Volume 33 Chapter 7 (2/2)

And the former Rosa Foetida, Torii Eriko-sama, were all there.

The trio were all smiles as they walked over and stopped in front of Sachiko-sama and s.h.i.+mako-san. So Yumi rushed over as well.

”Ooooooh.”

Yumi couldn't stop herself from getting excited at seeing their beautiful appearance. Just how long had it been since she had seen all three of them together like this? Not since the inter-school kendo tournament, which would make it about four months now.

”Gokigenyou. Is everybody well?”

Eriko-sama inquired.

Sachiko-sama and s.h.i.+mako-san seemed delighted as they responded, 'Yes, thanks for asking,' and 'Gokigenyou.' But as for Yumi.

”Wh wh wh wh.”

Yumi's excitement at seeing these unexpected visitors had turned her into a broken record. Then Sei-sama feigned a serious expression and said:

”Allow me to explain. The translation of the Yumi-ese phrase 'Wh wh wh wh' is 'What brings you all here?'”

Before Sei-sama had a chance to finish, someone else shouldered their way in front of her.

”Anyone could tell that.... Yumi-chan, you haven't changed a bit.”

”Youko-sama. Did you come here today to celebrate my onee-sama's graduation?”

Yumi skipped around, overjoyed at seeing her beloved grand-soeur. She realized, all too late, that Touko was watching her from behind. The dignity of the onee-sama had come cras.h.i.+ng down to earth - although she really didn't have much of that to begin with.

”Yes, of course I'm here to congratulate Sachiko. Although the one that started it all was that shape-s.h.i.+fter over there.”

”Shape-s.h.i.+fter?”

”Currently she's in human form, but it seems she's actually a honey-bee.”

Youko-sama said, pointing at Sei-sama.

”Ummm.”

Even the usually level-headed Youko-sama could occasionally make random statements. Sei-sama was a honey-bee. What kind of a metaphor was that? At any rate, it looked like today was honey-bee day.

”Yos.h.i.+no-chan said to come and have a look, so hey, we came to have a look.”

Said the honey-bee.

Yumi was a bit surprised to learn that Yos.h.i.+no-san had called them here. Because she hadn't heard a single word from Yos.h.i.+no-san about this.

(Ahh, maybe that's why.)

Why Yos.h.i.+no-san had been looking like she was about to blow her fuse all morning. Still, what could she be planning, calling the former Roses here?

”Eriko was invited to come along by Yos.h.i.+no-chan too, right?”

Youko-sama turned to where she expected Eriko-sama to be, but Eriko-sama wasn't there.

”If you're after Eriko-sama...”

As she spoke, s.h.i.+mako-san looked off to one side. Following her gaze, they could see Eriko-sama talking to two members of the photography club.

”Sorry, sorry. I just went over to ask Takes.h.i.+ma Tsutako-san for some photographs.”

Eriko-sama said after she had hurried back.

”Photographs?”

”Over the new year's break, I ran into her at a shrine and she took some photos then. I thought if I didn't ask her straight away and kept putting it off, I'd probably forget about it. Plus, I took the opportunity to say h.e.l.lo to Shouko-chan, the little sister.”

”Shouko-chan isn't a little sister, though.”

Yumi instantly corrected her. Shouko-chan was always by Tsutako-san's side, but she wasn't her pet.i.t soeur. You could probably add, 'yet,' to that last sentence, although there had been no movement from either of the people involved.

”Oh, but she is.”

Eriko-sama smiled and turned to look at Shouko-chan.

”Katsumi-san's.”

Ahh, so that's it. Eriko-sama knew that Shouko-chan was Naitou Katsumi-sama's little sister.

”So then where is Yos.h.i.+no-chan? And Rei's gone missing too.”

Sachiko-sama muttered, and then:

Two people simultaneously converged on them, from the right and left sides of the path.

- Rei-sama and Yos.h.i.+no-san had arrived.

Her field of vision gradually expanded as she walked along the path next to the library towards the fork in the road.

She could see her friends in amongst the crowd gathered around the statue of Maria-sama.

Well then, let's begin.

Today's main event. Yos.h.i.+no's heart was hammering in her chest.

Nonetheless, Yos.h.i.+no knew that something like this wasn't going to cause her to collapse. She didn't have the same weak heart as before her surgery. Rei-chan had decided to leave Lillian's after realizing that Yos.h.i.+no would be able to survive in a school without her.

(There she is!)

Yos.h.i.+no nodded to herself after confirming Eriko-sama's presence. The stage had been set. It was too late to flee. And that's fine.

She spotted Rei-chan walking towards the group from the opposite direction. She didn't know why Rei-chan was returning from the school gates, but now wasn't the time to be worried about that.

Naturally, Yos.h.i.+no noticed the conflicted look on Rei-chan's face. Perhaps Rei had sensed something unusual from Yos.h.i.+no. No, not just Rei-chan. The Red Rose family, the White Rose sisters, the former Roses and the two photography club members, all held their breath as they watched Yos.h.i.+no and Rei-chan.

