Volume 32 Chapter 7 (1/2)
What did she say?
When she heard those words, it was as though so had smashed into the top of her head
”Supports”
It wasn't just Yoshi+no that muttered that word, but also Touko-chan and Noriko-chan
So Yoshi+no thought that all the people that heard e shock At the words of the previous Rosa Chinensis, Mizuno Youko, that came out of shi+mako-san's mouth
To wit, 'The petit soeur supports'
That took place shortly after the coe room for Sachiko-sama and Rei-chan's lost items
It hen the four people that were left (the White Rose sisters - shi+mako-san and Noriko-chan, as well as Touko-chan and Yoshi+no) were cli the stairs to the second floor, after Yuent task
Despite walking in front, the conversation that was taking place behind her back between shi+mako-san and Touko-chan see an effort to listen to as being said
It was difficult, because our ears aren't as efficient at hearing sounds fro matters worse, the sound of footsteps on the stairs was acco sounds of the old staircase itself Given those circumstances, it was hard to make out as said, but it seemed like Touko-chan was troubled because she wanted to do so for her onee-sa
And the advice that shi+ that was the aforementioned phrase, 'The petit soeur supports'
Yoshi+no was frankly ah God had co on the door of her heart Either that, or using the telephone
hello, are you alright?
Now that Yoshi+no's heart had been called upon, she stopped to think about it
Had she been able to act as Rei-chan's support? Hadn't it always been the opposite, with Rei-chan acting as the support that she leaned against
Since Yoshi+no's successful heart surgery, her physical reliance on Rei-chan had lessened But that's probably not what she was talking about when she said 'supports' It was more about emotional support
The petit soeur didn't have to do anything Because just by being there, she would provide support
So when the conclusion was that the petit soeur didn't have to do anything, Yoshi+no honestly thought that rong Apologies to Youko-sa you say to someone who's able bodied
Certainly, there could be petit soeurs who didn't have to do anything
But if you're not fir, or li
Which was she? The former or the latter?
Having started to think about this, Yoshi+no couldn't just stand around idly
”Sorry, but I have to leave too”
Taking her coat and bag, the first step was to leave the Rose Mansion
She hadn't thought about it
And noas too late
She couldn't confidently say whether or not she had been a good support for Rei-chan for these past two years
As Yoshi+no thought about the good and bad points of herself as a petit soeur, the preponderance of bad points jumped out at her
I get it, that's enough - Yoshi+no took a step forwards
Anyway, as long as she's thinking, she should think about what she could do for Rei-chan That would be much more constructive
Out the door, Yoshi+no dashed down the path to the library Why was she running? It's not like she had to hurry home
(Ahh, is that it)
Her thoughts were racing, and they were being expressed through her feet To to be a high-schooler for er
(That Rei-chan)
Rei-chan was leaving, but she hadn't forgotten anything in the Rose Mansion
If she had found anything, Yoshi+no could have delivered it to her neighbor Although it wasn't like Rei-chan to be that negligent Although Yoshi+no had hoped, just a little bit, that she had been
But the only thing to come out of it was Yumi-san's ribbon
They didn't find so le eraser of Rei-chan's
'I no longer have any attach Rei-chan would say to Yoshi+no, but it made her feel incredibly lonely
There was nothing left undone, and nothing left unsaid
Yuraduation, Youko-sama had taken her to Milk Hall and asked her to take care of Sachiko-sama
And as for Rei-chan's onee-sama, Eriko-sama, she had called Yoshi+no out and said all she had to say Of course, Yoshi+no hadn't ht back
But as for Rei-chan?
Who was there that she could leave ith?
(Ahh)
As she thought about it, Yoshi+no felt the darkness closing in, until it see in total darkness
In reality, she was standing on the path lined with Ginkgo trees, with the Spring sunlight streah the branches
”So, anyway”
As Yoshi+no started to talk, that person rested her chin on her hand and smiled
”How rare of you to come and make contact with me all by yourself, Yoshi+no-chan I wonder what set of circumstances led to this”
”I cahts, since at the tihter, Sei-sama”
'So please help me,' Yoshi+no said as she bowed her head Yoshi+no was currently in a hall that appeared to be soh it looked like the university holidays had already begun, as there were only a s of students around
assaulted by feelings of despair and loneliness on the path lined with Ginkgo trees, Yoshi+no's feet propelled her first to the University grounds and then towards Satou Sei-sama Sei-sama was shi+antea
Because there were so few university students around, finding Sei-saarden with the fountain, in front of the stores, the university hallways, the spot with all the bulletin boards -If there had been a lot of people walking around, she wouldn't have been able to look at everyone's face, but because there were only a handful of people she was able to sift through them Whether that person was here or not was another question
However, Yoshi+no eventually found Sei-sa the library It was only by chance that she was there, returning a book she had borrowed
After chatting for a while, Sei-sa quite maturely, she had even treated Yoshi+no to a café au lait fro machine
”… Well, that's pretty stupid”
A subdued Sei-sama mumbled
”What is?”
Yoshi+no asked, not understanding what 'that' was referring to
”Let me think … Hmm, nah, it doesn't really seem like you really, really wanted to see er so you came here, you know?”
”Huh?”
”I'uidance counselor, yeah”
At which point, Yoshi+no thought she'd ask about the person who had just sprung to mind
”How about Yumi-san?”
”Yeah But not so much lately”
So would it have been alright if she had co
”And shi+mako-san?”
Yoshi+no was thinking that if Yumi-san had come here, then what about her petit soeur, shi+mako-san However
”shi+mako? … I haven't heard from her at all”
It seems like she would have seen her, just for a little while, at the school festival
”You don't want to see her?”
”I don't think about whether or not I want to see her”
”I wonder if shi+mako-san feels the same?”
It hadn't been Yoshi+no's intention to stick her nose into the business of other soeurs, but she was concerned so she had asked She wanted to think that it wasn't just out of curiosity
”shi+mako? I don't know But if she wanted to see me, she would That's how she is”
If she wanted to see you, she would, huh?
Come to think of it, that was the kind of relationshi+p those two had even when Sei-sah school They let each other do as they pleased, yet they seeraduation, that hadn't changed Although it seemed like the space between shi+mako-san and Noriko-chan was somewhat different
Huh? Noriko-chan?
”Ahh, that's right Thank-you for the energy drink the other day”
Yoshi+no remembered that the day before the third years' farewell party, Noriko-chan and Touko-chan had been entrusted with some provisions
”Those were froh”
”So I was told”
Even though they were told it was from Santa-san, they all kneho the real source was Because even though she hadn't encountered shi+mako-san, Sei-sa to do?
”In summary”