geranium garden (ycsh), 2-1

// white, 01.


Edels, as the top five students who’s the face of the Siegfeld’s Musical Institute, is known for their rigorous training. Every day, there will be no absence of training hours. When Frau Platin assigned the exact time for training to start and the duration, there will be no contest.

Shiori was aware of this; how the training is tiring and almost showing no sign of stopping. Not to mention, Akira will call you out for any slight mistake. She has heard of the rumors and some stories from her older sister before, so she has been prepared. Though, it’s not like she’s can be ‘better’ in everyone’s eyes simply by training with them.

She must train harder. She must be able to keep up and catch up with them.

The day of their routine stage play, Elysion, is getting closer and closer.

“—Next, about the costume, how much the preparation is going, Yachiyo?”

Michiru turned to the pinkette, who’s wiping her sweat at the moment. The five of them took a break to discuss about Elysion’s preparation. Akira, who has another matter to attend, leaving the opening of discussion to Michiru.

Since Shiori is new, she has been tasked with smaller assignments, like helping with paperwork and so on. This will be the first time Shiori heard about technical issues, like sound engineering and costume-making.

Yachiyo is the one who’s in charge for costume, so Meifan ever told Shiori once. Shiori didn’t know whether it is design only or something, but it looked like it is more than that.

“I made the alterations to the last year’s costume but I haven’t taken Shiori’s measurement yet~”

Shiori reflexively pulled herself away when Yachiyo suddenly patted on her shoulder.

“Oh? But didn’t you tell me a few days ago that you can guess the sizes?” Michiru jokingly added.

“Well~ I do know my intuition never miss, but just to make sure~”

Question marks bunched in Shiori’s mind. Somehow, a sense of danger welled up in the same time. What did Michiru mean whether Yachiyo can guess her size? How come body measurement can be done with intuition?

“Oi, Yachiyo. You better don’t do anything strange to Shiori later, you hear me?” Meifan glared.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry~”

As Meifan continued with her preaching (words of warnings? Shiori didn’t quite catch), Shiori wondered. True, Yachiyo is quite a handful – she would tease or make fun of something lightly, however, she doesn’t look like that much of pervert …

… Or maybe, Shiori just doesn’t really know her.

That time when Yachiyo paid a visit to horse stable, she is more like Meifan, an actually doting Senpai to her because she’s new and inexperienced in Edels. Michiru might be nicer to Akira’s straight-laced, harsh words, but Shiori can feel the gap between herself and Michiru.

After Meifan’s reprimanding, Yachiyo peered close to reach Shiori’s ear, whispering.

“Come to my room later tonight for the measurement, okay~?”

Shiori could feel her ears grow hot—maybe Yachiyo noticed it as well, but she brushed it off as she walked away to the direction of the changing room.


---


The dorm buildings from the Siegfeld Music Institute main building is not that far apart from each other. The school granted easy access between the school areas to dormitories so that the students can make an efficient trip to and from school.

Shiori feel the sudden jitters when she walked through the hall where most of the high school girls resided in that building. She is the youngest there. She never think she would go to bother anyone older than her there, be it a friendly Meifan or a helpful Michiru.

All in all, she must swallow her nervousness and go on.

.

It sure has been quite some time for her to go to any older girls’ room since her older sister is not enrolling in Siegfeld anymore.

.
.
.

Tsuruhime Yachiyo.

Shiori read the nameplate on the door twice to make sure she’s at the right place. Not Meifan’s. Not Michiru’s. And of course she won’t try her luck to knock on Lion’s Den at night.

“Come on in~” the usual sing-song voice permeated from behind the door.

Shiori opened the door slowly and peeked before coming in. Yachiyo’s room is pretty neat, save from the occupied low table with open magazines and papers of what Shiori could conjure as costume designs. Yachiyo was sitting on the opposite side from the door, waving at Shiori’s timid entrance. Her green eyes gestured Shiori to come in. Unlike Shiori who was there in her casual getup, Yachiyo donned her pajamas. A red and black checkered stole hugging her back to front like a protective blanket.

“What do you want to drink?”

Huh? That took Shiori by surprise. It is customary to help the guest, but Shiori thought she was simply there for the measurement.

“A-Ah, anything is fine.”

“That so? Okay then, I’m about to get a coffee for myself.”

Shiori studied more about the room as Yachiyo left her to get the coffee. She could see part of blue fabric is being sewn below the table. There are a box of handful sewing kits nearby where Yachiyo seated. The only conclusion that Shiori can draw is that Yachiyo wanted to pull an all-nighter with a costume she’s working on.

“Umm, Yachiyo-senpai?”

“Yes?”

“Mind if I’m helping you with the costume?”

The sound of liquid poured into a cup filled the silence.

“Can you sew?”

“I, I don’t think so. But I can try!”

Soft chuckles chimed in. Shiori didn’t know whether Yachiyo is laughing her naivety right now or that she was amused. Yachiyo has always been quite unreadable. At times, she would have the same joyful face while she's saying that she's serious about what she had meant.

The pinkette returned with two mugs of coffee on her hands. Shiori made sure spaces available on the table, trying not to ruin the placement of magazines and papers available there.

“First, I’ll take your measurement,” Yachiyo said. A small smile played on her lips. “Then, it’s up to you whether you’d like to stay and help or to go back to your room.”

Shiori nodded vigorously, “Okay!”