Volume 3 Chapter 2 (2/2)
Now that the scene was over, the girls beganto each other, clearly disappointed Gosh, what did they follow Rosa Gigantea for?
”Oh, Yoshi+no-chan, you worried for me and came, too?”
Rosa Gigantea smiled happily and called to Yoshi+no-san
”Uh huh And is that true?”
”True True I just found out about it, after all … And so, we can't offer any stories to the 'Lillian Kawaraban' Sorry, Tsukiyama Minako-san”
And she doesn't forget to throw the newspaper club gentle sarcas with a check You won't hear the end of it if you try to turn this into an article Even Minako-saainst a senior, and a Rose on top of that Especially because this wasn't even neorthy
”No, let's be off now”
Yuht hand, Yoshi+no-san in her left hand, and drawing both shoulders to her, Rosa Gigantea happily began walking
”To where?”
”The Rose Mansion? Didn't you two come to pick me up?”
”Oh yeah, the tea party!”
She'd cootten, because of the broadcast
What was everyone thinking as they waited at the Rose Mansion?
Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida, Sachiko-sama, Rei-sama
And shi+mako-san-
”It's hot”
Icy as blowing outside, but Rosa Gigantea said a very unseasonal thing, and smiled
”Well, wasn't that a flashy summons”
Rosa Chinensis, aiting in the Rose Mansion salon, spoke first
”Personally, I've never been called like that, so I'm a bit envious”
Said Rosa Foetida
”Thanks”
Waving her hand, Rosa Gigantea nimbly proceeded to the center of the room and lowered herself into an open seat
A soic three-shot of the Roses Yumi simply stared in adulation - oh, how splendid
However, should they sih she was told Rosa Gigantea was not Suga Sei, Yuest the news But the ones that aiting at the Rose Mansion casually
”Here”
shi+ teacups Even Yoshi+no-san, who entered the rooar and sticks of powdered milk on the table
All of whichleft to prepare, so Yumi added water to the electric kettle and sat down
”You were at the guidance office?”
Sachiko-sa next to her, whispered to Yumi
”… Yes”
At first, she thought she would be scolded, but Sachiko-sama simply whispered, ”I see”
Sachiko-sauidance office She was also hesitant about reading the novel Perhaps she was not co herself into Rosa Gigantea's past But Rei-sa to Yoshi+no-san, too
In any case, they had a toast with black tea over finishi+ng exaht it, but someone laid out marketplace cookies on tissues
It had been a while since they last held a tea party, and it could even be the last tiether like this
”Let ”
After soantea stood up and declared
”I already told Yoshi+no-chan and Yu a novel, well it wasn't me -That's all”
That's all And after that concise declaration, Rosa Gigantea quickly sat down and sipped tea, like nothing happened She even commented, ”It's wonderful,” about the tea shi+mako-san poured
”Was that why you were called?”
Rosa Chinensis asked
”That's why”
”So?”
Rosa Foetida said
”Nothing I said it wasn't o That's all I haven't read it, myself, and I didn't even know that sort of ru until just now So even if they were to askto say”
The teachers had also not read the novel, but the ru, so they called her to the office to ask her about it before they left for vacation
”And you really didn't write it?”
Rosa Chinensis confirht hand and said, ”I swear to Maria-sama”
”Understood Then, this case is closed What do you think, Rosa Foetida?”
”No objection Rosa Chinensis”
The two Roses nodded, and quickly concluded things
(Eh-!? That's all?)
Deep down, Yumi shouted, unsatisfied
Of course, in reality, Rosa Gigantea was probably saying the truth, so there was no probleht the Roses would try to find out who began the rumors, and come up with a way to suppress them in the future
Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida probably paid the rumors little-to-no heed, so they weren't very attached to the topic of Rosa Gigantea But Yu ”Forest of Thorns,” and ended up thinking the antea, so she didn't feel satisfied with things being cleaned up this abruptly
(Ahh… but the topic's already completely about Christmas)
Completely, but also inco her exaht about that, she realized this was no different than a peeping tom
(In the end, I was just another of Rosa Gigantea's stalker-ghosts)
Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida, Sachiko-sama, Rei-sa proactive was because they weren't acting out of curiosity
She felt a little, well, no, considerably depressed Being such a shallow, easily excitable person see
She was feeling so ecstatic after being chosen by Sachiko-saence,that ca she'd never be able to attain
(… Depressing yourself more and more to the point where you can't even stand back up on your own I'm so stupid)
Just as she felt herself hanging her head in sha fell from overhead and hit her square in the forehead
After one bounce, it landed next to Yu object was a silvery sphere, and remarkably small When she lifted it, she realized it was chocolate, wrapped in silver paper
When Yuhtly with her hands on the table Everyone else simply continued their discussion
(What is it, Rosa Gigantea?)
