Maria-sama 01 Maria-sama ga Miteru

Overleaf

Lillian Girls Academy: where pure and cultured young ladies gather.

To pass on the school's noble ways, the "soeur" system was established in the high school.

Young ladies give their rosaries and become sisters. It it a solemn vow that the elder senpai will guide the younger kouhai.

Coming into this high school is Yumi. She doesn't have a soeur yet. But then suddenly Rosa Chinensis en bouton, the admired second-year student Sachiko, proclaims Yumi to be her petite soeur!?

Preface

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

On this fresh new morning, greetings echo into the clear blue sky.

Even today, young women with innocent faces like angels gather in Saint Mary's garden, passing through a tall gate.

With pure hearts and bodies, they wrap themselves in dark uniforms.

With skirt pleats cleanly pressed, white sailor color flat, walking slow is preferred here. Obviously, no one is late or rushed, no one would be such an unladylike pupil.

This is Lillian Private Academy for Women.

Founded in 1901, this academy was created for the daughters of noble families. It is a school with Catholic traditions for daughters of wealthy families.

Capitol city of Tokyo. Even today, much greenery remains in what was once the Musashino district. Here, watched over by the gods, a school exists where young women can remain sheltered from nursery school to college.

Through three changes of era, from Meiji through today's Heisei, this school has provided pure and refined young ladies with 18 years of continuous schooling, and sent on their way. This kind of system continues today, a treasured academy.

She is Yumi Fukuzawa, an ordinary young lady.

Monday of Trembling Heart

Chapter 1

One Monday, "Wait."

At the end of a row of ginkgo trees, where the path splits into two, Yumi heard a voice calling her from behind.

Because she was in front of Maria-sama's statue, for a split second Yumi thought the voice came from Maria-sama. But that was just her imagination, the voice had come from farther away.

When called out to, one should first stop; then, while responding "Yes?", one should turn one's whole body. Even if it is unexpected, one should refrain from appearing confused or disorderly. And most importantly, to only turn one's head is to be a failure as a lady.

One should carry out this action with beauty and grace to the last. It should be as though one is trying to get closer to the upperclassman by even just a bit.

So Yumi turned to face the other student, and with a smiling face, greet her with a gokigenyou.

Unfortunately, Yumi's mouth failed to emit "Gokigenyou".

"—"

Upon realizing the source of the voice, Yumi went speechless.

She had almost jumped. A Lillian Academy student just would not do such an unladylike act… but by no means was that the reason. She was surprised to such an intense extent, she froze, swept up in the moment.

"Uh… You wanted me?"

Coming halfway back to life, Yumi, half-believing, half-doubting, tried to ask. Of course, she knew it had to be her. There was nobody else in the other girl's line of sight. Even so, she couldn't help but doubt.

"I was the one who called out, to you. It's not a mistake."

Although the other girl asserted that it was not a mistake, Yumi still insisted it must be. Yumi wanted to reply and run away. Yumi hadn't the faintest idea why she was called, and inside her head, she was on the verge of panic.

Not having the slightest idea what was going on inside Yumi's head, the other girl, wearing a faint smile, came up to Yumi.

Because they are in different grades, Yumi had never seen the other girl from so close. It was the first time Yumi had clearly heard her voice.

Yumi wondered what brand of shampoo she used. Her straight waist-length hair was so shiny. While maintaining hair of such length, how does she have not even one split end?

"Hold this."

The other girl presented the book bag that she was holding in her hands. Without knowing why, Yumi took the book bag, then the other girl placed her empty arms around Yumi's neck.

(Eeek!!)

In a flash, without knowing what happened, Yumi closed her eyes, tensed her neck, and pinched her shoulders to her ears.

"Your tie is crooked."

"Wha?"

Yumi opened her eyes, and still there was that beautiful face. Who was this girl, straightening Yumi's tie?

"One must always keep one's appearance tidy. Maria-sama is watching."

After saying that, the girl took back her book bag from Yumi. Leaving Yumi with a "Gokigenyou," the girl turned and walked on towards a school building.

(That……that vision……)

After being left behind, as the blood slowly returned to her face, Yumi realized the situation.

There's no mistaking it.

Second-year student, Matsu [pine] class: Miss Sachiko Ogasawara. By the way, her student ID number is 7. Also known as "Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

Oh, my lips are not worthy of her name. Is it even all right for a person such as myself to recite that name? She is the subject of the entire school's adoration.

(It's…)

Yumi was on the verge of overflowing with shame.

(It's not fair!)

For a little while, Yumi just stood there, dumbfounded.

My first exchange of words with the adored onee-sama! This embarrassing episode is just too cruel!

Maria-sama, you're so mean!

Yumi looked up at Maria-sama with spite. There Maria-sama was quietly standing in the middle of her small garden, with her unchanging smile.

Chapter 2

"That's all?"

In the seat in front of Yumi was Katsura-san, who burst out laughing upon hearing Yumi's story.

"You came to school with such a sour face. I thought you were groped on the train."

"It would have been better if it was a groper."

"Why?"

"It wouldn't be gnawing at me for so long afterwards."

"Yumi-san, you've never met a groper?"

"I take the bus to school."

Both Katsura-san and Yumi do take that bus, but while Katsura-san takes a jam-packed train to M station, Yumi takes a bus that deposits her at M station's south entrance. So in terms of pleasantness (unpleasantness), it's as though their journeys to school are completely different.

"But, you know there is a Lillian car on the train, right?"

"Yes, I know. The Yamayurikai called for it, so that Lillian students could arrange to pack the second to last car. But if you have day duty, or club activities, or leave a little early, there aren't very many Lillian students on the train, so it kind of loses its effectiveness."

And yet it seems that as news of it has circulated, the number of girls from schools other than Lillian that are taking it has increased, so the groper-repellent countermeasures are having some effect, it seems. Of course, the technique isn't perfect at locking out all males, but if a train is overflowing with young women, not many gentlemen will push their way into the train. So it stands to reason that there won't be many suspicious activities.

Lillian's school uniform is a flat black fabric into which a single drop of green had been mixed. It is the utmost in refinement. A single black line outlines the ivory sailor collar, and becomes the tie. Outdated nowadays, it is a one-piece uniform, with a low-waisted pleated skirt and a hemline below the knees. White socks, folded over three times, appear above ballet-slipper-like leather shoes, to complete the set. The uniform is a natural monument. There are uniform maniacs, so deeply rooted is the uniform's popularity among even ordinary people.

When seen in public, this outfit was already established as an ojou-sama brand. When even regular sailor suits can become targets…

"Because the trains are crowded, I always check how I look when I get to the station." While saying this, Katsura-san fixed her bangs and tie, pretending Yumi was her reflection in a train station mirror.

"I see. I was stupid," said Yumi as she put her head down on her desk. "There, there," Katsura-san said as she gently brushed Yumi's head.

"Well, I must admit, someone who doesn't have to stand and deal with the crowd would not think of it. Don't worry about it."

"But I am worried about it!"

"Why?"

"Because the other person was Lillian Academy's star! Stars don't fret over the details of ordinary people's lives!"

Stars and ordinary people.

That is true, which is why it came as such a shock. Katsura-san's attempts to comfort Yumi were a little too honest, a little too naive.

By the way, "Katsura" is not her family name. At Lillian, there are almost no nicknames. By convention, students in the same class year call each other by adding "-san" to the name. When addressing an upperclassman, add "-sama" to their name.

"Freezing up like that can't be helped. Any of the first-year girls in our class would lose their composure when called by a member of the Yamayurikai."

Saying this, Katsura-san turned and glanced behind her. Yumi followed her gaze, and saw Toudou Shimako-san enter the classroom.

"Gokigenyou, Katsura-san. Gokigenyou, Yumi-san." Shimako-san greeted the two girls and gracefully took her seat.

"Go… gokigenyou."

Yumi and Katsura-san looked at each other's faces with embarrassment.

Even though they were in the same year, they were somewhat different. She looked nothing like Sachiko-sama, but Shimako-san was quite beautiful.

Looking at Shimako, one has the disappointing realization that beautiful people have always been beautiful, ever since they were little. It's probably not possible for an ordinary girl to suddenly turn into a beauty like Sachiko when she reaches her second year of high school—that's just wishful thinking.

"Did you hear?" Katsura-san whispered, and Yumi also lowered her voice.

"You mean you know the story of how Shimako-san became Rosa Gigantea en bouton, right? How she surpassed all the second-year students?"

This was a well-known story, the story of how Rosa Gigantea proclaimed Shimako to be her soeur while Shimako was still a first-year student.

"Not really."

"Not really?"

Katsura-san put her index finger to her lips and divulged the latest scoop. "I heard this from my onee-sama." Her onee-sama is in the Tennis Club, and if she remembers correctly, Sachiko-sama is in the same class.

"Rosa Gigantea wasn't the only one, Sachiko-sama also asked Shimako-san to be her soeur."

"What!!"

"Yumi-san, shhh."

The two of them hunched over the desk, facing each other so that nobody would hear. Maria-sama, forgive us. In any age, women love gossip about others.

Originally, the "soeur" system was created by the Lillian Girls' High School leaders because of the school's tradition of respecting the students' independence. Compulsory education, up though ninth grade, is under the control of the teachers as well as the nuns. But after that, the school authorities set it up so that the daily order of student life was entrusted to the care of the students themselves. On their own, big sisters guided their little sisters, just like senpai. Because of this, even without strict school regulations, Lillian's pure and proper student life is inherited by each generation of students.

Soeur is the French word for sister. It is thought that English was probably avoided because it would cause confusion with nuns' "sister." At first the broader senpai/kouhai meaning of sister was implied, but at some point it also started to refer to the strong personal ties that formed between two people. It is not precisely known when the ritual of exchanging rosaries began.

"I heard that was Shimako-san accepted the offer of Rosa Gigantea, who came after Sachiko-sama," Katsura-san snorted. She was a little excited.

"I wonder if she preferred white to red?"

"That's not the issue. Yumi-san, you're not focusing. Is it okay for people in Shimako's league to compare two Rosas as if weighing two alternatives?"

"You say alternative, you are speaking too crudely, you should talk nicer."

"But the fact is, Sachiko-sama was cast aside."

"Uh-huh," what a waste, Yumi thought.

"Not uh-huh. Don't you think it's cruel?"

"Why? You can't have two onee-samas, is it wrong to choose between them?"

"Is it okay to choose the one who asked later?"

"It isn't first-come, first-served."

"Yes it is first-come, first-served!"

Katsura-san spoke frankly, her shoulders heaving. Come to think of it, her own ceremony had taken place the very day she joined the tennis club, hadn't it?

"What about the Yellow Roses?"

"The Yellow Roses are third-, second-, and first-year. All covered."

"I see." Yumi was less surprised that Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Chinensis en bouton were competing for Shimako-san than by the fact that until just recently neither of them had a 'soeur.'

"Either way, the fact remains that she didn't immediately accept when asked by Sachiko-sama."

While talking, Katsura-san looked at the clock.

The bells for morning prayer rang.

A broadcast followed, with a hymn over the school P.A. system. Except for once a week in the chapel, morning prayers were held in the classroom. They would sing hymns, listen to the words of the school principal, and offer up prayers to God with a peaceful heart.

May all live correctly today!

But while clasping her hands together, Yumi felt a premonition that hers would be far from a tranquil life.

Chapter 3

"Yumi-san, Yumi-san."

After school, from the music room where it was her turn to do the cleaning, Yumi was called by a voice.

"Ah, Tsutako-san. Your classroom is already done?"

"Yes. I came here quickly before you left school. It looked like you brought your book bag with you to the music room."

From the first-years' classroom, she came carrying her book bag to the music room to do the cleaning. The music room is closer to the exit and also to the clubhouse, so it was convenient for returning and doing club activities.

"Did you need me?"

"Just a little chat."

"Chat?"

After saying this, while pushing her eyeglasses up with her finger, Tsutako-san nodded her head "Yes."

"Ah, Yumi-san. Excuse us, but we have club activities. We will return the cleaning log to the teachers room."

The three girls whose turn it was to do the cleaning smile with pure eyes.

"Oh, thank you."

"No, not at all. Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

With uniforms the color of wet crow feathers, they flowed softly down the corridor. Tsutako-san watched them as they filed out of the room.

"I belong to the photo club, you know?"

Tsutako-san had turned to Yumi and spoke abruptly.

"Y..Yes."

Everyone knows that.

Except when in class, Tsutako-san is almost never without her camera. She is compelled by the fear of missing a chance at a photo. When she had started high school, she had received two or three photos but she didn't know when they were taken. Although Yumi doesn't know much about photography, even Yumi the common student looked thirty percent more lovely when photographed by Tsutako-san.

"The school festival is soon, isn't it? That is why I come to school early and take pictures of clubs in their early morning practice."

Her models were always people. Strictly speaking, her theme was 'high school girls.' Up until now it was okay, but after too much work and no good photos, she has started to imitate paparazzi.

"Tsutako-san. Am I mistaken, or wouldn't it be better if you stopped taking pictures like a peeping tom?"

"What would you have me do, I'm taking advantage of having access to Lillian Academy's current students. I like pretty things and capture them in a frame. At any rate, we are all growing older, I can preserve the sparkle of 'now.' I was chosen by the camera, a duty awarded from heaven."

She raised a fist to the skies.

"Even so,"

"It's okay. I'm not doing anything inappropriate. For each model, I burn the negatives of any bad photos. I certainly get permission before I publish them."

"Inappropriate?"

"In this manner."

Tsutako-san presented two photographs to Yumi.

"What?"

Three, two, one.

It took three seconds to realize what kind of photographs these were.

"Wha!"

Yumi squealed in a loud voice uncharacteristic for a Lillian student, then her mouth was covered by Tsutako-san.

"Hey. Shh."

Ah, this. The morning scene she wanted to completely erase from her memory. Ogasawara Sachiko-sama and Yumi, a photo of the two of them together.

But that's what you expect from the ace of the photo club. She doesn't miss a chance for a photo. Sachiko-sama's two hands were shaping Yumi's tie. When she finishes the knot, you could almost hear the sound of the fabric.

While looking like she was about to drop her book bag, Yumi stared at the photo with her mouth agape.

Sure enough, Sachiko-sama was so beautiful that even Yumi, just by being next to her, looked like an angel too.

"This one was taken from a distance. But, this one here, of the whole body, has a more 'dangerous' mood, don't you think?"

By the way, the title is "Training," said Tsutako-san as Yumi clung to Tsutako-san.

"Please, let me have this!"

At the same time as Yumi said this, Tsutako-san confiscated the photo and laughed. She made a face as if she had a fish on the line.

"Okay. On two conditions."

"Conditions?"

"Number one. You give me permission to put this up on a panel in the photography club's display corner at the school festival."

"Wha?"

Display? Panel? Is she insane?

In schoolwork, height, weight, and appearance, Yumi is just average. To put her side-by-side with Ogasawara Sachiko-sama in front of the whole student body would be crazy.

"Tsutako-san. Surely you're joking."

"I'm not joking at all. This picture is the best I'll take all year, I became convinced of this after taking it. That's why I gave up my lunch hour to develop it."

Just as she was saying this, an unladylike rumble could be heard coming from Tsutako-san's stomach. And her bento box was still untouched, sitting in her book bag as if sleeping. She was going through the peak of her growing years.

"But, this 'panel'…" Yumi resisted.

"You want these photos, don't you?" Tsutako-san waved the two photographs in front of Yumi's face.

"I know. You secretly adore Ogasawara Sachiko-sama. But the fact remains that you don't have a photo of the two of you, or a bust shot. The board outside the teachers' room was filled with great photos from the school trip, but since you're from a different grade, you thought it was too mortifying to ask for one, right? You're not in any club activities, so you didn't have a second-year senpai to ask and buy for you. You barely have one shot, from the sports festival. A photo that accidentally includes Sachiko-sama from behind, while she was waiting for her turn in the relay race. It's such a meager photo, small like a grain of rice, or no, a pea."

"How rude! It's bigger than that! More like a pencil. Anyway, it's precious to me."

Tsutako-san started to act like a private detective. "This pencil, I wonder if you can still be satisfied with it after today."

Her glasses flashed in the light.

"You're evil."

After being shown good photos like this, could she really live without them from here on out?

"However, Sachiko-sama could say 'No', couldn't she?"

"Exactly!"

Tsutako-san raised her index finger and laughed with pride.

"I have one more condition. Get permission from Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

"What!? That's impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Again she quickly refused the outrageous request.

"Why?" Tsutako-san's eyes widened. "Here it looks like you two are quite close, as if you're 'soeurs.'"

"Never!"

Yumi explained that on the way to school this morning she was called out by chance and warned about her appearance.

"Hmm. To have your tie adjusted like that, I'm sure your classmates would become jealous once they found out."

"What do you mean, 'jealous?'" Just from the memory, Yumi almost blushed again.

"Sachiko-sama certainly thought I was an untidy student."

Really, it shouldn't have happened like that.

It should be some day in the near feature, a more beautiful situation, meeting one's onee-sama.

Like a scene in a movie, for example. After graduating, all you could remember is warmth of your heart. Just a flash: picking up and returning Sachiko-sama's handkerchief that had been caught in the wind, a small thing you could do.

But instead, her tie was crooked. She was flustered. She was an underclassman who did not remember to say her greetings or gratitude.

"Slovenly student, isn't it wonderful? Because of that, weren't you able to get close to the person you wish could be your onee-sama?"

"Oh…"

It was painful, hearing this. If her tie hadn't been crooked, she certainly never in this lifetime would have been called by that voice.

"Tsutako-san, why not ask her yourself? You're always getting permission, right?"

"I may be fearless Tsutako-san, but the Yamayurikai members are terrifying."

The Yamayurikai is Lillian Girl's High School student council. The members are called red, white, and yellow Rosas. Although they are students, they are like an aristocracy of ordinary students with special status. Sachiko-sama is Rosa Chinensis' petite soeur.

"And it looked more advantageous to use you to get permission, Yumi-san."

"W… why?"

"Because Sachiko-sama has her eye on you."

"Because my tie was—"

"If Sachiko-sama usually fixed crooked ties, the entire Lillian student body would be walking around with crooked ties," Tsutako-san interrupted.

"No way."

"Actually, I have seen first-year students who are that calculating."

What fate would befall the brazen first-year student who, hoping with all her heart that she could get Sachiko-sama's attention, passed by her with a deliberately loosened tie? Tsutako-san enunciated clearly, like an actress bathed in the spotlight of center stage.

"Sachiko-sama is certainly the school's top neat freak. Since she's famous for hating unkempt bodies, fools doing idiotic things like that will show up."

To house a proper heart, keep a proper body. For the eleven or so years starting with kindergarten, she's had this continually drilled into her, while she waited to one day be called by the voice of her adored senpai. In the end, to receive only a single cold glance from Sachiko-sama, then be ignored.

But that wasn't all—the follow-up was that the girl was called out by her onee-sama and given a warning.

"Sachiko-sama, …scary."

"Ogasawara Sachiko-sama is scary, but only when it concerns irrational behavior."

"I'm going to face the cold Sachiko-sama?"

How scary, Tsutako-san also thought the same thing.

Already Yumi had turned to escape. Tiptoeing in her school slippers, she turned toward the exit.

"You don't understand, Yumi-san. Sachiko-sama isn't a demon. Rather, she's an angel. An archangel."

"Ar… archangel?"

Does she herself know what she is saying? Tsutako-san's eyes were distant.

"Yes she is. Essentially, she is quite a generous person. However, she positively disapproves of activities that go against her sense of beauty. She was born a princess, after all. The kind of person she is, she has her own set of rules."

Tsutako-san was moving too swiftly to follow. Yumi found it intolerable, and raising her hand, said, "Hai."

"Tsutako-san. I only do average in Japanese class."

"Yes?"

"Could you explain it at a lower level?"

"Lower level?"

"Use words that are easier to understand, please."

"Hmm," Tsutako-san folded her arms. This was her own theory, to someone else it was a little difficult to explain.

"If I say it simply, Sachiko-sama doesn't get angry without reason, so it's okay. When she gets angry, it is always for a reason."

"Therefore?"

"So relax, you'll be fine."

"Why me?"

"Doesn't it look like you two get along well? You and Sachiko-sama."

Still, she had not an inkling of Tsutako-san's thought process.

"On what basis?"

"Basis? There isn't really a basis. More of an intuition. A hunch."

Sachiko-sama is not a person who would concern herself with underclassmen's ties, and yet this morning she did call and caution you, and with her own hands straighten your knot, Tsutako-san emphasized.

"I wonder it's a case of her walking up to a compatible person without realizing it."

"Again, I don't follow your reasoning."

In other words, isn't Tsutako-san just pushing an unpleasant task onto Yumi to spare herself?

"I wonder, if you politely say to her 'Thank you very much for this morning's advice,' if you can replace her image of an unkempt girl with that of a polite and correct girl."

"Oh, Tsutako-san, you're too smooth."

"Thank you, I was invited to the speech club."

Her smiling expression suited a master who might have also been invited to the drama club.

After all of this, Yumi ended up standing outside the doorway to the "Rose Manor," the Yamayurikai headquarters.

With the final words, "Don't you want these pictures?" Tsutako-san ended the discussion, and set in motion the great undertaking to go and deal with Sachiko-sama.

Chapter 4

The Lillian Girls' High School student council, Yamayurikai, is named after Maria-sama's Heart.

Maria-sama's Heart has the blue sky, the evergreen oak, the nightingale, the mountain lily, and sapphire. This is a song learned from the start of kindergarten.

(But, why sapphire…?)

Pondering this with a childlike sense of wonder, still thinking: blue sky, evergreen oak, nightingale, mountain lily sure, but why sapphire?

Maria-sama's Heart is a beautiful thing, but using a metaphor like a jewel side-by-side with sky, flora and fauna, somehow makes me a little uneasy.

(But, sapphires probably don't make rich ojou-sama like Sachiko-sama uneasy.)

Standing in front of the Rose Manor, Yumi was absentmindedly thinking of this.

Of the students of Lillian, the ojou-sama school, there were relatively many daughters from wealthy households. Yumi, who had attended school here from kindergarten, her father owned an architecture firm, could be called the daughter of a company president.

Fellow classmates didn't really think about their fathers' occupations, but from overhearing everyday conversations, there were quite a few titles of doctors, lawyers, presidents of small and medium businesses, section chiefs of large companies, and university professors.

However, the Ogasawara Sachiko-sama that they were now visiting had great status. She was the granddaughter of the Ogasawara Group which managed widespread department stores and leisure establishments. Her mother's side of the family came from former nobility. She was a proper princess from a good family.

The Rose Manor. Even though it is a manor, it is small building, half the size of a classroom, built in a corner of the high school courtyard. It is a building just for the student council, a wooden two-story structure, with a facade like a manor.

"Is Sachiko-sama really here?"

Yumi extended her fist to knock, then lowered it for a moment, as Yumi called out to Tsutako-san.

"She wasn't in the classroom. Folks say the Yamayurikai gather in the Rose Manor every day after school to make preparations for the school festival."

While saying this, Tsutako-san turned Yumi back towards the door. She stood and appeared like a persistent escort to Yumi. Really, Yumi could have complained, just whose task did they come here to do, but until she got those photos, she would be quiet and patient. Just as Tsutako-san said, if things went smoothly, just maybe she could be free of this morning's dishonor and if things really went well, she'd have a whole new story.

"Hm. So they're here every day…"

After saying that, there was no backing out now.

Yumi raised her fist once more. However, she had yet to knock on the wooden door.

(Oh, why am I so shy?)

But it seems that first-year students, not just Yumi, lacked the nerve to knock on this door. Knowing this, Tsutako-san didn't hurry Yumi. If Yumi was asked "Are you unable to knock?" Tsutako-san knew Yumi would probably counter with "Fine, you do it."

Yumi felt sweat growing in the palm of her clenched hand. Strange, it wasn't that hot out.

Her heartbeat quickened, and her legs began to shake.

They waited in front of the door, as if an unknown world hid behind it.

Sure enough, it was too hard, and when she lowered her fist, she heard a voice from behind the two of them.

"Do you need the Yamayurikai?"

"Ah!?"

Yumi and Tsutako-san quickly snapped their heads around.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Standing there was Toudou Shimako-san.

Yumi breathed a sigh of relief. She was almost prepared for Sachiko-sama to appear, already swooning at the thought. Swoon might be an exaggeration, but she was certainly still reeling from this morning's disaster.

"Shimako-san? What are you doing here?…"

After Yumi said this, Tsutako-san poked her with her elbow, "dummy."

"Shimako-san is Rosa Gigantea en bouton, so of course she would be here."

"Oh, yeah."

Shimako-san wasn't a typical first-year student.

"Yumi-san and I would like to speak with Rosa Chinensis en bouton. Shimako-san, could you let her know?"

Tsutako-san could ask Shimako-san because she was a classmate. Even though they were both boutons, her familiarity with white and red boutons was extremely different.

"Oh, well if that's the case, why don't you come in? Because I think Sachiko-sama is probably on the second floor."

As her soft ringlets of hair swayed, Shimako-san opened the door and beckoned to the two frightened people.

Not just beautiful, she was a kind and charming person, Toudou Shimako-san. Yumi was fascinated by her.

So this is who Sachiko-sama and Rosa Gigantea competed for. With her fair skin and soft brown curls, she certainly is the type of person with whom people would want to walk side-by-side.

By comparison, Yumi also had naturally curly hair, but it wasn't beautiful. Her hair, especially a couple stray hairs, was kept in place somehow or another by two ribbons. On one hand is Shimako with hair like cotton candy, on the other is Yumi with hair like a wild animal.

"Please, come in."

While holding the door open, she again invited them in.

"Let's go, Yumi-san."

Swallowing a gulp, Tsutako-san took Yumi's arm. Stubbornly, she acted like she intended to go along.

"Wow…"

Immediately after entering, although the floor was small, it had an open ceiling. A little to the left was a steep stairway. At the end of the second floor was a door and a big bright stained glass window, through which the late afternoon sun would shine straight down the stairs.

There was no one on the first floor. On the right and just overhead was one room, but on the first floor there was no indication of any of the people Shimako-san mentioned. Even if Yumi had knocked, nobody would have noticed. She had exhausted herself making such a big deal out of nothing.

"Up here."

Shimako-san's pleats appeared to barely miss the stairs as she adeptly went up the stairs. Yumi and Tsutako-san looked at each other, and with a nod "okay," followed after her.

She'd been in this high school about half a year. To Yumi, it was taboo to think that the the Rose Manor was as good a space as the nuns' living quarters.

"Uh, Shimako-san?"

Yumi felt a powerful wave of anxiety.

"Yes?"

"Is it really okay for outsiders to be here?"

At the top of the stairs, Shimako-san stopped and looked back over her shoulders. For just an instant, her eyes seemed to twinkle.

"Outsider? Why would you think that? Because the Yamayurikai are using this building as their headquarters, board members come here. The Yamayurikai is for everyone, isn't it? Anyone who comes to visit is certainly welcome. Of course, if hundreds of people were to come all at once, they'd be a little tight for space."

Scrunching her shoulders a little, Shimako-san laughed.

This old wooden building could probably hold fifty people at the most.

When in the world was it built? The Lillian high school buildings were by no means new, but at least the stairs didn't creak.

After climbing the stairs, a cookie-like door appeared on the right. Shimako-san led them up to the door, when suddenly a voice could be heard on the other side, about to burst through the door.

"Then why I do have do do it?!"

Because they were right at the door, they could hear the voice clearly. After thinking that loud voices were perhaps out of place in the Rose Manor, the same voice shouted out again.

"This is tyranny! Onee-sama you're cruel!"

It was a little odd reconciling the plate on the door, "Meeting in progress, quiet please" with the word "cruel".

Amazing. Catching upperclassmen using words like "cruel."

Here, in the Rose Manor. Here where the Rosas had their start, where their distinguished members were enshrined, yet there was no mistaking it.

