Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume27 Chapter1 4 (section)

===<noinclude>Warrior Demands a Response.</noinclude> Part 4 ===

The car park was quite lively.

Casting a sidelong glance, Rei-chan muttered quietly, but with feeling:

"Shimako's card was underneath Aota-sensei's car."

For the nth time.

"We didn't even think about that, last year."

Yoshino joked in her mind, "I've already heard that too," but didn't say anything.

In Rei-chan's hand was a paper bag. Inside, atop a pile of other chocolates, were some humble store bought chocolates that were being treated with the utmost reverence.

"You're quiet, Yoshino. Not angry anymore?"

Rei-chan asked, after they passed through the school gates.

"I'm still angry."

"Oh?"

"My anger's just exhausted too."

Hearing that, Rei-chan sounded a bit dejected as she sighed and said, "Is that so?"

If Yoshino were telling the truth, then she'd have said that she didn't know if she was angry or not any more. Nonetheless, after cleaning countless cups with Yumi-san, then flying out of the Rose Mansion saying, "Leave the rest for tomorrow," Yoshino had wanted to see Rei-chan waiting for her in the classroom. She knew that if she said that, then Rei-chan would be absolutely delighted. And yet, she didn't say that. She uttered the mean-spirited phrase, "My anger's just exhausted too," and Rei-chan was dejected.

Even though Rei-chan should be the truly exhausted one because of her exams, and it was probably the duty of those around her to be kind, and speak gently, to her. It annoyed Yoshino that she was unable to connect in that manner. Truthfully, that sort of self-loathing was a large part of the reason behind her silence.

"Is that so?"

Rei-chan muttered, once more. The phrase that Yoshino had blurted out because she didn't want to appear reticent due to exhaustion came back to bite her again, leaving her feeling like she'd dug herself into a hole that fit her precisely.

"Even though you're carrying that bag for me because it's heavy, I'll take care of the chocolates until after your exams are over. Because if you take them, you'll idiotically waste two or three hours opening them, checking the contents, and reading the letters."

Well, that's done it. "Carrying that bag for me," was hardly polite. And Yoshino knew the reason Rei-chan would open the packages and read the letters wasn't idiocy, but simply kindness. Why did everything have to come out sounding so abusive?

Yoshino kicked a small pebble that had fallen in front of her with her black shoe. The pebble skipped forward erratically until it struck the tall school wall and stopped.

Rei-chan was kind. Yoshino knew that better than anyone.

"Okay. Thanks."

Rei-chan said.

"What are you thanking me for?"

Yoshino arched her eyebrows. In her heart she'd been thinking it, but she hadn't said 'kindness.'

"Well, if you're doing that, it means you're going to make a list of people who gave me a gift, right? Like last year?"

Oooh. How can she say something like that so innocently.

" … I hadn't thought of that."

Yoshino looked down as she squeezed those words out, and the response she got was a carefree, "Is that so?"

"So what was it you were annoyed about again, Yoshino?"

"I'll have to be careful of it," Rei-chan said, then followed it up immediately with a shouted, "Ah!"

"What is it?"

"I have to give a 'Valentine's Chocolates Request Ticket' to my onee-sama too!"

" … You say that while I'm standing right here."

It would appear that Rei-chan's obsession with minor details could not be cured so easily. Even if it was turned off, there's no doubting that she'd be making a 'Valentine's Chocolates Request Phone Call' to Eriko-sama tonight.

Nothing she could do about that.

As she was losing her temper, Yoshino looked towards the setting sun and pondered whether she'd be involved with Eriko-sama for the rest of her life.

Why was that.

"Is it okay if I just take your chocolates home with me, Yoshino?"

Rei-chan asked.

"Why would you ask that now?"

That was patently obvious, wasn't it?

Yoshino was a special case.

That alone was an absolutely unshakeable truth between the two of them.