Notes on the Seventeenth Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel, Part 1

Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel 17, "Ciao, Sorella!", Part 1

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Introduction


Nothing happens in this book.

Nothing at all.

Don't wait for something to happen, because it's not going to. This is a travelogue with characters.

Just enjoy the randomness and the irony...and the descriptions of Yumi vs the bathrooms.

You may notice that I put links for things like the Spanish Steps or Fra Angelico's Annunciation, but not for Pisa or Botticelli's Birth of Venus. These were judgment calls. I honestly can't imagine that there's a single person reading this over the age 16 who has NEVER heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or seen, in some form, the Birth of Venus. If I mention something you've never heard of and don't provide a link, just look it up. It's all super famous stuff. I also appear to be wildly inconsistent in my use of Italian vs English. I mostly stick to calling cities by their English names, but locations within them in Italian - but not always.

For once, you are getting the full beginning, with no truncation. This is the beginning of the large majority of the novels. I don't think I've ever translated the whole thing before.

And once again, I make no pretense to the accuracy or readability of the translation. I already know that some of what I've done here is open to interpretation. By all means make comments; don't start them off with "why did/didn't you" because that's pointlessly agressive. Try starting comment off with "Here's a suggestion." My comments are prefaced with (E:). Once again, it took me three months to do this. You *will* say thank you. LOL

Lastly - I started translating the next novel, (which is Book 19, not 18, because 18 is the "Premium Book" about the anime) but I got sidetracked by publishing Yuri Monogatari 5 and organizing Yuricon's "Yurisai" event. When Yurisai and MangaNEXT are over, I will pick up the next novel again and get back to it.

While I enjoy reading and butchering translating these novels for you, It is not a substitute for buying the real thing. I know, you can't read Japanese, you have no money (and yet magically you have a computer and an Internet connection) that's completely not the point. Authors live on their work. Every time you download a book, movie, song, etc, yes, you may be scamming "the man" by which you mean the corporation that publishes, records or distributes it - but you are also stealing from the author, writer, performer and all the people who have jobs at "the man." So, please, click this link and buy the book. Thanks.




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Maria-sama ga Miteru 17 – Ciao, Sorella


"Good day."

"Good day."

Cheerful morning greetings echo through the clear blue sky. Today they once again pass under the tall gates into Maria-sama's garden where maidens assemble with their pure smiles like angels.

Their bodies, which know no stain, are wrapped in dark-colored uniforms.

The pleats of their skirts should not be disarranged, nor should their white sailor collars flutter; here walking slowly is preferred. Of course, here there are no shameless students that would run to make it before the very last moment.

This is Lillian Girls' Private School.

Established in the 34th year of the Meiji period, it is said that this academy was founded for the sake of the daughters of the nobility, a traditional Catholic girls' school.

It is located within the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Even now, much of the original greenery of Musashino remains as, watched over by God from kindergarten to university, this garden undertakes to complete the education of these maidens.

Times change, and from the Meiji Period three times a new era has begun, until the present day Heisei, but for eighteen years, pure young women pass through here for a sheltered upbringing and education in culture. It is a valuable education, but something just as precious is left behind in that school.



"Field Trip: when young, students, to naturally experience a part of the world not in their usual daily life participate in this event, lead by teachers in order to allow them to study culture." - "Koujien" (a famous dictionary)

--So it says.

Here it comes, the land of not-daily life.

However, transferred to a different location, one should still not walk so that one's sailor collar flutters.

Because we are always watched over by Maria-sama, everywhere we go, there is a feeling of always being nearby.

Grasping the red passport, this will be her first time overseas.

Ciao, Italy!

One week in an unknown country is about to begin.



Each and Every Farewell Gift

1

"What did you say just now?" In front of the ticket examination booth at M station, Yumi asked. With a pretty stupid face on, she knew, without looking at a mirror.

"'Because sometimes you go and do something reckless, I worry.'"

After a little delay, like a rewound cassette tape being played back, Sachiko spoke. Well done, with very little changed, an exact copy; unfortunately it wasn't the answer Yumi had requested.

"No, before that."

"Before? Then 'Even if the body is weak, the spirit is willing.'" (E: she actually says that 'although there may not be enough physical strength to do it, her spirit is braced'.)

"One more."

"One more? 'Tomorrow's the field trip, isn't it?' ..."

"Ah, no."

Okay, okay, the bus that went from school to the M Station north entrance had already arrived and gone back. So then, maybe the tape had already rewound too much. It wasn't the conversation of five minutes ago, more like just about a minute ago.

But let's not get distracted while thinking, her face said, as onee-sama looked at her with an unexpectedly serious face.

At their side, people passed by busily. After the people getting on the train, came the people getting off the train. The area of the ticket barrier was congested with people returning from school and work.

"I said what souvenir would be good and was watching you. And then you said..."

"You mean, when I said, 'There would be nothing better as a souvenir than you returning safely'?"

"Yes, that was what you answered." Those were the words made Yumi terribly happy. After a week, she would become the something that no souvenir was better than. However.

"So then the place where I said that I didn't understand what buying something had to do with me coming back. And you were saying, as an introductory remark, "You say it so forcefully", um, weren't you?"

She must have mistakenly heard it. That was why she was asking her to repeat it. Like, "Why did you say that just now?"

"What?"

"Either manju from Rome or senbei from Florence."

(E: manju is a sweet steamed rice cake, senbei are rice crackers. Both are really common souvenirs...in Japan.)

She had inquired gently, but Sachiko-san had already spoken.

"I said that, so?"

She said it. That was she thought.

What should she do; was this something to smile about, she wondered. Yumi was puzzled. If she slipped and laughed, when the words had been said seriously, Sachiko-sama might go rigid.

Alternatively. If she made the wrong choice, it could affect which way Onee-sama's mood swung. Yumi judged that the former was correct. Belatedly, she laughed at it "Ahaha," but Sachiko-sama crossed her arms and muttered.

"Last year, we missed a chance to buy them. If the chance presents itself, I don't care which, but definitely buy some."

"...Those, where were they sold?"

"Didn't you understand that I wasn't able to buy any?"

"Yeah." So it wasn't a joke.

"Enjoy yourself." Sachiko-sama brought the conversation to an end by fixing her tie.

Therefore, Yumi didn't take step into another question, Onee-sama was fine as she was.


2

It must be some kind of event, that would make the Hasekura and Shimazu families gather to eat out.

New Year's, Sechibun (E: aka Setsubun, a night to drive away demons by throwing beans at them, which marks the end of winter, like Imbolg or Candlemass), Girl's Day (E: aka Hina Matsuri, Doll Festival) the Equinox (E:
important day in the Buddhist calendar), Obon (E: ancestor festival, also a national holiday, Christmas (E: Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus), never just for no reason, although the real motive might just be to get together and be lively, because there seemed to be no prohibition against mixing Shinto, Buddhist and Christian together.

Thinking that, in those days circumstances made it inconvenient, although only a few days prior the relatives had all gathered pleasantly, she reached out inelegantly for some water.

