A/N: Hmmm... So, this is the story you've been all waiting for 'the Shimako and Yumi's story'. Hehe
Well, first of all I would like to thank all the people who reviewed "She's in love, eh!" because of you guys. I decided to write a story about them and I do hope that all of you would like it.
Before you continue on reading this story, I'd like to apologize to Shimako/ Noriko and Shimako/ Sei fan because I'm pairing Shimako up to Yumi but I'm not going to apologize to the fans of Sachiko/ Yumi pair. Why? Just wait and see as the story progress and I ask all of you not to hate me for hurting and making some of the heroines vulnerable. ^_^
To the real owner of Marimite, I'm sorry for I am just a fan who loves to write stories for this anime. ^_^
I know that some of the readers here were unsatisfied on the way an author writes their stories and my apologies to that and if ever. I didn't qualify to your satisfaction. Well, I'm sorry. I'm not a perfect person and the more I take things seriously. I always end up failing more and more but I never lose hope and I'm telling you I had been there before... when you felt like you are so useless in this world.
By the way if you take this highlighted message seriously... please don't send me PMs telling me that you are sorry because I'll only end up hating you. ^_^
But if you agree with me then it's not a problem at all. You are welcome to my life!
Reminder: This isn't a sequel to 'She's in love eh?'
And so here it is, happy reading everyone!
Fukuzawa Yumi (aka Rosa Chinensis en Bouton) along with her fellow Lillian students were lining up the chairs inside the school's auditorium. The chairs that the third years will be using for their graduation the next day, as they continued to work. The girl's brown orbs landed on the stage and imagined her beloved onee – sama (Ogasawara Sachiko) going up there, and receiving her diploma brought so much pain to her chest. She rubbed her eyes when her vision became blurry, and realized that she was crying. To avoid the curious stares and unwanted questions from her peers she sneaks out of the building as subtle as she possibly can. But her attempt was futile to a certain girl with shoulder length and slightly wavy blonde hair, who was standing not far from her.
I Could Be the One
By
Azurean
Chapter one
Todou Shimako (aka Rosa Gigantea) is one of Yumi's best friend and fellow members of the Yamayurikai (aka Student Council). When Shimako saw the brunette rubbed at her eyes and left the auditorium, she knew immediately that something was up and followed the girl worriedly. She found her friend at the back of the building and the defeated looked on Yumi's face brought pain to her heart, but she cannot do anything about it but to stand next to the girl and offer some comfort. "What's wrong?" she asked while watching the brunette discreetly.
Yumi smiled apologetically at Shimako. "It's nothing. Did I worry you?" she asked and the blonde nodded. "Sorry."
"Do not worry about it. But what's with the tears and leaving the auditorium?" Shimako asked tentatively.
"Your eyes are really sharp, Shimako san." Yumi complimented.
"Hmmm... was that a compliment, Yumi san?" Shimako asked brow arched playfully.
"Eh? Of course it was." Yumi answered, "If I sounded rude I apologize," she said in panic as anxiety mix with her voice while bowing her head continuously in apology.
Shimako watch her friend with amusement but then decided to spare Yumi from further embarrassments. "Then tell me what's with the tears? ... To compensate with your 'rudeness' as you call it earlier," she said.
Yumi nodded and looks down on the ground. "I'm thinking about tomorrow's graduation and the fact that it will be Sachiko sama's last day in this school," she confessed with sadness and meek voice.
"But she will be attending Lillian University, right? So, it's alright. You will still see her whenever you wanted to." Shimako said slightly confused and with forced enthusiasm to lighten the brunette's mood even for a little bit. But Yumi remained silent for a few seconds and when the girl spoke again, her friend's next words shocked her, "pardon?" she asked as she looked at Yumi in disbelief.
"You heard me right, Shimako san... Sachiko sama is not going to attend Lillian University, she's leaving the country to study abroad and at the same time train on how to handle her family's business."
"When... When is she going to leave?"
"The day after tomorrow," Yumi said sighing.
"But we prepared... something for... them."
"I know and I already asked her to at least re – schedule her flight, but she said that it cannot be change."
"Are you okay with that? With her decision I mean?"
"What can I say? She has her own reasons of why she is doing this and I'm trying to be as understanding as I can." Yumi said smiling meekly at Shimako. "I don't want to burden Sachiko sama with my selfishness, Shimako san. I love her and I don't want her to worry about anything when she leaves but when I saw the stage and imagined her receiving her diploma. It hit me with reality that she will be away and the fact that I'm not going to see her everyday that..." Yumi said without noticing the tears that had started to fall from her eyes, "and... and it makes me sad..." she said but stopped when Shimako wrapped her in her arms like a cocoon, shielding her from the painful reality even if it's just for a few a minutes
"Hey. It's alright. I'm here as well as Yohino san, Touko chan and Noriko, we are all here." Shimako whispered comfortingly.
Yumi buried her face on the crook of her friend's neck as the brunette continued to cry. "I know that but Sachiko sama was..."
"Sssshhhh... All I know is that in due time everything will be alright. You will see her again besides it's not like she will be leaving the country for good." Shimako said cutting Yumi off as the girl tried to protest, "And if it's hard to you. I think, it was much harder for Sachiko sama because she loves you and I know that she does not want to be separated from you either but she has to, don't you agree? It's not unfair to be selfish sometimes it's human nature to be selfish if it concern themselves."