In a meeting, one can't say things like "Onee-sama you're cruel." At least not most students.

"Oh good. It appears Sachiko-sama is here."

Shimako-san put her hand on the doorknob.

"Wha!?"

"You mean that voice just now, that was Sachiko-sama?"

Yumi winced meekly. Sachiko-sama says things like that in a loud voice? She sulks and pouts and says things like "cruel?" Tsutako-san was thinking the same thing.

Shimako-san answered, "Oh she's always like that," Shimako-san answered with a smile. Then she knocked and slowly opened the door.

Then, just that instant…

"I understand. By what you say, it would be fine if I brought her here. I'll go get her right now!"

Leaving those words behind her, a single student forcefully burst from the room. She had opened the doorknob from the inside, dashed through the opened door and crashed into the corridor.

"Ah!"

"Oh!"

At the moment Yumi saw the person flew out, the front of her body was hit with the impact. Next thing she knew, her field of vision careened around and she was looking up at the ceiling, and after that, her rear end was in pain.

Shimako-san was shielded from that person by the door, and Tsutako-san furthest away, but Yumi, the second person, took a direct hit.

The person who flew out said "Ah!", and after that, the voice that said "Oh!" was Yumi's.

"Are you okay?"

She could hear both Shimako-san and Tsutako-san.

"Yeah."

Not really understanding what was going on, an incredible situation was developing.

Her rear end was knocked about, and from chest to belly she was being squished. Plus, her her face was covered by someone else's hair. So even though Yumi fell face-up, she couldn't see very well, not to mention tell which way was up.

"Ow…"

While muttering this, the person on top of her slowly came to. The situation revealed itself, there was no mistaking it. It was her adored Rosa Chinensis en bouton, Ogasawara Sachiko-sama. Yumi was also coming to, but as if unable to accept the amazing realization, continued to sit where she had fallen and rub her head.

Like model in a commercial, her long straight black hair bounced back into position. But unlike a commercial, it was accompanied by a floral scent.

"My, what a flashy fall."

"Yes, to be flattened by Sachiko's fifty kilos? Tragic!"

"Hey, are you alive down there?"

In an uproar, students filed out the room. It was a sight few ever set their eyes on, the full roster of a Yamayurikai general meeting. Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida, Rosa Gigantea. Standing by Rosa Foetida, her bouton and and her bouton's petite soeur.

"Oh! Did I crush someone!? Um, are you okay?"

Finally, Sachiko-sama grasped the situation. She bent to help the still-dazed Yumi to her feet.

"Sachiko. It would be better if you didn't move her. She took quite a bump to her head."

Rosa Foetida en bouton parted the crowd. She was second-year Chrysanthemum group, number 30, Hasekura Rei-sama. As one would expect from the daughter of a martial artist, she has probably seen many concussions being caused.

However, even when she wore a sailor collar and low-waisted pleated skirt, she seemed more like a beautiful woman dressed as a man, which was rare to see at Lillian. She had a slender body and short hair. This uniform is a typical old-fashioned ladylike dress, and yet Rei-sama still managed to look quite boyish while wearing it.

"Oh, I'm fine. I just landed on my rear."

Yumi came to in a hurry. Her rear was still tingling in pain, but at this moment it wasn't anything serious.

"Really?"

Sachiko-sama's worried face peered into Yumi's.

Oh, to be stared at like this at point blank range, it was intolerable. To soil such beautiful eyes with my own eyesore of an impression.

"Yes, this way."

Unable to stand the pressure in the place, Yumi hopped up, coming back to life like a Phoenix. It wasn't good, her acting like a clown, but she wasn't going to act like she needed an ambulance.

"I'm glad."

Relieved, Sachiko-sama hugged Yumi close. Yumi's chest felt the same pressure as from a little while ago. Ah, so that's what it was. It was Sachiko-sama's developed breasts. The school uniforms' construction did a good job hiding the differences in individual figures, but Sachiko-sama was apparently well blessed. Such thoughts, in this situation! When Sachiko-sama was so graciously embracing Yumi.

"By the way…"

While still clinging to her, Sachiko-sama whispered into Yumi's ear.

"You're a first-year student, right? Do you have an onee-sama?"

"Wha?"

For a moment she thought, "a first-year student who unfastens her tie on purpose and and self-destructs? Sachiko-sama would chasten such a girl's onee-sama instead of the girl herself."

But…

Other than this impact, it seems she really hasn't been involved with any older sisters. This situation, which you could an accident, was shaping up to involve Yumi in Sachiko-sama's world.

"Which is it?" Sachiko-sama asked quietly.

"Um, no?" Going with the secretive mood, Yumi lowered her voice and answered.

"Perfect."

Sachiko-sama unglued herself from Yumi, and holding Yumi's hand, stepped forward to the Rosas.

"Um, but…"

"It'll be fine. Do as I say."

Sachiko-sama was quite coercive. Without knowing why, Yumi was taken along as if being dragged, and put in front of the gorgeous members.

"Onee-samas, I have a report to make." The feeling of hysteria around the doorway suddenly changed, brought down by Sachiko-sama's voice, which was cold as always.

"Well, what are you starting now?"

Rosa Chinensis wore an intellectual smile and asked. As one would expect of Sachiko-sama's onee-sama, she exhibited a surplus of dignity.

"This girl—"

Sachiko-sama hemmed and hawed, turned to Yumi and said "Introduce yourself." Even now she still did not know Yumi's name.

"Oh, first-year, Momo [peach] class, number 30. I am Fukuzawa Yumi."

She had tried to turn to face Sachiko to make her introduction, but was turned by Sachiko-sama to face the Rosas.

"I see, Fukuzawa Yumi-san. How do you write that in kanji?"

Rosa Chinensis asked, her arms folded.

"Fukuzawa as in Fukuzawa Yukichi, 'Yu' is written with shimesu ('to show') on the left and migi ('right') on the right, and 'mi' is the same as in 'Year of the Serpent.'"

"How distinguished-sounding. What a good name."

Rosa Gigantea beamed.

"So what?"

This last comment came from Rosa Foetida, who looked Yumi over top to bottom, as if evaluating her.

"So, Fukuzawa Yumi-san, what about her?"

At that moment, Yumi was surrounded by three colors of Rosas.

One could say this situation was like a frog being stared at by a snake. Granted, with the kanji for 'serpent' in her name she was familiar with snakes, but still, she'd rather be excused from this situation. If not a snake, it was a forest of thorns. Beautiful roses do have thorns, and she had a hunch that so did the Rosas, those beautiful big sisters.

She had just fallen on her rear, but there was a pressure invisible to the eye, and her head was spinning. What on earth was this, what was Sachiko-sama doing, arresting a meek first-year student?

"Onee-samas! The way you are staring at her, isn't that rude? Look, Yumi is thoroughly frightened."

(Yu... Yumi!?)

Hey!

Until just a minute ago, she didn't even know my name, and now she skips the honorific "-san?" Oh well, I don't mind being drawn into in a comedy routine, if Sachiko-sama is playing the straight-man.

Yumi.

The standard at Lillian was to add "-san"to a name, omitting the suffix happened in only very close relationships. Her relationship with her parents was like that with her friends, they would all call her "Yumi-chan." Calling her Yumi was something more like an impertinent little brother would do.

But somehow, it felt nice, being called "Yumi" by Sachiko-sama.

It was a little hard to absorb all at once, but this was a nice feeling, associating with Sachiko-sama this tiny bit. There might be times when she could be useful herself. This was such a situation.

"You're right. Sorry if we made you uncomfortable there. Uh, Fukuzawa Yumi-san."

Rosa Gigantea tilted her head. This person was Shimako-san's onee-sama. She was a completely different type than Shimako-san, with an exotic features, but like Shimako-san, a person who remained beautiful even in close-up. Her hair was semi-long layers, flowing beautifully like a wind behind her ears.

"But we care about what Rosa Chinensis en bouton does. Do you understand?"

"Y, yes."

Yumi could understand that the Rosas would all care deeply about Sachiko-sama. What she couldn't understand was why they were all staring so intently at her.

"Rosa Gigantea. Please do not talk to Yumi out of order."

To protect Yumi, Sachiko-sama moved to get in front of Yumi.

"Oh, and since when did Yumi-san become your possession?"

Rosa Gigantea raised an eyebrow and chucked. Upon being scolded, Sachiko wrinkled the forehead of her pretty face, but could still be seen sticking out from behind Yumi.

"Now, Rosa Gigantea. Let's listen to what Sachiko has to say."

"Yes. So you said you had a report to make?"

Coolly, Sachiko-sama, calmed by Rosa Foetida and Rosa Chinensis, relaxed her stinging facial expression, and nodded.

"I will now fulfill my earlier promise."

"Promise?" Rosa Chinensis asked in return.

"There won't be any complaints if I decide right here and now, will there? So I choose Yumi."

Sachiko-sama held Yumi by the shoulders and presented her face forward, just as if she were showing off a new toy which somebody had bought for her.

But…

Yumi didn't know what the story was before she got there, and she really didn't understand what was going on. She was being involved in something she didn't know about.

She looked for help in Tsutako-san's and Shimako-san's eyes, but they shook their heads. They arrived together with Yumi, so they didn't know the situation either.

"Just before you went through the door, you made some parting remark?"

The three Rosas looked at Sachiko inquisitively.

"Of course."

Wearing a triumphant smile, Sachiko-sama eloquently fired off a statement that stunned everyone in the room.

I, right here and now, proclaim Fukuzawa Yumi to be my petite soeur.

Chapter 5

"Here you go."

The steam was rising from the red liquid, which had been poured into a white cup, filling it three quarters full, and placed before her eyes.

It was a drink, black tea.

"Would you like milk or sugar?"

The short girl with braid pulled a sugar packet from a basket. This girl was also a first-year student. Her family name and class Yumi couldn't quite recall, but she is Yoshino-san, the petite soeur of Rosa Foetida en bouton, Hasekura Rei-sama.

"No thank you."

After declining, she thought absentmindedly. Milk? What?

Ah, that was quite a bit of chaos.

After hearing Sachiko-sama's proclamation, the person most surprised was none other than Yumi herself. Frozen in terror, oblivious to the surrounding chaos, just how many times will she freeze up in front of Sachiko-sama before this day is over?

Everyone agreed to go back inside and discuss the matter properly, filing back through the door that had the "Meeting in Progress" sign hanging on it.

Sachiko-sama, with her selfish proclamation, casually introduced Yumi as her petite soeur, and leaving Yumi behind, squared her shoulders and entered the room first. The phrase "prepared for battle" seems most appropriate.

(Sachiko-sama and, war)

The two images are completely opposite, and not really appropriate to join together.

"Well. Looks like you're a little sister who's been left behind. What's a big sister to do?"

Rosa Chinensis took Yumi by the shoulders and entered the room. Finally, Sachiko-sama clumsily noticed her gaffe, and pulled out the chair next to her own, telling Yumi "Please have a seat here."

Then everyone took their seats, and tea was served.

The stairs and the halls were wooden, along with the floors and walls. While this room was within the school grounds, it did not feel like it was part of a school. Except for the hallway side, there were wooden-framed bay windows on each of the three walls. Hanging on the windows were clean cotton curtains, tied back with thin ribbons. The room was about half the size of a classroom. There was a flower arrangement in the middle of the oval table where the eight members would sit. It was less like the student council headquarters and more like the dining room of a Western manor.

At the table were Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea, and Rosa Foetida, of course. Places were prepared for Sachiko-sama, Yumi, Shimako-san, and a guest place for Tsutako-san. Rei-sama and Yoshino-san pulled some more chairs from the wall next to the small sink, and sat down.

After adding water to it, the electric hot pot gurgled. Up until now, she never imagined a picture of students gracefully drinking tea after school. At some time, cookies were placed on a wide tissue that had been spread out.

After becoming a Yamayurikai member, one gets this kind of privilege.

"Don't misunderstand what you're seeing here. Let me explain. We went to great personal effort to create a comfortable space."

Seated next to her, Sachiko-sama whispered as if she could read Yumi's mind. The Yamayurikai budget didn't include tea. Members would bring in tea, and occasionally bring in and share cookies from their cooking class practice.

"There's coffee and cocoa, if you would like some. But they're instant, and right now we only have one flavor."

Rosa Chinensis smiled sweetly and laughed.

"You are always welcome to come here. Since you are Sachiko's petite soeur, you are an important part of our group."

Casually mentioning the main question, she disarmed Yumi with her charm. The people called the Rosas certainly were anything but ordinary people.

(It, it seems that, the main story isn't over.)

After Sachiko-sama's bombshell announcement, everyone concerned turned face to face.

They weren't trying to forget, but honestly Yumi wished they would forget. She hasn't done anything wrong, why did she have to sit here? It felt like she was testifying before a congressional committee. On the contrary, she was the victim of a rear-end collision.

"So, Rosa Chinensis. Do you give your approval of Sachiko's assertion?"

"Well, Rosa Foetida. If Sachiko has already made up her mind, it is already out of our hands, isn't it? Rosa Gigantea, what's your opinion?"

"Approve or disapprove, we can't really decide that yet, can we? At least not until the main party stops rolling her eyes in terror."

As she said that, everyone glanced towards Yumi.

(Ma…, main party? Me!?)

"Poor girl. She can't quite grasp the situation."

The Rosas giggled. Yumi started to think she was probably being teased for Sachiko-sama's benefit.

(Yes, yes that's it. Definitely no mistaking it.)

She couldn't think these gorgeous members could be serious. First of all, there was Sachiko-sama's situation, declaring Yumi to be her petite soeur, and it was all a bit too much.

(No, wait)

Perhaps they're playing a game with Sachiko-sama. Yes, that must be it. If she smiles and says, "I'm sorry, I wonder if maybe I've stumbled onto a little joke," and they will all laugh and I'll say "I thought it a little strange." You know how it is.

But.

"Anyone can say what they will, but Yumi is my petite soeur."

Sachiko-sama would not bend from her claim. What is she trying to do?

"Not just from Sachiko, but I'd like to hear from Yumi-san too."

"M…Me?"

It suddenly came to Yumi, and she wavered. These majestic people can see right through me, see that I'm not following what's going on. But if I speak honestly and say "I don't understand," although easy for me, it will plunge Sachiko-sama into a dilemma as a result. I can guess that from the mood.

"Um…"

I would like to be an ally to Sachiko, if I can. But if I don't know her enemies and allies, how on earth can I help her wage a battle? I sure could use some instruction in the art of war from Sun-Tsu.

"I've said it, so there's no misunderstandings, are there? You don't need a confirmation from Yumi."

Firm. Sachiko was standing firm, and could not be swayed.

"Um, excuse me…"

"Please be silent, you."

Wham. The services of Yumi the ally will not be required.

There you have it, the relationship of sisters. The big sister's orders are absolute, such as "be silent." That's not really right, it would be better if she would speak a little more nicely.

"You seem intent on continuing this saga without hearing from Yumi, and that just won't do."

Rosa Gigantea's eyes glinted.

"Sachiko. You would certainly like to escape the task assigned to you, so you randomly bump into Yumi and drag her into this?"

(Task? Assigned?)

As Yumi craned her neck around, someone else raised their hand to speak. it was Tsutako-san, whom Yumi had completely forgotten about up to now.

"What do you think, Takeshima Tsutako-san?"

"I'm honored you know my name, Rosa Gigantea."

"Yumi-san, I don't know. But everybody knows who you are. You're a famous person around here."

Gee, sorry I'm so inconspicuous, Yumi muttered to herself.

"I'm impressed."

Tsutako-san fixed her glasses into place and continued.

"I know I'm an outsider, but can I say something here?"

"Certainly?"

"I don't really know what's going on here."

Why did Sachiko-sama have to suddenly introduce Yumi as her petite soeur? And how is that related to this "assigned task?" Tsutako-san asked for an explanation.

"You're right. It would be rude not to explain."

Rosa Foetida nodded, then Sachiko stood up in a huff.

"There is no need for an explanation. I have chosen a petite soeur, that is all. We are done for today."

"What a selfish thing to say. If you want to break up the meeting, go home by yourself. Of course Yumi-san will stay put".

After Rosa Chinensis said this, Sachiko-sama sat back down.

"I'll give you a quick summary. Today, Sachiko refused to perform her school festival duties, which she had already promised to do."

"You've got the story wrong."

Sachiko-sama pouted, but Rosa Chinensis ignored her and continued.

"I'm not wrong at all. For example, your duties remain unchanged."

"Excuse me. Sachiko-sama's duties?"

This time it was Yumi asking the question.

"Ah, but we're not done explaining. You see, this year we're putting on a play at the school festival."

"Yamayurikai members in a play."

Wow, sounds extravagant. I definitely want to go and see the spectacle.

"We three Rosas are busy every day, serving as the executive committee for the school festival. Naturally, the boutons play a pivotal role."

We've made arrangements to borrow extras from the dance club, Rosa Foetida added.

"Dance club? What kind of performance will this be?"

Tsutako-san leaned forward and asked. The blood of a cameraman coursed through her veins.

"Cinderella. The ballroom scene."

Oooh.

"Who, who plays Cinderella?"

Forgetting her place, Yumi was excited. The blood of a secret Sachiko-sama fan coursed through her veins.

"That would be Sachiko, of course."

Eeee!

Sachiko-sama as Cinderella.

And the prince is Rei-sama? A magnificent dance of the two boutons.

In her imagination, it was beautiful. Too beautiful. She was already dreaming in the world of the Takarazuka.

She has to make sure she gets a seat. One probably has to get a ticket ahead of time, so before she goes home, she'll find out the details.

No, wait.

A little while ago, Sachiko said she no longer wanted to do this task. That means she would like to step down from the role—

"This year we're bringing in a guest from Hanadera, to which Sachiko objects."

"Guest?"

"It's customary. Lillian and Hanadera Academy are fellow schools on the same hill. The student councils send helpers to each other for the culture festivals. After all, we helped them out last month when Hanadera Academy's culture festival was held."

It's as if this were a rural countryside. Funerals, weddings, fires, moving your house: when these events happen, it is customary for helpers to take a break from work and come running.

When her grandpa in Yamanashi died, his neighbors, busy with the end of the month, took time off from the bank to receive condolence calls. When she saw this, it was a bit of a culture shock. People are used to helping out that way, and neighboring schools are also like that.

"It's not that I'm opposed to bringing in a guest. But surely there's no need for the Hanadera student president have to go to all the trouble to play the prince?"

Sachiko-sama's voice faded away as she spoke.

Ah, so that's what's going on. The prince wasn't Rei-sama.

"So what would you have him do? Play Cinderella? And you would play the prince?"

Actually, that kind of sounds like it would interesting. Yumi was not the only person who thought this.

"Why does it have to be the prince? What about backgrounds, costumes, work behind the scenes—"

"We can't have the guest behind the scenes, can we? Over there, we were judges at their main event. They didn't just have us doing petty errands like making tea. You didn't come that day, so you probably didn't know this."

"I can't understand why we would change the cast now, when it's only two weeks until the school festival," rebutted Sachiko-sama.

It was a quarrel between Rosa Chinensis and Sachiko-sama. A one-on-one showdown between sisters.

"That's why we decided from the very beginning that the prince would be the Hanadera student council president."

"That's a lie. Up until yesterday's script reading, wasn't Rei reading the prince's lines?"

Then,

"Ah, I knew I was a stand-in from the beginning."

Steam rose from the electric water pot, and Rei-sama raised her hand.

"Hey, look. Everyone except Sachiko knew about it. If you still harbor suspicions, ask the sewing club. Because when they ordered material, the prince's costume was the Hanadera student council president's size."

"That decision was made in my absence."

Sachiko-sama ground her teeth as her prospects worsened.

"You're imagining things. We're not holding secret meetings. Ah, I know what it was. How many times have you skipped out on meetings? It was probably one of those times when you weren't there when we decided. If that's the case, you get what you deserve. Whenever we had meetings with Hanadera, you made sure you weren't there. Your hatred of men is too much, you'll just have to put up with him."

(Hatred of men?)

In Yumi's mind, she clapped her hands together: I got it!

She put the pieces together: Sachiko-sama was appointed by the third-year Rosas to take the lead role in the play. It surely wasn't their intention to cause unhappiness, but Sachiko-sama was the only one not going along with the decision to have the Hanadera student council president play the role of the prince. Sachiko-sama was furious upon learning of this only today, and that's why she declared that she would step down from the lead role. So that's it: it was all a pretext because of her hatred of men.

(But, hatred of men?)

Up until now, she never thought about it, but thinking about it now, with Sachiko-sama the term "hatred of men" was a perfect fit. In Yumi's grade, there are students would would admit to fear or hatred of men, and this felt similar.

(Does she not get along with her father, too?)

Idly thinking about such things, she made a face when she felt like someone was looking at her for some reason. Rosa Gigantea jutted out her chin, narrowed her eyes, and laughed.

"You're funny."

"What?"

"You make funny faces."

"What!?"

Yumi quickly changed her face back to normal. But it was too late. She didn't reel in her face fast enough. And as a final blow, she felt her face glow bright red.

"You are a bit of a surprise, but you are by all means welcome."

You say that, but….

Ultimately, these were not only words of praise. She did at least average on her national language exams, so she could somewhat understand Rosa Gigantea.

"Yeah. But what does Sachiko-sama's disapproval of the lead role have to do with Yumi-san's being a petite soeur? The sign said 'Meeting in progress,' but were you discussing changing the lead role?"

Tsutako-san continued her questions at her own pace. Then Rosa Foetida shrugged with a wry smile.

"At first, this was a meeting, if I recall correctly."

The members meet in the Rose Manor every day after school, to make preparations for the school festival. We discuss plans for all the countless little issues that came up that day.

Not waiting for Shimako-san, who was late because of some school chores, the meeting had already started. She was a bouton, but her presence wasn't absolutely necessary.

A bit of explanation is in order. What at most schools is the student council, here is called the Yamayurikai. There are only three leaders, officially called Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea, and Rosa Foetida. These three people share in equal parts the official duties of student council president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and it has been this way for generations.

Nobody really knows when the student council members started to pattern themselves after roses. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Either way, the three leaders of the Yamayurikai are the Rosas: red, white, and yellow.

The student council handles things like the start-of-school party, the welcoming party for incoming freshman, the farewell party for graduating seniors, and other seasonal events. It isn't particularly exciting, the budget committee and general student body meetings and so on. It's their job to take care of a considerable number of minute details. There's no way to break the tasks up among three Rosas individually. To help out, the three Rosas take on soeurs to act as their apprentices. It's no surprise that they do their best. As long as there is no big upset, those soeurs will become the next leaders of the Yamayurikai. The boutons bloom into roses, and are accepted by everyone.

"The main topic of discussion was simply making decisions, so, it was going along smoothly."

"We were in the middle of arrangements for our play, when Sachiko raised a fuss."

"We tried to quiet her down, with little jabbing at her tender spots, but then she blew up. Although Sachiko is popular because she presents a nice outward appearance, actually she has the temperament of a tantrum-throwing brat."

The Rosas recited this plainly.

"Wait just one minute! Those weren't little jabs, those were stabs right at my heart!"

Sachiko-sama remembered and grew agitated a second time.

"'People without a petite soeur have no right to speak,' you said."

"If I recall correctly, I did say that. But I did not mean 'anyone would be fine as a petite soeur.' To dash out of the room, seize upon the first first-year student you met, and make her your petite soeur, that's a bit hasty. You're trying to spin gold from straw.

(Gold from straw?)

A bead of sweat formed at Yumi's temple.

(So, I'm the piece of straw?)

Thanks to you, I now know the whole story. And it's a bit silly.

"What's wrong with spinning straw into gold?"

Sachiko-sama, you're talking yourself into a deeper hole.

"So, you intend to use Yumi as a stopgap measure? You cannot do that. As your grande soeur it would be an affront to my dignity."

Rosa Chinensis, gasped in shock. Then Sachiko-sama looked straight at her onee-sama and objected.

"I will take care of Yumi. I will work hard to produce an elegant Rosa Chinensis."

No matter why, is it really a good idea to boast like that? If you ever have to recant such a statement, it would be really embarrassing.

"I suggest you stop saying the first thing that comes to mind, Sachiko."

"Why do you suggest that?"

"Didn't you meet Yumi-san just now? How do you think that fulfills your promise?"

An invisible spark sputtered.

It was three against one. Plus, the three were Lillian Girls' High School leaders, the most powerful seniors on campus.

"Isn't it true that you didn't know Yumi-san's name until just now?"

"That…"

Sachiko-sama's tone of voice lowered. Rosa Gigantea gently delivered the final words.

"All right, isn't that enough? You're being stubborn. Just stop."

That was it, though Yumi. Wouldn't it be better to bravely accept defeat? Playing Cinderella might be unpleasant, but wouldn't it be good to resolve this somehow? This isn't like an impulse buy. If you think about it, it would be be better to find someone else better suited for Sachiko-sama's petite soeur.

But if that's the case…

If Sachiko-sama were to choose some other first-year student as her soeur, that would be quite a shock to Yumi. Sure, Sachiko-sama saying that she was her petite soeur was a bit random, but it also made her a bit happy.

"Wait."

This time, it was Shimako-san who stood up.

"I do not think this is the first time they've met, Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san."

Up until then, the other people in the room gave no indication that they were even there. Rosa Foetida en bouton and her petite soeur, neither really had to be there for this discussion. Sachiko was the only exception.

"Why do you think that?"

Rosa Gigantea asked her own petite soeur.

"Because Yumi-san came here looking for Sachiko-sama."

"She didn't come here with you, Shimako-san?"

Rosa Chinensis' eyes traced out a triangle as she looked at the three of them: Yumi, Tsutako-san, and Shimako-san.

"That's right. It seems we forgot to ask why Yumi and Tsutako-san are here."

They could have been Shimako-san's personal friends that she brought along, or volunteers to help with school festival duties, or from some club that wanted to use the gym. Everybody wanted something. Sachiko's hysteria, collision, and announcement of sisterhood, piled up one after the another. In the mayhem that followed, it is understandable that Yumi and Tsutako-san were forgotten.

"Is this true?"

Rosa Chinensis went around Sachiko-sama and asked Yumi directly.

"…Yes."

Straining, her voice vanishing, Yumi replied. She wasn't doing anything wrong, yet in spite of this, she didn't like the situation. When she was a child, after a quarrel with her younger brother, she would be asked by her mother what started it. It felt like one of those times.

"I have proof, too."

Tsutako-san cut in. She handed it to Rosa Chinensis.

(Oh, the photograph from this morning.)

She only caught a glimpse, but there was no mistaking the two of them in the photograph.

Gradually, everyone came to the same conclusion. What will her classmates think? It's going to be yet another jumbled mess.

"I see. You two know each other from before. Please excuse my mistake."

As the snapshot made its way around the table, Sachiko-sama was sitting next to Yumi. She had no idea this photo existed.

To see how Sachiko-sama would react, Yumi glanced to her side to catch Sachiko-sama's facial expression. Once Sachiko had the photograph in her hand, she tilted her head a little bit and slowly turned to face Yumi.

She wrinkled her brow. But, not really in displeasure.

(This is an expression of puzzlement…)

Sachiko-sama, in a small inaudible voice, muttered.

"I wonder where we met."

I knew it.

She had completely forgotten.

This morning was just a little while ago, it's not like ancient history. Did Yumi leave so faint an impression? Or perhaps to Sachiko-sama, the event wasn't worth remembering?

Either way, it's disappointing. If her face isn't memorable, she didn't need to worry about repairing any prior dishonor.

But if she thought that way, Sachiko-sama's actions couldn't be thought of as anything less than brazen. Not many girls would grab and declare sisterhood upon their first encounter with a first-year student..

Being called straw that's spun into gold isn't really cause to get angry.

"As you can see from this photo, Yumi and I are very close."

Uh-oh.

Sachiko used the photo as a prop. Giving up on hysterics, she now tried new tactics.

That was a fast turnaround from "I wonder where we met."

