21-2 白薔薇の物思い

This is a very quickly done summary translation. Apologies for any possible inaccuracies, omissions, inconsistencies, etc., and for the inconsistent dialogue tags and blocks of text.
It does not represent Konno Oyuki's writing style.
I do not wish for it to be used as the base for any kind of work or release.

Volume preface (bonus translation)
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Mille-feuille. We all know this one. A snack of thin crusts between which is cream, jam, fruit, etc. Stick a fork in it and it'll crumble like a demolished building and become a mess. To eat, just tip it over gently first.
In French it's spelled millefeuille and a closer pronunciation in Japanese would probably be mirufuyu (ミルフゥユ). The actual Japanese pronunciation mirufi-yu (ミルフィーユ) sounds closer to millefille in French, which would mean a thousand girls. This volume, while not close to a thousand, contains the stories of three groups of girls.

Story 2: On the Minds of White Roses
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Part 1: The Peaceful Two
-1-
A voice calls out 'Shimako!' once Shimako and Noriko leave the school gates. They both turn around and see a man in a Japanese chef uniform and haircloth with some sunglasses that create a big fashion mismatch that makes him stand out really badly and makes him look pretty shady considering his buzzcut, big build, and age looking around 30. Shimako appears to recognize him. He says 'We gotta talk' and grabs her arm. 'Whattaya think you're doing' says Noriko and gets in between them. Shimako halts her, frees her arm herself,  then asks 'About what?' 'Can't talk here, just come with me' he replies. 'I'm on my way home now. You're free to join me and talk along the way' she says. He replies that he doesn't have time for that and even if he did he doesn't want to end up too close to the house and risk running into the old man. 'Suit yourself' she says. Shimako turns around and starts off like she doesn't owe him anything, Noriko tranced by her confident way of handling the situation. The man says 'okay, I didn't want to have to do this' and grabs both her arms. Shimako struggles and Noriko grabs onto his uniform telling him to let go. 'Both of you, enough!' Shimako yells and both of them let go. 'It's okay, Noriko' she says. Noriko is standing there confused and Shimako asks the man where he wants to talk. She tells Noriko not to worry and that she really doesn't want to make a scene at the school gate. The bus had just left before this started so there's not many students around and the security guard doesn't seem to be nearby either, but people will surely start noticing if this continues, and Shimako does not want a scene. Noriko's asking if she's serious and Shimako tells her yes and to go home without her and she'll call her tonight and then gets into the man's work van. Noriko knows that Shimako would not do something like this even if she had to cause a scene if she knew it was definitely dangerous, but that doesn't mean Shimako can't make misjudgments either. While Noriko's wondering what to do, a person comes up and tells her it'll be fine. Noriko asks why she would think that and turns around to see a handsome woman with a leather jacket and jeans and a backpack with university textbooks peeking out who says because she knows who that man was. 'Want me tell you?' the woman asks. Noriko turns around and heads off saying that's okay because Shimako will be calling her tonight anyway. The woman says 'you know you're going to be agonizing the rest of the day waiting for that phone call. Why put yourself through that? Shimako won't be upset if you find out.' Noriko, frustrated because she knows the woman is right, returns to her, who pats Noriko on the head like a good girl. Noriko asks 'can we please go somewhere else first? Away from any onlookers.' 'Ah, you'd like to go somewhere private with me?' the woman smirks. Noriko snaps 'No, because Shimako didn't want a scene and the longer they stick around the more we risk ruining things for her.' The woman's head pats have advanced to touching her shoulders and arms and now had her arms around Noriko's shoulders from behind at this point. She could see more students leaving the school glancing at them, whispering to their friends. The woman agrees and says lets go and leads the way, Noriko bewildered at the turn of events from just 15 minutes ago.

