A/N: My school works for this semester is finally over today ;) I have at least a month before going back to school. Ah, I'm so looking forward to this break. Of course 5 days a week I still have to be at the office, but Saturdays and Sundays… :)

Anyway, thanks to you folks who reviewed the previous chapter ;) It's good to hear from you. It's quite a long time that I've been absent in MSGM. Without much ado, I'm giving you the second part of Simple to Complex ;)

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Chapter 2. Impression: Innocent

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It was probably what drew her to the brown-haired girl.

Yes.

That was it.

The innocence that she radiated was what pulled her to Fukuzawa Yumi.

Although from other people's view, the first thing that really brought her and Yumi together was her need to escape the fate laid down by her cunning Onee-sama, Rosa Chinensis Mizuno Youko, and the other roses, Rosa Gigantea Satou Sei and Rosa Foetida Torii Eriko. The need to flee from the role as Cinderella, or more precisely, of the role of someone who would be paired with the person she hated, for the play on the Cultural Festival that year was what really prompted her to act the way she did, declaring Yumi as her petite soeur when she barely knew her, when she couldn't even remember the time that she had met her earlier that day.

No doubt, her selfishness had hurt Yumi's feelings that day.

Yes.

At first, she, Ogasawara Sachiko, wanted to use Yumi as a means to escape. Had Yumi accepted it, she would have stuck as her Onee-sama, and would have done everything that she needed to do to take care of Yumi, grooming her into a perfect rose. Unfortunately, or fortunately, Yumi declined. Probably it was fate. Whatever the reason was, Yumi's rejection only made her want to make Yumi her petite soeur, her pride unable to accept that she had been rejected. Again.

The wager set by Rosa Gigantea only added to the challenge.

Despite what other people thought, Yumi was stronger than she let on.

Yumi won the bet, the act of her offering to take her rosary before the play when she cried didn't count. At that time, she had already decided. She would make Yumi her soeur not because of the bet but because she wanted to, that both of them wanted to.

Indeed, after the play, Yumi became her petite soeur.

When Sachiko thought about it, about how she pursued Yumi to be her petite soeur, she asked herself why.

Why?

Why did she choose Yumi?

Was it really because of the need to run away from the role?

Or was it something more?

Sachiko thought about it. Sometimes at day when she looked at Yumi. Sometimes at night when she ponders about the day's events.

Always, Yumi was part of her thoughts.

It was a question that played on Sachiko's mind for days, maybe weeks.

And then it hit her.

It was Yumi's innocence.

Some people might call it stupidity, ignorance, naivety on Yumi's part, but for her, it wasn't so.

She found Yumi's innocent nature refreshing. Something she wasn't exposed to. Or maybe she did once, when she was young, when she didn't understand yet the burden of being an Ogasawara, of being the daughter of one of the wealthiest family in Japan.

Somehow, Yumi's innocent view of things, of her ability to care for everyone, of her belief in everyone's goodness, brought her relief from taxing duties at her family, made her feel needed and cared, not that her family didn't care for her. She knew they do. But from Yumi, it was different. With Yumi, she felt freer, free of the restriction from her strict upbringing. Yumi brought out the side of her that had been shoved aside trained to be kept hidden, her ability to show what she felt.

Yumi made her smile, made her happy, and she brought out protectiveness from her, something that she wasn't used to.

Her Onee-sama was right. Though she wouldn't admit it to Youko, she knew that the latter understood, and was glad for it. She wasn't so close to herself anymore. Now, she let people in her heart, just like Yumi and Youko, Rei, Yoshino, Shimako and Eriko, and Sei, though she would never admit it to the latter even if Sei choked it out of her.

Sachiko stopped writing to take a bit of rest. She had been working for hours already, and her fingers felt heavy, her neck felt stiff.

She glanced around the room. Everyone had been working hard for hours now. Rei, Shimako, Yumi, Yoshino.

The Roses weren't here at the Rose Mansion, busy of other matters since they would graduate soon. She doubted that it would be this quiet if Rosa Gigantea was here. Somehow, Sei always found ways to break the monotonous silence, either by bantering with her Onee-sama, or with Eriko, or worse with Yoshino who easily rose to Sei-sama's baits, or worst, irritating her or toying with Yumi, which also irritated her sometimes.

Yumi.

Sachiko's gaze returned to her petite soeur. Her face remained passive when Yumi raised her head and their eyes met, while the latter blushed before looking back at her notes.

She was probably staring at her petite sister for a while, because when the latter moved again and their eyes met, Yumi once again blushed before turning away. It was still a wonder to her how Yumi easily turned red, and how her emotions played on her face, so opposite of her always stoic and cold face.

She found Yumi's frequent blushing endearing.

They say third time was the charm.

When this time, it was Sachiko who looked up and met Yumi's gaze, she tried hard not to smile, and instead settled to a frown, acting her usual self.

"Is something the matter, Yumi?"

Yumi shook her head, brown hair in pigtails swaying at her side and eyes wide in mortification at being caught staring.

"N-nothing, Onee-sama."

She gazed at her petite soeur for some time, making the latter uncomfortable, before nodding and turning her attention back to her notes. She didn't believe Yumi, but didn't pursue the topic, not wanting to embarrass the latter some more. Sometimes, she couldn't understand why Yumi acted as if she was walking in a thin line whenever she was around. She wanted Yumi to be comfortable with her, not scared of her.

Maybe Yumi needed more time to be truly at eased with her. Besides, she had been progressing on that aspect. Yumi, though usually shy and easily embarrassed, was now speaking for herself, voicing her opinions on matters, be it about the Yamayurikai activities or about the members, or the students. She was glad for the improvement.

She may disagree on some of Yumi's innocent view of things, but nevertheless she liked her for it. She truly didn't want Yumi's innocent nature to fade, to become like her. Although she wanted Yumi to improve on some aspect, to act as a lady, she didn't want to change her completely. Yumi wouldn't be Yumi if she would start being like her – cold and aloof.

Lifting her gaze, Sachiko watched as Yumi discussed about school work with Yoshino, smiling that innocent smile of hers. It warmed her heart. She wanted to protect that smile. She wanted to protect Yumi.

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A/N: There you have it folks, from Sachiko's part. Next time, we'll be back with Yumi's. This is a slow pace story, but I hope you'll still be with me ;)

Until next time, folks! Take care always ;)

-Arvendell-

20 April 2011

6:00 PM