(Well, why is my body so weak, is what I want to know.)

Before anyone else, Yoshino stepped out of the restaurant, looking up at the night sky. Because the stars were so lovely, she took a deep, resigned breath.

Because, in the past, she couldn't do sports or playing far away, special days could only be celebrated by eating in nearby places. But, since the operation, her health had been sound so, little by little, their behavior had changed to gather to eat at the appropriate time. Father's stomach had been taken over by a tanuki. (E: Tanuki is a raccoon/dog mythical thing, associated, with along with many other things, with gluttony.)

(First off. Isn't it just a field trip? Why are we having a bon voyage party at all?")

She heard about it a week ago when she had come home. It seemed a little like an exaggerated version of a farewell party for a salaryman who was going off to the provinces. (E: "salaryman" is a typical white-collar office worker. "Going off to the provinces" is something that most lower-level salarymen have to do at least for a little while. The company sends them off for a year or so, in theory to gain experience, often without their families.) From the moment they entered the tatami room with the bowing waitress, until the very end, the meaning of this gathering was unintelligible.

(Of course. If the one who looks the youngest gets the seat of honor, they'll be getting partings gifts of words from the adults.)

At that moment she laughed with a small chuckle, and heard from behind the sound of the lattice door opening.

"Yoshino." Calling her name from close by was Rei-chan. Her cousin, her neighbor, her onee-sama. The one person in the world she loved the most, but from time to time, the one person in the world who vexed her the most. A kind, compassionate and important person.

"Where are all the adults?"

"Mother and Auntie went to the register to pay. Uncle is looking after Father. Because it's looking like he won't be able to go on the train, they're calling a taxi."

"Did he collapse?"

"He collapsed. With happiness, because Yoshino is going on the field trip like grown woman."

So, he drank too much to that.

"Mm."

In elementary school, halfway home. In middle school, her mother would follow her home like a shadow, so as not to be seen by her classmates. But, this time, there would be no special treatment. She had graduated from always having to be the one to take a position at the teacher's side; she'd be able to enjoy this on the equal footing with her friends.

"Let's take the train home, us young ones." Yoshino said, grabbing onto Rei's shirt. The three people of the Hasekura household. The three people of the Shimazu household. The total of six people would be too many to fit into one taxi.

"Right. That's what I came to tell you." Rei retraced her steps inside the lattice door.

As Yoshino glanced at her wristwatch as if to say, "If we leave now, we'll get home in time for the 10 o'clock drama," and Rei made an OK sign.

Let's go, I say. I walk towards the main street, looking back after a moment, I run to catch up with her.

She takes my hand in hers.

Walking happily shoulder to shoulder, I know that this is an irreplaceable thing.

"You know," Yoshino mutters quietly, then shuts her mouth.

"Mm, what?"

"Nothing. L...let's get home."

The reason for taking the train home wasn't that they were "the young ones." It was because she wanted them to have some time together. However, she wasn't going to say that.

It was just that the image of Rei-chan defenselessly delighted just floated into her mind.

But, hand in hand like this, she would be "Kind Yoshino" for a little.

And, for a week they wouldn't be able to see each other.

But Rei-chan's face as she looked up into the blue sky and remembered "Sulky Yoshino" would be really cute.


3

When the phone call came from Noriko it was past ten in the evening.

"I'm sorry for calling so late."

"It's fine. We had many people coming to visit, so we're all up late."

"But Shimako-san, you're..."

"Eh?"

"Aren't you early to bed, early to rise?" At school, Noriko called Shimako "Onee-sama," but outside school called her "Shimako-san." When they had first exchanged their vows as sisters, there was some hesitation over the switch, and the way they addressed each other had been shaky, but now all was relaxed. Because she knew that Yoshino-san called Rei-sama, "Rei-chan" in their private life, it seemed to be evenly divided. When she was speaking to a third party, she used "Shimako-sama" and "Shimako-san" properly.

"I'm going to check over the luggage one more time." Because she'd been getting ready little by little over the last week, her preparations were nearly complete. However, given her nature, she probably had a bookmark in her travel book with a checklist of her property, which she would check once again to make sure nothing had been left out.

"That's right. When you're going place to place, you can't go back to get something."

"Even so, depending on what they have to sell there, I don't know if I'd have a chance to shop for anything do I?"

But that wasn't really a problem like not having her passport or school uniform. And, if you forgot it, you could always acquire a uniform. So as long as you carried your passport, with the help of friends you could borrow from, your trip wouldn't have to be interrupted. Whether or not it would be comfortable.

"Me too." Noriko said. "I'm the type to worry if I've left anything too."

"Really."

"Yes. If I forget to say something at school, then I get all frazzled until I have to call and say it. Shimako-san."

"What?"

"Please go and come back safely. Be very careful. Um, because it's Shimako-san, go ahead and act without reserve and don't worry."

"Eh?"

"I'll be here waiting. Until you return, I'll be here waiting."

"Noriko."

Like, whenever you fly away its okay. So she thought just then, that this person would be here waiting.

She wasn't a bird tied with fetters, but with an important nest. Lillian Jogakuen was a place that she would return to voluntarily, someday.

"Thank you." Shimako chewed over the meaning of those words well.

There, her important person waited for her. Just so.



Going out at the Beginning


1

Narita Airport's official name is the New Tokyo International Airport.

It was just past ten in the morning. On the international departures floor, girls wearing dark-colored school uniforms were crowded together.

In their hands were red passports. Underfoot were big bags. Their greetings of "Good day" were just a little tense today.

"But, isn't it kind of pointless for us to gather more than two hours early, I wonder," Yoshino-san muttered as the entire class shuffled forward their eyes on the green tickets held in their hands.

"It's because we're traveling overseas," Yumi answered, but Yoshino-san said, "That's not what I meant."

"International phone calls are easily provided and connected, and with the Internet, you can have communications from all over the world in an instant, and using satellites, things can be broadcast across the planet in this era, right? The time it takes to go from country to country is getting shorter, soon it'll be like it's nearby. If we're going somewhere in an Asian country, or somewhere inside the country, we'll arrive much sooner, right?"

"Mmm."

"So for the traveler, the difference between foreign and domestic is in the process of disappearing isn't it?"

So said Yoshino-san, who was escaping Japan for the fist time. She knew that, because they went to pick up their passports together.

"So?"

"In other words, I wonder if there isn't a way to make it simpler. Something like, arriving at the airport thirty minutes before, or something like that."

"..."

In other words, Yoshino-san wanted to talk about something, but nothing too difficult, since they had had to get up earlier than thinking was possible, and this was her way of saying "sleepy." Because she had nothing else to complain about, her words went against "this era" and "simplification," to dispel her distress.

Halfway, as they passed the place where the Wisteria class gathered, in the middle of the group, she detected Shimako-san.

"Good day, you two came together?"

"Yeah. From K Station on the shuttle bus to the airport."

"Ah, so that's the way it was?"

