Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume7 Chapter8 1

Thursday. Part 1

One, two, thee, four.

The music from the cassette played over and over in my mind.

"You're on day duty, right? Our teacher said the class journal hasn't been delivered yet."

Back from the staff room, my classmate conveyed the message from our homeroom teacher.

"Ah, yes."

I raised my head in surprise. I'd put my school bag on top of my desk, and zoned out as I was putting my pencil case in it. Sleep deprivation, probably.

"Sorry, I'll take it now."

I wrote the name of tomorrow's day duty person in the right-hand corner of the front blackboard, then picked up my bag and the class journal and left the room.

School was finally over. Because I'd been on duty, today had felt like an incredibly long day.

(Scoop, scoop. Discard, pose.)

"Okay, thanks for your effort."

I handed our teacher the class journal, bowed quickly and left the staff room. But I still had a number of odd jobs left to do.

I had to go with Yoshino-san to the art club's room to pick up the signboard, then to the flower arranging club to borrow some vases.

(Quick spin.)

Oh no. I'd spaced out again, drawn completely into that world inside my head. I had to swap that music for something else. It may have been off key, but for now I started mentally singing "Maria-sama's soul," and headed towards the Rose Mansion. But before I got there.

"I'm from the koto music club, is it too late to change the program?"

"I'm with the confectionery maker's alliance. Here's a sample of the cookies we're giving to the graduating seniors on the day."

I was stopped on the way by various groups involved in the "Third-Years' Farewell Party," and had to either answer them or take a memo. While this was happening, Maria-sama flew far, far away, and what was left behind was the "One, two, three, four," rhythm.

The number of people that called out to me had increased day by day. The event itself was the day after tomorrow, and everyone was busy making last minute changes.

"I'm from the choir~ club."

As I was opening the door to the Rose Mansion, a familiar voice called out to me from behind. When I turned around, I saw an unexpected face.

"Shizuka-sama! Oh, you surprised me."

"You look busy, hey."

Lillian's diva grinned. She'd soon be leaving Japan, to become an international diva.

"Ah, the choir club? Was there something you wanted to change?"

I asked, opening my student diary. I was more accustomed to this sort of thing.

"Ah, sorry. I was just calling out to you the same way everyone else did. What I'm here for today isn't related to the choir club."

Shizuka-sama said, waving both her hands.

"Unrelated to the choir club?"

"You were asking about borrowing some pianicas to bring to the Rose Mansion on Saturday, right? The music teacher said you could borrow up to five, so I came to let you know. How many did you need?"

"Pianicas?"

This was the first I'd heard about that, so I had no idea who to even refer her to.

"I was talking to a first-year music teacher about it … right, I think she said it was Yoshino-san that asked."

"Yoshino-san?"

What on earth was she planning on doing with them?

"Can you wait here a moment?"

Yoshino-san was probably inside the Rose Mansion right now.

I raced up the creaking, groaning stairs, and opened the door to the second-floor room.

"Ah, Yumi-san, you're late."

Yoshino-san had been sitting down, checking over the printed programs, but she stood up when she saw me arrive.

"Alright, let's go to the art room and pick up the signboard. After that we have to see the flower arranging club too."

Yoshino-san was the only person in the room. Belatedly, I realized it would have been quicker to have Shizuka-sama accompany me and then they could have talked here, and this had me feeling a bit down.

"What's the matter?"

"Shizuka-sama's here. About the pianicas."

"Oh, really?"

Yoshino-san placed the note saying, "Yumi, Yoshino: Go to the art room and flower arranging club," on the table and left the room.

"What do you need them for?"

I asked, following Yoshino-san down the stairs.

"I thought I'd get Shimako-san to play "El Bimbo" as background music to my magic act."

El Bimbo? Ahh, that dadah-dah dada-dah music that usually accompanies magic acts.

"You couldn't just use a cassette tape?"

"Sure, I could. But when I showed her the musical score, Shimako-san said that she should be able to play the melody part."

Yoshino-san smiled.

"And from a performance standpoint, this is more fun, right?"

"…"

That Yoshino-san. It looked like she was dragging Shimako-san into the world of comedy after all.

"Oh, so you only want one? But there's a couple of different types, so which type do you want?"

Shizuka-sama asked, having heard our conversation.

"Umm."

Yoshino-san was lost for words. I wouldn't know how to answer if asked which one I wanted either. You mean there's more than one type of pianica?

"Do you want to have a look in the music prep room? The teacher should still be there now."

"For sure. Ah … but."

After her immediate response to Shizuka-sama's question, Yoshino-san looked at me, as though just remembering. She'd probably forgotten that we had to to go the art room and the flower arranging club's room.

I declined the offer to accompany her. There was no point in having me look at pianicas.

"Come as soon as you've picked one, okay?"

I split off from Yoshino-san and Shizuka-sama at that point.

Then the sound of Yuuki's voice counting, "One, two, three, four," came back to me.