Cher Onee-sama

A "Maria-sama ga Miteru" Story

Author's Note: I, mer007, do not own a single thing to do with Maria-sama ga Miteru, but man I wish I did! Oh, also, I absolutely adore Sachiko for some reason and so I totally wish I was Yumi! And I've only seen the first ten episodes of the series so…yeah.

Chapter Three

Sensational

What confused Yumi the most was the sudden leap of her heart in her chest every time she saw Sachiko. In fact, even the thought of her caused a painful, yet exhilarating throb in her heart. But Yumi was soon to discover that she had only made matters worse, because when she passed Sachiko that day her glance had been brief and harsh and it felt as if someone had taken an icy cold dagger to her heart.

Yumi had pulled her books tighter against her chest and tried to pretend that she hadn't seen the pain in those once bright blue eyes. Could her silence really have done that much damage? "No…" she thought to herself. "Onee-sama's just stressed...she has a lot on her mind…"

She continued to repeat that statement all day long, hoping and praying that was all. It became quiet clear that Yumi had been wrong when she was suddenly stopped by Rosa Chinesis after classes had finished.

"What did you say to Sachiko?" Youko said in a clearly distressed tone.

"I didn't—" Yumi started.

"She was terribly upset last evening…" Rosa Chinesis said looking off into the distance. Yumi got the distinct feeling that Sachiko had asked her not to confront her. Youko glanced around them quickly then continued. "…I'm not accusing you of anything… it's just that… Sachiko seemed worried you were keeping something from her…something…serious…"

"I'm not…I mean—" Yumi stumbled over her words; all her excuses were crashing down upon her like a falling house of cards.

"Just tell her whatever it is okay?" Youko said placing a delicate hand on Yumi's shoulder.

Yumi blushed wildly. The blood rushed through her head as her thoughts swirled around in a hurricane of confusion. She felt suddenly warm and lightheaded, as if gravity had suddenly decided not to exist.

"I'm so sorry Onee-sama…" she mumbled, Sachiko's pain filled sapphire eyes glowing in her mind's eye.

"Are you okay?" came Rosa Chinesis's distant voice.

'Where am I?' Yumi thought vaguely. 'Where is Onee-sama?'

Silver tears trickled down Yumi's pale cheeks. Her heart began to pound with excruciating pain. What had she done to Onee-sama? Her onee-sama. Why couldn't she just say it? I love you. There's nothing wrong with that, is there? 'But what about those dreams?' She thought to herself. 'Does this mean I'm…?'

"YUMI!" Sachiko yelled, suddenly awakening her.

"Onee-sama!" Yumi said sitting up suddenly.

"Thank goodness you're alright…" Sachiko said much more quietly.

Yumi looked around in a daze. She was lying in bed, in what must be the hospital ward. "How did I get here?" Yumi said looking up at Sachiko's strained and tired face.

"Onee-sama called the nurse when you fainted…" Sachiko said looking at her anxiously. She was sitting on the bed beside Yumi, her stuff piled on the floor beside her.

"Onee-sama, you shouldn't be here. You should be at the meet—" Yumi started but Sachiko put a finger to her lips.

"Shh…" Sachiko said quietly, tears beginning to stream down her face. "…I don't want you to ever worry me like that again!"

Yumi stared at her onee-sama with a fearful expression, oddly aware of Sachiko's finger against her lips. Yumi's eyes quivered and a single tear fell down her already tearstained cheeks. The same rushing warmth filled her face; she could hear her heart pounding in her ears.

Yumi felt a strange and compelling need to kiss Sachiko right at that moment. She wanted to comfort her, to make the hurt disappear from her eyes, but more than anything she wanted to feel Sachiko's arms around her. She wanted to be held forever in Sachiko's loving embrace.

When Sachiko finally let her finger fall away from her lips she had leaned in very close to Yumi's face. "I…" Yumi tried to say but their closeness was distracting. "I'm so…sorry…"

Yumi watched Sachiko's face turn from pale to bright red as she inched her face closer to hers. 'What's going on?' she thought as Sachiko placed a hand gently on her cheek.

"Yumi…I…" Sachiko mumbled; their eyes locked.

But neither of them could find the words for what they wished to say. Suddenly and quickly, as if hoping to pretend it had only been an accident, Sachiko touched her lips to Yumi's. Yumi's face flushed, if all at possible, an even darker shade of red and she sat very still for a moment.

Tears began to pour down Sachiko's face as she stared at Yumi's hands in her lap. She didn't seem capable of saying much because she simply stood up and said, "…sorry…I…"

"Wait!" Yumi said grabbing Sachiko's hand.

Sachiko spun around so quickly that nearly fell into Yumi's lap. Yumi blushed and shyly smiled. Sachiko searched Yumi's eyes for some sort of signal.

"…the reason I've been falling asleep in class…" Yumi said looking down at Sachiko's hand that she was still holding. "…is because I've been awake at night…thinking…about you…"

Before she could say another word she felt Sachiko's lips against hers. Her heart leapt in her chest, but this time the pain was entirely exhilarating as if it had literally leapt for joy. She could feel Sachiko's warmth surrounding her and she faded away into a colorful dream. When finally Sachiko backed away and smiled at her Yumi let out and uneven breath, completely amazed. Even days later Yumi would feel the tingling sensation of her first kiss lingering on her lips like the fog still clinging to the earth on an overcast day.

TO BE CONTINUED!