Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume10 Chapter1 3 (section)

===<noinclude>Peppermint Candy. </noinclude>Part 3===

This silence, when did it last happen?

Right. It was like the atmosphere that surrounded them when Shimako had walked Noriko to the bus stop, after her visit to the Shouguu temple. It wasn't the result of eliminating all superfluous words, instead it was a heavy, painful silence since they were both hiding the words that needed to be said.

The lid of Pandora's box may have been closed, but some smoke had leaked out. 

It would be nigh on impossible to catch this drifting smoke and return things to how they were. Even though it was just smoke, it had tenaciously lodged itself around them, and in time would grow so suffocating that they would no longer be able to avoid it.

"Umm."

Unable to bear the gloomy atmosphere any longer, both of them spoke at roughly the same time.

"You go first, Shimako-san."

"No, after you, Noriko."

Shimako urged Noriko to speak first. While there was indeed something she wanted to say, she hadn't yet found the right words to use. In addition to what Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama had said, Touko-chan's flippant remark was also circling uncontrollably around her head. 

"Okay, I'll start."

Noriko gave a small cough to clear her throat before starting. Putting a hand on the lid of Pandora's box.

"Well then. Despite Touko's bizarre suspicions, you shouldn't be too concerned. I'm not avoiding joining a club because I have some kind of ulterior motive like she was talking about."

"… Ulterior motive?"

"Touko's got the wrong impression, kind of like a persecution complex. Basically, she thinks I'm keeping myself free because I'm going to be doing Yamayurikai work in the near future."

Doing Yamayurikai work. It was, needless to say, directly related to becoming Shimako's petit soeur.

"Noriko."

"So, don't be mistaken. I just haven't found a club I want to join. So, at some point, there might be a club I could join, like some 'Buddhist Statue Viewing Club,' you know?"

" … I see."

"But then I was thinking that maybe I'd just concentrate on my school work for the three years of high-school. It looks like it will be pretty hard to study for an external university's entrance exam while at Lillian's."

Noriko's words picked up pace as she spoke. Shimako smiled, waited for a pause, then asked quietly:

"Noriko. Do you want my rosary?"

The smile disappeared from Noriko's face and she shook her head.

"Didn't you say that the time wasn't right?"

"That's what I thought, but."

If you want the rosary – Shimako thought those words, but didn't speak them. It was something that she herself was still not confident about the answer to. Since Shimako didn't know, she thought she'd try entrusting the decision to Noriko.

"Shimako-san. Has somebody said something to you? About me?"

"Huh?"

Shimako asked, without thinking. Noriko was very perceptive. Or maybe it was just that what she had been thinking had shown through on her face.

"I've felt it a bit too."

Noriko said.

"I'm not your petit soeur, but sill I've darted in close to you. I've been a nuisance to you. Even though I knew it would turn out like it did – I'm such an idiot."

"That's not true at all, Noriko."

Although the topic of conversation had drifted somewhat, Shimako quickly corrected her. Since it was only the two of them, if one of them ran off recklessly they could end up in an unfortunate position unless the other restrained them. However, Noriko's fast talking did not stop.

"It's okay, I don't mind. Event at the best of times, I'm a bit of an oddball at this school, so I guess I stand out in a weird way."

"Noriko."

"Ah, right, I don't think you've ever looked at me like that, Shimako-san. But thinking about it objectively, it does look like I've become overly familiar with one of the school's beloved student council leaders."

"Noriko!"

Shimako called out her name again, putting a bit of force into it. Noriko's shoulders flinched, as though surprised, then eventually she responded with, "Yes," and closed her mouth. Things settled nicely, as though Shimako had just administered the cure for hiccups.

Noriko was waiting to hear her words, so Shimako informed her:

"If you know that I haven't ever looked at you like that, then you should also know that the reason I'm with you is because that is what I want."

" … Shimako-san."

"You disagree?"

"I don't. But."

Noriko expanded her objection.

"But the world isn't organized just for the two of us."

"That's true."

What Noriko had said was correct.

Noriko was an adult. And in comparison, she herself – such were Shimako's thoughts. She understood the theory well enough. However, it was unthinkable to Shimako to maintain her distance from Noriko just to avoid public scrutiny, and equally unthinkable to make Noriko her petit soeur just because of what other people were saying.

"Shimako-san? Is there something troubling you?"

Noriko asked, when they resumed walking after praying in front of the statue of Maria-sama. Apparently she was worried that something had happened. So Shimako set her own emotions aside and informed Noriko of what had occurred earlier in they day in as businesslike a manner as possible.

"Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida were both at the Rose Mansion. They're extending an invitation to you, Noriko."

"Huh?"

Noriko made a face of obvious displeasure. Perhaps the Yamayurikai leadership had not left a good impression, having taken on the villain's role for the events of the Maria ceremony. Remaining wary that this clumsy approach was just another opportunity to deceive her was probably the right way to feel.

"If you're willing, they'd like you to help out with various things."

" … You mean, as a volunteer?"

"Ah, yeah. Like a volunteer."

Shimako smiled. Noriko apparently thought she'd been scouted as 'someone with too much free time.'

"But, are you okay with that, Shimako-san?"

Shimako's doubt had probably shown through on her face after all. Noriko's request for confirmation had come immediately. Shimako smiled wryly as she answered.

"If I was opposed to it, I would have refused the job of asking you."

"I guess … no, you're right. Okay, I'll think about it."

Maria-sama watched the pair walk away.

As though melancholic from the many difficulties that lay ahead of them.

Those were the events of the Friday of the first week in June.