When she lipped the question, this tiantea opened both of her hands
(10?)
Then she ers
(X?)
Then she opened her palain, and then pointed to her face
(Ten, X, ten, face?)
She didn't understand When she twisted her face in thought, Rosa Gigantea repeated her ain, but this time she lipped her words
(Ten times ten)
10x10… was, of course, 100 100, and face…? ”Life's many phases!?”
Yumi stood up Of course, the maidens' discussion came to an abrupt halt, and everyone looked at Yumi
”What? Yu to say?”
Rosa Foetida asked, like she was asking a child a question
”Ah… umm No, -I'm sorry”
Blushi+ng red, she sat down
”Don't be half-asleep”
Sachiko-sama cautioned with a whisper
(I wasn't half-asleep, though…)
As for the ringleader, her shoulders were visibly treonally across from Yumi, and she even had tears in her eyes
(And I orried over this person…)
It began to seeative
”Sachiko-, let me borrow Yumi-chan”
As the tea party caantea wrapped an arm around Yumi's neck and shouted
”Well, I don't mind, but-”
”Don't worry, don't worry, I won't strip her down and play with her”
”… If you keepsuch jokes, I may refuse”
Sachiko-sa used to it, as she side-stepped Rosa Gigantea's teasing
”U?”
The captive Yuantea was the type to spontaneously hug and kiss souard
”Ok That's disappointing, but I'll pro her”
Turning about, Rosa Gigantea dragged Yumi with her and this ti to borrow Yoshi+no-san
”As long as Yoshi+no is fine with it”
Rather than give an order, like Sachiko-sama, Rei-sama cheerfully consented
”Why Rei doesn't say anything? That's si to Yoshi+no-chan”
Rosa Gigantea cackled
”Eh!? … wait, why just me?”
Why was she bait for an evil senior?
”I guess it's because your reaction is awesoreat, too Two delicious sœur with one grain of rice -Thank you, with respect”
She could find no words of retort Because it was a reply with such clarity But ”with respect”? Lillian's a Catholic school, not a Buddhist one…
”- anyways The three of us will finish cleaning, so everyone o ahead”
While she spoke in polite ter to si to start, kicking everyone out? Well, Yoshi+no-san ith her, so she assu
Then, farewell -said they, as ”everyone” filed out of the second-floor room Sachiko-sama still had a dubious look, but she had business to deal with in the afternoon, so she reluctantly followed Rei-sama down the stairs
”Shall I lend a hand?”
shi+mako-san asked, last Well, Yu, so as a fellow first-year student, it wasn't surprising she would wonder if she should stay to help, too And it was also strange that she would be left out, being the little sister of Rosa Gigantea
”Nope, not especially”
Rosa Gigantea's words had no hiddenbehind them It's hard to explain, but between sisters, words often have s like, ”Actually I want you to stay,” or ”I have so to do with Yoshi+no-chan and Yuanteashi+mako-san out
”Is that so Well, farewell, then”
Hey, wait, you're just going to back down? But when she looked at shi+mako-san, she simply smiled, and even said, ”I'm sorry you have to put up with onee-sama”
”Gokigenyou”
As always, shi+e of the soft, curled hair stayed in Yumi's mind
”Is it bad if shi+mako-san stays?”
Yoshi+no-san probably felt the saantea
”Why? If shi+mako wanted to stay, I wouldn't have minded”
”But the way you said it, I don't think she'd be able to stay even if she wanted, right, Yumi-san?”
