The girl with very long, light hair runs down the street, breathing heavily. God... May I call you that? Ahead of her, a boy with short, dark hair and glasses leans against the wall to the side. When will I be able to meet you? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maria - Chapter 1 Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, December 1989. Written by Takeuchi Naoko. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, September 2000. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maria stops and gasps for air, bracing herself against the wall. "N- Nothing but this prison-like wall," she says. "There's no gate." "There's a gate on the way to the hill. Just walk and it's there." "My mom, that liar..." She looks at the boy ahead. "Shall I ask a boy I don't know for directions?" She looks down as she walks past him. "I couldn't," she thinks. "But, he's kind of cute." The boy reaches out, and his hand brushes her hair. Maria turns around. "Say..." she says. "Is there a Saint Shinanoen Academy around here?" The boy pulls his hand back and crosses his arms. "From here, it's a long way to the main entrance," he says. "Since the route is complicated." "It is?" says Maria. "Then this is the wrong street after all?" "Oh no..." she thinks. "Late from the first day." The boy takes out a piece of paper and writes on it. "If you follow this, you'll get there." He hands it to her, then turns and walks away. "Hey...!" she says. She looks at the map scrawled on the paper. "I wonder what he was doing, standing at a place like that..." she thinks. "Messy writing. Will this route really work? It's a long way... I'm already worn out. What's Mom doing now? It's been one week since that..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- She bursts into the room at Shiba Park Medical Center. "Mom! Are you alive!?" A woman sits up in the hospital bed, smiling. "Maria," she says. "You're so dramatic." "Are you really being hospitalized? Will it be for long?" "Yeah," says her mom. "Since our pharmacy is in the red anyway, this might be an opportunity." "I- I'll work!" says Maria. "I knew it would be too much for you, Mom! I can sell the medicine. I'll even quit school." "You will not," says her mom. "From now on, Maria, you'll be cramming for the transfer admission exam, for Green Garden." "Transfer admission? Green Garden..." "That's right," says her mom. "It's my alma mater. I actually planned to have you go there as well, Maria." "W- Wait a minute!" says Maria. "How come I'll be going to such an outrageously expensive, ultra-bourgeois school? We don't have money, right? I know that, Mom. Even the cost of hospitalization..." "That's why!" says her mom. "Daddy Longlegs has appeared before us!" "Daddy Longlegs!?" says Maria. "I can't reveal his name," says her mom, "but there is a person who will give us support." "By support, you mean that person will send me to Green Garden?" "That's right." "No way, and the cost of hospitalization too?" "Yep." "How will we pay back such a price?" "He said we don't need to," says her mom. "There can't be such a God-like person!" says Maria. "A stranger paying such a great cost. It's dangerous, that kind of thing..." "He's not a stranger," says her mom. "He knows you and me well, Maria. Of course, that doesn't mean it will be free. First, since he's Daddy Longlegs, you will write letters to him when you like. About things like life at Green Garden. And one more thing. He said... if it's all right with you... he would like you to be his bride." "Wh- What!?" says Maria. "Really? Did he say that? I'm still fifteen..." "I wonder if it's still there..." says her mom. "I first met your dad in the rose garden at Green Garden. I was about your age, Maria. You probably don't know this, but since your dad was really smart, he entered the Green Garden high school with the highest grades." "I know," says Maria. "Since his father was a regular businessman, he was a scholarship student, right? (He had to have the highest grades.) So he was exempted from tuition. And then he fell in love with you... But your marriage was opposed, and you eloped, right? When I was little, he tried to save a kitten and was hit by a car... and died. Dad... Dad... I wonder if this Daddy Longlegs is a person like him. I guess... it would be all right... if I became his bride." "Can you decide that easily?" says her mom. "You have to be the bride of someone you really love." "I will love him," says Maria. "I have a feeling about it. Oh! Wait a minute. What if he's a bedridden, decrepit old man!? Will I marry him then?" Her mom laughs. "It's not like that," she says. "He's quite a wonderful man." "What!?" says Maria. "Have you met him?" "I've never met him personally, but... I hope you'll be able to meet him soon, Maria. Your Daddy Longlegs..