A/N: Hello! the 6th chapter is here and ready for you guys to read! I was tearing up when I wrote this, so please tell me your opinions on this installment. Had a very hard week here. ( who knew making a presentation on an Ipad would be so darn hard?). To end this author's rambling, I'd recommend you listen to Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven while reading the 3rd scene on this chapter. That's all for now!
Dislcaimer: I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru obviously. All belongs to Oyuki Konno^^
Chapter 6: Ivory Keys
Summer has passed, and it was autumn once more. Today, she, Fukuzawa Yumi will enter the gates of Lillian as the new Rosa Chinensis!
It was a nice day outside. The leaves were turning orange and red, as if a person painted them so. The possibilities of summer were gone, and the chill of winter was over the horizon.
On her way to the Rose Mansion, a lot of students greeted Yumi with a smile adorning their faces.
"Gokigenyou, Rosa Chinensis"
Realizing that they were greeting her, Yumi bid them hello as well accompanied with a cute smile of her own.
"Gokigenyou"
'I'm never going to get used to being called Rosa Chinensis.' Yumi thought to herself while secretly grinning.
As if sensing a special person dear to her nearby, Yumi turned around fully and saw her petite souer, also the new Rosa Chinensis et bouton, Matsudaira Touko speed walking towards her.
'It isn't like Touko to walk like that, so maybe there's something important she wants to tell me?'
Hey, running was forbidden, so why not walk fast instead of running?
"Hello onee-sama, can I have a few words with you before class starts?" A melancholic-looking Touko asked, making Yumi worried.
"Of course Touko-chan. Will the greenhouse be a good place to discuss matters?"
A pang of pain stirred in Yumi's heart as she spoke out that place, remembering the events that took place there.
"The old greenhouse would be fine onee-sama. Shall we go?"
Nodding her head in reply, the Chinensis sisters went to the old greenhouse, where unpleasant news was going to be revealed.
'Maria-sama, I have a bad feeling about this…'
Arriving at the abandoned greenhouse, Touko was at awe of the natural beauty it holds.
The glass roof was simply splendid; sunlight was entering through it, giving the place a peaceful aura. The plants were so green, like a secret gardener was tending to the place since the opening of the school.
But what caught the second-year's attention the most was the red blood roses, the Rosa Chinensis at its magnificent glory at full bloom. Gesturing for Touko to sit, both sat down on one of the benches.
"Beautiful place isn't it?" Yumi uttered, as if not wanting to shatter the silence of the place.
"Indeed it is onee-sama"
"So what do you want to tell me Touko-chan?"
Looking directly at her onee-sama's eyes, Touko finally told her the appalling announcement.
"Onee-sama, Sachiko-sama is getting married by the end of fall.
Touko knew this, for it was Suguru-kun who told her about it. They were family after all, cousins in-fact, and no one keeps secrets from family members right?
With a sad smile, Yumi started narrating to her petite souer about the old greenhouse, how it was her and Sachiko's secret place, where it was the place Sachiko and she could hide from the rest of the world.
Where it was the place where they spent time with each other for the final time.
"For the final time? What do you mean onee-sama? Surely you guys spent countless days in each other's presence during summer."
Shaking her head, Yumi told her of the final meeting.
"So, you gave her two choices: plainly speaking it's either you or the marriage, and she chose the second option?
"That's basically what happened."
"I can't believe it! Why would she choose the engagement and not you onee-sama? God I can't believe she's so, I don't know senseless!"
With this one can clearly see Touko's hand clenching with anger, teeth gritting and eyebrows clearly slanted downwards.
"Please don't be mad at her Touko-chan. I can understand why she chose her family's wishe-"
"No! You don't understand onee-sama. It's obvious that Sachiko-sama doesn't have the courage or guts to stand up to her family for you. I just wish that Sachiko-sama will open her eyes and see that you're worth more than her family."
Yumi felt her eyes water as she replied.
"I wish so too Touko-chan. I wish so too."
Yumi began to cry silently; falling into her petite souer's embrace as Touko just held Yumi while rubbing her back.
'Feels like déjà-vu…' Yumi mused to herself as she cried harder on Touko's shoulder.
All of a sudden, the school bell rang.
-Ding dong, ding dong-
Trying to be strong, Touko managed to wear a smile on her face for her dear sister.
"Let's go and walk to the class building together, onee-sama."
"Arigatou gozaimasu Touko-chan, Arigatou."
And the two held hands as they started to walk under the falling orange, yellow leaves of autumn.
"Where were you this morning?"
When Yumi went to the Rose Mansion after school and opened the meeting room door on the second floor, an intimidating-looking Yoshino-san stood there, waiting for her reply.
