A Sakura Among the Ginkgos

Maria-sama ga Miteru/Marimite fanfic. A certain easily overlooked tree has stood silent witness to many important events of the heart for Shimako, so it was only right it should witness one more.
(Shimako/Noriko) One of three stories written to loosely fit together, the other two being "Kissing Cousins by the Koi Pond" and "The Rose That Bloomed Alone".

Read A Sakura Among the Ginkgos

Disclaimer: Maria-sama ga Miteru and its characters belong not to me, but if they did... well... Shiori would have been returned for a spectacular butt-kicking by Youko, and all the girls would be happily planning their various weddings to one another by now... or something. ;P


I might be changing the anime story a little in some detail here and there to better fit what I’m writing, or just plain because I can’t quite remember exactly how it goes – haven’t watched Marimite in a while now, and I’ve never read the novels or the manga – please bear with me. ^_^




A Sakura Among the Ginkgos
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by Carola “Ryûchan” Eriksson




Shimako ran her hand across the rough bark of the old cherry tree with a smile of contemplative affection tugging at the corner of her lips. This beautiful tree, this lone sakura tree among the ginkgos, was so easily overlooked, especially now that no pink flower petals decorated its limbs as spring was already over. No, all that the casual passer-by would see of this tree now was dark green leaves and tiny buds that promised to become desirable fruit in due time.

It was perhaps now, between seasons, that Shimako most identified with this tree she cherished so; singular and solitary it stood in the mass of its neighbours, yet so easily overlooked in a place where all trees were supposed to be the same. Perhaps she was being morose about it, but this tree always did feel like a good symbol for Shimako herself.

That alone would have drawn Shimako to this tree, certainly, but it was not the reason this one cherry tree among many in the vast property that belonged to Lillian was so dear to her heart, oh no. It was underneath these sheltering branches that she had at long last been made the petite soeur of her beloved oneesama, the fickle Rosa Gigantea.

Shimako had known and loved the rebellious member of the school’s much-respected student council for a long time before Sei had ceased to keep her at arm’s length to instead take her hand. Despite what others might think of her, Shimako had no illusions that Sei would ever have taken that step on her own, had not her well-meaning but meddlesome friends of the Rosa Chinensis family decided to act. No, as natural as her hand had felt in Sei’s that day, Shimako knew well that Satou Sei would not have offered her rosary to Shimako, perhaps most of all because it felt natural to them both.

Satou Sei was a complex woman, for all her brash flirtatiousness and devil-may-care attitude. How ironic that the woman that was considered the playboy of the school – if such a term was appropriate for an all-girls’ school like Lillian – and conquered hearts by the dozen it seemed, was the one whose own heart was the most guarded. Shimako had never asked her oneesama about the events that had taken place before Shimako’s arrival to the school, with Sei’s passionate and, ultimately, profoundly disastrous relationship with Kubo Shiori. Now that Shimako knew the gist of what had transpired through other sources – Yumi and Yoshino – she had gained a deeper insight into the woman she had loved so dearly.

How doubly ironic, really, the strange way Shimako herself, Yumi and their two oneesamas Sei and Sachiko were interlaced after a fashion. Shimako knew that while Sei had not intended to make Shimako her petite soeur originally, Sachiko had indeed wanted her. Certainly, the proposal was undoubtedly performed strictly on Sachiko’s own oneesama’s directions, the respectable but ever-meddling Rosa Chinensis Mizuno Youko, but Sachiko had her own designs for Shimako. Sachiko had decided that Shimako had enough poise, discipline and grace to hold true the values of the Chinensis family... and Shimako had secretly been shocked at how little her friend knew her. Shimako was no Chinensis and never could have been, regardless of whom had held her heart back then.

Then along came Yumi, sweet, clumsy and most of all kind-hearted Fukuzawa Yumi. Sachiko had harboured no intention of making the girl her petite soeur beforehand, in fact Shimako felt certain that the current Rosa Chinensis had at the time not even known of Yumi’s existence, even though Yumi herself had carried quite a crush for the famous Yamayurikai member for quite some time. Pure chance and, in Shimako’s eyes at least, a touch of selfishness on Sachiko’s part had made Yumi Sachiko’s petite soeur, but Sachiko would have propositioned any unattached girl that had stepped through that door that day. Sadly, Yumi had been level-headed enough to realise this... Shimako felt a stab of sympathy for her good friend.

While Sachiko might have needed time to truly warm up to her unlikely petite soeur, Shimako’s oneesama had adored the girl from day one. What it was, exactly, that drew the two together was anybody’s guess – although Shimako suspected that the way Yumi was absolutely open about her emotions for most part and seemed to lack any kind of basic duplicity might have appealed to her oneesama – but not only did Sei get attached to the newest member of Yamayurikai, but she also quickly became irreplaceable in Yumi’s own heart. Not that anyone could accuse Yumi of loving anyone other than her treasured oneesama Sachiko, but they all knew who Yumi wanted to run to whenever hurt or confused by Sachiko’s words or actions.

Shimako smiled to herself and traced a pattern in the bark of the tree.

She had never been jealous of Yumi, in fact, Yumi was just too endearing a person to inspire any negative feelings for long. Instead Shimako had gained a surprisingly strong, and lasting, friendship in both her age-mates Yumi and Yoshino, the kind she would treasure for the rest of her life. Sometimes it amused Shimako to think of next school year, when she would be Rosa Gigantea for the second year in a row and Yumi and Yoshino would be Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida, respectively. They were such close-knit unit, the three of them, and they would complement each other well... Yoshino was stubborn, fierce and hot-headed, while Yumi was tender-hearted and compassionate, perhaps also slightly traditionalist compared to Shimako and Yoshino. Shimako herself, well... she supposed she was something of a silent rebel, quiet, level-headed and observing of duty when it served her, but would go her own path regardless of opposition and let duty hang if it came to that.

