A/N: Wow, did Kobayashi get a lot of hate for what happened in last chapter! For all the Sachiko fans, your favorite heiress will appear in this chapter. Last chapter was about the death throes of Yumi's marriage. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. If you see something that will make this story better, please let me know. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Marimite is not mine. I'm broke. I'm making no money off this little story, so please don't sue.
Ten Years Later
Chapter 8: So Long My Friend
Sachiko
As the days before Ikegami Yumiko's funeral passed, Sachiko was getting a little frustrated. Yumi had not responded to her text messages inviting her out to coffee. 'Maybe I imagined something that was not there,' the heiress thought to herself in her elegant study. 'Perhaps the kiss meant more to me than it did to her.' She began to fidget and worry that Yumi wouldn't or couldn't forgive her. 'I thought that she understood what happened when we met at the zoo. I will see her tomorrow, maybe she will feel more like talking then.' The idea comforted the raven-haired beauty.
Gracefully, Yumiko walked into Sachiko's study, and took a few moments to regard her mother. There was a nervous energy in the young mother's actions that her daughter had never seen before. 'Mother looks happier,' she thought. 'I wonder what happened.' Even at nine years of age, Yumiko had no illusions about her parents' marriage. Her classmates snidely referred to it as a "marriage of convenience." She was not a romantic by nature, but part of her wished that they would have a more normal family. Being all Ogasawara, Yumiko quickly squashed those feelings. She hated to interrupt Sachiko's daydreaming, but it was necessary because she had a message to relay. "Mother, Father called while you were out."
Snapping back to reality, Sachiko realized that her daughter was trying to get her attention. She reached over to caress the child's silky hair, "What is it, Sweetheart?" She asked lovingly.
"Father and Great-Grandfather will be delayed in France a few more days," Yumiko replied, accepting the attention. She knew that no matter what the relationship was between Sachiko and Suguru that they loved her and would always protect her. In turn, she loved her parents with as much enthusiasm as a proper noble girl should. There was however, a certain reserve, a coldness that went beyond that standard.
'Shit,' Sachiko growled to herself. This meant that she had to meet with the Royal Bank of Scotland representatives that were negotiating the financing of a Scottish business wishing to open a branch office in Japan. Ogasawara Kentaro was known to block any company from doing business in Japan that did not have his express imprimatur. Sometimes, he would call upon pet government officials to deny the necessary permit, or, as in this situation, he was threatening to pull Ogasawara money from the RBS, which would cripple its interests in Asia. This spoiled Sachiko's plans to whisk Yumiko, Yumi, and Yumi's son up to the summer house. 'That old bastard will stop at nothing to keep me unhappy, won't he?'
Now Yumiko had noticed her mother's distress, and felt the need to comfort her. She remembered the summer house plans, and said softly, "Mother, we can go to the summer house next weekend. My recital is not until the Saturday after next." Yumiko was taking piano as Sachiko had as a child. Truth be told, Yumiko's sound at nine was better than her mother's had been before she met Yumi.
Sachiko loved her daughter's attempt to cheer her, "Thank you, Yumiko. Mother is just disappointed that she couldn't arrange things better so that we could spend time with my second most important person behind you."
"Is this person your lover like Uncle Kintarou is for Father?" The child asked innocently.
A dreamy look passed over Sachiko's face quickly before dissolving in a more melancholy smile. She answered, "It is my hope that we can have that type of relationship again. I hurt this person badly just before I married your father. I pray that this person and I might renew our feelings. By the way, why are you calling your father's lover Uncle Kintarou? He prefers to be called Alice."
"I know that, but nicknames are undignified. Besides, it's weird to call a boy a girl's name," Yumiko answered evenly.
Sachiko laughed, "Yumiko, every time I begin to think of you as being overly precocious; you do something to remind me that you are a child. That isn't a bad thing because I hope that you can take your time growing up and let your poor mother spoil you!" Yumiko looked horrified at thought of being treated like a little kid, which caused her mother to laugh louder than a dignified noblewoman should. Eventually, Sachiko won her over and the mother and daughter embraced, sharing a giggle.