"Yeah. It takes some time, but it would be a lot of trouble to carry luggage from one transfer to another Onee-sama told me. If I rode the bus, as I slept it would take me to the airport."

"But it looks like Yoshino-san didn't sleep."

"With Yumi-san next to me sleeping so pleasantly, her breathing seemed kind of annoying."

Thinking can't sleep, can't sleep, Yoshino-san seems to have been too nervous to sleep. She could have taken some of Sachiko-sama's parting gift of travel sickness medicine, which would knock her out but,, to Yumi to whom sleepiness came naturally, it never even occurred to her. Since Yoshino-san hadn't said she was feeling travel sick, she wasn't the kind to think of offering it.

"Excuse me. You three, please look over this way."

At the sound of the reminiscingly said "Over here" they turned, where, instead of a greeting, heard a pika-sha sound.


"...Tsutako-san." Everyone recognized the photography club ace. Takeshima Tsutako lowered her camera, said "Gokigenyou" cheerfully and smiled. "I'm just checking the appearance of Rosa Gigantea, Rosa Chinensis en bouton and Rosa Foetida en bouton before they leave. But, it was good timing, huh. Maria-sama's divine protection, I guess. I'll be sure to beg for the next three-shot." Even as she said this, Tsutako-san was pressing down the shutter.

They looked at each other as if they were all thing oh, well, it can't be helped, and posed for the picture politely. As far as traveling went, they would be doing things with their classes, so Shimako-san of the Wisteria group might not be able to be near the Pine group in this way.

"Tsutako-san, are you doing a favor for Mami-san?" The newspaper club could not be indifferent to the event of the high school field trip.

"That is correct." From behind her back, Yamaguchi Mami-san (current editor in chief of the Lillian Kawaraban) appeared. In her hands, she held writing materials, on standby as always to take a memo for a possible article. She was a good match with Tsutako who never let go of her camera. If those two ever got together as a tag team, they'd be the greatest.

"Mami-san, even outside of school you're running around busily," Shimako-san said, chuckling.

"You've been back and forth in front of here I don't know how many times."

"Did you see? Actually, it was a piece of misinformation, I went all the way to the guide counter."

"Misinformation?"

"There was an announcement that we heard that called for Satou Sei."

"Satou Sei!?" Yumi, Yoshino-san and Tsutako-san all repeated at the same time.

"Didn't I just say it was wrong? It was a different person. Someone must have heard it wrong."

"The name the announcement called was Katou-san, wasn't it?" Shimako-san was smiling. Really, it seemed that she had been the only one whose heart had pounded when she heard that. But then she was able to hear it more clearly and she knew that "Katou" had been said and understood it to be another person. She seemed her usual relaxed self. If it had been her, Yumi thought, who had heard "Odazawa Sacchiko-san," Odazawa Sacchiko-san," she would have totally heard "Ogasawara Sachiko-san and would have flown to the place where it had been called from.

"It's pretty low possibility that someone has the same family and given name 'Satou Sei'."

"Ah-, I met a Fukuzawa Yumi-san in the hospital. She was an old lady, about eighty or so," Yoshino-san said.

"No that you mention it, There's a elementary school first-year called Yamaguchi Mami-chan." That was Tsutako-san.

(E: All these names they are discussing are written in katakana, assumably because no one can be sure how any of these are written properly.)

"Some kind of relative?"

"No. Stranger. Because she was going to the elementary school, I ended up following her from in front of her house. Cute kid, when I got close, I could see her name written on her chest."

"That's pretty dangerous, Tsutako-san."

It was true that she might not be watched because on the outside she looked like a high school girl, but the contents inside was perverted old man. If you pointed it out, someone might say, "It's fine, she's seven, eight years too young" but that wasn't really the point. Mami-san, on hearing that the girl with her name was cute, looked very pleased and was in a good mood.

"But, this is great. Wisteria class and Pine class are in the same group. If it were the reverse route, then Shimako-san would be doing completely different things."

This is how it was going to be. First, the plane would land at Milan, with all of the second-years together. From that point, they would be split into two group, one traveling from Rome (A Course) and from Venice (B Course) and. Because there were six total, each course would have three classes. Both courses, on account of stopping at Florence, could not help but be together for a little there.

"We give our thanks to the teachers in charge of the lottery and Maria-sama."

Mami-san and Tsutako-san put their hands together and lifted their heads with their eyes closed. Of course, all that was there was the ceiling.

"Tsutako-san, since when are you the cameraman for the Newspaper club?"

"No, no. I was just doing a favor for Mami-san, and it was just chance that I wanted to do it for myself as well."

"You mean something like a picture to adorn the Photography club exhibition corner panel?"

"Geez, Yoshino-san, you say it straight don't you. Can't you just be out of it for a little while more..." Although she said that, she was obviously full of thoughts about the panel.

Sheesh.

Then, with a face that did not seem to be into traveling too much, while Yoshino-san and the others played, Tsutako-san seemed to be looking at her from behind, Yumi thought. Because they weren't in the same room, Yumi wasn't worried that she'd be taking pictures of her changing clothes or in the bath.

"Is it okay to pray for good fortune from the god of war, I wonder?" Shimako-san said, as if reading Yumi's mind.

"Thank you. Although we'll meet from time to time, Bon Voyage to you too, Shimako-san."

Inclining their heads, the three followed behind each other. They went on to the place where the Pine class was gathered.



2

Even though this was her first time overseas, as she was prepared, it was easier to leave the country than she had supposed.

"Okay. From here on out, we are no longer in Japan." That was what the teacher said in a loud voice.

Holding out the passport at the out of country counter to be stamped, it may be that formally it was so, but they were still in Narita Airport. So it totally didn't feel that way at all.

For instance, although it wasn't too good an example, if a large earthquake happened now, the airport would also be shaken. Of course, the major point of that story would be, if she was still alive, she might be able to make it home under her own power.

With that, Yumi heard Yoshino-san laugh and mutter into her ear, "But it feels like there's an awful lot of Japanese people, huh."

There was a little time yet until it was time to get on board, just now there was a fifteen-minute toilet break. Yumi was finished in the toilet anyway, so halfway back she took a quick peep at the shops; when she saw Yoshino-san inside one, she let her steps wander aimlessly that way. Books, and cosmetics, and drinks and souvenirs, all lined up here and there, surely there was no way you could formally call these "shops". Other than Yoshino-san, she could see the forms of other students wandering around, despite their teachers' warnings of "don't spend all your money before Italy."

"An awful lot of Japanese people?" Yumi repeated, following after Yoshino-san, who was heading towards the cash register.

"Yeah. I said Japanese, an island surrounded by sea, not adjoining any other country. Therefore, there's no other country one can walk to from here, don't you think?"

"Adjoining land..."

I see.

"For instance, residents of France, in the middle of a trip to Italy would know if there was a major earthquake. All transportation would stop. But, in theory, they could walk back to France.

"Because it's an adjoining land?"

