Marimite 4th 10: Finding Your Inner Buddha

Yumi finds her inner peace. Noriko is confused, is blushing, is enlightened. Mami discovers the downside to copy&paste. Sachiko and Kashiwagi...wash their hands. All that and more ~
EPISODE 10: The Keychain
More Screencaps from Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th 10
Previously, Touko ran for the elections right alongside Yumi, Yoshino and Shimako. Of course, she didn't win but she took it rather gracefully, prompting Noriko and Yumi to realize that Touko ran in order to lose. But why? That's the question but Yumi doesn't seem to be in a hurry to find out, much to Noriko's distress. As a matter of fact, it even seems like Yumi has given up on the whole deal, a turn of events that doesn't sit too well with Noriko.
However, it turns out that Noriko isn't the only one bothered by the Yumi x Touko schtick. Sachiko likewise finds herself wondering about those two. Fortunately for her, there's someone there to help provide the answers, no matter how unlikely he may be. Kashiwagi, coming home from a ski trip (where he apparently broke his ankle), visits the family and updates Sachiko on what has been going on. He chooses a strange place to do it, too: the bathroom. But no one in the Ogasawara household seems to find this strange so Kashiwagi goes on and tells Sachiko how Touko had a fight with her family during Christmas break and how the girl ended up at Yumi's house.
This is apparently the first time Sachiko has ever heard of this. She quickly finds out that this all happened before December 25 or before Yumi gave her rosary to Touko. Also, she finds out that Kashiwagi, for all his nonchalant attitude, cares for Yumi but Sachiko seems more interested in him washing his hands after using the bathroom than in him being interested in her little sister. (hahaha, lez!) A few days later, the Roses receive Mami as she proposes her plans for a Valentine's Day event. It turns out she just copied last year's Valentine's Day event (you know, with that card-hunting and going out on a date with your favorite Rose, etc. etc.) but to her credit also made some improvements. She says that this time around, the students will be made to guess the hiding places beforehand.
Noriko and Shimako have a little tiff as to who between them should participate. Noriko wants Shimako to do it but Shimako, surprisingly, wants Noriko to do it. Why, you ask? Because she wants to look for Noriko's card. That's about as close to an admission as we'll ever have in this series. Of course, Noriko totally requites her lust admiration and while the two of them are mutually admiring each other, Sachiko decides for them that Shimako should participate. (Tyrant! Despot!)
The Roses continue their discussion. Yumi and Yoshino in the meantime are making tea and end up talking about how Yumi is very calm. We find out then just why: Yumi is in no hurry. Where before it was all "I must find a petite-soeur before Onee-sama graduates!" Now, she's thinking more along the lines of "I want Touko-chan to be my petite-soeur." There's a whole world of difference. Hearing her say this, Yoshino is struck by how much Yumi has matured. Later, Yumi suggests to Mami that they ought to invite middleschool students as well. Of course, we know why as Yoshino blushes.
However, after talking with the administration, Mami could only manage to let the middleschoolers attend the event as nonparticipants. She apologizes to Yoshino about this but the latter, who seems to have found her inner peace as well after talking with Yumi, doesn't seem too bothered by it. Meanwhile, Noriko and Yumi finally have that talk wherein Noriko asks her how she feels about Touko. Of course, we already know the answer to that but that doesn't stop Yumi from glowing as she answers that she loves Touko very much. And with that, we are made to sit tight for another week until the thing resolves itself.

COMMENTS:

The art is actually pretty good this episode. Better than last episode at least. So I finally got what I've been waiting for: an episode about Noriko and Shimako. But it lasted for like five minutes and was hardly worth it. I mean, we all know these two dig each other so what was the point of that? Then again, I can't imagine too much drama happening between them. Ah, where is Sei when you need her? This episode...nothing happened.