Chapter II

Hanadera Student Council President

Her face was sulky when she got off the bus with a huff. She was grumbling under her breath as she recalled her brother's reaction when she asked him about the Hanadera Student Council President (for the nth time that day). She crossed the street hurriedly, almost in a run, when the signal light turned green. She did not have to move fast, but she wanted to lengthen the distance between her and her brother, who was still on the bus probably watching her from his seat, with all possible haste. Following the edge of the crosswalk, she marched along the walkway toward the school entrance, finally off the almost empty sideroad.

Yumi was genuinely unaware that her excessive—almost obsessive—insistence was the reason why Yuuki rounded on her at the bus stop. She did not realize until now that what she was doing was causing her brother a lot of aggravation and distress. She was grilling him every chance she could get, even when he was in the bathroom doing his business. Because of that, they were snubbing each other on the thirty-minute bus ride to school.

She passed through the monumental gate and plodded down the aisle of ginkgo trees, her head hanging low. It was the time of the year again when its leaves turned a stunning shade of gold, its branches soaring high and proud. They were eye-catching, bewitching in fact, even when the skies were sullen, they waved and glowed. But despite its overwhelming scenic beauty, the brunette could not lift her gaze up to marvel its brilliance. Her eyes were fixed on her shoes, on the cobblestoned pathway, where its berries were disastrously scattered all over the place. She only raised her head when the ground ahead was beginning to clear up, which let her know that she was nearing the statue of Maria-sama.

There was something mystifying about it. Since the ginkgo berries had started falling in late September, the concretes were always filled with the nasty fruit—or the 'stinky landmines' she would like to call them—except for the grounds near the ivory statue. Like now, Yumi had not spotted a single berry within its proximity. She had always wondered about it. But after the incident three days ago, she believed that it was one of Maria-sama's wondrous 'miracles'.

Yumi stopped in front of the gigantic figure and curtsied. "Good morning, Blessed Mother," she greeted in her native language, her smile reaching her ears.

It was Monday, the start of school week, therefore her most hated day. Yumi hated all the days she was in school, but Monday was notoriously special for the legitimate reasons. But today was different. Today felt like Saturday. She was already dressed in her school uniform before her brother barged into her room. She was able to eat her breakfast, helped their mother prepare their bentos and still got a few minutes to laze around in the living room before it was time to walk to the bus stop, and most importantly, she made it to Maria-sama without stepping on a gingko nut, which she considered the greatest feat of all. Despite making her brother mad at her for whatever reason, she felt like the luckiest girl on the planet today. And that did not happen very often.

Overwhelmed with gladness, she closed her eyes and intertwined her fingers for a prayer. She was trying to think of something to add to her thanksgiving as she remained on her stance. She was racking her brain to come up with anything to petition, but there was nothing meaningful sprang to mind. But she knew deep down—the part where her memories and dreams were sealed up to the hilt—that it was not the case. The truth was that she could not say what she really wanted to ask. Even in her mind, she was holding herself back. Realizing that, she heaved a sigh and gave up.

"Sighing in front of Maria-sama—that's not a very good sign," an amused voice said, making the brunette open her eyes and look her way.

"R—Rosa Chinensis. Gokigenyou," Yumi said and hastily made a bow. She almost forgot to say and do that again. Even though she was predominantly Japanese by blood, she could never get used to bowing and greeting formally contrary to her twin brother who had adapted the culture easily.

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san," Rosa Chinensis greeted back. She hid a sly smile when she caught the younger girl looking around with her eyes. "Looking for Sachiko?" she asked and then laughed, seeing the brunette blush. She must have thought that she was being discreet with her action, but she was not so sneaky doing it, not even a little. The brunette was still blushing furiously when she nodded her head. The Rose felt bad for laughing at her. She pressed her lips to refrain from smiling as she regained her composure. "I'm sure you will see her," she said, putting a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. She then gave her a kind smile and said her goodbye.

There was something in the her tone that puzzled Yumi, but she was too afraid to ask the Yamayurikai leader, so she just kept the question to herself as she watched the Rose tread down the garden path. It was an unusual and roundabout route to the main grounds, where the school building was, and more so to the Rose Mansion. Rosa Chinensis must be going somewhere else, the brunette thought with wonder. She turned around when she heard light, cautious steps walking toward her way. She was buoyed up by the sight of her classmate, whose gaze was on the ground. "Good morning, Shimako-san!" she greeted the taller brunette cheerfully.

Shimako lifted her head. There was a trace of surprise and reluctance in her eyes when she met the brunette's gaze. "Gokigenyou," she said somewhat strained, and then looked away.

