Volume 8 Chapter 9 (2/2)
Even when talking to an older student, she was able to put forward a sound argument As expected from Youko's petit soeur - I quietly marveled at this
Little by little, the nu us started to increase A dispute between Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Chinensis en bouton This kind of interesting spectacle didn't happen all that often
However
”You're serious about shi+mako?”
”Yes”
We didn't have any spare capacity to pay attention to our surroundings Scratch that, I was the only one without the spare capacity, Sachiko was sie them
”These last fewToudou shi+mako of my own accord Consequently, I've come to the conclusion that she is an indispensable resource to the Yamayurikai”
”So you'd take her as a petit soeur because she's indispensable to the Yamayurikai?”
I couldn't read Sachiko's heart But as long as she didn't deliver a knock-out blow by saying that she wanted shi+mako as her petit soeur, then I wouldn't accept them as soeurs
”What sort of reason would you accept, I wonder Would it be more persuasive if I said I chose her because of her face?”
I saw red, instinctively balling my hand into a fist Why was it that I was still upset by baded to restrain my fist within my skirt pocket
After giving lance, Sachiko said:
”If you value shi+mako that much, why don't you ask her yourself?”
”What's that about me and shi+mako … !?”
I was flustered when the conversation turned towards ht of it shi+mako couldn't be anyone's petit soeur So she'd naturally be at the Rose Mansion
There are other ways of ht back to what Youko had said So that was it, if she became Sachiko's petit soeur, then she would be Rosa Chinensis the year after next
shi+ Sachiko's petit soeur Indeed, she didn't need to seek permission from anyone
Perhaps I had been the first to spot shi+ an intimate relationshi+p with anyone Despite that, I wanted to keep shi+ person
So now that Sachiko had made her move, it was a mess I lost my cool
Was there value in having shi+mako? - Almost certainly
However
Even if it was all done and dusted, I fundaive up
”What do you know about shi+mako?”
In response to my question, Sachiko said, ”Not much,” and tilted her head
”But treating her the e currently are is no good for her That much I do know”
”Ah”
”It can't stay the way it is We either have to let her go, or someone has to officially take her as their petit soeur and bring her in to the Rose Mansion”
I was lost for words
”Ah … ”
Right
Why hadn't I noticed? How had I forgotten? Just what it was that shi+ht now
”Alright”
I agreedthe one who best understood shi+otten theand it took my junior, Sachiko, to teach me that A coht from the start
”Alright, but I' over shi+mako”
Soan to grow
”So what do you intend to do?”
Sachiko asked, looking dubious Then I hit her with a declaration of war
”Make her my petit soeur”
The audience gathered behind Sachiko went ”Ooooh” Perfect No turning back now
”… You're going to come from behind and snatch her away?”
”Don't be absurd, I' After all, shi+ht?”
In that case, this conversation was taking place before the start line
No,around, but as long as the finishi+ng tape hadn't been cut, there was still tih
And if the tape had been cut -I'd come from behind and snatch her away
”Why would you think that?”
The bell signaling that class would soon begin rang out as Sachiko spoke
”Why?”
I said, swiftly turning away
”Because I'm obviously better for shi+mako”
Looking back overSachiko
I was confident of victory
Sachiko would never sacrifice a lesson to participate in the war for shi+mako
I reh the hallway
First-year peach group
With the bells for the beginning of class still ringing, I was taken froantea
”Ah, umm … !?”
”Come on”
Rosa Gigantea paid no heed to ainst the current of class to the classroo class to be unthinkable, I didn't hate the way Rosa Gigantea was pullinguncomfortably fast
”Where to? I won't run away”
I asked, in front of the e
”Ah, sorry”
Rosa Gigantea let go ofit
Since my teacher was usually punctual, I wouldn't be able to make it even if I started back now But even if I could have antea alone here just to get back to class
With both our weights pushi+ng on it, the heavy door opened and the gust of wind that blew in ruffled my hair
Rosa Gigantea and I stepped out of the school building together
Had she , or had it been the end result of ai beneath the cherry trees where we had first met
”Although there's a finite time limit to it”
Rosa Gigantea said, looking straight at me
”Please be my petit soeur”
Were those the words that I'd been expecting? No, although so for
”I can't say I'll be a typical onee-sama, but I definitely think I'll be perfect for you I won't restrain you, you'll still be able to do whatever you like Besides”
”Umm … ”
I interrupted Rosa Gigantea's speech
Rosa Gigantea didn't know about my circumstances If she kneould she still want me as her petit soeur?
But I didn't kno to coantea, I could tell her anything But how to do it withouther carry half of my burdens Whether she rejected antea
”You don't want to?”
”Not at all!”
I vigorously shook my head
”But”
”No buts All I want to hear is yes or no”
Rosa Gigantea looked straight atto accept any other words than those
”I - ”
I stopped mid-sentence and, with a sense of relief, realized that there was no value to what I had been intending to say My distress was because I had been underesti this person called Satou Sei
She wasn't interested in what I was carrying or being burdened by She didn't know the reason But what she was saying was that she illing to accept me the person exactly as I was
So I could temporarily set down h armor as I was now
Like two people who had chosen to rest in the shade of the sa journeys We could probably be together even if we didn't talk about ourselves While knowing that at some point ould have to resuain so the others presence
Without words
We ought to be close to each other
”Please make me your petit soeur”
I took the hand she offered me
”Alright”
”I look forward to our tiether”
Although it took the form of a handshake, it couldn't be disers were e and I felt completely at ease
”Ah, right The rosary”
Rosa Gigantea unfastened the rosary that ound around her right wrist like a bracelet, and h reconsidering, she wrapped it around my wrist
”This way's simpler”
As though I could take it off at any tiantea had chosen the wrist to lessen the burden on me
Faint traces of her body heat remained in the rosary
”Um”
I said, as Rosa Gigantea smiled with apparent satisfaction that the rosary had been safely conferred to my wrist
”Hmm?”
”Shouldn't we go back to class?”
”Huh?”
”Class If we go noe'll only be about 15 minutes late”
”shi+mako, you're way too serious”
”Onee-sah”
Onee-sama
It was a little bit e it and the one being called it
”What can you do? Coo”
My onee-saht hand and took off
”Such extremes”
WithThe rosary aroundfroertips
How co it was
Running like this, hand-in-hand with someone
In antea's fans
I'm sorry But she is definitely someone that I need
Just six months
With two years separating us, that was all the tiether
The day of our inevitable parting was six months away
But until then, I wasn't going to let go of this hand
”Run, shi+mako!”
Because the rosary that swayed between us had made this place my own