hontou ni sou omou?

The Yamayurikai prepare for dress rehearsals and Yumi escorts the Hanedara Student Council President, Suguru Kashiwagi, to the Rose Mansion but Sachiko has already left for the rehearsal venue. The whole gig is really a big setup by the Roses to ‘help’ Sachiko to overcome her dislike of men (a reaction against the philandering of her father and grandfather) and Sachiko isn’t taking it well. She shows her vulnerable side to Yumi but resolves to face up to the challenge as she hates losing. Rehearsals proceed apace but Sachiko is not clearly not happy which Rei points out is not appropriate for the performance. Sachiko hotly replies she will smile during the actual performance and takes off.

After the break, both the main leads are missing and the Yamayurikai split up to search for them. Kashiwagi and Sachiko’s altercation is interrupted as a result and it is revealed that Kashiwagi is Sachiko’s cousin and fianceé. (;-_-) Kashiwagi tries to kiss Sachiko to assert his claim but is slapped by Sachiko who takes off again. Later Yumi finds her in the greenhouse and Sachiko begs her to stay by her side. They dance together and then Sachiko introduces Yumi to the rosa chinesis bush in the greenhouse. Scene transition to the aftermath of the performance. Yumi is thinking of the time she spent with Sachiko and how it has come to an end but Sachiko finds her and to Maria-sama’s grove. She offers her rosary again, out of true feeling - not out of pity or contest - and Yumi accepts.

I’m going to be saying this repeatedly but I really do think that Mamiko Noto is the perfect seiyuu for Shimako.

Sei’s unwanted attentions were actually carefully planned to spark Sachiko’s jealousy. There’s nothing to spur one’s desire when the object that desire looks like it’s going to be taken away by someone else. Another marker as to how Sei has and will continue to play a very important matchmaking role for Sachiko and Yumi - as catalyst and stabiliser. Though, of course, how comfortable Yumi becomes with Sei will become a bit of a sticking point for Sachiko who doesn’t quite understand that the Sei-Yumi dynamic works only because they don’t desire each other at all and that Sachiko herself isn’t a person one can easily relax around.

Rei also pushes Yumi to do what she sincerely wants to do (go to Sachiko) and thus overcome the hesitation caused by the lack of confidence that clouds her judgement - latter will be another major theme throughout.

More Sei Sexual Harrassment - this helps Yumi to admit her feelings for Sachiko and to let her know that she is one with Yamayurikai in this.

And so ends the first arc of the season and things come full circle - Sachiko and Yumi perform the soeur ritual at the place where they first met and formed the connection that has led to this. Rich Girl Sachiko and Ordinary Girl Yumi are really the Odd Couple. Even more important than the class distinction is how the former has a completely dysfunctional family life while the latter is about as Norman Rockwell as you can get. Both learn to build their relationship by becoming more expressive - Sachiko to open up more and Yumi to be more confident. Of course, things don’t always go smoothly and these incidents form the trials and tribulations of the main relationship which is the backbone of the MariMite stories.