Yumi frowned when her classmate walked past her without saying another word. Her gaze pointed forward, not letting her eyes stray to her surroundings. She did not even stop to pray at the statue or gestured any sign of respect to Maria-sama. "Is Shimako-san really mad at me?" the brunette muttered to herself, staring blankly at her classmate's retreating figure. She was jerked out of her thoughts when someone suddenly wrapped their arms around her and groped her chest. She yelped, horrified by the unwelcome touch.

"What are you murmuring about, Yumi-chan?" a kittenish voice said in her ear. The brunette knew right away who it was.

Yumi squirmed out of her arms, turning around with a glower straight to the perpetrator. "W—what were you doing, Rosa Gigantea?"

"I was feeling your boobs—"

Yumi interrupted the older girl with a shake of her head, her face flushing with embarrassment. "That—that's not what I meant!"

The blonde Rose just chuckled. "Yumi-chan is so cute I want to pet her all the time."

"I am not a dog," the brunette said and enfolded her arms against her chest, trying so hard to give the older girl a threatening look. "Please stop joking around, Rosa Gigantea. I'm serious here. It's okay to touch me, I guess, but not like that. That's sexual harassment!"

Rosa Gigantea moved closer, towering over the brunette. "Aw, don't say that, Yumi-chan. You're hurting my feelings. How could you call that a harassment when you enjoyed it?" She drew her face inches above the younger girl despite the series of glares fired at her. Her lips were moving provocatively when she said, "This spot is where you and Sachiko first met, right? I'm jealous. I wish I was the one who met you first."

Feeling uncomfortable of how close their mouths were, Yumi jumped away from the blonde. She averted her gaze, her cheeks and ears turning bright red, when she saw something (she would rather not say) on the Rose's face.

Rosa Gigantea chuckled at the younger girl's helpless expression. "So, what did my precious little sister do to you?" she said as she straightened up.

Yumi blinked, looking up at the blonde Rose.

"Why are you looking at me like you're seeing Buddha all of a sudden, Yumi-chan?" Rosa Gigantea said with a laugh. "I understood you, you know. What do you think of me?"

The brunette shook her head franticly. "Ah, it's—it's nothing—"

"Aw, Yumi-chan is such a liar," Rosa Gigantea whined childishly.

"Geez, stop acting like a child," Yumi said, unamused.

"I refused to until you tell me," the Rose said, and then her face brightened up with mischief as an idea came to mind. "Okay, since you are so stubborn like the Reds, I will allow my great self to compromise."

The brunette said nothing, just looking at the blonde apprehensively.

"I will tell you a secret about my precious sister that I am certain nobody knows about but me. If you tell me what it is that bothers you, that is," the Rose said and grinned. "How about that, Yumi-chan? Simple, isn't it? This golden secret will intrigue you at the very least."

Yumi rubbed her brow as she contemplated on what to do. She could not trust this perverted and troublesome woman, her instincts told her that. But learning something about her enigmatic classmate was too tempting that she nodded her head. "Okay," she answered halfheartedly. "You are her grand seour, so I guess it is all right for me to say this to you," she said, brushing off the disagreeing voice inside her head. "I'm not really sure about this, Rosa Gigantea, but I think Shimako-san is angry with me."

"Oh?" Rosa Gigantea said. She did not show any sign of surprise or disbelief, only curiosity. "What made you think of that?"

"Well, she is obviously avoiding me. She is not looking at me when I'm talking to her—"

The Rose leaned her head forward without warning, starting the brunette. Her nose was close to touching the younger girl's lips. "Do you want to know what I think about that, Yumi-chan?" she said, her smile growing mischievous as she waited for her response.

"O—okay," Yumi said, titling her head away, but did not move back like the last time.

The Rose chuckled, pulling away. "No, no, I take it back. You're not ready yet."

"Stop playing with me, Rosa Gigantea," Yumi said with a weak glare. "Er, now, um, as you promised, you tell me about Shimako-san."

"What about Shimako?" Rosa Gigantea said, holding back a toothy smile. She could barely contain herself when the brunette pursed her lips at her. It was clearly an annoyed expression, but she perceived it as an adorable pout, which she wanted nothing but to touch it with her mouth.

"Forget it," Yumi said, ready to walk away. Just as she moved her foot backward, the blonde encircled her arms around her neck, halting her steps midway.

The Rose bent over, her lips brushing the rim of her ear. "Shimako has someone she likes. Can you guess who it is?" she whispered, a smirk on her face. "It's someone in your class."

Yumi could not concentrate in class the entire morning. She kept on glancing from one classmate to the other, scrutinizing every single one of them very seriously. She breathed out, banging her head lightly against the edge of her table after the teacher left the classroom. She did not know why she was doing it when half of her thought that the blonde Rose was only toying with her. But what if she was telling the truth and the person Shimako liked was really in her class? Did that mean that their class representative was that kind of girl who liked other girls?

"Yumi-san, Yumi-san!"