"Exactly. If one is born and raised in such a country, there's a sense of it being a very far away country that one can't reach under one's own power, right?" To take it to an extreme, what about a house built on a border, where one room could be in two different countries, it seems possible."

"Hehhh..."

"But, because it's an island country, the feeling of leaving one's native country is very strong, I think."

This isn't Japan anymore.

So she had to say Italy, specifically, because if it were America, there wouldn't be a division.

What is the currency of this some other country?

While these thoughts crashed against one another in Yumi's head, Yoshino-san took out Japanese yen to purchase one tube of lip cream.

"Right. The price tag has a Yen mark, huh. Just like a regular store."

Laughing heartily, Yoshino-san said, "Not really," and glanced at the receipt. "There's no sales tax."

I see. This wasn't Japan, nor was it really outside, she guessed.


3

She put her luggage above her seat, like it was rush hour. Because it was packed with the bags of the entire second-year traveling student body of Lillian Jogakuen.

For the Lillian field trip, to avoid the problem of shortening travel time, it was decided to keep all luggage as carry-on, to be taken by hand onto the plane. When it is condensed, one's personal effects for travel overseas and travel domestically aren't that much different.

For the trip out, the dress policy was uniform only, afterwards at the hotel room pajamas, and travel toiletries, that sort of thing. A suitcase wasn't really a necessity in that case. --In the opinion of the school, that was.

But, everyone involved were young women. This and that, one object or another gets thrown into the bag, kapow. The selection of one's personal effects, whether to pick face cream, or washing soap, had to be divided by worth, and only when a person had packed to the very limit could they decide whether to take it out or put it in. And finally, when the fastener closes, this is the bag that she put in the overhead storage. Somehow, it had to be lined up and arranged. It was a little like a puzzle, taking things out and putting them in, until it was as done as possible and she shut the cover on the whole shelf. Those students who got their luggage into storage above their seats were lucky. There were those unfortunates whose luggage had ended up with a different class.

"For about thirteen hours, please be kind to me." Tsutako-san, who was in the seat next to her until they hit Milan, asked in a formal greeting as she closed her seat belt.

"Tsutako-san, are you sure you don't want the window?"

"It's fine, it's fine. "I'm more interested in the people inside the plane, than what's outside of it."

"Is that right?" As she said that, the plane began to move slowly. From out of the window, she could see the scenery ahead become the scenery behind as proof of their progress. At that, something like voices rose in a "ohhh". It might be a feint that had no connection or something. That was, the plane moves to face the opposite way it
seemed. Although this was a school for rich girls, there were many students, like Yumi, for whom this was a first time going overseas and, of course, not a few for whom this was a first time on a plane.

On the screen directly ahead of her, where a little while ago the right way to use a life jacket was shown and the emergency evacuation procedure, they were now being repeated on a loop. The cabin crew onee-san also showed how to use the vests if they were not in the sky. For the moment, everyone paid attention, with differing degrees of attention, probably dependent on how many times they had been on a plane.

That must be it.

In the meantime, the plane was moving forward. There was no departure bell, as there was on the train, where they would start to move upwards, where they would head for takeoff (?) that kind of thing, she didn't know.

"Oy, Michiyo-san is shaking and praying." Tsutako-san muttered, leaning over in the aisle seat. "It would be possible to spin around if I didn't have to do up the seatbelt."

"...that's awful."

The truth was that, even if this plan that was about to fly was made from metal, people living today were too accepting. Michiyo-san, who was praying to god, and Sachiko-sama who took medicine to make her sleep and the other people who were fighting against their instinctive fear in order to survive inside the airplane do so in order to function correctly.

"Well, it's good to state one's honest opinion up front, right. Mm, well, but that's pretty pitiful. But, I think it would have made a nice picture. A frozen bird expression, Oh well, it's too bad. For me taking it, not for her."

As expected from Tsutako-san, who had received a mission from heaven to preserve beautiful high school girls in the "now". But saying it was different.

"Whoah."

The plane made a 'goooo' noise and accelerated gradually, and all at once, they were flying. The moment the wheel left the ground there was a strange floating feeling that felt gross but after that, it was fine. It was like a jet coaster, but one did not receive the outside wind directly, did one? In reality, there was no way to compare it with a jet coaster, but that was all she had to compare it to.

"Wah, high."

Looking out the window at the scenery, now that they were flying, everything was getting smaller and smaller.

"Heey, Tsutako-san. I wonder if this is what Maria-sama feels like, when she's watching us."

Pulling on her sleeve as she said it, Tsutako-san laughed with her whole body.

"I repeat my previous remark. ...Yumi-san is, as always, interesting."

And so, at 12:30, the Lillian Jogakuen High School second-year class, took off from Tokyo New International Airport and left on their trip.


4

When the scenery outside had become only blue sky and white clouds, the "Fasten Seat Belt" sign was turned off, students, in the act of relaxing, began to take out novels, or card decks, the kinds of goods one used as companions for long trips, or moved around the seats. Whatever had been said, Italy was far away. Because it would take more than half a day riding on the plane, if at all possible, they'd like to pass the time pleasantly. Michiyo-san who had been trembling turned serious, probably because she couldn't spend thirteen hours scared, and was now playing Daihinmin (E: card game http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dai_Hin_Min) with Itsue-san and the others. But, on the other hand, playing cards in airplane seats that did not turn seemed fairly difficult.

While flying in a plane overseas, one moved in order to become accustomed to the time at the destination and for one's general health.

So, the guests all set their wristwatches back seven hours. That having been done, it was a little strange. It had now been changed to about five in the morning. It was ike using a time machine, but is there really a way in which time can be restored? It was an interesting feeling.

"But on the way back, those seven hours are taken back."

"Ah, is that right. Then, if one spends one's entire life in Italy, one has gained seven hours?"

"Wait, can you just stop? That kind of seriously goofy talk. If I have to listen to that kind of thing from Yumi-san, it'll drive me mad." Standing up in the seat in ront of her Yoshino-san said over her shoulder.

"Actually, the time isn't returned, because there's really no loss or gain. What year, month day it is, are just conveniences for humans speech, that's all. Whether the International Date Line is crossed or the calendar changes because one is headed to Italy. Wherever on the earth Yumi-san might go to, no matter how far away, the way time flows in Yumi-san's body won't change."

"Is that limited to the Earth?"

Because this caught her up for a bit, this kind of question, this time it was Tsutako-san who answered.

"If you're going into space, then the Urashima effect is in involved
isn't it"

"The Urashima effect?"

" The problem that, when traveling around space with a spaceship near the speed of light, upon coming back, more time has passed than on earth, is what I've heard. If you don't understand Einstein's theory of relativity, you won't comprehend it."

"How about Tsutako-san? Do you comprehend it?"

"I've had it told to me, and it's in my head, but my comprehension isn't perfect."

She'd had it told to her, and it's in her head, Yumi was impressed.

