A/N: Just want to try a different way for Sachiko and Yumi in becoming soeurs.
And of course, I don't own the characters.
And, read at your own risk!
My 2nd story!
"Taking Chances"
---Arvendell---
"Have you noticed something different with Sachiko?" Satou Sei asked thoughtfully. She was staring at the door which Ogasawara Sachiko closed behind as she left the council room of the Rose Mansion.
"So, you have noticed, too?" Mizuno Youko, Sachiko's grande soeur said, looking at the window where she could see her petite soeur striding gracefully.
"Of course! Any normal person would. Youko, your petite soeur is so serious and scary all the time but now, she seems relax and at ease," Sei said with exaggeration.
Youko giggled. It wasn't long yet when Sachiko lost her temper for the nth time. But surprisingly, a week had passed and no other outburst happened.
"Maybe she is growing up now," Youko commented, though she highly doubted it.
"Growing, my foot!" Sei cursed.
"Sei!"
Sei laughed at Youko's horrified expression.
---o---
Sachiko smiled when she saw a small figure standing in front of the statue of Maria-sama.
"Gokigenyou, Yumi."
The figure turned around in surprise.
"G-gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis en bouton."
Sachiko raised her eyebrows. The girl, Fukuzawa Yumi, fidgeted nervously.
"I mean, gokigenyou, Sachiko-sama."
"Are you going home already?"
"Y-yes."
Sachiko smiled. She couldn't believe this fidgety, nervous and a little clumsy girl caught her attention ever since the incident in this same place a week ago. She fixed this girl's scarf unconsciously, then saw her again in the afternoon, giving her (Sachiko) an awkward greeting.
The following morning, she saw her again in front of Maria-sama, about to leave when she approached.
And the next morning.
At first she thought that this girl timed in the time she came but when she observed her for the next few days, the girl would come at the same time, would give her silent prayer to Maria-sama, and then leave. She didn't acted that she was waiting for someone to arrive so she was sure that everything that happened before were just pure coincidences. Besides, the girl looked at her with fright every time she saw her.
"Come. Let's walk together up to the gate."
The girl followed her meekly, looking at the ground all the time.
"Are you afraid of me, Yumi? Do I look scary to you?"
"Huh? No, of course not, Sachiko-sama. I…I'm…I just…"
"Then what is it, Yumi?"
"I'm sorry, Sachiko-sama," Yumi apologized with embarrassment.
---o---
"S-sorry. I didn't know that you are here, Rosa Chinensis en…"
A glare from Sachiko stopped Yumi cold.
"Sachiko-sama…"
"Come on in. I don't really mind."
Yumi came in silently at the greenhouse. Sachiko was sitting at the bench, looking at the roses in bloom.
"Do you come here often, Yumi?"
"S-sometimes. When I want to relax and uhm…" Yumi trailed off when Sachiko looked in her eyes. She stared at the ground but quickly raised her head when she heard soft laughter.
"Really, Yumi. Now I do really believe that I'm a scary person."
"No you're not!" Yumi said forcefully that surprised them both. Blushing, she looked back to the ground. "I'm just being stupid. You don't look scary at all, Sachiko-sama. In fact, you look so beautiful to be scary and…and…" she faltered.
Sachiko smiled. She stood up and walked over the stammering girl and with her fingers, raised her chin so that she was staring right into soft brown eyes.
"Thank you, Yumi. I've heard a lot of people said that to me but you're the first one to say that with so much force that I'm inclined to believe," she teased.
"But you're really beautiful. How can you not believe the others?" Yumi asked in bewilderment.
Sachiko just smiled.
"And I wonder why laughing comes easy when I'm around you. I don't even know you except your name."
Still smiling, she held Yumi's hand and pulled her towards the bench.
"Tell me more about yourself, Yumi."
---o---
"You're keeping a secret from me," Youko accused Sachiko as soon as she came in the council room.
"What do you mean, Onee-sama?" Sachiko asked in puzzlement.
"How long will you keep her from me?"
When Sachiko continued to look puzzled, Youko continued, "The girl you're seeing everyday. Won't you introduce her to your Onee-sama?"
"You mean Yumi?"
"Yes. You should bring her to the Rose Mansion."
"Why should I bring Yumi here? She hasn't done anything wrong to anyone, has she?"
"Of course she hasn't. We just want to meet her. As your Onee-sama, don't I deserve to meet your petite soeur?"