"I'm sorry Yoshino-chan. I didn't get to come here because of important matters at hand that I had this morning."
"And what's more importa-"
Good thing for Yumi Shimako interrupted Yoshino, therefore saving Yumi from answering such question from the Rosa Foetida.
"Yoshino-san, it isn't our place to ask Yumi-san that."
Turning her nose, Yoshino replied back with a snort.
"Hmph. I just don't see what's more important than our first meeting here in the Rose Mansion as the new Roses."
"Gomen Yoshino-chan, Shimako-chan. I'll tell you guys the reason when the time's right ok?"
Yumi suddenly let out a 'oomph' as Yoshino tackle-hugged her; telling her that she and Shimako-chan were her best friends, and that Yumi can tell them anything.
"Ok Yumi-chan. Tell us when you're ready?" Yoshino told Yumi with a smile
"Will do"
Inside her mind, Yoshino thought of only one thing. 'Someday soon, I will force the truth out from you Yumi-chan!'
Looking around, Yumi noticed that the Roses were the only ones in the room.
"Um, where's Noriko-chan and Touko-chan?
"Oh, both Noriko-chan and Touko-chan went home early. Noriko told us that she's leaving early because of a Buddhist temple she needs to visit before it closes this Fall ."Shimako continued, "while Touko-chan said that she had to go home early because of family matters."
"I see. Guess we'll just have to serve tea by ourselves then uh?"
"Just like when we were first years!" Yoshino cried out with glee.
The three Roses laughed, since it did make them feel like it was their first year in Lillian.
Touko was fuming mad by the time she arrived at the Ogasawara mansion. Not even bothering anyone who greeted her hello, she went straight to where Sachiko is, who at the time was playing the piano in her chambers.
"Sachiko-sama! Can we have a short talk please?"
"Can we talk later Touko? I just need to finish this classical piece that I'm pla-"
Striding towards the grand, black piano, Touko slammed her palm onto the shiny surface of the said instrument, while struggling not to shout at her onee-sama's grande souer.
"Can't your 'classical piece' wait for what I have to say?"
"Touko, I find your action just now very unlady-like."
This final sentence from the older girl pushed Touko on the edge. Giggling with an icy tone, Touko stared at Sachiko and asked her,
"You know what's very, very unlady-like Sachiko-sama? Your cowardice. Oh, can you also explain your logic to me please?"
"Please calm down. I don't even kn-"
Touko carried on, still looking at Sachiko's sapphire eyes.
"I don't get why you chose Suguru-kun rather than Yumi-sama."
The younger girl was choking back tears as she continued.
"I don't see the logic in your choice there Sachiko-sama. Why did you choose marrying a guy who likes other guys rather than an amazing woman who loves you so much that she would pretty much give up everything just to be with you?
"You don't understand Touko! You have no idea what it's like to be in my place. So who are you to even judge me about my decisions?"
Sachiko cannot believe it. First it was Suguru-san. This time it's Touko.
"You're right", Touko answered back, "but if someone loves me like Yumi-sama, I'll do anything just to be with that person. You're so, so lucky Sachiko-sama, that someone such as Yumi-sama, who has a big heart chose to love you."
"I know Touko-chan. I know."
"If you know this, why aren't you fighting for Yumi-sama uh?"
This last question from Touko made Sachiko lose her control too.
"You think I didn't think of that? I wish I could, but even if I tried, will it change my parents and grandfather's minds?"
"Did you even try? Did you even try to stand up against them Sachiko-sama?"
Sachiko's mind went black. 'Did she try? Did she even try to change her family's mind?'
"Yeah I thought so too. I know it's not in my place to say this but, Sachiko-sama…"
Touko lingered on her sentence for a moment, then finished it with finality.
"You don't deserve onee-sama's love. You don't deserve her at all."
Bowing to the older girl, Touko greeted her with a 'gokigenyou' and left her there; sitting on the black stool.
Sachiko couldn't help but whimper and sob as she broke down; her mind recalling the event that just occurred earlier. Now everyone thinks I'm the bad person..
'Why can't I just tell ojii-sama straight in the face that I love Yumi?'
To clear up her mind, Sachiko started to play Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven on the black piano; tears dropping unto the white, ivory keys as she manifested her agony into melancholic music, accompanied with grieves of regret.
Hearing the tune and the cries as she left the raven-haired girl, Touko whispered brokenly to the air; as if she was telling Sachiko a secret.
'Sachiko-sama, what you feel right now doesn't even compare to the pain that you brought to onee-sama...'
To Be Continued...
A/N: So how did you guys like this chapter? Tell me through your lovely reviews, PM's etc. I would love it if you guys share your comments on this story! And also, did you guys took my recommendation and played the classical piece?
Hope to hear from you soon,
AsulNaRosa