Ogasawara Sachiko stood in front of the Lilian University, dazed and confused. She had known it for awhile, but had never prepared to witness Kashiwagi Suguru with another man. She had, just yesterday, as she accidentally walked in on her fiance, about to kiss his apparent lover. I would have to marry that man, who is in love with someone else. And it could never be me, regardless of how I feel for him, or treat him.
It was her first day in college, and no one to walk with. Her petite sœur, Fukuzawa Yumi, is still in Lilian School for Girls beside the university, and is very much preoccupied with being in the student council. Her only source of hope to at least make this day bearable is, if she bumps into an old friend. Though annoying at best, Sachiko still secretly wished that Satou Sei will find her in this crowd, the only one she can consider her friend that is also enrolled at Lilian University. There is nothing more comforting than stumbling across an old familiar face when you are lost, figuratively and literally.
In the midst of her depressed musings, a pair of arms snaked around her neck from behind and whispered in an almost chuckling voice, "Please give this hug to Yumi-chan from me, Sa-chan".
Sachiko nearly jumped out of her skin at the contact and frowned as Sei ruffled her hair. "Sei-sama, please don't be inappropriate to me, especially since we are in a public area"
"Tsk. Tsk. You make it sound like I was groping you because of you. Like I said, send that to my Yumi-chan"
"If you want to harass my petite sœur, Sei-Sama, you are free to cross the lawn. The Rose Mansion is a mere few meters away", Sachiko retorted as she straightened her blouse.
"Are you sure it's her you want me to harass? Because I could very well see the disappointment in your eyes when I let go of you", Sei snickered and held her arm around Sachiko's neck. Before Sachiko could respond, Sei tugged her and said, "now, come on. I'll take you to your first class. Then we'll have lunch. Why, it seems like I might have a petite sœur even in Uni!"
Sachiko fought against Sei's tight hold on her. "Sei-sama, I was never your petite sœur, nor do I plan to be"
"You're right. I don't plan to take you away from Youko. God knows what that crazy woman will do to me... BUT on the other hand, what she doesn't know won't hurt anyone, my new petite sœur"
"That's suppose to be a mutual decision", Sachiko grumbled while she stared at her class card. "I, uhm, my class is at the 3rd floor of this building, Sei-sama. I can--"
Sei swiped the paper from Sachiko's hand. "Room 315, I see. I'll go with you. My class is next to yours", she said with a grin.
Sei walked Sachiko towards the door of room 315 and gave her a brief and friendly hug. "I can see how anxious you are, Sachiko. You need anything, just go to me, okay?"
Sachiko nodded and smiled a bit. "Thank you, Sei-sama. I will see you after class"
"Great!", Sei exclaimed, flashing her trademark grin and a thumbs up.
Sachiko breathed in, scanned the room and searched for an available seat. She sat next to two girls who seemed to have immediately recognized her. Or at least that's what Sachiko thought.
"Hi, I'm Konomi. And this is Rena. You are?", one of the girls said with a congenial smile.
Sachiko returned the gesture and spoke kindly. "Sachiko"
The other girl giggled. "You know Satou Sei?"
Sachiko nodded, bewildered as to how these girls knew her friend. "Yes...she was a year ahead of me at Lilian Academy...how did you know Sei-sama?"
"You didn't attend the freshmen orientation?"
"Uhm...no...I figured, I've studied at Lilian all my life, there's not much need to know about the university policies"
"Well, we're not from Lilian, and it was the first time we met Sei. She was assigned to our group, to tour us around the university", Konomi blushed. "She is so..."
"Cute", Rena finished wistfully. "And quite a flirt, if I may add"
"Oh", Sachiko said, controlling herself from laughing. Same Sei...Same effect on girls. Some girls anyway, correcting her own thoughts.
"Are you and Sei...?"
Before Sachiko could even find out what the question really meant, the professor entered and introduced himself. Welcome to life, Sachiko.
---
Sei was already outside Sachiko's room, leaning against the wall, when the bell rang. "Sa-chan.", she said with a cheerful tone. The girls who spoke with Sachiko earlier swooned and elbowed the raven-haired girl. Sachiko, however, frowned. Do these girls think...
"Sei-sama", Sachiko muttered. "I would appreciate it if you don't call me by that...by how he calls me"
Sei merely grinned. "But I'm not him, Sa-chan. I say your name better than he does, don't you agree?", she said with much gentleness in her smile and gaze that Sachiko couldn't help but relent to her friend's question.
