Notes on the Fifteenth Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel, "Ready, Go!" - Part 2

Maria-sama ga Miteru: Ready, Go!
Part 2

Everything Prepared?

1

Maria-sama's Heart Wraps Around Us Like The Wide Sky

When the rain is falling and it suddenly clears up, one is likely to say, "Oh look, it's back to normal" and "Because Maria-sama is on our side." Especially at a Catholic girls' school.

So saying, about this and that, and various things, the day of the Lillian Jogakuen Sports Festival turned out clear.

"Gym clothes – check. Lunch – check. Then, "I'm off!" Counting things off on her fingers in the hallway, she made to leave. The final "I'm off!" was heard.

"Ah, Yumi-chan." She was called to stop.

"What? If it's about the invitations, I gave them to my mother yesterday." Although she answered, she was half outside.

"That ought to be okay, shouldn't it?" Wearing a cream polo shirt, looking down with some trepidation upon his daughter was her father. As he hesitated, he held several outfits of clothes in his hand.

"Isn't that okay? What's up?"

"What's up? Well, just look – I have to choose which one is all right." (E:I feel a moment of Daddy dorkiness coming on...)

She looked past the usual outfits to the sleeves of the new ones. These were the ones left over as candidates from how many? Ah, after a good look, she could see that mixed in was one of Yuuki's shirts.

"Yeah, look, today is your daughter's Sports Festival – is it really necessary to do a father's fashion show?"

Today is Sunday.

Luckily, Dad didn't have to go into work today, so he could come and watch Sports Day. But, that having been said, he was a little over-excited.

"But, what if I look bad compared with the other fathers.... If I look spectacularly out of place won't that cause Yumi-chan some embarrassment? Not only that, but isn't my daughter Rosa Chinensinth's little sister?"

"It's Chinensis." Dad was probably confusing it with Hyacinth. Since they were both pretty flowers, he probably didn't differentiate between types.

"Yumi-chan, please." He didn't seem to understand that he was over-thinking this. Clearly it was up to the daughter to choose such things to his satisfaction. A little puzzled, Yumi made her decision.

"Then, one of the polo shirts in your left hand. Green is a good color for you, and since I'm on the green team, it'll be a lucky color, probably." Really, she didn't care if he just wore the cream colored shirt he was wearing, but she thought it would feel more like she had considered the decision this way. If she expressed her reasons, it would seem like she understood his feelings properly.

"Mm. Okay. But, is it okay to not wear a suit?" In his right hand he held up charcoal gray suit which would be a best choice for a class inspection.

"Oyaji. Sports Day is like an athletic meet, got it? So isn't a rough appearance your best bet?" Yuuki came in, yawning hugely, and lifted the suit out of his father's hand. Then he pulled out his own property.

"Father has a secret rivalry burning in his heart against Sachiko-sama's father, huh~" Hearing all the noise from the foyer, Mom had come out to participate.

"But, you know, Sachiko-sama's family isn't coming." This mother, who on the verge of Yumi's invitation to the Ogasawara family summer home panicked and sent a package of Koshihikari rice (E: see the notes on the 12th novel for the reference), seemed today to be strangely relaxed; she had known this beforehand. "I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you." Her mother laughed calmly. Yumi followed.

"A relative's wedding."

"It's Sunday, after all."

In one instant the tension dropped. Dad turned his back, his arms full of the clothes he was returning to his closet, step, step back down the hallway. Yumi continued by calling out to her younger brother. "What about you, Yuuki? Are you coming?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"What do you mean, 'why?' I have plans to go out." Her younger brother snapped, as he exited.

"...so you say, but it'll be a real embarrassment. Hey, since I made food made for your lunch, at least come and eat at lunchtime."

From within came his answer of "Mm." If he's speaking of eating lunch together, then maybe going out is not getting from his mouth to being done.

When Yumi sees her mother smile and nod, she feels admiration. She's exceptionally good at understanding her husband's and son's actions.

"However..." Sports Day at a girl's school is a bit embarrassing, right.

"A boy of this age has a delicate mentality. ...Yumi-chan might not understand."

"Uh-" She can read her daughter's mind. Don't make light of Mom.

