Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume30 Chapter6 3 (section)

===<noinclude>Distant Desire. </noinclude>Part 3.===

Yumi-san's group were browsing in the gift-shop.

"Why don't we go and have a look too?"

Rei-chan started to walk forwards, but Yoshino grabbed the hem of her coat, stopping her.

"What's wrong?"

Yoshino thought, "I'm supposed to be the one saying that." For Rei-chan, Yoshino's drunken retching after the teacup ride seemed to have defined some kind of boundary, blowing away their earlier disagreement. She had reverted back to the usual, kind Rei-chan, as though nothing had happened. 

Yoshino thought it would be better for her to apologize while she still wasn't feeling well, and away from the others. If Rei-chan had been anticipating this, then she would have responded smoothly. But Rei-chan had been reset back to normal and seemed to have completely forgotten about making up. Consequently, Yoshino hadn't yet found the right time to make the apology that she had told Sachiko-sama she would, since it was hard for her to broach the topic.

"I want to go on that ride."

Having said that much, Yoshino wondered what she should do next. There wasn't really any ride she wanted to go on. She was just using that as a pretext for spending some time alone with Rei-chan.

"Which one?"

Rei-chan frowned.

"You can't go on anything too fast."

"I know."

Now all she had to do was think of some docile ride. As soon as possible.

"You know, that one, that one."

As she struggled to think of one, Yoshino desperately tried to give the impression that she knew, but just couldn't remember its name. The roller-coaster was no good, the teacup ride was preposterous, the haunted house wasn't the kind of place you'd go twice in one day, and the arcade wasn't really what you'd call a ride.

"Ummm... that slow boat-ride around the world."

At her wit's end, she couldn't even name the ride. How the mighty had fallen.

"That should be fine. But didn't you say that you weren't going to go on that?"

That was true. Yesterday, on the way home, Yoshino had smiled as she completely dismissed Rei-chan's very feminine interest in the boat ride that sailed past displays of dolls from various countries. "I'm not some little child," was what she'd said.

"I changed my mind."

Just one more push and she'd be fine. Even now, Yoshino didn't really want to go on that boat ride, but if she pulled out at this point things would only get more complicated.

"Sachiko. We're heading off on our own."

Rei-chan raised her voice so that Sachiko-sama, about 50 metres ahead of them, could hear.

"Understood. Are you going to watch the fireworks?"

Sachiko-sama turned around and fired back, in an equally loud voice.

"Yeah, that's the plan."

So, see you then. They waved farewell, then Yoshino and Rei-chan headed off towards that slow boat ride.

As they held hands, Yoshino thought, "Just hold on a bit longer, Rei-chan.".

As we ride on the boat past those dolls from various countries that you like, I'll tell you properly.

About Nana.

Afterward, I'll say the 'Sorry,' that I should have said earlier.