Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume27 Chapter8 1

When Tomorrow Comes. Part 1

"How about we go with: I was initially on a date with Ami-san, but then after lunch we accidentally ran into her classmate Chiho-san, who had come to school, by chance, to pick up something she'd forgotten, and we joined company."

After eating lunch, Shimako's group held a strategy meeting.

So call it a substitution, or a replacement. While Shimako accepted that she hadn't been on a date with the real Igawa Ami-san from the start, thinking about it from the general student's point of view, that wouldn't have been the end of it.

Shimako's personal opinion was that submitting a completely honest report would make for interesting reading. But if they did that, it seemed likely that Ami-san and Chiho-san would get blamed for breaking the rules. They were forbidden from transferring the card, or its accompanying privileges.

"Okay? Chiho-san can write the first half, and Ami-san can write the second half of the report."

That way, there would be at least some consistency. While they were perhaps deceiving the readers of the Lillian Kawaraban, it was necessary to bring things to a close. Since Shimako had really believed that Chiho-san was 'Ami-san' for the first half, it wasn't a complete lie – just an expedient.

"Oh?"

As she was cutting the cheesecake, the creaking sounds of someone climbing the stairs could be heard.

"?"

Who would be coming to visit the Rose Mansion on a Sunday? The three girls looked at each other. They had already finished their meeting, so their wasn't the sudden tumult of papers being hidden. However, they did look a bit like they'd been caught in the act.

Knock knock, creak. Without waiting for a response, the biscuit door opened.

"Heyoo. Photography club here, do we have any takers?"

"Huh … ?"

In strode Takeshima Tsutako-san. Following behind her, more subdued, was her junior from the photography club, Naitou Shouko-chan. They were both in school uniform.

"What's going on?"

Shimako set the cake knife down and walked over to them.

"Oh, it's Shimako-san. Hmm, I didn't imagine you'd be doing the same thing two years in a row, so I was certain it was going to be Yumi-san or Yoshino-san."

Tsutako-san's eyes were still wide from the surprise of seeing someone unexpected. That made two of them.

As a start, the new and old visitors greeted each other with "Gokigenyou." Then Shimako returned to her task of cutting the cake, and they all ate. Tsutako-san and Shouko-chan were initially reluctant, but since Chiho-san was there as well they decided to join in. Three's the same as five, in other words.

"Well. As I was walking through the courtyard, I saw the window was open. I thought someone might be there, or it could just be that they forgot to close it yesterday, in which case I should close it for them. But then I was worried that someone might be there, after all. I didn't want to interfere with their date, but maybe I could take a commemorative photo for them. Of course, I'd keep it a secret from the newspaper club."

Tsutako-san winked as she gestured with the fork she'd used to transport the cheesecake to her mouth.

"That sounds reasonable enough. But why are you at school in the first place?"

Shimako asked, as she closed the window. She knew there were a number of clubs at the school today, but she hadn't expected the photography club would be one of them.

"At Katsura-san's request, I came to take photos of the tennis club. She said they wanted to give their graduating seniors a handmade booklet with photos of them doing club activities. Which they'd all sign. For various reasons, it was better doing it today than before or after school, plus the weather report said it would be sunny."

Then after coming to school on Sunday and looking around, she saw that there were numerous other sports and cultural clubs holding activities, so she went from place to place taking photographs.

"Shall we get them to take a photo of us too?"

Shimako asked Ami-san and Chiho-san, and was met with resounding approval. Apparently these two first-years had a special yearning to have their photos taken by Takeshima Tsutako-san.

"What's the magic word?"

Tsutako-san asked, holding up her camera.

"Cheesecake's 'cheese'."

Just as Chiho-san said this, the shutter clicked.

"Ah."

At that moment, Shimako suddenly remembered.

"Chiho-san, on the day of the treasure hunt, you visited this room, didn't you?"

She didn't stay long, but she was definitely there. Although, rather than saying she visited it was more like she burst in and then ran off, like a coastal squall.

"I remember … you said something about finding Shimako-sama's 'shi.'"

Lots of students converged on Shimako's location as they tried to reassemble her hint.

"That's incredible, Rosa Gigantea. That you could remember my face from out of that sea of chaos."

Chiho-san giggled. But, in that case, Chiho-san must possess an enormous amount of courage. To impersonate someone from the absentee's chance draw after she'd put herself in a position to be seen during the treasure hunt itself.

"Is that right?"

However, Chiho-san shook her head, "No, it's not."

"Actually, it was Shimako-sama's 'ma.'"

– Right.