Volume 20 Chapter 6 (1/2)

”'Various reasons' she said. Really there were too many various problems with that girl.” Monday was dawning. That morning, Yumi of the second-year Pine group opened the door and entered. There she waited. There was no ”good day” spoken to Yos.h.i.+no. She took her to the corner of the room.

”Listen, Yumi-san. That Arima Nana, she's Tanaka-san's real little sister.”

”Tanaka-san, is it? Tanaka-san from which group?” Since Sunday was strategically placed between then and now, her feelings were able to completely reset. Who was Arima Nana again? It took some time to recall. Moreover, which Tanaka-san was this?

”Which Group? No, no. She's not from Lillian, but from Ohnaka Girls'. The three Tanaka sisters of Ohnaka... or is it four sisters? Anyway, she's the youngest. When I thought I had seen here somewhere, it was in a photograph from a newspaper article that Rei-chan had pasted into her sc.r.a.pbook.”

Of course, everyone understood and was ready for the conversation to advance... Except, unfortunately, this was the first time Yumi heard of the three-or-as-many-as-four Tanaka sisters of Ohnaka. The result was using her powers of imagination to their fullest extent to help her understand. In other words, Yos.h.i.+no introduced a person named Arima Nana to Eriko-sama as her little sister. But she understood that it had something to do with the Tanaka-san from Ohnaka that Rei-chan met in the deciding tournament match.

”But, her name's Arima, isn't it?”

”That's right. She said that hoping to deceive me.” Said it hoping to deceive you? She c.o.c.ked her head in puzzlement.

”So, her name is Tanaka Arima Nana?”

”Her surname is Tanaka. Arima Nana is like her given name? It's amazing.” Yos.h.i.+no-san laughed through her nose. ”Since her grandfather's name is Arima, and she became her grandfather's adopted daughter, she's not a Tanaka. But, because all three generations live together, she is an adopted daughter only in name. Nothing has changed in the lives of the Tanaka sisters. When you say it's different, that grandfather left the hope that she would enter Lillian.

”Huh.” In the period of two days since Sat.u.r.day, Yos.h.i.+no had investigated this a great deal.

”It isn't 'huh.' What part of that did you not understand?”

”I didn't understand any of it.” Yos.h.i.+no's reasoning was as follows: ”Nana's grandfather had a dojo that is by far larger than the Hasekura one, and he forever had many apprentices. From among many granddaughters, the youngest, Nana, was chosen to be adopted? After some future date, I'm thinking Nana succeeds him. Namely that Nana's kendo ability is unmatched among her sisters. Is any of that right?”

Is that right? She asked to confirm worriedly. The intricacies of kendo, dojos, and adoptions were for the most part lost on Yumi.

”Well, should I give up? She would be a little sister who's stronger than me.”

”To say nothing of the fact that she's two years my junior. I shouldn't make such a troublesome girl my little sister. And Rei-sama too: after she graduates she can't come to love her soeur's little sister.

”She's not Rei-chan's little sister, is she?” After I said that, Yos.h.i.+no-san had a face that read, ”d.a.m.n it!”

”I was right, I don't like her.”

Yumi laughed. ”You've been hooked with the sickle, huh?” Yos.h.i.+no-san's words seemed regretful.

”Oh dear.” While Yos.h.i.+no-san was saying it was too problematic, in the end she wouldn't be able to eliminate Arima Nana from the running. Once she came to see it, she'd understand. Now it was her turn to say, ”Don't make fun of your best friend. I have a special insight on such things.”

”Do I like her...?” Yos.h.i.+no-san muttered. After that her questions turned inward and she quietly turned to look in the direction of the middle school building. At length she clearly declared: ”I know. If I'm not able to get a little sister by the time I become a third year, at that point, I'll make Arima Nana my little sister.”

”...That's what I'm saying.” While walking on the gingko-lined street, Yumi reported to Sachiko-sama on the circ.u.mstances of Yos.h.i.+no-san's little sister strife. It was after school that day. Because there was no meeting today at the Rose Mansion, the Rosa Chinensis sisters were able to walk home together privately for the first time in a while.

”And then?” Sachiko-sama asked.