Sachiko-sama continued further.

"Plus, I've chosen a soeur, so there's no reason to object, is there?"

She adamantly continued with the lie, claiming Yumi as her soeur.

No, she isn't like this. Sachiko-sama intends to turn some random lie into established truth. I don't really understand what's going on here, or how this will get her out of playing Cinderella.

"True. Even though I think you're doing this for temporary relief, I have no right to voice an objection to your actually choosing a soeur, much less tear you two apart. After all, you are a student here."

Even though you say that, if one starts to head down the wrong path, you should find an exit from that path, thought Yumi.

Sachiko-sama was Rosa Chinensis en bouton, and six months from now she will become Rosa Chinensis. What kind of uproar would follow if she chose as her soeur a very ordinary student with no special features, even temporarily? Sachiko-sama looks like the kind of person who could weather such a trial without even trying.

If she's going to do that, why not use Tsutako-san instead? She's even more of an outsider. If she was the one whom Sachiko-sama collided into, she would have become Sachiko-sama's soeur.

"Fine. It's settled."

Eventually Rosa Chinensis said this, and Sachiko-sama's face brightened. With just that one change, the whole atmosphere started to sparkle. It was just like Cinderella had sprinkled magic on the scene.

"However—"

Rosa Chinensis smiled.

"I do not accept your resignation from the role of Cinderella. Don't forget that."

"But your promise!?"

Sachiko-sama's cup almost overturned, she pounded the table so hard. Cinderella's magic dissolved.

"Promise?"

Rosa Chinensis laughed under her breath.

"That was just something you shouted yourself back then, wasn't it? I said 'People without a soeur have no right to speak.' So just now you're free to speak."

"Then please accept my resignation from the role."

"No."

"Why?"

"Your hatred of men cannot be the big reason why you quit the role. In your case, doesn't just seeing a man cause you to break out in a rash, to feel sick to your stomach? You can't go around saying 'no' to everything, one after another. That's selfish. Don't you think the next Rosa Chinensis should know this?"

Rosa Chinensis, after saying this, put her own hands on her cheeks and let out a big, intentional-sounding, sigh.

"It's my own fault for not teaching you enough. But I never imagined you wouldn't understand such things."

Such a pity. Sachiko-sama could find no words to answer back.

So this is what happens. Generation after generation of Rosas grow strong. It felt like a peek inside the inner workings of the Rosa Manor.

"I'm going home."

Sachiko-sama stood up straight from her seat.

"Wait."

Still sitting, Rosa Chinensis looked up at her beaten soeur.

"Confirm one thing for me. What is Yumi-san to you?"

"What?"

"Do still think of Yumi-san as your soeur?"

Rosa Chinensis is probably asking her if, even if Yumi is no longer fodder to get Sachiko-sama out of playing Cinderella, does she insist on claiming that Yumi is her soeur?

"Certainly."

What would she think if Sachiko-sama had said she revoked her previous claim?

But why? The big drama is over. Sachiko-sama's attempt to get out of play Cinderella was defeated. There was no reason to continue this pretext of Yumi becoming her soeur. Yumi: the girl whose name she didn't know, whose face she didn't remember.

But.

"Certainly. Yumi is my soeur."

That was not what Yumi expected Sachiko-sama to say. It was a gracious thing for Sachiko-sama to do, but Yumi, startled, looked intently at Sachiko-sama's face for confirmation.

After all the excitement and chaos from just a little while ago, she probably just made a mistake in her Japanese usage. Probably, Sachiko-sama really meant to say "she is not my soeur."

"Onee-sama, are you trying to insult me? Does it look like I'm just using Yumi as a soeur?"

Yumi thought, "Hey, you certainly are using me!" But this was Sachiko-sama, so Yumi stood by her.

Won't somebody please say something on my behalf?

"Fine."

Rosa Chinensis nodded and appeared satisfied.

"If you were to abandon Yumi-san here, I would also be forced to sever our own bonds of sisterhood."

Why does it have to be such a big deal?

When I woke up this morning, I had no premonition today would be like this. When I left home, when I passed through the school gates, nothing ever changed.

My tie was just crooked. Such a trivial thing dragged me into all this. Now I'm sucked into a swirling vortex of people.

I may be in the middle of a vortex of people, but it still feels more like I'm left outside.

"Have you already given her your rosary?"

"Not yet. If you wish, shall I perform the ritual in front of everyone?"

"That would be fine."

Wait a minute.

Everyone, wouldn't it be better to stop Sachiko-sama? Should an ordinary girl like me really become Rosa Chinensis en bouton's petite soeur? She shouldn't just smile, gracefully drink her cold tea, and say "That would be fine," should she?

"What's the matter? This girl appears to have something to say."

Rosa Chinensis noticed Yumi.

"I will perform the ritual right here and now, unless there are any complaints?"

"Of course not. Would any student think about complaining, after you give your rosary and officially become soeurs?"

As if part of a formulaic story, Rosa Foetida whispered.

"But, wouldn't it be better to leave these two alone?"

"I didn't expect you to be a romantic."

That's not it. That's not it at all. She couldn't get a word in edgewise, breaking into the Rosas' conversation. Yumi was flustered.

While Yumi was flustered, Sachiko quickly took her the rosary from her chest.

(Is she really doing this!?)

Once you hang it around an underclassman's neck, you can't back out and say "I quit." It is probably a big deal, exchanging rosaries and marriage announcements are much the same.

I'm kidding myself. This is a dream. And the moment she hangs the rosary around my neck, the alarm clock will ring.

(But, can you feel pain in a dream?)

If I recall, when I hit my rear in the hallway, it hurt. If I pinch the back of my own hand as a test, sure enough, it hurts.

"Yumi, don't move."

Sachiko-sama ordered. Her rosary was already in her hands, opened into a wide loop, ready to hang around Yumi's neck.

After she hangs that around my neck, I will become the petite soeur of my adored Sachiko-sama.

I didn't do anything to earn this. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time.

No, if that's the case, I'm just a pawn. Being in the right spot at the right time isn't surprising. But being used as a pawn this way is wrong.

Ah, now is not the time to think about such things. There is only one thing I should be thinking about.

Is this okay?

Becoming her petite soeur right now, is it really okay?

"Uh, excuse me…"

"Please wait a moment."

At the same time as Yumi, Shimako-san called out.

"Sachiko-sama and onee-samas, aren't we all forgetting something important?"

"Something important?"

"Yumi-san's feelings."

"Yumi-san's feelings?"

The Rosas laughed under their breath.

"This girl, you think she might not accept the rosary?"

"That's not what I mean. But we should at least take a moment to ask her how she feels about it."

Shimako-san spoke in a resolute manner. Because she presents such a quiet outward appearance, it was unbelievable that she would take such a bold stance. Is this really Rosa Gigantea en bouton that we know? She may only be a first-year student, but one suspects she is a level-headed person.

The ceremony was interrupted for the time being, and Yumi was grateful for Shimako-san's help.

"I see. After Rosa Chinensis en bouton's proposal there could be someone, like Shimako, who would say 'No, thank you'."

Rosa Chinensis threw a small pick-off move at Shimako-san. Yes, it appeared the rumors were true.

"But, Yumi-san is Sachiko-sama's follower. There is no reason for her to refuse?"

Tsutako-san, next to Shimako-san, said idly.

"I agree. I'd like to study this girl…Yumi-san. Understand this fan of Sachiko's."

Rosa Gigantea nodded. She'd seen Yumi's funny faces, so she'd like to study Yumi a bit more.

If that's so, it's certainly possible that Sachiko-sama also perceived her. Is this why Sachiko-sama did not hesitate to involve Yumi in the discussion up to now?

Soon, Sachiko-sama stopped caring what happed outside herself. The rosary rolled in the palm of her hand. Certainly, absolutely, there was no reason for Yumi to refuse, so firm was her confidence.

"But, since there is a chance she will refuse, shall we take a moment to ask her?"

Rosa Chinensis faced Yumi and asked,

"Sachiko would like you to be her petite soeur. How do you feel about accepting her rosary?"

To be asked so bluntly. She couldn't find the words to reply.

Becoming Sachiko-sama's petite soeur, it was kind of like a dream where she was marrying a Hollywood movie star. Because it was a dream would never come true, she had been able to enjoy herself and dream about it.

Now, a ticket to a direct flight to that dream was being dangled before her eyes.

To not say yes would be more like a lie.

But, sure enough, somewhere in her mind she was saying, "Is this really okay?"

Yumi had everyone's attention as she sunk into silence. Yumi made her decision and said,

"I'm sorry. I cannot be Sachiko-sama's soeur."

A small murmur swept through the room.

"This is getting interesting."

Rosa Gigantea laughed irresponsibly, Rosa Chinensis blinked her eyes, Rosa Foetida's mouth opened to the shape of an "O" and froze.

"I think I have a right to hear why?"

Sachiko-sama's temple twitched and she trembled as she spoke.

"I was Sachiko-sama's fan, but,"

"Why, have you seen her true character and hate it?"

Rosa Chinensis asked Yumi in the intervening time.

"That's not it."

The slight difference between Sachiko-sama's image, and the pouting, angry type of person that Yumi saw made her happy. Because she'd seen an unpleasant side to Sachiko-sama's personality that isn't usually seen.

"I can't explain it well. It's because I'm a fan, yet certainly a fan would say she'd like to become a soeur, so that's not quite correct."

"Sigh."

"But because I'm a fan, I have a fan's pride."

"Naturally you'd come, tail wagging. Don't you feel insulted?"

"It's a little different than that…"

It is difficult to change one's feelings with words, she thought.

"No matter how you look at it, Sachiko-sama was rejected again."

"Poor thing, Sachiko. A surprise second consecutive defeat."

"This year's first-year students, they're quite something."

The Rosas surrounded Sachiko-sama, every mouth talking. More than consoling her, they appeared to be amusing themselves.

"You're just saying 'poor thing.' But one way or another, you won't let me out of Cinderella," said Sachiko-sama as she smiled at the futility of it all.

"Oh my. Sachiko hates others feeling pity on her, and she's going to complain."

"How unusual."

"You say 'one way or another', but what would you have us do?"

You already know what.

If one took a step back and surveyed the scene, one would see the appearance of these wondrous people. Sachiko-sama was transformed into the Rosas' plaything.

"Either myself or the Hanadera student council president, please let one of us step down from our role."

"What are you talking about? You were rejected by Yumi-san, why do we have to take pity on you?"

The reason isn't very logical. But during this time, one comes to think that being forced against her will to dance with a boy is cause for pity.

Because she did not want to co-star with a boy, she made Yumi out to be her soeur.

"Uh, excuse me."

Not thinking, Yumi called out.

"Are you still here?"

Feeling jilted and embarrassed, Sachiko-sama acted prim and spoke abusively. She was right next to Yumi, so she would have known if Yumi had gone home. It was not cute.

"Um, could we politely decline Hanadera Academy, saying sorry maybe this time it won't work out?"

"What? Are you still trying to help Sachiko?"

Rosa Chinensis pulled a line of hair across her chin and appeared happy as she rocked back and forth.

"Help? No, not really."

While speaking, Yumi surprised herself. Turning to Rosa Chinensis, she spoke her mind.

What am I doing? This isn't like my usual self.

"Since the Hanadera student council president was officially requested, it's impossible."

"But, what if you at least change who plays Sachiko-sama's role?"

"Change who plays her role?"

"For example, maybe switch with Shimako-san. If it's Shimako-san, it won't be any less beautiful than if Sachiko-sama played it. Plus as a bonus, it will be Rosa Gigantea en bouton."

Shimako-san, being nominated, look at Yumi as if to say "what do you mean?" Yumi put her hands together, in her mind saying "sorry" to Shimako-san. Sure enough, Yumi had messed this up.

"Shimako, a first-year student, in the leading role?"

"First-year, second-year, does it really matter in this case?"

"Perhaps not."

I'll give it another try, she thought. Rosa Chinensis stared up at the ceiling, as if thinking a bit.

"Even though there was miscommunication at first, you put this responsibility only on Sachiko-sama. What about everyone else?"

Then, mid-sentence:

"Silence!"

Standing right beside Yumi, Sachiko-sama suddenly called out.

"If you say any more, I won't forgive you."

"Sachiko-sama…"

Not her usual hysteria, she chose more dignified words.

"You are speaking on my behalf, I understand that. But please do not criticize my onee-sama just for my sake."

Sachiko-sama softly touched Yumi's shoulders, then turned about-face and bowed towards the Rosas.

"It was inexcusable, I'm sorry. I'll instruct her later."

Her shoulders felt ached under the touch. Even though it was as if I were assisting Sachiko-sama, perhaps it was pointless.

"Certainly."

Rosa Gigantea spoke, her voice tapering off.

"What Yumi-san was about to say was right. Today Sachiko just found out about it, and sure enough we bear partial responsibility. Regarding the role, how about we think about it one more time?"

Immediately, the other Rosas started to raise objections. Regardless of who was actually responsible for what, they objected mainly over things like costume and poster orders already arranged, rehearsals start almost immediately, change in cast was a big deal, and so on.

"But to be forced to dance with a boy student against her will, what should we think about that? For both Sachiko's sake and our own."

"I see. You're saying that someone who would force underclassmen to do something against her will, that kind of person should not be in charge of the student council. Plus, 'Cinderella' is a Yamayurikai production."

"But. Doing a last-minute change, isn't it a big deal?"

Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida whispered, Rosa Gigantea replied "not necessarily."

"Everything will be all right if Sachiko does Cinderella willingly."

"The prince's role can't be changed?"

"No. The cast will not change."

Rosa Gigantea made a suggestion.

"Let's make a bet."

"A bet?"

"To just categorically go ahead with Cinderella, it's not fair. So to give Sachiko a chance, we'll play a little game."

I see.

But if you paid attention, you'd notice that from the start they spoke as if confident that Sachiko-sama would lose.

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's ears, as if already winning their approval. It was enough to make anyone feel sorry for the underdog.

"And if I win?"

Sachiko-sama asked indifferently.

"This time we promise. You can step down from the role of Cinderella."

"I understand. Let's make this bet."

"Wait, Sachiko-sama! Is it wise to answer before hearing the terms of the bet?"

This was surely too much untimely interference, but Yumi interrupted anyway without thinking.

"I don't care. Because if I lose, nothing changes."

Sachiko-sama didn't give an outward appearance of being a gambler. Because she was a neat freak, she looked like bets would give her the creeps.

"Okay, answering Yumi-san's request, we'll state the terms of the bet."

After a giggle, Rosa Gigantea briefly stated,

"Can Sachiko-sama make Yumi-san her soeur, or not? Of course, Sachiko-sama will bet that she can."

"What!?"

The most surprised was, of course, Yumi.

(But, isn't my involvement in this story over yet!?)

"Seeing that she's turned you down once already, it would seem practically impossible to get Yumi to accept your rosary now. But if you do, at that point, you will no longer have to play the part of Cinderella. On the other hand, up until then, the role is yours and you must attend the rehearsals."

"I see. So if I don't want to hold hands with the Hanadera student council president, I should win over Yumi as soon as possible?"

"You got it. We'll neither help nor hinder you. Victory or defeat is up to you. There's nothing wrong with these terms, is there?"

"It is something worth doing."

Sachiko-sama smiled with a determined spirit.

"Yes, yes. One more thing."

Rosa Gigantea turned face to Yumi, and told her,

"In order that you don't accept Sachiko's rosary just because you're her supporter, if you say OK, there will be an opening in the role of Cinderella, so in that case, you will fill in."

"Oh. Why me?"

"What I am saying, is that at the time you accept her rosary, you are Sachiko's soeur. When an onee-sama leaves an opening, it's natural to fill in, right?"

That's stupid.

"Me? Me as Sachiko-sama's replacement would be impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

"You'll be fine. Just never accept her rosary, if you're determined to ensure Sachiko's defeat."

"If we end up choosing Yumi, that too would be interesting, so that's okay." What a dreadful thing for Rosa Chinensis to say.

"Well, that ought to cover it. Not just the bet between the Rosas and Sachiko-sama, but challenge between Sachiko-sama and myself."

"I guess that's that. If you're going to feel regret, feel regret over the one moment when you showed Buddha's mercy and tried to help Sachiko earlier."

After Rosa Foetida's unlikely words "Buddha's mercy," it was like a little spirit was let loose in Lillian Academy.

＊　＊　＊

"I don't believe it!"

While walking along a row of ginkgo trees, Tsutako-san whispered.

"Why didn't you immediately say OK? If you had become soeurs, it would have been easier to negotiate with Sachiko-sama."

As the Autumn sun set, when Yumi was released from the Rose Manor, twilight had already started to settle in.

"Hey, Tsutako-san, back there, were you worrying about the pictures, not me?"

"Naturally. Who do you think you're talking to?"

That was Takeshima Tsutako-san, the photography club's ace.

"But that sure was interesting, though."

Tsutako-san laughed and spoke just like Rosa Gigantea.

"Sure, if it wasn't happening to you."

"Because it wasn't happening to me, I was at ease. Ah, Yumi-san, it's finally time to pay your dues. It'll be sad losing another one of my soeur-less friends, but considering that it's Sachiko you're up against, I guess it's only a matter of time. In any case, the bet would have been more interesting if they had set details like 'within how many days.'"

"Tsutako-san, do you think Sachiko-sama will win?"

"Maybe. Doesn't it seem like you have less strength than she?"

"…"

Actually, I thought that myself, too. To be perfectly honest, In the face of all that pressure, I suddenly could see myself nodding my head, yes.

"But, Cinderella is going to happen, so I must not lose."

"I will not lose," stated Yumi, raising her fist in the air. Tsutako corrected Yumi under her breath. "It sounds to me more like you're saying you'll give it a try and see what happens."

As they came up to the statue of Maria-sama, the two of them stood and stopped, bringing their hands together. This was the custom. Every day on the way to or from school. Besides then, if you happen to pass in front of this statue, you also pay your respect.

(Maria-sama, today was a terrible day. If you can, please return me to quiet days soon.)

Opening her eyes and turning her body, then,

"Please wait."

She heard a voice from behind her.

It was like deja vu. Same as this morning, she thought that couldn't be Maria-sama. Not with such a cold voice.

"Sachiko-sama…"

Did she rush over here, panting? Sachiko-sama was standing ten meters behind Yumi.

"Remember this. I will definitely make you my soeur."

Even though they were in the middle of the ginkgo tree's summer stench, Sachiko, standing tall and straight as she proclaimed this, looked cool.

"Gokigenyou. Be careful on the way home."

After saying that, Sachiko-sama left, smiling, walking along the building side of the path.

"That was kind of, cool."

While watching Sachiko-sama's retreating figure, Tsutako-san whispered.

Also at that time, Yumi, in her own heart, was inclined to think the same thing.

Tuesday of Troubles

Chapter 1

The rumor spread quickly.

By noon the next day, most of the high school students knew that Yumi had rejected Sachiko-sama.

"Tsutako-san, did you tell anyone?"

"Of course not. It's many times better to watch from afar than to participate."

Perhaps the Rosas, who have one or two bad habits of their own, spread the rumors themselves. But even if they didn't, Sachiko-sama certainly could have been the source.

In particular, because nobody said to keep what happened a secret, she couldn't very well go around grabbing the people spreading the rumors and telling them off. Nevertheless, when difficulties like this cropped up in an ordinary first-year student's peaceful academic life, shouldn't it be okay for her to at least complain about it?

At first she felt the glances from classmates. But when Yumi would meet their gaze, they would turn away with a feeling of 'no way!' so nobody would come out and directly say anything.

"There is a rather odd rumor floating about, but it's better if you didn't worry about it."

In the classroom, Katsura-san's note was passed to Yumi.

Because the students close to her knew the real Yumi, the huge gap between reality and the rumor was cause for confusion. Eventually they all decided it was another baseless rumor, as was the pattern with most rumors.

However, the person called Fukuzawa Yumi was relatively unknown (at least to most folks) until today, and was now causing quite an incredible reaction.

A qualified girl might catch the eye of Sachiko-sama after Toudou Shimako, but so far there were slim pickings. The rumor spread by itself, and lunchtime a crowd of sightseers was growing outside the first-year Momo classroom to catch a glimpse of this rumored enigmatic beauty.

"If nobody shows them, they don't know whom the rumors are about. That makes you both happy and sad."

After putting textbooks away after fourth period, Tsutako-san spoke quietly from behind.

"I guess I'm feeling a little conflicted."

Yumi laughed, disheartened. The sightseers had come expecting to see a standout like Shimako-san, but as Tsutako-san pointed out, because Yumi was the very picture of an ordinary student, the true subject of the rumors would remain unnoticed.

By now, her classmates had put two and two together, and guarded her by saying "Yumi-san isn't here right now." Because of this, Yumi was able to leave for the bathroom, simply walking through the huge crowd of sightseers.

"Oh, I have one more piece of advice for you. It would be better if you were not in the classroom come lunchtime."

Tsutako-san smiled gently, she looked like she was quietly chatting innocently as she spoke quickly.

"Why?"

"Because the newspaper club is coming to gather information about you. The newspaper club is tenacious. They make the average entertainment show reporter look lazy by comparison."

"Sigh."

Her face went pale. Entertainment show reporters are amazing in their investigation, asking things like "Are you married?" or "Is she sleeping around?" Sachiko-sama's drawing power is also amazing, but it would be nice if the newspaper club would skip this story.

"Got it? Good. Take your lunch."

Tsutako-san pulled Yumi's lunch from a handbag hanging on the side of her desk, gave it to Yumi to hold, and pushed on her back.

"Oh, Yumi-san, where are you going?"

Katsura-san asked, a little bewildered, since the two of them usually ate together.

"I need to borrow Yumi for a little bit."

Tsutako-san answered for Yumi. Quickly grabbing her own lunch, she urged "hurry up." It felt like if they didn't act fast, the newspaper club would get there before they left.

"Oops."

Standing just outside in the hall, sure enough there were three students from the newspaper club.

"…we're too late."

Tsutako-san's regretful whispers reached only Yumi's ears.

Camera, tape recorder, notepad. Of course, compared to a entertainment show reporter, they lacked a mike and a shoulder-mounted TV camera.

"Oh, gokigenyou. Are you in this class?"

The first person in group latched onto Tsutako-san. Newspaper and photograph clubs: they were somewhat related.

"Gokigenyou, newspaper club. What are you up to today?"

Although she knew full well why they were here, Tsutako-san went out and greeted them with a friendly smile.

"We're here to interview Fukuzawa Yumi-san. It's great you're here, could you call her for us?"

"Hmm. Yumi-san, Yumi-san…"

Acting like a space case, her eyes did not reveal that Fukuzawa Yumi-san was right next to her. Turning to face the doorway, she viewed the classroom they had just left, first-year Momo class.

Inside the classroom, they were in the middle of lunchtime preparations. Desks were attached together and tablecloths spread out, the Milk and Bread Officer was distributing ordered goods, students from other classes were joining in, it was quite a jumbled mess.

"Hm, I wonder if Yumi-san is over there."

Tsutako-san delayed by adjusting her glasses, and pointed towards the vicinity of the rearmost seats.

"I'll get her for you. Please wait a moment."

Now what was she up to? Yumi was suspicious. Tsutako-san had returned to the classroom, and then looked back and said "Oh, yeah!"

"Natsume-san, you're in a hurry, aren't you? Please go on ahead of me."

"What? Oh, yes."

Because she had made the effort to look Yumi in the eye and give her a small wink, Tsutako-san's 'Natsume' probably meant Yumi herself.

"See you later. I'm going."

Yumi gave a small nod to Tsutako-san and the newspaper club students, then left. While walking down the hallway, she figured out the play on names: Natsume→Natsume Souseki→Fukuzawa Yukichi→Fukuzawa Yumi. It was a play on the faces on money bills.

After that, what was Tsutako-san planning to do? She would probably say "oops, wrong person" a few times, and then politely excuse herself. Unbelievable! Even while claiming it is more interesting to watch from the sidelines, is it okay to help out like that?

Tstutako-san still hadn't shown up, where should she go? Thinking this, she aimlessly went down the stairs. From somewhere, a voice called out.

"Yumi-san, over here."

Looking under the handrail, a white hand beckoned with a wave. Leaning her body, Yumi to saw Shimako-san's face materialize.

"Let's eat lunch together."

Without knowing why, Yumi was relieved by that angelic smile, and rhythmically walked down the stairs.

Shimako-san invited Yumi to her reserved seat.

"Do you eat lunch here every day?"

This was the back of the auditorium. In the midst of all the ginkgo trees, a lone cherry tree grew. It was an inconspicuous spot. The two of them opened their lunches and sat.

"Depending on the season. Spring and Fall, on days when the weather is nice."

"And Summer?"

"Caterpillars gush forth from that cherry tree, so it's a little unpleasant. But a little while after that, lots of ginkgo nuts fall, so I look forward to that."

While holding a piece of taro from her lacquered bento box, Shimako-san absentmindedly looked up at the ginkgo trees. She looks like a French doll, and yet she like old Japanese things. An unusual pairing. Ginkgo nuts, an old-fashioned bento box, and also small potatoes.

"…you're eccentric, aren't you, Shimako-san?"

"Really? But if you don't step on the ginkgo nuts and get them all mashy, they don't stink. But everyone walks along the row of ginkgo trees, it's so pitiful."

"Shimako-san, is it possible that you take home the ginkgo nuts that aren't smashed?"

"Correct."

Shimako-san looked happy as she laughed.

"Do you like ginkgo nuts?"

"Yumi-san, do you hate them?"

Being asked the same question in return, she exhaled. I guess there actually are people who like to eat such things.

Like the shiso leaf on a sashimi combination platter, up until today she just thought of ginkgo nuts as decoration for chawan-mushi.

"I like things like ginkgo nuts, lily bulbs, and soy beans. I'm not like a typical teenage daughter, I guess my preferences are quite affected by parental guidance, don't you think? Raised by those parents, such preferences are old-fashioned, for sure."

She heard that Shimako-san's house was pure Japanese architecture, not a single Western-style room. One imagines a pure white mansion with a white grand piano. For lunch, things like crab sandwich and fried chicken would be more suiting.

"Do you think it contradicts my appearance?"

Shimako-san peered into Yumi's face and asked.

"You're right, it isn't. But surprises are fun."

After expressing her honest opinions, Shimako-san said "you're the same, too, Yumi," and laughed.

"Really. I'm glad we had this time together."

The two of them looked up at the sky.

The clouds moved slowly through the clearing sky.

Under the blue of the sky and white of the clouds, the rays of the sun were filtered through the yellow leaves of the ginkgo trees and sparkled with a golden hue. If you were a painter, you could paint this scene on a huge canvas. If you were a poet, a poem. If a musician, a song. Certainly you'd preserve this scene.

"Shimako-san, why did you turn down Sachiko-sama's request?"

She just thought and casually asked. After that, what if Shimako-san replied "shouldn't I be asking you the same question" and stretched?

"I see. The two of us are the same in that respect."

After saying that, there was no gush of growing affinity. It was as if Shimako-san and Yumi-san were facing each other over Sachiko-sama.

"In my case,"

She thought about it a little, then Shimako-san looked up as she spoke.

"I thought I was wrong for Sachiko-sama. On the other hand, Sachiko-sama was definitely wrong for me."

"What do you mean?"

"I like Sachiko-sama, but we were looking for different things in our companion. That's why it was wrong for us."

"That's too difficult, I don't understand."

"Sachiko-sama said the same thing. I'd like to say something understandable, but there's nothing concrete. I just had vague feelings, so I couldn't be more definite."

You should give the other person what they wish for. It's a one-to-one personal relationship, so such things are essential, I think.

"If you're not right for Sachiko-sama, surely nobody else could be?"

"I don't know. Of course it isn't easy, which is why she doesn't have a petite soeur yet. Besides, don't you think Rosa Chinensis and Sachiko-sama are perfect counterparts? There's some compatibility there."

"Is that so?"