Yoshi+no-san, excited by the response, looked for agreement from Yumi
”Really? Yumi-chan”
Rosa Gigantea looked like she wanted to say ”I really don't understand,” as she looked at Yumi
”If I were shi+one”
”Hmm”
What did she o chase down shi+antea stayed put in her seat, without any hint of wanting to move
”If you want, I could go-”
When Yumi started toward the biscuit-shaped door, she was stopped
”Ah, don't worry about it”
”Why?”
”Even if shi+mako were told not to stay, if she wanted to stay, she would stay on her own accord”
”What?”
”That's how it is So don't worry about it”
She felt like she'd just been thrown a santea sounded confident, so she left it at that
”Is that how it is”
Yumi and Yoshi+no-san tilted their head to the side and were forced to simply accept it as fact In that case, as shi+antea?
”Yumi-chan, Yoshi+no-chan, I don't care who, do one of you have 'Forest of Thorns' with you?”
”Ah, yes”
Both of thes Yuantea pointed to it
”May I borrow it?”
”Sure What are you going to do?”
”If sooing to read it Did you think I was going to make steith it?”
”No, autograph, or so”
”Suga Sei? … that's not even funny, Yumi-chan”
But she was laughing, anyways But if she was going to read ”Forest of Thorns” now, it definitely meant she wasn't the author
”Well, shall we start cleaning?”
”… Yeah”
The person who brought theun reading, so Yu the teacups fro the leftovers of the cookies
”Secret skill, instantaneous teakettle technique!”
Yoshi+no-san poured the hot water fro tub, filled it ater, and then dunked the cups, spoons and sponge into it
”We can just wash it in here, and then use the faucet to rinse Right?”
”That's a good idea, but… Yoshi+no-san, you've been reading ninja stories instead of just fencer stories as of late, haven't you?”
”I've been had”
The sink water had become colder, and it reminded Yumi that by the time they went deeper into winter, it would freeze
(… cold water)
Cold air
A reen forest Sealed away by thorny tendrils, the forest where Sei's feelings were asleep
The sense of cold re-awakened the scene in ”Forest of Thorns” in Yumi's mind Sei and Kahori held each other's hands, and wandered through the forest, finding a place to rest, that sort of scene
She could feel herself tearing up just by re it
Worn out fro pills along with the cooled tea When they ran out of pills, they intertwined their fingers so they wouldn't be separated, and kissed, for the first and last time
”Wow, thanks for your hard work”
Like she was parading into that world of illusions wearing shoes, Rosa Gigantea crept up behind them with her usual old-man-like methods
”You already finished?”
Yoshi+no-san, iping the table with a rag, glanced at her wristwatch
”Of course not You can't read a novel in ten, fifteen minutes”
True Plus she'd never heard about Rosa Gigantea having incredible fast-reading skills
”Both of you worked hard, so I paused to give you two a reward Of course, I'll go back to reading in a bit”
”What do you think of it so far?”
Is what Yoshi+no-san asked, but Yulanced at Yuhter, turned back to Yoshi+no-san She had to have, no, she ht-forward like this?
”Well I'm not that far into it so I can't say… I can see why some people would think I wrote it”
As she spoke, Rosa Gigantea reached into her pocket, took our two slips of paper and waved them in front of Yumi's face
”Here, the reward you were so eagerly awaiting”
”What is this?”
They were slips of colored paper that had been marked with a rubber stamp When she looked closely, she noticed it read, ”Pasta” They were meal tickets for pasta, used by university students
”I forget when, but I stayed late to help ave me those two tickets as thanks Eat soo home But I didn't have any friends that stay that late into the evening, and the food courts close at four, anyways”
I see On the back of the tickets was the third-year wisteria-class ho, h-school students weren't able to use the university food court, but if they received teacher permission, it was okay, but they'd have to receive their teacher's signature on the back of the tickets
”And, I just kept them Because two is not an easy number to find”
They were lacking one, if the Roses wanted to go together And it would be aard for her to go alone to the university food court, with her outstanding uniform, twice
”Then, you could have gone with shi+mako-san”
Yoshi+no-san said, exasperated For Yoshi+no-san, two seemed to shout out sisters Like, if Rei-sama received two meal tickets, Yoshi+no-san was supposed to be invited
”With shi+ across from each other, what do we talk about?”
