The next day, Yumi wore her hair down. Much speculation was created over this change in hairstyle for the popular en bouton of Rosa Chinesis. When Yumi entered her class the first thing she was greeted with was the flash of Tsutako's camera and Mami confronting her with her ever present pen and pad of paper at the ready. "Rosa Chinesis en bouton, changes hairstyle out of mourning for her oneesama's upcoming graduation!" Mami exclaimed, pen touching the pad of paper as she looked at Yumi expectantly for a reaction. When it came to Yumi it was well known that her face told the story. Only this time she didn't get quite what she expected. Yumi gave a mysterious smile and tilted her head to one side. Blinking in confusion, Mami said, "Yumi-san?" "Do you want a scoop, Mami-san?" asked Yumi, eyes glittering and a playful look on her features. "What scoop?" inquired Mami almost suspiciously, not really believing in the luck of good stories landing in her lap. Though, cynical as she was, she couldn't help but say eagerly, "Is it the reason for the new hairstyle?" "Sort of," Yumi revealed altogether impishly. "What is it?" Mami pressed, pen landing on paper and staring Yumi hard in the eyes, presenting an unspoken demand for the story in her body language. "I've asked Matsudaira Touko to be my petite soeur," announced Yumi proudly. Mami's eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to begin asking questions but Yumi cut her off with a wave of her index finger. "But sadly, she's turned me down. I'm not giving up though! I'm announcing here and now to you, the voice of the school, that I will have Touko for my petite soeur." The doors to their classroom opened and their sensei walked inside. Yumi made a tching noise under her breath and gave Mami a smile. "We'll have to finish this later, Mami-san." Yumi turned away and started towards her desk but looked over shoulder to say rather mischievously, "And just so you know, I'm wearing my hair down because Touko once said she liked how it looked this way." Silence except for the flash of Tsutako's camera and something deep inside Yumi rejoiced. Because if she could get one up on one of the fiercest members of the newspaper staff maybe, just maybe, convincing Touko to be her petite soeur might not be as hard as she thought. Lunch time arrived and Yumi picked up her box lunch to go with Yoshino to the Rose Mansion, wearing what appeared to a permanent satisfied smile on her features. Basking in the stares and the sounds of gossiping as they walked past Yumi almost didn't hear her friend's not so quiet demand to know what was going on. "Yoshino-san?" asked Yumi, blinking at the hostility. "I'm sorry, Yumi-san," said Yoshino, stopping in her walk to face her friend. "But all of this," she gestured agitatedly at the nearby gossiping students. "Is starting to get on my nerves and they're not even talking about me! Why are you so happy that they're speaking about your rejection? Did you really tell Mami-san about Touko-chan turning you down? Why would you do that?" "Ah," said Yumi wisely, feeling rather like Sachiko-sama but not nearly so cool. Perhaps she was feeling like Sachiko-sama-lite. Leaning in close to Yoshino, she formed a little grin and drawled, "It's to get her attention." "Touko's?" asked Yoshino disbelievingly. "It should come shortly," Yumi said, looking pleased with herself and hooking her arm in Yoshino's as she continued their walk down the hall. "What should?" Yoshino questioned, not quite believing this was Yumi she was talking to. She was starting to think maybe everyone was wrong when they predicted she would be the driving force behind the Yamayurikai next year instead of Yumi. Particularly if the other girl was already showing a mastery for the art of manipulation. It reminded Yoshino of Youko-sama but in a strangely pleasant way that bode well for their future. "Touko-chan's reply," said Yumi simply. They kept walking arm and arm and were nearly at the stairs when they heard Touko say rather imperiously, "Yumi-sama!" Pausing in her walk, Yumi turned to face Touko still wearing that satisfied smile on her features. Something which seemed to further enrage the younger girl. Observing the crumpled remains of the school newspaper in Touko's hands, Yumi's lips quirked up a bit and she remarked, "A new edition already? We have a very productive newspaper staff, don't we Touko-chan?" "Yumi-sama," Touko said in a low tone, looking very much like she was trying quite hard to control herself. "Why did you speak with them? You do know the entire school is talking about us now." "I hope so," said Yumi, leaning towards Touko and looking entirely pleased with herself. She gave into a sudden and rather playful desire and tapped the younger girl on the nose. "Because that's the reason I decided to speak with them. So I could let everyone know I chose the cute and charming Touko-chan as my petite soeur." Yumi pulled back and wore something of a pout. "Even if she's turned me down on the first try." "First try?" Touko echoed, looking stunned. "Of course," replied Yumi, pushing a stray lock of hair from her eyes and smiling at Touko. "Touko-chan is the only one I want for my petite soeur so even if she rejects me at first, I can hardly give up if I want Touko-chan to be mine, now can I?" Yumi stepped closer to the younger girl and once again felt rather like Sachiko-sama as she fixed the scarf that had become messy from searching for Yumi throughout the school. "Instead, I'll just have to spend my time convincing you what a good grande soeur I will be." "Yumi-sama," Touko's voice was a bare whisper and she stared with disbelieving eyes at the older girl who was fixing her scarf. "Why did you really change your hair?" Gazing up at Touko, her eyes crinkled around the edges as she smiled then Yumi replied, "That night in my room, my hair was down and you said it looked better that way." Pulling away and standing at her full height, Yumi continued, "My hairstyle doesn't matter to me. What matters is whether or not Touko-chan likes it." Then with that, Yumi hooked her arm in Yoshino's and disappeared down the stairs. Leaving Touko frozen with gossiping students surrounding her on all sides. Just as they began to swarm to demand answers on exactly why she would turn down the most popular member of the Yamayurikai among the first year students, Noriko stepped in. She shooed them away with glares and a few harsh words and by the time they were relatively alone, Touko had finally found her ability to speak again. "Why is she doing this?" said Touko, her tones empty and sad and incredibly lost as she looked at Noriko. "I don't know," answered Noriko honestly. "But I believe Yumi-sama when she says she wants you as her petite soeur. I can see the truth of it in her eyes." Clenching her jaw, Touko stiffened her back and said bitterly, "She wants Sachiko-sama but she can't keep her, especially after the wedding. I'm meant to be a poor replacement." "Touko," said Noriko, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. Much like Yumi, no reply came from Touko. She simply turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring the stares and the gossip that followed. Leaving Noriko staring after her with a worried expression.
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