Yumi thought, if that's the case, Shimako-san and Rosa Gigantea are most likely perfectly compatible. Shimako-san didn't go after two onee-samas at the same and take advantage of the situation. It was the perfect result of a careful choice.

"Shall we head back soon?"

Shimako-san stood up. Fifth period would start in five minutes.

"The newspaper club people will be in their own classrooms, so you'll be okay."

After Shimako-san's story, Yumi was careful to avoid stepping on fallen ginkgo nuts as she walked.

Until then, she had never carefully watched the ground while she walked. Looking at fallen ginkgo nuts, they resembled ripened plums.

"About Sachiko-sama: I think she was more shocked when you turned her down than when I did."

"Why?"

"I thought she already had somewhat of a hint when I turned her down. Because it looked like she just assumed I would become her petite soeur, she already knew she and I weren't a good match."

But in Yumi's case, she had absolute confidence.

"But she looked like she wasn't shocked?"

"Back then, she was driven by her hatred of losing. She really was just acting unconcerned at a frustrating time."

There were no signs of life on the stairs, as the two of them set off and walked side-by-side. On the way they passed an old teacher who always enters the classroom precisely with the bell.

Just like Shimako said, the students from the newspaper club and other classes had vanished from the hallway.

While opening the back door, Shimako-san said,

"Perhaps you might be a good match for Sachiko-sama."

While watching the retreating figure of her classmate as she entered the classroom, Yumi whispered "what do you mean?"

Because Shimako-san understood Sachiko-sama and things like her hatred of losing, why would Shimako-san think Yumi would be a good match?

Unbelievable. Shimako-san was definitely weird.

Chapter 2

The practice of school cleaning chores appears to have never caught on except in Japan. In the West, school is a place where you go and study, and that's all anybody thinks of it. I forget when, but this was said by a foreign commentator on TV.

(If I recall correctly,)

I get a vacuum cleaner from my mother to clean my own room, so it feels a little weird to sweep the classroom floor. Even if they have a common link through home economics, the cleaning methods of ordinary households and schools are completely different.

It is really a matter of character. You should use things to clean, and then put them back.

Yumi was a typical student who didn't particularly like cleaning time, but if it was the music room, she didn't really mind it as much.

It was soundproofed, so the floor resembled felt flooring spread all over, and it didn't need to be wiped or waxed once a week. The wall was a special soundproofing wall, so it needed to be dusted only once in a while. The desks and chairs were built in, fixed to the floor, so you couldn't remove them.

It was okay to quickly sweep using the vacuum reserved exclusively for this room, wipe down the desks, and clean the blackboard, chalk tray, and windowsills. After all, the customary portraits of Beethoven and Mozart were watching.

"Yumi-san, let's wrap up soon."

Said a classmate in the same cleaning group as she closed the window.

"Yes…"

Usually, as soon as cleaning was over, she would quickly go home. But today she was moving slowly.

"I haven't finished filling out the cleaning log yet, everyone go ahead."

If she left now, she'd run into the peak of the go-home club. She wasn't that worried about the bus being somewhat crowded, but as the target of today's rumor, she definitely lacked the courage to jump into the middle of a hardening throng of high school students. That's why she was killing time here. She didn't know anywhere else to go.

"If that's the case, we'll keep you company until you're done. We can't leave you all by yourself."

Every one of her kind classmates said the same thing.

"But don't you have club activities? After I finish, I'm just going home. And you delivered the log for me yesterday, so today I'll take it."

After Yumi said this, the other three people asked "Are you sure that's okay?", and after discussing it together, they made their way to the back of the music room.

"Gokigenyou."

"See you tomorrow."

Their quick footsteps pitter-pattered as they left.

They should keep their pleats cleanly pressed and their sailor collars flat. But they forgot about such discipline, since everyone was busy.

"Oh, I'm so bored."

She wasn't part of any club or committee, so she was a little lonely at this time.

The class performance was "Stations of the Cross," according to the program announcement. From the scene of Christ's death sentence to climbing the hill at Golgotha, crucifixion, entombment, there were fourteen reproduction pictures, under which were explanatory text, but the hard-working Lillian students had already made most of the preparations by the time classes resumes after summer break. The school festival was coming up, and with club activities, committees and such, students become busy and with classes and cannot handle all the work. But everyone is well aware of this.

"I wonder how long I should kill time here."

If I wait too long, I'll run into students whose club activities are over, and that would be really stupid.

"Oh yeah. I have to deliver the cleaning log."

But she still didn't feel like moving. Turning from the half-open door, she could hear the loud, happy voices of students moving about from classrooms, clubhouses, and gym.

For no particular reason, Yumi opened the lid on the piano. She was all alone in the music room, but she wasn't really scared.

—because this school was protected by Maria-sama.

Peculiar to Lillian, there were absolutely no ghost stories such as a grand piano that plays by itself in the dead of night, or the eyes of Beethoven following you as you walk.

Mi—

With her right index finger, she hit the high 'mi' key. I believe that was the first key. Yumi pulled up the bench and turned to properly face the keyboard.

It had been a long time since she'd touched a piano. In elementary school, for six years, she would go to the piano room once a week, but she didn't improve, so she stopped at the same time she entered junior high school.

Mi—

One more time, she tried to make the same sound. And this time, from memory and by ear, she tried to recall a song she heard half a year ago. With just her right index finger, she made her way through the melody.

Fa—

So—re mi—

This was Gounod's Ave Maria.

Half a year ago, at the Yamayurikai's welcome ceremony for first-year students, she was introduced to Rosa Chinensis en bouton, second-year student Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, who played this song for the new students. If she thought about it, that would be the first time that she became aware of Sachiko-sama.

It was performance on an organ, inside the chapel, and its majestic notes resounded through her heart. Sachiko-sama, playing Ave Maria, gave Yumi a sublime feeling.

Even after the performance was over, Yumi's eyes stayed on Sachiko-sama for a long time. Not just her beautiful appearance, but her every gesture was dignified, and just a little bit of a firm tone like an upperclassmen. Beautiful.

I want to be somebody like that.

I want to be closer to that person.

At the time, half a year ago, she wished for such things. But she could never have predicted things would turn out like this. In fact, yesterday at about this time, it was the same as now.

My life as an student here sure has changed. While thinking this and leaning on the piano, she caught something at the edge of her field of vision.

"☆×■◎※△ーー!？"

Before she could figure out what it was, unable to form words, a strange voice came from Yumi's vocal cords.

Why shriek like that? If a person's hand came from behind you, extended out and touched the keyboard, of course your heart would leap from your chest.

"What's was that scream for? It's not as if I'm attacking you."

She saw the face of the hand's owner, and jumped a second time.

"Oh, if you're going to silently appear behind someone, anyone would scream. Sachiko-sama."

Plus, it didn't help that up until this very minute, in her head, Yumi was painting a picture of this very person.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your piano playing."

With the little finger of her outstretched left hand, Sachiko-sama played middle C. She played a key, just like at the start of piano lessons.

"Play."

"What?"

"Once more. Try to play it all the way through."

"What?"

In haste, Yumi stood from the bench, but from the free end, Sachiko patted Yumi's shoulder with her right hand.

"The rhythm is…… one, two, three, four, two, two, three, four."

"B, but……"

Just like a metronome, Sachiko-sama regularly tapped out the rhythm on Yumi's right shoulder. After three counts, she signaled "go."

People are pretty much conditioned to start when you say "go." Yumi, driven by this momentum, touched the E key.

As if they were chained together, one note followed another.

Do mi so do do mi so do

Then, Sachiko-sama started to play the part for the left hand. Plus, she was because she was stepping on the pedals, the sound would hold and echo.

(It's a duet!)

She played the notes with her own fingers, and other notes came one after another, beautifully, leaving her ears filled with joy.

But she'd be excited for only a short while. Soon she'll become aware of Sachiko-sama, and her excitement will change into trepidation.

This song wasn't really made for a duet, so Yumi played the part for the right hand and Sachiko-sama played the part for the left. This meant two people were squeezed into the space for one. Sachiko-sama's chest would touch Yumi's left arm, her shiny straight hair would fall on Yumi's shoulder, and her somewhat pleasant fragrance enveloped them.

They continued playing. As long as Yumi kept playing the melody, Sachiko-sama probably would not stop.

She wished this could go on forever. On the other hand, she wondered to herself if this would hurry up and end. The two conflicting emotions crossed inside Yumi.

Sachiko-sama's breathing caused Yumi's bangs to sway. But what really annoyed Yumi was that Sachiko-sama was so calm. Unlike Yumi, Sachiko-sama wasn't perturbed by such a trivial thing.

The beautiful harmony was broken.

Yumi had hit the wrong key.

"Sure enough, it's no use. I can't keep up with you, Sachiko-sama."

With a small smile she got up from the bench, and turned her back to the piano.

"Really? I though you played quite well."

Sachiko-sama lowered the piano lid. It made a small clang when it closed, and since they were the only two people in the music room, the sound was a little jarring.

Yumi could sense Sachiko-sama slowly turning and walking towards her. The sound of her slippers was absorbed by the floor, and Yumi realized how Sachiko-sama was able to quietly come up behind her before.

"Well, shall we go soon?"

"What!?"

"Not 'what?' After all, why do you think I came here?"

"Now that you mention it, why did you come here?"

"To fetch you, of course."

By habit, she raised an eyebrow as she stood waiting.

Go where? Did I miss something? Before she could ask that, Sachiko-sama explained.

"Okay? After school from now until the school festival, we'll be going to practice for the play. That's your duty."

That's what Sachiko-sama had to say.

At best, Sachiko-sama was running under a strict time limit. Since she was in a different year than Yumi, she had only small periods of time in which to persuade Yumi to accept her rosary. It really was impossible. For the sake of the fairness, one could conclude that a student like Yumi with no club activities after school should offer a few hours to the Yamayurikai.

"That's crazy."

"Crazy, is it? It's been approved by the Rosa onee-samas."

Sachiko-sama lifted Yumi's face with a finger on her chin and looked at her directly.

"Won't you think about it? You are the understudy for Cinderella. If you didn't go to practice, of course there's no way that could be excused."

"Understudy? But that's only if I accept your rosary—"

"You're so sure that you won't accept my rosary, that you don't intend to practice? If that's the case, then would it be right for me to skip practice, too?"

"But,"

In a quiet and plain tone, Sachiko-sama scolded Yumi.

"But I go to practice. There aren't many things in this world that you can say 'absolutely.' Whatever you believe, the future holds only one result out of the possible two from the onee-samas' bet. Whether it is I or you who ends up performing Cinderella, I will practice. Even though it goes against what I believe, it's better than putting on an ugly display on the day of the show.

Sachiko-sama softly tucked Yumi's stray hair behind her ear, and looked down at her with a small smile.

"Sachiko-sama……"

She couldn't say anything in reply. Even if she got hysterical and raised an objection, Sachiko-sama already understood the truth perfectly well, and could separate fact from fiction as neatly as one separates recycling from trash.

She thought she was probably disappointing Sachiko-sama, and she felt a pressure in her chest. It was different from the excitement or trepidation she felt during the duet at the piano. It was a mysterious mental state, and it felt like tears would fill her eyes. Once when she was a little child, she lost sight of her mother in a crowd. This feeling was something like that.

If Sachiko-sama had lifted her face just a little bit slower, Yumi certainly would have said "I'm sorry" and clung to Sachiko-sama.

"Okay,"

Sachiko whispered, as if she had reconsidered.

"Because you have your own thoughts, I won't force you. But please won't you come watch me practice?"

"……Yes."

"Fine. Grab your book bag."

At Sachiko-sama's urging, Yumi picked up her her own book bag, which she had left on top of a desk, and also the cleaning log.

In a somewhat sweet manner, going at Sachiko-sama's pace wasn't really an imposition. While lowering her head, Yumi immediately reflected upon her own accursed thoughts.

Yesterday's unexpected hysterics aside, Sachiko-sama was essentially like Maria-sama, pure, correct, beautiful, a painting of what an ideal onee-sama should be. At least, she needs Sachiko-sama to be that way.

"Well, shall we be going, Yumi?"

Sachiko-sama called from in front of the door.

"Ah. Yes."

Hurrying a little bit, Sachiko-sama said "hush now" and adjusted the shape of Yumi's tie.

It was the same feeling as yesterday morning. For a moment, it was perfectly synchronized with yesterday's scene at the row of ginkgo trees.

"Ah."

Sachiko-sama whispered, and looked at Yumi.

"That picture. It was taken yesterday morning, wasn't it?"

"What?"

Unbelievable, but it seems Sachiko-sama just now remembered the scene when she met Yumi.

"You didn't remember when you saw the picture?"

"I knew that it was me in the picture, and that the girl I was with was you, Yumi. But I could not remember when it happened. There was no date on the picture that Takeshima Tsutako-san took."

Yumi thought that really wasn't the issue, but did not say so. She had made a weak impression, instantly forgotten, so there was no need to bother remembering her.

"So yesterday really was the first time I met you."

"That's right."

While closing the music room door, Yumi nodded. At most a few hours after the first time they spoke, Sachiko-sama had declared their sisterhood. That's why Yumi had been called 'straw spun into gold,' to which she really couldn't object.

"I remember it clearly now."

The two of them walked side-by-side through the hall. The rumors had spread far and wide today, and it was nice that Sachiko-sama didn't seem worried about them as they walked together. Since there were a few students in the hall now, Yumi figured Sachiko-sama hated sneaking around.

"Sachiko-sama, do you frequently adjust the ties of underclassmen?"

If that were the case, not remembering Yumi couldn't be helped. But then from Sachiko-sama's lips came the answer.

"Quite the opposite."

"Huh?"

"Almost never. I rarely do such things. I wonder why I felt like doing it."

Whispered Sachiko-sama, looking truly baffled as she descended the stairs. She thought about it a little while, and after descending another floor of stairs, she arrived at a solution.

"I'm a little out of it and absentminded in the morning, so I probably called out to you unconsciously. Certainly that's why I couldn't remember right away."

"You didn't look out of it that morning, though."

"That's so nice of you to say. But really, I have low blood pressure."

"Huh. Low blood pressure."

Somehow, the more Yumi learned about about this person called Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, she less she understood. This was the adored person, of whom just three days before now Yumi had an entirely different impression.

Usually it takes a while, gradually you grow to understand the other person as time progresses.

＊＊＊

As they approached the teachers room to turn in the cleaning log, Yamamura-sensei who was in charge of Yumi's class smiled and said "Oh my!"

"Am I mistaken, or are the rumors true?"

It looks like the rumors have spread even to the teachers.

"But what a mystery. Wasn't Ogasawara-san was turned down by Fukuzawa-san? So why are you two together? Perhaps she really said yes?"

Just like one of Lillian's students. You couldn't think of her as someone twenty years older or more, when her eyes twinkled just like a schoolgirl's as she asked.

"Um, yeah. Well, about that—"

Yumi hemmed and hawed, then Sachiko-sama stood at Yumi's side and spoke smoothly.

"I'm sorry for any disturbance we've caused you. As for our situation, I leave that up to your imagination."

With a smile, she said "Well, we're off." Sachiko-sama took Yumi's hand, and gracefully left the teachers room behind them.

Silenced, Yamamura-sensei smiled wryly. "Hmm. Sachiko-sama."

The door of the teacher's room rapidly vanished from sight as they walked, and Sachiko-sama finally let go of Yumi's hand.

"It's better not to say too much."

"But."

"If you respond to such things, the rumors just get more interesting and stranger. Don't dole out explanations in little pieces. When you are ready to set things straight, do so only once. While things are troubling, bend like a willow in the breeze."

But the art of silencing somebody with a smile like Sachiko-sama's, a regular high-school student could not imitate that. She could understand the logic behind Sachiko-sama's theory, but putting it into practice would be quite difficult.

Chapter 3

She brought her to the second gym building.

Here, behind and separated a bit from the school buildings, middle and high school students could gather, unlike the first gym building, which was not large enough to accommodate that many students. It's wide enough to hold a basketball court, but not a stage. Space for a dressing room, toilet, and a break room complete the building, and it's quite popular with the students. Other schools are invited over for friendly games. With gym and club activities, it is widely used.

"Put on those slippers over there, then come in."

Sachiko-sama pointed to a shelf stocked with beige vinyl slippers for visitors' use. Throughout the entire gym, personal shoes were strictly prohibited, except for sneakers.

While Yumi changed into slippers as instructed, Sachiko-sama went in, wearing socks.

"Oh, Sachiko's here."

"You're late."

While the Rosa's voices still echoed, Yumi entered the gym, following after Sachiko-sama. After one step, she felt pain at their glances.

Everyone from yesterday was there except Tsutako-san, as well as at least another twenty students that she could see. Mingled among the them were Yumi's classmates. Since they were all attached to clubs, she figured they were a group from the dance club.

"Sorry to interrupt practice. Please, continue."

Then, classical music started playing from somewhere, and in the dead center, Sachiko-sama took the hand of Hasekura Rei-sama. The other students formed identical pairs, and started dancing to the music.

It had 3 beats, so it was a waltz.

It appears today is dance practice.

"Welcome, Fukuzawa Yumi-chan."

Yumi turned to see who called her. Rosa Chinensis was waving her over.

"You can see better from over here."

When she looked over, she saw Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida with Rosa Chinensis. The three of them were leaning against the wall together, watching the dance practice. While Yumi was being encouraged over, she stood next to Rosa Chinensis.

Carried by the graceful music, the girls danced.

Even though she was in the same school uniform as everyone else, Sachiko-sama could be picked out of the crowd. Even the complicated steps were just like an ordinary, spontaneous walking step, as if her body were a musical instrument being played, twirling giddily.

By no means where the other students bad. The girls brought no shame to Lillian Academy's Dance Club, dancing with style. But the center of the this flower was nobody else but Sachiko-sama. Even without her costume, you could tell she was the lead role after just one glance.

"That was just so-so, hmm?"

Rosa Chinensis asked Yumi without turning to face her.

"So-so? It was spectacular."

After that, Yumi asked when they started, and was surprised that they just started practice today.

"It was about thirty minutes before Sachiko-sama came, right? Shimako and Rei learned the steps from the dance club, and just started with them."

"Just started!?"

"They have the basics down, because Shimako does Japanese dance, so she's good at learning style. Rei does martial arts drills, so she's learned the ability to concentrate, but it's still too hard for her. See? She messed up."

Just then, Rei-sama stepped on Sachiko-sama's foot. But the two of them continued dancing as if nothing had happened. They weren't wearing shoes, so they probably weren't concerned about stepping on each other's toes.

"Sachiko, she's a genuine ojou-sama, so naturally she can dance."

Rosa Chinensis spoke a little boastfully about Sachiko-sama. Sachiko-sama learned ballet from five years old, and had a private dance teacher for three years, starting in her first year of middle school. Rosa Chinensis thought Sachiko-sama had home tutors come every day after middle school, for English conversation, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and so on.

"It's a little like a story of another world."

She let out a sigh. She had lived fifteen years, but never in this world could she imagine such a thing.

"Isn't it, though? It was like she couldn't breathe. That's why I made her quit it all. As a petite soeur, she had plenty of odd jobs for the Yamayurikai."

"……amazing."

For a middle school student to handle all of that training, Sachiko-sama was amazing, but to be able to put a stop to all that, Rosa Chinensis was also amazing.

"Sachiko. She's serious and hard-working at her core, so she'll do exactly as she's asked. That's why it's essential she takes a break. Understand?"

"……a little bit."

"A little. ……That's good."

The song was reaching its climax. A few faint drops of perspiration shone from Sachiko-sama's brow, a line of her black hair clung to the nape of her white neck.

"But what good is being able to dance so many ways, if you never have the opportunity to dance?"

After Yumi posed that question, Rosa Chinensis asked back, "Why, you think so?"

"If she dances often, she shouldn't hate dancing with a boy now, right?"

"Yes. Actually, we thought the same thing. Sachiko is our 'top dancer', so why does she refuse so? We'd like to know why she hates it, which is why we didn't immediately approve her stepping down from the role."

Things are getting interesting, Rosa Chinensis said, then smiled, looking happy.

"With the addition of the Fukuzawa Yumi spice, I look forward to seeing how this recipe turns out."

(Wha……)

She felt a dry wind blow inside her.

If you watched a lot of period dramas, when the lone traveller stops in a town on a highway stretch, it was a feeling like that. The dust from the wind, stinging your skin. And after that, waiting, expecting but not knowing from where your enemies would come, from the left or from the right.

The dancing flowed back and forth in a graceful waltz. This music was a complete mismatch for the image in Yumi's head.

"It's just like Rosa Gigantea said."

"Huh?"

"When you think really hard, you make funny faces."

Rosa Chinensis dropped her intellectual expression, and laughed out loud.

The music ended, and Rosa Chinensis started to give directions on where people should turn their bodies, initial positions and so on. Even though she had been chattering away with Yumi, she was paying perfect attention to the dancers, as she should.

"Yumi-chan, do you dance?"

Rosa Gigantea came closer, and twirled a couple locks of Yumi's curly hair.

"N, No. Not at all."

"What? Hey, is dance class just in second year?"

She bent her body backward and asked Rosa Foetida.

"Yes, I think so."

While rewinding the cassette tape, Rosa Foetida answered, looking uninterested.

"Then I'll teach you. Put out your hand."

"Wha!?"

"Come on."

Rosa Gigantea grabbed Yumi's hand, and pressed their bodies together.

"Ah."

"Yumi-chan, you say 'eh' and 'oh' and 'ah' a lot."

She can say that, but Yumi's outbursts were in reaction to Rosa Gigantea, startling a person like that, she shares part of the blame.

"It's a waltz, so it has three beats. One, two three, one, two three."

It couldn't be helped, Yumi stepped out of her slippers.

On one, take one step back with your left foot. On two, while making a 3/8 turn, open your right foot. On three, bring your left foot to your right foot. Next, on one, take one step forward with your right foot and make a half turn to the right. On two, step back diagonally with your left foot, and then make a 3/8 turn to your right again, then bring both feet together. On three, put your right foot forward a little.

She tried to do as she was told, but she couldn't do it.

"You're twisting your waist. Hey, don't look down. Don't worry about stepping on my feet."

One, two three.

Gradually they noticed the atmosphere surrounding them that they initially overlooked. They caused the group from the dance club to mess up their choreography and stare at Yumi and Rosa Gigantea as if they were some strange thing.

"Oops, bad timing. Now we must we part ways."

While smiling, Rosa Gigantea let go of Yumi's body. Then she made a big wave with one hand and let everyone know,

"Hey! Everyone, allow me to introduce my new friend. This is Fukuzawa Yumi-chan. From now on, she will be dancing with us, so make friends with her."

Sigh.

She wanted to cry out "eh!", but remembering how that had been pointed out earlier, Yumi kept her mouth shut.

"We were just giving it a try, sorry. But it would be a good idea to get used to dancing for when the 'real time' comes."

After some dreadful whispered comments reached her ears, Rosa Gigantea nudged Yumi's back.

However, the 'real time' would only happen if Yumi were to replace Sachiko-sama on stage.

(For the time being, I'm with Rosa Gigantea because of the bet, but could Rosa Gigantea hurt her a pawn like this?)

But for the Rosas themselves, whether they win or lose, they won't be harmed by the deal. Yumi realized that they were only amusing themselves with how things played out.

From the periphery, Rosa Foetida suddenly said "Somebody dance with her," while looking in each direction.

"I'll do it."

She could see somebody raising her hand, it was Rosa Foetida en bouton, Hasekura Rei-sama.

"Bu, but. Rei-sama, you're with Sachiko-sama."

"I'm just a stand-in. When the real prince is here, I'll be dismissed, so pairing up with you isn't a problem, Yumi-chan."

What should she do? It seems the cold harsh wind wasn't through with her.

Although everyone acted uninterested, she could feel her skin prickle at their curious glances. No, not curiosity. Jealousy.

But the rumor that Rosa Chinensis en bouton, Sachiko-sama, had been turned down, still existed. Her friendly introduction here on the gym floor, and the close chat with Rosa Chinensis. And that's not all. There was Rosa Gigantea showing her how to dance, and Rosa Foetida en bouton, Rei-sama, becoming her dance partner. It just carried things to extremes.

Just who does she think she is, that girl? Certainly that is what they are all thinking, she thought.

Being the center of attention like this was the last thing she intended. Somehow, against her wishes, she had ended up going in a direction completely different than what she had imagined.

This was torture. It would be better if they would get back to practice.

The boutons didn't stare at her much, but the many glances from the dance club members were unusually painful.

From her front and from behind she could feel them, when she turned to the right and turned to the left, there they were, the eyes of the dance club students. Plus, her practice with Rosa Gigantea had been quite slow, and this music's speed was more than her feet could keep up. She stepped on Rei-sama's toes, and her own toes were stepped on by Rei-sama, it was terrible.

Through all this, sure enough, Sachiko-sama was graceful. Rejecting Rosa Gigantea's offer to be her dance partner, she went through the dance steps alone. The arch of her back, the angle of her arm, it looked as if the prince were there with her.

What kind of prince was Sachiko staring at now? If it were this unseen prince, she probably wouldn't mind holding hands with him.

"Don't look away."

She returned her attention back to the scolding Rei-sama, who put on a scary face.

"Looks like you're worried about Sachiko."

"No, that's not it."

While answering, she was indeed worrying, she thought. Soon, she was once again following Sachiko-sama's figure with her eyes.

Dancing with the unseen prince, Sachiko-sama moved easily, like she had sprouted wings.

Yumi wondered, who was Sachiko-sama's imaginary prince? You certainly could say it wasn't the Hanadera Academy student council president. After thinking this, she felt the yet unseen person from Hanadera must be a most pitiful boy.

Poor prince.

Unlike Lillian Academy's Cinderella, Sachiko-sama had more lofty ideals.

Wednesday's Reflection, Friday's Battle

Chapter 1

"What's going on, Yumi-san?"

Asked Katsura-san, who came flying into the classroom Wednesday morning.

"W, what?"

Katsura interrogated Yumi on her way to her desk, grabbing her shoulder and pinning her against a locker. Even though Yumi had done nothing wrong, Katsura-san asked her in a hushed voice.

"I heard you're in the Yamayurikai play, exactly like the rumor says."

"I'm participating as you say, but just an inconspicuous role in the dance is all."

Yumi was actually telling the truth.

"But, they say your partner was Rosa Foetida en bouton."

"Uh, yeah, kinda."

"Really!?"

Katsura-san's voice changed suddenly from pianissimo to fortissimo. Yumi's ears hurt from the voice, and thanks to that voice, all her efforts to sneak quietly into class were for naught. The classmates who had not yet noticed her, now stared in her direction.

"Yumi-san, gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san."

With angelic faces, the throng approached. Their number was many, and in their own way, they were terrifying, thought Yumi.

Even if it were a group of young chicks approaching, or human babies, it would probably be the same unpleasant feeling.

"Tell us, please. Are the rumors true?"

"Y, yes."

Of course, if one thought about how two days ago she was in the Rose Manor, and one day ago at lunch was involved with all the leaders, yesterday's activities in the gym are fairly easy to predict. At any rate, there were three times as many witnesses. The dance club students, plus the folks from before.

"C'mon, tell us straight."

"Did you really turn down Sachiko-sama's request?"

"If so, then why are you doing things together with her?"

"You're with the members of the Yamayurikai, what are you doing with them?"

"Which onee-sama do you like the best?"

Her classmates had been patient up until now, but now the floodgates were open and they were throwing questions left and right.

"Um, uh……"

Bit by bit, her classmates advanced on her like a wave, and Yumi cringed.

For students of an ojou-sama school, if you weighed them on a balance, these girl's ojou-sama side would come out lighter, after all, they were girls. With the subject of the rumors right there, of course they loved it. But if the topic were something like committee members stealing school supplies for personal use, they would never get so excited.

"What about it, Yumi-san? Please, open up and tell us what you think."

