"A Notice from the Yamayuri Council When watching "Maria Watches Over Us ~Printemps~" please have the room brightly lit and sit well away from the television set." "Maria Watches Over Us Printemps" "In the morning mist, Asamoya no naka the white path goes on." "tsuzuku shiroi michi" "The birds sing." "Tori no saezuri" "We exchange greetings." "Aisatsu kawashinagara" "At times, the clouds hang low, Toki ni kumo ga tarekomete and the sun may grow dim." "hizashi kagerou tomo" "But I will walk with my chin up, Sesuji nobashite aruku for I know, watashi wa shitteru kara that above those heavy clouds..." "omoi kumo no ue wa ...is the blue sky." "aol sora" "Yumi..." "Is there anything for me to do?" ""Anything"?" "There are too many things to do, so I don't even know where to begin..." "[School Festival]" "I guess getting ready for the school festival is hard work." "Lady Sachiko is absent and Lady Rei and Yoshino seem busy with the Kendo Team." "Why not ask the school festival executive committee for help?" "In that case, I would rather have either you or Yoshino find a little sister." "Shimako has become much more like a Lady Rose." "Once Lady Rei's kendo obligations taper off, and Lady Sachiko returns to school," "I think we will be able to manage." "But I wonder what in the world is going on with Lady Sachiko." "I know..." "It seems something has happened to Rosa Chinensis." "Something?" "Like what?" "Something?" "Like what?" "I don't know..." "I did try asking, but..." "Toko refuses to say, so..." "Toko, huh?" "I'm sorry I couldn't be of help, Lady Yumi." "No, it's okay." "Thank you." "At any rate, our current issue is that we're shorthanded, right?" "Still, regardless of all that," "I'm glad that you're back to your old self." "What might this be about?" "First, could I ask you to relax your combative attitude?" "Didn't you summon me out here to press me for answers or to air your grievances?" "I want to ask you to help out with the Yamayuri Council." "P-Pardon?" "Rosa Foetida has a lot of new members on the Kendo Team and since all of them are novices, it seems their training is keeping her busy." "That will likely keep up for the rest of this term, so..." "I'm part of the Drama Club, too..." "So, you can just help when you have no club obligations." "What are you doing?" "Escorting you to the Rose Mansion." "I will help out." "But only while Rosa Chinensis is absent." "Really?" "Thank you." "Using touch to communicate like I learned from Lady Sei..." "Maybe it's effective." "And maybe we were also able to debunk the rumor that Toko and I are fighting over my dear sister." "A week has gone by since then, but Lady Sachiko still hasn't returned to school." "Toko." "Sorry, but could you make copies of these?" "I guess you're actually rather cold, Lady Yumi." "What?" "Lady Sachiko has been absent all this time, but you're not going to do anything?" "That's why I'm working hard here, though." "That isn't what I'm talking about." "Rosa Foetida." "What is it?" "Please switch seats with me!" "Being next to Lady Yumi isn't good for my mental health!" "No." "Why not?" "!" "The reason is because you're a helper that Yumi brought in." "Sorry, but we weren't involved whatsoever." "Please don't follow me!" "Wait for me, Toko." "I don't understand you at all, Lady Yumi!" "Just a week ago, you were almost infuriatingly downcast, but now you're suddenly recovered!" "You don't like it when I'm cheerful?" "I'm an eyesore to you!" "So why go to the trouble of keeping me around?" "!" "I thought someone else who loves Lady Sachiko should be the one to work hard in her absence." "That's why I went back to the Rose Mansion, too." "Because we both love her?" "What are you saying at this late date?" "After you ran away without hearing what dear sister Sachiko had to say!" "But I mean, I really don't know what's going on with my dear sister." "My, is that you, Yumi?" "Good day." "Good day, Yumiko." "Are you on your way home from somewhere?" "No, quite the opposite." "I found out where an old friend of mine is, so I'm thinking of going to see her." "So I just went to tell Kei that I'd be away for a while." "Your friend?" "Long ago, we quarrelled over a trifling matter." "But now I'm going to reconcile with her." "This parasol..." "It's an old parasol, isn't it?" "But I couldn't bring myself to throw it away." "It's the parasol I had when I last saw her." "That day, I was unable to say that I was sorry." "So I plan to go and say it now." "But..." "I wonder what she will say..." "Well, I think I'll be on my way now." "Is it far?" "Yes, but I'll be fine." "My destination is a hospital." "Even if something should happen, they can take care of me there." "So, Yumiko's friend is hospitalized..." "A hospital, huh?" "What?" "My grandfather runs a small hospital at the base of a mountain in a prefecture near Tokyo." "You can only get there by car, but there's a lot of greenery and the air's fresh." "Could it be...?" "Is that where Lady Sachiko is being hospitalized?" "You are so simple-minded, Lady Yumi." "Didn't you know that Lady Sachiko isn't absent due to illness?" "Then..." "This conversation ends here." "Even if I do nothing, someone will surely act soon anyway." "What do you mean, Toko?" "I shall