The brunette heaved her head up, her face beat and listless. "Tsutako-san," she said, acknowledging the bespectacled girl who was standing in front of her table.

"Aren't you acting stranger than usual, Yumi-san? I know, because I've been observing you all morning," Tsutako said the latter unabashedly when the brunette was about to protest. "Are you agonizing about the rumor flying around school—?"

Yumi straightened up on her seat. "What rumor?"

Tsutako regarded the brunette skeptically. "You haven't heard?" she replied, tentatively. The blank, innocent look on her face was enough reason to believe that she was not faking ignorance. "Uh, n—never mind. Please continue with your nap, Yumi-san. Enjoy," she said, giving her a quick smile and turned around in a hurry.

Yumi stood up from her chair and tugged at her classmate's white blouse to stop her from running away. "Tsutako-san, it's not nice to leave a friend hanging in the air, is it?"

"I should have known that you're always insensitive to this kind of thing," Tsutako mumbled and scratched the back of her head. "I only learned about this before homeroom. I overheard girls from the other class talking in the bathroom about you rejecting Sachiko-sama's rosary—"

"What?" Yumi said aloud, causing some of their classmates to glance their way.

Tsutako hushed her, putting her hands over her mouth. "I think most of our classmates don't know about the rumor yet, so pipe down, will you?"

The brunette yanked her hands off her face, scowling at her bespectacled classmate. "Did you tell someone about it?"

"What, no!" Tsutako reacted like she was offended by the accusation. "I'm a photographer, not a broadcaster. Yes, it's true that I get a buzz out of gossip, but things like that are more enjoyable to watch from the sidelines than to get involved."

The scowl on her face melted away, worry taking place. "Who could have started the rumor if it's not you? It was just us in the Rose Mansion," the brunette said then her gaze swerved to their class representative, who was sitting quietly at her desk.

"There's no way it could be Shimako-san," Tsutako said, prompting the brunette to look back at her. "Shimako-san doesn't talk to us unless we talk to her first."

"I didn't say it was Shimako-san," Yumi said just when the bell rang. She sat back on her seat while her bespectacled classmate went to her desk, a hop away from the rear door.

Their last class before lunch was English, Yumi's least favorite subject. It was the easiest, needless to say, but it bored her to death.

As soon as their teacher entered the room, Shimako stood up and called the class to stand and greet her. They all bowed and chorused a tedious welcome.

"Good morning, everyone," the teacher greeted the class in English with slight Japanese intonation as she motioned them to sit. "How was your weekend? I hope you are all ready for another lesson. Kindly get your books and turn to page 203 . . ."

The brunette zoned out when the teacher began her discussion. She could not wait for the class to finish so she could talk to Tsutako more about the rumor in their forty-minute lunch break. It weighed heavily on her mind for a lot of reasons, but mostly because she was afraid of the Rosa Chinensis en bouton and her reaction. Stories spread quickly in this close-knit private school. She could only hope that it would not reach her ears in a cruel and tactless way and blamed her for it.

Once again, Yumi felt her heart pound and stomach tie in knots. This always seemed to happen whenever she thought about the Rosa Chinensis en bouton. She felt nervous, edgy, but excited and giddy at the same time. They were all new, confusing, and conflicting. And not understanding her feelings terrified her immensely.

A harsh tap on her shoulder made her realize that she got lost in a trance nearly halfway through the class. When she glanced around, everyone was staring at her apart from Shimako, who had kept her eyes locked on her book.

"Fukuzawa-san," their teacher said in Japanese, her voice reproving, "I know you are good at this subject, but please try to pay attention. Everyone is taking notes besides you."

"I—I'm sorry, Yamamura-sensei," Yumi said, her tone timorous.

"I forgive you this time," the teacher said, "but if this happens again—as this happens all the time—you will be given a disciplinary referral and will be sent to the headmistress. Have I made myself clear, Fukuzawa-san?"

Yumi stood up and bowed to the teacher apologetically. "Yes, Yamamura-sensei."

The teacher nodded her head with a satisfied smile and gestured to her to sit down. Before she took her seat, Yumi sneaked a peek at their class representative and, to her embarrassment and mild surprise, met her gaze. It was momentary as Shimako looked away almost immediately and focused back on her book.

Yumi sat on her seat, her brows furrowing together. She was pretending to concentrate on the discussion, but would take a good look at Shimako once in a while. She did not catch her gaze again after that. When the bell finally rang, she leaped to her feet and strode toward the bouton's desk. The brunette could not ignore the unsettling matter any longer and decided to confront her head-on. She would ask her why she had been giving her the cold shoulder since Friday; and if she did or said something wrong, she would apologize to her sincerely."

But before the brunette could reach Shimako's table, Tsutako grabbed hold of her arm and drew her to the side. "Yumi-san, I think you need to hear this."

