Chapter 7 - Dear Brother

Why? Why am I awake? A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand showed that there were still another few hours before the alarm would sound off. Yumi finally sat up in bed with a frustrated sigh. The young brunette had already tossed and turned for a good while yet returning to slumber still eluded her despite her best efforts.

Today of all days this would happen! Yumi soon came to the realization that maybe that was exactly why she couldn't return to sleep. Today was Friday. She was all set to spend the weekend with her Onee-sama. Now all she had to do was manage to get through the school day without her nerves getting the better of her.

Lying back down in her bed, she pulled the covers around her once more. It's not like I've never gone to school early before, though two hours may be a little much she thought. If I get up now I'll just wake Yuuki up.

Yumi recalled that her Onee-sama wouldn't be in school today as there was something the older girl needed to attend to. During this time of the year third year students were off taking university entrance exams as well as gathering required documentation and the like, so they were allowed to miss school. Sachiko hadn't told her just what required her absence and that had piqued Yumi's curiosity as it would have with any teenage girl.

As if the young girl was not nervous enough, the added distraction of worrying about what had caused her Onee-sama's absence just served to wear upon her all the more. Yumi grinned in the darkness suddenly recalling last night, blaming her nervousness for the state her brother had found her in.

"Yumi, can I borrow your English dict…" Yuuki's words trailed off as he entered his sister's room and saw clothes tossed all over the bed and floor. The room looked as if a small tornado had come through, dropping articles of clothing in no particular order onto any and all surfaces.

Yumi, who was still dressed in her school uniform, was standing in front of her closet with her back to him waved in the general direction of her desk. "It's over there I think." Suddenly realizing that her brother was in the room she turned to face him while holding a violet colored short sleeve shirt up in front of her. "Does this look cute?" she asked in an intense tone of voice.

Yuuki chuckled leaning back against the door frame, "This is your weekend with Sachiko-sama, right?" he responded to which she nodded and turned back towards the closet. "Well I hope you both have a wonderful time."

Yumi suddenly dropped down to the floor in a heap, completely dejected. "I'm hopeless! I can't even pick out my own clothes." This ploy had worked several times in the past with Yuuki, who had a wonderful fashion sense. Especially for a boy. Yumi often used this trick whenever she really wanted to get her way or have her younger sibling help her with something. Though it might be a well-used tactic, it remained effective against her brother and father.

Yuuki eased himself off the door frame which he had been leaning against and made his way over to his sister, careful to avoid stepping on any clothes in the process. He reached down and lifted his sister to her feet once again, fully understanding just what was happening. "I'll help you, otherwise you'll be up all night and the light will keep me awake." With a little squeal Yumi spun around and gave him a quick hug. "Alright then, how many days and nights are we packing for?"

"Well, there is Friday evening after school, all day Saturday and Sunday, though I'm uncertain as to what time I'll be back Sunday." She replied counting each day off on her fingers till there were three of them held out for him to see.

"Right then," he began, "So three days and two nights." Looking around he quickly selected a pair of jeans he knew that his sister liked to wear around the house. "Take these and," he quickly glanced around and soon spotted the salmon pink turtleneck sweater he was looking for on the bed under some other shirts. Moving to the bed, he quickly fished it out as it was one of his sisters' favorites. "This will be for Friday after school as it will be later in the evening by the time you get to Sachiko-sama's house, so it's doubtful that you'll go anywhere so you might as well be comfortable," he reasoned to her in way of explanation for his choices. "Did she say you'd be going anywhere special?"

Yumi quickly relayed the short discussion from earlier that day as well as the cryptic reply. Yuuki thought for a second, replaying what Yumi said in his mind and thinking about it for a moment. "She could have meant that you would be doing something special but you didn't need to pack anything for it."

"Eh! What's that supposed to mean?" Yumi asked in a confused tone of voice.

Yuuki shrugged, "I guess just what it says. Sachiko-sama must have something planned and will take care of the details so you needn't worry about it."