-2- (flashback to 15 minutes ago)
Shimako and Noriko pass the Maria statue and pray as always. Usually, Noriko finishes her prayer before anyone else and Shimako is the last one to finish. Noriko always patiently waits for her and says 'Shall we go?' with a smile when she's done. Beforehand, Noriko had been talking about the next Buddha statue viewing trip that she wants to go on, but when they start walking again Shimako starts first saying that there's something that she's noticed lately that's been on her mind: That they have been very peaceful, the two of them. Noriko knows she can't disagree with that but doesn't know what exactly she means, thinking that there's been no war, they always have food to eat, they get to go to school and study, that in worldwide terms they have been born in a rather fortunate setting. But that's not what Shimako means. 'Compared to whom?' Noriko asks. 'Like Yumi, or Yoshino for example', says Shimako. 'Oh! Right, those two sure have their troubles right now, I suppose' noting their issues in finding a petite soeur. And the other roses, Sachiko and Rei, are in entrance exam season and will be facing the event of graduation following that. Only the White Rose girls are without worries and Shimako doesn't exactly feel good about that. 'What's the problem?' Noriko asks. 'Nothing. I feel like there's a lack of tension,' says Shimako, 'Something doesn't feel right about it.' 'Like you feel you're too complacent?' suggests Noriko. 'Yes, that's exactly it,' replies Shimako. Noriko is surprised and asks why she should feel that's wrong. Shimako says 'I don't know how to explain it, but say if we're in paradise and there's no problems, that doesn't mean there aren't places where things are bad.' Noriko responds 'so you're saying when other people are having trouble, you feel uneasy about yourself who's doing fine.' 'Maybe,' Shimako says. Noriko's close but not exact. 'But that's not your fault. Your Onee-sama is already graduated and you already have a petite soeur. Our situation is different from the Red and Yellow Roses.' Shimako smiles at her and says 'You're right of course, but this time last year Sachiko and Rei both had their petite soeur yet were frantic all the time. Sachiko was in a constant worry on the inside on how to get along with Yumi. Rei had her kendo matches and her petite soeur being Yoshino you know.' Noriko was not around last year. She may hear the gossip, but knows that perhaps only the people who were directly involved could know what it was really like. 'That doesn't mean you're hoping for some trouble, are you?' Noriko asks. 'Of course not, so don't think about returning your rosary,' she says. They both laugh, remembering the Yellow Rose Revolution last Fall. Shimako says she'd like to do something for the others but they both know these aren't things they can do anything to help besides being there at the Rose Mansion fulfilling their roles, which does not make Shimako feel any better at all. She was absolutely not expecting the events to come just minutes from then.

-3-
Noriko was lead to the university cafe. The woman gets some coffee and sits down right up next to Noriko and sticks her finger in her ear. Noriko does not react. 'A lifeless one, huh' the woman says disappointed. Noriko ignores that comment and says 'You must be Satou Sei.' Sei recoils in shock and asks how she knew. 'It wasn't hard,' Noriko said, not impressed with Sei's overacting, telling her because she knew who Shimako was and that she had actually met her once at some kind of school event before although not closely. She was just like the gossip said that Noriko had heard although her image of her was a bit different, but she knew it was definitely Sei. 'Oh.' says Sei, doing that exact fist on palm thing from the first page after the cover in Shimai Gokko. Noriko can't believe this is Shimako's Onee-sama. She could understand if she acted like this in a group, but it was just the two of them right now. How did Shimako act with her? Sei is disappointed and was hoping to leave Noriko wondering and have her realize it afterwards. Noriko: 'I'm sorry I don't react like Yumi.' Sei: 'That's the kind of trait one is born with, unfortunately.' Sei gets up and moves across the table from her. Noriko realizes she isn't like this with everybody, but rather was testing out her reactions. Although Noriko has seen her, they've never had a proper introduction, so Noriko says 'My name is Nijou Noriko.' Sei responds in turn. Noriko immediately gets to business asking who that man was. Sei says 'What man?' 'The man in the chef uniform, that's why I'm here. Unless, don't tell me' and Noriko leans over the table and grabs Sei by the collar, 'you were just running your mouth. But you weren't, were you??' She lets go and Sei fixes her collar, gestures for Noriko to have some coffee, leans her elbow on the table and says 'don't you think he resembled someone?' Noriko puts a creamer in her coffee and thinks maybe he did look a little familiar but was too distracted by his outfit. 'Like Shimako's father' Sei says. Now Noriko's starting to get it. She remembers Shimako's father out of priest uniform at the school festival playing around with Takuya [non-anime character, old Buddhism enthusiast that they all get along with]. 'He's her older brother' Sei says finally. Noriko is surprised: 'I thought she was an only child!' Sei: 'Have you ever asked her that?' Noriko doesn't remember but probably not. Sei: 'they're far apart in age and he doesn't live with them so she's probably never mentioned him. He may seem like a weirdo but he wouldn't hurt Shimako. Despite his impression, I understand that he cares for her quite a lot. Do you feel better now?' 'I suppose,' she replies. Noriko is feeling more shocked not that Shimako had an older brother, but rather that she didn't know that. 'They don't resemble each other' Noriko says. 'Nope,' Sei says and takes a sip out of Noriko's coffee despite her own cup not being empty, 'But they are indeed related.'

