Chapter 36 - Living Without You
"No, no, no! Touko, you have to go all the way to the edge of the stage and then turn away from where Warbucks is and cry," Yumi said yet again as this was the third time they had gone over the closing scene to act two. "Alright, let's take a break for a bit," Yumi said seeing her Petite Sœur starting to pout. "Everyone please be back here in twenty minutes and we'll take act two from the top again." The brunette with pigtails crossed the stage to her little sister and laid a hand on each of her shoulders till the younger girl looked up into her eyes. "Touko you're doing a wonderful job. I know that you'll get this," she offered as encouragement. "I just expect…."
"I know! You expect me to be perfect!" Touko cut her off angrily turning her back towards her Onee-sama. "Everyone expects me to be perfect! I hate that word!" she nearly spit those last words out in frustration.
For a moment Yumi had a flash back to another time with another girl in a distant bedroom as the other girl was clutching a hair brush so hard that her knuckles had stood out white. It's a hard burden to live up to the expectation of others. Yumi stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Touko who at first stiffened abut then relaxed into the embrace of her Onee-sama. "I was going to say that I expect you to do your best. No more, no less." Yumi smiled a warm and loving smile and then kissed the side of the other girls head affectionately. "I've learned not to expect perfection in life so I don't ask for it from others. Maybe one day when I'm perfect I'll look for it," she added with a chuckle.
"I'm sorry Onee-sama," Touko replied with a sigh and relaxed back into the other girls embrace. "There is just a lot going on at the moment with the play, the fall festival and the…" she trailed off not wanting to finish what she was going to say.
"...the wedding," Yumi finished for her giving her a reassuring squeeze. "It's alright Touko, you can talk about it around me. I want to know about anything that might be upsetting you."
"Then it doesn't bother you that I'm the Maid of Honor?" Touko asked hesitantly.
"Why would it bother me?" Yumi asked in disbelief. "I'm glad that my Petite Sœur was asked to perform such an important role."
"But Onee-sama," Touko said suddenly turning around to facing the other girl, "It should be you being her Maid of Honor! You're her Petite Sœur after all!"
"No," Yumi said shaking her head. "Sachiko-sama made the right choice months back when she selected you. She knows I don't like being in front of crowds that much."
"Will you at least come to the wedding Onee-sama?" Touko asked in a hopeful voice.
"My family did receive an invitation, though I don't believe I will attend, Touko," Yumi replied with a small apologetic smile. "I'll miss seeing you in your dress as I'm certain you'll be beautiful!"
Touko pouted again for moment though it was clearly an act. "I'll bring pictures of it Onee-sama," she finally offered. "Though you'll also miss Sachiko-sama in her wedding dress. I'm sure she'll be radiant!"
"I imagine she will be," Yumi replied without a pain of regret at not seeing it herself. I have nothing to be jealous about she told herself. I'm done with that and I'm only going to look forward to the future.
"Onee-sama! " Touko said with an excited tone, "If you're not going to the wedding can you come to my house and help me get ready? You'd be able to see me in my dress then!"
Yumi couldn't help but smile at the younger girls' excitement. "If that is what you wish, I'll come and help you only because you're too cute!" Yumi said tapping the tip of her nose gently.
"Onee-sama! I'm not a little kid," Touko said defensively twitching her noise slightly.
"No," Yumi said reaching out and adjusting the younger girls' collar without realizing it. "You're growing into a fine young lady," she added as she retied the sailor scarf. "One that I am very proud to call my Petite Sœur," she finished brushing the younger girls cheek affectionately.
"Onee-sama is too kind as usual," Touko replied as her cheeks blushed slightly from the unexpected praise. She realized that her Onee-sama didn't realize that she was doing exactly the same thing that Sachiko-sama use to do to Yumi every time they met. Onee-sama misses her Onee-sama she thought to herself, even if she doesn't realize it. "I think I'll go stretch my legs for a minute before the break is over," she said.
"Here," Yumi said handing her some coins. "As a treat for all your hard work, why don't you go get us something to drink from the machines by Milk Hall. My treat," Yumi offered. "I'll have milk coffee please." Touko smiled and quickly left to get them something to drink. She really is blooming into a beautiful woman Yumi thought. She's going to make a wonderful Rose.
Touko walked from the auditorium and made her way towards the front office. Once there she went to the green and yellow phone there and dialed a number. "It's me." She said when the call was answered on the other end. "Operation 'Reunite Them' is a go!" she said. "No, she went for it and will be there to help me with my dress." She replied to a question on the other end. "Okay. I have to go. Bye." Touko hung up the phone with a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear. "I do so love playing the villain!"
