Volume 24 Chapter 3 (1/2)
The auditoriu, but it had warmed up by the time the first-years and half of the second-year classes had filed in The girls' whispered voices and occasional laughs probably helped to soften the atmosphere
Sitting with the rest of her class, Yumi relaxed just a little bit
Winter vacation was over
It was a new school term
Even when so happens on the last day of the second term, there are very few students for whom the first day of the third term does not eventually arrive
The reason for that was because ti ih
But Yumi hadn't suffered so-term hospitalization Nor had her fae schools, and obviously she hadn't done so and been expelled So of course the day of the third terh, on reflection, while she thought of it as ”earth-shattering,” perhaps it wasn't actually all that big a deal
That's right It was just a rejection by a first-year she wanted toat in totality, it was probably a h
The third-years weretheir entrance
As always, when she turned her gaze to the line of third-year pine class students, she quickly found her onee-sama
It may just have been habit, but Sachiko-saaze and looked at her At ti expression, as though to say, ”Stop looking around,” or, ”Hey, don't do that” But even so, Yu herself to stop
Yumi wondered how many more opportunities she'd have to do that
Because once her onee-saraduated, she wouldn't be able to do it nolook when Yumi couldn't cal obtuse - Yumi wanted to savor all of these expressions as much as she could
Perhaps Yumi's intentions had been conveyed, because this ti, ”You irrepressible child”
(Hehehe)
This alone was enough to iven its bottle And, as usual, she thought, ”How sie my mood with just one look?”
Next Yumi twisted her body towards the first-year ca, even if itballoon
Touko-chan was there
As usual, she had ringlets hanging past both her ears Her gaze was fixed to the front, her ht line All around her, her class but she didn't join in at all, she just sat in silence
Despite the long distance separating them, Yumi could see Touko-chan clearly
Yumi's mood didn't wither Quite the opposite, it swelled Yu Touko-chan moved her in a way she couldn't put into words
Just as it?
Still unable to coaze to the front The opening cere
The change in the lineup of the choir, the lower percentage of third-years in attendance, all of these little things were
She'd already experienced a high-school graduation ceremony last year
It was soet used to
After the opening ceremony they returned to their class for homeroom, which had just finished
”Yu to the Rose Mansion?”
”Yes Gokigenyou”
Yu, and left the classroom
”Happy new year, Rosa Chinensis en bouton”
”Make this year another good one, Yumi-sama”
The words people spoke to her as she walked through the corridor were a bit different to normal, but that was typical for the day of the third-ter ceremony
It was the first school day of the calendar year, so throughout the school grounds there were groups of students hanging around, chatting about what they got up to over the winter break, and so on
Amidst all that
”Yumi-san”
A voice called to her fro down the corridor and trotted over to her
”Ah, Gokigenyou shi+mako-san”
”Gokigenyou”
This wasn't their first tireeted each other normally They'd said, ”Happy new year,” on the second of January, at the new year's party at the Ogasawara estate
”Oh, you're by yourself, Yumi-san?”
shi+ Yoshi+no-san wasn't with her, even though they were both in the same class
”Yeah There's a kendo club o to the Rose Mansion without her”
”A kendo club ?”
”Yeah It's not an official club practice, so they won't be using their shi+nai Fro in theto say, ”Happy new year””
”I see”
They chatted about their absent friend as they walked, saying things like, ”It ,” and, ”But Rei-sa she'll have to do”
”That reminds me”
shi+mako-san said
”What?”
Yumi asked, as a chuckle escaped from shi+mako-san while she reminisced
”A year ago, I think it was after the opening cereossip from the second-years”
”A year ago, after the opening ceremony … ?”
Hearing this, Yu On that day, shi+mako-san had been delayed by some committee work, so she'd been late to arrive at the Rose Mansion and, unusually for her, she'd run up the flight of stairs, opened the door and then said so them
(Has anyone heard of - )
”Rosa Canina!”
”Exactly”
At that time, the people in the Rose Mansion had no idea whatsoever, but when Rei-sama showed up a bit later they learned that ”Rosa Canina” was a person and then it didn't take long to tie her to the second-year student that nominated herself in the student council elections
”Although a year ago I was so anxious, I couldn't ih like this”
shi+ It seeo, just for a little while
Yuot depressed because she wanted to help with her onee-sa
”Who would have thought that we'd become friends with Rosa Canina, Kanina shi+zuka-sama”
”That's for sure”
shi+zuka-saone to Italy, but she carade went over there for their school trip It turned out shi+mako-san had become pen-friends with her at some point
”I wonder what I'll do this year”
shi+mako-san mumbled
”For the student council election?”