"It's good that you're enthusiastic, but don't go getting hurt. Following your second match, come right home."

"Even though you say that, isn't that more like for a class trip?"

"Technically." Smiling, Mom sent her out. "Go. Dad will follow afterwards to watch."

"Um, I'm off." With a cheerful response, Yumi left the front hall. As she exited, she took a deep breath of the blue sky. Following the second match. But what if the one before it means waiting for a penalty game? It's not something that can be spoken of leisurely.


2

As soon as she arrived at the school, she could see the first-year Tsubaki Group, but Kanako-chan's figure was not visible.

"Her bags are here." Noriko-chan looked around the classroom.

"If you're wearing your uniform, change into your gym clothes....don't we have somewhere to do relay practice."

"Morning training, huh?"

What extraordinary energy, even though the Sports Festival had already begun, no one had heard of the content of the penalty game, even a bit.

"When Kanako-chan comes back, should we send her along to Yumi-sama's classroom? What should we say?"

"Okay, okay, you don't have time for this, the Sports Festival has begun. All of you go meet up on the grounds." Yumi fluttered her hand, stepping back. A little out of it, she started to leave, then sort of haphazardly said, "See you" to Noriko, as she turned her back.

"Ah, Yumi-sama?" Noriko enquired mysteriously, but did not follow her. Instead, a different person cam flying out of the room after her.

"Yumi-sama." At the same time her name was called, her arm was grabbed, so Yumi turned to look over her shoulder. There, already wearing her gym clothes, stood a single young woman.

"Touko-chan?" Touko-chan was gazing at Yumi with an unusually, for her, serious expression. Something to say –

"What promise did you make with Hosokawa Kanako?" Touko-chan said as they reached the empty stairwell entrance. "Noriko-chan just chalked it up to a case of simple competitiveness with the Green team when she explained it to our classmates, but..." She moved a little closer, then continued. "But I don't think that's only it."

From the school grounds, where classes were doing warm-up exercises quickly, "One, two three four" could be heard. Yumi stretched out both hands to hold the handrail. From here, she could see the Rose Mansion.

"That's not enough to move her." Waiting for "Five, six, seven, eight," Touko-chan muttered. "Yumi-sama would not have called Hosokawa Kanako just to say something like 'Let's both do our best.'"

"You understand well." Yumi opened her mouth at last. As she expected, the subject of Touko-chan's discussion was Kanako-chan.

"What are you up to, Yumi-sama?"

"Up to?" As Yumi repeated the words, the corner of her lips lifted slightly, giving the appearance that she had guessed correctly. "I don't know that I'm up to anything – I think it's wonderful that she's so Rah-Rah and gung ho." Yumi said.

"Y..you think it's good!?" Touko-chan's trademark coiled hair rolls flounced up, looking for a moment like the wings of a wild duck as her eyebrows rose.

"Isn't it? Kanako-chan has managed to bring to birth a feeling in her class of all wanting to stand as one. Don't you think of that as a plus, Touko-chan?" There was no way Touko-chan, who didn't want to be compliant with Kanako-chan, wouldn't take offense at this.

"You don't really understand this. At first glance it might appear to be good, but really, in the end, it's a minus. Right, Yumi-sama? If Hosokawa Kanako had spontaneously decided to do this, then I wouldn't have any complaints. But if it's a result of a condition by Yumi-sama's, then - -"

Then you would complain, huh, Touko-chan. Pretty good reasoning there.

"It's not something to smile about."

"Ah, sorry." With this girl standing in front of her, protesting so seriously, she was somehow loveable, as if she were an onee-sama with whom she could speak frankly or say things inadvertently.

"Let's just say that which team wins and what promise I made with Kanako-chan intersect."

"Ehh!?"

"So that's why Kanako-chan is so enthusiastic."

"- - "

Hearing this verbal surprise attack left Touko-chan speechless. Yumi took the opportunity to confess the actual contents.

"If Kanako-chan is on the losing side, she has to assist the Yamayurikai with the play."

"A...and the opposite?"

"I haven't been told."

"You're really an idiot, aren't you?" As always, the girl spoke in an unacceptable fashion to a sempai. "She's going to ask you to make her your soeur."