"Urashima Tarou, did he ride a spaceship to the palace of the sea goddess?" (E: the story of Urashima Tarou is like the American Rip Van Winkle. He went to the palace of the sea god and found that 300 years had passed when he returned. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urashima_Tarō)

"The turtle was a UFO, Otohime was an alien. That explanation would work."

Therefore, when he returned, several hundred years had passed, just so.

Having gone into space, 'It's not possible to draw it', then."

"As you say. But we get an in-flight meal in an airplane."

The cabin crew onee-san began to push a wagon with breakfast (more like a late lunch) and gifts. This was an Italian company's airplane, so everything was half and half for Japanese people (or similar) and Italian people (or similar.)

On the menu, breakfast was a light meal of a cheese and ham with mayo open sandwich and a salad, unsatisfactory for a growing child but, thinking about the distant future, after all they wouldn't get too much exercise in the plane, you wouldn't want it to be too many calories.

"Tsutako-san, take a picture of this meal." Mami-san said.

"Eh-. I'm not using my precious film on something like this," Tsutako complained, to which Mami-san replied, "Fine, then" and took out her own camera.

"Take it with this disposable camera, although it's pretty weak at taking pictures." They'd be blurry and out of focus, she was saying.

"Okay, okay." Tsutako-san stabbed an olive with the plastic toothpick above the cheese and rose from her seat unwillingly. Really, she had no interest in anything other than people (high school girls.) But, after fiddling with the disposable camera for a while, she found a suitable angle and took a few pictures.

After the meal, the lights were turned off. If this were really the local time, they would all be active. So what was up with this.

"So we don't complain. If the customers are sleeping, the inside of the plane is the most peaceful and nice," Tsutako-san said, as she put the blanket around her neck and rolled over.

Guess so. If the customers were all awake, the cabin crew would have no time off. Furthermore, for the customers, the most tedious part of the flight time is eliminated when they sleep.

However, what about those people who didn't want to sleep – who were fine being awake. They had to rely on a pinpoint reading light, you couldn't literally read. And, when here and there one hears the breathing of someone sleeping peacefully, certainly one is more likely to get sleepy, and emulate your friend in the next seat by covering yourself with a blanket and sleeping. When she leaned back to recline, Yumi tried to call out to her classmate in the seat behind her, but she had already gone to sleep just after she had started on her journey and Yumi didn't want to wake her, so she brought the seat down so as to not wake her.

What was Onee-sama doing just about now.

She had changed the time on her watch, so she didn't have a sense of what time it was. If she thought about it, and added seven hours, but she had one foot in the land of sleep, she thought that making the calculation would just be too difficult right now.


5

In this situation, Sachiko-sama would have totally been nodding with sleep.

Eat a meal, sleep, go to the toilet, sleep, eat a meal, when this life inside the plane is just about over, one has the feeling of having been under a broiler.

"Jet lag doofiness wins over flight doofiness. My body feels like it's trying to adapt to Japan and Italy time."

"I had a lot of weird dreams."

"Mm. Although I slept a lot comparatively, I'm tired, you know."

"I never had to time to open the books I brought to kill time."

Alighting in Milan's Malpensa Airport, each and every one of those from Lillian Jogakuen wanted to roll their shoulders and necks. The local time was just after 6PM.

For today, the trip was to stay in Milan with no plans. This was a stopping over point, after a few hours it would be dark, so they would fly by airplane to the first place to visit. A Group was going to Rome, B to Venice.

In other words, it was like an overseas visitor landing at Narita Airport, and transferring to a plane to Nagoya or Fukuoka, something similar to that. Probably.

There were two hours until they had to board the plane for Rome, so they all took a toilet recess and had about an hour to move about freely. Of course, the migration was as followers. They moved about in groups of more than two.

After thirty minutes, they returned for roll call. A restriction, you could say. But, you couldn't really complain "You're all irritating" or "they're being overprotective" or that they don't care at all, since it was their first vacation abroad. It would be really bad if anyone went lost in this place. The uneasiness one had when one ran errands alone for the first time was remembered for many years.

It may seem obvious, but there was no Japanese in this airport. There seemed to be Italian and English, without confirming each one with the alphabet, they looked kind of like Titicaca. It just wasn't natural to the eye, which made them realize just how much experience with Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji they'd had in their lives. Once in a while, they'd see a display in Japanese meant for tourists, and that alone made them happy.

Inside the airport, they were definitely in the home of fashion, Italy, as there were a great number of brand-name duty-free shops all lined up. As she had decided on 2000 yen for personal expenses at the outset, she couldn't buy shoes or a bag, even if she was secretly carrying her family's company credit card, it wouldn't be possible to bring it home, as there was no extra carry-on space. Banning suitcases was also a precautionary measure to avoid excessive purchases.

"Students who need coins, please come forward," Katori-sensei said to the students of Pine class who were gathered for roll call. Although money exchange should have been completed in Japan, that was only a paper money exchange and now that they had reached Italy, they needed to procure smaller money amounts. This country was very different from Japan about tips. At hotels and restaurants it was indispensable to leave gratuities for service, all of which had explained in an earlier meeting at school.

The teachers had already collected small change as soon as they had arrived, and were breaking bills for those who wanted. In a broad sense, exchanging money might be social study, but this was probably more for the convenience of inexperienced students.

"How about you, Yoshino-san?" Yumi who had gone to the toilet and returned with her, looked at her and asked.

"Last year Rei-chan brought some home without using it completely. It should be good for now, right? After that, when I buy souvenirs, I'll break one then, I guess....Oh."

Yoshino-san closed her mouth with the feeling of "oh, crap." Her having a little over 2000 yen in small change appeared to have been a secret. Saying that, how much had she decided would be used for sweets on the trip, with a little left over for tax, seemed to be the crime.

"Yumi-san, what are you doing?"

Yumi in the opposite situation, shook back and forth, wavering. Exchanging at the "Bank of Katori-sensei" did not seem like very much fun.

"I want to break this myself. To experience something." Because she had come to Italy, she wanted to do things that could only be done here. After all, the objective of the field trip was to teach them about daily things you couldn't study otherwise.

"Ohh, a challenge - " Yoshino-san clapped her hands.

Now that she had decided that, she had to figure out the means.

What came to mind immediately as a way to break money was to go shopping. This would be called the, "Go into a duty-free store and buy something cheap to get change" trategy. It had to be a pretty useless purchase, since she was looking at a long day, and needed to think how much more money she'd need.

"Something like gum or chocolate would be okay, right?" Yoshino-san pointed to the nearest corner register, but nothing came to Yumi. Getting candy she didn't eat could be risky.

"So, a challenge, huh?"

"But, look. It's okay if I buy something but, what if it's totally unpalatable? My spending money is a precious resource."

"Well, you have a point there."

In keeping with this being Italy, the candy all looked fashionable, with a feeling like there were many colors and flavors added.

"Then, how about chocolate? That's a major thing sold in Japan."

"Hmm." If Yumi ate that, she'd understand the flavor. She picked up a brown bag with button-like chocolates with multi-colored coatings inside.

