Volume 8 Chapter 1 (1/2)
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In this world, there are so about it One such exaht whine or plead, it was not possible to stop ti Even those born into rich families weren't exempt from this harsh reality
Now that February was over, the third-years photographed in the yearbook were looking off into the distance, and thatBut it was different now to the earlier vague feeling of unease, with the realization that they were actually going to be gone causing the feeling of imminent loneliness to close in on her
Even as she was dreading the thought of it, March eventually arrived The events to send off the graduating seniors caraduation countdown board in front of the office read ”2 days to go”
”Are you alright?”
As they walked along the passage between the gyently touched Yumi's shoulder
”Why do you ask?”
When Yuht in front of her eyes was a neatly folded cloth being offered to her
” … Umm”
It was un offered a handkerchief, did that mean -
”Do you think I've been crying?”
”Oh, was I wrong? Your shoulders were shi+vering the entire ti class, Yumi-san”
”That was probably from the cold”
Working in the unheated gyh
”But I thought I saw you sobbing”
”I was just sniffling You kno sounds echo in the gy my nose”
The first-years had worked in silence - even when they weren't listening to instruction fro to talk, and the preparations for the ceres a somber mood
”Ahh, I see Then have one of these, Yumi-san”
shi+mako-san put the handkerchief back in her pocket and instead pulled out a packet of tissues and offered them to Yumi
”Ah … thanks”
Yuratitude then took a tissue and blew her nose as hard as she could
Ah-pffft
Her ears were ringing
Yu in the cold air wasn't because of allergies, or dry eye, or anything like that
Her tehtest stimulus
But for now she wanted to appear strong
Beside her, shi+mako-san's eyes were also red
”Only two days now”
”Don't say that It's getting me down”
Yumi dabbed at her eye with the corner of the used tissue If she left it alone, then the production of tears wouldn't stop, and she really would end up with dry eye
”You're right”
shi+ it much more acutely than Yumi
That was surely because her onee-saraduation cere away
”Yu-mi-chan”
A voice called out to her, then before she had a chance to turn around she was e around her body She'd been right in thea bamboo broom to sweep the tree-lined path, so was at her most vulnerable
”Gya … ”
Yumi instinctively started to cry out, but since she'd become quite accustomed to this sort of attack she toned it down and ended with a comparatively restrained, ”Ahh” This was her response to the alantea's request
But so felt off, and as she tilted her head in puzzlement, the disappointed voice of her sexual harasser reached her ears
”Hmmpf”
”… ”Hmmpf” ?”
She got a surprise when she looked over her shoulder There was Rosa Chinensis
”Is this a joke?”
Hastily she jumped away
In a sense, it was a bigger shock than when she was e in this sort of game? Look, over there, not tenat them, frozen to the spot
”Tch”
”Tch?”
Even the way she was talking was a bit strange It was a strange, new sensation, like the vengeful spirit of Rosa Gigantea had switched bodies
”I failed at hugging Yumi-chan's soft body”
Rosa Chinensis sulkily kicked a pebble
”Sei said you roar like a baby dinosaur, so I was looking forward to hearing your voice”
Yu that would be an appropriate comeback So she silently watched the pebble that Rosa Chinensis kicked as it tumbled off the path and disappeared into the bushes
She'd got stuck on the word ”Sei”
Recently, the Roses had been referring to each other by their naed, or coincidence, she didn't know But Yumi had witnessed that sort of scene numerous times
She wasn't coping particularly ith hearing the real naht nothing of it when she heard their na way
When Yuh-school, the Roses were already the Roses So hearing their real nah the three of thehteen
So for the Roses to return to using their real naer everyone's onee-sama, and Yumi didn't like that
It was unfair, although she had no right to ht that they shouldn't be acting like they've graduated already, since the ceremony hadn't taken place yet
”I thought I'd give it a go just once”
”What are you talking about?”
”Being the Yu-raduated, right?”
Yu she didn't want to leave it undone She felt a bit sad, since itbeyond Lillian's It was a lonely feeling, like she was being left behind
”Since I' to Lillian's University and all”
This year's three Roses had all declined the option of priority place the path of entrance exah they were all brilliant students and would have been accepted into any course at Lillian's University Such a waste Well, they were actually ined, because despite Lillian's Girls Acade them all that well for entrance exams, they had passed their exams and been accepted, so would all be university students from April
” … You'll have to come and visit some time”
”We'll see”
Rosa Chinensis smiled softly But that was all
Yumi knew that ”We'll see” wasn't ”Yes” Rosa Chinensis probably knew it too When April arrived and her new school life started, she may not look back at Lillian's Girls Academy
Rosa Chinensis wasn't the type to get nostalgic and coht it hard to leave, she wouldn't have applied to another university and would have stayed at Lillian's She was that kind of forthright person
”Yu, haven't you? Are you doing anything after that?”
”No, not really I was just going to go to the Rose Mansion like usual … ”
While the ”Third-Years' Farewell Party” and the ”Roses Going Away Party” were safely co, so Yuh because the third-years were all comfortably retired, and their petit soeurs weren't yet reliable It was even worse for shi+mako-san, asn't a second-year, so didn't have a petit soeur to act as her personal assistant
”Hoho, the Rose Mansion Come with me then, just for a little while”
”Come with you?”