give you one word of advice, Lady Yumi." "What?" "You should do your best not to get in a car driven by dear brother Suguru." "By Kashiwagi?" "What's that about?" "If you aren't used to it, you'll get motion sickness." "Especially on unpaved roads." "High school division, Year 2, Pine Class, Miss Yumi Fukuzawa, please come to the faculty office immediately." "I repeat." "High school division, Year 2, Pine Class, Miss Yumi Fukuzawa, please come to the faculty office immediately." "Yumi, why?" "Why what?" "The arrival at the school gate." "Whose arrival?" "The prince's arrival." "In a bright-red pumpkin sports car." "Kashiwagi is here?" "Yumi..." "They've all come here out of concern for me..." "Good day, Yumi." "Rosa Chinensis!" "Long time no see." "W-What in the world are you doing here?" "I came for you." "Come with me." "What?" "Then it was Rosa Chinensis who had me summoned?" "Tell me, Yumi, would you be willing to help Sachiko for me?" "I would." "Then, come with me." "Yumi." "Here." "Thank you." "Hang in there." "You can tell me all about it later." "Right." "This isn't the usual supremely confident, utterly serene Lady Yoko." "What could have happened?" "Um, Lady Yoko, I'm sorry..." "You asked me to take care of Lady Sachiko, and yet..." "I'm sure it was Sachiko's fault." "But..." "Even if you had lost patience with Sachiko," "I'd think it couldn't have been helped." "But right now, I want you to come with me." "And I want you to help Sachiko." "Even though I've graduated," "I'll probably be her big sister for the rest of my life." "Go ahead and say a prayer." "What about you, Lady Yoko?" "I'll refrain for today." "I said my prayers somewhere else already." "Yumi." "Yes?" "Do you love Sachiko?" "Yes." "I see." "I'm glad." "Come, let's go." "Our driver is waiting, too." "I've been waiting for you, Cinderella." "Are you all right?" "The other day, when I took Sacchan to the hospital, she told me she'd never ride with me again." "The hospital?" "Yes, Sacchan's grandmother was hospitalized." "Aunt Sayako's mother, you see..." "My dear sister's grandmother..." "It seems Sacchan's been going to see her pretty frequently this last month." "Once when the Ogasawara car was unavailable," "I took Sacchan to the hospital in my car, but on that occasion, Toko insisted on coming along and wouldn't listen since it's the hospital her grandfather runs." "Come to think of it, you called that day, didn't you?" "Oh!" "Whoops..." "Excuse me, Mr. Driver, keep your eyes forward and concentrate on driving." "[3-Chome Intersection]" "Then, Lady Sachiko is at the hospital?" "Our destination isn't the hospital." "What?" "Today was the funeral." "Because her grandmother had wanted a private family funeral," "Kashiwagi and I both just went to see Sachiko this morning to offer our condolences." "It was her will." "She probably didn't want the funeral to be a big deal." "Where are we?" "Her grandmother's residence." "Oh, Yumi." "I am so sorry about this." "Thank you for coming." "Not at all." "May I offer my..." "No, no, it's all right." "Just come in." "Mrs. Ogasawara, I shall go look at the garden." "Then, I think I'll keep you company." "Would you please go see Sachiko?" "Please pardon my intrusion." "Up until my mother passed away, I was weeping all the time." "It seems I've since run out of tears." "I'm fine now." "Back to my old self." "Since my mother's passing, I've been able to let it go, but like a strained thread that has snapped," "Sachiko's grown despondent." "I was crying all the time, so she was straining herself to be strong for me." "Not knowing what to do, I asked Yoko to come, but..." "She said there was nothing she could do." "Beyond those doors." "Please go to her." "I will." "Dear sister..." "Am I dreaming?" "Is this a dream?" "No." "No, dear sister, I'm here." "It's you, isn't it, Yumi?" "I'm sorry, dear sister." "I was being so selfish and making things difficult for you when you were having such a tough time." "You did nothing wrong, Yumi." "It was my fault." "Dear sister..." "So you'll still call me that?" "Of course." "Will you forgive me?" "Forgive?" "I wish you had just told me." "I couldn't tell you, because when I thought of my grandmother when I was with you," "I felt as though I would cry." "I thought you would understand, even if I said nothing." "But I was taking you for granted." "You're also capable of being hurt and disillusioned." "What kind of a big sister am I, that I didn't even realize that." "Since I've been crying so much, my grandmother must have brought you to me." "Before she passed away, she was able to see someone she had really wanted to see, you know." "They had quarreled and parted ways a long time ago, so it seems she thought she'd never get to see her again." "Is this..." "Is this a dream?" "No, I am here." "So it is you." "I am sorry." "I was so very selfish and made things difficult for you." "No, you did nothing wrong." "It was my fault." "It seems she was suddenly reminded of my grandmother." "My grandmother's wish must have reached her." "A short while later, my grandmother passed away, but she looked very happy." "How do I look right now?" "Dear sister..." "I love you." "With a Parasol" "Dear sister," "I, too love you, very much."