"I don't think she will." Yumi remembered a former conversation she had heard at the newspaper club, where Kanako had refused the suggestion that she wanted to be soeur outright. True, that was before they had quarreled. Their relationship had become more complicated, but still, she thought that particular line was lost.

"You don't have any guarantee of that."

"That's true, but."

"People's feelings do change."

"You are correct."

However, it was clear that Yumi really didn't not feel as if that would be Kanako-chan's request. But, what if she did ask to be made soeur, please - -

If she did ask, then she'd think about what she would do. If she doesn't ask, then there's no point in spending time worrying. If she has that kind of free time, she should spend it doing leg stretches so that her Scavenger Hunt Race wasn't the most ungainly.

"Yumi-sama, why are you so lenient with Hosokawa Kanako?" Touko-chan asked with a sigh.

"Lenient?"

"But, hasn't Hosokawa Kanako done terrible things to you?"

"Why do you say that?"

If that situation arises, it was between Yumi and Kanako-chan and Sachiko-sama alone. Which of them was more likely to exclude others from their togetherness, she didn't think about.

"It's not like I asked someone. It's just something I have a feeling about."

"Is that it?"

Gooood observation. She wonders if it's the most sensible way to understand this situation. Because Touko-chan especially sees Kanako-chan her natural enemy, it makes sense that she'd be on her mind all the time. It's like a test in math or chemistry or physics, where not everyone has the proper formula for solving the test, they might try to answer it with some vague statement like "But I have a feeling about it," as a reason, while burying their face in the test paper with the title written in the National Language.

"She's very dependent. She puts out an environment of despair. She has no self-confidence. I pity her. There are people rolling around in the world like that. When I see her sulking, I feely pointlessly irritated." Touko spat out. Seemed like "people like that" really stood for "pathetic people."

"Everyone has feelings like that. And we're all wounded at some time. Different people are damaged differently."

"But judge this objectively. Between a scratch and a bone fracture, which one hurts worse?"

Obviously a scratch was a typical injury. But Kanako-chan's wounds couldn't be judged from the outside to be mere scratches.

"That's right. Touko-chan would know of Kanako-chan's circumstances."

"Yeah. That is, I've heard things from people. You don't know what happened, do you, Yumi-sama? That girl, her father - - "

"Stop it, Touko-chan." Yumi put a stop to it. "I have no intention of listening to this.

"...Yumi-sama" Touko-chan looked momentarily surprised, looking at Yumi's face as she stood next to her. Apparently she thought that she'd want to unconditionally hear it.

"If Kanako-chan wants to tell me firsthand, I'll listen. But, right now, there's no need for me to listen to you tell me." While talking to Touko-chan, Yumi felt her own feelings settle. "Whatever happened to Kanako-chan has nothing to do with our bet. Touko-chan, you might possibly be worried at what damage I'll take if I lose, but today's Sports Festival is not about victory or defeat."

"What the heck is that?" Touko-chan's eyebrows drew together. At any rate, it looked like this was the first time her ears had ever heard such a thing.

"Kanako-chan might take the victory. More than that, what is it worth even thinking about?"

"I have no idea what you mean." After expending a great deal of energy on trying to grasp the meaning of Yumi's words, Touko-chan seemed to give up.

So, Yumi gave Touko-chan a special lesson. "This is about the relationship between Kanako-chan and I. About the contest, and the bet, I was able to have a conversation with Kanako-chan. That was the point."

When she finished hearing that, Touko looked down and muttered, "I hope it all goes well."

"Eh?"

"Really, it all seems too happy ever after, Yumi-sama." Touko-chan lifted her face and looked at Yumi challengingly. "If that happens and Hosokawa Kanako becomes more and more impudent, don't wonder why. I really dislike when you're so easygoing. Really, you should be thinking about becoming a suitable Rosa Chinensis en bouton."

"Eh-"

Having decided that any further conversation with Yumi was hopeless, Touko-chan turned her back and reached up to the entrance door. At the moment it opened, "Ah, right, right." As if she had forgotten something, she turned and spoke over her shoulder. "There's one correction. So there's no misunderstanding, I'm not worried about Yumi-sama at all."

"Ah...yeah?"