They continued the barrage of questions. There were too many questions, she had already kind of forgotten the first question. Even when she answered them one by one, there was no end to the questions. Plus it seemed like everyone had already made up their own minds before even hearing the answer.

(What should I do at a time like this?)

Then at once, she remembered Sachiko-sama.

(Let's see, Sachiko-sama would…)

Calmly, sweetly, gracefully, smile and—.

"Everyone, I'm sorry for all the commotion I've caused."

It was a bit too hard to pull off gracefully, Yumi's self-evaluation thought it was only so-so. If she were keeping score, she'd give it 75%.

"The reason is that I am helping the Yamayurikai with the the production of their play. That is why I am speaking with the Yamayurikai leaders."

Yumi spoke so clearly that everyone backed off a little bit in surprise.

She wasn't acting guilty or anything. The other girls were acting if Yumi was special for no other reason than Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Gigantea had been so nice to her, Rei-sama had been her dance partner, and they had all been so kind to her.

"And what about Sachiko-sama?"

Just then, a single student asked.

"Sachiko-sama?"

"Did Sachiko-sama ask you to be her soeur, really? Yumi-san, did you turn her down?"

They all wanted to ask that, and they all nodded they heads in agreement. "Hmm?"

"Sachiko-sama"

She tried to answer, but the words wouldn't come.

"Sachiko-sama—"

What should I do? If it were Sachiko-sama, what would she do?

Let's see, if it were Sachiko-sama, she would probably smile sweetly, then say 'I leave it up to your imagination.'

But Yumi couldn't speak like that. If she said 'I leave it up to your imagination,' would it be all right for them to imagine whatever they wanted? Those words just weren't adequate, she thought.

"Really, Sachiko-sama has no reason to choose me as a soeur."

Oh no. Together with the words, the tears started to overflow.

"Yumi-san!?"

Her classmates grew flustered after Yumi's sudden tears.

"Oh no, what should we do? We're sorry, we didn't mean to make you cry with our questions. If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay."

Yumi shook her head. She wasn't crying to strike back at her classmates.

Yumi liked Sachiko-sama.

She has liked her up to now. Because of that affection, she rejected Sachiko-sama out of pride.

To become close to someone by chance, it was just too depressing. That is something that Sachiko-sama probably doesn't understand.

She was happier just watching from a distance. But Sachiko-sama, who knew neither Yumi's name nor face, would not offer her rosary even as a mistake. Now Yumi's actions and feelings are in complete disagreement.

"It was our fault. Don't cry."

Her classmates offered handkerchiefs, and hugged her around the shoulders.

Yumi, accepted their kindness, but probably she wished it were Sachiko-sama making the offer.

Chapter 2

"Here."

She handed over a single booklet, typed in a word processor and bound simply.

"Cinderella, Lillian Academy Yamayurikai edition……"

Yumi spoke as she tried to read the decorative lettering. It looked like a script for Cinderella.

"Right. I've highlighted lines in pink and blue for you, and so"

"and so?"

"and so you will memorize them."

Sachiko drew a breath as if surprised.

"Memorize—"

She flipped through the pages, they were mostly pink. Blue, not nearly so much.

"Understand? Please don't make me say the same thing two or three times. If you don't want to ruin the school festival, you will learn both the pink and blue lines by heart."

"O, okay."

After saying that, she once again looked to Sachiko for confirmation. Everything was pink, weren't these Cinderella's lines? The blue parts were Sister B. Some people are forced to play two roles because they're shorthanded. That is why without her knowing it, Yumi was assigned to play Sister B.

If she thought about Cinderella, she'd be happy to play one of the sisters.

"On another topic, why are you eating lunch at a place like this?"

The question came to Sachiko-sama's mind, having run into the three first-year Momo class students. During lunch break, Sachiko had gone to Yumi's classroom looking for her, and Tsutako-san led her here.

To escape from the newspaper club members, Yumi and Shimako-san have been spending their lunch hours behind the auditorium.

"That's why, Sachiko-sama."

Tsutako-san said, while tearing the plastic wrap on the pan that she was carrying.

"Shallow feelings, yet they sound profound."

There was no hidden bond between Tsutako-san and the newspaper club, but letting Yumi escape yesterday did seem a little underhanded. After Tsutako-san's brilliant explanation was over, Sachiko-san inhaled and whispered disinterestedly.

"Our school's newspaper club can be rather pushy when collecting information, so I can understand your desire to run away. What will you do if it rains?"

"We'll be in trouble."

But Tsutako-san could escape to the photography club room, so she won't have any trouble. Shimako-san was just hanging out with Yumi, otherwise there's no reason she has to eat outside.

"It looks like showers tomorrow."

"What!?"

Quickly, Yumi looked up at the sky. Today's sky was clear, but she couldn't predict tomorrow's weather.

"Take my rosary. If you do, I'll answer the interview for you."

"You're kidding."

"Really? Well, whenever you feel so inclined, feel free."

Sachiko-sama looked happy as she smiled and turned away.

"Ah, Sachiko-sama. If you'd like, shall we have lunch together?"

Tsutako-san detained her, but was refused with 'that would be a bit difficult.' That's a natural answer since she would have to go all the way to her classroom to fetch her bento box.

"I wanted to ask about the photo, but she ran off."

Tsutako-san shrugged, and Shimako said to her,

"It can't be helped, because Sachiko-sama hates cherry and ginkgo trees."

"Cherry and ginkgo trees?"

Yumi asked in return. If that were the case, it must be agonizing to commute to this particular school.

"Yep. It's a seasonal thing. I'm the exact opposite."

When the cherry blossoms bloom, the ginkgo nuts fall. Sachiko-sama gets a little blue.

"Allergies?"

"Nope. More like it's simply her tastes."

This was like a story she'd heard somewhere. —Like getting hives because holding hands was so distasteful.

"The flavor is unpleasant, so it's like you don't even want to look at them."

"You eat cherry blossoms?"

"Yumi-san, haven't you ever attended a wedding at a wedding parlor?"

Tsutako-san laughed dryly. She had heard of sakura-yu at such happy occasions. Her only wedding ceremony was her cousin's, and that was in a church, so she'd never seen it.

"It goes on top of anpan, too."

Anpan doesn't really go with Shimako-san's image, thought Yumi.

Shimako-san liked cherry trees, ginkgo nuts, cooked beans, and lily bulbs.

Sachiko-sama hated cherry trees, ginkgo nuts, pity, and boys.

"That's why,"

Shimako-san smiled and said,

"When she came all the way over here to find you, Yumi-san. I was surprised."

Even though it was after school so there was no reason to hurry, she still handed it over a little quickly, didn't she? When she looked at the booklet's back cover, she saw "Ogasawara Sachiko" written in pretty lettering.

Sachiko-sama had come carrying her own booklet.

Plus, she had gone through the trouble of highlighting sister B's lines in fluorescent pen.

"We don't suit each other at all."

Yumi looked up at a sky as blue as Maria-sama's heart. There were almost no clouds, how could tomorrow's weather forecast call for showers?

Shimako-san liked cherry trees, ginkgo nuts, cooked beans, and lily bulbs.

Sachiko-sama hated cherry trees, ginkgo nuts, pity, and boys.

Tsutako-san liked photos, girl models, and disliked the newspaper club a little bit.

As for herself?

She liked cherry blossoms, but disliked ginkgo nuts.

Because of that,

She was a poor match for Sachiko-sama, whom she thought quite cool.

Chapter 3

Looking out the window, Rosa Gigantea noticed Yumi and raised her head.

"Wow. With no one to greet you, you showed up?"

Well then, the kindergartner has come home without a chaperone.

"I'm doing the role of Sister B, and more, so it would be bad not to come, wouldn't it?"

"My, how sarcastic you've become! I guess you're a big girl now."

While smiling slightly, Rosa Gigantea crossed the floor, then patted Yumi's head. 'Good girl, good girl.'

"It looks like I'm a little early."

In the room on the second floor of the Rose Manor, there wasn't even the hint of any other person.

"Don't worry. Help yourself to anything you'd like to drink."

Steam rose from a teacup in the window, apparently left there from when Rosa Gigantea was drinking it.

"What's that?"

"Instant coffee, black, mixed with hot water. If you want sugar, you'll have to find it yourself."

"Oh."

Not feeling like declining, she took a cup that had been sitting upside down, put in instant coffee and poured in hot water. Because the pot had just been boiling, and she had added plenty of sugar and powered milk which she found easily, the instant coffee tasted fine.

"Yumi-chan, do you have cleaning duty?"

"Oh. The choir club is in the music room right now. They said they'll clean up and go home after they finish."

While putting down her stirring spoon, Yumi replied.

"It's because the school festival is soon. It's busy everywhere."

The way Rosa Gigantea was whispering, it was like it was somebody else's business.

For the Cinderella play, the flames were already scorching her butt: there was no time to waste. Yumi wondered how Rosa Gigantea could be so carefree. Essentially, there were only ten days left, and they had yet to settle the cast.

"And what about you, Rosa Gigantea? Do you have cleaning duty?"

Right now in the high school, everyone was cleaning up, which is why Yumi arrived ahead of Shimako-san, who is in her same class.

"By the time you're a third-year, you pretty much have it down."

"Goldbricking?"

"Silly. How could the Yamayurikai leaders goldbrick? That would be pointed out, right? Actually, we have two cleaning groups, each one cleans every other day. Third-years have smaller cleaning assignments than underclassmen, so we can do that.

Naturally, there are many kinds of groups. Big groups tend to be more sluggish, small groups more focused.

"Yeah yeah, I got it."

Without thinking, she spoke with an informal tone. With Rosa Gigantea there, Yumi's pace crumbled, her tension around someone two years her senior loosened up a bit.

"Yeah, that's enough. But, for us, when we were first-years, we were diligent about our cleaning duties."

"Rosa Gigantea, a first-year……"

"What do you mean?"

At Yumi's sigh of admiration, Rosa Gigantea made a glaring face.

"You think it unbelievable."

She had a presence like she had been a third-year forever.

"Are those words of admiration?"

"Yes, of course."

After Yumi answered so confidently, Rosa Gigantea laughed. Then once again she glanced outside past the bench at the window.

If you thought about it,

She may appear full of confidence, but before she was a third-year, she was a first-year and second-year student at Lillian. When Rosa Gigantea was an underclassman, she experienced receiving a rosary from the previous Rosa Gigantea. Because that ritual is already an obsessive drama in itself, certainly she was worried and perplexed at that time, and felt a bit strange about it.

"Um,"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask a question?"

"No hard questions."

She had just had math class before this, so Rosa Gigantea's brain was fairly exhausted. She was maintaining her ranking in the top ten students in her grade, but it looked like the battle between mathematical formulas and drowsiness was intense.

"Why did you choose Shimako as your soeur?"

"That's not a hard question, but an unusual one. Usually nobody asks me why I chose Shimako."

"She certainly seems like a natural choice."

"Yes."

Since Shimako was such a qualified applicant that nobody would object, so probably nobody asked and just accepted it. Yeah, surely that was it.

"She's the exact opposite of me."

While she said this, Yumi slumped a bit.

"You're quite timid, aren't you?"

"Like you said, I'm straw spun into gold."

"Straw? What do you mean?"

It was as if she had completely forgotten the conversation from two days ago. Again it was explained. Rosa Gigantea said "oh yeah, that," and laughed so hard that she cried. The story's subject (stubbornly) remembered the story the best.

"Being Straw, that's pretty good, no?"

Rosa Gigantea said, while wiping away the tears with the palm of her hand.

"How do you mean?"

"Sachiko is always hanging onto you."

Rosa Gigantea drank the last of her black instant coffee, then put the empty cup down in the windowsill.

"Oh."

Actually, the stories told by smart people do occasionally become outrageous. Whether for the sake of the story, or intentionally omitting the middle parts of the story, she wasn't sure at the time.

"For sake of the Yamayurikai, we should make use of personnel like Shimako, don't you think?"

"That's not an answer."

"As Rosa Gigantea, that is the answer. But personally, I have another reason, and that's a secret."

Rosa Gigantea placed both hands over the center of her chest. Certainly the secret was placed in her heart, as she said.

"Shimako-san said that it's because you're both want the same thing from a soeur."

"Yeah, that sounds right. But that's just one thing. We're similar, yet we know how to give each other space. We're comfortable together."

Rosa Gigantea had not chosen a petite soeur, even halfway through her time as a high school student here. People thought there were plenty of impressive students among the second-years. But those students weren't good enough. Shimako-san was.

As if in response to that, Shimako-san also chose Rosa Gigantea, not Sachiko-sama. Whether complex or simple, the inner workings of human relations are deep.

"Now that I think about it, don't you think Shimako might be a little envious of you, Yumi-chan?"

"Now why would you say something like that?"

It was a bit sudden, so a some of the coffee that had grown cold went down her windpipe.

"That—"

While Yumi thought about saying that, Rosa Gigantea suddenly hugged her.

"I want to see your funny faces, Yumi-chan."

"Hey, wait a…, Rosa Gigantea!!"

Her coffee looked like it was about to spill.

This is awful. She didn't know Rosa Gigantea's intentions, but if they were seen like this by someone, more and more it could become a terribly tangled mess.

Especially in this case.

While watching the coffee level in the teacup, she wriggled to escape, and came free with a 'poof!'

"Rumpelstiltzken has arrived, so we're done."

"Rumpelstiltzken?"

She saw Sachiko-sama, standing in the doorway by the cookie-like door.

"It looks like you're having quite a fun time. Even though I made the stairs creak as I climbed them, you didn't notice while playing around."

Sachiko-sama came into the room, and deposited her book bag in a chair. While thinking 'this is somewhat unpleasant,' Yumi hastily separated herself from Rosa Gigantea's side.

"How awful. We were putting on a little 'service' for you to watch when you came in."

Without acting guilty, Rosa Gigantea spoke.

"'Service?'"

Sachiko-sama's temples twitched.

"If I really wanted to assault someone, then surely I would pick a spot where nobody would come."

Oh no.

That was just the thing to say to rile the fastidious Sachiko-sama. What should I do? She's gonna blow! She's gonna blow!

"Ah!"

Yumi shouted.

"What!?"

Rosa Gigantea and Sachiko-sama turned around at almost the same time.

"Um, well……"

She'd shouted, but had nothing prepared, so she didn't continue after that. It couldn't be helped, so she made a big deal of looking at her wristwatch, and then said,

"Wow, look at the time. Everyone will be here soon. Rosa Gigantea, may I take your cup? I'll wash it."

Ah, why can't I find a better way? If anyone else where here, they'd be able to pull off something smarter, Yumi thought. But this was all a design to avoid Sachiko-sama's hysteria.

"Yumi-chan, what a good girl."

Rosa Gigantea's shoulders shook as she tried not to laugh, then she offered the cup. Their eyes never met, but certainly they were smiling. In a soft voice, she whispered to Yumi,

"I made Sachiko jealous for you."

"What?"

Turning around and looking over her shoulders, Rosa Gigantea made a big stretch and said "Well, shall I go see what's going on downstairs?" After that somewhat forced explanation, she left the room.

It felt like a complete misunderstanding. Walking in on that scene of an embrace, it wasn't to make Sachiko-sama jealous.

Yumi carried the two teacups, then soaped them up with a sponge and some dishwashing detergent.

Sachiko-sama pulled out the chair next to her where she had previously put her book bag and took a seat, then pulled out a paperback.

(Hey!)

Sachiko-sama wasn't paying any attention at all to Yumi.

"Oh, the hot water isn't coming out."

It was as if the gas supply wasn't turned on, the water heater wasn't running. There was nothing else to do but wash with tap water. I'm glad it's still Fall, she thought.

"In Winter, the pipes freeze."

"What…!"

She was surprised.

More than by the frozen pipes or whatever, Yumi was surprised that Sachiko-sama was listening intently as she talked to herself. Yumi thought that since Sachiko-sama was reading, she was ignoring the world around her. Yumi could see Sachiko-sama in her line of sight, and Sachiko-sama was still lost deep in the opened paperback.

Putting the cups and spoons in the drying rack and covering them, Yumi turned about and said,

"Sachiko-sama, thank you for the script at lunch."

She had only flipped through one page. The booklet was crammed full with difficult kanji.

"Did you try to look it over?"

"Um, yes. Just once."

"Why are you speaking so quietly?"

Sachiko-sama finally pulled her face out of her book.

"As I expected, I can't possibly learn all of Cinderella's lines……"

Yumi hung her head in shame. Then Sachiko-sama muttered "Don't be silly."

"Nobody's asking you to."

Then what was being asked? After Yumi started to wonder about this, Sachiko-sama put the paperback on the table, then stood up straight and said,

"I'm wearing my red velvet dress, with the English frills."

Sachiko-sama, what are you talking about!? Then, after a moment, she remembered hearing those words somewhere. Or more precisely, reading them, a sentence appearing in the Lillian edition Cinderella script. Marked in blue highlighter, before one of the Sister B's lines. It was one of Sister A's lines.

Yumi didn't understand why Sachiko-sama would start talking like this, but obviously Sachiko-sama was waiting for Yumi's reply. If she didn't reply, she felt that would certainly be unforgivable.

"My usual skirt will be fine."

Deciding she was ready, Yumi opened her mouth.

"But instead of just that, I'll wear my gold floral print mantle, and my diamond broach. It's quite a rare item."

After Yumi finished saying her lines, Sachiko-sama came up and stood close close behind her.

"Big sister, how about wearing your hair like this?"

Changing scenes, now Sachiko was Cinderella.

One scare after another. With her life on the line, Yumi remembered the lines from the script. Let's see—

"Cinderella. You don't also think you'll be happy if you can go to the ball?"

"Wonderful!"

Sachiko-sama said, then softly touched Yumi's shoulders.

"You memorized them perfectly, didn't you?"

(What……?)

What's going on? Suddenly my heart's beating a mile a minute.

This second time her shoulders were visited, the faint, clumsy, sense of touch, was different than "there, there" or "good girl." It was something new.

It was kind of like when Rosa Gigantea tousled her hair, or hugged her, but at those times her heart rate didn't race like this.

"Everyone's late."

Sachiko-sama suddenly turned and walked towards the door. Then Yumi breathed a sigh of relief.

Getting herself flustered like this, it was unusually embarrassing.

"And Rosa Gigantea hasn't returned from downstairs."

"I wonder if the meeting location changed? I'll go look."

"Yeah, me too."

While cooling her red face with the palms of her hands, Yumi followed after her.

Halfway down the stairs, Sachiko-sama looked back over her shoulders,

"……be careful."

At first she thought she was being cautioned about the steep stairs. But she didn't hear the first part, although it sounded like 'Rosa Gigantea.'

"What is it?"

Sachiko curtly replied "the stairs" after Yumi's query, and the remaining stairs squeaked as she walked down them.

(Aw)

I though Sachiko-sama was going to be jealous, but I guess not.

There aren't many things in this world just for your convenience.

As Sachiko-sama instructed, Yumi took the stairs one by one and went down.

Chapter 4

"Oh, they came down."

In a room on the first floor of the Rose Manor, the chief members were all gathered. She didn't know if this was what they usually did, but this was exactly where all the props and scenery were stored.

Various items occupied about half of the room, and six people occupied the remaining half, standing with scripts.

"Didn't we plan to have rehearsal on the second floor today? Wasn't anyone going to come inform Yumi and myself?"

You could tell with a glance that Sachiko-sama was clearly holding back a protest against everyone.

"You were involved with your own activities. We changed the place just now."

That was unexpected, how Rosa Chinensis answered. The remaining members, as they arrived at the Rose Manor, were brought into the room.

"Our own activities, hmm?"

At the same time, Sachiko-sama and Yumi saw someone they just happened to know. Then Rosa Gigantea calmly turned away and started whistling.

"Sure. It looks like you haven't made any progress at all, you two."

That was her excuse, and although she said it largely to herself, and the members other than "you two" backed her up. Somewhat.

"Yes. Even though you're the big story this school festival, you're boring."

"Now, what are you starting?"

"You must work every day to give her rosary."

One by one, their faces all wore honest expressions. But these top members of the student council all looked a little suspicious. Who was the ringleader who spread the rumor?

"You don't need to worry about me and Yumi. So, shall we practice?"

Sachiko suggested, as if tired of the ordeal. Rosa Chinensis, remembering the rehearsal, and clapped her hands once.

"Oh yes. Somebody give Yumi a script. Please be Sister B. It's not too hard."

"Oh, I have a script already. Here."

Yumi pulled Sachiko's script from her book bag and showed it.

"Oh, Sachiko already gave you one?"

Discovering the name "Ogasawara Sachiko" written on the back cover, Rosa Chinensis smiled at its meaning.

"Never mind. I've already memorized it, so I don't need one."

"So you say. Yumi-chan, there wasn't a rosary between the pages of this script, was there?"

"What?"

Quickly, Yumi flipped through the pages. Then Sachiko-sama said cooly, "Silly. She's just teasing you." She left Yumi and went to where Rei-sama and Shimako-san were standing. Rosa Chinensis lowered her head and her shoulders shook as she tried not to laugh.

If you thought about it, if something was stuck in between the pages, of course you'd notice it. Sachiko-sama would never do something so petty.

"Okay, let's take it from the top. Yumi-chan turn and stand in the right wing."

"Okay."

Acting like that, Rosa Chinensis was like a stage director. After people stood at the indicated places, she said it was okay to carry the script. Rei-sama had a script in her hand.

"There's no need to worry."

Before Yumi could do anything, Sachiko-sama answered.

"Because Yumi has memorized her lines perfectly."

Seeing the proud expression on Sachiko-sama's face, Yumi thought she might might be the only person who could make Sachiko-sama so happy. That made Yumi a little bit happy, too.

I might be able to meet Sachiko-sama's expectations if I try hard. I might not just be an embarassment to her. But even the trivial gesture of Sachiko-sama's book was enough to send Yumi into high spirits.

"Excuse me."

Just when it looked like rehearsal was going to start, the Rose Manor had visitors.

"Ah. I'll get it."

Just then, Yumi, who realized she was the newcomer here, turned and went to the entrance. Standing in the open doorway were six students, who suddenly said "gokigenyou" and bowed their heads.

"G…, gokigenyou."

Yumi also hurriedly replied.

From the way they were standing together, and also from their ambience, she got the feeling that the six weren't a single group, but three pairs.

"We're from the sewing club. Please let Rosa Foetida know we're here."

"We're from the art club. Please let Rosa Gigantea know we're here."

"We're from the invention club. Please let Rosa Chinensis know we're here."

They said these lines as if reading from a Japanese textbook without knowing the material, the girls were stiff with tension.

"Yes. Please wait a moment."

She said this and turned her back to them, so they thought she might not hear them, but her ears caught a voice say "Hey look, it's Fukuzawa Yumi-san."

With her face showing that she felt like a brazen newcomer with nothing special, she went back into the Rose Manor to announce them. They probably didn't feel particularly happy about this, she reflected. Not to mention Yumi's current position, not being Sachiko-sama's soeur, and since she's "somebody who doesn't know her place, turning down offers," there's not much she can do if they feel animosity towards her.

After going back to the first-floor room and informing the three designated people, and being told to "invite them in," even though it was awkward, she returned to call the six of them in.

"Please, come in."

"Pardon the intrusion."

After bowing, the six of them entered politely.

"But I'm glad."

One of the sewing club members whispered in the entry hall.

"I wondered what we'd do if Rosa Chinensis came out. But I'm glad it was Fukuzawa-san."

"Huh?"

While closing the door, Yumi didn't trust her ears.

"The Rosas, they're adored, but they feel quite distant. But Fukuzawa-san, it feels easy to get close to you. Sorry."

"Yeah. I feel like I can take it easy, too."

The students from the art club nodded in agreement.

Without making any prearranged plans, they had all accumulated at the Rose Manor entryway, each too afraid, until they had collected into a group. When they finally screwed up enough courage and spoke, Yumi came out. The sensation certainly resembled that time when Yumi stood perplexed before the Rose Manor, and with Tsutako-san, met Shimako-san.

"If someone like Fukuzawa Yumi-san can come and go to the Rose Manor, I can believe that getting close to the Rosas is kind of possible. How wonderful."

Hm. Somehow, that reaction was quite different from what she was expecting.

"There are all sorts of circumstances, aren't there? I hope you become Sachiko-sama's soeur, Fukuzawa-san."

Ah, so that's it, though Yumi.

Timidly imagining things to herself, Yumi felt like maybe everyone wasn't wrapped up in sentiment against her, criticizing her. Thinking this, she let out a little sigh of relief.

The art club members had come to the Rose Manor with some questions about the backgrounds and scenery, the sewing club had come to confirm tomorrow's costume fittings, and the invention club had come about the trick in the magic scene.

Once again, practice was interrupted. Yumi hadn't seen the Rosas with serious faces for a long while. Recent this manor had been giving an impression as a place for goofing off, but before that Yumi had an image of the Yamayurikai leaders as diligent and hard working.

"Okay, the help from the other clubs is here."

They put the finished portion of the scenery in a corner of the room. It looked almost real, which was just what one would expect from the art club. They were painted to be illusions. The only thing that she could think of was the green plastic leaf that comes with nigiri sushi.

"Although we formally requested the aide of only the dance club, once rumors of the Yamayurikai production spread, there were plenty of people who wanted to help. At first, our costumes were our street clothes, and for scenery we put stuff to use that was laying around school storehouses."

They explained that for today's practice, Rei-sama was playing the roles of fairy godmother and the prince.

"As the school festival approaches, all the clubs get busy, and put their hearts into it. It's a change in mood, an inspiration. They brought in their own personal items, and made some things, those girls."

Many people felt that if something interested you, that fed your creativity.

They finished their respective tasks, and when the mood shifted back towards resuming their practice for the play, before leaving, the six students politely asked,

"Would it be okay if we watched for a bit?"

In a good mood, Rosa Chinensis answered, "please do," and then the art, sewing, and invention club students entered together, jumping and excited, mixing together into a single group.

(Hye……)

This was the first time Yumi would be practicing, and if they were going to watch, all of sudden she'd have an audience.

"You'll be fine."

Sachiko-sama said smoothly, and then made a big smile.

"Just do it the same as you did before."

All at once, her mood relaxed. Oh yeah, I got through it okay on the second floor.

Amazing.

Even though the fairy godmother was Rei-sama, there was magic in the air, but Cinderella was the one making the magic.

Sachiko-sama was speaking without using her book, doing her lines perfectly. More than that, with flourish, with a single look she'd guide the other actors sharing the stage.

Looking over to a corner of the room, the six audience members were also watching this same Cinderella.

Yumi felt proud.

Sachiko-sama was amazing, wasn't she?

Shouted a loud voice inside her heart.

Chapter 5

Friday after school, they were trying on and pinning clothes in the Lillian Girls' High School sewing room.

"Wow, Cinderella, you're beautiful!"

The ivory dress, shining with gold and silver decorations, drew a sigh at how neat and gorgeous it was, at how well it fit Sachiko-sama.

"Doesn't the chest seems a little too open?"

Sachiko-sama whispered, looking worried. Pulling up the mother-in-law's dress, Rosa Foetida flew over.

"No. Don't change the neckline. It's a little 'service.'"

"What do you mean, 'service'?"

"A present of the most beautiful figure, for Sachiko fans. Right?"

Rosa Foetida turned Sachiko-sama around to face Yumi, who had sister B's dress halfway on.

"Yumi-chan, what do you think? Isn't it better like this?"

"Ah, y, yes. Of course."

She felt somewhat like she was being forced to speak against her will, but it certainly was sexy to catch a glimpse of white breast. She was a fellow girl, but pretty things are pretty things, so she can appreciate that.

"Really?"

Sachiko-sama peered into her face and asked, and then nodded. Yumi felt reassured. She had grown a little accustomed to these things, but sure enough, a close-up of a beautiful woman still was intense. The costume just added to this intensity.

"If Yumi says it's okay, it's okay."

Sachiko-sama backed down surprisingly easily. While asking "Hey, how should I do my hair?" she walked towards Rosa Chinensis.