Touko quickly made her way to Milk Hall and purchased two milk coffees. As she headed back she decided to take a shortcut around the gymnasium. As she was rushing along the path, though not running as that would be very unladylike, she heard the sweetest voice she had ever heard singing. It took only a moment to determine that the song being sung was one of the songs from Annie, the play they were putting on for the fall festival. Touko quietly crept up to the corner of the building and cautiously looked around the corner. What she saw made her eyes widen in disbelief. After a second she looked once more and stared mesmerized.
There was the source of the singing, long black hair twirling in the breeze as the girl turned and spun through the steps of the performance as she sung the words to the song. She's beautiful Touko thought to herself as her cheeks suddenly blushed; a beautiful shade of pink. She can sing! As quietly as possible the girl with the banana curls made her way around the gymnasium in the other direction and hurried back to the auditorium. Try as she might she couldn't remove the image of what she had seen. Perhaps more frustrating to her was the warm feeling in her chest it gave her and the fact that she felt her pulse race whenever the image of Kaniko dancing and singing filled her mind. She is beautiful!
Touko hurried back to the gymnasium and arrived before the other girl did and just as the rest of the students who were taking part in the play were arriving back. She quickly crossed to her Onee-sama and handed her the milk coffee, receiving a smile in reply as the older girl was speaking with one of the students helping with the stage props. Once the older girl was done and had drunk some of her milk coffee she approached her. "Thank you Onee-sama for the drink. I think we're ready to run through act two again."
"Very well then," Yumi replied with a smile at the eagerness of her Petite Sœur. "Everyone," Yumi called out while clapping her hands to get their attention. "Everyone please take your places. We're going to start from the top where Annie is called to see Mr. Warbucks." The practice progressed smoothly with everyone hitting their marks. As Touko moved to the edge of the stage as she was directed to do she suddenly lost her footing and fell off the stage landing with a cry of pain. "Touko!" Yumi yelled running over and slipping down carefully from the stage to the younger girl.
Touko tried to get up but winched in pain as she put her weight on her left foot. "I'm sorry Onee-sama," she said through the pain. "I'll be more careful next time," she offered.
"Touko, you should be more careful," Yumi said with a concerned look on her face as she noticed the other girl favoring her injured foot. "For now let's get you to the infirmary room and have the nurse take a look at that foot of yours."
"Onee-sama," Touko countered with. "I think I'll be alright if I just rest here a moment. Why don't you continue on with the practice?"
"That will be hard to do without Annie being there," Yumi said.
Touko smiled as she hopped to the nearest seat in the front row before the stage. "Kaniko-san can do my lines as well as the songs as she's been helping me with them and should have them all memorized." Hearing a gasp from the back of those gathered Touko realized that the girl in question was here and heard her. "There she is now!" Touko said pointing towards the tall girl.
Yumi turned and looked at Kaniko with a warm smile, "Is it true that you have all the lines memorized Kaniko-chan?" she asked. The tall girl with long black hair nodded weakly. "And the songs?"
"Yumi-sama, I…I.." the tall girl stuttered slightly, "I don't sing that well." She finally finished with.
"Well it will have to do for now," Yumi said motioning for everyone to clear out and get back to their places. "Let's run through it one more time from the beginning. Kaniko, please start from here and the opening number, Tomorrow." Yumi smiled warmly at the nervous girl and walked over and gave her a hug. "I know you'll do your best Kaniko-chan so you have nothing to worry about."
Kaniko took the position Yumi told her to looking nervously about her till her eyes fell on Touko sitting in the front row of seats. The girl with the banana curls smiled at her and tossed up a 'V' sign to her. Kaniko couldn't help but smile back and blush slightly at the unexpected support. She was still smiling and not really thinking about what she was doing when the music started. Without thinking and on cue, she opened her mouth and sung, "The sun will come out tomorrow.."
When she finished the song there was a stunned silence from everyone present except from Touko who stood up and applauded loudly as she walked, without a limp, up onto the stage and hugged Kaniko tightly! "You are amazing!" Touko said with a large smile on her face.
Kaniko blushed deeply as those around her started to applaud as well. It was only then that she noticed Touko was standing there perfectly fine. "Hurt ankle?" she asked raising one brow skeptically. "So you can take the lead spot back," she added.
"I don't think so," Yumi said walking up with a warm smile on her face. "I've talked it over with the others and we want you to take the lead role Kaniko-chan."
