Template:Maria-sama Ga Miteru:Volume17 Chapter 2 1

Happenings And Heading Out Part 1

The official name of Narita Airport is New Tokyo International Airport. It was after 10 a.m. on the Departures floor of International Terminal One.

A few girls in dark school uniforms had crowded together; red passports in hand and big bags at their feet. Their greetings of "Gokigenyou" included bit of nervousness.

"I wonder why we had to assemble more than two hours early?" Yoshino-san grumbled, walking towards the green flag in the class committee member's hand.

"It's because this is an overseas flight," Yumi replied.

"That's not why. These days, international phone calls are easily made, information from around the world is instantly at your fingertips thanks to the internet, and we can watch live broadcasts via satellite from the other side of the globe. The barriers between countries are growing noticeably smaller, and incredibly closer. After all, don't people going somewhere in Asia get there much faster than going to some remote place in Japan?"

"Hmm."

"Although I do feel there's some difference between international and domestic travelers," Yoshino-san admitted. This was her first experience escaping Japan. They had gone together to get their passports, so Yumi was aware of this.

"And?"

"I suppose I can't simplify it any further. It's good to arrive at the airport 30 minutes early or so."

". . ."

It looked like there was more that Yoshino-san wanted to say, but she didn't want to get into a complex subject. Not when she was still sleepy after waking so early. Any unpleasantness was dispelled because nobody challenged words like "these days," and "simplify".

Along the way, passing by the Wisteria class, they found Shimako-san among the crowd.

"Gokigenyou. Did you two come together?"

'Yes. We took an express bus from the K station to the airport."

"Oh, such a thing exists?"

"Yes, though it takes a while. Onee-sama said it would be terrible to transfer trains over and over while carrying luggage. Once we got on the bus, I slept while it brought us to the airport."

"But it looks like Yoshino-san didn't get to sleep.”

"It's not that sitting next to Yumi-san's sleeping form was odious."

It seems that Yoshino-san was so wound up telling herself, "I need to sleep, I need to sleep," that she could not sleep. If Yumi had taken the motion sickness medicine that Sachiko-sama gave her as a farewell gift, Yumi would have won, hands-down. She didn't think the Sandman would have visited on his own. It seems that Yoshino-san never thought about taking medicine, since she never gets carsick.

"Excuse me. Please, could you three look over here?"

By reflex, they turned their faces towards "here," but were met with a flash and a click instead of a greeting.

". . . Tsutako-san."

She was generally acknowledged to be the ace of the Photography Club. Takeshima Tsutako-san lowered her camera, then belatedly said "Gokigenyou" with a smile.

"'The Appearance of Rosa Gigantea, Rosa Chinensis en Bouton, and Rosa Foetida en Bouton Before They Depart.' That was pretty good timing. A blessing from Maria-sama. Who knows when I'll be lucky enough to get this sweet shot again."

While saying this, Tsutako-san clicked the shutter.

The three of them exchanged glances that said, 'it can't be helped', as they posed for photos. On a trip, several classes traveled together, so Wisteria class's Shimako-san and everyone in Pine class was together without restriction.

"Tsutako-san, did Mami-san put you up to this?"

The Newspaper Club would not turn a blind eye towards the school field trip. Then –

"Exactly."

Yamaguchi Mami-san — current Editor-in-Chief of the Lillian Kawaraban — appeared from behind; writing implement held tightly in one hand, standing by to record news at a moment's notice. A perfect match for Tsutako-san, who never lets go of her camera. With these two as a tag-team, they become a formidable force.

"Mami-san is busy, running around even outside of school," Shimako-san said with a giggle.

"I've been back and forth from here several times by now. Truth is, I was chasing some bad info to the Information counter."

"Bad info?"

"I heard the announcer call for 'Satou Sei.'"

"Satou Sei?!"

Yumi, Yoshino-san, and Tsutako-san all replied at the same time.

"I said bad info, though, right? You're jumping the gun, it was a mistake."

"The name that was called, it was 'Katou-san,' wasn't it?" Shimako-san said with a smile.

Actually, it was a bit of a shock to hear that announcement. But with good ears, you could tell it was someone else because they said "Katou." She's still the same, composed, person. I wonder if I would have reacted that well, thought Yumi. Whether "Odazawa Sachiko-san" or "Okadawara Sachiko-san," they all sound like "Ogasawara Sachiko-san," and Yumi would dash off to whoever was calling for them.

"Even if it was 'Satou Sei,' there's a high chance that several people have that same name."

"Oh! I once met a Fukuzawa Yumi while in the hospital. She was a grandma about 80 years old,” Yoshino-san said.

"Now that you mention it, there is a first grader, Yamaguchi Mami-chan, in elementary school," Tsutako-san added.

"Any relation?"

"No, I didn't really know her. Because the elementary school was in our neighborhood, the students would walk in front of our house. If I approached those cute kids, I could see the name tag pinned to their chest."

"That's dangerous, Tsutako-san."

She may look like an ordinary high school girl (no reason for caution), but on the inside was a lecherous old man. Saying "It's fine, because she's seven or eight years too young for me," is kind of missing the point. Mami-san is Mami-san though, and having the same name as a "cute kid" put her in quite the good mood.

"But I appreciate it. Wisteria and Pine classes are in the same group. If she were taking the reverse route, Shimako-san couldn't help but go the other way."

That's right. The airplane lands in Milan first with all the second-year students together. Then some make the rounds in Rome (Course A) and some Venezia/Venice (Course B). There are six classes, three per course. Both courses meet up only in the middle, in Florence.

"Thank you, teachers who drew the lottery, and Maria-sama."

Mami-san and Tsutako-san pressed their hands together and lifted their faces, eyes closed. But there was only a tall ceiling.

"Tsutako-san, since when did you become the Newspaper Club's cameraman?"

"No, no. I had been asked by Mami-san, but I already had a greater personal desire."

"Are you going to put this in a corner of the Photography Club's panel at the school festival?"

"Yoshino-san, asking it straight out. I wonder if you couldn't have softened that just a bit."

Saying that, I wonder if Tsutako-san intends to fill an entire panel. Good grief.

Yumi's face grew distracted as she watched the retreating figure of Tsutako-san and wondered if she, Yoshino-san, and Mami-san were going to keep this sparring up for the rest of the trip.

Because I'm not sharing a room with her, I won't have to worry about her taking a photo while I'm changing clothes or taking a bath.

"Should I pray for your good luck in battle?" Shimako-san said, as if reading Yumi's mind.

"Thank you. I think we'll meet up again soon, but I wish you a good trip too, Shimako-san."

Shrugging her shoulders, Yumi chased after the three people. It was right where the Pine class had assembled.