"'It's okay?' Oh, I see…."

Rosa Foetida said lightly and indifferently while buttoning up Yumi's back. But Sachiko-sama's words "if Yumi says it's okay" did not go overlooked by Yumi herself.

"Oh. I'm surprised, Yumi's so flat-chested. She's a little small."

The costumes for the still undecided cast were made a little larger than the usual high school size, and then basted. The waist wasjust her size, and the chest was baggy, and a little sad.

The sewing club members were about to pin the extra fabric, but Sachiko-sama said "don't," then came running over.

"Wait. I'm going to put it on, now."

"What?"

"Okay, let's swap."

Sachiko-sama took off her ivory dress and handed it to Yumi.

"Don't forget, we still haven't decided who will play Cinderella. What are you doing? Hurry up and take it off."

"Sa, Sachiko-sama. But."

Sachiko-sama's figure approached, covered in a slip, pushing Yumi to the edge. Out of the folks around her, nobody was helping. Things were just getting interesting, so they were all watching with their hands on their hips.

"Help."

Turning Yumi around, she started to unbutton her.

"Eeeek!"

There has got to be an explanation. There has got to be an explanation. There was no explanation. She wanted to escape from being chased, but she couldn't undress by herself.

In a flash they had sister B's dress off of Yumi, and Cinderella's costume on her.

"—”

"Aw, Yumi-chan is cute, too."

Even though the Rosas were saying comforting things and looking at the bright side, she just came up short when compared to Sachiko-sama, who looked spectacular wearing sister B's costume.

"Everyone, get your handkerchiefs. Oh, a towel would be good."

Rosa Foetida balled up a towel and stuck it in Yumi's chest.

"Yep. A towel. Or we'll need a boost from a couple of pork buns."

Thanks to that, she had the desired cleavage, but it was somewhat unpleasant.

"Okay, I think chest might be a little too open."

Yumi said after she pointed to the dress, fitting to her boosted bosom.

"But Yumi. Didn't you say it was fine earlier?"

Sachiko-sama tilted her head.

Yes, I said that, but I didn't mean for myself.

"What? That was for when you were in it. You were asking what I thought about wearing it myself?"

"Correct."

She answered back, feeling like "what now?"

This must be what she meant earlier when she said "If Yumi says it's okay." Now I look like an idiot.

This is awful.

Once again, it looked like Sachiko-sama wasn't accepting the lead role.

"Rosa Foetida. How's this?"

One of the sewing club members brought out two white gyoza-looking objects. At first glance, they looked like pincushions, but their shape wasn't right, and they weren't fancy enough. She didn't see where they got the two-piece set from.

"Ah, shoulder pads!"

Several people shouted at the same time.

"The size and material is just right."

"I have seen something like them sewn inside push-up bras."

"Oh, and why would you know something like that?"

"Excuse me, I have no use for such things."

As the sewing club members excitedly discussed the subject of push-up bras, Yumi couldn't get a word in edgewise to voice her own opinion on the subject.

An thus, the auspicious shoulder pads came to be used as props. Thanks to her difference from Sachiko-sama's remarkable figure, whether she played Cinderella or sister B, they would just pad her.

Harsh and Bitter Weekend

Chapter 1

Saturday.

As 2:30 in the afternoon came around, they came to the Rose Manor from the cooking room.

"We're from second-year Sakura class. We're running a curry shop for the festival day. Please, tell us what you think."

"Whaa!"

The proper spicy aroma stirred their appetites. They were practicing their play on the second floor, but all as one they interrupted, nimbly returned the table to the center of the room. It had been pushed to the side.

"Please, go ahead."

The three students wore pink aprons with "Sakura Stop" written on them. From a box which looked like one that might be used by a ramen delivery service, they each took three plates and set them on the table.

"What's this? There's one too many."

The girls tilted their heads. Eight people faced nine plates.

"Who could be missing? Three times three…"

"Oh, I got it. The White Roses don't have a second-year student."

She talked stealthily, but still audible. Everyone else already counted Yumi as one of them.

"Isn't that better than not enough? We can have one left over."

Thanks to Rosa Gigantea's suggestion, the three Sakura Stop people also seemed relieved, considered the matter settled, and started dishing out the food.

"It's a product test, so tell us what you really think."

They made a hill of rice in the middle of the ellipse-shaped plate, and then dished up two varieties of curry, one on each side. A red curry, with ripe tomatoes, and a white curry, with a coconut milk base.

Two hours earlier, they had eaten their bento box lunches, but growing children have hearty appetites, so in a good mood, everyone picked up chopsticks. Correction, make that spoons.

"Two varieties on one plate is great. But isn't that more curry than rice?"

This was Rosa Chinensis' impression.

"Isn't the color a little plain?"

Asked Rosa Gigantea.

"There's not enough green. Maybe some boiled broccoli or asparagus…. I think Nozawana pickles would be good, since they're green and would show up on the plate better."

"Green. Okay."

The Sakura Stop students earnestly took notes.

"Why not try lowering the moisture a little bit when you cook the rice? Personally, for curry I like my rice dry."

After Rosa Foetida said this, Shimako-san said "I prefer it cooked fluffy." A quick survey revealed 3 people liked "dry," 3 people liked "fluffy," and 2 remaining who thought "either way is fine." Yumi raised her hand to "either way is fine," which says something about her personality.

Then there was Sachiko-sama, who gave her opinion with "I don't like the coconut base." Just like you'd expect from the inhabitants of the Rose Manor, everyone gave tasted the food and gave honest advice. And then you have Yumi's with "totally delicious!" Giving a harmless and inoffensive impression, she felt a little apologetic.

"We'll go back and try to go over everyone's suggestions. We'll come get the plates later, please put them here."

After this, they plan to peek in on the teachers' room, count the remaining teachers, and hurry back to deliver meals.

"Hey, what time is it?"

Upon Rosa Gigantea's words, Rosa Chinensis turned over her wrist and looked at a think silver watch. Not just Rosa Chinensis, just about everyone checked the time. Two fifty. The three first-year students started collecting plates.

"Almost three."

"Time to go meet."

"Who will go?"

The Rosas whispered to each other for some reason.

"Um, what shall we do with the leftover one?"

While Yumi wiped the table dry, she pointed and asked about the plate that Rosa Gigantea put aside earlier. Maybe she planned to eat it now, or have something to look forward to after practice. She thought that it would be better to put it in a refrigerator if it wasn't eaten soon. And the plate needed to be washed.

"It's fine. Yumi-chan, could you run quick errand for us, please?"

Rosa Gigantea said.

"Eh?"

"There is a person waiting at the main gate, we'd like him brought here."

"Okay?"

I wonder who it is, thought Yumi. The main gate isn't used by most folks in the school.

"The curry is for that person to eat."

"Oh."

After Rosa Gigantea's explanation, it looked like the Hanadera Academy student council president would be participating in practice today. Even with permission from the school, he'd be a young man on the grounds of a girls' school, so they arranged to have someone go out and meet him.

"Why are we feeding an outsider?"

Sachiko-sama looked displeased as she spoke, then Rosa Chinensis' shut her up with one word from her mouth.

"If we were the only ones in the room reeking of spicy curry, wouldn't that be rude?"

As one would expect, even Sachiko-sama felt sympathy for the guy from Hanadera, surrounded by people who'd eaten curry. "There was garlic in it." Whomever it was, Sachiko-sama gave the impression she didn't like him.

"Eight minutes to go."

Rosa Foetida started the countdown.

"But, I won't recognize his face."

"He'll be the Hanadera student standing at the main gate, there won't be any others. His name is Kashiwagi-san. He's a quite a good-looking boy, you'll recognize him easily."

With only seven and a half minutes remaining, she went outside, hurried along by Rosa Foetida.

Just going from the Rose Manor to the main gate was usually around ten minutes. If you walked quickly, how long would it take?

(Oh, oops.)

Yumi went outside, and then quickly came retraced her steps. It was okay to walk through the courtyard in indoor slippers, but to go to the main gate, she needed to change into shoes. On the way there was a row of ginkgo trees, their nuts rolling around.

She lost about one minute at the shoe-changing area. Now she had to hurry.

She made her skirt pleats a little disarrayed, and while her sailor collar fluttered, she was careful not to step on any ginkgo nuts. With all that effort, she made it to the main gate by three. Just barely.

(What if he isn't here yet?)

She tried outside the gate, and right there was someone waiting in a Hanadera uniform. Even though he had the same school uniform as her younger brother, he was taller and that alone was enough to make him twenty percent more better looking. Wonderful.

"Excuse me are you Kashiwagi-san?"

"Oh, yes."

He lifted his face and made a graceful smile.

"Are you the greeter from the Yamayurikai? I am Kashiwagi Suguru. Pleased to meet you."

Cinderella's hated, pitiful prince, was quite a nice young man.

Chapter 2

Kashiwagi-san was a third-year student in Hanadera Academy's high school division. Since he already had priority admittance into Hanadera University, as the student council president he is in a position to offer help to other schools' festivals. He explained this as he walked along, introducing himself to Yumi.

"So Hanadera is different than Lillian, you prepare for entrance exams?"

"Right. That's why I was lucky to get into the tiny priority entry group."

"Oh no."

Hanadera University was high-level, only the top thirty or so names from the associated high school are admitted without an exam. The ones who aren't in the priority group take exams for Hanadera and other universities, so it has an image of being a top school.

(So, this person must be ultra-elite…)

He was tall, slender, had a kind face, good manners, and a clear head for leadership. What problem could Sachiko-sama have with this man?

"Ah, a statue of Maria."

Kashiwagi-san stopped in his tracks where the path split into two.

"I bet Lillian students put their hands together when they walk past here?"

"You know Lillian well."

"Yeah. That's because in our household, the boys go to Hanadera, the girls go to Lillian. My mother, grandmother, aunts, older female cousins, they all went to Lillian."

He was just approximating the form, but he put his palms together and closed his eyes. So Yumi did too, so she could pray freely. This was the custom, and not doing it would have felt a little wrong.

"You're watched over by Maria-sama, so Lillian students can't do bad things."

Kashiwagi-san opened his eyes and whispered.

"'Bad things?'"

"Oh I don't know. Bad things for a girls' school are probably different than bad things at a boys' school, so I can't think of anything definite."

"At Hanadera, aren't you watched over by Buddha?"

"Yes, but there isn't a place like this where you can be startled by a statue of Buddha."

Hanadera Academy was a Buddhist school.

If you go left at the split in the path by Maria-sama, the path splits yet again. If you go right from there, on your left is the high school building.

"Please go in through here."

At the guest entryway, she turned and pulled a pair of slippers from a shoebox.

"I'm glad you had slippers for me. I heard that practice was in the gym, so I brought some indoor gym shoes."

"They'll be fine."

In his student uniform and guest slippers, he looked a little bit uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, but could you wait here for just a second? I have to change into slippers."

Leaving him there, Yumi went outside in a hurry. Ah, she was so busy. Turning in a circle, she went around to the other entrance, changed shoes, and had to come back to the guest entrance through the hallway indoors.

(What?)

Just now, that looked like Sachiko-sama over there.

(Is it my imagination? If it were Sachiko-sama, she'd still be at the Rose Manor.)

At the same time she saw the figure, it vanished onto the path to the library. She thought about running after her, but stopped. Whether or not it was Sachiko-sama, Yumi couldn't investigate further. She had a guest waiting right now.

(That's okay. I'll ask Sachiko-sama later.)

So Yumi remembered her primary duty, and ran to the other side.

＊＊＊

"Welcome, Kashiwagi-sama."

"Thank you very much for coming all the way over here."

"You can put your things down over here."

The three Rosas put on their very best smiles and greeted their guest.

"Thank you for inviting me. What a wonderful manor you have here."

The person called Kashiwagi Suguru showed exceptional poise. He was a wonderful man, if he showed such character when taken as an outsider into a little unknown building like the Rose Manor. Even in situations like this when surrounded by girls of the same age, he could conduct himself socially and not be shy.

"If it were my younger brother, he'd get red-faced and run home crying…"

Having carried out her important task of guiding him here, Yumi breathed a sigh of relief, and stared a little absentmindedly at a spot a little ways off.

"Oh, Yumi-chan, you have a younger brother?"

Rosa Gigantea left the group for a second, and pulled the wrap off the curry plate next to Yumi.

"Yes. He goes to Hanadera Academy."

"Blushing would be normal in a situation like this. A high school student so accustomed to the ways of the world, it's a little strange."

Kashiwagi-san was probably this way. Separated from her, he probably didn't hear her. It was a little suspenseful.

"If it's Rosa Gigantea, her barbs are as sharp as coconut curry is spicy."

"Aw, this isn't that spicy."

Rosa Gigantea let out a roaring laugh.

Looking for something, Yumi held out a spoon wrapped in a paper napkin.

"Thank you."

"Did it get cold?"

She asked in a low voice. She answered her own question, "of course."

"It's a speed challenge. Lillian students have to eat it quickly, or we will get the curry's smell stuck on us. Sorry, but the Rose Manor doesn't have anything clever like a microwave oven."

She was quick to say that, but then with a grand "thank you for waiting" gesture, Rosa Gigantea put the cold curry in front of the student council president.

"It's Sakura Stop's speciality, we call it 'Delicious Even When Cold Curry.'"

She's just making stuff up now.

When she returned, unseen by their guest, Rosa Gigantea stuck out her tongue and smiled.

"You probably had lunch already, but you're a man, so you have room in your belly for this, right?"

"We'll be joining practice after this, so dig in."

Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida, feigning a lack of concern, urged him on. Even though he couldn't know this, they thought that a man who wouldn't eat this curry could never be allowed to stay by their side.

"Of course. Thank you for the food."

That was a Kashiwagi man for you. After a hearty "itadakimasu," he started to eat the two colors of curry. Watched over by the spectators, he ate in a very graceful manner.

"What do you think?"

"Of what?"

"Now that you've seen him, what you do you think of him?"

At first Yumi didn't understand what Rosa Gigantea was asking. That's why she replied "He's eats like he's in a curry commercial." She looked like a big buffoon.

"No, I mean the Hanadera Academy high school student council president. Is this the first time you've seen him?"

"Yeah."

"I'm asking your impression of him so far."

"My impression?"

Yumi glanced at Kashiwagi-san. He was already halfway finished eating. This was probably just his personality, but both the red and white curry were evenly gone.

"Intellectual, sociable, precise. And graceful."

Rosa Gigantea nodded "yes, yes" in agreement at Yumi's words, and asked,

"Objectively, how about him as a member of the opposite sex?"

"What do I think of him?"

So that's what Rosa Gigantea is talking about. She's acting like an aunt at an omiai.

"I'm asking you, as you so sheepishly said, a normal girl."

"Wha!?"

Now she didn't understand anything. Half-desperate, she answered.

"Objectively, he's certainly good enough, I think."

Right now the two girls next to the sink were chatting sneakily about the guy who was almost done eating up the curry, thinking "he has no idea what we're talking about, not even in his dream."

"…passed it."

Rosa Gigantea said this was who was Sachiko's partner in the play. The play's hidden objective was to help Sachiko-sama conquer her hatred of men.

"Sachiko's family is complicated. Her grandfather and father are both surrounded by mistresses. There are idiotic people who believe such men to be resourceful. Such people don't understand the women's feelings. Because of that, some girls like Sachiko get the willies around men."

Stories of Mr. Ogasawara's mistresses were rather famous, Rosa Gigantea whispered. Whether for status, prestige, or to bask in other peoples' notice, he couldn't hide things very well. So naturally, Sachiko-sama knew about her father's relationships with women.

"Ah. So that's the reason for her hatred of men."

"Yeah. Even though she likes him, she doesn't need any more reason than that."

She needs a man who makes a great impression, one in which you can find no weakness.

If we were able to get such a person for the play, she might be able to gain some new resistance to her opposition to men, and then it's happily ever after. That's a summary of the plot.

"But I doubt the plan will go so smoothly."

"He'll do fine. Him? He wouldn't ask Sachiko out no matter what."

It wasn't like she was being given a lover. For this first step, they would put only 'good boys' near her. Rosa Gigantea hand picked him for this duty. He was the only one deemed appropriate. So now at this point Rosa Gigantea wanted to ask other people's what they thought of him.

"Hasn't Sachiko-sama met Kashiwagi-san yet?"

While asking this, Yumi finally noticed her surroundings.

Sachiko-sama was not there.

(What? When we came back to this room, did she leave? She's not here?)

"You're wondering, too, Yumi-chan? That girl's always running from place to place."

Sachiko-sama didn't go to help at Hanadera Academy's culture festival, she was absent when she heard there were meetings, and finally, when she heard that the Hanadera student council president was going to play the prince, she wanted to step down.

"Come to think of it, where is Cinderella?"

Kashiwagi-san put down his spoon and asked. Perfect timing.

"Sachiko couldn't stomach something, so she said she was going on ahead to the gym."

The 'something,' Rosa Foetida pretended not to know. Everyone knew except him.

The only thing she couldn't stomach something was the prince. Cinderella hated the prince, and she had already fled the scene before the clock rang midnight. Things had turned into a different story.

"I look forward to seeing her."

After saying thanks for the meal, he stood up. He took a pair of indoor gym shoes and a script from a vinyl bag. He was ready to go.

While putting the plate away, Yumi remembered the figure she saw a while ago.

That figure I saw by the visitor's entrance must have been Sachiko-sama.

(But why was she at such a place?)

If she disappeared down the path to the library back then, she would have come to the fork in the path by Maria-sama. Of the three paths that meet there, the remaining two lead to either the main gate, or the auditorium. If she was going to the gym, that intersection was one or two steps out of the way.

(Oh no! Did she go home!?)

If she ran off because she hated holding hands with a boy for such a little, a very short time…. Yumi found it unbearable, and flew out of the room.

"Yumi-chan?"

"I'm sorry. I'm also going on ahead."

Yumi, gym shoes in hand, went down the stairs alone, causing them to squeak as she went.

Chapter 3

If at that time, Sachiko-sama had gone home, there's no way Yumi could catch up with her. But she couldn't just stand around.

Entering a school building from the courtyard, she bustled through the hallways. On the way, when she passed by a Sister, she slowed down made a face "I was walking like this the whole time," and nodded hello. Such behavior wasn't very admirable, but searching for Sachiko-sama was top priority, so she didn't have spare time for unnecessary sermons.

Yumi tried going to the guest entrance. It there that she had seen the figure that looked like Sachiko-sama. Going outside there, she ran down the path to the library. At the intersection in front of Maria-sama, she turned right onto the path towards the school gate. She really tried to hustle on the way back to the auditorium, but she couldn't find Sachiko-sama.

Did she really run away? While thinking about that, Yumi plodded along, retracing her steps towards the school building.

That isn't like the proud Sachiko-sama, to run off with her tail between her legs. That's more girlish than raising her hysteria and fighting.

Yumi casually looked at her feet. This was just like when she flew out in her indoor slippers.

Once she found out what Sachiko-sama had done, she didn't know what to do.

Would she bring her back, give her a good talking to, and force her to hold a boy's hand against her will?

That's more than unbecoming. It's plain wrong.

Yumi didn't return to the guest entrance. She turned towards the first gym building. Today's plan was primarily for Kashiwagi-san to participate in the dance lesson, plus they could start practicing on the stage they'll use in the actual performance.

At the gym shoe box, there were one pair of slippers in a box.

"There's someone here before me?"

After entering wearing socks, she saw one figure on the stage.

"Sachiko-sama!?"

Yumi broke into a run. The person sitting on the stage looked up with a face that gave a sad impression.

"Ah, Yumi."

"You didn't go home!?"

Why, why, why, why, was she here in this place?

"Didn't everyone say 'she's gone on ahead to the gym.'?"

Yes, Yumi heard that too.

"I'm an idiot."

She fell prostrate on the stage, full of self-hatred. Nobody had said anything like Sachiko-sama had gone home. That story was merely Yumi's own creation, her imagination running wild.

"But didn't you go on the path leading to the library earlier?"

"I won't leave."

That's a lie.

So it was Sachiko-sama after all. Up until now, Yumi half-believed her, half-doubted her. But the way Sachiko-sama turned her eyes away for just a second admitted it honestly.

"Oh, I see."

Yumi asked nothing further. Without asking, she put her hands on the stage and jumped up, sitting down next to Sachiko-sama.

"Your skirt will get dirty."

Sachiko-sama glanced to her side and smiled.

"If that's so, what about you, Sachiko-sama?"

"I just realized it right now."

Even at this late hour, Yumi calmly sat with Sachiko-sama, staying by her side.

They were the only two people in the entire gym. On the day of the school festival this gym would become an assembly hall filled with folding chairs.

It was hard to believe that on this stage where they were now sitting, they would be standing, performing a play in front of a crowd. If you thought about this week, it had been intensely new and hectic, and it had felt like she was in a dream. That's why even though she knew the actual performance would come in one week, it was unrealistic to get excited.

Before Yumi came, what was Sachiko-sama thinking while she was in this big gym? And now, with Yumi set down next to her, what on earth was she thinking?

"I did go, you know."

All of a sudden, Sachiko-sama spoke.

"Eh?"

It was too sudden, what she meant by "I did go," Yumi did not understand. So Yumi looked at the door.

"I really was there, at that place."

"Oh!?"

"You went to greet the Hanadera student council president, right? So I thought I'd go ahead and see him."

Surreptitiously waiting in ambush, coming to see a face. After immediately answering "I won't leave," it felt like she was suddenly opening up for some reason.

"You were on the path to the library?"

"It appears you saw me, Yumi. It's okay since it was just you. But it would've been horrible if the Hanadera student council president saw me, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, that would be rude."

Yumi sighed. Sneaking a peek at someone before meeting them? Sachiko-sama couldn't do such a petty thing. But on the other hand, is this whole thing too hard for Sachiko-sama that she needs to act so petty?

"You saw him, what did you think?"

"What did I think? I don't have any other impression. I just wanted to see him before he sees me. That's all.

Sachiko jumped down from the stage.

"Understand? Even though I'm reluctant to dance with the Hanadera student council president, I absolutely will not run away. If I run away, I lose. I hate losing more than anything."

That's so cool.

Sachiko-sama must be strong.

But because Yumi would end up playing Cinderella after Sachiko-sama won, she could not give up and come to her aid here.

"Yumi,"

Sachiko-sama said neatly, stretched, and then said,

"Before everyone comes, I'll be your dance partner."

"Eh?"

Amidst the confusion, Sachiko-sama pulled Yumi down from the stage, with her left hand took Yumi's right, and her remaining right hand pulled Yumi's waist towards her.

"Uh, no thanks, really."

Sachiko-sama as a practice dance partner? I'm sorry but that's just absurd. Yumi stiffly declined. But.

"You say 'I'm fine', but I'm not letting you get out of it so easily. It looks like you've memorized the steps, but you're not smooth yet, so so I'm worried."

Being told that, it was brutally honest.

One, two three, two, two, three.

With that count, there was little she could do but put her left foot back.

"Don't tense up. You won't be able to dance with anyone if you do that."

She couldn't help but notice their layered hands, the hand that turned her waist. Awkwardly, it felt like she produced the sequence of steps. The palms of her hands sweated. Sachiko-sama probably could tell.

"It's better not to think about it. Trust your body to remember."

She was different than Rei-sama. Her height wasn't all that different, but it felt as if Sachiko-sama's face was unusually close.

One, two three, two, two, three.

"Don't rush. Smile."

Even though Yumi was a lousy dance partner, Sachiko-sama appeared to be having fun. Even though she was a bit choppy at first, Yumi imitated Sachiko-sama and smiled, and eventually relaxed her shoulders.

"There. You're doing great."

If anyone was great, it was Sachiko-sama. She was doing the male's steps which she wasn't used to, just to be the lead. She was amazing.

"This dancing is so much fun!"

Whispering this, Yumi nodded to Sachiko-sama through narrowed eyes.

"Really. I never knew it could be so."

She wanted to dance like this forever. I bet Sachiko-sama feels the same way right now, Yumi conceitedly thought.

＊＊＊

The meeting between Cinderella and the prince went without much commotion or delay.

(Well, there's no reason to bite and snarl at the first meeting, she thought.)

But Yumi still was surprised that Sachiko-sama greeted him so.

"Hello. My name is Ogasawara. Please to meet you."

"…Hello."

Sachiko-sama's reputation probably preceded her, since Kashiwagi-san looked a bit puzzled at her forward greeting.

Ah, but Sachiko-sama. You show a smile, but it's quite twitchy. You don't have to go to such great efforts.

"And so I present to Sachiko and Yumi-chan, Kashiwagi-sama, the prince. Before you came, we pinned the costume in the changing room. Without further ado, here is your prince on his white horse!"

Rosa Foetida's eyes twinkled with interest, but I'm sorry, I'm not interested.

The character who got her name from the title of this story was the lead role, so isn't it great that our Cinderella is so beautiful? That means the prince is just gravy, like the chopped veggies in curry. Any prince is fine as long as he's not too ugly standing beside the heroine.

Besides, Cinderella's prince didn't come riding in on a white horse. Through no effort on his own, he lived in a castle. He's just a lucky person who just happened to come into possession of things.

The slightly late dance club members flowed in and tried to match up for the ballroom dance scene. To get used to their positions and range, they tried dancing on the stage.

"Kashiwagi-sama, could you do a natural spin-turn, please?"

Rosa Chinensis shouted from below the stage.

"OK."

Kashiwagi-san gracefully raised a hand at center stage.

But he was a high school student who could say "OK" to a lot of steps. Was this person really an eighteen-year-old?

Sachiko-sama already had a notion of what to do, and came to Kashiwagi-san's side. Called by Rei-sama, Yumi stood by in the front part of the stage.

"Don't look away."

If she tried to watch Sachiko-sama, she'd get warned by Rei-sama. She snuck glances as much as possible, standing in the basic hold position like the rest of the group for the time being. Sachiko-sama wasn't getting hives or convulsing.

Standing on the stage, it felt quite spacious. But it was standing room only when the maelstrom of dancing pairs left only a narrow space. To avoid colliding with the other dancers or vanishing into the stage wings, she kept busy adjusting her steps. She didn't have time for watching the other dancing pairs.

After the song ended, a request from below the stage. The lead pair shouldn't drift too far from center stage. Everyone stay in step. After trying the dance once again, everyone got back in order. All the dancers understood perfectly.

"Okay, here we go, one last time."

While dancing in the third dance, Yumi could see Sachiko-sama's appearance quite well.

Kashiwagi-san, who had so proudly stuck out his chest and said "OK," was dancing not slowly, but smartly and neatly taking the lead with Sachiko-sama. If his dancing got passing grades, Sachiko-sama probably would have no complaints for the time being. When she thought this, Yumi felt uneasy for some reason.

Sachiko-sama was different than usual. She was skillfully dancing smoothly with the lead, but it wasn't her usual spectacular self. She was a little hazy.

The music stopped.

Sachiko-sama quickly separated from Kashiwagi-san, and came towards Yumi as if escaping.

"Sachiko."

Rei-sama, standing next to Yumi, grabbed Sachiko-sama's arm as she passed by."

"I know this is unpleasant for you, but couldn't you show a little smile? The audience will notice."

"Am I a hostess? When the real time comes, I'll smile perfectly."

After Sachiko-sama said this over her shoulder and went outside, Yumi ran after her. Rei-sama gave her a little pat on the back with the feeling of "go help her."

Sachiko-sama was leaning against the gym's outer wall, looking up at the sky.

"It looks like we'll practice the play in fifteen minutes."

After Yumi called out to her, Sachiko-sama lifted her face. Sachiko-sama looked better than Yumi had thought. When Sachiko-sama left, Yumi didn't get a good look at her face, so Yumi thought she was going outside to get some air.

"It's a tough schedule, isn't it?"

"She'd heard that Kashiwagi-san won't be able to come for a while, so Rosa Chinensis wants to try and plow through the whole thing."