Yumi
The Saturday of Ikegami-san's found Yumi at her office in her funeral clothes talking on the phone. She was calling Hirota Shinji, the contractor for the Haibatsu project. He had been balking at getting started because he discovered that the architect was a woman. Finally getting through to him, she explained that it shouldn't matter whether the building was designed by a man or woman. It only mattered that the client wanted it built. Exhausting her patience, she exploded, "Listen, you misogynistic son of bitch, I designed the last four projects that you worked on. We only put my father's name on them because I was just out of university and we needed the clients to focus on the building and not how young the architect was. If you do not get started on this project, you will never get Fukuzawa business again, and I will spread the word that you are unwilling to work hard, which should ruin you. You have until Monday to decide if your chauvinism is worth destroying your business and your reputation. Gokigenyou," she finished slamming the phone down.
Her father had walked into the office halfway through the conversation and smirked, "Well, Yumi-chan, that was certainly diplomatic." Yumi's face fell, worried that she had disappointed her father. His smiled broadened, "I'm proud of you. Old Hirota is a stubborn bastard and you cannot sugar-coat anything with him. The first time that I worked with him, I was just out of college like you and I was working for the Miyama firm. My old boss, Miyama-san, had approved my project and the client loved it, but Hirota was complaining that he didn't want to work with some 'god-damned snot-nosed kid who didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground.' Well, I lit into him, warning him that Miyama was behind this project and Miyama could bury him. That was all it took. He's been my contractor ever since, following me even as I got this firm going. Everything will be okay, Yumi-chan. I've known that old goat for twenty years. You've just earned his respect."
Yumi sighed, "I hope so. I would hate to have to find another contractor at this point. I also don't want to get the reputation that I run off contractors."
Yuuichiro laughed, "Trust me, Yumi-chan, you have nothing to worry about, and if he continues to act up, let me know because I WILL ruin him. It's no secret that I would like you to take over this firm when I retire, so you will need to know that you have business partners that you can rely on."
Yumi hugged her father and thanked Maria-sama once again for her parents. "Well, Dad, I would love to stay and roast Hirota-san some more, but I need to go pay my respects to someone who did their part to help me when I was at the two lowest points of my life."
"Oh," Yuuichiro said as recognition dawned in his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that Ikegami-san had passed away. I really owe her a debt of gratitude for her giving you her support when you needed it most. Please say a prayer for her from me."
Gathering her purse and giving her dad one last hug, Yumi whispered, "Sure thing, Dad. I love you." He rewarded her with a warm smile as they parted. Walking to her Camry, Yumi thought, 'One difficult person down, one to go. Damn, I wished that I'd asked Sei-sama to come with me so I wouldn't have to deal with Sachiko-sama alone. She would have enjoyed running interference. It can't be helped. There's nothing for it now but to face the music. I get the sick feeling that I gave Sachiko-sama some hope that we'd get back together.' That idea made her groan, 'Oh shit. I hope she understood'
Sachiko
In the back of her limousine on her way to the funeral, Sachiko was once again trying to determine the meaning of Yumi kissing her at the zoo. 'Should I get my hopes up or was that the "kiss-off" as the Americans call it? What face should I have? I'm ecstatic to be seeing Yumi again, but the setting does commend itself to joyful displays. We do have a history of reunions at funerals though.' That memory brought a smile to her face.
Flashback
Sachiko was face-down weeping on her grandmother's bed. So much had gone wrong in the last month. As her grandmother's health declined, she began to avoid Yumi, the one person on whom she knew that she rely. It was too hard to admit that she was hurting, and she wanted to play the strong and cool Oneesama that she believed that Yumi needed. Of course, nothing was farther from the truth, but Sachiko, blind to the younger girl's unconditional love and devotion, found it easier to distance herself from Yumi than to possibly cry in front of her.
