ACT 24

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Because of what happened the other day, she had hardly gotten any rest. Maria wished she had the strength to stand now rather than lay around in bed. She wished she could go out and do things her way. But for now, she could only hope and believe that everything will turn out fine.

There was a loud knock on the door. Maria didn't need to guess who it was. "Come in, Sakura."

The raven-haired girl slowly opened the door. Sakura greeted her and blushed awkwardly. "I'm sorry for the disturbance," she said as she sat down on a chair at Maria's right side.

Maria gave a little smile to make the young woman feel more comfortable. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I..." Sakura hesitated. Her eyes were constantly shifting this way and that, refusing to settle on anything. Random thoughts kept clamoring for her attention. She didn't even know how to begin. "Maria-san... I..." Sakura looked at her once then looked away. 'Oh, damn, this is harder than I thought it would be,' she thought frantically.

Maria blinked. Clasping the bedsheet, the Russian gulped. 'Does she know?'

Sakura's breathing became faster. Her heart thumped louder, making her choke.

"Is it about the play?" Maria started, thinking that had to be it.

Sakura shook her head.

"Sumire?"

She gave her the same reply.

"Me?"

Sakura looked at her in the eye and smiled shyly, reminding Maria of Iris whenever the little girl talked to Ohgami. The Russian felt her jaw open like a child.

"No, it's not you, Maria-san."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Are you afraid of something?" Maria moved her head closer to Sakura's face.

"Huh?" Sakura said in a surprised manner. "No."

The Russian slowly leaned back on her pillows. Maria was not used to pressing questions but she also didn't like guessing games.

"It's about—" Sakura was cut off by a loud knock on the door. Much to their surprise, it was Sumire. But before she entered, Yuri came first. The secretarial girl grabbed Sakura's arm hastily, almost dragging her. The raven-haired girl was taken aback. "Eh---?"

"Hi, Maria-san," was Yuri's quick greeting as she tried to pull Sakura out. "Sakura-san, there is something we want to show you."

Maria blinked several times.

"Ah, Yuri-san. How did you know I was h-" Sakura caught sight of Sumire smiling from a distance.

'I should have known,' Sakura thought with a sigh.

"You have another gift from your secret admirer," Yuri said in excitement, her eyes twinkling like the stars.

Sumire laughed. Behind her, however, was Kanna, peeking.

Now everyone in the room was watching her. . . waiting for her reaction. Her face was blank. 'And here I am trying hard to tell Maria-san about this…'

She resisted a bit on Yuri's grasp. The girl in pink kimono managed to throw a glance to the Russian, trying to see her reaction upon finding out about Sakura's new admirer.

Maria was now holding the book she had put down earlier. The Russian was now engrossed in the novel, which seemed to be her favorite. Her face looked relieved rather than bothered. "Go on, Sakura," she said without even looking up to see them leave.

The atmosphere turned cold around the raven-haired girl. Sakura's eyes dimmed black and she robotically followed Yuri out of the room.

Sumire's eyebrows twitched in disbelief as she witnessed it. "What's wrong with you?" The self-proclaimed top star almost lost her poise still standing at the door. Kanna stayed to hear what Sumire had to say.

"Hm?" Maria tilted up her head from the book she was reading.

"Don't you have anything to say other than that?"

In a flat tone, Maria said, "Like what?"

Sumire crossed her arms and shrugged. "You're giving Sakura-san a hard time, you know."

"I am?" Maria said, throwing a questioning look at the brown-haired woman. 'And I thought she was the one giving me the hard time,' the blond thought.

"Ne, Maria, haven't you heard about Sakura's secret admirer?" Kanna suddenly chimed in from behind Sumire.

"Secret admirer?" Maria felt a drop of perspiration rolling down her cheek.

"Hey, who told you to speak?" Sumire snapped back to Kanna. "Anyway, Maria-san, are you really true to your feelings regarding Sakura-san?"

The warm look on the Russian's face was enough to answer the question.

"Then why aren't you worried?" Kanna and Sumire asked in unison.

Maria blinked.

"Maria-san, have any of your admirers ever asked you out on a serious date?" Sumire asked.

"And sent you expensive gifts," Kanna added.

"And love letters."

Maria was about to say something but the two continued on. She just sighed while the two enumerated every detail about Sakura's fan.

"Well, Sakura's admirer just did," Sumire said when she was finished.