"Yes. Then, excuse me. Yumi-sama, before you go on with this thing with your usual absent-mindedness, don't you think it would be best if you hurried to your classroom? You can't participate in the sports festival in your school uniform." Leaving behind a bold smile, the banana curls disappeared into the school building.

"Go on this thing with my usual absent-mindedness...?" As she turned towards her classroom she stopped as if called. "This thing" she wondered what person or place it was. Well, if she had any complaints, the person she needed to address was already gone from here.

"That Touko-chan." Nevertheless, Yumi was very self-conscious of laughing at herself. As much as she wanted to say things, was it just too unpleasant to say them.

"Hate it when I'm too easy-going, huh?" Asking herself that, Yumi sped up her steps and hurried to the second-year Matsu Group classroom.

3

Just as always, after the Morning Prayer broadcast, homeroom was carried out.

"Although the tendency is to be enthusiastic, don't go and get carried away. Previously, a sempai was hurt badly enough that she couldn't go on the class trip." The homeroom teacher warned; the first half of which was similar to a mother, the second half of which sounded a lot like a threat. An injury severe enough to keep someone from going on the class trip, what could that be. A broken bone or a full-body bruise – the students in the classroom fell silent momentarily. It might seem awfully painful, but not being able to go on the class trip seemed even more painful, they thought. Of the three years spent in high school, the class trip was one of the top five best events one could participate in. The school festival or sports day, if you missed it, it would come around again, but to miss the class trip would be something you might regret forever.

"Although I say this every year, it's never effective for the second-years." Looking happy, the teacher smiled.

A voice criticized, "That's totally a lie, isn't it?"

"It's not a lie – it happened once about ten years ago." Stiffening in offense, the teacher curtly brought the conversation to a close.

"Go ahead, Yumi-san." Yumi and her neighbor had bags in front of them. They walked around with, while everyone took object like watches and purses from the person in front of them and passed them to the person behind to be put in the bag. As usual, Yoshino-san and Mami-san stood at the chalkboard.

"That's fine. These will go to the person in charge of valuables. Let's gather at 9:50, please. Where is Green team going to be?" Yoshino-san called out, while Mami-san compulsively made a cupped ear pose.

"The space next to the library." Like children, everyone answered cheerfully.

"That's it. Everyone assigned to work, please take your spots. Then, last, let's pray for a good fight." Declaring this powerfully, Yoshino-san left the classroom with spirit. She headed for the main gate to support visitor check-in. Because this is a girl's high school, check-in is especially strict to make sure that people who were not involved did not get in. This was also true for the culture festival and graduation ceremony, but for the sports festival it was the strictest. Lillian's Sports Festival didn't get much exposure but still, it wasn't something they wanted exposed to public notice, since it seemed like there's be an awful lot of people who would think, "I want to see that." Tickets bore the full name of each student and were checked against a list of graduates. It was very serious.

When her classmates dispersed, Yumi stood up from her seat.

Tsutako-san -san inquired, "Hey, Yumi-san, do you have a job?"

"Yeah, I'm helping transport goods from the gymnasium."

"Ah, the costumes for the Pep Squad, huh...."

(E: The Oendan, what I am calling the "pep squad", is very serious work in Japan. They often wear military style uniforms and do specifc choreographed cheers, with hand motions that look very militaristic, like a drill team. If you've seen the live action "Gokusen", you've seen an oendan in action. Even for non-military style groups, oendan work is exhaustingly full of "guts". I've seen baseball oendan members just about collapse with exhaustion.)

Tsutako-san disconnected from the classroom where she had been assigned work. Mostly odd jobs, after which, her classmates wanted her to take pictures - not just of them, but of their onee-sama, and the Rosas dancing - she had been given many requests like that. You know, like pictures of love at first sight in the place where the third-year-certain-group Pep Squad changed.

As it happens, Yumi knew that Sachiko-sama was a member of the Pep Squad. So when she has said, "But I wish, a little, that we were doing it together" she had been ordered to carry the uniforms to where they were. It wasn't just an example of flexibility in role-sharing, it had the feel of being skillfully managed. But if it put her at the side of Sachiko-sama, then it was all good.

"Tsustako-san, take a really good photo. Make sure I get a print."

