Shimako Todo strode slowly through the entrance of the Lilian Catholic School, her schoolbag clutched in front of her, a pensive frown on her face. A gentle breeze played with her long light brown hair playing with some streaks.
The sakura and gingko trees, that lined both sides of the stone path that lead to the main building, had changed their colours from a light green to olive and brown. Autumn had arrived.
It was her first day back at school after her one-week school trip to the beautiful country of Italy, and Shimako felt restless. In fact, she felt restless since she left the plane that brought her back to Japan. But what the cause for this feeling was eluded her. It was quit irritating.
A tired sigh escaped her lips, and with a swift motion of her hand she smoothed a strand of unruly hair back behind her ear.
She had not slept well last night. Tossing and turning from side to side, she wasn't able to find a position that was comfortable. When Shimako finally did succumb to her exhaustion and fell asleep, she was plagued by strange dreams. What they were about she couldn't remember after waking but they left her feeling vulnerable and unsettled.
"Gokigenyou, Shimako-san."
Shimako stopped, startled out of her reverie by an upbeat voice. She turned around, her frown vanishing after seeing her good friend.
"Gokigenyou, Yoshino-san."
Yoshino walked towards her, a happy smile grazing her lips, swinging her schoolbag back and forth. She seemed full of energy and optimism. The complete opposite of what Shimako felt.
The two friends continued to walk the last meters to the school building together. Shimako would have been happy to do this in silence, she still tried to figure out what was the cause for her unpleasant feelings, but Yoshino had other ideas.
"Ahhh, school again…" the other girl sighed miffed.
"I would have liked to stay a little while longer in Italy. Vacationing is soooo much more fun than school. Right Shimako?"
Shimako murmured in agreement, but otherwise stayed silent, preoccupied with her racing thoughts. Yoshino continued on, obvious to her friends' absentmindedness.
"The only drawback was that Rei-chan wasn't there. Although she would have freaked seeing me climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa," a snicker, "it would have been so much fun having her there too. You think so too about Noriko-chan right?"
After receiving no answer from her friend, Yoshino turned to look at her, but was surprised to see no one beside her. Confused she looked back the way they had come.
Shimako stood completely still a couple of steps behind her. Her eyes wide open and lips slightly parted, she looked as if she had seen a ghost, her face ghastly pale.
"Shimako-san, are you alright?" Perplexed she swept her eyes in an ark, trying to spot what had her friend so spooked. Not seeing anything except Lilian students milling around, Yoshino ran to her friends side grasping her arm lightly, concern etched to her face. She wasn't used to see her normally composed friend so distraught.
Shimako's gaze focused on her grasping the hand that held her arm in an vice like grip, a pained frown marred her usually angelic visage.
"Noriko-chan…" she whispered roughly, "I haven't seen her since I came back."
Yoshino frowned, that was weird. Wouldn't Noriko be the one that would want to see her soeur the moment she came back? She visited her darling cousin right the moment she came home.
"Didn't she want to greet you at the airport? I thought you mentioned something like that when we boarded the plane?"
And with these words everything fell into place in her mind, her uncertainty and restlessness, with sudden clarity, Shimako knew why she felt this unsettled.
Noriko Nijou, her petite soeur, wasn't at the airport on the day of her return to greet her. Despite her, rather forcefull promise to the contrary. It was as if a veil had been lifted from her eyes, and Shimako could clearly remember again the last time they had met, just before she had to board the plan. It had been a rather strange event.
Shimako, travel bag in hand, walked slowly to the departure gate of the flight that would bring her and her classmates to Italy. She looked forward to the week ahead, wanting to take in all the sights and atmosphere this foreign country has to offer her. The brunette especially looked forward to visit all the great churches and holy places.
"Onee-sama!"
Shimako, ripped out of her musings, swirled around at the sound of the panicked voice she knew so well. Before she could utter a word, a solid form collided with her and she lost the grip on her bag. It landed with a loud thud on the ground beside her. Small hands clung to her in a bone-crushing hug, clutching the material of her school uniform tightly.
"Noriko-chan?" she asked uncertainly having recognized the younger girl instantly.
Shimako took the girl in her arms. Perplexed as to why her petite soeur would be here at the airport. They had already said the good byes the night before. She seemed fine then, maybe a little nervous but not in a state of total panic like she was now.
"Noriko-chan? What is the matter? Did something happen?"
Noriko, face buried in the crock of Shimako's neck, only shrugged and stayed mute. Shimako looked at her petit soeur worried.
"Something MUST have happened or you wouldn't be this agitated. Tell me," she prodded gently, stroking the girls back, trying to calm her. It had the opposite effect.
Noriko let got of her as if burned and stepped back. Face turned to the ground she balled her hands to fist and took deep breaths. Seconds went by and slowly she gained her equilibrium back. Calmer now she raised her head and locked eyes with her grande soeur.
The seriousness in the younger girl's eyes surprised Shimako, not to say Noriko wasn't usually serious quite to the contray, but never before had the brunette seen such a grave look in the younger girls face. It was as if what she had to say was of utmost importance.
"You will come back right?"
"Nani?"
Shimako was bewildered. Of course would she come back, why wouldn't she? But Noriko didn't let her sort out her thoughts and continued on.
"You are meeting Shizuka-senpai am I right?"
"What has that to do with anythi…" she couldn't complete her sentence because Noriko interrupted her forcefully, grabbing her arms.
"You have to promise me to come back!"
The White Rose looked at Noriko mystified. What had gotten into her petite soeur? This frantic behaviour was so out of character for the normally mature teenager.
"Promise me!" Noriko looked at her imploringly, her emotions clearly visible in her dark grey eyes.
'She is afraid'
"I promise," she whispered not knowing what she could do otherwise.
After hearing those words the younger girl visible relaxed and let go the vice like grip she had on her grande soeur. She nodded decisive.
"I will wait for you." Unwittingly Noriko repeated the exact same words she uttered on the phone the night before. This time however she sounded more serious. There was an emotion in her eyes which Shimako never had seen in them before, but the moment she tried to decipher which, it was already gone again.
"You should go or you will miss your flight." Her petite soeur's voice shook her out of her short reverie. Before she could respond someone called her name.
"Shimako-san?"
"Hey, Shimako!"
Her friend Yumi Fukuzawa, followed by Yoshino, ran towards her.
"We were worried for you. The others have already boarded and the plan leaves soon. Why aren't you coming?" Yumi asked breathlessly grabbing her knees to catch her breath.
"Gomen I was talking to…" She turned to look at her petite soeur but found the place were she stood a moment ago vacant."…no one," she finished lamely. Worry lines etched on her face.
Yumi and Yoshino looked at each other confused, then they shrugged their shoulders. Now wasn't the time to wonder about the strange behaviour of the white Rose. They grabbed their fellow classmate and dragged her to their gate.
'I nearly missed my plane, if those two hadn't got me.' Shimako reminisced. She had all but forgotten that conversation. How could she for it had occupied her mind on the whole flight to Italy she even thought about cancelling the trip and taking the first flight back home, but after landing and visiting Rome and their other destinations she completely forgot this disturbing departure with her petite soeur.
She wondered why Noriko wasn't at the airport to greet her, it seemed so important to her then. What was it the younger girl wanted to discuss with her? Shimako bit her lip slightly worried she felt unwell. She just had to know!
"Shimako-san?" Yoshino's concerned voice broke in her musings.
"Gomen, Yoshino-chan. I just thought of something. Let's hurry or we will be late for class."
With that she continued to walk, after a moment Yoshino followed her, a pensive expression on her face.