"Yes, that's right." Kanna emphasized that further by nodding.

Maria gazed at them in a curious manner. Finally that pause for breath gave her a chance to talk. "It's strange to see you both agree on the same thing."

Her remark seemed to have struck a nerve and both blushed deep shades of pink. "Especially you, Sumire," Maria pointed out.

"Ara! We're talking about you and Sakura, not about my affairs with Kanna-san!" Sumire said loudly before she realized, too late, that she could have chosen a better way to retort.

"Excuse me, Sumire?" Kanna moved her head towards the younger woman.

Sumire darted the redhead a look. "Don't misinterpret what I said."

"But-"

Maria looked away and resumed her reading as the two began to argue once more. "All's well that ends well."

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

'I feel so weak. Why is it that she didn't even react when she heard of it?' Sakura thought. She was sighing continuously until they reached the secretarial room.

"AH, Sakura-han," Kohran interrupted her thoughts. She was already there along with Tsubaki. The Chinese girl was pointing at something on the table. Sakura observed the small red box. There was a note attached.

Her hand automatically took the note and read it.

- - - - - - - - -

Loving Sakura,

Please accept this gift as a token of my appreciation for your talents.

Always,

K

- - - - - - - - -

Yuri couldn't stop giggling. "How romantic!"

Tsubaki sweatdropped.

"Open it. Open it," Yuri insisted.

Kohran seemed to be excited too.

Sakura was also curious about the gift. In this type of box it could be a ring, a jewel, a bracelet or a . . .

"Wow! It's a gold watch!" Kohran exclaimed when Sakura opened it. Yuri and Tsubaki's eyes glimmered at the object.

"I wish someone would give me a present like that," Yuri sighed.

"Yeah, dream on," Tsubaki said in a low voice.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Sakura's eyes gleamed. "It looks expensive... I can't accept this kind of gift."

"Aw, come on!" Yuri said. "You shouldn't say that. Besides, it's a present from the heart."

"I know that, but –"

"But it's a nice looking watch. Look, I think this is Rolex, the one they sell in America nowadays," Kohran observed.

"Wait. Does that mean he's an American?" Sakura asked.

Yuri then remembered something the other day. "Come to think of it, I met someone who looked like an American. And he was looking for Tsubaki."

All of their eyes turned to Tsubaki. The salesgirl blushed. "Ah, please I--- I don't know him."

Yuri cocked her head. "Ah, but I do! His name... what was it again? Keith--- ah yes, Keith David!"

"Keith David? Now that explains it!" Kohran exclaimed.

"What do you mean, Kohran?" Sakura asked curiously.

Kohran's spectacles sparkled as she grinned widely. "Remember the letter? The initial of that letter was K right? That means he's that guy!"

"My secret admirer?" Sakura said her eyes wide.

"Most likely," Kohran said.

Yuri giggled more. "Oh, Sakura. You are so lucky!"

The expression on Sakura's face made it clear that she didn't think so at all.

"Are you alright?" Kohran asked.

Sakura nodded slowly and she turned to leave. The rest were silent.

"Did I say something wrong?" Yuri asked to nobody in particular.

Tsubaki frowned at her.

Kohran blinked for a while when she noticed that Sakura forgot to take her gift. "Hey, Sakura-han, wait!" She grabbed the golden watch and went after Sakura.

"Ah, shouldn't have said that," Tsubaki admonished after Kohran had left.

"I guess I was more excited about it than she was," Yuri sighed. "By the way, how did this guy know you?"

Tsubaki hesitated to answer. "I---"

Yuri's suspicions were immediately aroused. "You are hiding something, aren't you?"

Tsubaki blushed.

"Come on. Tell me," Yuri narrowed her eyes on her.

Tsubaki was now shrinking in shyness. "I was only following orders!"

"Following orders?" Yuri blinked. "From whom? From that guy?"

"No."

"Tsubaki?" Yuri held Tsubaki still, attempting to tickle her.

"Aaahh! Maria-san, help!" Tsubaki yelled.

Yuri stopped. "Huh?"

o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Ed Notes:

Liz: Did they have Rolexes back then? takes a quick look Wow, they DID. Note, though, that Rolex is a Swiss brand. I'm not sure how popular or how available it might have been in America of that era, though.

Dillian: I got the Rolex thing from OVA2 about Kohran's comment regarding the ticking noise coming from Maria's gift. (though we all know it's a bomb. LOL.)