"Oh."

Since Sachiko-sama wasn't treating her like an intrusion, Yumi leaned up against the wall next to Sachiko-sama. When she looked up, a stray cloud floated away from its fellows, carefree in the blue sky.

"Don't worry. The air in there was a little stale, so I just came out for a breath of fresh air."

"Okay."

On the grounds was a running track. The sound of a bouncing ball came from a little ways off from there, probably from the tennis courts. It was a nice feeling.

"That's Maria-sama's heart, isn't it?"

Sachiko-sama looked up at the blue sky and said.

"Yes, I guess so."

Yumi also looked up and replied.

"No. Not the sky. Listen."

While saying "Not the sky," Sachiko-sama pointed her index finder to the heavens. Tilting her head and and quietly saying "Can't you hear it?", she listened quietly.

"Ah!"

"Hear it?"

It was faint, but they could hear music from somewhere in the school buildings. Not singing, but an accordion and a pianica. It was a nostalgic sound, a performance of "Maria-sama's Heart."

"Once again I hear this song on the school grounds."

Sachiko-sama smiled a little, and pulled herself away from the gym's outer wall.

Sachiko-sama has been at Lillian since kindergarten, so of course she's been taught this song.

After looking at her watch, Sachiko-sama resigned herself and walked towards the entrance door. It had been about fifteen minutes. While scrubbing her shoes on the entranceway mat, she casually whispered,

"But I wonder, why 'sapphire?'"

"What?"

"Doesn't that feel a little odd?"

Sachiko smiled sweetly. Dumbfounded, Yumi stood there, then snapped out of it and went in.

"Sachiko-sama."

It would have been better if she'd waited a second. At least give me time to answer, Yumi thought.

But Sachiko-sama never looked back. She slipped right back into her circle of friends who were waiting in the gym.

＊＊＊

Eventually, even though practice for the play started, Sachiko-sama didn't completely recover from whatever malady had assailed her. By the time she switched roles with Yumi, she had not flubbed a single line, but feeling of discomfort hung in the air around her body.

Yumi could do Sister B almost perfectly. But as Cinderella, she flubbed her lines ten times, and stepped on the prince's feet twice.

"Better to hurt my feet than to sulk at me forever."

Graceful Kashiwagi-san spoke consolingly, but really either one was the same.

They were with a guy who ate the curry given to him, tried on costumes for size, and kept his concentration through two practice sessions. As one could expect, he couldn't hide that he was tired. When he passed through the school gate, he smiled and said "see you next week." He was a handsome man.

After the three first-year students returned from seeing off Kashiwagi-san, the tension around Sachiko-sama dissipated

"Thank you for all your hard work. Now, have some tea."

The black tea that Sachiko-sama made was a little strong. Together, everyone took a sip, and then reached for the sugar and milk. They couldn't complain about the taste.

Yumi did nothing but drink, because that's what Sachiko-sama did.

They drank this bitter black tea. Sachiko-sama was probably thinking about something.

She felt sorry for the Rosas. It looked like their strategy to conquer Sachiko-sama's hatred of men would end in failure.

The troubled mood on the stage, the bitter black tea, they combined to give Yumi this feeling.

Hot Second Week

Chapter 1

"Isn't Sachiko-sama odd?" Tsutako-san asked Yumi the next Wednesday.

"Odd?"

"No, you misunderstand me. More like 'funny.'"

"Either word is the same."

With the school festival only three days away, the students were ready to run away. Classes were half-day, over at noon. After noon everyone was excused, going to their clubs, committee meetings, scattering off and doing things in groups, and so on. It was the final stretch.

As you walked along, there were club activities everywhere you turned. News of this had reached Yumi's ears.

"Odd in what way?"

"She's like a fish cake tube."

"Fish cake tube?"

Tsutako-san was just telling it like she saw it. Sachiko-sama's charm was that of a haughty princess, all this time she was hard at her core. But, the current Sachiko-sama is like a fish cake tube, hollow in the center, no hard core. Absentmindedly, she sighed, finally getting to the point.

"She came looking for me at the photography club, you know."

"That wasn't like Sachiko-sama," Tsutako-san said, gnawing on her handkerchief.

"Usually if she had business with someone, she would call the other person to her. That's more like her."

"Whether it's like her or not, there's more beyond that."

But Tsutako-san's sense of beauty was unique. Sachiko-sama had headed to Tsutako-san's own photography club's room to find Tsutako-san.

"What do you think she was going to say? It was, 'That photograph with Yumi, it's okay if you want to put it up for the school festival.'"

"Sachiko-sama…"

That's what's funny. If it were the usual Sachiko-sama, not going directly to the actual person to ask a favor would be unforgivable. She's pretty strict about hearsay or completely disregard for going straight to the right person.

"So there you go, the award is yours. Congratulations."

Tsutako-san let her shoulders drop, and put something into Yumi's hands.

"Oh, this."

It was the photograph from last Monday, with Sachiko-sama fixing her tie. If you thought about it, that's what started all this.

"Her eyes, her expression, they've changed since then. Just what's going on with Sachiko-sama?"

In the hallway on the way from class, a billboard was sticking out, a newspaper drop-cloth spread out underneath. Tsutako-san jumped across it with a boing. Yumi, who had no faith in her jumping power, took a detour and walked around it.

Yumi thought she knew part of the reason why Sachiko had changed so much.

Sachiko-sama may have become like fish cake tube or limp pasta, but Saturday, she met Kashiwagi-san.

"Another thing, Yumi-san. I found out something else about the newspaper club."

"Newspaper club? They're not going to do a story?"

"Nope. Looks like another one of Sachiko-sama's tricks."

That was pretty amazing for a 'trick.' It was like Sachiko-sama had done something underhanded.

"Last week, you were in a bind when you were being sought after, right Yumi-san? Maybe Sachiko-sama felt like she couldn't stand by and watch, so it looks like she had a direct talk with the head of the newspaper club. Hey, since Sachiko-sama and the newspaper head are both second-year students, it's easy for them to connect.

"But Sachiko-sama is asking a favor. Why would she put her hand out like that?"

"Exactly. They're doing a story on Sachiko-sama instead of you. They promised to stop chasing you around."

"What!?"

She didn't know. Without Yumi knowing it, Sachiko-sama had taken her under her wing. Even though she saw Yumi every day, Sachiko-sama never showed any signs of this.

Tsutako-san explained, now that the newspaper club finally had the whole story, they have calmed down.

"They can only do half of of the story. The rest is whether or not Sachiko-sama can give you her rosary before the school festival, how will the Cinderella play turn out. It looks like they'll want to do a follow-up story."

"You seem well informed."

"The newspaper club's room is next door. When I'm developing film by myself, even if I don't want to hear, I can hear through the wall."

"I see. Even if you don't want to hear."

"Exactly. Even if I don't want to hear."

Descending the stairs to the first floor, the two of them went their separate ways, each heading off to where they had to go.

"What's this? Strange butterflies in the stomach?"

Tsutako-san turned and said over her shoulder.

"What do you mean, 'butterflies in the stomach?'"

"Didn't you hear me? Someone who has been strict up to now, suddenly becoming kind. You wonder if maybe they've been suddenly abducted or something. Or if they've got something unusual, and now they're handing out mementos."

"Don't talk like that. It's bad luck."

Yumi smiled. The newspaper club was chasing after her during the middle of last week. But Sachiko-sama's funny behavior since Saturday? That's a different problem.

That is.

Yumi believed that Sachiko-sama would never run away, no matter what.

Sachiko-sama would absolutely not lose. That she swore.

On the second floor of the Rose Manor, Sachiko-sama sat by herself in a chair near the window, gazing out at the scenery.

The cotton curtains swayed, showing the presence of a soft breeze. And you could also tell by Sachiko-sama's straight hair flowing around her ears.

Sachiko-sama didn't notice Yumi enter the room. She continued to gaze outside for a long time, looking like a princess locked in a tower.

"When did you come in?"

Before long, the princess noticed Yumi and looked up.

"About ten minutes ago."

"Oh."

"Everyone else isn't here yet?"

"Aren't they all busy with their class activities? Come to think of it, where's Shimako?"

"…General Improvement Committee meeting."

"Sigh."

With all of their student council meetings and club activities, the residents of the Rose Manor don't really have much time put aside. But if they were called, they could pop in and show their face in for a bit..

"Sachiko-sama, are you in any clubs?"

"No. No clubs."

Of course that's how she'd answer back. Yumi had heard Sachiko-sama was up to her elbows in practice and required classwork, so this was probably a reaction to that. Without any classwork or club meetings, the two of them quickly ended up using this place as their meeting place.

Sachiko-sama let a private sigh escape through the window.

I bet she's thinking about Kashiwagi-san, she thought.

She let out a heavy sigh, unlike Sachiko-sama's.

"Sachiko-sama,"

"Hm?"

"How are you?"

"What do you mean?"

It was as if Sachiko-sama insisted she hadn't changed from her usual self. She looked at Yumi's face with an expression like "what are you talking about?"

"Well, um, I mean, is there anything troubling you?"

"And if there was? You're offering to help?"

She asked back with a serious look. Yumi, while looking like she was about to falter, did the best she could to answer "If there's something I can do."

"Then accept my rosary."

"What!?"

"You said if it were something you could do, did you not?"

Sachiko-sama said "here," and hung her rosary before Yumi's eyes. Seeing it again, it was so beautiful as it glittered. But accepting this comes with some heavy baggage, it's not something she can accept easily.

"Maybe there's something else—"

"If I were to ask you for a favor, that's the only thing."

The rosary was gone too soon. Sachiko-sama had put it back in her pocket. It felt like she was just testing.

"So, no then?"

She knew Sachiko-sama's desire to get her to accept the rosary and become her soeur wasn't from a genuine emotion. If she caught Yumi by the arranged date, she could step down from the role of Cinderella.

"No."

Even though she wasn't asked if dancing with Kashiwagi-san was unpleasant, Sachiko-sama knew full well the question's meaning when she answered.

"But there are so many more practices."

"I'm used to it, it's not a problem."

Sachiko-sama spoke like she was spitting the words out.

But, if she was just saying that, it'll be completely ruined. That was Rosa Gigantea and them's plan in the first place. Because getting Sachiko-sama accustomed to men was what was important.

"It could be that if I saw him, it would be okay. But it's no good."

Sachiko-sama once again let out a sigh.

Yumi thought.

It was no good, probably because Kashiwagi-san was a man. Or was it because the man was Kashiwagi-san?

At first glance they looked like the same thing, but it felt as if though they were different.

To the feelings deep in Sachiko-sama's heart, they felt totally different.

＊＊＊

She pushed out a sigh. Time passed by.

In the last three days there were tons of things she had to do and things she wanted to get done. After all, one can't get through it just flailing around. Because of school traditions, if one had free time in the afternoon, people would jealously wonder if you didn't have better ways to use your time.

In the final push, at home Yumi didn't even watched television, she memorized Cinderella's lines. During free time, Shimako-san got together with her on the courtyard lawn and practiced the dance steps.

She didn't really know why she was working so hard. But she was Cinderella's understudy, so she prepared just for the million-to-one chance she was needed.

She acted like she was the straight man in a comedy routine. Million-to-one means that out of the million, the one chance thing almost never happens, so it's fine not to even go to the trouble of thinking about it.

And the day of the time limit had come.

Chapter 2

"All right, one last time, and then we're done with Yumi-chan's transformation scene."

Rolling her script into a megaphone, Rosa Chinensis shouted,

"Now do it like I told you, because this is the play's big scene."

"Haai."

Yumi put on the dress over her clothes. The dress was a joint production from both the invention and the sewing clubs. At first glance, it appeared to be the shabby dress of a servant. But if you pulled on a dangling string, it rearranged itself, exposing the same gorgeous ivory material as that dress. It was a temporary dress for a quick change. For the ballroom scene, she would change into full dress with a petticoat filling out the skirt, then dance.

On the day before the school festival, even at Lillian, they acted like savages. Whether it was ordered goods that still hadn't arrived, finding a misprint in a leaflet, or double-booking a few chairs borrowed from the school. The angels' skirt pleats were disturbed as much as they liked, their sailor collars fluttered back down. Even the nuns did their best to avoid walking around. It was as if they didn't see such students.

The hurried pace of Yumi and them did not change.

They could only use the gym from 2 to 4. They just barely had Kashiwagi-san changed into the prince's costume and ready by 2. One time through rehearsal took about fifty minutes, so they could just fit in two rehearsals: the Sachiko version and the Yumi version.

"Once there's enough smoke, that's your signal to pull the string. Got it?"

Just like the real performance, they made smoke with dry ice.

Sachiko-sama got it in one shot, but it wasn't until the fifth time that Yumi became used to pulling the string.

"Bibbity bobbity boo!"

Waving around a stick like a conductor's baton, Rei-sama recited the magic words. She was wearing a young nobleman's costume under her mantle, so that in the next scene, with an innocent look, she would blend in with the group of dancers.

Rosa Chinensis had rolled up her script and was swinging it around, praising and scolding. Yumi was in the wings, thinking about how to pull the string. Hidden by the smoke and crawling on all fours, Yoshino-san came up, pulled the string at Yumi's waist, and retreated.

(What? Yoshino-san?)

Yumi turned her head. This was really Sister B's job. When Yumi plays Cinderella, of course Sachiko-sama will do it. Before the fifth time, she had done a perfect job while asking "why am I crawling around on all fours?"

Then a burst of applause, and the lights came up.

"What?"

Oh, it's the end of the transformation scene, she thought to herself. But really, it was that she had revealed the ivory dress perfectly.

"Yumi-chan, you're a huge success!"

Rei-sama, who was standing closest, patted Yumi's shoulders. "Good job."

"When the real time comes, if you do it smoothly, I'll forgive you for flubbed lines."

From below the stage, Rosa Chinensis talked about such allowances, and smiled.

"But don't you think Yumi's been doing great so far? She's doing her lines perfectly. I look forward to tomorrow's play."

After Rosa Foetida said this, Yumi quickly corrected her.

"That's very kind of you to say and thanks for the praise, but Sachiko-sama will be Cinderella in the play."

"Oh, yeah."

Everyone looked at each other's faces, as if just realizing this now.

"Sachiko's is a traditional Cinderella, and Yumi-chan's is a comedy. But we can only do one way for the actual play."

"Com, comedy?"

Like a frame from a manga, "wham" characters made a direct hit on Yumi's head. She had worked hard to be at least a little more like Sachiko-sama, but the result was a comedy.

"Ah, Yumi-chan is feeling sad."

"Don't feel sad. It's just each of your inherent flavors showing through, we're just discussing the distinction between them."

"Doing her best, being heartwarming, like a soap opera, it's good. Yumi-chan's Cinderella."

"Yes, yes. Yumi-chan can't imitate Sachiko's Cinderella, and Sachiko can't imitate Yumi-chan's Cinderella. They each have their own personalities."

While listening to them comment on their personal preferences towards comfort or hard work, a really good feeling came over her.

Oh, I see. I think I understand, just a little bit.

The residents of the Rose Manor weren't asking perfection of Yumi. Even if Yumi did a comedy, they would love and accept that comedy.

If she had thought about it, it was like that from the start. Ever since Sachiko-sama declared Yumi to be her soeur, any criticism was regarding details, no complaints were personally towards Yumi herself.

Whether being Sachiko's soeur was appropriate or not, Yumi was the only one fussing over it.

"Now that you mention it, where's the prince?"

"Isn't he changing into his costume?"

Rosa Gigantea looked around nearby.

"Sachiko is also gone."

"Oh, Sachiko-sama said she wasn't feeling good, and went outside. I offered to take her to the school infirmary, but she said she'd be fine. Instead, she asked me to pull Yumi's string."

Yoshino-san explained.

"Oh. We gotta go see her after."

The time that they had promised to give up the gym was approaching, so they all agreed to change locations. Five minutes before four, the Rakugo club members started to arrive. So as if chased out, Yumi and the rest retreated and left the gym.

At the school infirmary, there was no sign of Sachiko-sama. On a hunch, just Yumi went back and searched the area surrounding the gymnasium, but Sachiko was not there.

After she returned to the Rose Manor to report this, everyone's faces went pale. When she checked in the first-floor room that they had offered Kashiwagi-san as a temporary dressing room, his school uniform was hung neatly on a hangar. There were no signs that he had dropped in either.

"I wonder if the two of them are together?"

Somebody whispered with unease.

"They left separately, didn't they?"

"Yes. Sachiko-sama went first."

"I can't possibly think something would happen between those two."

Contrary to her words, the tone of her voice gradually dropped.

"Anyway, let's look for them."

Yumi stood up.

"Sachiko-sama probably felt weak and fainted, so Kashiwagi-san is probably lost!"

"Yeah. It's like Yumi said."

The Rosas quickly regained their composure. They left Yoshino-san as caretaker and then broke into search parties, three groups of two people each, with their assigned territories. The three groups would search the most likely spots around them, and rendezvous in front of Maria-sama's small garden at the fork in the path. There were two people per group so that whatever the situation, one person could run and tell the others.

Yumi was paired up with Rosa Gigantea, and assigned the first gym building, the grounds, tennis courts and surrounding area, and the route from library path through to in front of Maria-sama.

"That was lucky, a while back."

While advancing through the connecting hall in a trot, Rosa Gigantea spoke.

"Huh?"

"Thanks to you, Yumi-chan, we got moving. Everyone was thinking something else, and the mood got a little strange."

"Something else…"

"She may look rock solid, but since she's still at best a high school student, she can be timid. Things can happen, and knowing that is scary. It's too scary to even think about."

That, she totally understood.

Men and women. She'd rather avoid going through that if possible. 'Who do you like from some idol group?' 'What about that person from a neighborhood school?' Talk like that always happens even in class. Actually, she's often heard stories where someone got cold feet when asked out on a date.

The imaginary world was beautiful, but reality was raw and unpleasant.

Stuff like kissing, and more than that. She just didn't want to think about such things.

She asked the Rakugo club members to check backstage and the storerooms, they checked the dressing room, but did not find Sachiko-sama or Kashiwagi-san. Rosa Gigantea stopped looking and let out a little sigh of relief.

If they're not here, they must have gone somewhere. Otherwise there'd be witnesses. After all, there is a pile of students still here today.

There wasn't anyone who didn't know Sachiko-sama's face. And Kashiwagi-san would stand out in the midst of a girls' school. Plus, he was currently wearing a poofy prince's blouse.

"Sachiko-sama and a prince? Ah, I saw them. Partway on the way here, in the connecting hall."

The Rakugo club president confirmed with the student at the podium, "didn't we?"

"The two of them were together!?"

Rosa Gigantea and Yumi both shook her shoulders at the same time.

"H, hey! Calm down, you two."

It looked a little painful for the president, so they quickly let go of her shoulders. Freed, she turned her head and exhaled in relief.

"I didn't get the feeling they were together. The prince was walking far behind. Which way did they go? We passed each other, so maybe they were headed towards the school building end of the connecting hall?"

"Thank you!"

They hurriedly said thanks, and then left the gym.

Following the clues to the connecting hallway, Rosa Gigantea stopped.

"We came from there just now and we didn't see them, so they can't be around there."

"Then where do we look?"

"We'll search around the route we planned. Even if we don't, the other groups will search other places."

"…but."

After all was said and done, she wanted to be the first one to find Sachiko-sama. They had gone to great pains to get just this first clue. They'll have to leave the rest to the others.

Rosa Gigantea peered into Yumi's face and asked,

"Do you like Sachiko?"

Yumi nodded. Then for some reason Rosa Gigantea gently brushed Yumi's hair and said "thank you."

"I like her too. Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Foetida, Rei, Shimako, Yoshino, we all like her too."

That's why we leave it to them, Rosa Gigantea said. Because it's the best way to go.

Yumi nodded silently.

For Yumi, starting with the Rosas, she dearly loved all her friends gathered at the Rose Manor. So there was no reason not to rely on them.

While checking the grounds to their side, they hurried to the tennis courts.

"But what was Kashiwagi doing walking after Sachiko?"

Rosa Gigantea was already using Kashiwagi-san's name without an honorific.

"Is that guy a stalker?"

"But Rosa Gigantea, don't you have faith in Kashiwagi-san? Isn't that what you said a while ago?"

"Yep. I said that."

There was nobody at the tennis courts. Through the chain link fence, they peeked into the parking lot, but the only thing there was social studies teacher Matsuyama-sensei's beloved car.

"About that faith. Even with an extremely pretty girl like Sachiko, I had faith that he absolutely would not lay a hand on her."

Rosa Gigantea said while retracing her steps.

"On what basis?"

"Intuition, I guess. Birds of a feather."

"Birds of a feather?"

Again, Yumi was confused and said she didn't understand what Rosa Gigantea meant. Seeing all the question marks flying around Yumi's head, Rosa Gigantea laughed and said, "it's okay if you don't understand."

"So you're saying you're not sure?"

"I'm not sure. Him, I think I understand. But Sachiko? I can't read her at all."

The two of them followed the path as it bent towards the library.

"Sachiko-sama?"

"That girl, I wonder if she likes Kashiwagi after all."

"What!? …But, but,"

Contrary to her surprise, a calm voice whispered within her heart, "I knew it."

"Yes. You were thinking it too, Yumi-chan."

With Rosa Gigantea's good intuition, she could read Yumi's heart even when she didn't say a word.

"Lately, Sachiko-sama has been somewhat in a daze. Sighing and stuff. It really does sound like the symptoms of 'lovesickness.'"

"Lovesickness, huh? But, it feels a bit different than that."

Usually lovesickness, even accounting for individual variations, sounds like a rather happy affair. But in Sachiko-sama's case, only melancholy showed through. The maiden falling in love was nowhere to be seen. Since Yumi was inexperienced when it came to such things, all she had go to on was Rosa Gigantea's assertion.

If they kept walking straight along this path, when they come out where three paths meet, Maria-sama's small garden will appear. That's where they planned to meet up with the other two groups.

After all, they were unable to find either Sachiko-sama or Kashiwagi-san. This is what she was thinking at that time, when…

"Stop it! Let go!"

From up ahead, they heard a woman's scream.

"Sachiko-sama!?"

"Sachiko!"

Yumi and Rosa Gigantea broke into a run, both scrambling to get there first.

Chapter 3

Absorbed in what they were doing and forgetting the row of ginkgo trees, both Yumi and Rosa Gigantea stepped on a bunch of ginkgo nuts that had fallen. Actually, going to the gym from the school buildings, they had both gone outside wearing only slippers.

They finally reached their goal, in front of Maria-sama's garden. There, the prince had grabbed ahold of Sachiko-sama's wrist.

"Kashiwagi, you! Are you bi!?"

At the sound of Rosa Gigantea's voice, both Sachiko-sama and Kashiwagi-san turned and looked.

(What…? What!!)

That word, Yumi barely knew what it meant. It meant that both male and female partners were OK. Whether this was for personal reasons, uncertainty, or convenience, she didn't know.

”Rosa Gigantea, I'd rather you not speak of things you don't understand."

Even in situations like this, Kashiwagi Suguru-sama had the ability to cope with a graceful smile.

"Then what about that hand? Get your hands off Sachiko!"

Conversely, you have Rosa Gigantea, whose blood you could see rushing to her head, and whose words were as disturbing as possible.

"I can let go, but then this person will escape."

"Perhaps the one who needs to escape is you. You don't really think you can easily get by a group like this, even if we are girls."

Rosa Chinensis and Rei-sama continued the speech, as Rosa Foetida and Shimako-san arrived. Sachiko-sama wrested herself free from Kashiwagi-san's grip and escaped.

"Sachiko, are you okay?"

Sachiko-sama made a small nod.

"What's going on? I'd like an explanation, Kashiwagi-san."

Rosa Chinensis took one step forward. At her signal, they formed a small circle around Kashiwagi-san and Sachiko-sama. They were running out of patience.

"Right before Maria-sama's eyes of all places, how could you behave so shamefully?"

"I don't need an explanation, he was caught molesting red-handed. We should hand him over to the police."

"I agree. He can offer his defense to the police, if he has any."

As one would expect, even the normally composed Kashiwagi-san let a bead of sweat form on temples when surrounded by high school girls glaring at him with dreadful faces.

"Wait a minute. Let me explain."

He put both hands out in front in a "settle down" pose.

"There's no need for discussion. Yumi-chan, go get the security guard."

Rosa Gigantea said.

"Okay!"

Yumi answered, and turned on her heels. The suddenly, she noticed something and stopped.

"What are you doing? Hurry."

"I cannot go. …It will make trouble for Sachiko-sama."

"What?"

All at once, they turned their gaze from Kashiwagi-san to Sachiko-sama. Yumi went over and quietly asked Sachiko-sama. Sachiko-sama was looking downcast.

"Would it be bad if Kashiwagi-san were taken to the police?"

"Why do you think so?"

Sachiko-sama slowly lifted her face and looked into Yumi's eyes with curiosity.

"It's written all over your face."

"You know me so well."

"Yes, I guess so. A bit."

"I see."

She nodded one time, and then Sachiko-sama turned her body to face everyone.

"Everyone. I apologize for the disruption. Kashiwagi-san is not a molester. Please forgive the misunderstanding."

She then bowed very deeply.

"Sachiko!"

"Sachiko-sama!"

Sachiko-sama was in an uncomfortable position, but nobody though she would stick up for Kashiwagi-san. Except for Kashiwagi-san and Yumi, everyone else opened their eyes and mouths wide, and shouted.

"But you freed your arm from his grasp! We saw it!"

Now it was Sachiko-sama who was forced to give an explanation. Kashiwagi-san let out a little sigh as if relieved, then straightened the magnificent collar which was decorated with golden designs.

"At first we were getting along fine and talking. Then on the way here we started to have a disagreement. Then everybody came."

Sachiko-sama explained. But that wasn't going to persuade even one person. Yumi gave up.

”Talking? No, it's more than that. Why did you hide yourself from others? Why did you have to talk here in this place? What in the world are you two—"

Rosa Chinensis wrinkled her brow.

"You need to tell them."

This time Kashiwagi-san spoke. Whom he turned and spoke to, of course, was Sachiko-sama.

"The discussion went downhill at the end. If I recall, I grabbed your wrist. If you want to call that molesting, you might be right. But making it a police matter would be a bother for both her and myself. We'd rather resolve it quietly here. For that reason, we can all agree on that explanation. Don't you think so?"

What? Yumi thought, this guy is talking in circles.

"If we can resolve this misunderstanding, there's no need to take me to the police, and we can all feel good about my helping out on stage tomorrow."

His logic was full of holes and impossible to follow. Even with faith in him and his excessive grace, something still smelled fishy.

(If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay, Sachiko-sama. You are far more precious to us than Kashiwagi-san.)

About what she "need to tell them" nobody knew. But it would be better if Kashiwagi-san kept it to himself. If it was something that could hurt Sachiko-sama, making her talk about it would be too severe, wouldn't it?

"I see."

Sachiko-sama gave Kashiwagi-san one hard look.

"He's right. It's probably better for both of us."

Somehow, her eyes were dead. Or those of a doll. The pupils of Sachiko-sama's eyes weren't reflecting Kashiwagi-san standing right in front of her, but something else off in the distance.

"He, Kashiwagi Suguru-san, is my cousin."

"Cou, cousin?"

Almost simultaneously, they all asked in return. Nobody ever dreamed of such a relationship. The way those two acted, it never showed even once.

"Blood relatives?"

"Yes."

Sachiko flatly explained that Kashiwagi-san was the son of her father's sister. But if that was the case, then why had they been hiding that they were fellow cousins up to now? Besides, if he was just a relative, that sigh—

"That's not all."

Sachiko-sama continued.

"He is also my fiance."

"——!?"

Everyone was too stunned to speak. Even if one is a lady or a saint, when surprised, one's mouth gapes open.

Like Yumi.

"Fi, fian…"

Then the full meaning of the sound "fiance" hit her. It was written using kanji for a person who promises to marry, but that wasn't all.

