Editing Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume9 Chapter8 4

===<noinclude>Intriguing First-Year. </noinclude>Part 4.===

Shimako-san walked into the room carrying the musical score for "Ave Maria" on the piano.

"I've been given permission to use the church organ."

She certainly didn't seem to think she was on a fool's errand. Yumi's chest burned.

(She's my friend!)

She recited Touko-chan's words in her mind like a spell, to keep a lid on those unbearable thoughts. There was no way to know what was right without seeing the results. So they all believed their only option was to see this through to the end.

Now then.

Shimako-san would be playing the organ at this year's first-year welcoming ceremony. That's what they'd decided.

There was no way they could tell Shimako-san about the play they were going to use to entrap her, so this was their decoy. And a plan that created work for Shimako-san was convenient in many ways. Since they could hold their secret meetings when Shimako-san wasn't there.

"How was it? The organ."

Rei-sama nonchalantly probed Shimako-san.

"Let me think. Like Sachiko-sama said, the keys have a different weight to a piano, so there's some parts that are tricky to play."

Then Shimako-san smiled and finished her answer by saying, "But once I'm used to it, I'll manage somehow." She really didn't seem to have noticed anything. 

"If you're not confident we can always switch. Back to that other – "

Sachiko-sama twirled her index finger around in a small circle.

"No please!!"

The two boutons screamed out almost simultaneously.

"I think I'll be sick that day if we change back."

"Yeah, I'm burning up with enthusiasm. Wait, that's not enthusiasm, that's a fever coming on."

"… So it looks like we all agree it would be better if I played the organ."

Shimako-san smiled wryly, raising her arm gently.

"Really? I thought it was well received."

"Oh it was. The Bouton's Great Talent Show."

Traditional Japanese dancing to "Maria-sama's Soul."

A magic act backed by "El Bimbo" on pianica.

The ara essa ssa of the Loach Scopping dance.

No-one had ever heard of the older students doing something like that at the new students' welcoming ceremony.

"You've done it before."

"That was … "

They'd been willing to sacrifice life and limb to properly farewell the graduating Roses. Plus, because it was in the family, so to speak, they could cut loose a bit. It wasn't something they could do in front of a large audience, especially not of first-years.

"You're no fun."

Sachiko-sama and Rei-sama were amusing themselves by fanning the flames, but if their petit soeurs really did put on such a show then it would obviously be incredibly embarrassing for them as grande soeurs too.

"At any rate, that idea's rejected. Rejected."

In solidarity with Yoshino-san, she rejected the idea. Even if it was a joke, even if it was to trick Shimako-san into going along with their dummy plan, that dreadful suggestion had to be killed off as quickly as possible. Adding her hand to their two fists, Shimako-san seemed to like the idea of playing the organ better than performing a traditional Japanese dance too.

"Shimako."

Sachiko-sama suddenly spoke with a serious expression.

"Yes."

"Give it your best."

"Huh? … Okay."

Shimako-san seemed a bit confused, perhaps sensing the strange atmosphere.

The Maria Ceremony was only three days away.