Onee-sama, just what do you have planned? "I guess you're right and I'll just have to wait and see," she replied in a resigned, yet accepting tone of voice. "I guess it's her turn to surprise me." She said thinking aloud.

"Her turn?" Yuuki asked distractedly as he lifted various shirts and looked at them before hanging them back in the closet. "Did you surprise her or something?"

Yumi nodded even though he wasn't looking at her. "I took your advice and used a special memory I had of her and made it into a surprise for her. Thank you for that Yuuki, I am in your debt!"

"I told you that?" he asked looking over his shoulder at her with several expressions warring for dominance on his face, mildly surprised finally winning out in the end. "Seeing you happy is payment enough for me" he told her, returning once more to the task of selecting her clothes for the weekend. "I'm glad I was able to help in some way."

Is that what I look like? No, Sei-sama said that mine was even worse than his she remembered sadly. "Yes, though I think it was last year."

"Oh," Yuuki said, only half paying attention as he tried to decide between two outfits only to hang them both back in the closet. "No wonder I don't recall it. So what did you do for her?" Yuuki selected an ankle length dark blue denim skirt which laced up in the front and a long sleeved white button down blouse embroidered with roses with a lace trimmed collar and cuffs. It was simple in design, but he knew it showed off his sister's slender body or so he had overheard a few of his friends mention one time. While setting this aside with the other outfit, he listened to Yumi explain about her piano presentation to Sachiko-sama. "You and Sachiko-sama are very close it sounds like," he stated more than asked.

"Of course we are! She is my Onee-sama after all!" Yumi replied as if that explanation said it all.

Yuuki selected a white button up sweater to be added to the demi outfit just in case it got cold. Lastly, he pulled a cream colored pull over sweater from the closet and set it next to the jeans to be used for the return trip Sunday as it was still cool outside these days. "There, that should be alright for the weekend; just don't forget to pack your black flats for the denim outfit."

Yumi regarded the outfit choices and smiled to her brother in appreciation. "Thanks! I don't know what I would do without you Yuuki!" The older sibling moved over to the bed and started picking up the other garments there and put them back into the closet as Yuuki moved to the door to return to his own room.

"Yumi," he said turning towards his sister, "I am very happy that you have found someone who means as much to you as Sachiko-sama apparently does." He paused as if looking for the right words to say something he wasn't sure he wanted to. "It seems that your school life revolves a great deal around Sachiko-sama. I've noticed a big change in you over this past year." He scratched the back of his head looking down at the floor a bit embarrassed, "It seems you've grown up and left me behind."

"Yuuki?" Yumi said at the sudden turn of the conversation from her brother. Not you too Yuuki, she thought recalling her previous conversation with Yoshino at school. As siblings they were close but it wasn't often that they talked as such as there usually wasn't a need to with the bond they shared.

"I guess I need to catch up to you." He continued with a lopsided grin and a slight shrug. "It's alright though, I think older sisters are supposed to grow up first," he added with a real smile. "Still, I worry about you." Taking a deep breath he grasped his courage and marched on with what he intended to say. "Do you think maybe that your world is too dependent upon Sachiko-sama and not enough on others or yourself?" Inwardly he cringed, waiting for the explosive reply but when it didn't immediately appear he glanced at his sister and saw her deep in thought considering his words.

Too dependent on Onee-sama? If anyone else had said this she probably would have instantly denied it. If Yuuki had said this even a few months ago she would have denied it as well but a lot had happened between Christmas and now. After the events with Touko I'm not the same little girl I was before, I think. "I see," she opened with in a thoughtful tone of voice. "I understand how it may look that way," she continued looking at Yuuki with a slight smile on her face. "A year ago you would most certainly have been correct but a lot has changed since then and I'm not the little confused girl I use to be." She struggled with how to say what she was feeling.

"While my Onee-sama is a large part of my life I have many others who are also a part and contribute to make up the whole of school life. Now that Touko-chan and I are sisters she is there for me and I am there for her. I've become extremely close to all the other Yamayurikai members as well and they all hold a special place in my heart."