-4-
Shimako's older brother jumps out of the vehicle and runs into the kindergarten building yelling 'did I make it?' Shimako takes off her shoes and enters as well. 'It's not even here,' he says, 'My creation!' He is in the small, more like a home-kitchen than a work-kitchen. He's kneeling on the ground staring into an empty oven. He had informed her in the vehicle that he had put a cake in the oven before he drove to go grab her. Someone in the building calls out his name: 'Masafumi.' A woman, possibly in her 40s, appears holding a plate with a poundcake on it, steam still coming off of it. She tells him to be more careful, that their oven is old and doesn't have a timer, and that the cake would've been burning by now. Her eyes meet with Shimako's, so Shimako says hello and sorry for the intrusion. 'That's my little sister,' Masafumi says, not offering any explanation for her presence. The lady lowers her glasses and says 'oh isn't she pretty? Are you sure she's not your girlfriend?' He responds 'even if I somehow got a girlfriend from Lilian Girls' Academy, it would then be a matter involving the police.' Both Shimako and her brother are very used to the reaction of people not believing they're siblings due to their non-likeness and difference in age. Shimako introduces herself properly with her full name and shows the lady her student handbook ID as proof they share their last name. The lady apologizes and introduces herself as the kindergarten principal, saying her brother is a great help. Shimako says 'I hope he's not too much trouble.' 'No, it's worked out pretty well for all of us.' She hands the cake over to Masafumi, and he asks her how it was. She feigns ignorance but he points out the crumbs on her face, which there aren't any, but she falls for it anyway and he winks to Shimako. He notes that the cake has a portion cut off the end. Shimako apologizes for her brother's behavior. The lady laughs 'No no, that's what we're like here.' She then invites them to chat in her office if they like but they decline and she leaves them be at the kitchen table. It's after school hours so it's almost completely quiet except for some distant sounds of remaining teachers. Shimako says 'I was not aware you were employed at a kindergarten.' He sips his tea and Shimako wonders if their parents know this. 'I'm not employed here. I'm in training at the Buddhist temple behind this building. The head priest runs this place and they're short-handed right now and I'm just helping out. 'Baking cakes?' Shimako asks. 'Oh, I was just practicing. I thought it might be nice for the kids. Did you know? I worked part-time at a cake shop when I was in high school,' Masafumi says. This was the first Shimako had heard this. He had kept it a secret from their dad saying he was doing tutoring work, but knowing the old man, he probably knew. Masafumi: 'The owner asked me if I wanted to forget about being a monk and go full-time there, grab my certifications while working and maybe I could be manager someday.' 'Really?' Shimako asks. She didn't how much of this was true but she didn't think he'd have this whole story completely made up from scratch. She knows that he's a smooth-talker just like their dad though, so she decided to half-believe him. He offers her a piece of cake and she has a bite. It looks like a normal poundcake but it has an understated sweetness that melts on the tongue and a flavor that grows in the aftertaste. It leaves an unforgettable taste that she feels would appeal more to adults than to children. It seemed remarkable that those rugged hands of his created such a delicate flavor. He looks at her seriously and asks her if it's true that she's got a boyfriend. She almost chokes on her cake but washes it down with some tea. 'Where did you hear such a thing?' she says. 'I got a phone call from a friend saying that he saw you somewhere together with a boy,' he replies. 'When?' 'Around summer, at a Buddhist art exhibit.' 'Oh—,' she knows the info adds up. 'So it's true then?' he says. Shimako replies 'Yes, except it wasn't just the two of us. That was Mr. Shimura [Takuya], a friend of our father's. Surely you recognize that name.' She had gone there with Noriko and him. Masafumi's friend had probably spotted them together while Noriko was in the washroom or something. 'But Mr. Shimura is an old man.' Masafumi said exasperated. His friend had likely left out crucial details about this "boy" on purpose and would likely be having a hearty laugh at this. 'I know you have no interest in Buddhist stuff so the whole story sounded very strange to begin with,' he said. 'That's not true that I have no interest,' Shimako corrected him with a smile. 'Really?' he asks. He hardly ever sees her so he likely only has the image of her in his head from the last time they were together. Shimako: 'Yes, very recently someone has sparked my interest in it.' Masafumi: 'Oh, Shimura.' 'No. my schoolmate. Remember, she yanked on your sleeve.' 'Oh, the lively one?' 'Yes, I made her my little sister.' 'I see. That's good.' He relaxed and sipped his tea and said 'you've got a softer color to you now.' Shimako: 'A color?' 'If before you were meringue, now you'd be fresh cream.' 'I see you're a baker through and through.' But she understood him, and thought that he has a good eye. Masafumi: 'Your life must be calm.' Shimako: 'It's so peaceful I feel uneasy.' She tried to say it like a joke but he did not take it like one. 'Do you not like calm and peace?' 'That's not it...' She tried coming up with the words but took too long. 'You don't think that if you left home I'd come back, do you?' Masafumi said. 'Really? Would you come back if I wasn't there?' replied Shimako. 'No,' Masafumi staunchly denied, 'I'm a bad son. I think the temple would be in much better hands if you were to marry a monk and inherit it.' 'But I—,' Shimako stammered. Masafumi cut her off 'I know, you prefer Jesus to the Buddha,' and he put his hands together like a prayer then does that catholic cross motion. There was no reason he needed to do that, Shimako thought. Masafumi: 'Do you still want to be a nun?' Shimako: 'I don't know.' 'I see, he replied, 'That's good then.' He seemed quite satisfied with her answer. In the past she had said with certainty that she wanted to be one, but with this Shimako noticed clearly how she's been changing. It had gotten dark and a bell had rung so close by she now fully understood that there was indeed a temple behind the building. Her parents would start worrying. She carried her cup and plate to the sink and said to her brother 'if you were to get married and come home, I wouldn't move out because of that, so don't think—' 'I ain't getting married,' he states and offers to drive her home. They head out and he says 'so long as the old man is well I have no reason to return home. Unfortunately you're going to have to make up for my lost portion of the duties towards our parents.' Shimako didn't say anything but was thinking that maybe one of the reasons she feels like she's never doing anything is because she's surrounded by so many self-indulgent people.

