A/N: OK! So hi guys and thanks for continuing to read this story of mine :3 Chapter 7 is here and is . .. by none other by you guys! I'm working on Ch.8 and the plot after that right now, so don't fret, I've got things kind off figured out from here so no more writer's block for me HOORAY! Please review or send me a PM telling me of your feedbacks! Happy reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Maria-sama ga Miteru (duh). All is owned by no one other than Oyuki Konno.
Chapter 7: The Revelation
For the past few days, Yumi wasn't herself. Sure she tried to act like everything's fine and dandy, but her façade didn't fool the Yamayurikai especially her best friend Shimazu Yoshino.
It was driving the Rosa Foetida insane! What happened to Yumi? Since that day Yumi and Touko didn't attend the first official council meeting of the year, Yumi's feelings went downhill from there.
Being the extreme curious person that she was, Yoshino decided to take action into her own hands. Since Yumi won't tell her, she'll just have to ask her petite souer, Touko. And so she did.
"You can't hide this information forever Touko-chan. Now tell me, what happened that morning?" asked Yoshino to the Rosa Chinensis et bouton.
Both came early to the meeting room that Friday morning, and Yoshino saw that this was the perfect time to interrogate.
Folding her arms over her chest, Touko replied with a very stern voice.
"I'm sorry Yoshino-sama, but I can't tell you because…" Touko trailed off, not wanting to tell the Rosa Foetida about their private conversation.
"-because?"
Judging from the way their conversation was going, they weren't going anywhere. So, Yoshino tried a different approach. Using her softest voice, Yoshino told the girl her true intentions.
"You know how much Yumi-chan means to me. She's one of my friends. No, one of my best friends, and I just want to know what happened so that I can help her accordingly."
Sighing in resignation, Touko's will to not tell finally cracked.
"I told onee-sama that before winter starts Sachiko-sama will get married, and that her engagement party will be held tomorrow."
Yoshino's eyes widened with surprise, while trying to absorb the revelation. So that's why Yumi's attitude dramatically changed over the past few days?
Footsteps started to become audible, and its volume gradually increased. The two just stood there still; sensing panic in their chest, especially Touko.
Yumi opened the door and was wishing gokigenyou to whoever was in the meeting room, but stopped half-way when she saw her petite souer and her best friend having this weird tension between them.
"Goki-"
"…"
"-genyou?"
Not being able to take the quiet atmosphere anymore, Yoshino finally broke the awkward silence with a request.
"Can we talk downstairs at the storage room for a minute or so Yumi-chan?" asked Yoshino as she gestures towards the door with her hand; her usual Yoshino-chan-like demeanor was gone, and it was bothering the Rosa Chinensis, greatly so.
Nodding in agreement, the now worried Yumi followed Yoshino to the door, and when she turned around, she saw Touko's apologetic face. Seeing this, Yumi gave her a serene smile that expressed, "It's okay Touko-chan. Everything's alright."
As the two were walking down the stairs, Yumi can't help but think; her mind was racing with conclusions on what the two were talking about earlier that lead to Yoshino's unusually sullen expression, and her petite souer's conscience-stricken face.
The two finally arrived at the storage room, and after awhile, Yoshino asked the question with betrayal and disappointment present in her voice.
"Why didn't you tell me Yumi-chan?"
At first this question quickly made Yumi's mind contort with confusion, but as quick as it made her confused, Yumi's inner turmoil rapidly faded away, and she quickly realized what Yoshino meant.
"I-I…" Yumi stuttered not knowing what to say. A minute of silence has passed before Yumi started to sob uncontrollably; covering her face with her hands and weeping unto them. Her knees trembled and was about to give up on her. Fortunately, the braided-haired girl caught her in a fierce hug, as they slowly sank to the ground.
"Shh… I'm here Yumi-chan. Just cry it out. I'm here." Yoshino swooned to her best friend, while rubbing Yumi's back in circles.
After Yumi's weeping ceased, she eventually told Yoshino her reason.
"I didn't -sniff- tell you because I didn't want to bother you."
"Why did you thought that telling me your problems would be a bother to me?"
"Well, because we are the Rosas now and I thought, what's the point in telling her since we're going to be busy now?"
Yoshino was relieved when Yumi finally spoke. So that's the reason why you didn't tell me?
"You're right-" Yoshino replied, making Yumi's eyes damp again, but she finished her reply with a teary smile.
"-but nonetheless, I'm your best friend Yumi-chan, so your problems are my problems too. You cry I cry. You smile I smile. You jump off a bridge, well I'm not going to jump with you, but I'm still going to jump because I'll try and save you. That's what best friends do Yumi-chan, and I intend to keep it like that."
Yumi started to cry again, but not with sadness. It was tears of joy and new-bound friendship.
"I'm not going to jump of a bridge mind you Yoshino-chan. I guess it just depends on how high the bridge is from the water.
Both laughed at Yumi's intelligent, hilarious retort. When their merriment died down, Yoshino asked one more thing.
"Anything else you want to tell me?" She asked; staring into Yumi's brown eyes while putting both her hands on Yumi's shoulders.
Yumi's eyes shifted, not meeting Yoshino's gaze anymore. This made Yoshino uneasy for the second time that day.
Without even realizing it, Yumi started to reveal everything to the tomboyish girl. She told her of the night at the greenhouse last summer, and the incident that came after that. After she was finished, Yoshino was in a state of complete shock.
My best friend almost got hurt, or even worse got raped and I didn't even know of it until now?
Now, Yumi closed her eyes; preparing herself for the longest lecture her best friend will deliver. What she didn't expect was a tight hug and a muttering Yoshino saying "Thank god you're ok" several times.
Wh-what?
