Volume 29 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Contrary to the expectations that Yumi had held when she left her house about 30 ht was quite crowded

Not only that, today was the day of the third-years' send-off

The entire four hours usually reserved for Saturday classes had been allocated to the send-off

(Hmm)

Yumi surveyed her fellow early-birds as she held on to a strap and swayed back and forth with everyone else Since they wouldn't need their textbooks or notebooks, only a handful of students were carrying their school bags Consequently, you may expect there would be a bit more room inside the bus, but that was not the case Instead, s, or paper bags, or packages wrapped in cloth - everything except a school bag, which contributed to the claustrophobic feeling

Al in the third-years' send-off, or exhibiting so they had made Therefore, it stood to reason that they would have a lot of luggage Squeezed ast them were costumes, props, and exhibition pieces that had finally been finished

(Come to think of it, I was like that last year)

Last year Yumi had destroyed her health on the day before the third-years' send-off, so she hadn't caught a bus 30holding a cloth-wrapped package to school Of course, that wasn't for the third-years' send-off, but for the Roses' farewell party which was held after it

(For the Roses' farewell party … )

After thinking that much, Yumi suddenly remembered In fact, she may have even cried out in surprise One of the students standing nearby looked doubtfully in her direction

(daot!)

What she had forgotten to do was to talk to Touko and Noriko-chan about the party performances

(No, wait)

Hadn't they decided not to tell them about it? Yumi reconsidered It seemed like they had decided that it would be bad to make the first-years worry about it, since they were already trying their hardest But was that where the conversation had ended?

(That's right)

Soht suddenly request a perforht it would be unfair on the first-years to

(So what happened after that?)

The first-years had returned, and the conversation was shelved -

After that, they'd cootten about it

(Ohhhhh Really!?)

It seemed unbelievable that they would have done that Had they really forgotten? Or had Yued thatto reel in any additionalof the conversation

(What should I do? Nothe them to perform on the same day is just impossible)

The blood rushed to Yu in the bus

(Calm down)

At any rate, she had to calm down first

Panicking wasn't going to help her coo to the Rose Mansion and discuss this with shi+ether, they should be able to come up with a plan

After finally getting off the bus at Lillian's, Yu a deep breath of fresh air when she was tapped on the shoulder

”Onee-sama”

Obviously, the only one ould call Yumi that was Touko

(Aaargh, it's her)

Controlling her impulse to flee, Yumi turned around Then

(Huh?)

So that it was Touko standing before her, but there was so about her that was different to usual

”I saw you getting on the same bus as me, onee-sama, but ere a fair way apart so I didn't call out to you”

Then, finally noticing the look on Yumi's face, Touko said, ”Ahh,” and pushed her hair back behind her ears

”This?”

That

”Right That, your hair”

Yumi pointed

Touko's trademark hairstyle, the two vertical rolls, or drills, or cones, or spirals, were not there Well, even if the hair rolls weren't there, it wasn't as though the hair itself had gone away

”I didn't coil it this ”

Right That

”Since my character in today's play has her hair down”

She had changed her hairstyle because of the character she's playing Well, that ed her hairstyle for the school festival play too But, back then, it had been a part of her costu her school unifor at a completely different person

Touko spoke next:

”Shouldn't we be going soon?”

”Huh?”

”That's a surprise It see early only to spend that ti at the bus stop”

Hearing this, Yumi looked around and saw that the students that had been on the bus with her were no longer around Looking up at the pedestrian bridge, there was a line of girls clad in blackish school uniforms If Yumi hadn't been surprised by Touko's hairdo, they would probably be a part of that queue

Touko walked off, so Yury if she found out, but Yuued by her unusual appearance

Touko's straight hair swayed across her back It wasn't as long as Yoshi+no-san or Sachiko-sath as shi+mako-san's The hair that she usually coiled up was surprisingly long when let down That e, but it was impressive to see it first-hand

Touko was also carrying a large bag It was a black, nylon overnight bag, the kind of bag you'd use when going on holidays The zipper running down theas inside Probably her costume or some props for the play It looked quite heavy

They went straight to the Rose Mansion, without stopping by their classrooms

Even though there weren't any classes today they would still have ho prayers as usual, however Yus, like the signboard, to the assembly hall

”Can you just give me a minute?”

Touko entered the storeroo the heavy bag she had brought froed fro curiously at her hairstyle

”I suppose it's going to be like this all day today”

As predicted, Touko got the same response from shi+mako-san and Yoshi+no-san when she arrived on the second floor She'd probably get the same treatment from the first year camellia class too

Now that the five Yanboard entrusted to them by the arts club, the vase they had borrowed fro club and all the roses over to the auditoriu the flowers and the vase just inside the entrance, they did a final check, adjusting the arrangehtly

Behind and to the sides of the stage, students were holding desks, tata for their turn

”Ahh ahh One, two One, two”

The girl fro the mic check bohen she saw the Ya area

The preparations were proceeding steadily Yumi and the rest of the Yamayurikai left the auditorium for now

It would be okay

They would definitely see this through

Because they were all doing this to show their onee-samas that they weren't dependent on the third-years That they could prepare this all by the to be a success

Those were the cohts of all the first- and second-years participating in the third-years' send-off

”Well, then See you at the auditorium after homeroom”

Upon returning to the Rose Mansion, they forain prior to the assembly

”Let's give it our all”

They put their hands together in the center of the circle and gave a cheer before dissolving

Before leaving the Rose Mansion, Touko fetched the bag she had left in the first floor storeroom

(Oh?)

Maybe Yuhter than it had before

Now that the cereun, time seemed to fly by

After all, as organizers they were only required to give the opening and closing addresses, barring some terrible accident Still, it's not like they could kick back and watch the show - they were on standby behind the audience seating and to the side of the stage, s went sood that their turn didn't come

So, even though Yumi's class had a seat for her, she didn't sit down at all

”You don't have to save a seat for me”

Yumi had told her classmates, but they had all responded with, ”Come and sit with us, just for a little while,” and reserved two aisle seats for Yu around, it seemed the second-year wisteria class and the first-year ca seats for their hardworking classh they kneas probably futile Still, Yuesture

Off to the side of the stage, Yu the audience Sachiko-sama was visible at the front of the third-years' section On stage, the story-telling club were on to the final part of their perfor in response to their bizarre acrostic based on the letters of 'Lillian'

(I'lad)

Sachiko-saed a feords at the entrance, just as the third-years' were being welco, ”Best of luck to you” Yumi then said, ”I hope you enjoy it,” to which Sachiko-sama responded, ”I plan to,” and that's all that was said

Alright, now that the story telling club had finished, the judo club, kendo club and karate club were preparing for their demonstration