Yos.h.i.+no arrived at the statue of Maria-sama one step ahead of Rei-chan.

”Eriko-sama, I'm so glad that you could make it here today. Gokigenyou, Youko-sama. Thank-you for yesterday, Sei-sama.”

The first step was to greet the former Roses. The three of them returned her greetings with pleasantries and uncertain smiles.

Upon arrival at the statue of Maria-sama, Rei-chan caught sight of Eriko-sama amongst the group and rushed over, looking a little bit surprised.

”Rei-chan.”

Rei-chan looked at Yos.h.i.+no.

And then got a good look at the person standing behind Yos.h.i.+no.

The atmosphere was tense, like a bow drawn tight.

Finally.

”Nana-chan.”

Rei-chan called out, and smiled sweetly.

When Rei-chan called her name, Nana's response was to take three steps forward from where she was waiting behind Yos.h.i.+no and bow her head.

”Rosa Foetida, congratulations on your graduation.”

”Thank-you Nana-chan. I apologize if Yos.h.i.+no dragged you along here.”

Rei-chan said, looking at her watch. While the high school had the graduation ceremony, it was cla.s.ses as usual for the middle school, which meant that this was right in the middle of their lunch break.

”Not at all. I asked her to bring me here. I wanted to congratulate you personally.”

In truth, Rei-chan's speculation was right on the money, but Nana didn't want to come out and say that. Instead she acted as though she was the one who had intruded upon Yos.h.i.+no.

Yesterday, Yos.h.i.+no had phoned Eriko-sama from the public telephone opposite the office and asked her if she was able to meet up with them near the statue of Maria-sama after the graduation ceremony had ended. After that, she had made her way over to the middle school area and asked Nana if she was free during lunch tomorrow (ie, today).

She hadn't told either of them why.

That was why she hadn't been able to say anything. Not to Yumi-san, not to s.h.i.+mako-san, and especially not to Rei-chan. Yos.h.i.+no was the only one in the world who knew why this was all happening.

”Rei-chan. Watch.”

Yos.h.i.+no looked straight at Rei-chan. Rei-chan merely nodded. Good. As long as she was watching. Whatever else she chose to do later was fine.

”Nana.”

Next she looked straight at Nana. Nana returned her gaze with nervous looking eyes. Rei-chan had been ordered to watch, but Nana was probably wondering what she was supposed to do.

Yos.h.i.+no reached behind her neck with both hands. She slid her fingers under her collar, searching for the small stones joined together in a chain, and when she found it she lifted it up from around her neck.

What she pulled out was a set of dark-green stones connected to form a rosary.

She heard someone gasp.

Yos.h.i.+no spread the rosary using the thumb and index fingers of both hands, and held it out in front of Nana at eye-level.

”Previously, you asked me a question. Would my pet.i.t soeur receive this rosary? Do you remember?”

- Hasekura Rei-sama's pet.i.t soeur. Will your pet.i.t soeur receive that rosary?

”Yes.”

The path lined with ginkgo trees and the area around the statue of Maria-sama were noisy due to all the students a.s.sembled. But in Yos.h.i.+no's immediate vicinity, everything was quiet.

”I have not yet answered you. - Yes. The next owner of this rosary will be my pet.i.t soeur.”

It was so quiet Yos.h.i.+no could almost hear Nana's heart beating.

”And I think that will be you.”

She'd said it. Yos.h.i.+no took a breath. She'd finally said it.

But, having just said that she couldn't yet rest. It was insufficient to simply say that she thought Nana would be her pet.i.t soeur. After realizing this, Yos.h.i.+no continued.

”Technically, I should wait until April when Nana enters high-school to ask her. However, I wanted to introduce my pet.i.t soeur to my onee-sama. So I took it upon myself to choose today. Arima Nana-san, will you be my pet.i.t soeur?”

Yos.h.i.+no bowed deeply. With that, Yos.h.i.+no had done everything she thought she should. All she could do now was await the judge's decision.

Rei-chan's gaze s.h.i.+fted to Nana. No, not just Rei-chan. The Red Rose family, the White Rose sisters, the former Roses and the two photography club members, all held their breath as they awaited Nana's reply.

”I...”

Nana started to speak.

”When I first touched that rosary, I was charmed by its beauty. So much so, that I didn't want to return it. Never before had I coveted another person's property. Despite that, I still wanted it so very badly. That was why I asked such an impolite question.”

Where was Nana going with this speech? Yos.h.i.+no didn't know. There hadn't even been a slight hint as to whether she was going to say 'Yes' or 'No.'

”Then the other day, I saw that exact rosary in a store. But when I picked it up, I found that I no longer wanted it. How could that be? It was exactly the same. I thought that perhaps my tastes had changed. That I only wanted it back then. That it had been a pa.s.sing fancy.”