"Are you ok? Are you hurt or anything? Please tell me!" Yoshino asked hysterically, all the while examining Yumi's face and figure.
"I'm fine Yoshino-chan. Really I am. No need to worry." Replied Yumi whilst trying to calm down her fellow Rose.
"No need to worry? Of course I'm going to worry you baka! Even a complete stranger would worry if you tell them, which also reminds me. Do you want to keep your incident confidential to the others?"
Yumi just replied with a yes.
"Ok then! We should go back. The others, except Touko, must be wondering where we are right now."
"Yeah. you know what Yoshino chan," Yumi began," I'm very lucky to have a best friend like you."
Yoshino, who was opening the storage room door at the time, turned around to face the Rosa Chinensis and smiled back replying.
"Me too Yumi-chan. Me too."
The girls went back upstairs to the meeting room, and when they entered, 4 pairs of eyes darted towards them.
'I wonder where they were… or what they talked about' Touko wondered to herself, not knowing that the other three, namely Shimako, Noriko and Nana were wondering about the same thing.
After school ended, all the members of the Mountain Lily Council met again at the Rose Mansion.
"So what is this urgent announcement you want to inform us about Touko-chan?" inquired the Rosa Chinensis, who was little by little returning to the usual, cheery Yumi-chan the school knows and loves.
Should I tell them? Maria-sama knows that I should tell them… but I'm worried about onee-sama's reaction…
Sensing that her petite souer was in a mental turmoil, Yumi gave the drill-haired girl her best, warm smile she could muster at the moment.
This smile encouraged Touko, and so she announced the news that suddenly overwhelmed Yumi's senses.
"Sachiko-sama and Suguru-san will be hosting their engagement party this coming Saturday. They would be forever grateful if you guys attend the said gathering."
'Wow. She still can't do it uh? She still can't stand up to her family. Guess I raised my hopes up too much' Yumi thought to herself while she smiled back and replied back with a gleeful tone.
A very, very gleeful tone.
"Tell them that we will certainly be there at the party."
She didn't add the word engagement to her sentence, since she doesn't want her voice to crack.
Now this reply from Yumi made all the people inside the room worry for her. Well all but one person namely the Rosa Foetida et bouton, Nana Arima, for she doesn't know of the history of the Rosa Chinensis.
"Are you sure you want to attend Yumi-san?" A worried Shimako asked.
"I'm absolutely sure Shimako-chan"
Yoshino and Shimako made eye contact with each other; both having this feeling of uncertainty for the upcoming catastrophe that is yet to come.
"Give me the strongest drink you have." Requested Suguru to the handsome-looking bartender.
He was tired, and he needed to go some place where there won't be people watching his every single action like hawks preying on their food.
Weird. That guy looks very familiar.
He was having a bad day. A really, really bad day. Why? Because his fiancé still won't cancel the engagement. Actually, she even planned a freaking engagement party that'll be held tomorrow!
When the bartender turned around, he gasped, seeing that the bartender was no other than Sakomoto Kaoru.
"K-Kaoru-kun? Why are you working here? You're clearly underage to even have a job at this type of place." spoke the shocked man; his eyes going wide with surprise.
"…It doesn't matter Suguru-sempai. I work here for my own reasons." Kaoru retaliated, with an icy tone laced to his voice.
"It has been a long time since we talked, right Kaoru-kun?"
"Err yeah, it has been a long time indeed Suguru-sempai." Kaoru retorted with clouded eyes.
All of a sudden, their place at the bar had this weird tension in the air like thick, black smoke.
Serving the drink, Suguru eagerly took the glass and downed the shot; sighing with relief on what alcohol can do to him.
Alcohol calms down his senses just like breathing slowly, but hey, alcohol sounds better than just breathing right?
Three hours have passed. It was 6 pm, and Suguru was clearly wasted; anyone can tell just by looking at his demeanor.
"Can I have one more shot Kaoru-kun?" Suguru asked intoxicated.
"I'm sorry, but I can't serve you drinks anymore. You are clearly drunk and it's against our policy to serve drinks to wasted customers."
"Aww you're no fun Kaoruchi!"
"Please refrain from calling me by that pet name Suguru-sempai." Kaoru answered back with pain ringing in his voice
"Oh by the way-"Suguru continued; ignoring Kaoru's previous statement," – you are sooo invited to my engagement party tomorrow.
Suguru gave the bartender the address of the venue in a form of a small card, in which he accepted with teary eyes.
"If you wish, I'll call a taxi for you right now. After all, tomorrow is your engagement party. We don't want the groom to be late to his party because of a hangover right?"
Nodding like a child, Suguru agreed while Kaoru called a taxi company and requested a taxi be available at the address of the bar.
5 minutes after, the appointed taxi arrived. Sighing, Kaoru helped his sempai to the taxi because well, let's just say the man can't even walk straight.
Climbing into the car, Suguru finally bid the bartender goodbye. What happened next made Kaoru's heart skip a beat.
"Bye Kaoruchi! See you tomorrow!" followed by that was a kiss on a cheek from Suguru to the flabbergasted boy!
'Wh-what in the world did he just do? He knew it was wrong for him to do so, but he still did it!' Kaoru thought to himself after pushing Suguru away from him and telling the taxi driver to drive, drive, drive!
Clearing his state of mind, the young man thought of something really important.
What should I wear tomorrow to the engagement party…?
To Be Continued…
A/N: Still working on Ch.8 here. Also, I would like to dedicate this chapter to a special and awesome person who helped me in my writer's block. (You know who you are ;P) I know I'm soooo far away from finishing this story of mine M.O. but, please stick with me till the end? ^^
Feedback from amazing readers such as you guys would be excellent, so that I can meet your expectations :D
Hope to hear from you soon!
AsulNaRosa