Rosa Gigantea asked She'd never even given it any thought, before
”Anything What you two talk about normally”
”We don't really talk much”
”But, you're sisters!?”
”shi+mako is precious An irreplaceable little sister But we prefer not to interfere with one another That's more comfortable for both of us”
”That's…”
Yoshi+no-san gave it serious thought It was probably incoether, and her relationshi+p was so intiantea simply preferred ”that kind” of relationshi+p
If Rosa Gigantea and Yoshi+no-san were at the opposite ends of the spectruantea's side than the htly
”But if we both have one ticket, there's nothing left for Rosa Gigantea”
”Oh, I don't need any You two go ahead”
”But We could split two ramen with three people”
Yu to have a h to satisfy her, so she'd cootten about discretion
”More important, I want to read So, I'd actually prefer it if you two took your time”
”So we're an intrusion?”
”Frankly”
”… I could let you borrow the book without any interest for a week”
Yuantea needed to read the book now, to the point of treating her juniors to a h in reality she received the meal tickets, herself)
”If I go home, I'll lose interest Sorry, could you just let me read it, here?”
I guess that's how it is -Yued Yoshi+no-san off to the pasta cafeteria
”Hey- you forgot so”
Just as they stepped out of the Rose Mansion, they heard Rosa Gigantea's voice from above
”What?”
When they stepped out toward theout of the
”Sorry, could you get canned coffee fro machine by the cafeteria on the way back? The small, hot, black one”
And she was unprepared for the s at her ”Gyah”
The reason she was able to catch it anyas not because of the catcher's skill, but because the pitcher's control was incredibly good
”Instead of a tip, you two can buy a can for yourself, too Well, have fun”
Without waiting for a response, the second-floor as shut The two on the ground looked at the tasteful purse in Yuhed
”Rosa Gigantea…”
”… is unfathomable”
”Let's go”
”… yeah”
It wasn't because they were hungry, but they suddenly felt exhausted And they walked wordlessly to the pasta cafeteria
Rosa Gigantea was alright as an ”acquaintance senior,” but she was probably extreave them meal tickets or threw purses at them
Sachiko-saht-forward, so once you figured out her pattern, she wasn't that difficult Rosa Gigantea was a lot more twisted, so her real self seemed to be hidden behind layers and layers
So shi+antea, was incredible, Yuh the windy, university grounds
The pasta cafeteria was by the university school store
Including the kitchen, it was about the size of a single classrooet sandwiches, coffee and cake (or so I hear) The school store, cafeteria and café all
As for the reason why it was standing in between the school dining hall and the university buildings was that, as you probably i, so they built it afterwards
It was some time after noon, and as it was just before break, the university was fairly vacated, too, so the pasta cafeteria was rather empty
As they had no real choice, the two quickly ordered ramen and handed the lady behind the counter their meal tickets
”I just put out the fire, so it ht take a bit”
The lady said, as she checked the stamps behind the tickets Because there were few people re to save expenses Business see the kitchen, where you ht expect two or three
”We're not in any hurry”
Yoshi+no-san innocently s?” That she could sht be one type of natural talent And there couldn't be that many people that would see that and feel ill will
”Alright, I'll start up the fire again”
The lady tossed the tickets into a specific box, heaved herself off the seat andpot
”Go ahead and take a seat, I'll call you then it's done”
They nodded and took a seat at the edge Even though there were no other people, they didn't feel co
”It'sat the pasta cafeteria”
”Same”
Yumi and Yoshi+no-san looked around and lowered their shoulders They'd attended Lillian since kindergarten, but this was outside of their own territory, so it felt like they were on an adventure They weren't doing anything bad, but their heart beat rapidly It was probably si a chocolate ball for the first time
”It ht take a bit, she said”
”I wonder how long”
Well, Rosa Gigantea had told theood way to spend ti, in only about five minutes, they heard, ”It's done” Gosh, how many seconds does it take normally, then?