The urgency in her voice made Yumi forget about Shimako. "What is it?" she said, her face stern.

"It's the 'Shark'—" Tsutako began to say, but then the door at the front burst open, interrupting her.

A horde of rowdy, hyperactive girls were fussing outside the door. They were squeezing up against each other just to get a peek inside the room.

"Which one is Fukuzawa Yumi-san?" one of the girls said.

"The one with lighter hair and pigtails," someone answered.

"I heard she's not so Japanese-looking," another one said.

Yumi paled when she saw the mob of first-years aggressively looking for her outside their classroom door. "Tsutako-san, what are we going to do?" she asked her bespectacled classmate, who looked more amused than concerned.

"They're nothing," Tsutako said, suppressing the urge to smile. "But I suggest you find a place to hide and eat your lunch before the 'Shark' arrives."

"What—who are you talking about?" Yumi said, pulling a face at her classmate's nonchalance.

"I'm talking about the Newspaper Club's best reporter," Tsutako said. "I heard they're sending her to get the story from you. She isn't the forgiving and easy-going type. You can say she's as good as any entertainment reporter here in Tokyo, so you have to hurry before she gets in here and finds you. Knowing her, she already knows who you are—"

"Excuse me, excuse me!" a small, short-haired girl said as she jostled her way through the crowd. She was carrying a thin pad and pen in her hands.

"Oh, crap, speak of the devil," Tsutako said. She looked ready to make a joke of the situation, but smiled widely instead.

When the member of the Newspaper Club was at the door, she soon caught the brunette's gaze. "Oh, Fukuzawa Yumi-san! Fukuzawa-san!" she called, waving her pen enthusiastically at her. "I have a few questions for you about Rosa Chinensis en bouton, Ogasawara Sachiko-sama!"

The girls went hysterics at the mention of the bouton's name. The buzz grew even more louder. They all stared at her, including her classmates, when the school report stepped into the room and proceeded toward her direction. Now they all knew who she was.

Yumi felt a soft, warm skin on her hand before she heard a gentle yet monotonous voice say in her ear, "Yumi-san, please come with me."

The brunette was stunned when she looked over her shoulder and saw their class representative. Shimako did not wait for her answer as she dragged her toward the rear door. The girls did not attempt to go after them when they went out of the room. Even the ace of the Newspaper Club did not stick out her neck to follow them after she saw the look on the bouton's face.

Yumi just realized that the taller brunette was helping her escape from the army of snoopers when they came to the building behind the school lockers. She restrained herself from asking where she was taking her when they entered a dark, unused room. Later she realized it was an old art's room, seeing the covered canvasses and other unfinished artworks.

Shimako did not stop walking until she was at the opposite side of the room. There was a second door that was almost camouflaged with the walls. Yumi did not notice it at first until the bouton grabbed the rusty doorknob and opened it. The bright sunlight made her eyes squint. When they stepped out of the room, she could not help but gape at the beautiful rows of ginkgo trees.

"I'm sorry that you weren't able to take your bento with you," Shimako said, breaking the silence.

Yumi averted her gaze from the yellow trees and looked at her classmate with a smile. "I totally forgot about that. I guess I have to wait until the afternoon recess to eat my lunch."

Shimako offered her neatly-wrapped bento, hardly looking at the brunette. "We can share if you like."

Yumi's eyes grew wide at the kind gesture. The bouton was snubbing her not so long ago and now she was offering to share her lunch with her.

The brunette turned her body toward her classmate, a confused look on her face. "Um, Shimako-san, can I ask you a question?"

It was evident to Yumi that the question threw the bouton off guard, seeing how twitchy she was when she looked at her.

"What are you going to ask me?" Shimako said, her gaze roving over her face anxiously.

"Shimako-san," Yumi began, her hands fiddling with the inner rim of her blouse. "Do you hate me?"

The bouton could only stare at the brunette before a soft laugh escaped her lips.

Yumi pouted at her, but smiled in secret. Seeing the bouton laughing was as rare as seeing a rainbow at night. She was luxuriating in the moment, silently watching her classmate shaking with laughter.

"I do not hate you, Yumi-san," Shimako said, her laughter dying down. "It's actually the opposite."

The brunette opened her mouth to react, only to close it again when she remembered what Rosa Gigantea told her that morning. Does Shimako-san like me that way? Is—is she going to confess to me? she thought nervously as she waited for the bouton to continue.

"Speaking frankly, I envy you."

"Huh, e—envy me?" Yumi said, pushing aside her previous thought. She felt ashamed and guilty for regarding the bouton that way when it was glaringly obvious that she was not like that—a girl who liked other girls. She made up her mind not to listen to the blonde Rose from now on. "Shimako-san, you are so beautiful that when I first saw you I thought you were a walking doll. And I even looked at you twice or more just to make sure I was wrong," she said, making the bouton laugh again.