Yumi nodded and pulled away from Shimako's embrace. "Thank you," she whispered.
Shimako nodded and pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and wipes at Yumi's tears. "Sachiko sama will be worried if she sees you like this," she said.
"You are right I should stay strong for her."
"That's the spirit." Shimako said encouragingly at the girl.
Yumi smiled thankfully. "I'm happy to have you by my side."
"You should be because I'm planning to stick around until we are old and wrinkly." Shimako teased.
-/ - / - /-
The next day, the friend and family of the graduating students were gathered inside the auditorium to witness the once a year graduation ceremony for Lillian Private Girls Academy's third years.
After the school directress delivered her inspirational speech, one of the teachers stood next to her and started calling out the names of the graduating students. Fellow graduates, families and friends clap their hands happily whenever a name was called to get their diploma.
"And now for the farewell address for the graduating class will be given by the school's student body representative. Second year student of Pine Class, Fukuzawa Yumi." The teacher said, once the giving of diplomas is over.
Everyone clapped their hands when a girl with brunette hair in pigtails stood up from the back rows and walk towards the stage. Ogasawara Sachiko watched her petite soeur nervously as Yumi made her way towards the stage and let out a relieve sigh when the brunette reached the podium and faced everyone optimistically. "Yumi," she whispered her petite soeur's name sadly as memories she had with the girl flooded her mind; the day she met Yumi in front of the statue of Maria sama. The day that they became soeur and all the sad and happy times she spent with the girl filled her mind as she watched Yumi with longing.
Brown eyes looks around the auditorium until she found the particular pair of blue eyes looking at her proudly and with something more that she cannot figure out. She relaxed her shoulders and smiled at her audiences before looking down at the paper in her hands and started reading the speech that she, Shimako and Yoshino had prepared. As she deliver her speech the memory of how she and Sachiko met for the first time played in front of her like a movie, reminding her of the past.
Yumi had just finished offering her prayers to Maria sama when she heard a cold, piercing voice and strong enough to seem like an illusion, "wait." Furthermore, because this happened right in front of Maria sama's figure, for an instant she thought that perhaps it was Maria sama telling her to hold still. She turned around slowly as elegant as possible because it is a custom in Lillian, that you must act like a lady in front of everyone and you must smile, then say gonkigenyo to anyone you sees. Unfortunately, she was unable to say "gonkigenyo."
It was because she recognized the one who called and out struck her speechless. The reason why she had not immediately jumped up in panic is because she had dedicated herself to conduct herself the way a student at Lillian Girl's Academy should, and her restraint at this moment was show of progress towards this goal. At least, that is how she wished it would have been. Rather, her astonishment was so great that her action lagged far behind her racing mind, leaving her frozen in time. "Umm... you're speaking to me?" she somehow manages to asked incredulously.
"You are not mistaken. I am the one who spoke and you were the one whom I spoke."
"Not mistaken" Yumi thought desperately and felt like responding, of course there was a mistake, and then turning away. Having no idea why she would be called upon, her mind was in state of panic.
The girl showed her a thin smile and walked straight towards her, not knowing what sort of state she was in. Because she and the girl was in different grades and there had been no prior chances to see this girl's face from this close. This was even the first time she had heard the girl's voice this clearly.
The girl's waist length straight hair shined so brightly that it begged you to ask what shampoo brand she used. It was so well-kept that it was so hard to imagine that there was a single strand of ill-conditioned hair.
"Hold this" the girl said then held out her bag to Yumi. When Yumi, still puzzled, took the bag, the girl reached out behind Yumi's neck with both of her empty hands.
And not knowing what was happening; Yumi shut her eyes, lowered her chin and stiffened.
"Your tie, it was crooked"
"Eh?" Yumi asked stupidly and when she opened her eyes, that beautiful face was still in front of her. Apparently, the girl was fixing her tie.
"You should always be aware of your personal appearance. Maria sama is watching after all"
And with that, the girl took back her bag from Yumi and said "gonkigenyo" and walked ahead to the school building.
"That... that was..." standing there, left behind, blood slowly flowed back into Yumi's head, and she began registering what just happened. There was no doubt who that was.
Second year pine class, Ogasawara Sachiko. Incidentally, her name was seventh on attendance sheet. She was also known as Rosa Chinensis en bouton.
"That's..." Yumi was about to boil in embarrassment "that's not fair!" she thought and stood dumbfounded for a few moments "Maria sama, you're so mean!" she screamed in her head, as she looked at the statue with its maintained ever present chaste smile.
Remembering that day, Yumi almost wanted to laughs out loud but she suppressed herself and finish her speech with grace and received loud claps from everyone, she bowed her head and left the stage to go back to her seat.
After Yumi gets back to her seat, the teacher called the graduating class's representative to give the reply "third year pine class, Ogasawara Sachiko" the teacher said and the auditorium was filled with loud claps from everyone, as Sachiko walked towards the stage to deliver her speech.
Sachiko looks around the auditorium calmly and a satisfied smile was formed on her lips when her gaze settled down to her most important person, her petite soeur Fukuzawa Yumi. She then reads her speech with grace and confidence.
Ones Sachiko delivered the response to the farewell address; the entire graduating class stood up and started singing the school's hymn.
"It's over..." Yumi thought, as she listened to the song and walks out of the auditorium.
Tbc...