-5-
'Riko—.' Sumireko yells from the sofa [Noriko's great-aunt and landlord], 'Get the phone, I'm doing my nails right now.' Noriko shuts off the tap and says she's got it. Noriko knows that even if she wasn't doing her nails she'd make her get the phone regardless. It's part of her landlord-tenant hierarchy. Noriko puts a pause on the dishes and gets the phone and it's the call she's been waiting for. Shimako confirms that the chef man was indeed her brother. She tells her that they're over ten years apart, but Shimako had already been going to a dorm-system school by the time of her earlier memories, so she has almost no memory of them living together. 'He may not look like it, but he is technically a monk,' Shimako says.  Noriko would not have been convinced had Shimako not confirmed this. Noriko asks what it was then that he wanted. Shimako tells her the story and Noriko says that if he had just asked at the time about the rumor then she could have told him that she too was there at that exhibit. Shimako explains he was in a hurry because he was baking a cake. Noriko had never heard of monks baking cakes. 'I thought he was supposed to be a monk.' 'I said technically a monk,' Shimako said, lowering her voice so Noriko assumed someone had walked by, like her father, cause talking about her brother seems to be taboo there. Noriko: 'Oh right, I met your Onee-sama.' Shimako: 'Really? What did you two talk about?' Shimako's voice had immediately brightened. 'Not much,' Noriko said, 'We just introduced ourselves. And she treated me to coffee.' 'Did you thank her?' 'Yes. So, she /is/ your Onee-sama, right?' 'Sei-sama? Yes, that's her. Isn't she wonderful?' But Noriko had complicated feelings on that matter and wonders if she had done all those things to Shimako that Noriko had just gone through today. She couldn't have.