"But, isn't chocolate also a gamble?" While it was the perfect size to put inside her bag without breaking the seal, once opened, the contents might spill out unless you closed it with a rubber band, and after who knows how long in her bag might get dirty. Or even worse, if the bag is left for a day in a warm place.

If she were a methodical person, she was likely to take such things into account, but when faced with other people's zeal, her character was likely to lose her attention; as Yumi stood there for ten self-conscious minutes.

"Then, what do you think is good? It's just about time for us to wander back to the group."

"Hmm."

It was a cheap, small and not terribly risky item. If it had been a Japanese convenience store, there probably wouldn't have been any difficulty coming to a conclusion. Because she was impatient, her head spinning seemed worse.

"I got it, here." Yumi quickly, from the shelf on the side, with a heave pulled a package.

"What's that."

"A magic marker."

"I can see that, but..." Yoshino-san did not seem pleased with the first foreign urchase being a magic marker.

"You can buy those in Japan."

"It's fine. Chocolate is the same isn't it. The point here is to buy one thing in order to get some change. If I can clear that, this will be a success."

"Yeah, but a marker..."

"For marking up the map of Italy. I was at this place, like. When I get home to Japan, I can use it. Like, for underlining things in my textbook."

"Right, right, got it. I got it, so hurry up and buy it already. I'll wait for you at the store exit."

"R...roger - "

Yumi lined up at the register, waiting her turn. As expected from an international airport. Looking around, she could see people with different hair and skin colors, shopping happily for goods that they desired. The black Lillian school uniforms stood out a little. Students who were here and there, besides Yumi, were being showered with attention from foreigners. No, here the Japanese people are the foreigners.

"B...bon giorno."

Upon entering the shop, first, give a greeting. What she had been taught was defended when the woman at the register, when she said that, turned to her and replied, "Buona sera." In Japan, the boundaries between "Konnichiha" and "Ohayou" and "Konbanwa" are a little vague, so it couldn't be helped. If she thought about it, the standard at Lillian Jogakuen, "Gokigenyou" was a reasonable greeting.

After that had passed, Yumi happily paid for the marker in bills and accepted her change in coins successfully. Her first errand complete. Because it was a store in the airport, the register worked out the amount of money so it was possible to leave without speaking Italian or English.

Running back to Yoshino-san quickly, about halfway, the words "Rosa Gigantea" came to her ears. Turning around to look over her shoulder, there wasn't anything, just a unch of Lillian students standing around in a group.

(Shimako-san, what are you up to, I wonder.)

She might have turned around to hear, but directly in front of her, Yoshino-san was putting out a silent pressure to "hurry up," and in that group she didn't see any close friends, so she stopped.

At any rate, its one thing if it were Yumi or Yoshino-san, but scrupulous and trustworthy Shimako-san, she couldn't think what she had done. ---Thinking about it, Shimako-san was over at the gathering place for Wisteria class.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Ah, you want to buy something else?"

"Heheheh. The first chore was to change some money," Yumi laughed brightly, supplemented by Yoshino-san at the her side, with "So, a marker."

"Right. ....Ah, that's right."

As if she was saying "I remember," Shimako's slapped a fist into her palm. She had no interest in the marker.

"I wanted to consult the two of you, I had thought. I wonder if it would be all right for the three of us to contribute to a souvenir for the Rose Mansion."

"I think it's okay."

"Ah, yeah."

That was economical. That way, they could buy something nice. Neither Yoshino-san nor Yumi had an objection. There was tacit consent that that would happen.

"At the airport on the way home would be fine. This way we don't have to carry it."

"Maybe something to eat, I guess. Recently Touko-chan and Kanako-chan have been helping out, so we should get enough for them."

"Is that right. That shop back there looked good."

"All right. But, it'll be fine, because we'll have time again between connecting flights on the way home."

Shimako-san and Yoshino-san moved ahead rapidly with the discussion which, in Yumi's head something swelled hazily.

Keyword was souvenir. And, something to eat.

"Um. What kind of souvenir?" At the end, perplexed Yumi decided to open up to the other two.

"What?"

"Are you thinking of something good?"

Ah, with those faces full of expectation turned towards her, it became difficult to speak. But, because she had already begun to say it, she had to keep going to the end, or she wouldn't be able to. Whatever reaction awaited her afterwards.

"If we can do it, maybe manju from Rome or senbei from Florence would be good..."

Needless to say, Shimako-san and Yoshino-san stiffened for a little while.


6


The entrance to Rome, the Fiumicino Airport, known as the Leonardo da Vinci Airport; even in Japan the artist's name was well known.

The flight from Milan took just over an hour. At the time of arrival, it was already past 9:30PM.

"Phew, we're finally here."

But their relief was a little early. To get from the airport to the hotel in the city, they would still have to take a bus.

During the wait for the teachers' suitcases (the luggage that had been brought from the side of the school were rather large) down the luggage carousel, roll call was taken and the plans for tomorrow were reviewed, then from there, the three classes went to the airport entrance, dispersed and got onto the two charter buses.

The way it shook, invited sleep.

She was falling asleep a little, when her classmates' "Whahhh" perked her up a little. And when Yumi looked out the window, she too lifted her voice up in a Wahhh."

Running on ahead was a road that would seem normal anywhere in Japan. Sometime, a ruined town had wandered into it.

"Pretty."

One after another, ancient stone buildings appeared in the light, looking just like a movie set. However, unlike a movie set, here and there they were mingled together with modern things. A billboard for some brand, display window, traffic signal, pedestrian crossing lines, electric street lights, were here and there as if they were natural, they had a claim on existence within this impressive ancient capital.

Before long, the bus entered a road between trees, and stopped. A glance at her wristwatch said 10:30. This time they had arrived at the hotel.

In the lobby keycards were distributed, and as if they were being driven, they boarded the elevator. Because this was not a very large hotel, two buses worth of students who weren't yet going to their rooms were packed in tightly.

"231." Looking at the keycard, she pressed down on the panel, and the "2" button lit up.

"But it seems that that's not the second floor." Mami-san said, glancing at her memo pad. In Europe the method of counting storeys was different than what was spoken. In Japan, the ground floor was called the first floor, and from there on up, you added a floor as you went out. In other words, here the ground floor is floor zero. In Japan, floors below the ground floor were numbered in the same way. Moreover, because at a hotel in the middle there may be a breakfast hall, which floor would be the one for Room 231 wasn't easily calculated.

"Ah -, I'm tired."

When they entered the room, her roommate Yoshino-san collapsed onto the bed nearest the door.

"Ah, Yumi-san, is this bed okay? If not, we can change quickly."

"Uh-uhn. Either one is fine." Shaking her head, Yumi walked up to and put her bag on the empty bed. She wasn't of a nature to have to be concerned about going to the bathroom at night, or worry about footsteps in the hall. I didn't appear that either the right or left bed would differ in snugness.

"Then, just for a moment," Yoshino-san said, with her eyes closed, as she rolled back and forth.

"You'll rumple your uniform."

"Mm."