Now, it was all in shambles. Her grandmother was dead, and she knew that she had broken Yumi's heart. The purity of Yumi's love had given her so much joy, but she had lost it through her pride and stubbornness. Sachiko dreaded the next day that she would attend school because she was sure that Yumi was going to return her rosary. That thought crushed her as much as the death of her grandmother. To lose her beloved grandmother and her precious petite soeur at one time was more than could be borne.
In the back of her mind, she heard a polite knock at the door. She was vaguely aware of it opening and shutting. She looked up and saw Yumi's face, troubled, yet there was love still in her eyes. "Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" Sachiko asked, full of hope.
"I'm here Oneesama," Yumi replied.
Unbelieving, Sachiko reached up and stroked Yumi's face, "I must be dreaming."
"No, Oneesama, I'm right here," said Yumi holding Sachiko's hand to her face. "I am so sorry that I was selfish and troubled when you were going through such a difficult time."
"Yumi, you are not to blame. It's my fault. I just couldn't…" Sachiko managed between sobs.
Holding her hand tightly, Yumi said, "No. Oneesama..."
Sachiko interrupted her, asking, "You're still calling me that?"
"Of course," the brunette smiled through her tears.
Sachiko shook her head, "What I did was unforgivable. My grandmother was as a second mother to me. When she sickened, I was out of my mind with worry, so I felt that I needed to sacrifice something to be by her side, and I canceled our date. As she worsened, the harder it became for me not to cry, and I began to avoid you altogether. I was selfish and I hurt the one person who looked up to me; all because I'm not one to cry. I noticed that you were in pain and I could do nothing about it"
"You should have told me, Oneesama," Yumi said in response.
Smiling gently as she looked into Yumi's soft brown eyes, "What do you see when you look at me?"
"Oneesama," Yumi started.
Sachiko placed a finger on Yumi's lips, and said, "I love you, Yumi." She wrapped her arms around her petite soeur, taking the warmth that she'd denied herself. She felt the younger woman kiss her on the cheek and heard her say, "Oneesama, I love you too."
End Flashback
'Dare I dream that this would bring us back together?' While the memory filled her heart with joy, her mind reminded her of the greenhouse and some of the things that Yumi said to her at the zoo. Sachiko shook her head, and said aloud, "Worrying about it beforehand will change nothing. I am an Ogasawara, and even if Yumi totally ignores me, I will not shame the family by pursuing her at a funeral. Yet, a girl can hope, can't she?"
Yumi
After stopping at a Starbucks for a latte to calm her nerves, Yumi arrived at Lillian, and parked her car. She checked her hair in the mirror, and reminded herself why she was there. The thought of Ikegami-san's kindness and wisdom brought tears to her eyes. 'Why hadn't I called her since I graduated from university? She did so much for me, yet I didn't even visit her. I can't call Sachiko-sama an ungrateful louse because I am as well.' She wiped her eyes and made her way into the chapel.
The funeral mass was a wonderful tribute to a woman who had touched many lives in the Lillian community and beyond. Yumi did not know that Yumiko-san volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline for gay teens. She had also given several scholarships for young women to attend university. Ikegami-san was lauded as a champion for women's rights in Japan and around the world, and as a solid daughter of the Roman Catholic Church.
After the mass was complete, the mourners were led to Yumiko-san's casket to say their last farewells and say prayers for her soul. A weeping Yumi was so caught in the moment that she didn't notice an aristocratic raven-haired beauty had moved next to her and was patting her back as she paid her respects to one who was a mentor and more. Finishing her time in front of the casket, Yumi whispered, "So long, my friend."
Moments later, Yumi realized that she was in the greenhouse on the Lillian campus with her head on Sachiko's lap. "Sachiko-sama, why am I here? What are you hoping to do to me?"
Sachiko gave her the gentle smile that melted her heart so many times in high school. God, how Yumi used to love that smile, now it made her as nervous as a treed cat. "You fainted as we were leaving the chapel. I didn't wish for you to be embarrassed so I brought you here to rest."