Then Shimako would feel guilty for thinking of such things. When the next school-year came around Yumi and Yoshino would know the pain of being parted from their beloved oneesamas, like Shimako herself had already been. It was not a pain to wish upon her dear friends, especially since she knew both girls loved their oneesamas deeply and sincerely.

Involuntarily one hand reached under the sleeve of her uniform, fingers searching for the silver rosary of the Gigantea family that no longer rested there.

Shimako had not been the only one to love Satou Sei, she knew that. If nothing else the whole Rosa Kanina fiasco had served to drive that point firmly home, made Shimako see the others that were suffering silently with unanswered love for her incorrigible oneesama. Briefly Shimako’s thoughts touched on the dark eyes of Mizuno Youko and the old pain hidden in them. No, Shimako had been far from the only one to love Satou Sei.

Not that it mattered, Sei had gleefully moved on, and although Shimako knew her oneesama attended school not far from Lillian itself, neither of them had sought the other out since the graduation. Yumi had, of course, and brought news to Shimako of her oneesama’s new life, new haircut, and new friends. Shimako had accepted that the cut had been swift and clean, and tried in her own way to get on with life. What else was there for her to do?

The pain had dulled with the knowledge, in time, that what was lost was something that had never been hers in the first place.

The sombre mood lifted from Shimako’s spirit somewhat, and she smiled again.

Then something had happened that changed everything, right here, beside this very tree. Shimako had been standing there underneath the blossoms, deep in thought, when she had entered her life, oh so unexpectedly.

Nijou Noriko. A newly transferred first-year, beautifully proper and demure at first glance- if one did not look into her dark eyes – but giving her teachers and classmates a hard time with her unwillingness to comply with the many rules of Lillian she objected against. Not perhaps an open rebellion on her part, but a girl that stubbornly walked her own path regardless of what others might say or do.

Not that Shimako knew all that then, at their first encounter. No, she had just looked away from the pink rain of petals to find herself suddenly no longer alone, and as she looked into those dark, astonished eyes there had been a small but earth-tilting... shift... within herself.

They had met there often after that, beside this tree, during what Shimako secretly thought of as their courting phase. For anyone else it would have been innocuous enough, but Shimako knew there was something... something... going on with the way she would anticipate each meeting, and the joy seeing the slightly younger girl would bring. Her friends noticed as well, and history repeated itself somewhat: Shimako’s hand was forced, and while not executed with as much grace or decorum as Shimako might have liked for Noriko, the silver rosary of the Gigantea now rested looped around Noriko’s wrist.

Noriko. The one that took one look at Shimako’s offered heart, climbed inside and made herself at home there. The one whom Shimako could trust with all her secrets.

She and Sei had been too much alike, Shimako realised as she felt sure Sei had before her. They respected each other so much it was impossible to ask, and neither of them whole enough inside to volunteer information on their own. Theirs was a silent understanding, but silence can only go so far. They both needed someone who would ask, who would see, who would reach out and touch when they did not know how.

Noriko asked the questions, and accepted the answers. She did not speak to hear the sound of her own voice, but she was not one to keep silent either... and most of all she drew Shimako out, made her want to speak, to ask, to know... Shimako blushed slightly. Made her want to touch.

A tiny gust of wind found its way between the trees to lift Shimako’s long blonde curls and make the leaves of the cherry tree rustle above her. Shimako closed her eyes and enjoyed the sound with a smile. It was time now.

Inside Shimako said her final goodbyes to Satou Sei and the lingering hold Sei had held on a tiny piece of her heart. Shimako had no regrets, and it was time... time to release herself to be free to love Noriko completely, with all of her heart... and Shimako would. The smile widened and the wind twirled around her briefly, and then it was gone.

Something not quite a sound made Shimako turn around.

There she was, more beautiful to Shimako’s eyes than ever, dark eyes wide and open, plainly revealing admiration, respect, love and even a touch of desire, causing a delightful thrill to run down Shimako’s spine. Shimako’s own smoke-coloured ones darkened with a sudden and somewhat naughty image, and by the tilt of one surprised eyebrow, Noriko noticed.

Shimako suppressed a sudden urge to giggle and beckoned Noriko to her. No more holding back, Shimako promised Noriko in her mind. She would give her everything, if only the dark-haired girl would have her.

Then Noriko’s warm, strong hand grasped her own, and they were standing close together. Shimako closed even that small distance to put her arms around Noriko’s neck, causing the other girl to blush slightly before she tentatively put her own arms around Shimako’s waist. Shimako stood a long moment merely looking deeply into Noriko’s eyes, enjoying the swirl of strong emotions shown there, and the bubbling sense of happiness in her own heart.

The words she had never spoken sprang to her lips oh so easily.

“I love you Noriko.”

The dark-haired girl gasped and her eyes brimmed with tears at the declaration, Noriko unable for a moment to reply. Shimako waited patiently, the smile still on her lips and her fingers idly playing through Noriko’s almost shoulder-length hair. Finally she had her answer.

”I love you too, Shimako.”

Throwing caution to the wind, not caring in the slightest if anyone should catch them kissing on school grounds, Shimako pressed her lips to Noriko’s in a tentative first kiss that, amidst gasps and tiny sounds, escalated quickly until Shimako was pressed up against the bark of the cherry tree with Noriko’s lips and tongue hot and hungry against her own.

Shimako really, really loved that tree.