Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume2 Epilogue (section)

===Part 3===

In the classroom, Shiraho kept staring outside from her seat beside the window.

As always, this space known as a classroom felt unpleasant, regardless whether it was during class or the lunch break. No one came to talk to her because she kept a stiff and displeased expression as she gazed out the window. Hence, even when the bell rang for the end of school, she continued staring out the window with complete indifference.

Sovereignty occupied her thoughts. To be honest, the maid uniform suited her quite well. It was very cute. Although Shiraho worried about the strange man in the gas mask, were he to engage in any sexual harassment, that secretary of his would surely protect Sovereignty competently. In any case, Shiraho was going to trust her for now and see how things would go.

Then she recalled&mdash;Her father. What the superintendent told her about him.

(By this point, even if I'm told he was simply awkward...)

Shiraho sighed, or at least, that was what she thought she did. However&mdash;

"Ah&mdash;!"

The girl sitting in front of her suddenly made a sound and looked back to gaze at Shiraho.

"...What's the matter?"

"Hmm... Oh, it's nothing much... It's just that the sight of you smiling, Sakuramairi-san, surprised me&mdash;"

"I smiled?"

I thought I was simply sighing? Involuntarily, she touched her face.

"Look, Haruna, I was right! She isn't actually like a doll. Although she's unbelievably pretty, I think she's just nervous! That's why I mustered my courage to talk to you, Sakuramairi-san, to see if I could help with anything! Uh&mdash;was what was said this morning really true?"

This girl was asking about the teacher's explanation? After all, a reason was needed as to why 'Sakuramairi Shiraho' attended school for a few days, only to be replaced by a different person. The reason given by the superintendent was relayed to the class by the gloomy homeroom teacher.

"Yes. That person is a friend of mine who loves to play pranks. Starting today, she'll be working at the superintendent's office. Earlier she said she wanted to get to know the school atmosphere and so she decided on her own to pose as me."

"Wow~ That's really naughty of her. So that's what happened. She must have been worrying whether she would be found out, so that's why she seemed especially gloomy sometimes. If only I'd known she was someone so interesting, I would have talked to her more... Same for you, Sakuramairi-san, I should have talked to you sooner. I'm sorry, because you're too pretty, I've been feeling a bit intimidated until now."

"...You can say it straight. There's a wall between us. I'm not good at talking to others."

"Eh, i-is that so?"

The girl who struck up the conversation began to get nervous.

However, her myriad facial expressions and indecisive cheerfulness reminded Shiraho of a certain someone.

Her description of "isn't actually like a doll" roused certain memories in Shiraho, prompting her to recall a certain person who had been watching over her until recently, but she could never see him again.

Incredibly, Shiraho found her shoulders relaxing.

"However, I don't dislike people like you."

That was simply what she thought.

This classroom, and the past&mdash;

That classroom in the past, where everyone looked at her as if she were a doll, was perhaps different from this one.

That said&mdash;who knew if this was because Shiraho had undergone changes herself.

"Woohoo! If that's the case, then I will gladly claim the throne of being Sakuramairi-san's first friend! So, as your friend, let me ask you the most pressing question... Please answer simply yes or no, do you have a boyfriend?"

In any case, a lover existed, setting aside for now the question of whether the title boyfriend or girlfriend would be more appropriate.

"Yes."

The instant she replied&mdash;

All the people eavesdropping on Shiraho's conversation (mainly boys) went into an uproar.