Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume27 Chapter4 2

At the Outset of the Date. Part 2

At the same time, Shimako was in the food area in the department store basement.

She was conscious of the girl in the Lillian's high-school uniform who was separated from her by the crowd of people but kept popping in and out of her field of vision, and for the umpteenth time that day silently asked herself, "Why?"

Why was she going on the exact same date as last year?

(No.)

The 'exact same' was a faulty expression.

Last year, Shimako had purchased onigiri rice balls, but the plastic bag that currently hung from her right hand contained a warm marinaded seafood and vegetables dish, and the paper bag in her left hand contained baked cheesecake.

(Moreover.)

Last year they'd worn street clothes, while this year they were in uniform. And, let's not forget, her partner was different too.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting. Did you make your purchases?"

"Yes. This is the cake. And this is the seafood."

As she said this, Shimako held out the change. A couple of ten- and one-yen coins. Since she'd bought exactly what she'd been told, the money she'd been given was almost exactly spot on.

"But three-hundred grams of each, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

Perhaps not hearing what Shimako said, Ami-san opened her own bags and looked at what she had bought.

"Fried chicken and onigiri. You don't have a microwave in the Rose Mansion, do you?"

"Ah, no."

"There was some really tasty looking pizza, but I decided against it. No matter how good it looks, when it cools the cheese hardens, and it won't taste the same."

"That's true."

As they headed towards the bus terminal on the north side of the station, Shimako was deep in thought. Was Ami-san enjoying their date?

The girl by her side was heading directly to the exit, her head fixed looking straight ahead.

She'd called herself a fan of Shimako's. Yet, since the first time they'd met, Ami-san had never looked at her with a happy expression.

At first, Shimako had thought this was because she was nervous. But they'd met a couple of times while planning the date. Surely she should have loosened up during that.

So then Shimako thought that maybe this was just her nature. That her face was normally expressionless, that such was her personality, and that Shimako wasn't the only one that she looked at with a stony expression.

However, that was incorrect.

One day during the previous week, Shimako had been walking with Noriko through the corridor on the first-floor of the school building.

It was one of those rare mild February days, with few clouds, and you could almost mistake it for April or May. Consequently, there were a lot of students who had taken their lunches out into the courtyard and were chatting merrily, and Shimako could feel that energy as they walked through the corridor.

"Ah."

Noriko called out, drawing close to the glass window.

"It's her, right, Shimako-san?"

Where Noriko pointed did indeed include Igawa Ami-san's figure. She was with another of her classmates, and they were leaning against the wall of the opposite building, obviously talking about something or other.

"How did you know?"

Shimako asked. Knowing Ami-san's desire to avoid any outside attention, Noriko would never have gone to her classroom and asked after her. Then, somewhat awkwardly, Noriko admitted:

"I was worried about what kind of person she was, so, this morning, I waited near her shoe-box. That girl was the one who opened the peach group locker with 'Igawa' written on it, and changed into the indoor shoes kept inside … I'm sorry."

"It's alright, you don't have to apologize."

It was unlikely that anyone could get the wrong impression from the first-year Noriko-chan being in the first-year shoe-box area.

"So, what did you think?"

Shimako asked, as she looked at Ami-san. Since Noriko had been worried about what sort of person Ami-san was, Shimako wanted to hear her impressions on seeing the real deal.

"We-ll. She did seem a bit different to the image I got from you, Shimako-san, but it definitely looked like there was a part of her like that."

"I see."

Even Shimako herself felt that occasionally. Just what kind of person was Ami-san really?

At that moment.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, Ami-san laughed. The classmate standing beside her laughed too. It must have been very funny, because they were slapping each other on the shoulder as they laughed together.

"Like a different person … "

Noriko's dumbfounded voice made its way to Shimako's ears.

Ami-san and her friend, unaware that they were being watched by the white Rose sisters, continued to laugh.

So, given that, Shimako was unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion.

The Ami-san that she'd seen in the courtyard that day may have been the real Ami-san. That would mean that Shimako being her partner was the problem after all. Perhaps she'd unknowingly put some burden on her shoulders, or caused her to be on guard.

"Rosa Gigantea."

Hearing this, Shimako looked towards Ami-san, and saw the bus that went past Lillian's Girls Academy pulling into the terminal.

"Please get on ahead of me. I'll follow some time later."

"Okay."

As instructed, Shimako obediently boarded the bus. She didn't bother to ask why. She'd become accustomed to this pattern.

Since the bus had only just arrived, it was quite empty inside. Even though she knew no-one was going to sit beside her, Shimako sat down at one of the double seats towards the back of the bus. Filling the window seat, leaving the aisle seat open.

Inside the bus, with neither the sound of the engine nor the announcer, Shimako idly watched the world go by outside. She hadn't checked the timetable but the bus would probably head out again soon.

Two girls were laughing as they walked across the pedestrian crossing in front of the train station.

(Oh.)

Shimako had thought something looked familiar about them, then realized it was Mami-san and Hidemi-san. If it had just been one or the other, then it's possible that it could have been a case of mistaken identity since they weren't wearing their school uniforms, but seeing both of them together left no doubt.

(They look like they're having fun.)

It was possible that they weren't on a date but were instead collecting information on the dates. Even so, seeing that pair enjoying themselves so much caused a feeling of jealousy to swell up in Shimako's heart. She wondered if she and Ami-san would be able to laugh together like that.

A girl in a Lillian's uniform boarded the bus. For a moment Shimako thought it was Ami-san, but it wasn't. After showing her commuter pass, the girl took a seat right behind the driver.

The driver started the engine. Just as the door started to close, Ami-san hurriedly got on board. As Shimako expected, Ami-san didn't sit down beside her, instead choosing a single seat right in the middle of the bus. Perhaps she would have sat beside her if there wasn't that other Lillian's student in the front. Who knows.

"Thank-you for riding with us again today, this bus is – "

The announcer called out, and the bus slowly started to move.

They were going from the front of the train station to the front of Lillian's Girls Academy. But they were both still separated.

Even though they were taking the same route as last year, Shimako had the feeling they would be very different dates.