Volume 3 Chapter 4 (1/2)
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I' in my forest of thorns
Because I left ed since ere sixteen
December 24th
Along with being Christ ceremonies for the second seh school
While the world is lively for it being a merry Christ cake with her faht, so she wasn't particularly excited And while winter break began tomorrow, they'd be on break since the end of exa special
More i cereot, others, who lived a more normal life, definitely did Yuory, but her New Year's Gift and her allowance hinged on her grades, so it was like a life-threatening matter, anyways
”Sigh”
”Yu”
Click
Tsutako-san presented the ca, ”Look, it's a new one!” and appeared in front of Yu a medicine box over his head But it wouldn't look like the Edo-period group without at least an aid with her
”Fufufu, Tsutako-san knows The reason you're sighing like that”
Tsutako-san looked happy, having found the perfect remedy to boredom
They'd arrived at school far earlier than usual today The schedule today was a quick, simple home room session, and then a Christmas Eve Mass at the sanctuary
”Yumi-san's concerns number one Report card”
”Pretty much”
They hadn't been returned their marked tests, but she could estimate her marks based on how difficult she found it Tests were simply to measure hoell you understood the lessons, the teachers always said, but she wasn't naïve enough to believe that entirely
”Number two The year's end cards you haven't mailed out yet”
”Ah!”
She accidentally shouted Forgetthem, they've cos in favor of Rosa Gigantea's incident Year's end cards after exaave her about thirty cards, and she stuffed theet about the sure to send the cards early
”Yu dementia”
Hoorriso aith her ca pictures of the elderly?
”But the biggest reason for sighing would obviously be Rosa Chinensis en bouton”
”---” That was the truth
They hadn't seen each other for a week, so she even woke up earlier than normal But she felt it was too persistent and audacious to wait for Sachiko-saate, so she simply stumbled into her classroom
What a fool, at least if she wandered the halls she ret plenty of things, but if she were strong-willed enough to ht still in with
(Plus)
Because the closing ceremonies were today, they wouldn't be able totomorrow And if she saw Sachiko-sa farewell
Given Sachiko-sae probability that they wouldn't be able to ain next semester Actually, it's not even just a probability, it's aluaranteed
How lonely, she thought They didn't live a few steps from each other like Yoshi+no-san And they weren't separate like Rosa Gigantea and shi+mako-san, so she didn't feel fine if they never met
This ht be the first time in her life she felt lonely while school was on break She wondered if Sachiko-sama ever felt like this
It felt unfair
Her second serades weren't as bad as she feared
But she still didn't feel like her day was any brighter, so the reason for her gloominess was Sachiko-sama, after all
There's a Mass for students on Christmas Eve Fundamentally, you're free to participate if you wish, but most people attend, anyways
This daymany students in a Catholic school prayed Even students who intended to go on a date with their boyfriends later on attended Mass Most non-attendees' reasons were like, going out to a different Mass with their fa to be away because they volunteered to help with a Christ pretty serious about it
”Hey, over here”
At the front of the sanctuary, Rosa Gigantea waved her hand
They'd come from the saether, both went to ”here” Even thoughin and out of the sanctuary, it was a pretty bombastic action to take in a sacred place She wanted her to stop, because she becaet of it
”We've got plenty of seats, so sit down, sit down, oh, Yumi-chan, you sit here”
She froze when she sahere Rosa Gigantea pointed Right next to the empty seat was Sachiko-sama
”O, onee-sama…”
”What are you surprised about? How rude”
Of course she'd be surprised
Because she'd assumed on her own they'd first see each other at the Rose Mansion after Mass, it felt like she'd been hit by a surprise attack She didn't think Rosa Gigantea would secure seats for everyone, so she thought she would sit in the back or somewhere discrete like that, and secretly admire Sachiko-sama froht may have been
”Onee-saokigenyou”
”Oh hush, just sit down”
Sachiko-sama coldly said
”… Yes”
Like a pet dog who'd leapt with joy at its owner returning ho overexcited Ahh, but even if she was scolded, she felt at peace just being by her side
When Yuood manners, she noticed shi+antea, naturally A soft distance between them, like their arms may or may not touch, but it felt like that here shi+ed
It was a ”White Rose Incident,” to quote Minako-saly suppressed, despite it being the last day before vacation Maybe it was because Rosa Gigantea flat-out refuted everything in front of the first-years, or maybe they were placated by Cosmos books' countermeasures Or maybe they si about Rosa Gigantea in class anymore At worst, it would si ”Forest of Thorns,” being behind the times
The newspaper club didn't e to turn it into an article, either
”During the break, did you fare well?” Sachiko-sa forward
”Ah, yes”
”I did wonder what you were up to, but I hope you didn't do anything absurd”
Like she saw through everything Well, it was true, so she couldn't say anything back
”It's not that I don't trust you”
She wasn't even looking at her, but Sachiko-saled, and re-worded herself
”Even if I trust you, I can't help but be concerned about my little sister when I can't see you Especially because I was out of the country because of circu my father's work”
”What?”
”I was in France”
She said it so matter-of-factly, like she said she was in shi+njuku Yumi was so stunned all she could say was, ”Oh, is that what happened”
But
Oh, Sachiko-sama was out of the country
Then it was obviously they couldn't see each other during the break It began feeling foolish, how she felt lonesome on her own
The choir entered, so she had to stay silent, but she resolved to tell Sachiko-sa the break after Mass ended
Even if Sachiko-sama didn't show that much interest She would just speak quickly
She had to become proactive
They were such similar sisters, in that they were both just a hair off of co well
”What is this?”
After one step into the Rose Mansion, Yumi became wide-eyed at the scene in front of her
”What? It's a Christmas party”
Rosa Foetida said, with a ”what are you talking about?” face
”Christmas, party?”
”Oh, Yuht not know about these things You know, since ancient ti a party on the day before Jesus' birthday But the only rule is, you're not supposed to ask why Because that's just how it is”
Whispered Rosa Gigantea into Yu entered after her -Gosh, they're co with her No one asked what Christmas party meant, and the explanation was absurd, too
Absurd, could also work for this room
She could understand why they'd want to decorate the room for a party But the room was filled with little trinkets to the point where you wouldn't see this even at a kindergarten party
(It's like the July 7th festival instead of Christmas)
Links ami, cookie-shaped stars s Rosa Chinensis even happily pasted alu's crown, then made flowers out of tissue paper
(I guess this is called going full circle?)
When you beco, in turn, beco and fresh, too
They wereshe could to try not to be surprised by everything But she still felt like they surprised her on a daily basis
”Yu about party preparations”
Rei-sama painted a roll of castella with cocoa-colored whipped cream to make instant cake
”Bûche de Noël!”
”Pretty extravagant for being ht?”
Rei-sahed, proud, and let Yuhtly bitter taste melted in her mouth
”Shall I help out somewhere?”
Yoshi+no-san and shi+ joy away fro decorations like a kindergarten girl, would uilty, and she certainly couldn't assist inthe table, Rosa Foetida ht lash out at her
Sachiko-saot at Mass, and wasn't back yet
”Do you want a job?”
She'd coht behind her, and so she asked, wrapping her arms around Yumi's neck
”I've got a good job fer ye righty ho, let's beour way yarr”
Who was she supposed to be?
”Umm, what do you want-”
”Oh just co sis to a nice place, okay?”
”A nice place!?”
Not allowing any co Yumi off, ar this happening, si, ”Have fun, just antea could do whatever she pleased