Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume25 Chapter2 1

===<noinclude>Slightly Slipping Away. </noinclude>Part 1===

In the end, Yumi didn't say a single word about Touko during their entire journey together to M Station. – Sachiko thought this to herself as she walked.

Immediately after the results were revealed, Yumi had left the crowd to chase something. That something must have been Touko-chan, mustn't it?

Sachiko had been worried. But she hadn't said anything. Yumi would have surely factored the possibility that she would return hurt in to her resolve. That was why Sachiko thought she should stay silent and then welcome her back.

But Yumi had returned soon after. Far too soon for her to have caught up to Touko-chan, had a conversation, and then come back.

She was with Shimako and Noriko-chan.

What on earth had gone on in that brief period while she was away from the bulletin board? When Yumi returned, her expression was markedly different to when she'd pushed her way through the crowd to get out.

Then she never once mentioned Touko-chan's name during their time in the Rose Mansion, or as they walked along the tree lined path on their way home, or in the bus. 

(What on earth could have happened …)

Sachiko once again asked herself the question that had occupied her mind since she disembarked from the train and bid farewell to Shimako. She still hadn't found an answer, despite repeatedly posing the question.

What on earth could have happened? Still wrapped up in this question, she arrived at the front gate to her home.

(And what's going on with me?)

She had no memory of leaving the train station. But, when she checked, her commuter pass was safely in her pocket. Therefore, she must have indeed passed through the ticket gate.

She seemed to remember seeing more advertising banners for new chocolates at the confectionery store in front of the station. But then again, that could have been yesterday. She couldn't say for certain.

Sachiko let out a sigh, then entered her PIN on the intercom keypad and the gates opened.

The lights in the garden and on the gateposts were already switched on. She hadn't even noticed it was getting dark.

She was still thinking about Yumi as she walked along the path to her house.

She couldn't help it. She probably wouldn't be so focused on this one thing if there was something else she had to do, but since she was only placing one foot in front of the other she didn't have to concentrate that hard, which allowed her to easily slip into deep thought. Even so, it would have been strange to focus her mind on not thinking that deeply.

(Maybe I should sing something.)

Sachiko raised her gaze from the ground. Then she noticed something she recognized in the corner of her eye. That gaudy color stood out, even in the dark, and it could only belong to one person.

Sachiko stopped singing.