geranium garden (ycsh), 1-3

// yellow, 03.


Shiori felt something different the time Yachiyo-senpai looked at her way, especially when they are alone. There as if something unspoken—a lot unspoken things—that acted as a barrier on herself when she laid her sight to Shiori’s way.

Shiori could have imagined all those things, but she knew that the nagging feeling is there.

Unlike animals, humans are complex in showing their expression. Even though it is outside the stage, there would always be people who donned a mask to protect themselves.

.

At the first glance, Shiori didn’t know whether Yachiyo is simply enjoying herself with her prankster nature, or it’s just everyone is so uniquely readable to the point that they easily fall to Yachiyo’s trap (except maybe Michiru-senpai).

Then again, as those emerald eyes wandered, those were the eyes of a watcher. Deep within it, there lies something more, as deep as the forest might be. A natural labyrinth with no exit, if Shiori can put something to define it.

“Do you have any question, Shiori-chan?”

Meifan, who’s telling Shiori a brief explanation of student council work, just finished her line of explanation. Yachiyo excused herself out earlier, following Michiru’s and Akira’s outing somewhere.

Heeding to Michiru’s advice, Shiori was sure to dodge any attempt on Meifan trying to read her fortune. It is said that the bad luck part one will come true after the reading, so it’s better not to try that.

“Ah, no … your explanation is easy to understand, Meifan-senpai.”

“That’s good to hear!” Meifan happily pumped her fist. “Then, if you have any question, feel free to ask!”

A deep forest. / A natural labyrinth. / Yachiyo’s way on looking at her way.

It took Shiori back to the day when she’s called upon the Edels for the first time, on how everyone except Akira at first valued Shiori as ‘a copy of Yumeoji Fumi’.

Her older sister is one outgoing, determined stage girl. She won’t be afraid to call out anyone if she shows that someone is slacking off, a polar opposite of Shiori’s meek personality. Truth to be told, Shiori was jealous of how Fumi always leave a lasting impression to anyone the moment she is acquainted.

Also, as Fumi is brighter than Shiori, who’s merely starting her path of stage girls, she—

“Meifan-senpai?”

“Hmm?”

“My sister … what was she like when she was here?”

“Fumi-san? Let’s see …” Meifan paused. “She’s a Sparta one~”

“Eh?”

“Well, she is similar to Akira-san in telling others to practice. But unlike Akira-san who doesn’t care if you’re discouraged, Fumi-san will whip you into a shape.” Meifan’s explanation tinged with nostalgia. A wide smile crept on her face.

The story is really about her older sister that she knows – someone who can’t leave anyone alone. She has her own way on taking care of someone, though she would digress that she is /indeed/ taking care of someone.

[After that ‘time’, however, she is branded as a traitor and Shiori ended up to be either compared endlessly to her, or to be chalked up as the same traitor.]

“That reminds me of that time when Yachiyo ditched practice first just for fun, Fumi-san came to drag her.”

“D-Ditched practice for fun?”

“Yachiyo didn’t mean it, of course. No one will like if someone is slacking off in Edels. I think she was making fun of Fumi-san that time … oh but after that, they are coming to early morning practices together and becoming basically good friends?”

.

[Was that look really the same look that 'a person who’s losing a friend' has?]