"That is what I like about you, Yumi-san . . . your personality," Shimako said. "People smile just looking at your face."

Yumi blushed at what she thought was a praise. "Geez, you should have said you're fond of clowns, Shimako-san."

Shimako giggled. "I'm weird, aren't I?"

"Well, if you like someone like me, then maybe you are weird," Yumi replied with an awkward smile. Her expression became serious as she said, "I really thought that you were avoiding me, Shimako-san. Did—did you, perhaps, hear me talk to Kyoko-san about you last Friday? I noticed that you started ignoring me after that."

The bouton sat on the top step, gazing at the ginkgo trees thoughtfully. "It's impossible not to hear people talk, especially when you're just a couple of feet from them."

Yumi sat beside her classmate, not minding the dust-covered step. "I'm sorry."

Laughing silently, Shimako looked at the brunette. "What are you apologizing for? I'm not angry with you, Yumi-san."—her gaze shifted briefly to her lips then back to her eyes—"I was not avoiding you. I was not even aware that I was acting that way until you told me."

"So, um, you really are not avoiding me on purpose?" Yumi said, making sure that she was not imagining it.

"No," the bouton said with a smile. "But maybe I was really acting differently around you, you only just noticed it."

Yumi was about to say something in response when her stomach growled loudly. They looked at each other then laughed at the same moment. The brunette was feeling sheepish while Shimako was seemingly having a hearty laugh, unfortunately at her very own expense. She was just glad to know that the bouton did not hate her and was not avoiding her like she had thought.

Shimako unpacked the white, satin cloth that was skillfully wrapping her bento and moved closer to the brunette as she opened her lunchbox. "I have more than what I can eat, so please help yourself."

Yumi beamed as she pressed her hands together. "Thank you for the food!"

After lunch, Yumi learned that the rumor had already swept through the entire school like plague. If it was not for the Rosa Gigantea en bouton walking at her side, she would most likely be swamped with questions and girls who could not stop poking their nose in.

Fortunately for the brunette, her classmates did not flock around her and ask about her relationship with the star of Lilian. They would stare at her every so often, but that was all they did the whole afternoon. The last period came fast. Since it was Monday, the first-year-Peach had to attend class in the music room that was located at the very end of the corridor on the second floor, which meant that they had to go up and walk through the long hall, passing the second-year classrooms.

Yumi was fully conscious that one of those rooms was Rosa Chinensis en bouton's classroom. Pitifully, as famous as the bouton was, the brunette had no idea which class she was in. She had not thought about it before until now.

She kept her head down as she and her classmates marched through the corridor, feeling the butterflies in her stomach flapping their wings excitedly like she was going to perform on the main stage. As if she heard someone call her name, she absentmindedly lifted her gaze from the floor and glanced over her left shoulder. Inside the classroom, in the midst of the almost indistinguishable faces, she caught sight of the beautiful yet intense dark sapphire eyes looking at her steadily through the half-opened door. Her heart was quicker to react than her brain, which was still trying to process why her face was turning scarlet and her chest about to burst.

She was inside the music room when it hit her. She squatted down, in the middle of the room, cupping her hands around her mouth. She was choking back the squeaky screams from leaving her throat.

"Yumi-san, are you all right?" one of her classmate, Katsura, said as she leaned down to see if the brunette was fine.

Yumi was grinning foolishly when she looked up from her hands, her face still as red as ever. "I feel fine, Katsura-san," she said then got up abruptly, starting her classmate and a few others who were peering at them nearby. She walked to her chair, beside Tsutako, like nothing happened while her classmates were wondering what was wrong with her.

Music class was over without a hitch. It was only minutes later after the bell rang that she noticed that nearly all her classmates had already left the room. She did not even see Shimako around when she was always the last one to go. She stood up when Tsutako got up from her seat, but did not go after her toward the exit.

Tsutako halted her steps when she saw the brunette was still at her chair, toying idly with her flute. "Yumi-san, you coming?"

"You can go ahead, Tsutako-san," Yumi said, glancing at her. "I'm staying a bit longer until everyone else has left."

"Ah, right," her bespectacled classmate said. "You hate it when people stare at you. But be careful, though. Those girls would not think twice about harassing you if they saw you walking alone in the hallways."

"Don't worry. I know how to be careful," Yumi replied appreciatively.

Tsutako looked rueful when she said, "You know, if I only knew that my picture would get you into trouble, I wouldn't have asked you to seek Rosa Chinensis en bouton's permission on my behalf."

Yumi rolled her eyes at her classmate playfully. "Are you being sarcastic, or do you actually mean it?"

"Okay, I was being sarcastic," Tsutako laughed. "Honestly, I cannot wait to post that picture at the school festival. I'm sure I will get the votes I need to win this contest."