Yumi asked and shi+mako-san nodded in response
”What are you talking about? It's your second tiht?”
shi+rade as Yumi but had taken part in last year's election shi+antea, o years older than her, so after her graduation shi+acy With the result being that shi+mako-san was elected coantea
”Oh, I don't think it's going to be easy”
shi+h itself showed how relaxed she was Veterans were strong
”But, you'll run, right? In the election”
”I plan to, but - ”
”But? That sort of feels like a halfhearted response”
The way she'd said it, it felt like there should have been uard
”Let's see”
shi+mako-san said
”Hypothetically speaking, if there was a student who desperately wanted to be on the student council, I'd have to think about it”
”Huh!?”
”I've already experienced it once”
The elections were held every year, but traditionally the boutons beca a problem to shi+mako-san So if some student nominated themselves, like shi+zuka-sama had last year, she was resolved to hand over her seat That sort of thing
Come to think of it, it had been like this last year as well She'd delayed lodging her candidacy application until right before the deadline It was a single careless remark from shi+zuka-sama that firmed her resolve
”I plan on accepting you as my petit soeur”
That had lit a fire in shi+ht to protect her and her onee-sama's pride
shi+antea Not before, not now - that much had remained consistent
”Wha, no way I want to be a Rose with you, shi+mako-san I don't want you to leave the Rose Mansion”
”Oh, I'll have to stop going to the Rose Mansion if I'm not a Rose?”
shi+h she'd only just realized this
”That's right Are you okay with that?”
Yu shi+mako-san by the hand
”Maybe you're right I want to be with you and the others, Yumi-san That's why it was a hypothetical I'm sure I said that Don't worry If someone else runs in the election, I'm sure it'll be as turbulent as last year”
Indeed If there was so that, news about it would probably start trickling in sooner or later
There was no way to put a lock on people'sit with, ”This is a secret, but,” would onlyas it wasn't just badedy
”I'd hate it if you weren't there”
Yuers
”Alright, alright I understand”
While they playfully flirted as they walked, Touko-chan appeared from the other direction
Touko-chan was by herself
Sheher school coat, and when she noticed the on and eventually arriving in front of them
”Gokigenyou, Rosa Gigantea”
Touko-chan started by greeting shi+mako-san
”Gokigenyou”
shi+ as tenderly as ever Yumi's heart pounded as she watched them
What would Touko-chan do next? Would she greet Yunore her and leave?
Either way, Yumi had no faith in her own ability to respond appropriately In truth, she wanted to run away But since she'd done nothing wrong, it would be odd for her to flee Reflecting on this, Yued to resist the temptation
Wouldn't it have been better if, a fewup the corridor and changed course? But she couldn't turn back tie other people's actions
”Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton”
Touko-chan didn't run away either Her big eyes looked straight at Yumi and she smiled cutely
Was this a brave front she was putting up? Or was that incident truly of no iotten it already?
Yumi didn't know There was no answer she could derive from Touko-chan's expression
”Gokigenyou, Touko-chan”
Yuet that out But if that was all she could say, it didn't seem commensurate with the effort it took
”We're heading to the Rose Mansion so we'll see you later”
She was saved by shi+ shi+ers as a support she was soh, but if she'd stayed there a ht have had to crouch down into a ball That's how
Yu wrong, but her position was entirely weak
”I've thought this before, but”
When they arrived at the Rose Mansion, shi+ently slipped her hand from Yumi's and faced her
”It feels like Touko-chan is hiding her emotions more and more”
”Uh … ”
”It would be good if she could open her heart a little more”
shi+mako-san's words penetrated deeply
The short span of open air between the school building and the Rose Mansion provided a preview of the cold days to come
Even in the new year, the Rose Mansion staircase was as creaky as ever as it ushered students in It couldn't be oiled, like a gear chain, so there wasn't much maintenance that could be done to it
”I wonder if it'll fall down one day”
Yumi muttered and shi+mako-san smiled
”My onee-sama said it was like this when she was a first-year”
”Really?”
”Although it et used to it, and the feeling of unease goes away”
So that was it She'd been going up and down it every day without giving it a second thought, but after a teek break she was thinking about the sound and the swaying So if they brought shi+mako-san's onee-saht say, ”It's swaying a lot more than when I was a first-year”
”Gokigenyou, Yuenyou, onee-sama”
Nijou Noriko-chan had arrived at the Rose Manion ahead of them, already co tea