Change
The early morning sun was still rising in the sky. A lone person is seated in the upstairs room of the Rose Mansion. The smell of freshly prepared tea wafts around the room. The person surveys their surrounds, recalling several memories, causing a smile on their face. The door to the room creeks opens and a gasp is heard. They turn in their chair and stand, facing the newcomer.
"Gokigenyou...Sachiko."
"Yumi…" Sachiko closes the door and walks up to Yumi, pulling her into a tight hug. Yumi wraps her arms around Sachiko. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"
"I thought it would be a nice surprise for everyone." They stand there holding each other. "I've missed you. I haven't seen you in a while. I didn't want to worry you, but Obaa-sama increased the amount of work after the performance. She also added a vocal class for some reason."
"I missed you too Yumi. The few chances we were able to meet were very special, but I'm glad to have you here now." Sachiko pulls back slightly from the embrace, still holding Yumi in her arms. They stare into each other's eyes, smiling, happy to have each other again. Sachiko bends down and Yumi rises up, suddenly the door opens.
Rei and Yoshino walk in to see Yumi and Sachiko sitting at the table drinking tea. If you look closely, you can see Yumi's hand shaking slightly. Rei looks over at Sachiko and sees her eyebrow twitching slightly. Rei walks by her to sit down and whispers, "Did we interrupt something?" Sachiko's eyes widen for a second then she looks to her good friend who smiles at her knowingly.
"Yumi! You're back!" Yoshino runs up and hugs her friend tightly.
"It's good to see you too Yoshino", Yumi struggles to say though the tight hug. Yoshino lets go.
"Sorry. So, are you back for good?"
"Until it's our graduation."
"Yay! How's your Obaa-sama by the way?"
"She's fine. Someone else was able to come in and take care of her."
"That's good." The door opens again.
"Onee-sama?" Touko spots Yumi in the school uniform. Yumi smiles at her with tears in her eyes. She walks up to Touko and pulls her into a gentle, caring hug.
"I'm back, Touko. I'm back." Touko pulls out of the hug blushing and noticeable tears in her eyes, but holds back.
"Onee-sama is going to cause chaos in the school, when everyone finds out that Rosa Chinensis en bouton has returned. You should prepare yourself Onee-sama."
"I'm sure you and Onee-sama will protect me. You two have some pretty scary glares." Yumi turns to look at Sachiko and smiles. Yoshino and Rei laugh as Sachiko and Touko glare at Yumi. "See. There they are. Gives me chills." Yumi laughs as Sachiko and Touko huff and look away from her.
"What's so funny?" Noriko walks in to see an annoyed Touko and Sachiko then spots Yumi. "Yumi-sama! Gokigenyou", Noriko greets.
"Gokigenyou Noriko. Gokigenyou Shimako."
"Yumi-san. Welcome back. I thought it was louder than usual. You really do brighten a room Yumi-san", Shimako says, seeing a brightly smiling Yoshino and Rei. Yumi gives Shimako a dazzling smile in response.
"Would you guys like some tea?", Yumi offers, going over to fix everyone a cup.
"You don't have to serve everyone Onee-sama."
"It's okay Touko. I've been gone. I want to offer my services as repayment for my absence." Yumi goes about fixing a tray of tea, while everyone sits down around the table. Yumi refills her own cup and takes her place at the table, where everyone enjoys idle chatter.
"This tea is amazing Yumi-chan. Did you do something different?", Rei asks. The tea had this new, refined flavor.
Yumi looks down at her cup. "N-n-nope. Not really. I… umm…I made a lot of tea at Obaa-sama's house."
"She must have taught you a few things. This tea is great", Yoshino comments.
"Yeah…You could say that." Yumi goes back to sipping her tea. All those tea ceremony classes must've affected the taste. Sachiko and Touko watch Yumi closely. "Well, looks like it's almost time for class." Yumi begins to collect the cups.
"I got it Yumi-sama. You already made the tea. Let me at least clean up", Noriko says.
"Thank you Noriko-chan." Noriko and Touko collect the cups and wash them before everyone leaves the Rose Mansion.
"Alright. Everyone surround Yumi. Onee-sama and I will take the left and left flank. Sachiko-sama and Touko-chan will take the lead. Shimako and Noriko-chan will take up the rear", Yoshino instructs.
"This isn't war Yoshino", Rei sighs.
"It might as well be. You guys might not be taken this seriously, but you'll find out when we are late for class. The Chinensis family has plenty of fans", Yoshino argues.
"Let's just go with it Rei-sama", Yumi says. "It will make her feel better." Everyone sighs and takes up their positions.
Yoshino, Shimako, and Yumi collapse in their seat in the classroom.
"Told ya so." Yumi glares at Yoshino.
"I'm so tired. I don't know how many times I greeted people and said thank you for the 'welcome backs' I was getting."
"No worries Yumi. It should pass in a week", Yoshino tries to comfort her. Yumi groans and puts her head on her desk.
"I don't think that helped Yoshino-san", Shimako giggles.
Yumi thought the day was going well so far, besides the many people watching her. She understood what was going on class and now it was lunch.
"How'd you do it Yumi?", Yoshino asks in shock.
"Gokigenyou Rosa Chinensis en bouton. Welcome back." Some girls say as they walk by.
"Gokigenyou. What are talking about Yoshino?"
"Ughhh…What do you mean what am I talking about? In class, how did you answer every single question? You even did that super hard math problem." Yoshino flings are arms around in the air, making it seem like the biggest deal in the world.
"I did?"
"Yes Yumi-san. You must have been studying really hard, while taking care of your Obaa-sama." Shimako says. Yumi just stares straight ahead and nods. I'm acting different. Making the tea, the classroom, not that it's a bad thing, but I can't explain it to them. I was planning on waiting to tell them. Why am I waiting? I don't know. It seems like a good idea. Yumi continues thinking all the way to the Rose Mansion.