"Wait a minute," Yumi said with a frown. "I thought you said you wouldn't submit the picture for display unless you get our permission first?"

"Did I say that?" Tsutako said, biting back a laugh. "Oh, snap, look at the time," she said all of a sudden, looking at her watch. "I better get going. It's my great grandfather's sister's husband's dog's death anniversary today. I have to burn incense and offer my respect to the dead or its ghost will haunt me forever." She waved her hand and smiled. "Good luck avoiding those crazy Sachiko-sama admirers on your way home, Yumi-san."

The brunette watched her bespectacled classmate go with a sigh-slash-laugh. She was letting her off the hook this time because she really did not want to discuss her predicament at length and be reminded about the bet, which she lamentably remembered when Tsutako mentioned about the photograph.

Yumi placed her instrument inside its cover then in her satchel bag, but did not carry her bag with her when she ambled toward the piano. She pulled up the bench and sat comfortably in front of the keyboard. She rested her hands atop the white, shiny keys and stayed motionless for about a minute or so. Hidden memories and repressed emotions came rushing in as she tapped her fingers against the keyboard, gradually making a familiar sound. Before she knew it, she was playing the melody of 'Maria-sama's Heart' with a small smile on her face.

"You're playing beautifully," a soft, pleasant voice said close to her ear.

Her fingers froze as the brunette let out a loud scream, her face blanched with surprise.

"Please, don't scream like that. If other people would hear, they would think I was assaulting you," Rosa Chinensis en bouton said, standing by the piano.

Her eyes were puffing out when Yumi saw the bouton. "Sa—Sachiko-sama!" she exclaimed. "A—anyone would scream if you approached someone like that."

The bouton just smiled at the brunette's exaggerated reaction, altogether ignoring her verbal comeback. "Mind if I join you, Yumi?" she asked kindly, her hand gesturing toward the small bench the younger girl was sitting on.

Her heartbeat was pounding out of control when Yumi nodded her head. She moved a little so there would be enough space for the two of them to sit on. The bouton sat down leisurely, their shoulders and hips pressing at each other.

"Let's play," Sachiko said, looking at the brunette.

Yumi flinched away at their closeness, her face heating up. "W—what?"

It was obviously a rhetorical question, but the bouton repeated for her sake. "Let's play together," she said then began playing with her left hand.

The brunette looked hesitant when she played along with the bouton. Before long, she got a grip on her nerves and played the notes as she remembered it. They were playing a harmonious duet of 'Maria-sama's Heart' until she realized that she was enjoying the moment wholeheartedly when she should not. She purposefully struck a wrong key, which untimely ended their duet.

Yumi laughed nervously. "I—I knew it. I couldn't keep up with you, Sachiko-sama."

The bouton had a gentle smile on her face when she turned her body halfway toward the younger girl. "I do not think so. I think you're playing wonderfully. Did you learn 'Maria-sama's Heart' when you were in Middle School?"

"Er, um, no, I—I—I . . ." the brunette fumbled for words. It was impossible for her to concentrate on her speech when the bouton was staring at her, not to mention so closely.

Sachiko laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. Her silvery laughter was so contagious that Yumi caught herself beaming contentedly at the beauty and sound of it. The smile did not leave the older girl's lips when she let her gaze wander over the brunette's face one last time. She closed the fallboard and stood up. "Shall we go?"

Yumi looked up at the bouton. "Huh, w—where?"

"Did you forget about the bet?" the bouton said. "From now on until the day before the play, you are expected to attend the rehearsals with me. After all, you might be playing Cinderella once you became my soeur."

Yumi stood up from the bench, her brow twisting up. "That—that is if I accept your rosary."

"Are you truly convinced that you will not accept my rosary?" Sachiko said. The challenge in her eyes was putting off the brunette.

"It—it's not what I—"

"I am going to attend the rehearsals even though I am very confident that you will become my soeur," the bouton continued. She drew closer to the brunette and reached for her tie, which she saw was knotted clumsily. "That photo," she said suddenly as she united and redo the white ribbon in a swift and skillful manner. "Was it taken on Friday morning?" Just like what happened in front of Maria-sama, she smoothened out the barely-there creases of her collar after fixing her tie. She smiled when the younger girl nodded. "I'm sorry if I just remembered."

"So you really did not remember when we showed you the picture in the Rose Mansion?" Yumi said without feeling wary of the bouton's response.

Sachiko stepped a foot back. "I'm not a morning person, so that maybe explains it." She did not utter an apology for lying to her and the Roses, but her expression said it all.

That does not explain anything, Sachiko-sama, the brunette wanted to say, but kept it to herself.

"But I remember seeing you, praying at the statue so solemnly. I thought I was still dreaming and saw Maria-sama's spirit."