Rosa Chinensis picked up the broom, handed it to one of Yu, ”Can you take this?” then put her ar away
”Ah, umm, Rosa Chinensis”
Taking so
”It's fine, don't worry You should spend sorandmother every once in a while”
So, the place that her ”granded her to was Milk Hall
”Come on, don't be shy, drink up, drink up”
”Okay … ”
Hot ulp down, even if urged to To make matters worse, she was supposed to drink it directly frorumbled about this, Rosa Chinensis lowered her voice and said:
”Silly Yumi-chan What would happen if warm milk came in a carton?”
”What would happen?”
She timidly asked The topic of the conversation wasdirection However
”A hot milk carton would be ominous, no?”
”Huh?”
Rosa Chinensis' answer didn't do anything to reassure her
”The ot too hot Or there could be proble I' about”
”Ah, that sounds reasonable”
Then Rosa Chinensis laughed and said, ”Calling it oh” Oh, so that was a joke, huh
”And that's why you shouldn't drink hot drinks through a straw”
”Why's that?”
The ht it was still a joke and prepared to laugh, but Rosa Chinensis answered without s
”Because you'll burn your mouth”
Completely serious
” … Did you, perhaps, try it as an experiment?”
”Of course Duringmiso soup”
Straw, seventh winter, miso soup Were those the key words she had to use in an improv sketch?
”But, why?”
”Who knows The spirit of adventure, perhaps”
A seven year old child with the spirit of adventure That was incredible
”Your parents didn't stop you?”
”Why would they? It was so their child was interested in”
It's not as though she was going to die froue Rosa Chinensis' household see Because of that, they'd produced such a strong lady
”What?”
”Ah, nothing I just thought you'd be able to study hard and give the men a run for their money”
As soon as she said it, Yuraduation on her own Would her tear ducts be getting another workout?
Since Yumi had been at Lillian's since preschool, until now she'd never really thought about going to another university Much less a co-ed one She didn't have Sachiko-sama's fear of men, but she had a hunch she wouldn't be able to study peacefully if there was a guy at the desk beside hers
”Yep That's right”
”And the law department You could be a lawyer or a prosecutor”
”I wonder”
As she said this, Rosa Chinensis stood up, then walked over to the vendingYumi
”I set hts on the law department because I'm interested in law Lillian's university doesn't have a law departo so, it doesn't really ht?”
”I suppose”
”Well, Eriko's interested in the unusual, so whether it was a girls school or a co-ed school was important to her Hey, did you hear?”
”About what?”
”To keep herself entertained, Eriko took the entrance exams for a bunch of different faculties She didn't care whether it was hu else Then she passed the one out of a hat”
So that's why she was in the Fine Arts departle word about liking art
”A true masterpiece”
Still, even though she made fun of her close friend, Rosa Chinensis had made her choice not because it was her nu the entrance exam on the best day of her life (Valentine's Day) had been a good omen
”But best of all was Sei”
Tears fell as Rosa Chinensis laughed
”Umm, tell me Rosa Chinensis, why did you choose to study law?”
Seeing the tears accoed the topic She'd had quite enough of talking about the people she loved going far, far away
”Well, in my case”
Rosa Chinensis took a handkerchief fro tears
”I realized I wanted to become an artist, and that's the ideal situation”
”Huh!?”
Had Yumi misheard? What she heard Rosa Chinensis say just noas that she was going to the law department, but she wanted to be an artist But wasn't Rosa Foetida supposed to be the one going to the Fine Arts college?
”Figuratively speaking”
Rosa Chinensis laughed As she laughed, she poked the attached straw into the carton of strawberrymachine earlier
”With art, you don't study it because you're looking for a job, you just enjoy painting, then when you realize that, you want to become an artist Isn't that how it is?”
”So you're studying law because you want to become a lawyer?”
Even as she asked, Yu what Rosa Chinensis was doing with her hands After finally putting the straw in, she i?
”Right Although saying I wanted to do so to help people sounds more persuasive”
But the other as fine too It irl
”Well, I'eon, Rosa Chinensis”
”Why's that?”
”Because it wouldup people's bodies, then you realized that, and decided to becoeon”
”… I wouldn't want that sort of surgeon operating on me even if I was dead”
”Well, you wouldn't be dead when they started”
Yuht face
”That's for sure!”
Rosa Chinensis voice rose as she laughed without restraint
”You really are funny, Yumi-chan!”
”Hey, what exactly are you doing with your hand while laughing so hard!?”
As soon as she saas happening, Yurabbed Rosa Chinensis' wrist, but it was too late
”What a”
After blowing on the ed to drink about a third of her bottle, and it was into this empty space that Rosa Chinensis poured the strawberryit out the hole previously occupied by the straw
”Wh-h”
While watching Yumi sputter in confusion, Rosa Chinensis asked:
”Why? Is that what you wanted to ask?”