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The bell rings as Maria stands before the gate of Saint Shinanoen Academy. "Saying that..." she thinks. "Even though Mom didn't tell me very much... I still can't believe it. I wonder if there is something so dream-like..." She looks around. "Hey! This is the same hill road from before!? How mean, that jerk! Drawing such a messed-up map... He made me take a long detour! What did I ever do to him!" She looks through the gate. "Saint Shinanoen Academy... So it's nicknamed Green Garden. There really is a lot of green." She steps through the gate into the yard in front of the building. A man with a moustache stands there, smoking a cigarette and looking at the flowers. "They're roses," he says. "Oh, this place..." she thinks. "There was something like it at my house long ago, wasn't there? It's so familiar..." "You look just like your mother," says the man. Maria looks up at him. "How do you do," he says. "Hello..." says Maria. Her heart pounds. "A rose garden and the scent of tobacco," she thinks. "Somewhere have I...?" "Umm..." she says. "You wouldn't be Daddy... er, the one who allowed me to come here... would you." "I suppose I'm an acquaintance," he says. Maria bows deeply. "Thank you very much," she says. "I wish to send a letter of gratitude." "A letter?" says the man. "Oh, a letter. If you give it to me, I'll pass it on. You will not receive a reply." "What kind of person is he?" says Maria. "I really want to meet him and say thanks. Is where he is a secret too?" The man looks at her and touches her face. "He is always near you, certainly." The school bell rings. "It's time, so..." "Oh no!" she says. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Near to me...?" thinks Maria. She holds the man's business card in her hand. Maie Ken'ichi, M.D. Director, Shiba Park Medical Center God... May I call you that? Yes, I've decided. Appearing suddenly, treating me this well, wanting me for a bride... Why me? Where is near? My god... What kind of person are you? She walks through the school hallway. "Since an hour passed from the time agreed upon without you coming, I was worried you were in an accident or something," says a nun. "Oh..." says Maria sheepishly. "At my old school, I would have to clean the staff room as punishment," she thinks. "Until now it's been tests and more tests, and helping at the store after school. Since I didn't have many friends, I hope I make friends who I can talk about lots of things with." "Everyone," says the instructor. "You have a new end-of-season classmate." Maria stands at the front of the classroom, looking at the students sitting at their desks. "There's a bit of a cold atmosphere," she thinks. "Umm," she says. "I'm Fuyumi Maria." "That's a cold-sounding name." ['fuyumi' means 'winter sea'] "What!?" Maria turns and sees the boy from the street standing in the doorway. "Oh! Y- You!" she says. "What was with that map! That was mean! Because of you, I was late!" "Miss Maria," says the instructor. "Oh! Oh no!" thinks Maria. A boy sitting in the front laughs. "Sensei," says the boy from the street. "I was delayed by the transfer student formalities." He brushes past Maria. "Why, that jerk," she thinks. "Oh, wait, everyone," says the instructor. "Mr. Kazuma had the third highest grade in the country on the mock exam the other day. Here's your medal. You deserve it." She hands the medal to the boy. "Miss Maria," she says. "Your seat is over there." Maria sits down. "What is this," she thinks. "Because of that jerk, my new first step is ruined. It was my long-awaited self-introduction. I don't know if they even remembered my name." "Fuyumi-san?" says a girl. "Huh?" "So, what high school did you come from?" says the girl. "Oh, well, K First High School. It's an ordinary public school." "Hmph," says the girl. "Your hair is fairly long." She turns and walks away. "Have you been growing it for a long time?" says the girl with long, dark hair sitting next to Maria. "It is long, your hair." "Really?" says Maria. "It's amazing. Being admitted here midway through, are you a scholarship student as well? The guy from before who was late, he's a scholarship student because of his excellent grades." "A guy attending for free, like my dad?" thinks Maria. "The transfer admission exam is famous for its difficulty," says the girl. "You must be smart." "I'm no good at all on tests," says Maria. "It's kind of a long story. It came about that some person allowed me to attend here. I guess that person made sure that I could be admitted. I don't really understand it, though." "So there is really such a thing..." says the girl. "Daddy Longlegs." "How did you know?" says Maria. "What!?" says the girl. "Really!? Is it true!? Wow! I'm reading it now. I love