"Of course you do. But Yumi isn't my petite soeur."
"What? When are you planning on taking her as your petite soeur."
"I'm not going to make her my petite soeur," Sachiko said slowly.
"What?!" Youko was dumbfounded.
"I don't want to hurt her. She's really nice and candid when she isn't very nervous, and she makes me laugh. I don't want to hurt her by making her my petite soeur," Sachiko said sadly.
"Sachiko…"
"Please understand Onee-sama. I'm happy of having a friend aside from you and the others here in Yamayurikai. But you know the situation I'm in. My family. I don't want Yumi to go away from me if she had learned the truth about me."
"You like her, don't you?" Youko said softly.
---o---
You like her, don't you?
Youko's words played over and over again in Sachiko's mind. She was restless, just like the previous night. She couldn't think of anything except the image of one person, the one person that she had learned to care deeply. The person that could make her laugh, could arouse protectiveness and tenderness that she didn't know she possessed.
She remembered Yumi's shy smile and laughter when they were together at the greenhouse, talking about mundane things in life. She was so endearingly beautiful in her wonderment and enthusiasm. She confided in her. And Yumi did her best to help her, cheering her up and giving encouragements. She couldn't believe that she told a stranger about her life, and how it hurt her when she saw Yumi's loneliness for her. She stopped then and chided herself for opening up. She shouldn't involve Yumi with her lonely and hopeless world. That was why she couldn't make her her petite soeur even if her mind, body and soul scream for it. She couldn't involve her in her troubles. She should protect Yumi first and foremost from her. She wasn't naïve to not understand the looked in Yumi's eyes and her actions. Yumi was falling for her. She couldn't let it happen. She had to do something before Yumi ended being hurt more. While it was still early, she had to act.
"Oh Yumi, I'm so sorry. I have to do something, for you, and for me, too. I can't bear to see you hurt and knowing that it's because of me."
---o---
"Rosa Chinensis…"
"Please answer my question, Yumi-chan. Do you like Sachiko?" Youko asked softly, trying to put the nervous girl at ease. "Please…"
"Y-yes. I like Sachiko-sama since the day I met her," Yumi said nervously yet a small smile touched her lips.
"Thank you. Sachiko is a lonely person. She doesn't trust anyone. I was really surprised when I learned that she had become friends with someone other than the Yamayurikai. But looking at you now, I understand her. Your personality is the exact opposite of that of my beloved petite soeur. Please help her."
"Help? Is Sachiko-sama in trouble?" Yumi asked worriedly.
"Yes. I know that she's been avoiding you these past few days. But it's only because she cares for you so much. She didn't want to hurt you. But she shouldn't do that. She should learn to forget all the things that trouble her. She needs someone like you, Yumi-chan. Please stay by Sachiko's side no matter what happens. Please support her. Can you do that to her?"
"Yes I can, Rosa Chinensis," Yumi said with conviction.
Youko smiled and hugged the girl. Finally, Sachiko had found someone that she cared about and cared for her in return.
---o---
"Who does she think she is?"
"Did she think that Rosa Chinensis en bouton would make her her petite soeur?"
"She didn't even come half to Rosa Chinensis en bouton?"
"Are you kidding me? She didn't even come one-fourth to Sachiko-sama's elegance and grace."
"What a dreamer."
Yumi walked as fast as she could. She wanted to get out of sight of everyone as fast as she could.
Finally, she found a quiet place at the back of the library. In there, she poured all the pain that she was feeling right now. She was foolish to think that something good would turn out with her and Sachiko. Of course she didn't even think nor dream about Sachiko making her her petite soeur but she thought that they could be friends. It was going well until Sachiko started avoiding her. She could feel it. She could see it. Even if she was not bright, she wasn't dumb to not realize that Sachiko didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore.
"I'm so stupid…"
"Sachiko is the stupid one."
Yumi's neck almost broke when she quickly turned around.
"Rosa Gigantea…"
---o---
"What have you done, Sachiko?" Youko asked sternly.
"What do you mean, Onee-sama?" Sachiko asked calmly.
"So you're dumb now, too. What have you done to Yumi-chan?"
Sachiko glared at the insult and said, "What I should have done a long time ago."
"I see. So it was your plan all along to get close to the poor girl and then leave her to the insults of everybody in this school."
"I don't understand you, Onee-sama."
"Have you heard what the students are saying about Yumi-chan? How they are insulting the poor girl who had the unfortunate fate of meeting you in that day in front of Maria-sama's statue? I can't believe you're that heartless. I can't believe I've chosen a petite soeur like that."