When Yumi made this request, she did it somewhat in the style of Touko-chan, as a spoiled child.

"As long as Sachiko-sama says it's all right." Tsutako-san answered coolly. She had no problem taking peeping tom pictures, but she had a principle of never publishing them unless she got permission from the subject themselves. Shaking her head, if a picture was refused, she would firm her spine and burn the negatives.

But, even if she did not say so, this seemed to be a prospect. There no one other than Sachiko-sama that Yumi wanted as a photographic subject.

"What if Sachiko-sama says no?"

"She won't say that. Most importantly, I want a picture of the two of you together. To make up for the lack at last year's athletic festival."

"Together, huh?"

To have one speck of the world, one moment to aim at, where the two of them stood side by side, in the same green headbands ....she pondered.

"To avoid her saying so, or our wild idea being put off, let's hurry to the gymnasium. Or she might scold you with 'You're late, Yumi.'"

"Right." At such an accurate impression, Yumi instinctively saluted carefully.

"Hey, hey, I'm not Sachiko-sama, you know." Tsutako-san seemed dazed, but lifted her camera and pressed the shutter, as expected.

At the gymnasium Green team space, Sachiko-sama was already there, but she did not say, "You're late, Yumi."

"Ah, Yumi. You can, bring the drum and sticks over there to the Pep Squad seats."

"Yes sir."

This was the first time they had seen each other today and she didn't even get a "Good day" just jumped right into the main subject. It was a trifling thing to be sure, but Yumi couldn't help but think "our relationship is growing more natural." They were still far short of Yoshino-san and Rei's mature couple position. But even so, it made her happy. A year ago, she would not have even thought that this would be possible to see, it would have been a dream.

---And. Looking back over her shoulder at them from the Red team space was Touko-chan. When Touko-chan had turned her face towards Yumi at the same time she had seen Touko-chan, for some reason she (Touko) had begun to work. She moved this thing there and that thing here and somehow moved the thing back to its original space - movements with no significance at all.

Absent-minded Touko-chan. Had her beloved Sachiko-sama seen it, she had to wonder?

"We're sorry we're late. Third-year and second-year onee-samas, for today, please take care of us." Arriving late, the first-year Matsu Group carriers bowed three times.

"That's fine. Because this is the first-year student's first sports festival, your homeroom teacher has many detailed warnings to offer, correct?" Next to Sachiko-sama, checking on the clothing, the chief of the Pep Squad said with a smile. Of course, once she had probably been in that lower class homeroom. But Yumi wondered if she wasn't also being scolded.

"Excuse me, Yumi-sama. What should we...?" Carrying the drums out of the gymnasium, the first-years asked hesitatingly. The chief of the squad should be issuing orders, but she was in negotiations with the chief of the neighboring Pink team, while the vice-chief, Sachiko-sama, was just leaving with the uniforms.

"Is it all right if we take these to the pep squad seats?"

"Ah - The banners, right. Because they'll be used for the opening ceremony parade, don't take them. The same goes for the placard. This cardboard box is supposed to be used in the afternoon; I think that's the plan." After saying all that, nothing was left. However, naturally, they had come to help, but all that was left was house-sitting.

"Understood. So we'll just take the drums and sticks." The miniature versions of traditional Japanese drums were handed over and sent out.

"You should go wherever Rosa Chinensis is and confirm where they should be placed."

"Right. Thank you very much." With happy smiles because they'd been given work, the two first-years left the gymnasium.

Yumi lifted a hand and waved at them, also smiling. From behind a voice whispered, subdued, "Rosa Chinensis en bouton, you've become quite reliable, haven't you?"

With a jolt, Yumi looked back over her shoulder to find the chief of the Pep Squad standing there with arms crossed, nodding.

"Sachiko-san also feels good about that, I bet."

"Eh -" Yumi immediately smoothed her panicked exclamation over with a quick, "Excuse me." As usual, her graceless expression had spoiled the compliment. "I'm a bit disconcerted." But, as she remembered that morning's comment, "become suitable for" she shot a glance over to the Red team space, but she did not see Touko-chan in her former spot.

(...why) Whatever she had hoped for, went flat just a little.