(Well she can't possibly mean "troublesome bad luck person," so certainly she means "fiance." Sachiko-sama and Kashiwagi-san will be married in the future. So, are these two in love!?)

She was the only one making a shocked face.

"That's why it would be a little troublesome to make it a police matter. Since we have exchanged a promise to marry, we can hold hands."

Kashiwagi-san took Sachiko-sama's hand.

"We can hug shoulders."

As if following his words, he put his hand on her shoulder. Kashiwagi-san's touch was graceful as usual, but it gave Yumi the most filthy feeling.

"And kiss."

(Stop it!!)

Don't violate Sachiko-sama like that! Yumi thought.

If he does that, Sachiko-sama will become dirty.

Now she understood Sachiko-sama's feelings.

You can't do that. It's not men that are unacceptable, it is Kashiwagi-san. What could he be thinking, as he brought his face close to Sachiko-sama's?

(Eeek!!)

For a moment, Yumi covered her eyes with both hands.

Smack!

The sound of a sharp slap echoed through the row of gingko trees.

"You're going too far, stop it!"

The actual duration was probably very brief but there was no mistaking it. It was definitely the sound of a slap, for a little while it was like watching the image in slow motion, frame by frame, clearly visible.

Kashiwagi-san rubbed his throbbing left cheek. Sachiko-sama rubbed her own right wrist with her left hand.

Sachiko-sama really slapped him, Yumi absent-mindedly thought.

Then Sachiko-sama—.

"Sa-chan!"

It was Kashiwagi-san's voice calling her. Sachiko-sama had already turned towards the auditorium and was fading into the distance.

Yumi took off after her. Kashiwagi-san made a flying start, but slipped on the gingko nuts. Then he was rudely pushed down by the shoulders.

"I'm sorry, but no! Kashiwagi-san, it's wrong!"

That line that was blurted out, it was the best one so far. This wasn't a play, and there was no mistaking it, those words came straight from the bottom of the heart.

＊＊＊

A little while after Yumi had gone after Sachiko-sama, Kashiwagi-san regained his footing. Rosa Chinensis had a firm hold on his shoulder.

"Please excuse my kouhai. Meanwhile, the stench of the gingko nut sap on that costume must be unbearable for you. Please allow me to put some stain remover on it at the Rose Manor. Also, we can chat about tomorrow."

Just like that, Kashiwagi-san's will to chase after Sachiko-sama disappeared.

Chapter 4

Diagonal from the auditorium, halfway to the second gym building, in a rather inauspicious place, there was an old greenhouse.

Since there wasn't a gardening club right now, she didn't know who was taking care of it, but someone was looking after the plants inside. Two years ago, the school bought and installed elsewhere a brand new greenhouse for educational use. Since teachers use that one, they seldom visit this one. It was old and broken in some spots, so students almost never came. Campus has enough space that there's no need to get rid of this old greenhouse.

Sachiko-sama was in this greenhouse.

"Who's there?"

After Yumi opened the door, she heard the voice from within.

"It's me, Yumi."

"…Yes."

Interpreting that reply to mean it was okay to enter, Yumi set foot inside.

This was the first time she'd been in here, it was bigger than she thought, one size smaller than a classroom. The room was surrounded by planters and tons of flowerpots, placed on desks and shelves.

The sun came in from the West, and the room was quite warm.

Glancing at the flowerpots hanging from the ceiling, she continued down the path. Laid in a square, the floorboards were worn down in places, and trees were planted directly in the exposed dirt.

On the rearmost shelf, Sachiko-sama was sitting.

"I'll make a little room."

Yumi removed a potted plant that had encamped next to Sachiko, and then sat in its place. Sachiko-sama didn't say anything, but she didn't refuse the company, watching Yumi's actions with a glance to the side.

Sachiko-sama probably came here often. Or maybe she just ended up here out of chance. Either way, the school grounds were overflowing with students anywhere you went, so such a quiet place was precious.

Now that hide and seek was over and she had found Sachiko-sama, Yumi didn't know what she should do. Kashiwagi-san had already been scolded, he's not the right person to take care of this situation, what would the right person do?

I'm just sitting by her side, that's all. Is it enough? While thinking this,

"Stay."

Sachiko-sama whispered.

"Stay here."

A soft weight pressed on Yumi's right shoulder. She realized that Sachiko-sama was resting her forehead on her and crying. This went on for a little while.

At first Yumi thought she was just shivering and shaking. Then as soon as Sachiko-sama broke down and started sobbing, Yumi hugged her close. As Sachiko-sama clung to her and kept crying, Yumi patted her back, wordlessly comforting her like a baby. She didn't know why Sachiko-sama was crying, but she held her. Sachiko-sama needs to cry now more than anything else.

Once Sachiko-sama's breathing quieted down, Yumi realized she was done crying. The two of them stayed there for a little while.

"Sachiko-sama"

"……Mm."

"Please give me your rosary."

After a brief silence, Sachiko-sama answered "No."

"Why not?!"

Yumi let go of her and asked.

"It's fine. I changed my mind."

Making eyes like a bunny, Sachiko-sama smiled sweetly. Regaining her composure, the usual proud Sachiko-sama had returned.

"This engagement is an arrangement between our parents. I wonder if they intend to make the families stronger or something."

Sachiko-sama got down from the shelf and walked over to the sink a little ways away. There was only one faucet, so she washed her hands and face in strong flow of water that poured out.

"But. Sachiko-sama, do you like Kashiwagi-san?"

Then Sachiko-sama said, "a long time ago," and raised her head.

Not returning to her pocket the handkerchief which which she wiped her face and hands, but sticking it to the relatively clean glass walls, Sachiko-sama once again sat next to Yumi.

"That person, Suguru-san, he's not a bad person, you know. He's just selfish, and he's not very self-conscious about it. He doesn't even try to understand others' feelings, and acts before thinking. That's why even when he hurts someone, he doesn't understand why they're hurt. He never thinks it's his fault. All of the men in our family are like this."

Sachiko-sama whispered that the problem is that they unintentionally repeat this without malice.

I see. I guess there are no perfect people in this world, Yumi thought.

"Showing this selfish side, do you hate him for it?"

"Yes. Maybe not completely, but yes. He loves only men. But I intend to marry him."

Because Sachiko-sama was the only daughter, they wanted to bring a son-in-law into the family some day to join the Ogasawara Group through marriage. The two families decided that her cousin Kashiwagi-san would do nicely.

"Because it's a public company, they didn't have to send a top person from the Ogasawara clan."

Born during the Meiji era, her grandfather was stubborn man and particularly fussy about family. He would pass the business down to Kashiwagi-san by adopting him into the family as a son-in-law. But really he was just doting on his only granddaughter. He appeared to be thinking of handing it all over to Sachiko-sama.

"When I entered high school, what do you think Suguru-san said when he came to my high school entrance party? 'I can see myself in you, so if we got married, it would surely turn out well. We each could live as we pleased, let's stay out of each other's hair.' When I asked 'What do you mean?' he confessed 'You might not like this, but for sex partners, I only like men.' So if I want to have children, I have to take a lover from outside the marriage. It looks like he would accept my children in the family, and they could inherit the Ogasawara group. He said since they'll be more or less connected by blood, he'll still love them. What in the world is he thinking? He thinks I'm a fool."

"Was that really a conversaton between a 16-year-old boy and a girl one year younger than him?"

"I liked him a lot, and I hated him a hundred times more. Thanks to him, my hatred of men really got worse."

She said it like it was a joke, but it definitely wasn't that simple.

Because Sachiko-sama also liked Kashiwagi-san.

She was never given a chance to say "I like you" to a person she liked. Instead she was told by someone else that they were engaged. That was already enough to make one sick to her stomach, but Sachiko-sama was also dismissed as a partner. And she was only fifteen years old.

No wonder she has a negative view towards men.

"But if that's the case, why didn't you call off the engagement?"

"I tried not to see him for a year and a half, so the subject didn't come up. I thought this was a good opportunity to broach the subject, then he got angry."

"In front of Maria-sama!"

It all clicked together.

"Yes."

We all know the rest of the story.

Yumi mistook Kashiwagi-san for a molester. Sachiko-sama announced their engagement. Kashiwagi-san goofed off and got slapped. Sachiko-sama slapped him and ran away. And Yumi chased after her and found her here.

"He has no idea I liked him. That's why it was going too far."

"Going too far?"

Rosa Gigantea had given her a hint that he was homosexual, so this appeared to contradict that suspicion. Kashiwagi-san thought Sachiko-sama would give him one kiss. But, that plan went awry. He had made light of Sachiko-sama.

Sachiko-sama was proper. She could never enjoy dancing with such a partner. No wonder she has resisted up to now.

"Thank you for listening." After saying that, Sachiko-sama got down from the shelf.

"Huh?"

"I feel like I just been through confession. It was heartbreaking, not being able to tell anyone. I'll be okay now."

I'm so relieved, she said.

"But Sachiko-sama!"

She may say she's relieved, but the situation hasn't changed. Yumi might be like a soap opera star, but they couldn't have a big laugh at the conclusion of this matter.

After that she thought she should do something. Something that she could do, for Sachiko-sama's sake.

"Please give me your rosary."

Once again, Yumi said it. We might make it in time for the deadline. If Sachiko-sama nodded, it would be acceptable. Because it still was Saturday, so they would just make it.

But Sachiko-sama smiled, and then shook her head.

”I look heartbroken to you, Yumi. So you're willing to trade places with me for Cinderella. But no. I want to do Cinderella."

Sachiko-sama gazed into Yumi's face, and softly brushed her cheek.

"I ran from him now. I can recover from that and get through tomorrow's play. If he's right next to me, after I properly fulfill my duties, I think I'll settle this. He'll have to face me. I do not want to run again. "

"Sachiko-sama…"

"Shall we go back?"

Without saying anything more, Yumi nodded and got down from the shelf.

The handkerchief had dried in the Western sun, was carefully folded, and put back in Sachiko-sama's pocket. The tears and the moisture in the handkerchief had flown off to somewhere. It had to be somewhere in this greenhouse, but the eyes couldn't see it.

Halfway to the exit, Sachiko-sama stopped on the pathway.

"Did you notice? More than half of the plants in this greenhouse are roses."

"Oh. Really?"

There were quite a few plants that weren't in bloom, so she hadn't noticed. But if you looked at the the leaves, they looked like members of the rose family. Most of the flowers in bloom also looked like roses. I guess roses bloom, even in Autumn.

"There are all sorts of varieties, aren't there?"

Seeing them anew, they were amazing.

Wild rose, vine rose, garden rose: it was like a field of roses, growing everywhere. Gardener's descriptions. Flower shape, color, each was different.

"This is Rosa Chinensis."

Sachiko-sama's index finger pointed to a plant right before her eyes.

"This one?"

The plant itself was slender, but springing up from the ground, it was sturdy. There were a great many flowers in bloom, and a reserve army of plenty of buds.

"It blooms through all four seasons."

Sachiko-sama sounded proud when she said this.

"This flower, remember it well."

It had gotten dark. The two of them walked side-by-side through the school. They had used a shortcut behind the school buildings to return to the Rose Manor, where a soft light flowed down from the second floor.

At the entrance, a note addressed to them was pinned to the door.

"The guest has gone home. Scrub the soles of your slippers well. Don't bring in the gingko nut smell. ⬇ "

Under the arrow were two wet rags, someone had wrung them and hung them over the edge of a bucket. The two of them looked at each other, carefully wiped the ginkgo sap from the soles of their slippers, and went in.

It felt unusually warm.

Like coming home.

Waltzing Sunday

Chapter 1

Sunday had come.

"Yumi. Are you done?"

It was around eleven in the morning, and Sachiko-sama had come to the first-year Momo classroom.

"Oh, soon. I think the next shift is coming."

"That's okay, I'm not in a hurry. I'll look at this display while I wait."

After casually telling this to Yumi at the reception desk, Sachiko-sama continued along the path and gazed at the fourteen drawings of the "Stations of the Cross."

"What's going on?"

Together with Yumi, Katsura-san was watching over the room. She saw Sachiko-sama and came flying over. She was the clerk at the information desk. It was her job to offer an explanation if a guest wanted it.

"What do you mean?"

She drew closer to Yumi at the reception desk in the corner. The display was rather plain, and it was the middle of the morning, so there were only three guests right now.

"Yumi-san, what role are you playing today?"

"Sister B"

"That's what they said. So I didn't hear wrong?"

"No?"

"So it's like they said. But you couldn't accept her rosary, right? So why are you hanging out with her?"

She was being asked why. Yet Yumi herself didn't really know why.

She couldn't accept the rosary, but there weren't any hard feelings because of that. There was no need to avoid each other, so they hung out together.

"Um. We're in the play together, so it's a good thing we're hanging out together, no?"

If you say it like that, it sounds so simple.

"But if that's the case, shouldn't you be hanging out with the Hanadera student council president?"

Katsura-san didn't know any better. She said this trivially.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Yumi laughed. Since the next shift had came in, she stood up from the reception desk seat. She'd been sitting for an hour, and her rear left a clear impression in the cushion. At the sound of Yumi patting the cushion flat, Sachiko-sama came back.

"Ah, Sachiko-sama. Please sign our log book."

Performing her duty, Yumi opened up a notebook and gave it to her.

"Haai."

With a calligraphy pen, she added her name "Ogasawara Sachiko" in skillful writing. Once she was done writing, she took Yumi by the hand.

"Okay, let's go. Everyone, please excuse us."

Overwhelmed and dumbfounded, Katsura-san and the other students said farewell. While holding hands and walking, Yumi though Sachiko-sama sure was cool.

"Since when did those two become friends?"

Letting those words hit their backs, the two of them slipped into the crowd that had started to fill the school building.

The play would start at at two o'clock.

"Where have you been?! Didn't we say we were going to meet at twelve-thirty?"

Yumi and Sachiko-sama arrived at the dressing room five minutes before one, greeted by Rosa Chinensis who cut an amazing figure in her princess costume.

"Onee-sama, you look like Snow White's evil queen!"

After Sachiko-sama whispered this, Rosa Chinensis raised her eyes more and more.

"After being late, doesn't one say 'I'm sorry'?"

"We're sorry."

The two of them humbly lowered their heads, then hastily began stripping off their uniforms. The curtain rises in one hour. While listening to the sermon, they changed into costume.

"Last night we went through it as planned, but I was worried that you'd changed your mind, and I can't sit still for even one moment. I thought that the two of you had vanished."

"No way."

While putting on foundation, the two of them smiled. The drama club was trying to apply grease paint, but it blocked their pores, so the majority of folks opted for regular cosmetics instead.

"Oh yes. Yumi, here."

Sachiko-sama pulled out a paper bag that she'd left backstage. Opening it, she took out a gorgeous size 26C silk bra.

"I couldn't bear to see shoulder pads slip. This is used and a little inferior, but I'd be happy if you would use it."

"Sachiko-sama's bra…"

It was really embarrassing. She's seen many a classmate's bra, but even though she was used to seeing people change in gym, seeing this one was weird.

"What's the problem, Yumi-chan? C'mon, you're moving too slow. Everyone, let's go! Let's go!"

At Rosa Foetida's command, Yumi was stripped of her comfy cotton bra and forced to put on the remaining magnificent bra. They were all the same sex so it was forgivable, but objectively, she thought it was quite a spectacle.

Ah, but.

There are individual differences in their figures. Without padding, it just sat there like a runner's number tag. It was way too big.

While Yumi used the shoulder pads reserved for her personal use, Rosa Foetida materialized behind her like a ghost and nimbly arranged her hair for her.

"Ah, Yumi-chan, you're so lucky to have such hair. I'll have this all done in five minutes."

"Is that sarcasm for my sake, Rosa Foetida?"

After Sachiko-sama asked this, the reply came back "More of a complaint than sarcasm."

"Waist-length, flowing, straight. And how long is that? Even without such hard-to-style hair, doing your hair could make a person late."

While whispering, "Next year, you should do Kaguya Hime," Rosa Foetida turned Sachiko-sama's around by the shoulders. The mother-in-law was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Cinderella's hair, using pins, combs, adhesive, and more, in an effort to match her hair to the picture. It was somehow quite funny.

"By the way, what about the prince?"

After putting on Sister B's costume, Yumi buttoned the back of Rei-sama's fairy godmother outfit.

"He got here twenty minutes early and is waiting for further instruction in the green room in the gym."

"Wow. Even after yesterday, he came."

She found a little respect for him.

"I'm not sure if that's good or bad."

In the mirror, she could see Sachiko-sama with a wry smile.

"Anyway, what were you two doing? Yumi-chan, wasn't your store duty over at eleven o'clock?"

Stuffing a cushion into her belly, Rosa Gigantea disguised herself as the king. It felt like she was really interested when she asked.

"Yeah, that's about it…"

The two of them were on a school festival date.

They went around and looked at the invention, sewing, and art club displays. They had Tsutako-san take a souvenir photo of them in front of the photography club's panel with the extra-large print of their photograph. And then to top it all off, they went to the Sakura Stop and ate curry for lunch.

"Before coming here, we had curry…"

"We're so jealous. You two aren't nervous at all."

All the Rosas said.

"That's not true."

While replying, Yumi thought to herself, "maybe it is."

Although yesterday evening was filled with emotion, today was the actual day of the school festival, and it suddenly felt like one task was over. Because of that, now there was one less thing to feel nervous about.

"Yumi, you're forgetting your lipstick."

Sachiko-sama, whose hair was finished, used a brush to put pink lipstick on Yumi. It was the same color as Sachiko-sama's lipstick.

Now we have matching lips. It was a little awkward, and she was totally happy.

Peeking through the curtain to the guest seating, she saw that a much larger crowd than she imagined had come in. The Lillian student seating and general seating were almost filled to capacity. Ten minutes before curtain call, people started to sit down, eagerly awaiting the opening of the curtain. Here and there, people were standing in the back.

"I'm sorry for slapping you yesterday."

Seeing Kashiwagi-san in the stage wing, Sachiko-sama stepped right up to him.

What an incredible smile. She gave the feeling that she was overflowing with confidence from somewhere.

On the other hand, there's the prince, whose usual graceful image remained unchanged. He did look a little shabby today, though.

"I'm in trouble. The ginkgo nut stain came out, but the smell is still there."

When you got a little bit closer, you could just faintly detect that characteristic smell. If Yumi could smell it from here, Kashiwagi-san must really reek.

"But since I don't think it will reach the audience, I can change it into perfume with my acting skill."

Such self-confidence, such an upbeat attitude, praise given so humbly. They heard that twenty people from Hanadera Academy had come to see the student council president in his hour of triumph. This was a once in a lifetime chance, so he was quite excited.

"It's starting."

Above the stage, the set for Cinderella's house was being prepared. After giving Yumi's hand a squeeze, Sachiko-sama walked out to center stage. Yumi would also go out soon, so she stood by in the wings. After the curtain went up and they greeted the audience, the house lights went down.

And so the curtain rose on Cinderella, and Yumi walked into the spotlight.

Chapter 2

As the crackling of the bonfire grew, the flames stretched to the heavens.

All of the preparations for today, the papers that had served their purpose, scraps of wood, and so on, were gathered. Memories they would turn into bright red flames.

After the guests had gone home, in the middle of the grounds, the students had been building a bonfire since late evening.

"It's a big fire, so be careful."

While they said that, since there was no evening wind this year, even the teachers looked on with carefree expressions. Students who brought in fireworks leftover from Summer got together and lit them all at once.

Because the the school had retained the set of drawings and explanations for the "Stations of the Cross" from Yumi's class, they collected their rough drafts and advertising posters and threw those on the fire.

Cinderella's costumes and props were taken back to those who had made them. Together with two weeks of memories, Yumi threw her script into the fire. With that, there was nothing left. Nothing left but shining memories, burned into her heart.

A group of students had brought instruments and gathered, and they took turns playing music. First was the mandolin club, performing an Oklahoma Mixer. Then spontaneously around the brightly burning fire a circle was born. Girls all joined hands in a circle and a the flower of a folk dance bloomed.

Yumi didn't join in the circle. She went up the embankment surrounding the track, alone. It was like the seating in an amphitheater, from there she had a sweeping view of the grounds.

A rock band's fast and furious jenka dance continued, and the brass band club played a splendid Mayim-Mayim. While she watched the dancing fun, she felt a gaping hole opening in her heart.

After today, it will all be over.

Two weeks ago, this all started from a crooked tie. These days were like a dream.

With the Cinderella play finished, there'd be no reason to go to the Rose Manor. And her connection with Sachiko-sama, once she washes and returns the borrowed bra, it's over. And the bet's finished, so there's no reason for Sachiko-sama to be concerned about Yumi any more.

She thought, "a Cinderella girl is a lucky girl, and surely that could be applied to me." Yumi may be an ordinary student without any redeeming features, but she was taken in as a friend with people the whole school adored, and given plenty of memories.

Starting tomorrow, a tranquil life will return. It will be the same life as two weeks ago, but slightly different. No matter what, she couldn't explain it easily, but she thought it was a good thing, that she had somehow changed for the better.

"I've been looking for you."

Feeling a touch on her shoulder, she turned and saw Sachiko-sama standing there. Yumi had wanted to see her, and now she had materialized like magic.

"Can we chat for a bit?"

"Uh, sure."

Yumi had been squatting, and stood up. She'd been feeling sentimental longer than she realized, and her calves were all pins and needles, as if overwhelmed with grief.

Looking for a quiet place to talk, the two of them walked for a little while.

"Things were a rather hectic after the curtain fell. I didn't get a chance to hang out with you after."

From a paper bag, she pulled out two apple juice boxes that she'd bought from a vending machine at a juice bar. She stuck in the straws, and handed one to Yumi.

"Congratulations on a successful play."

Standing there before Maria-sama, on either side of the paper bag, the two of them made a toast and drank through their straws. Before they knew it, the folk dance had become a Bon Odori, and they could hear from music from far away, Tokyo Ondo played on a string quartet. It sounded so exotic.

"That was fun."

Sachiko-sama let the straw fall from her mouth, and with a "aaah," took a breath.

But this wasn't a gloomy sigh like from before. This was more like a beer commercial, like a big "aaah" after downing a beer in one gulp.

After her satisfied-sounding breath, Sachiko-sama suddenly giggled at a funny memory.

"What is it?"

"Did you notice? During the dance, I stepped on Suguru-san's feet three times."

"Heh."

"He was too proud to let the pain show, but I bet I hurt him. A lot. Plus, I was in high heels."

After her imagining the funny scene, she joined Sachiko-sama in a big laugh.

Sachiko-sama had her bodily retribution against Kashiwagi-san, who didn't understand the pain inside a person's heart. Not that such deeds balanced each other out, but it probably did make her feel better.

"Thank you."

Sachiko-sama soon said with a serious face.

"I'm able to laugh now, thanks to you."

Surprised, Yumi took a long hard look at Sachiko-sama. Those unbelievable words, coming from the lips of a beautiful person right before her eyes.

"But, I, nothing"

”You did help me. You might not understand, though. Therefore…"

Setting her juice box down on the ground without crushing it, Sachiko-sama put her hand in her pocket.

"May I hang this around your neck?"

She had seen it the other day. It was Sachiko-sama's rosary.

"But yesterday, you said you wouldn't give it to me…"

As Yumi started to say this, Sachiko-sama interrupted, "I did, didn't I?"

"I wouldn't be happy if you accepted my rosary in order to replace me as Cinderella."

"Oh, but…"

"This isn't for a bet, or out of sympathy. Because this is a sacred ceremony."

While looking at the rosary that was being widened into a loop, she thought about whether it was appropriate for herself. But since Yumi was chosen by Sachiko-sama, thinking it was inappropriate for herself could mean that she didn't trust Sachiko-sama's eyes.

I remember that time yesterday when I chased after her. I definitely thought that I needed to be the one to find her, not anyone else. Well what I lack in experience, I can make up for with effort.

Go. Yumi ordered herself.

"I accept."

"Thank you."

Sachiko-sama gently put the rosary on her. The students' fireworks lit up the evening sky, as if giving the two of them their blessing. Then the music changed.

"Ah."

The two of them whispered at the same time. Accordion, pianica, harmonica played a nostalgic melody.

"Maria-sama's Heart."

All the times this song had reached their ears, they must have been practicing for today.

"Three-quarter, no, six-eighths, I think."

Sachiko-sama picked up the rhythm.

One, two, three, four, five, six. One, two, three, four, five, six.

That make it a….

"It's a waltz!"

"Yes!"

They took each other's hands.

Leading as a choir, the students began singing. To a choir of angels, Yumi and Sachiko-sama went through the steps of a waltz.

The cool air felt wonderful on their skin.

Under the moonlight, it felt like they could dance forever.

The night that Yumi became Rosa Chinensis en bouton petite soeur.

With the moon, Maria-sama was watching them.

Afterword

At a girls' school, there are only girls. It's like a cake smorgasbord.

Hello. It's Konno.

If you didn't know the author's name, but you saw the illustrations and wanted to buy it, nice to meet you.

I chose this school setting for the first time, and it is totally different than everything I've written in the past. I'm sure I have confused my regular customers. You might be saying, "What is this sweet pink stuff?" (Ha ha ha.)

This story grew from a story "Maria-sama ga miteru" previously published in a magazine. In this story, Shimako is still a first-year student. Sachiko and Rei, who held the titles Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida in the magazine, are still boutons. (Oh, so young! So young!). So I thought I'd have Sachiko sponsor her soeur this time.

Roan's story has its "Dream Temple," Lillian Girls Academy has "Maria-sama ga miteru." It's easy to understand. [note: "Dream Temple" is another story by Konno Oyuki.]

When a writer writes something like this, everyone has the same typical questions. So I thought I should go ahead and address the questions here.

Anyway, I wanted to shout, "This is not my own high school life!"

At the high school I went to, there were no "soeur" relationships like at Lillian Girls Academy. Obviously, there were no people like the Rosas, and since it wasn't Catholic, there weren't nuns walking everywhere.

If there is anything in common, my high school was also a girls school, that's it. School scenery might be the same, too. From the main gate, continuing through the row of ginkgo trees, there's a small gym behind the school building. But at my alma mater, they construct and change the school buildings, so my old school is probably all different nowadays. Oh yes! My school was not a prep school for the top universities, so we had a carefree atmosphere like at Lillian Girls Academy. However, there weren't any ojou-sama there.

However, Christianity is not a completely unknown world to me. Not at all. I went to a most authentic Catholic kindergarten. On the property was an elegant chapel and convent, and half of the kindergarten teachers were nuns. We'd put our little hands together and pray. Yumi's question about "Maria-sama's Heart" was actually my own question.

After all, jumble together various elements and you get Lillian Girls Academy when you're done. The school may be a flight of fancy, but I would be quite happy if people who are going (or went) to a girls' school responded "Yes! That's how it felt!" when they compared the story with their own experiences. I hope co-ed folks will enjoy this unique setting totally different from theirs, with a with "wow."

Let's see, there are a lot of people that I want to thank this time (a two-and-a-half page afterword, it's just flying by…)

Anyway, there are my sempai in the field: K-gawa-sensei, S-jima-sensei, T-se-sensei, (in alphabetical order). I dedicate this story to these three were against their will. (You can't say no and return it to me.) If these three didn't encourage me to write, "Maria-sama ga miteru" would never have been born. I'm afraid the story ended up softer than their expectations. Sorry, but my rational nature keeps me from being too extreme.

Next is U-san from Cobalt's editorial department. Sorry you had to help out so much, but you did graduate from a Catholic school. But thanks to you, I was able to complete the story. Thank you.

I definitely wanted incredible art, so thanks to HIBIKI Reine-san for illustrating this book.

Well, next story is summer. I am preparing a dinner from some palace of unknown nationality for you. Please stop by for a visit and enjoy. Cafe Konno, Manager.

KONNO Oyuki

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101-8050 Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku Hitotsu-bashi 2-5-10

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KONNO Oyuki-sensei

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