that story. So what kind of person is your Daddy Longlegs?" "No, I don't know his name or anything," says Maria. "But it seems that he knows my mom and me well. My mom attended here a long time ago as well." "So that's why your hair is long," says the girl. "Did your mom really want you to come here? At our Green Garden, there's a legend that girls with long hair become happy brides." "He would like you to be his bride." "Miss Maria!" "Y- Yes!" "We're having class," says the instructor. "What was the last answer?" "She's got me..." thinks Maria. "The Reformation," whispers the girl. "The Reformation," says Maria. "Correct," says the instructor. "Refrain from talking." Maria turns to the girl. "Thanks, er..." "Niwatsukino Ema," says the girl. "You can call me Ema, Maria." Maria smiles. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maria stands in the classroom after class. "Hey, have you seen Niwatsukino-san?" she says. "She went home," says a girl. "Isn't there a dorm meeting today as well?" "Ema lives in the dorm, too," thinks Maria. "And I wanted to walk home with her." "Umm... How would I get to the dorm?" she says. "Oh, it's right behind this school building," says the girl. Maria walks through the hall. "I can't get familiar with this," she thinks. "I wonder if it's really this way." "Hurry, Kazuma!" The boy from the street steps out from the bushes. "Kazuma!" says Ema. "Ema?" says Maria. "All right! I'm in the dorm, too. I didn't know the way..." "It's straight ahead from here," says Ema. She turns around abruptly. "Huh?" thinks Maria. "Hey! Did I do something wrong?" Ema walks away with the boy. "I thought we had become friends," thinks Maria. "I wonder if I'll be able to do well here. I want to go home, Mom." She wipes a tear from her eye. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Your room is 201," says the nun. "Since your roommate is in the same class, you should be fine." "Oh, I wonder what kind of person it is." Maria reaches her room. She opens the door. Streamers and confetti fly through the air. She cries out in surprise. "Welcome to the Greenhouse!" Inside the room are the boy from the street, the boy from the front of the class, and two girls appearing to be Ema. "W- What!?" says Maria. "There are two of Ema!?" "Of course not, we're twins," says Ema. "I'm Noa," says the other girl. "Don't confuse us." "I see," says Maria. "So my roommate is Ema!?" "That's right," says Ema. "Nice to have you here, Maria." "Oh, all right!" says Maria. "I was so discouraged." The boy from class laughs. "You're really a type we haven't had until now," he says. "That's Kazushi, my friend since childhood." "I'm Kaito Kazushi," he says. "I don't live in the dorm, but I like this Greenhouse. I envy you. Oh, this is Kazuma. Although I think you know his face already." The boy from the street looks away from her. "Come on now, Kazuma!" says Ema. "What's with the attitude?" "Was I just scowled at?" thinks Maria. "Kazuma is also a friend since childhood," says Ema. "He's a scholarship student, he's a good athlete, and he has nice parts as well. There's a rose garden near the main entrance, and Kazuma always tends..." "Hey," says Kazuma. "Don't talk about other people's affairs." The others look at him. "This guy has really been looking forward to you coming," says Kazushi. Kazuma grabs him. "Kazushi!" he says. "What!" says Kazushi. "You said you would let her hear your specialty, the piano. You can seldom hear him, but this guy really is good at the piano." "Fuyumi-san," says Noa. "I hear you were meddled with by Kazuma? Starting tomorrow the girls will be displeased with you, since Kazuma is popular." "What, he's popular!? No way! I can't believe it!" A bell rings. "Watch out!" says Kazushi. He and Kazuma head for the window. "Invite us to a tea party again, Maria-chan," he says. They jump outside. "Actually, boys are banned from the dorm," says Ema. "Keep it secret." "This looks like a fun dorm," thinks Maria. "Dinner will be soon. I'll show you the way, Maria." "I'm hungry!" she says. A nun stands outside the room. "Did I hear a boy's voice?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "She really is an interesting girl, that girl," says Kazushi. "What, are you in a bad mood? The Maria-chan you could hardly wait for is here." "But I'm forgetting about that guy...!" says Kazuma. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- God, it seems that exciting days are beginning. I want to meet you soon. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The concept of this story is loosely based on the book Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster. Original manga copyright © 1989 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 2000 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | Maria