Youko walked out of the council room leaving Sachiko in thought. She was angry with what Youko said but she couldn't stop herself worrying about what she said about Yumi.
---o---
Yumi couldn't help but laugh at Rosa Gigantea. She really was a nice and easy to get along with person.
"Now come on, Yumi-chan. Let's face those crazy girls."
Sei pulled Yumi up and holding her hand, accompanied her to her classroom. They passed along a couple groups of girls gossiping.
"Hey, instead of gossiping around, why don't you go back to your classrooms and do something useful. It's better to help others than trying to destroy them with idle talks," Sei scolded.
Embarrassed, the girls scattered around and went to their classrooms.
"Thank you very much, Rosa Gigantea. You're very nice to me."
"You don't do anything without getting anything, Yumi-chan," Sei said with a wink.
"Eh! You mean to say that you're helping me because you want something from me?"
Yumi was surprised. She didn't imagine that Sei was that kind of person.
Sei laughed as she watched the emotions playing in Yumi's face.
"Come with me at the Rose Mansion later, Yumi-chan."
---o---
Sachiko was fuming when she heard what the students were talking about Yumi no thanks to the Newspaper Club. Thinking on what she had to do, she went back to the Rose Mansion. She was still at the first floor but she could hear laughter from the council room, Sei being the loudest. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see all the members of Yamayurikai laughing hard. However, it surprised her even more to see a red-faced Yumi at the center of all the laughter.
"Oh, Sachiko you're here. Look who Sei brought in," Torii Eriko said, trying to suppress her laughter. "Sei, where did you ever pick someone like Yumi-chan?"
"Right at Sachiko's feet. I'm so lucky, am I not? Yumi-chan, you'll go on a date with me, right?" Sei asked as she hugged Yumi.
"D-date?"
Yumi's eyes had gone impossibly big with surprise.
"Yes, date," Sei repeated. "Didn't I tell you that my services aren't free? Give me your number. I'll call you. Hmm…I'm busy with exams this week and early next week but next weekend I'll be free."
---o---
Sachiko was grumpy throughout the week. Sei brought Yumi at the Rose Mansion everyday whenever Sei had free time. She wanted to talk to Yumi but she couldn't find the girl alone. Sei hanged out with her all the time. When Sei wasn't with Yumi, Toudou Shimako, Sei's petite soeur, and Shimazu Yoshino, Rei's petite soeur, were with her. Besides, she thought that Yumi was avoiding her. It was true that she wanted to protect Yumi from getting hurt because of her but she couldn't stop herself from getting hurt, too, as the latter became closer with Sei.
Finally, when she couldn't think of any nicer solution, she saw Yumi walking to the gate alone.
"Yumi."
Yumi turned slowly, surprised to actually found out that Sachiko's voice wasn't just a figment of her imagination.
"Can I have a moment with you?"
Speechless, Yumi nodded.
"Are you free tomorrow?"
"Eh?...Y-yes I am."
"Your date with Rosa Gigantea, when is it?"
"Huh?...Rosa Gigantea hasn't called me yet."
Sachiko nodded.
"I see. Would you like to go out with me?"
"W-what?!"
---o---
One date had led to another, and another. Every weekend that they were both free, Sachiko and Yumi went out, strolled in a park, watched a movie, dined-in in a restaurant, or just talked. The two together was a constant sight in school, walking together, having lunch together and doing stuff together. Yumi was also a constant sight at the Rose Mansion, helping Sachiko and the Yamayurikai.
But Sachiko hadn't asked Yumi to be her petite soeur yet. And Yumi didn't mind if she wasn't Sachiko's petite soeur as long as they were together. Though if Sachiko chose another girl, she surely would get jealous of that person. However, as of now, she was sure that Sachiko didn't have any plan of taking one even if the subject wasn't brought up.
"Sachiko, how many days are you waiting for before you take Yumi-chan as your petite soeur?" Youko confronted Sachiko.
When Sachiko didn't respond, Youko continued, "Yumi-chan is blossoming into a perfect bud. She has improved a lot, thanks to you. Many would want to make her their petite soeur now."
"If you're worried about that, well I am not. I know Yumi."
"Of course I know that Yumi-chan wouldn't part with you. That girl is head over heels in love with you, Sachiko."
Sachiko blushed.
"Onee-sama!"
