Volume 32 Chapter 6 (2/2)
Once more, shi+mako-san made a bold statement
”You say don't hold back, … but I'm not sure I want to chase her”
As she answered, Touko seehts
”It's just, I don't think I'd be able to do anything if I followed her”
”You can't do anything?”
Stopping temporarily, shi+mako-san turned around And then awaited Touko's next response
”When your onee-sa If I think about it happening to me in a year's tier deal for her”
Touko was probably openly explaining her feelings because shi+mako-san was older than her Or because shi+raduated Either way, Noriko felt superfluous
She had no idea that Touko thought about such things Not only that, but she wasn't thinking about her onee-saraduation
”Because , it raduating But she never shows those feelings, instead appearing as cheerful as ever I know she's the only one who can bear this burden, but all I can do is watch I want to do so to help her, but I don't knohat I should do”
shi+ until then, resu the staircase Noriko followed Touko up the stairs, wondering what kind of advice shi+ to offer
Tap tap tap When they had reached the top of the stairs, shi+mako-san murmured:
”I suppose it's fine, like that”
”Huh?”
”It's fine if you can't do anything for Yumi-san, is what I meant”
Graduation was the ultiiven by an onee-sama She hadn't said as much, but Touko understood this That's why she'd said that Yumi-sama was the only one who could bear the burden But even so, that's fine So does that s that a petit soeur can't do? And thinking that probably hurt her self-belief, which hy she wanted to get some advice from someone else
”But, you know, I' that it makes no difference whether you're there or not, Touko-chan Just being by her side probably gives Yuth she needs”
”Are you sure?”
Touko seemed uncertain as she looked at shi+mako-san
”Of course Since it's Yumi-san, I think she would know that Because she always treasured the words of the previous Rosa Chinensis”
The previous Rosa Chinensis, that would have been Rosa Chinensis' onee-sarandrandmother'
”The words of the previous Rosa Chinensis - ”
Touko asked shi+mako-san smiled as she stood in front of the door nicknamed 'The Biscuit Door'
”'The petit soeur supports,' is what she said”
”Supports…”
Somebody muttered It could have been Touko, or Noriko, or maybe even Yoshi+no-sama Perhaps all three of them at once
Supports
All of the people there were petit soeurs
”Sorry, but I have to leave too”
Yoshi+no-sa and her coat in her hands Noriko, standing by the door, took a step backwards to clear the way
”Thanks for your efforts today”
”Gokigenyou”
Waving as she left, Yoshi+no-saure served as a vivid reh the situation and her appearance were different Yoshi+no-sa toelse to do Either way, she definitely left the impression that she was on a mission
”Well, I'll be heading home too”
On the other hand, Touko's situation was different She had the option of waiting here until her onee-sama returned, but she probably didn't want to do that because she thought she would be a bother Orher onee-sa finished the cleaning of the second floor together with Noriko, Touko startedpreparations to leave
Yus still remained in a corner of the room
”Gokigenyou, Rosa Gigantea Later, Noriko”
Touko smiled as she stood in front of the door and buttoned up her school coat
”Gokigenyou”
shi+ave a small nod as she said, 'Later'
After Touko had disappeared through the door, when they could hear the sounds of her footsteps on the staircase, shi+mako-san called out 'Noriko'
”Uhhh”
When Noriko turned around, shi+s 'When did she do that?' Noriko initially wondered, but thenout, thinking about Touko
”Umm, but that's - ”
Noriko didn't understand why shi+
What was theof this?
When Noriko looked at her, blinking, shi+mako-san handed over Noriko's items
”shi+mako-san?”
”Here”
After shi+mako-san put a hand to her shoulder and twirled Noriko around, she urged her onwards with a tap to her back
”Even for friends, it's enough just to be by their side”
So please be there for her, hat she was saying
”Touko-chan seeht”
You could say that She'd been daraduation
”Is that why you said what you did to her?”
Noriko asked
”I wonder if it ca like a lecture”
”Not at all I think Touko was glad That you were concerned about her I'm happy to have that kind of an onee-sama too”
”Oh”
shi+led at that
”Then I think I' to disappoint you”
”Huh?”
”I'm not the kind of person who keeps an eye out for others I only became concerned about Touko-chan because you were, Noriko”
”Ehhh”
But that disappointment htly nepotistic, person to a saint
”Hey Touko-chan's already left the Rose Mansion”
So get aher But Noriko stayed where she was
”I wanted to be able to support you last year”
”Huh?”
”When I heard Touko's words, even soination like h you were only a first year, you had to endure that alone”
Ostensibly, Noriko was saying that she knew it must have been difficult for shi+mako-san But no matter how painful it was, it was a side of shi+mako-san she wanted to see but would now never have the opportunity
”I know that's impossible But still”
Noriko couldn't put it into words The shi+o back in time and take hold of her hands
”Thank-you But although I didn't have a petit soeur, I was embraced from both sides by my friends So I was okay”
In the way that she should be there for Touko,
Noriko hadn't been able to make it there in time, but Yumi-sama and Yoshi+no-saht
”By the hat is the onee-sa her?”
The words of the previous Rosa Chinensis It see version for the older sister
”Hht, embraces and protects”
Embraces and protects
”That's exactly how I feel right now”
Like a huge blanket, shi+mako-san wrapped around her completely So she was able to live peacefully
”We follow the intent, but there's not the same skinshi+p, you know”
Rather than staying here together, shi+mako-san's kindness was such that she would probably prefer Noriko to chase after Touko and go hoht it was the truth, Noriko felt strange about it
”However”
Noriko dropped her belongings on the closest chair, then tightly embraced shi+mako-san
If she didn't run all the way to the statue of Maria-sama, she probably wouldn't be able to catch Touko now, but that was okay
”We even have skinshi+p, once in a while”
”Oh Noriko”
Leaving the s there, Noriko hurried after her friend