Yumi struggled not to laugh, but failed. She stopped laughing the second she noticed the bouton staring at her once more.

"Yumi," the bouton said, her penetrating gaze still on the brunette. "I know that you're still having second thoughts about this arrangement, but won't you come watch me rehearse?"

Her chocolate brown eyes softened at the vulnerability of her question. A smile was crawling onto the brunette's lips when she answered, "Okay."

The bouton looked so pleased when she gestured to the brunette to walk with her. When they were at the door, she paused unexpectedly, prompting the younger girl to stop next to her. "I think you're forgetting something," she said and turned around.

Yumi watched the older girl walk back into the room with confusion until she saw where she was heading. Her bag—she regrettably forgot about it. She felt so embarrassed when the bouton took her satchel bag that was hanging from her chair and handed it to her when she reached the door. "Thank you, Sachiko-sama," she said with a bashful smile.

"I thought you forgot something, because I was sure you were carrying your bag when I saw you earlier," Sachiko said with a smile of her own.

Sachiko-sama really did see me, Yumi thought giddily. She could only hope that it did not see in her face how happy she was that the bouton was indeed looking at her.

They went out of the music room together. The brunette was relieved that the hallway was deserted. Neither said a word as they sauntered through the hall. Every so often, Yumi would take a quick look at the bouton and her cheeks would blush every time.

"Was that really the first time that we met each other?" the bouton said out of the blue.

"Yes, that was the first time," Yumi said with restraint.

"I feel better now that I remembered it," the bouton said. "To tell you the truth, I spent my weekend trying to remember when it happened. I couldn't stop thinking about it."

The brunette dropped her gaze to the floor. "Do you usually fix someone else's scarves that you have trouble remembering it?" she asked quietly. The bouton's face was thoughtful when she glanced back at her.

"I don't think so, no," Sachiko said, after mulling it over. "There is no doubt in my mind that you were the first. I almost never do things like that. I wonder why I did that to you . . ."

Yumi was almost certain that the bouton was thinking out loud when she said the latter. They were already halfway through the corridor when she spotted her English teacher leaving a second-year classroom.

"Oh, my," Yamamura-sensei said when she saw them walking toward her.

"Yamamura-sensei!" Yumi called, nodding her head at her teacher.

Sachiko halted in front of the teacher. "Gokigenyou," she greeted and made a courtly bow.

"Hello, Fukuzawa-san," the teacher said to her student then shifted her curious gaze to the bouton. "I thought it was some kind of mistake that I saw you two together. But isn't the rumor true, that Fukuzawa-san rejected your rosary, Ogasawara-san?"

The brunette was not sure how she knew it, but she could tell right away that the bouton's smile was forced and sarcastic when she smiled at the teacher.

"I am sorry to have troubled you with what you might have heard about us, sensei. We shall leave the matter of our relationship to your imagination," Sachiko responded calmly. "So please excuse us. Gokigenyou," she said and grabbed the younger girl's hand in a surreptitious manner as she bowed her head to the teacher.

"O—of course. Gokigenyou," the teacher replied falteringly then watched them walk away.

"We don't need to explain to people of our relationship. Rumors grow ridiculous the more we respond to them, so let them think whatever they want to think," Sachiko said to Yumi, but could not look at her. She was still holding the brunette's hand without realizing that she was dragging her to her accustomed route.

Yumi was exceptionally mindful of the bouton's hand on hers that she was paying no heed to other things. She had never felt so self-conscious and nervous around other people before. She wanted to pluck her hand off, but at the same time, wanted to hold on to her a bit longer. Her internal conflict was put on hold when she became aware of her vision getting dimmer. She pulled herself out of her reverie and found herself at the top of the staircase that she and the other students were keeping away from.

"Sachiko-sama, w—what are we doing here?" Yumi said, squeezing the bouton's hand as a reflex. The fear in her voice was making the older girl smile inwardly.

"I was wondering why your hand was freezing," Sachiko said, oblivious of the brunette's former dilemma that was causing her hands to sweat and grow cold. "You're not afraid of ghosts, are you, Yumi?"

"N—no," Yumi said, her voice slightly shaking.

"Good," the bouton said. "Because I use this stairs ever since I became the Rosa Chinensis en bouton petite seour, and maybe continue to do so until I graduate from high school." She gave the brunette a comforting squeeze before pulling her closer, too close, that she could hear the younger girl's slow, heavy breathing in her ear.

Yumi was grasping tightly at the bouton's hand as they climbed down the stairs. Knowing that the younger girl could not see her face due to the lack of lighting in the area, Sachiko did not try to clamp down the huge smile breaking loose across her lips.

"I am not doing this again with you, Sachiko-sama," the brunette said when they reached the landing on the ground floor.

"Do not be afraid of ghosts, Yumi. The living is more terrifying than the dead. People can hurt and haunt you no matter how much you are trying to get away from them . . . while the dead is just that, dead."

