Volume 32 Chapter 8 (1/2)
Touko walked with the words, 'The petit soeur supports' echoing in her mind
(I don't have to do anything)
Santea, who had just imparted those words to her, and Noriko still remained in the Rose Mansion that she had just stepped out of
Touko turned around to look up at the second floor, before starting to walk again
It wasn't from jealousy
When she had said earlier that she didn't want to chase after her onee-sa the truth Touko was happy for Sachiko-sama and Yumi-sama to be with each other
Yuinally chosen
Touko had been jealous, and opposed it thinking that Yumi-sama wasn't fit to be Rosa Chinensis' petit soeur But at so bothered by it and accepted it
And then it seemed like her eyes chased after that vision
Above all else, she enjoyed seeing Sachiko-sa a play from the spectator's seats
The pair of them didn't have to realize she was there Touko was fine with that
But before she knew it, she had been pulled up onto the sae -And Touko was perplexed by that While there was still the three of the them When that happens, what should she do?
Touko knew that Sachiko-sae role in Yuer-than-life existence went away, the day a gaping hole would be opened in her heart, was approaching And Touko didn't believe she could fill that hole
”Oh, is that you Touko-chan?”
On the first floor of the school building, she ran into Rosa Foetida
Alone
Probably on her way ho And she probably thought the sa Touko
”Gokigenyou, Rosa Foetida”
So that was all Touko said as she bowed her head It would show a lack of refinement to ask, 'Are you alone?' or 'Are you on your way home?'
The first-year and third-year shoe boxes were a distance apart so theyat the entrance
”That reo?”
Rosa Foetida inquired
”Huh?”
”You've just been searching the first floor of the Rose Mansion, right?”
The soft breath blew across the top of Touko's head, disturbing some specks of dust It was times like these that drove hohts
”Ahh, yeah, we have Unfortunately, we didn't find a single item of yours, Rosa Foetida”
”I'll bet And Sachiko too?”
”Naturally”
They looked at each other and laughed No-one had come out and said that Rosa Chinensis had done a check of the first floor rooe by now
Suddenly re, Touko said:
”Although Yoshi+no-sao”
”Oh, really?”
”She o after her?”
If Rosa Foetida ran, she could probably catch her at the statue of Maria-saates
”Nah, not really”
”I don't o on ahead”
”It's not that important”
”Ahh, I see”
Rosa Foetida and Yoshi+no-sahbors, so they could see each other whenever they wanted to
”… What is it?”
Touko asked, feeling Rosa Foetida's eyes on her Rosa Foetida just laughed
”Oh, I was just thinking that recently you've stopped referring to yourself in the third-person”
How to respond to that kind of question
”I still do At times suited to that character”
”Character, huh?”
”… It's like western style clothes When the time and circumstances are appropriate, you pull them out of the closet and put them on”
”I see”
Rosa Foetida laughed loudly She seemed to take that as a joke
Was it a joke, or was it the truth? Touko didn't really know herself, so she laughed along too
”Sorry, but I'll have to leave you here”
As they passed through the entrance, Rosa Foetida turned towards the left
”Are you returning hoate?”
She asked without thinking Usually, Rosa Foetida would head towards the right, the sa But, on reflection, since Rosa Foetida walked home, she didn't have to board one of the buses in front of the ate She probably had a nu her route home
”Nope I thought I should go to thebefore I went home”
”The ?”
Well, it was between here and the back gate Thehere they practiced various martial arts And Rosa Foetida was in the Kendo club But, there probably wouldn't be anything happening there now
”I ear is still in theAnd it's not really the sort of thing you want to take to a graduation cereet it today”
Rosa Foetida shrugged, and smiled
”When ht I'd be able to lead the younger girls in a lot of practice, but that didn't really happen”
That ret on Rosa Foetida's part It wasn't that she had forgotten her gear, she had left it there on purpose
”Well, all kinds of things happened, and toraduation ceremony”
”All kinds of things?”
”You got it But once you start, there's no end So I's left undone”
It see they wanted Rosa Foetida to do
”That's quite noble of you”
”Huh, isn't it the opposite?”
Rosa Foetida cackled, but Touko stood by what she said