Youko smirked.
"Yes. And you are in love with her, too. Don't wait any longer, Sachiko. I'm graduating soon, and you will be Rosa Chinensis. You'll need an en bouton soon. And no one fitted that position other than Yumi-chan. Think about it. You shouldn't think much about what your mind is telling you but should follow your heart, Sachiko."
---o---
Yumi looked around for the nth time. She knew that Sachiko's house would be big, her family being one of the richest in Japan, but this house was way bigger than she had imagined.
"Thank you for coming, Yumi."
"I-it's my pleasure, Sachiko-sama," Yumi said nervously.
Since it was night already, after a sumptuous dinner, they headed straight to bed, at Sachiko's magnificent room.
'I'm sharing Sachiko-sama's bed. Is this true or am I just dreaming?' Yumi thought. She couldn't sleep at all knowing that the woman she was now in-loved with was just a few inches away from her.
"Yumi, are you not comfortable?"
"Huh? Oh no, I'm fine, Sachiko-sama. It's just that I can't believe this isn't just a dream," Yumi said boldly.
Sachiko smiled.
"Are you not sleepy yet? Would you like to take a swim?"
At Sachiko's persuasion, they spent hours at the pool, playing and racing in the water. It helped Yumi relax. It also brought a smile on her lips seeing Sachiko having fun. Though she couldn't take her eyes at Sachiko's gorgeous body, she also couldn't take her eyes off the rosary hanging around her neck.
Did she want to be Sachiko's petite soeur?
Of course she did. If being Sachiko's petite soeur would bring her closer to her, then she wanted to be her petite soeur.
---o---
The following day, Sachiko toured Yumi around the house. They spent some time talking lazily at the garden. However, there was something in Sachiko that Yumi couldn't quite place a word.
Night came, and the two of them were alone again in Sachiko's room.
"Yumi, my life is very complicated. I have duties and responsibilities. That's why I never allowed anyone to come…"
Yumi stopped Sachiko with her fingers.
"Shh…it's alright. No matter what, I love you, Sachiko-sama. I know I shouldn't feel this towards you and that…" Yumi said boldly, stopping when she saw the tears forming in Sachiko's eyes.
"Oh Yumi, I love you, too. But…"
Yumi cut Sachiko off, this time not with fingers but with her lips. Sachiko was shocked at first before she closed her eyes and kissed Yumi back. They kissed slowly, and then tenderly and thoroughly.
Yumi's kisses traveled from Sachiko's lips to her ears, and then to her neck, eliciting a sweet moan from Sachiko. Slowly and gently, they lay in bed without letting go of each other.
---o---
Hours later, Sachiko and Yumi laid in bed, exhausted, their naked bodies glistening with sweat. Yumi raised her head from resting at Sachiko's chest when she felt the latter cry.
"Sachiko, what's wrong?"
Gently, Yumi wiped Sachiko's tears away.
"Yumi, I love you so much. Please stay by my side," Sachiko asked with so much emotion. She raised her head and removed the rosary, the only thing that adorned her naked body, the only thing Yumi hadn't taken off when she removed her clothes.
"Would you take a chance with me?"
Yumi closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them and met Sachiko's gaze.
"Yes, I would take a chance with you, Sachiko," Yumi replied.
Sachiko gently put the rosary around Yumi's neck. And then their lips met tenderly, sealing the promise, before gazing intently again in each other's eyes. When they realized the situation, they laughed.
"I never imagined I'll part with my rosary like this," Sachiko said, smiling happily.
"And I've never imagined I'll receive a rosary like this with nothing on, except now with this rosary, Onee-sama," Yumi replied.
They laughed all the more.
---o---
When Monday came, Sachiko formally introduced Yumi as the Rosa Chinensis en bouton's petite soeur and as the new member of the Yamayurikai. When asked about how the ceremony happened, the two blushed furiously to the bewilderment of everyone.
"Hey, tell us," Yoshino said with a pout.
"It happened during the weekend, right? Sachiko still has the rosary last week," Eriko observed.
"Don't tell me that Sachiko gave the rosary to you, Yumi-chan, while professing her everlasting love for you?" Sei teased.
Sachiko and Yumi only laughed. The others might guess but they would never tell anyone how the ceremony happened right after they became one that night!
---Wakas---
A/N: And that's it! It's quite fast-paced because, forgive me, I got lazy in elaborating :) :)
Please tell me what you think. Thank you!
21 January 2008