"Fine...but only if you'd be a good 'onee-sama' to me today, and treat me out to lunch"
Sei chuckled. "Onee-sama, huh? Alright, alright". Once again, she placed her arms around Sachiko's shoulders and guided her away from the crowd. Sachiko caught a glimpse of those two girls, giggling. Now what on earth...?
Sachiko stared at Sei who was seated in front of her, while the latter ranted about her school load. Sei's hair has grown longer, quite the same as how it was when she graduated. Sachiko liked her that way, and even though she did not care to admit it before, had a curious fascination with how her friend managed to keep it unruly but still looked good on her. Despite her lack of aesthetic care, Sei has a very feminine face that attracts both girls and boys alike.
Sei chuckled then scratched the back of her head, making her hair more unruly. This made Sachiko smile with the realization that she is stuck with someone who must be her complete opposite, but still felt at ease about it. Sei is an old friend, and nothing can be more safe than that.
A group of freshmen girls paused and sheepishly waved at Sei, who eagerly returned the gesture with a grin and wink which led to a chorus of giggles trailing off. Sachiko shook her head in amusement. "Sei-sama, is that why you chose Lilian University above others?"
"Sa-chan, Sa-chan. You make it sound that it's only girls I have in mind", the blonde beauty replied, still grinning. "You know very well, my heart belongs to my Yumi-chan"
"Are you honestly serious about that, Sei-sama?", Sachiko inquired. The way Sei had been extra attentive to her petite sœur, the teasing, the physical closeness, had been a question for Sachiko that had never been expressed before.
"Will you kill me if I am?"
"No...but..."
"Yumi-chan brightened up my life, in more ways than one. I tease her simply because her reactions warm my heart. She is so natural. Too natural for her own good. But to answer your question more directly, I do not love her that way. Did you actually think I was in love with her?"
Sachiko's eyes focused on the plate in front of her, embarrassed by her own inquiry.
Sei grinned. "I would have thought you knew how I behave when I am in love. Teasing is definitely not part of that". Flashes of Shiori's face briefly occupied her mind before she heard Sachiko respond.
"You get googly-eyed, and turn into mush", Sachiko giggled.
Sei's eyes grew big and laughed. "I prefer to be described as simply love-struck. But okay, I'll take your description too" She eventually frowned and gazed at Sachiko. "Why are you asking me that? Are you..."
"in love with Yumi? Goodness, no. She is my sister. Which is the very reason why I asked. I don't want you two getting hurt in anyway"
"Sei in love is equated to hurt?", Sei asked, arching her eyebrows.
"Yes", Sachiko said, laughing. "But since you're not in love with myYumi, then I am relieved you won't get hurt"
The blonde girl narrowed her eyes. "Your Yumi? She's mine", she replied curtly, with a smug look on her face.
Sachiko leaned on her chair, closed her eyes and spoke with a petulant tone. "Onee-sama. I thought I am your petite sœur, now? Sachiko is getting jealous. Please forget about Yumi-chan or Sachiko will cry."
Sei remained silent for a few seconds then burst out laughing together with Sachiko. "Ah, Sa-chan. I never knew you can be this funny. Remind me to rummage my room for an old rosary and give it to you" This made them laugh some more, and for Sachiko, briefly forgetting about her future with Suguru through Sei's company was enough to keep her alive.
And more importantly, despite it being a source of humor, an unspoken and informal rule was formed that very instant--Sei will somehow be her onee-sama, in a place where it is no longer required, nor expected; but simply wanted, or perhaps needed, by two people lost in a sea of transitions.
---
Sei graciously accompanied Sachiko once again to her next class. Lilian Academy is about order, but its University counterpart was more crowded and less conscious to social rules befitting for ladies. Sachiko knew very well that Sei is aware of her agoraphobia, and has truly appreciated Sei's kindness to her. "Sei-sama, I'm sorry that you've been walking to and fro because of me"
Sei simply waved it off. "Please stop being so apologetic. You're probably my only friend here, so don't think of this as a burden on my end. We Roses stick together. It is as simple as that",she ended with a smile and a pat on Sachiko's head. "I will come for you after this period ends, wait for me, Sa-chan"
The two girls from earlier poked their heads next to Sachiko, which almost gave her a heart attack. "You must feel so lucky, Sachiko"
Sachiko's mouth was left agape. "Pray tell why I should feel lucky when you two almost made my heart give up on me?"