The two first-years and Sachiko-sama returned together to the gymnasium. Perfect timing, since the Green team students were just heading towards the meeting space next to the library.

Since she hadn't carried anything earlier, she picked up the green banners and clackety-clack followed after Sachiko-sama. It was a little like carrying the swords of the champion into the arena. As always, Sachiko-sama went forward proudly.

After she had handed the flags over to the squad leader who stood with the third-years who had previously entered the area, Yumi turned towards the line of second-years when Sachiko-sama called "Yumi," and halted her.

"Yes?"

Looking back, Yumi's eyes flew to a Sachiko-sama who stood there with a victorious expression and one finger raised.

"A low level duel is a foolish thing, right? If you are going to do this, then your aim should be victory, not just the Red team."

Haughty, high-handed, and dazzlingly beautiful. As expected, Sachiko-sama was magnificent. At being commanded so, Yumi felt a thrill of electricity suddenly run through her body.

"Yes!"

Sachiko-sama looked satisfied with such an energetic response. "That's what I expect from my soeur. Let's do our best."

As she lined up with the rest of the second-years, Yumi thought, "Nevertheless." She hadn't been on at all at that time Yoshino-san spoke with such fire, Sachiko-sama. Today, on the actual day of the match, her fire had been ignited.

As the time to gather grew close, Yoshino-san and Mami-san arrive and second-year Matsu Group assembled.

"How was visitor reception?"

"A booming business. No really, as predicted, everyone's parents kept coming and coming. Everyone came to view their daughters' gala occasion. My parents practically leapt forward to hand over their ticket. It was so embarrassing, everyone pretended to look elsewhere, but Rei-chan's father probably saw."

Until she had had heart surgery, Yoshino-san hadn't been able to participate in athletic meets or the Sports Festival. This would be the first year she participated in anything other than the opening parade and the dance, so her parents were probably delighted. Even better, she was in the standout event, the team relay.

"I'm sure that my parents are here." Yumi said, as if speaking to herself, but Yoshino-san responded, "Yes," with all her heart.

"No way. How do you know?"

"Because. All the tickets have the names of students written on them. Even if that had not been so, I think I would have thought so....Yumi-san, you could say both Fukuzawa siblings, look like your father."

"Huh."

"He's wearing a green polo shirt, isn't he?"

Ugh. She knew that already, but coming as it did randomly from Yoshino-san's mouth. "That's kind of embarrassing." Somewhere where she wasn't, her parents were meeting her good friends. A creeping feeling moved up her back.

"It's all right. I greeted them in 'honor student mode'."

"Honor student mode, you say."

"Listening to the two's conversation silently, Mami-san suddenly opened her mouth.

"I wonder if the former Rosas are coming."

"Mmm."

"Torii Eriko-sama and Mizuno Youko-sama have come to pay a visit to Lillian University's Satou Sei-sama. Didn't the two of you hear about it?"

Kaboom, kaboom, Yumi and Yoshino-san both nodded hugely. (E: Mami asks if they *didn't* know - they are responding yes, they did not know. It's opposite of the way English is, where we'd shake our heads back and forth for no, we did not know.)

Although they were the younger sisters of Rei-sama and Sachiko-sama, they didn't get much information about the former Rosas from them. Rei-sama hadn't mentioned even now that tickets had been sent to them.

"Is that right...but, they could arrive after the games start. Even so, eyes will shine in the visitor's seats."

Because reception had been closed when Yoshino-san and the others returned, that seemed unlikely.

"The peak is over, we can leave the rest to the teachers."

"Teachers?"

"The lecturers, and the middle school teachers. Anyone not directly touched by the Sports Festival, as far as they can. After all, after the entrance procession, the students can't leave."

As Yoshino-san's words corroborated this, from wherever, the rest of the students gathered, shuffling up. In the first aid tent, the health squad was on alert, as was the scorer. Also not in the entrance procession were the broadcasting team members.

Nine o'clock in the morning.

Bang bang, the sound of shots reverberated in the air.

"Will every team please get ready for the entrance procession at this time." The sound of the mic brought a little thrill of excitement to the students standing in line.

"White team, please enter."

Yumi's second-year Sports Festival had finally started.


To Be Continued

Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, Ready, Go!