Volume 31 Chapter 12 (2/2)

”Here you go, Yumi-san”

As she held out the warood little girls say at times like this?” I bowed my head, said, ”Thank-you very much,” and accepted the offered drink This ti I was being improper

We leaned against the station building's external wall and slowly sipped our cafe au laits, while calh the roundabout in front of us

”The school I go to is usually strict about being absent or late, but my teacher is a bit of a japanophile ”If it's an iaveback a lucky coin Apparently they'd heard about soevity charm”

Two years ago, shi+zuka-sama had been a student at Lillian's Girls Acade When Itower of Pisa, she said she was studying for exams, but it looked like she was in school now

”The funeral was today, and I plan on going home tomorrow, so I hadn't contacted anyone But despite that, I just happened to run into you, Yumi-san At first, I couldn't believe it”

shi+zuka-sarandhborhood, and that her parents were still there She'd left, alone, so that she could return to her parent's house and do some more preparation for toht of me

”Ah -, shi+mako-san was here until just recently”

I realized, finally pinning down so away at one her separate way at the school gate, shi+mako-san had been with one perfectly then they could have met

”It's okay, I've sent her a letter”

”Oh”

That's right, shi+zuka-sama and shi+mako-san were penfriends

”Oh, right, what about your letter? Why on earth were you writing to me?”

”Umm - ”

I couldn't answer that, I'd sooner reach into the mailbox and pull out the letter I'd just sent

”Well, it's - ”

I was stopped mid-sentence

”It's okay I can tell you don't want to talk about it And if you answer, it'll spoil the fun of getting ho your letter”

”I suppose so”

Although, it's far more likely that shi+zuka-sama would arrive home before the letter

”Then I won't ask you the other questions I'd prepared either Since it would be bad if they were related to the letter's contents”

”I see”

Those questions were probably regarding a petit soeur Therefore, obviously, that's what must have been written about in the letter You're sharp, shi+zuka-sama

”It's alraduation ceremony, isn't it?”

”Yeah”

I agreed with her statement

”If I hadn't gone to Italy, then I'd be part of that ceremony with Sachiko-san, Rei-san, and everyone else, so s on it are complicated But since I'm only one person, no matter how much I desire it, I can only walk one path”

Her feelings may be complicated, but she didn't seem to be in twotio, when she'd announced her candidacy in the student council elections

My thoughts about raduation were complicated too

In my head, I knew that we couldn't stay in the same place forever, and that this was the start of my onee-sama's new journey, so I should be happy

But, what, I wonder When the day of the ceremony comes, hoill I be? Maybe I'll break down in tears in front of everyone, just like my onee-sama one year earlier

Feeling someone's eyes onat me

”It's okay to cry, but make sure you smile when you see off - ”

Her lips moved to say 'Sachiko-san,' but her voice was drowned out by a car's horn

”So that she can have peace of mind as she starts her new journey”

”Yes”

I couldn't ask how she knew this Although given how expressive my face is, it was probably plainly obvious what I was thinking

After draining her bottled cafe au lait, shi+zuka-sama solemnly murmured

”In a way, today was raduation ceremony”

After that, she cheerfully waved goodbye, then made her way up the stairs to the train station

I sht

Just in case she happened to suddenly turn around