Although, with her shoes barely off, she probably shouldn't be talking about manners. But once more she thought to get up, her determination wasn't quite attached.

Sheesh, Yumi opened the fastener on her shoes, took out a t-shirt and capri pants and changed her clothes. She wanted to sit on the bed, but had to endure a second dance of Yoshino-san's. In a two-person room, it was all over when both collapsed.

At the time she had taken off her uniform and hung it up. She had taken the change from the pocket and placed it on top if the nightstand. She had it there, prepared for a tip if she needed help with her luggage from the bellboy. As it happened, she had carried her own luggage up to the room, so she could leave whatever she hadn't used for the room maid in the morning.

Taking out her travel slippers, she took off her socks and slipped them on her bare feet. Her feet breathed a sigh of relief and she finally had leisure to look around at the room.

Ivory walls, carpet of deep violet with dark red florets, the fittings and furnishings were all a light brown, the room was simple, with a slightly retro feel to it. However, the curtains were asserting themselves. Yellow and deep green stripes of different widths with flowers floating above, it was a showy, fashionable design, also used on the one-person sofa in the room.

"Yoshino-san."

"Mmmmmmmmm, just a little longer."

"Guess it can't be helped, huh." Yumi went into the bathroom, and turned on the hot water for the bathtub.

As the hot water spread into the tub she was determined to not allow it to overflow. At their orientation meeting, this was emphasized. Somehow, last year, the water had overflowed in a bathroom, and leaked to the room on the floor below, injuring a sempai.

If she did something like that, it would be a considerable failure, so as a precaution, when the water reached a decent level, Yumi shut it off. While checking that the temperature of the water, Yumi also checked out the inside of the bathroom.

"It's gorgeous..."

The wall and alcove were made from marble the color of caramel ice cream. This was that. Right, marble.

The bathtub and sink were white ceramic, as was the washbasin, the urinal and --.

"Oh, just as the rumors said."

A bidet. In Europe, one used it for washing after going to the toilet. Not that she had an actual one in front of her eyes, she couldn't figure out how to use it on her own. At the orientation meeting it had been explained, 'It is not a washstand for children,' and also the teacher said, 'It looks like its used for that,' almost to the point of striking a pose because they couldn't actually see one.

"Um about this, how do you actually use it –" She opened the door speaking in the general direction of Yoshino-san. But there was no expected answer.

That was a little boring. The whole point was that she wasn't alone and that their chitchat would be fun.

After a moment, the hot water was filled.

"Yoshino-san, the bath is ready. Get in." She returned to the room, and shook her sleeping friend's shoulder, with the phrase "new wife" thrusting deeply into her heart.

"Yu...san....ga..head...leeze. Li'...mo....slee..."

"Huh?" It was a difficult cipher to decode, maybe, 'Yumi-san, go ahead, please. I ant a little more sleep.'

"Geez, Yoshino-san."

"Mm."

That's no good. But in this instance, it might be okay to allow her to have a nap. It could pretty miserable to rouse her, she's not a baby, after all and at least she wouldn't fall asleep in the bath this way.

How would Yoshino-san's long-time companion Rei-sama deal with this, she wondered, Yumi wondered as she took her washing things out of a vinyl bag, took new underwear and went into the bathroom.

"Ah, right, right." She went back the way she had come, took her school uniform from the closet and into the bathroom. She hung the hanger on the hook on the back of the door. It was light and the steam would probably press the cloth.

Everything was prepared. Just as she was getting into "bath time" Yumi noticed the flag.

"...do not use for bathing. In other words... there is not enough hot
water."

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. However, Japanese people like their bath. In any case, she submerged herself in the water.

"While I'm in the tub, I'll wash my hair and body and face....after all, now that it's all here, there's no point in wasting it."

In the Fukuzawa household, they would reheat the water so all four members of the household could have water hot enough to burn. So wasteful. However, it was impossible to use shampoo or soap. At least she was entering deliberately, the body relaxes so much from a hot bath, that weariness was driven away and she was once again awake.

"This is no good. If I fall asleep here, it's no joke that I might drown."

It would be tomorrow soon. In Japan the time was 8 AM. Although she had had a nap in the plane, it hadn't been more than small bits of superficial sleep. Naturally she was sleepy.

As she yawned, she washed her whole body and bath time was over.

While she was drying her hair with the hair dryer provided, because it would be Yoshino-san's turn next, she cleaned the tub. But, because the showerhead was affixed to the wall, as it was at the school pool, it was hard to get at the foam gathered on the tub sides. Of course, that seemed suitable since she had washed herself.

"Yoshino-san, I'm coming out. Wake up."

"Mm." When Yumi came out into the bedroom, Yoshino-san sat, still wearing her school uniform, next to the bed.

"Are you going to take a bath? If not, I'll turn off the water."

"I'm not going in right now," came the vague answer.

"You'll go in afterwards?"

"I don't know."

"Anyway. Because you might catch a cold, you should get some sleep. Look, take off your school uniform. You can hang it up and leave it in the bathroom."

"Can't do it." So saying, Yoshino-san, listless lifted both hands in front of her.

"Guess there's no helping it..." Yumi reached out and pulled her hands. "Hey, let's wake up."

I didn't want to be a mother just yet. Even if you didn't call it that, that was what she was doing.

"Huh?" Just then, Yumi noticed it. "...Yoshino-san."

"What?" Yoshino-san

Yoshino-san, who had sat up with so much effort, turned and looked at Yumi with an out of it face.

"Do you have a fever, maybe?"

"Who knows, I'd say, but I think so. But because Yumi-san's hands don't feel cold or anything, I don't think it's that bad."

"But then it is! Because I've just now come out of a bath and am downright hot." So then, Yoshino-san's hands were the same temperature.

"I'm calling the teacher."

In case anything happened for which she might need to do that, she had written a memo on a piece of paper with the teacher's room number on it. When Yumi went to search for it, Yoshino-san grabbed her arm and said, "It'll be fine, please."

In other words, don't tell the teacher. Although she wasn't feeling well, with her remaining strength, this came across strongly.

"But."

"It's a slight fever. I get them all the time. If I get some sleep with a cold towel on my forehead, I'll cool off. So."

"Yoshino-san..."

Tears fell from Yoshino-san's eyes. Her body wasn't in pain. That anyone else should know about it, theses tears fell from mortification.

"This is just like always, huh?" Yumi stood by the bed at knee level and looked at Yoshino-san's face.

Yoshino-san gave a small, but clear nod.

"If we put cool water on your forehead, you'll get well, huh."

"Yeah. This time her voice came clearly.

"I understand. Then, let's do that." Having said that, the first thing to do was to shut the hot water off in the bathtub. After that, she took Yoshino-san's pajamas out of her bag. Once she changed her clothes, she could go to sleep properly.

"Is the smallest size hotel towel okay?"

"Um, actually. In the pocket of my bag, there's a hand towel, if you would."

"In the bag pocket, okay." Searching in the indicated place, was a chick-patterned hand towel which she took out.