There was neither sadness nor anger in her voice when the bouton spoke. In fact, it was cold and emotionless. But for reasons unknown to the brunette, she could feel the weight of her words . . . as if she had been hurting deep inside, all those years, without anyone knowing.

"Let's hurry," Sachiko said, squeezing her hand. "The Roses are waiting for us."

"Okay," the brunette said, a sad smile on her lips.

"Is there something wrong, Yumi?" the bouton said, seeing the expression on her face.

Yumi shook her head listlessly. "N—no, nothing is wrong," she said, lying through her teeth. How could she explain to the bouton her feelings when she did not understand them herself? She attempted to smile, but it just did not reach her eyes.

"If there is nothing wrong, then shall we go?" the bouton said and tugged the brunette toward the entryway to deposit their indoor slippers in their designated shoe lockers. When she was done putting on her outdoor shoes, she waited for the younger girl outside the building. She had a faraway look on her face when the brunette caught up with her at the entrance. She did not even seem to notice her approaching until she heard her timid voice.

"Um, I'm sorry for making you wait, Sachiko-sama."

Sachiko turned around and looked at the brunette, her searching eyes roving over her face. She moved in front of the younger girl, staring down at her.

Yumi's heart was racing. She was about to ask why she was staring at her like that when the bouton spoke.

"Three times," Sachiko said, taken the younger girl aback. "I waited for you three times today. Are you going to let me wait again for the fourth time?" For a brief moment, her gaze drifted down to the brunette's pink lips when her mouth fell half open.

"I—"

A faint smile formed at her own lips when the bouton grabbed her hand. "Let's go. We are really late. The Roses are going to give us an earful for it."

The brunette nodded her head. She was not thinking when she clasped the bouton's hand and smiled broadly at her.

They were taking a shortcut to the gymnasium, where the Yamayurikai held the dance practice for Cinderella. The route was new to Yumi, so she let the older girl lead the way. Even though they were not speaking as they walked, the silence was not uncomfortable. From time to time, her gaze traveled aimlessly over the bouton's face. She could not simplify her beauty into a word. 'Perfection' would not suffice and would still be a huge understatement. Her hands were clammy again and her gut was full of butterflies. But after experiencing it many times, the brunette got used to her discomfort that she had not thought of letting go of her hand or attempted to loosen her grip, not once.

Yumi was unsure if the older girl was aware that she had not let go of her hand since they left the building. But the brunette was not complaining. She could not explain it, but she felt very happy. She realized that she enjoyed holding her hand and staying close to the bouton as much as possible. The feelings of hesitation and uneasiness and bewilderment she felt before was due to . . .

"Yumi," the bouton called, breaking off her reverie. She then glanced at the brunette, flashing a small smile. "I'm glad I met you."

The brunette looked away, hiding the blush on her cheeks. "Me, too," she mumbled shyly.

Sachiko clutched the brunette's hand tighter and averted her eyes away when, all of a sudden, she stopped in the middle of the tessellated pavement.

"Sachiko-sama?" Yumi said, looking at her. She saw fear and alarm in the bouton's face. Whatever she saw must be so appalling that it lost her composure. Completely.

Worried and confused by her reaction, Yumi followed her gaze and saw a tall, beautiful, dark-haired man standing at the end of the pavement. He looked smart and debonair in his uniform, which she recognized instantly as Hanadera's. He smiled handsomely and began to walk their way. The brunette puckered her face, looking at the older girl once again when she felt her tense up. Her hand tightened up around her fingers painfully as the man stopped a respectful distance from them.

"Gokigenyou," the young man from Hanadera greeted to no one in particular, his eyes flitting from the brunette to the bouton. "I think I got lost looking for your gymnasium. Would you mind showing me the way?"

His appearance and gentlemanly behavior were exceedingly exceptional to say the least, but Sachiko appeared to be repulsed by it. When Yumi remembered the Rosa Chinensis mention about her petite soeur's aversion with men in the Rose Mansion, she immediately felt protective toward the older girl. She jumped forward, acting defensively, and was about to give her regrets when the bouton slipped her hand away. All at once, she moved past her and stopped a foot in front of the man from Hanadera. The brunette could not see her face, but the way the man looked at the bouton baffled her.

"Sachiko-sa—" Yumi said, but the bouton cut her off.

"Go ahead without me," Sachiko said without looking at Yumi. Her voice was the coldest the brunette had heard from her. "Tell the Roses that I'm with the Hanadera Student Council President."

To be continued

A/N:

Guys, I'm sorry if this chapter is so late. I had to do something urgent at work. I wasn't online after the holidays because of that. Anyway, I'm really sorry and hope you enjoy this chapter.

Please tell me your thoughts.

See you on the next chapter!