answered, "Pretty much."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"But it was only once. I'm not a fan of high-pressure sales tactics, where you keep going after you've been turned down. Plus I've been busy with my club activities. Of course, I'd still help out if she asked me to."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thank-you."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This elicited a smile from Kanako-san.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I haven't done anything to earn your thanks, Noriko-san."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still, thank-you. Noriko bowed her head in Touko's stead. In her position, she couldn't help Touko even if she wanted to, which made her all the more grateful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"And I told you she turned down my offer &h.e.l.lip; besides."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kanako-san had a somewhat serious expression.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't think she'll ask for help."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yeah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko felt she might be right too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Hey."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suddenly, Noriko wanted to hear Kanako-san's opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Why do you think Touko's acting like that?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm not sure but &h.e.l.lip; faith? That's not quite right. But I get a vague feeling it's something like that."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vague though it may be, Noriko thought Kanako-san's reasoning was on the right track.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"She doesn't want to be a bother to anyone, wouldn't you say? That's why I decided to leave her be."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed. Maybe that was all she could do for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The strained relations.h.i.+p between Touko and her cla.s.smates was brought into the open through a trivial incident one day during recess.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Does Touko-san really hate Yumi-sama that much?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touko had continued to pointedly ignore the election chatter, but this new approach caused her to unthinkingly raise her head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Now, I'll admit that Yumi-sama doesn't have the sort of good looks that make Ogasawara Sachiko-sama so hard to approach, nor does she exude intelligence or dignity. We probably shouldn't expect her to gain these any time soon either. But she more than makes up for that with her likeability and warmth. I'd like that kind of Rose. I think the future Roses should look for more people like that too."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This girl was a fan of Yumi-sama's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You can't accept Yumi-sama so you're pulling this crazy stunt of running in the election. Do you think you're any better?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a pa.s.sionate fan, with her blood rus.h.i.+ng to her head, she could only see what was on the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What did she think she was going to achieve by telling Touko about Yumi-sama's appeal at this point. It had already progressed well past the stage for such an elementary argument. Touko wasn't that simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Say something."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi-sama's fan was getting more and more enraged as Touko sat there staring at her and not saying a thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The way Touko hadn't talked to her cla.s.smates, or offered any excuses, or done anything except sit alone and silently work on her campaign materials had obviously stuck in this girl's craw, leading to her current explosion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She couldn't tolerate that Yumi-sama's rival was one of her cla.s.smates. Her friends tried to get her to stop but she shook them off and kept going.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You were the one responsible for the temporary falling out between Rosa Chinensis and Yumi-sama at the start of summer, weren't you, Touko-san? But despite that, you pretended not to know and acted in the Yamayurikai's play for the school festival. You cozied up to Yumi-sama because you wanted to be a Rose, but now you're turning your knife against her?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, so that was it. Noriko understood now. She was envious. Of the deep connection Touko had to the Red Rose family. This impromptu protest was because she didn't know how to handle the envy she felt for the way Touko flitted about inside the Yamayurikai at will (or appeared to).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did she understand her cla.s.smate's feelings or not? Either way, Touko laughed scornfully and spat out a single sentence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"So, what?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This antagonized not only the cla.s.smate that had been complaining to Touko, but also the other students around her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noriko watched all this unfold from a distance, judging that the situation would only deteriorate further if she tried to intervene, but even she could see that Touko was acting like a fool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- I wonder if she's okay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi-sama's words echoed in her ears once more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday of the last week of January, two days out from the candidates' speeches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At lunch, before heading to the Rose Mansion, Yumi timidly approached the library.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For no real reason. Maybe she was reminded of what happened last year. Looking behind the counter for s.h.i.+zuka-sama, who obviously wasn't there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If s.h.i.+zuka-sama was still enrolled at Lillian's, Yumi would have been able to ask her all about what transpired back then. Maybe it would have explained some things about Touko-chan, who was, in a way, in the same position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(That's probably it.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She didn't even consider discussing it with her soon-to-be-graduated onee-sama. Since it had to do with Yumi's relations.h.i.+p to Touko-chan, she had to somehow stumble upon a solution herself, even if she didn't know what it was just now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why was Touko-chan running in the election? Was it because she wanted to be a Rose?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Yumi continued on and graduated without a pet.i.t soeur, then the seat of Rosa Chinensis would automatically open up. At that point there would be no problem with her running in the election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why couldn't she wait a year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or did she want to beat s.h.i.+mako-san and the two boutons in order to become a Rose?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe she was dissatisfied with the current student council? But then, two of the three were changing, so it was bound to change too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So then, was the problem the boutons? Yumi, or Yos.h.i.+no-san. Had she nominated herself to show that she wouldn't recognize one of them as a student council leader?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"A fresh breeze for the Yamayurikai."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That slogan was written on Touko-chan's poster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If Touko-chan thought she wanted to be a student council president for all the right reasons, shouldn't Yumi admire that determination?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Even though in the one-in-a-million chance that Touko-chan wins, one of us will lose.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yos.h.i.+no-san's scary face stole into her mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following in the footsteps of her onee-sama.