When they went up together to receive their bowls, the lady advised them to wear a handkerchief down from their neck Apparently ramen soup splashes no matter how hard you try
”I see… I guess it would be a pain if it ended up on this ivory collar”
It was a bit baby-ish and e it, so the two of the a handkerchief from their collar and split their chopsticks The ra with shredded spring onions, dried seaweed and soaked bamboo shoots
”Itadakima-su”
First, a sip of the soup
”… It's good”
”Yes”
The warm soup had a thick taste of soy sauce, and it felt like it spread throughout her body froantea, left behind at the Rose Mansion, could have had a sip
”Rosa Gigantea,”
Yoshi+no-san mumbled after a mouthful of noodle
”I wonder why she made us stay”
”Eh…?”
Chewing off a bit of pork filet, Yu puzzled
”Because if she just wanted to borrow 'Forest of Thorns,' as Yuht? If she didn't want to read it at home, she could read it on the train-ride home And if she didn't want to borrow it for a whole week, she could just buy it at a book store, right?”
”But it's free if she borrows it, so that ht be why?”
Not that she was too stingy to pay four-hundred soht, so Yumi said it, anyways
”If you think about three peoples' worth of canned coffee, you could buy 'Forest of Thorns'”
Well, that's true But she couldn't think of any other reason, so she gave up
What started this all, anyways, she thought, but even though things really began two or three days ago, it felt extre had vanished beyond the ra power, already not particularly gifted, seemed to deteriorate further
”How about, we're so cute, she wanted to treat us to ramen”
”Yu”
Yoshi+no-san sighed, exasperated, and returned to her ramen Carefully, so as to not splash the soup, several yellow noodles were sucked into her pink lips
Yuhly 30 minutes since they left the Rose Mansion An hour minus 30 minutes was another 30 minutes
(It would be close)
If they kept eating raht be able to have spent an entire hour without needing to kill time elsewhere
(But the rao bad)
But she didn't want the soup to splash onto her unifor to do other than to learn from Yoshi+no-san and carefully eat little portions of the noodle at a time
Even if the ban on entering the pasta cafeteria were lifted, you could say with utmost confidence that there was no risk of ainto the building Because eating ra your clothes was a difficult and ti task
In the kitchen, one of the ladies that was resting outside had apparently returned, and they began closing the store in earnest
”Was there coffee?”
Rosa Gigantea's greeting to Yumi and Yoshi+no-san, who'd arrived back at the Rose Mansion, was not ”welco, because it sounded like she was more interested in the coffee than her cute juniors
”… Yes”
Rosa Gigantea ju ”coffee, coffee,” so Yumi handed her the requested coffee and the purse
”If you wanted to drink coffee that much, you could have made instant coffee”
”I wasn't feeling like instant coffee Actually if I had thingsblue mountain coffee at a coffee shop”
She pulled back the can's pull-top, gulped down the coffee, and sighed It was a sulp
”Instant coffee < canned coffee < fresh-made coffee?”
”Yup How about you, Yoshi+no-chan?”
”In my opinion, it's more about the amount of milk, rather than type Oh, and temperature”
”The mild faction You're the same as Yumi-chan”
”I'h”
Yoshi+no-san waved her can of café au lait, with scaled-back sweetness, next to her face, said ”gochisousahed
”What did Yuet-?”
After being called a sweet-tooth, it became aard to show it And aantea chased her around, ”Come on, show it”
”I wonder who bought you that drink?”
Gosh, sponsors are powerful Rosa Gigantea pinned Yurabbed the can
Three, two, one
”Bwahahahah”
As expected, after three seconds, Rosa Gigantea's hearty laugh echoed through the second floor of the Rose Mansion
”What is this? Canned sweet red-bean soup!? These things exist!? And they're sold at a university vending machine, so there's even a demand for them!?”
”… Probably, even the reserve forces, a high school girl, just bought one”
She'd becohter, so Yumi turned defiant and answered Yes, she's a sweet-tooth What's wrong with being a sweet-tooth… that sort of attitude
”I see Hmm…”
Rosa Gigantea ads are” It seemed like she seriously didn't know canned sweet red-bean soup existed before, so when Yumi told her there were even canned sweet half sake, she becaain
The two of theantea was sitting in by the , and they sat down facing each other The sunlight shi+ning through the glass hile just a bit, felt warm
The canned drinks, which were hot and