"...This, it's pretty old." The color was fairly faded and it had marks where here and there it had come unraveled. This towel had felt much like a truly precious old stuffed animal.

"Mm. But it's a magic towel. Every time I get a fever, it brings it down. When I was little, I couldn't sleep without it."

"Is that so. Well, let's get it to work." Yumi took the towel, rinsed it in the washbasin, wrung it out lightly and placed it on Yoshino-san's forehead.

"Thank you. That feels nice."

"Good. I'm glad." Yumi took Yoshino-san's pillow and pulled up a chair, then sat. She couldn't judge, but it looked like Yoshino-san's face was clear.

"My heart doesn't spasm anymore, however. Whenever I get very tired, I get a fever. But, little by little they're getting fewer."

"Mm."

"Sorry." Yoshino-san confessed. "If the teacher found out, I couldn't stand it if I wasn't allowed to go together with everyone."

"Is that right."

Because she had a weak constitution, she had always been given special extracurricular lessons, stayed by the teacher's side, had just watched when the playing got hard, been exempt from her share of the work, that sort of thing, so she had never really been able to become close with her classmates and, in some respects, she had felt very alienated from them. Nevertheless, she had participated if at all possible. On days they took class trips, she had taken the day off.

"The hotel is assigned by homeroom, right. My number one strongest wish was to be in the same room with Yumi-san, you know? When everyone pulled."

"Is that so." As she answered, Yumi could remember that time well. "The same room as Yoshino-san, by all means," she had said pretty straight, but her frankness made her happy. With Yoshino-san's character, she did not think she had ideas like that.

"Mm. It's so. That was, you know, if that somehow didn't happen, what I was thinking." Another classmate might have easily consented, for the same reason.

They had both attended Lillian since kindergarten, but this was the first time Yumi had ever been in the same class with Yoshino-san. However, those students who had been together with Yoshino-san, surely remember her as she was before the surgery. If, while traveling, there was any possibility her health had would become bad, so Yoshino-san should have someone reliable at her side, they judged.

"Yumi-san. You'll take care of me, right."

It was like a line in an old comic play, something an old sick man would say to his daughter. To continue, the daughter would say something like, "You promised not to say that."

"We're friends, right. Doing things like this for friends is part of the role. Therefore, don't worry about it, don't worry about it."

Previously, the former Rosa Chinensis, Mizuno Youko-sama had said that. About the time of the Yellow Rose Revolution, maybe?

"But, those words are looking at it with objectivity. I don't it that I feel that I must take care of Yoshino-san. It's more like I'm saying that I feel it's something I would do for a friend, I think."

"Thank you."

"Don't talk anymore. Go to sleep." Yumi turned the room lights down. "But. Tomorrow morning. If you're fever hasn't gone down, I'm telling the teacher."

"I understand."

She was on the side of her own bed, but she had no interest in sleeping. Her body was very tired but her nerves were strained. She wanted to be able to change the towel on Yoshino-san's forehead a few times. Which way to go, but then she resigned herself to not getting too much sleep tonight. (I wonder if I'll be able to wake up tomorrow morning.)

Hmm, well if she was wrong about that, her body would be revitalized. Darn it, she hadn't set the alarm to waken them.

(Um, Pine Group's breakfast time tomorrow is...so)

Hoping she didn't wake already sleeping Yoshino-san, she rose from her bed, and checked the trip flyer.

(7:15 to :45?)

It wouldn't be necessary to wake up before seven then. No, if you didn't mind not saying "Itadakimasu" with everyone gathered, you could arrive at the dining hall at half past seven. And it was only limited by class in order to avoid them all oncentrating all at one time.

Brush one's teeth, wash one's face, change into one's school uniform. The whole sequence should take about fifteen minutes, so she decided that they'd get up at seven o'clock. Hair care could wait until after breakfast.

(Now then, awake with the day--)

In the space between the beds, she searched around for the night table. Normally, it was in that area. In the hotel they had stayed in for family trips, it was mostly next to the telephone.

But.

(Nothing)

To travel well, one could get things one hadn't brought at the hotel. If one didn't have a toothbrush, or slippers, or a robe, they had heard from the teacher, but no way would they have an alarm clock she thought. Because she had her wristwatch, she hadn't ever thought about any other clock.

(Mo, morning wake up call?)

In Japanese hotels, there was no such thing. However, she wouldn't be able to wake up by herself so, she had no choice but to rely on it.

(I can't even discuss it with Yoshino-san.)

She might have questioned the teacher, but it was the middle of the night at past one o'clock already. And if she called the teacher's room, and was asked about Yoshino-san's condition, she wasn't confident that she could lie well.

All the time she was lost, the time tick-tocked away. Determined, Yumi turned towards the phone. The telephone was a very typical push type, it looked like next to the numbers there were shortcut dial buttons. Maybe on one of those buttons were small letters indicating a morning call, but the buttons didn't glow.

(...so I should call the front desk?")

However, there were no characters that said Front.

(Um - . Where would be best - )

Room Service, Housekeeping or Laundry didn't seem right. The only things left were Operator or Reception. Her image of the Operator was something like a message switching center, and she wasn't sure what Reception was.

(So. Do something, Yumi.)

Alternatively. Which one she should choose, she didn't have any confidence. Next time, on the very brink of a vacation abroad, please bring an alarm clock and a English-Japanese dictionary, she vowed in her heart, as she reached out for the telephone receiver. If she was mistaken, she'd try to put it right at that time. She pressed the button marked Reception.

"Hello?"

After it rang five times, the opposite party picked up. It was a man's soft voice. Because he spoke quickly, she wasn't sure what he said, maybe something like "What do you want?" she thought.

"Um, mo--" Even as she spoke, she said, "wrong" and thought to correct herself.

"Weiku appu co-ru, purii-zu."

Morning call was a made up Japanese English word that wouldn't be understood. She remembered the teacher telling her that word at the time they had had an English reader. When a person is cornered, many memories would be opened up and pulled out.

"Atto, seben."

Wahhh, what great monotonal English. When she had had that reader, she should have worked harder on her English pronunciation.

But, mm, in this situation, communicating would be enough, so she turned serious. She should begin the sentence with 'Could you' or 'would you' but as long as she could say it well enough to communicate, it couldn't be helped.

"OK."

From the telephone came the answer. Somehow she had been understood. After that, once again came the blah blah, but really she didn't hear it. It was barely possible to catch 'seven' and '231' after which she said "Yes."

"Ni-san-ichi, ne. Oyasuminasai." (E: 231, okay. Good night.) So saying, the telephone cut off. Japanese people must often visit. It was a cut above, handling things that way.

After rinsing the towel on Yoshino-san's forehead once more, she crawled into bed.

The eight hours longer than usual day was finally over.

The problem of the alarm clock had been cleared up.

She couldn't take a little sleep. She wasn't Yoshino-san, but once she shut her eyes, she wouldn't be getting up for a while.

Continued in Part 2

Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, Ciao Sorella