So she would no longer accept the rosary, and wouldn't become Yos.h.i.+no's pet.i.t soeur. That seemed to be the way the conversation was flowing.

However.

”But now, I really want that rosary.”

Nana said something completely unexpected.

”I want it so much that it hurts.... But is it okay for me to become your pet.i.t soeur for that reason.”

Nana looked at Yos.h.i.+no with a serious expression, pleading for an answer. Yos.h.i.+no hadn't been expecting anything other than a yes or no answer to her question.

”Sometimes you're too honest for your own good, Nana.”

”If I wasn't, you'd probably get mad at me in the future for changing my story.”

”Perhaps.”

Yos.h.i.+no smiled. Nana was a quick learner.

Yos.h.i.+no had no idea where she would find another undercla.s.sman as useful as Nana.

She probably wouldn't find a second one.

Seriously, it was such a shame. Such a shame, but unavoidable.

Yos.h.i.+no lifted up her right hand and let the rosary that she had been holding with both hands drop into the upturned palm of her left hand. Then she offered it up to Nana.

”Take this.”

”Huh?”

”You don't have to become my pet.i.t soeur.”

Yos.h.i.+no had known from the start that Nana was enamored with the rosary. And countless times, she had thought that that was enough. Even now, she was wavering.

If she were to say, 'I wouldn't mind,' then it would still be possible for Yos.h.i.+no to hang the rosary over Nana's head and make Nana her pet.i.t soeur. But that truly would be pitiable, and Yos.h.i.+no's last vestiges of pride would never allow it.

There was no meaning to becoming an onee-sama, if it was due solely to the rosary. At least Yos.h.i.+no thought she could look cool, while she was turning her back on Nana.

”I won't accept it.”

But Nana wouldn't take it.

”Why not? You want this, right?”

”I no longer want it.”

”What?”

”If I say I don't want it, then I don't want it.”

Like the money that is pa.s.sed back and forth by two old ladies as they stand at a café cash register and argue over who is going to pay for the other, the rosary had lost track of where it was going.

”Stop!”

So Rei-chan stepped in between Yos.h.i.+no and Nana and scooped up the rosary.

”Too slow.”

Rei-chan spread the rosary then called out, 'Yumi-chan,' looking for backup.

”Uh, yes.”

Upon hearing her name, Yumi-san flew over. Rei-chan ordered her to keep hold of Yos.h.i.+no's hands, into which she had forced the rosary.

”Leave it to me.”

Yumi-san ran behind Yos.h.i.+no's back and took hold of both the hands and the rosary.

”Let me go.”

Yos.h.i.+no struggled against her, but Yumi-san held her firmly.

”Umm, Rosa Foetida, what are you doing?”

Rei-chan was holding Nana's arms behind her back and walking her forwards. Aiming to thrust Nana's head through the rosary's loop.

”Ahh.”

Nana's face was now right at the tip of Yos.h.i.+no's nose.

”Keep your feet firmly on the ground. Okay.”

Rei-chan let go of Nana. At that signal, Yumi-san too let go of Yos.h.i.+no. So then, what now?

It was obvious that they were making it look as though Yos.h.i.+no was going to place the rosary around Nana's neck.

(Well....., what should I do?)

While Yos.h.i.+no was still frozen to the spot from being put in such an unexpected situation, Rei-chan moved behind her and started to gently tickle her underarms.

”Wahahaha.”

As Yos.h.i.+no twisted her body around, the rosary slipped from her grasp. In the next instant, it had landed around Nana's neck.

”There, it's done.”

”Rei-chan!”

Yos.h.i.+no verbally slapped Rei-chan, saying 'What do you think you're doing?' But Rei-chan merely looked calmly past Yos.h.i.+no and pointed behind her.

(Behind me...?)

Yos.h.i.+no turned around, and Nana was transfixed by the rosary that hung from her neck, gently stroking it.

”Why...?”

She had said that she wanted it, and that she wouldn't accept it. But now Nana seemed to be delighted with it hanging around her neck.

”You don't get it, Yos.h.i.+no.”

”What don't I get?”

”For Nana-chan, the rosary doesn't have any value unless it's a symbol that she's your pet.i.t soeur. Isn't that right, Nana-chan?”

Nana nodded in response to Rei-chan's question. She seemed to be a bit reproachful as she looked at Yos.h.i.+no.

”...Is that so.”

It could be. Yos.h.i.+no moved over to Nana.

Rei-chan, Yumi-san, in fact probably all of her friends had surely understood Nana's feelings. Yos.h.i.+no was the only one who had interpreted Nana's words as a blunt refusal.

”I'm sorry that I didn't realize.”

If Rei-chan was an idiot, then so too was Yos.h.i.+no.

”Back then, Nana knew that some day the rosary would be hers.”

<script>