"Because Sei has been accompanying you in all your classes, and then picks you up after.", said the first girl.
"Now that is what I call a dedicated form of love", nodded the other.
"She calls you Sa-chan? That is the sweetest"
Sachiko swallowed forcefully. "But we--"
The two let out a collective sigh, leaving Sachiko dumbfounded by their conclusions. How Sei-sama and I have been behaving seemed perfectly natural before in Lilian Academy. So...to others this isn't? Does Sei-sama know about this? How would she feel if she finds out some people actually think that we...we're...we're...oh my.
---
Sachiko didn't have to wait for a long time to find out. Right after class, Sei walked towards her and chuckled. "First day at Lilian University, and you are already the center of gossip, Sa-chan. I really must commend you"
"What do you mean, Sei-sama?"
"Passed by a bunch of girls. Heard them talking about a certain Sachiko as my girlfriend. Now, I wonder how that exactly came about?", Sei said thoughtfully, rubbing her chin with her hand. Sachiko turned pale and felt guilty.
Just when those apparent bunch of girls returned, Sei jumped behind Sachiko's back, hugged her and leaned her face near Sachiko's ear. "Maybe it's because of this" she said with a chuckle.
"Sei-sama!" Sachiko's eyes grew big and her cheeks began to burn. She had never been at the receiving end of Sei's teasing, and in just one day, she seems to be the only one receiving Sei's antics. So this is how Yumi must've felt...surprised...shocked...and...fun?
The girls let out a collective gasp which only fueled Sei further. "I'll drive you home, my lovely Sa-chan, okay?", Sei said, increasing the volume of her voice a little bit, enough for the others to hear.
"Okay, Sei-sama", Sachiko replied. Once they were out of eavesdropping distance, both Sei and Sachiko laughed simultaneously.
"I figured out that people who do not come from gender-specific schools can barely understand the dynamics of our sœur system. It's both annoying and funny that they would automatically think of..."
"I know, I've realized that too"
Sei sighed. "Maybe that's why I refuse to hang out with other people here"
"Sei-sama, don't make that as an excuse. You've always just been simply an outsider, and you like it that way", Sachiko teased.
Sei nudged Sachiko. "As opposed to you, who secretly long to build friendships with other people"
"But our personalities don't necessarily contradict, do they?"
Sei grinned. "No, definitely not"
Sachiko smiled as they walked side by side. One friend. This is all I need as a reason to wake up tomorrow.
---
I hoped too much to live another day. Sei-sama will definitely kill us both this very instant. Sachiko thought as Sei darted other cars on the road. "Sei-sama...I'm...I'm..."
Sei pushed the breaks on the car. "Uh-oh". Sei immediately parked at the curb and opened the door of Sachiko's side of the car. The raven-haired girl instantly threw up at the side, leaving Sei grimacing in both guilt and grossness.
Sachiko felt like her soul had been thrown out together with her lunch but immediately felt revived upon feeling Sei's hand gently rubbing her back. "Sachiko...I'm sorry", Sei hushed, her facial expression extremely serious.
"I..it's okay Sei-sama...it's not your fault" Sachiko? I thought I was her Sa-chan. Hold on. HER Sa-chan?!? Did I just--
"I've forgotten you're not Yumi-chan. She's the only one who had ever sat there before, and she came out alive"
Despite her situation, Sachiko couldn't help but laugh. "Yumi is a lot stronger than me. Don't you forget that"
Sei chuckled. "You've always been the most delicate rose, Sachiko". Again, Sei had reverted back to calling her by her full name.
So calling me Sa-chan was just another way of her teasing me? And here I am thinking she could really be my other onee--
Sei smiled. "Feeling better, Sa-chan?"
Sachiko frowned. What is it, really? And why am I even problematizing this?
"Sa-chan?" Sei snapped her fingers, startling Sachiko.
"Yes Onee--I mean, Sei-sama". Sachiko blushed at her own slip. To her surprise, Sei gave a pleased look. "Well, I might as well take the role seriously now. No more teasing", she grinned and rubbed Sachiko's head. "Ready? I'll be really careful driving this time. Onee-sama will bring you home safely"
Sachiko rested her head on the car seat. Thank you, Sei-sama.
---
R&R :)