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing to do her best to support the Yamayurikai with her friends, like she had up to now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How was that for a motive?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(While that may be true, what can you do, Yumi-san?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time the gentle face of s.h.i.+mako-san floated by. Yumi was one person, she didn't have hundreds of ballots to cast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was exactly right. Even if Yumi voted for Touko-chan, it was very rare that an election was decided by just one ballot. But, even if that one vote was the difference between victory and defeat, they wouldn't know who it was that lost and was left behind until the votes were tallied. Speculate however she may.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Hold on, Yumi-san. What are you thinking?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The phantoms of her two dear friends seemed to overlap each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If you do that, I'll never forgive you.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But there was still time, even now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The deadline for candidate registration had already pa.s.sed. There were four candidates. If one dropped out, that would leave the requisite three. Those three would become the next Roses through a vote of confidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She could continue to fight Touko-chan, or she could withdraw her candidacy and cede the position of Rosa Chinensis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She'd gone over this countless times in her mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Haa .. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the end, she couldn't come up with an answer just by changing her location. Yumi sat in the reading room for about ten minutes before leaving the library. The number of students who'd come to the library during lunch to study or research something had increased. If she was just going to sit around sighing, she didn't have to do it there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As she was walking back towards the school building, she noticed a middle-aged lady walking back and forth in front of the visitor's entrance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Um &h.e.l.lip; ?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upon hearing her voice, the lady's shoulders jumped in surprise and she turned around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"My apologies. I could guide you to your destination, if you'd like."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Oh my."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was probably a student's mother, or maybe an alumni. She was a little bit plump, wearing a fine looking tailored coat, and smiled elegantly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thank-you, that would be a great help. I brought something my daughter left at home, but I wasn't sure how best to go about it. I set out when I noticed she'd left it behind, so I haven't been in touch with her. To be honest, I was thinking about just going home. I've been here for school festivals and sports festivals, but it's somehow hard to approach the school building on a regular day, don't you think?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I see. Ah, here, use these."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi led the lady to the entrance and laid out a pair of blue slippers for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thank-you."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After putting on the slippers, the lady unb.u.t.toned her coat. After sliding her coat back past her collar, she stood there for a little while. Yumi looked at her, unsure what she was doing, and eventually the lady blushed and said, "Ah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Oh no. Silly me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It looked as though typically someone else would remove her coat for her. As befitting the daughter, no, wife of a high-cla.s.s family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Which cla.s.s is your daughter in?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi asked, pulling herself together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"First-year - no, could you perhaps guide me to the high-school staff room?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Okay?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi asked, and the lady said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't think you'd like it if your mother brought something you'd forgotten to your cla.s.sroom, right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In front of her friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"That &h.e.l.lip; might be true."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi tried replacing the lady in front of her eyes with her own mother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Thank-you for always looking after Yumi. I've brought something she left at home today. Ah, Yumi-chan, look, here. You left it in the entrance. Honestly, you're so absent-minded.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagining it, it was indeed painful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I don't want to embarra.s.s my daughter, so it would be better to leave it with her homeroom teacher. Don't you think so?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to her handbag, the lady held a simple brown paper bag, which probably contained the thing her daughter had left behind - so it didn't look like it required any special care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I understand completely."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In full agreement, Yumi obediently headed towards the staff room. She tried to imagine what the forgotten item could be. Typically, it'd be something like a forgotten lunchbox. In that case, the sooner it was delivered the better. Even though Yumi's lunch still sat untouched in her bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lady looked around restlessly as she walked, apparently finding the school on a weekday an unusual sight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Student council election &h.e.l.lip; ah."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lady said, reading from a poster in the hallway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"You've heard about it?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't a candidate's poster, just an informational one about the election. Stating when the candidates' speeches would be held, as well as the election day and other such things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Yes, my daughter told me all about it. She said that, this year, the current Rosa Gigantea, Rosa Chinensis en bouton and Rosa Foetida en bouton were running. It sounds like my daughter's supporting them all too. She said they're all lovely onee-samas, so they'll surely be elected. Isn't that wonderful?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She probably couldn't imagine that the girl in front of her was Rosa Chinensis en bouton. And since the praise had been made unknowingly, it wouldn't be appropriate for Yumi to respond humbly with, "Oh, you're too kind." That said, they weren't close enough that she'd introduce herself formally either, so Yumi simply smiled vaguely as they arrived at the staff room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Thank-you very much. You've been a great help."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lady said, implying that she'd be able to handle it from here, having seen the teacher's seating chart posted near the doorway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm sorry for prying, but you still have your lunch left in your bag, don't you? I'd feel terrible if lunch ended before you finished eating, so don't worry about me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that meant it probably wasn't her daughter's lunch in the bag. Yumi excused herself, and thought she'd head to the Rose Mansion to eat. As she was leaving, the lady said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Say, have we met somewhere before?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"No?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yumi looked uncertain, having no memory of any s