“Listen everyone, I will be choosing the best in this field. Regardless of the result, you have to give the arranged flowers to your loved ones, as an act of appreciation. So, you put your hearts into it. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Mori-sensei.” answered by the whole class.

Everyone was provided with some tools they needed for the arrangement such as shears, colorful craft papers, and some jute strings for tying.

As Mrs. Mori signaled to start, some of the girls began moving their hands but some were still chatting.

“I wish I could give this flower to the handsome son of the Higuchi Publishing Company,” a student murmured.

“Eh?! You like him too? I first loved him! When I graduate, I will tell my father to arrange my wedding with him!” another girl argued. 

“Eh, I think we have a strong rival, especially Marika, I heard her father works closely with his family,” she added. 

Yumeko heard them talking and wondered why they wanted to give the flowers to a guy, instead to their families. She was thinking how great and handsome this guy was for a number of girls were admiring him.

“I am going to give this to my father, so I am going to give my all!” she confidently thought to herself.

Yumeko picked up a pair of shears from her table as she started cutting some stems of the sunflowers she picked in the garden earlier and started figuring out how they would go along with the other two she chose—red tulips and pink baby’s breath. The flowers’ shapes and colors were perfectly harmonious with each other. She was a natural as she eventually figured out what to do with the flowers. She really had a talent in this.

  All the girls were focused in doing their task.  Mrs. Mori walked around and observed. She was glad many girls had potentials. Time ticked faster, as they enjoyed making it. She then announced that time was over. 

“Yosh! It’s done. I am sure my father will love this,” Yumeko whispered happily as she did the final touches for her arrangement. 

The students proudly displayed their outputs on their desks. Yumeko and Marika out stood others’ works. 

Yumeko’s work appeared to be flawlessly made and was very pleasing to the eyes. It created a peaceful and very positive ambiance to whoever looked at it. Same excellence went with Marika’s. Hers appeared to have full of elegance.

Mrs. Mori was torn between Yumeko and Marika. She took a little time to think and then she finally decided. 

“Good job! Everyone gave their best in today’s activity. As I have mentioned, even if you don’t receive the special reward for today, you still have countless chances to prove yourself from your own specialty. And so the girl who out stands with her work today is, Yumeko Hosokawa! Congratulations! I will be sending the special report to your family,” she announced and smiled.

“Thank you so much! Mori-sensei. My father will be happy to know this!” Yumeko was very happy that her hard work was appreciated.

Yumeko looked around and cheerfully smiled to everyone for doing a good job, too. However, they only gave her cold stares as they were disappointed about the results thinking that she did not deserve it. Meanwhile, Yui was silently applauding for her. Mrs. Mori told the girls that the class was over and to take their lunch as she left the classroom.

Yui, along with other three students, gathered their tables together to make a bigger one and placed their lunchboxes on top of it. They appeared to be Marika’s circle of friends. One of them said that Marika’s flower arrangement was more elegant and outstanding and that she deserved the award better than someone else. 

“It’s okay. I don’t mind. I have a lot of skills up in my sleeves anyway,” Marika bluntly answered with confidence.

Meanwhile, Yui, who was holding her umeboshi onigiri, thought that Mrs. Mori’s decision was the best but kept quite because she was afraid to be judged.

Yumeko uncovered her two-tiered bento and her eyes sparkled as she saw the mouth watering dishes Koharu made for her today. The upper tier contained steamed broccolis, tomatoes, heart-shaped carrots, and some grilled meat while the lower tier contained tamagoyaki and fried rice with a message written with ketchup saying, “no left over, please”. 

Koharu’s bento always made her smile.

Suddenly, a student peeked from the window and saw Yumeko’s maid by the gate, sitting down. She told the whole class about it. 

“Hey everyone! Look Hosokawa’s servant is still outside!”

“Ehhh. Is she going to wait there until the classes are finished? How poor.”

Yumeko heard it and quickly looked by the window and was shocked to see Koharu.

“I thought you left. Why are you there? Don’t skip your lunch!” Yumeko said in an inaudible sound. The gate was very far from their building.

Koharu waved at her. She smiled and put her right thumb up as if she heard what her lady just said. She then grabbed the rice ball from the bicycle’s front basket, letting Yumeko know that she was not skipping lunch. Koharu was aware that Yumeko will be worried, so she went back home, brought onigiri and came back to the school’s gate. Koharu was worried about Yumeko with all the negative comments they heard this morning. She then decided to wait for her until the class was over.

Yui noticed that Yumeko seemed nice to her servant and these girls might be wrong. She was already fed up with all the hearsay she heard. 

“I think she is not that bad as you think she is! We are not even sure if the rumors are true,” Yui stood up and said.

All eyes were on her in an instant. When they were about to confront her, Marika commented, 

“Don’t say anything anymore; it is a waste of time. Let her be.”

Yui then removed her table away from them and put it back to where it supposed to be. She sat and continued eating her lunch. She felt an extreme relief and did not regret what she just did. She realized that whenever she was with them, she could not voice her opinions out and always getting held back by them.

Yumeko greatly felt the concern of Yui but she was the same for her. 

“Are you okay?” she whispered.

Yui just smiled and nodded her head. She did not feel the fear in the class after seeing the brave and cheerful personality of Yumeko. She was impressed on how she handled all the negative opinions around her.

“So, how about a lunch together?” Yumeko happily invited her. 

Yui’s heart was beating fast; her innocent and pure smile was seen for the first time. She finally realized that it was possible to ignore all the hatred by trusting the brighter truth.

 “Yes, let’s eat together, Hosokawa-san,” she joyfully replied. 

“Just call me Yumeko!”

Yumeko rotated her chair and joined tables with Yui. The two enjoyed eating their lunch together. They shared the genuine moment. Meanwhile the root of friendship started to grow between them.

Yumeko finally had her first friend at school. 

And just like that, the class swiftly ended. Yumeko and Yui went to the entrance together while hugging the bouquet they made today. Koharu saw them walking towards her and she felt so much joy seeing her lady talking with someone, happily. 

“I am very delighted to know that her lady has found a good friend. Please get along well.” Koharu bowed at Yui while wiping some tears on her eyes.

“That’s for sure,” Yui replied. 

“Yumeko, you have quite an adorable person, I see. Can I take her home for a day?” she jokingly added looking at her small figure.

“Oh, sure!” Yumeko quickly replied. She looked at Koharu who was tearfully looking up the both of them.

“My lady…!”

They all laughed and said goodbye.

Night came, Yumeko sat on the sofa in the living room. She was excitingly swaying her feet, when the door opened.

“Welcome home father. This is for you. I made this today at school,”  she happily handed it to her father. 

“This flower arrangement is so splendid. Thank you, my dear daughter. May you bloom in the most beautiful flower you wished to be,” said proudly by his father as he rubbed her head. 

And the day ended with so much love.

To be continued.

End Notes

Umeboshi onigiri - pickled plum rice ball

Tamagoyaki - fried rolled egg