Part 2: Cause of Concern
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-1-
Yumi's eyes widened: 'Shimako's been acting strange?' Tsutako from the photography club was with her. Tsutako warns her to keep her voice down and looks around. The other students had finished their cleaning duties and were chatting, not paying attention to them. Yumi had seen Shimako at the Rose Mansion yesterday and today but didn't notice anything strange herself so whispered, 'Strange how?' Tsutako tells her that Katsura, who's in the same class as Shimako, told her that not during class or homeroom or when talking to people, i.e. during break and when she's alone, she's just spacing out to a serious degree that they're too afraid to ask her if something's on her mind. The sakura trees aren't even blooming right now, Yumi thinks, looking outside. 'Well everybody spaces out sometimes right? It's not that unusual.' 'Haha, no, you're right. Well how about this then? Yesterday on her way home she got into a vehicle driven by a man in a weird outfit and drove in a different direction from her way home. And that's not all. Noriko was left behind and was then approached by some university student girl and they headed toward the university campus.' Now this sounds serious, Yumi thought. 'Is this also from Katsura?' Tsutako: 'Nope, that info comes from Naitou Shouko.' 'OK then,' Yumi said sarcastically. Tsutako: 'What? She just happened to be around when it happened. How does it look to you?' Yumi: 'Is there a reason you're asking /me/ about this?' Tsutako: 'I thought maybe you'd know something.' Since Yumi sees Shimako almost everyday and they're close friends it makes sense, but there's also Yoshino then. Tsutako says that Yoshino lately seems to have her hands quite full and is probably not paying attention to other people's business right now. It's true, Yoshino has not been taking it easy lately what with her petite soeur things going on and becoming more involved in club activities too. She might be putting in extra effort there since Rei's retirement is quickly approaching and wants to show her that she's got things handled. Yumi: 'So what you're telling me is that you're worried about Shimako but don't actually know anything.' 'Precisely.' 'Have you considered asking her yourself?' 'How can I? Maybe if we were in the same class I could ask her casually, but it'd be awkward for both of us if I went over there specifically and asked to talk to her. It'd look like I was doing something for the newspaper club.' Tsutako had been making sure that Yamaguchi Mami, the editor of The Lillian Ledger and in the same class as them, was not paying them any attention. Tsutako: 'Outside the school gates, what a person does is their business, plus I don't want to put any pressure on Shimako by ganging up on her.' Yumi: 'But you really want to know?' Tsutako: 'Yes. So I'm sure you could talk to her casually and find out, right?' 'I suppose,' Yumi said, making no promises, and headed out to the Rose Mansion.

-2-
Has something been worrying Shimako? It was quite a shock to Yumi that Tsutako and Katsura had known something was going and she wouldn't have known otherwise. They aren't just overthinking this, are they? Does Noriko know anything? Yumi may be late finding out but she still wants to see if there's something she can do. She doesn't have a clue what, but the best thing to do is to go see Shimako first. She climbs the stairs, enters the room, and cheerfully says her greeting 'Good day.' Shimako and Noriko are already there. 'I passed Rosa Chinensis in the hallway on the way here and she said she'd be late,' Noriko said while preparing the tea. Yumi went over to Shimako, who had greeted her with a smile when she entered but was now looking outside in a chair next to the window. She must have felt Yumi's gaze and turned around and asked if Yoshino would be at kendo club today. Yumi: 'Yeah, she's taking it very seriously right now.' Shimako: 'I see. She's working hard.' She smiled kindly but Yumi thought she did look kind of down. But she couldn't tell if that was because she was tired or worried or lonely or possibly something else though. So she asked: 'Shimako, is anything wrong?' Tsutako had told her "casually" and even Yumi thought she could have tried a little harder than that. Shimako blinked with surprise: 'Huh? Why do you ask that?' 'Just a feeling.' Yumi had no other reasons, because it /was/ just a feeling. Shimako had no answer and didn't look like she knew how to react. Yumi: 'Sorry. I'm not sure how to say it. I just had a feeling that there was something that you might have been worrying about and if there was something I could do. I mean, I probably wouldn't be that much help, but if there is anything, then I'd like to do something. To help. You.' Yumi had no clue what she was saying but her mouth wouldn't stop. Shimako started to break out in laughter. Yumi: 'Um, Shimako?' Yumi had no idea what was going on except that Shimako was laughing now. Shimako: 'Oh dear, hahaha, Yumi.' Noriko stopped making tea and rushed over: 'Onee-sama, what happened?' 'What happened. Noriko, listen to this, hahahaha.' But she didn't explain and just kept laughing. Neither Yumi nor Noriko knew what to do so they just stood there. Shimako: 'What's going on? I can't stop.' Shimako was holding her sides, tears running down her face and laughed for three full minutes. 'Shimako's snapped,' Yumi said. Sachiko had yet to show up.

[End]