"But..it's Touko-san's role," she stammered.
"Oh no," Touko said raising her hands as if in defense of the accusation. "I know when I've been beaten and with that voice of yours, you were made for this role Kaniko!"
Kaniko blushed scarlet realizing that the other girl had dropped the honorific from her name. "If you're sure T…Touko," she replied shyly looking down at the ground.
Touko grabbed her classmates hand and started to lead her off the stage. "Onee-sama, I'll work with her on her lines as I saw there were a few things that need correcting," she called over her shoulder as she led the blushing girl away.
"Well…"Yumi said with a grin as the two girls went off stage to practice. I wonder what's really going on there? "Alright, everyone else lets run through scene three from the top." She called.
Touko held firmly to the hand in hers pulling the taller girl with her as she walked out of the gymnasium. "You shouldn't have kept it from me, Kaniko," she said to the girl behind her. "I'm very cross with you right now."
Kaniko stared down at their hands clasped together with a shy smile on her face. She's holding my hand? "I'm sorry Touko," she replied not taking her eyes from their joined hands. "I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
Touko stopped in her tracks and hung her head down. "Baka!" she said quietly but loud enough for the other girl to hear. "You have real talent," she said in a controlled tone of voice. "How can you not know that?" she asked
Kaniko shrugged slightly increasing her grip on the shorter girls' hand not wanting to let it go. "I've never really thought about it," she admitted. "I use to sing all the time but had stopped till recently. I didn't really think I had a reason to sing anymore."
Touko turned to face her and looked up to the taller girls face till she held her eyes with her own. "I know the incident with your father and your friend was taxing," she said for lack of a better term, "and having that reconciled is most certainly reason to sing. Promise me Kaniko, promise me that you'll never stop singing again!" she demanded intently.
"Touko…" Kaniko started to reply, surprised by the intensity of the other girl.
"Just promise me Kaniko that you'll always sing! I want to hear that marvelous voice of yours every chance I get." Touko exclaimed. "You have a gift! Maria-sama knows you should be sharing it with me…I mean with everyone!"
"D...do you really think I sing good?" Kaniko asked hesitantly having heard the other girls slip. Touko nodded once slightly. "I...I don't know if I can do this Touko," the taller girl admitted looking down at the ground. "I'm scared."
Touko stepped in close and took the other girls hand in hers so that she was holding both. "You're not alone in this Kaniko," she assured her. "I'll be right there beside you every step of the way, holding your hand," she promised sincerely.
Kaniko smiled upon hearing her words and squeezed the hands held firmly in hers. "If you'll be there with me then I think I can do it, just promise me that you…" she hesitated for a moment, "…won't let me quit."
"I promise," Touko said with all her heart. "We'll see this through together!"
Below in the clearing the bonfire burned brightly as the students danced around the flickering flames. Kaniko smiled as the play was over finally, after two curtain calls. On the ground next to her was the manuscript from the play which she intended to keep. The weeks of practiced had passed quickly but with Touko's help every day after school she had been able to perform as well as she could for the play.
"There you are," said a voice which the sitting girl knew to belong to the girl with matching banana curls. As she turned to look at the girl she saw that she wasn't alone and she quickly jumped to her feet.
"Gokigenyou, Yumi-sama and Touko," she hurriedly said with a slight bow to the upperclassman.
"See, I told you she'd be off by herself, Onee-sama" Touko said with a smile.
"So you did Touko," Yumi agreed with a smile. "Kaniko, I wanted to thank you for all your help. The play was a huge success and it is mostly due to your efforts."
"You are far too kind Yumi-sama," the taller girl said blushing. "If it wasn't for Touko's help I would never have been able to do it."
"I tell her that all the time but she never listens to me," Touko said with a grin at her Onee-sama.
"Is that so?" Yumi said with a grin as she pulled her Petite Sœur in close on one side and reached out with her free hand and pull Kaniko into an embrace as well on the other side. "Then Arigato to you both," she said giving each startled girl an affectionate kiss on the cheek, which caused them both to blush. "I believe my fellow Roses are waiting for me so we can make an appearance." She took a hand of each girl in hers and gave them both a gentle squeeze before placing their hands together so they were holding each other's hand. "If you'll excuse me," she finished with a knowing smile and swept away before either could say anything.
"Is she always like that," Kaniko asked in stunned awe at how easily the older girl had swept in and back out so gracefully. Without realizing it she stepped closer to the girl whose hand she still held tightly in hers.