Yumi suddenly recalled a conversation she had with Yoshino and Noriko at the beginning of the year. "There are many rooms in my heart. There are rooms for friends, rooms for family and a room for Touko, one for Onee-sama and even one for you. Right now all the rooms in my heart are full, but that doesn't mean I can't make new rooms when there is a need for them," she finished with a smile. I have a lot to be thankful for, including having a brother that cares for me, she silently thought to herself.

"Yumi, I am truly happy that your life is so full with friends who care about you," Yuuki told her with sincerity. "I can tell that all your friends, and especially Sachiko-sama, have been an important influence on your life, but I get the feeling that Sachiko-sama is different than the others. Do…do you love Sachiko-sama?" he finally managed to ask her, a bit embarrassed by the directness of his questioning.

"Yes! With all my heart!" was Yumi's confident reply.

"..an…and she feels the same way for you?" Yuuki asked hesitantly of his sister. Yumi nodded, not certain where this line of questioning was going. "Well, in that case I am happy for you both and no matter what happens I will always support you. I just want you to be happy. After all, I am your brother and I love you Yumi."

"Yuuki?" What does one say to something like that? My dear Brother! Sometimes words just aren't enough so instead she stepped forward and embraced him in a hug for a long moment and then stepped back before returning to putting her clothes away. Sometimes words aren't needed, she thought to herself. It was only after he left that she realized that he hadn't taken the dictionary after all.

With a resigned sigh Yumi sat up in bed again, her thoughts returning to the present as she looked at the clock once more. Still an hour to go before the alarm goes off. If I go back to sleep now, I may over sleep and miss the bus. Seeing no alternative she slipped from her bed and turned the heater on in her room before starting her morning routine of getting ready for school. By the time she had cleaned up, dressed and came down the stairs her mom was already in the kitchen and had tea and toast ready for her.

"Good morning Yumi-chan," her mom smiled at her affectionately. "My but you're up early today," Miki finished with, setting a plate of toast in front of Yumi and a cup of milk tea. Yumi grunted around a bite of toast in way of agreement. "Don't forget to call and check on your brother this weekend."

"Eh?" Yumi questioned while chewing. As soon as she made the sound she remembered that her parents were leaving today to visit her grandmother in Yamanashi and wouldn't be back till some time Sunday evening.

"My you've already forgotten?" her mother chided her gently. "It seems all you can think about these days is your Onee-sama. I'm beginning to worry that you'll forget about the rest of us completely!" she added with a playful pout on her face.

Yumi nodded her head to refute her mother's comment. "No, I didn't forget and I'll be sure to call him as I promised," she assured her. Quickly finishing her meal she stood and put her coat on. "Well I'm off," she called over her shoulder as she grabbed her school bag and headed out the door. Once outside she took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and walked towards the bus stop that would take her to the train station. Why do I feel as if I am setting out on an undertaking? Stepping out on a path that will lead me to..? She pondered that all the way to school with no satisfactory answer coming to mind.


Author's Note:

I think the Muse wanted to wait till Friday to actually 'write' about Friday...if that makes sense? I'm hoping (Muse willing) that this weekend will bring with it some longer posts. In this piece I wanted to explore the relationship between brother and sister as we tend to focus more on the sœur (sister to sister) relationships. While Yumi and Yuuki are technically 9-10 months apart in age (assuming he wasn't premature at birth which could shorten that to as little as 6 months) they do apparently share an almost "Twin-Like" bond with each other. Due to this I believe that Yuuki can sense the growing feelings Yumi has for Sachiko even though Yumi may still be unaware of it. I think the weekend will prove to be...entertaining to say the least.

As always, though certainly not required, I do appreciate any and all reviews. If you have a question or comment or need clarification I do try and reply via Private Message so don't forget to look there.

Update: A special thanks to notyouradvisor for their editing work on this chapter!

Kind Regards,

EJ Daniels

All characters within this story, unless otherwise stated are the sole property of Oyuki Konno the original writer of the Maria-sama ga Miteru light novel series.

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