"I hate this place! This is where you ripped my heart to shreds. I would rather that you kidnapped me and took me back to your mansion than to be in this shitty greenhouse!" Yumi was livid.
Sachiko bore the brunt of Yumi's fury, holding her tight, replying, "I brought you her to try to repair what I broke here. I made the biggest mistake of my life here, letting my grandfather break us up. I did the exact same thing that I did when my grandmother was dying; I shut you out and tried to handle it on my own. Once again, I underestimated you and how much you loved me. Moreover, I underestimated myself and my love for you. I created this hell that we are in, and I know that you might never forgive me, but if you do and we become friends again, I swear to you, to Maria-sama, to God Himself that I will never betray your feelings. I also swear that I will trust you with everything that I am and all that is going on in my life. I never stopped being in love with you. I just felt so helpless when Grandfather threatened to kill you all that I nearly killed you."
Yumi firmly broke the older woman's embrace, cold rage in her eyes, "Get me the fuck out of here before I kill you. I feel like I need to puke. The only way that I will ever forgive you, Ogasawara Sachiko, is if you are willing to tell your Grandfather that you are a lesbian and stick by it. Then maybe, and I do mean maybe, we might be friends again, but I will never give you my heart. I cannot trust you. You have broken my heart twice. The first time wasn't all your fault and we started dating after that, but the second time, that second time I wanted to die. The Fukuzawa Yumi that you knew and loved died in this greenhouse on that day." Yumi brushed herself off and with some dignity, walked to the door.
Yumi walked with a purpose back to her car, noticing that Sachiko was meekly following her. She unlocked the door and began to get in when it felt like her wrist was enclosed in iron. She looked over and saw Sachiko with a fire in her eyes that Yumi hadn't seen since that very first day in the Rose Mansion when Sei-sama proposed the "Make Yumi your Soeur and You Won't have to be Cinderella" match between them. Sachiko forced her back up against the car and hungrily kissed her until she unwittingly began to respond passionately. Smiling with satisfaction, the heiress whispered, "I love you, Yumi. I will not stop until you love me again. I will not lose." She then turned and gracefully walked to her limousine like nothing had happened, leaving Yumi aroused, angry with herself, and very confused. Overwhelmed, she dropped to her knees.
While she was processing what just happened, a soft voice asked, "Yumi-san, are you okay?" Shaking herself back to consciousness, Yumi looked up and saw the breathtaking Toudou Shimako looking down at her with concern in her eyes. "I am here for you, Yumi-san."
Yumi struggled to her feet, and hugged her friend fiercely, crying, "Shimako-san, I am so happy to see you!"
"Oneesama suggested that you might need to see a friendly face after having to deal with Ogasawara-sama. I hope that I'm not too late to keep you from making a mistake," Shimako said, returning the embrace.
Yumi noticed that the normally gracious shrine maiden had pronounced Sachiko's name with some uncharacteristic venom. "No, you came at precisely the right time, Shimako-san," Yumi answered warmly. "What do you say we get out of here and go get a drink?"
"Yumi-san, are you propositioning me?" The gentle woman asked with a flirtatious pout. "You know that I'm no good with alcohol."
Yumi smiled, appreciating Shimako's efforts, "Not this time, Shimako-san. I just need a friend today, but tomorrow is another story." Both women laughed. Smirking, Yumi asked, "My car or yours?"
To be continued…
A/N: And we officially have our love triangle, ladies and gentlemen. I abridged the makeup scene from the "Under a Parasol" episode, so please don't flame me for it. I honestly didn't want to type the whole thing, just the parts that made Sachiko smile. This story is now moving into a more romantic arc with Shimako and Sachiko competing for our heroine's heart. I don't think that it will get lighter until Yumi and I figure out which way we'll go. Just because, this fic is listed as Yumi and Sachiko doesn't necessarily mean that they will wind up together in the end. To me, it means that the story is mostly from their points of view. It also doesn't mean that they won't wind up back together.
Thank you all for your patience and thank you for continuing to read. If you feel inspired, please let me know what you thought. Peace!