Rikka's Note:I posted this chapter this morning. I made a few deletions on it while editing, including the most important link to Shimako's scene in the previous chapter. A comment says there seemed to be a gap in-between, but, intentionally, it wasn't supposed to. Sorry for ruining the flow. Anyway, here we go:

"Sei-sama, thank you."

"For what?" the boyish, casually-dressed lady beside her asked. There was a playful smile on her face.

Shimako looked up to the sky as she said nothing. After all that thoughtless, impulsive running, she has finally settled on a bench by the gingko trees. Sei was beside her. Somehow, this gave her the sense of relief she wanted to feel... even for a little while. She was thankful that Sei had come at the right time. Very much thankful.

Sei was one to leave Shimako to choose, whatever the case was or how grave it may be. If she would be caught in a situation, she would let Shimako decide to help or otherwise. But as this much freedom seemed apparent, she would watch over her petite soeur. Shimako missed those days. Now that she has become Rosa Gigantea, she was to walk in her grande soeur's footsteps. It was her turn. She was confident enough to take on the responsibility as well as other things. But still...

"You've always liked the gingko," Sei said.

Shimako nodded. "I like seeing them…"

"I don't see why," Sei observed the trees about them.

Shimako smiled, sighing.

"Your sighing sounds like Eriko's," Sei remarked in jest.

"Eriko… sama?" Shimako said in a slightly perplexed tone.

"If I didn't know you that well," Sei teased. "…I would think you're in love."

In love? Her? No, that was not it at all. Was it? It would not show on her face, but this made Shimako feel uneasy. She could not say anything, but it was in her silence Sei could read her perfectly. She had to say something. "Why," Shimako uttered, almost fumbling. "Is Eriko-sama seeing someone else?" She thought Eriko was still seeing Yamanobe-sensei. A sudden change. Shimako knew Eriko as one who would stay firm and would be responsible for all her decisions… regardless. She was one to predict outcome after outcome more accurately than anyone else. But then, when it came to matters of the heart, she did poorly.

Shimako was not one to look into someone else's issues, but suddenly and strangely, this seemed to have roused her attention.

"She said she is," Sei answered, scratching her head. "Well, Youko told me." She slouched on the bench. "Ah, why do I have to worry about that? If Dekochin is in love again, it doesn't concern me."

Shimako giggled. "I never thought you would worry about Eriko-sama," she said.

Sei grumbled. "Such a bother she is," she complained, sighing. "But you're right. We've come a long way. I'd be lying if I said I didn't."

A short silence fell upon them before Sei began to speak again.

"I saw you running from the Rose Mansion," Sei said worriedly. "I followed you here."

Shimako stared at the ground and shook her head. She had made another person feel uneasy because of her actions. This added to her guilt.

"Then, why were you running?"

"I…" Shimako stopped. She wanted to tell Sei. Everything. But it seemed so difficult to tell her. It seemed easier to keep it. Sei was no longer her Onee-sama. Shimako thought Sei should not be doing such things to her anymore. The responsibility and guidance had long been over.

"I'll answer for you," Sei said. "It's because of Hitomi-chan, isn't it?"

Shimako sighed. Score. Bulls-eye. Right on the mark.

She did not want to run away. But she decided not to say anything to keep her feelings from pouring. She knew that in her silence, Sei was likely to say exactly what was inside her. And Sei was not wrong to say such. The sound of Hitomi's name seemed to shatter Shimako's heart no matter how much she controlled herself. Hitomi was not Akira, she repeated. Her eyes were clear enough to have seen the difference. But when she looked into Hitomi's eyes that day, the clear view of the memory suddenly flashed in her head. Her heart suddenly began to beat so fast that it prompted her to run away. Like instinct.

"If you ask me, she's a much better choice than Sachiko," Sei said, as if to jest. "Even if they look and act the same."

Shimako agreed. Sachiko and Hitomi were said to look and act similarly that if they revealed their secret relation to each other, it would not be surprising at all. But to Shimako, in the littlest of ways, Hitomi managed to set herself from Sachiko.

"I don't see why you should run away from her," Sei said.

"You wouldn't understand," Shimako said.

"Understand… what?"

Shimako breathed in, as if to contain herself. Sei wanted to hear her out even if she was likely to know before asking the people involved. It was no use keeping it from her. To finally speak of the matter was like current on the threshold of breaking through a dike. But if Shimako would not say anything… how much more damage would she inflict on herself and the people around her? To Hitomi?

"Hitomi-san reminded me of someone," Shimako said briefly. "Someone I met when I was younger."

"Your friend?"

Shimako reluctantly nodded. If Akira had been sure of friendship, she was sure it never was. They were children. It was likely that they would develop a bond and call it friendship. But as Shimako grew older, upon her gradual assessment of what came between them, though it seemed impossible, she realized her feelings toward Akira have been different since the beginning.

"Something happened."

Shimako did not answer and shifted on her side of the bench for Sei not to see her. Something happened. Yes. Akira left without saying goodbye to her. She should not be thinking about this anymore. The years have gone by already. But at the sound of Akira's known identity being mentioned about the school grounds and elsewhere and Hitomi's presence, it now seemed to her that those feelings have never left at all.

"I'm not good at this," Sei said in a rather hesitant tone. "But sometime soon, you and Hitomi-chan should talk." She placed her hand on Shimako's shoulder. "Meet her halfway. She's waiting for you."

Again, Shimako sighed. It seemed so easy for Sei to tell her.

"My responsibility to you isn't over," Sei said. She stood from the bench. She reached out her hand to Shimako.

Shimako lifted her head to Sei.

"Come on," Sei said, smiling.

Shimako smiled back and placed her hand in Sei's.