Yumi looks at her bento. Her chopsticks are held in her hands, but she makes no movement to pick up the food. Do I eat differently? Everyone here is so perceptive of everything. They would probably notice.
"Are you not hungry Onee-sama?" Touko breaks Yumi out of her thoughts.
"Oh. No, I am. I was just thinking." Yumi hesitantly begins eating.
"You seem to do a lot of thinking. Is that how you became so smart?" Yoshino brings up their conversation from before. "You're also wearing a little bit of make-up."
"You've changed some Yumi-san", Shimako adds.
Yumi doesn't make eye contact with anymore. "Really now?" She continues eating.
"Yes!", Yoshino exclaims. Rei calms Yoshino down.
"It seems like lunch is almost over. We should clean up", Sachiko says. Everyone closes up their bentos then Touko and Noriko pick up the tea cups. Yumi sighs and gets her things together. As they walk to the school building, Yumi lags behind. Touko looks back at her frowning Onee-sama then up to Sachiko. Sachiko nods and slows down her pace. "Are you alright Yumi?"
"Oh. Onee-sama. Yes….I'm…fine." Yumi just looks straight ahead.
"You don't seem fine", Sachiko says a little annoyed. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Sachiko reaches for Yumi's hand and intertwines their fingers. "We work together."
"I just need to think first." Sachiko undoes their hands.
"I understand." Sachiko's face goes cold.
"Sachiko…" Sachiko increases her pace. Yumi looks down and smacks her head with her palm repeated, whispering to herself, "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."
The girls split up to go to their respective classes. "We have dance class now, Yumi-san. Will you be okay?", Shimako asks.
"I think I can manage." Of course Yumi didn't only manage, but blew away everyone's expectations. Everyone stared at her in awe. I think I went too far. "Shall we head to our next class Yoshino, Shimako-san?" Yumi starts walking away. Okay next is chorus. There is no way I can mess that up.
"I'm sorry class, but it seems that our pianist is sick, so we will have to do without her today", the teacher says.
"I can take her place sensei." Everyone in class turns to Yumi.
"Are you sure Yumi-chan? It's a very difficult piece to play." Yumi nods and takes a seat at the piano. She begins playing, her fingers moving easily across the keys. Once the teacher shakes herself from the shock, she motions for the chorus to begin. "Thank you again Yumi-chan. You were a big help today."
"You have really changed during your absence. You're almost a whole other person, besides your personality."
"Really now…Well I better go sensei. If you need any more help, please don't hesitate to ask." Yumi leaves the classroom, frowning slightly. As she walks through the halls, she tries to block out the whispers.
"She's so different."
"Yumi-sama has really changed."
"She answered every single question in class. None of us got a chance to answer."
"Where did she learn to dance like that? I remember her having problems during Cinderella, but now she dances perfectly."
"Yumi-san is different."
"She isn't the same."
"Rosa Chinensis en bouton is different from before."
Noriko sees Yumi walking quickly down at path and calls to her. "Yumi-sama! Are you coming to the meeting?"
Yumi stops and turns around with a smile. "Yes. I just need to stop by the greenhouse and check on something. I'll be there momentarily." Yumi turns back around and starts walking again.
Yumi finally makes it to the greenhouse and sits on the usual bench. She puts her hands over her ears. "Make it stop. Make the whispers stop." Tears start flowing down her face. "I'm not different. I promised Yuuki I would stay me. I'm the same." Even though the greenhouse was silent, to Yumi, it felt as though people were shouting out her differences. Yumi stands and looks at her reflection in the greenhouse window. She touches her face. "I'm still me. Right?"
"Has anyone seen Yumi?", Sachiko asks. She was late and Sachiko was getting a little worried.
"I saw her earlier Sachiko-sama." Sachiko looks to Noriko. "She said she needed to stop by the greenhouse, but that was a while ago. She should've been here by now." Touko looks at Sachiko who is already standing from her chair.
"I will see if I can find her." Sachiko leaves the Rose Mansion and heads straight for the greenhouse. She enters the greenhouse quietly and calls Yumi. "Yumi…" She walks around the center to find Yumi standing and staring at her reflection. She walks behind Yumi and wraps her arms around Yumi's stomach. Yumi places her hand on top of Sachiko's and leans her head back. Sachiko places her head on Yumi's shoulders. They are cheek to cheek. Sachiko feels the wet tear stains on the Yumi's cheek.
"I'm still me, aren't I Sachiko? I haven't changed that much, have I?"
"All change isn't bad Yumi. People change. I've been changing ever since I met you. Just because you do things differently doesn't mean you're not still you. You had to change to come into my world, but you kept what makes me love you. Your heart. As long as you keep that, you're still the same to me." Yumi's hold on Sachiko tightens. Sachiko places a kiss on Yumi's cheek. "I love you for who you are and who you will become." Yumi turns herself around in Sachiko's arms and buries her head into her chest.
"I love you." Sachiko pets Yumi's hair. Yumi pulls back from Sachiko and places her hands on both of Sachiko's cheeks, pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss. Sachiko holds Yumi around the waist with one arm, pulling her close, while her other hand cradles Yumi's neck. They pull back, breathing heavily. "I've wanted to do that for the longest time", Yumi says in between pants. Yumi releases Sachiko's face and wraps her arms around her, resting her head on Sachiko's chest. "Everyone is probably wondering where we are."
"We can always say our dear Rosa Chinensis en bouton was surrounded by fans and her good hearted nature couldn't help her escape."
"Then a freezing glare from her knight in shining armor rescued the fair Rose. I'll think they'll buy it", Yumi laughs.
"Me too", Sachiko says, joining in on the laughter.