"Sometimes she's even worse," Touko replied with a look of admiration on her face as she watched her Onee-sama twirl away so gracefully. Standing there she leaned her head against the shoulder next to her. "She really is amazing."
-oOo-
This was her favorite time of the night. The house was empty and silent around as she made her way through it and to the living room. Once there she sat herself before the piano there and lifted the key cover, slipping it out of the way. Slim delicate fingers drifted to the exposed ivory and the clear notes of the piano sang out a slow and sorrowful melody. To anyone listening who might know the tune it was called 'Living Without You' and was by the Western composer George Winston.
I can see why she likes George Winston, Sachiko thought to herself as she continued to play. She had made it a goal to learn every piece by the composer that Yumi had come to like. A goal she had succeeded in as she hated to lose at anything. Even upon thinking this she knew that she had lost at one thing, she had lost Yumi. Tomorrow was the day of the wedding and by this time the next day she would be wed and her fate would be forever sealed.
As the beautiful notes played into the darkness around her she found that she wasn't nervous as most brides were on the night before their wedding. Just the opposite, she was calm and relaxed having come to her decision months previously. There is no reason to be nervous now as it is far too late to turn back upon the road before her.
She knew that tonight had been the night of the fall festival play. She had heard from Touko that the Yamayurikai was doing a version of the musical Annie. While she would have liked to have gone she had resisted the temptation to see Yumi one last time before the wedding. Maria-sama please watch over Yumi she silently prayed as the piano played far into the night.
-oOo-
Yumi removed her hands from the keys in frustration. She had tried to play three different songs and on each occasion she had found herself playing a piece by the Western composure George Winston called 'Living Without You' and didn't know why. The night was already late and she knew she had to be up early as she had promised to be at Touko's house to help her get dressed. Maybe if I just play the entire song through it will let go of me, she thought to herself.
Young delicate fingers descended onto the keys playing the song. As the sweet heartfelt notes rang out she smiled to herself thinking how beautiful the song was. I'll go and help her get ready, she thought to herself as her fingers danced across the keys. Yumi was sure that her Petite Sœur would be nothing short of stunning! She is a beautiful young lady she thought with a touch of pride.
So tomorrow is the day. I hope Sachiko-sama will be happy. The melody rolled on as she thought about the girl she had loved and their time together. Where she might have once felt jealousy that another would be with her former Onee-sama; now there was just a trace of regret for what might have been, once long ago.
As the song rolled on she realized that in her heart there was a place that Sachiko-sama would always hold. A place where the memories of the eighteen months they shared would remain a part of her forever. She even realized that everything they had shared couldn't possibly be a lie. No one was that good of an actress, not even Touko could pull that off she reasoned. Love is out there for me, she thought silently to herself and I'll find it one day. Yumi smiled at that thought as the final note hung in the air and slowly faded away. Closing the keyboard cover she stood and turning out the light she went to bed and for once did not dream of the raven haired girl in the greenhouse.
In the morning Yumi bathed and dressed then went and had breakfast with her family as usual. As it was Sunday there was no school however after breakfast she walked to the bus station and took the bus ride to the train station and from there caught the train to the proper stop and then took another bus to arrive at the house of Touko. Yumi knocked on the door and was greeted by a servant who once she had identified herself directed her to a room on the second floor of the large house.
As Yumi entered the room she saw a beautiful dress the color of violets with a white sash hanging on a dress stand. "Touko," she called as she entered the room and slowly made her way to the dress admiring its beautiful color and design. Upon hearing the door behind her close and the lock being thrown she turned around and her eyes grew large before narrowing in anger. "What are 'YOU' doing here!" she demanded.
Author's Note:
Well, things are progressing nicely though a bit quicker than I had originally hoped. Truthfully I'm just real really tired and so I think I'm rushing things a bit. I would have liked to drag this out for a few more chapters but it looks like I may wrap it up by chapter 40 or so. Tomorrow is the Viewing and Friday is the mass and dinner so I'm not certain when the next update will be.
For those wondering, yes you can expect another story to deal with Kaniko and Touko though I wouldn't expect anything till this story is over. I'll probably backtrack and start at the beginning with them as I think they have an interesting dynamics in their relationship. I also may have an update for "My Angel" soon as well though I am still debating on putting it here as part of this arch or as part of that one. Time will tell I guess and in the end you'll have to sit through a couple more storied from me I guess.
As always, though certainly not required, I do appreciate any and all reviews, comments and Private Messages.
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.