Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume27 Chapter8 2

When Tomorrow Comes. Part 2

It started with them taunting the animals with it, and ended with them screaming it from atop a pedestrian walkway: "Rei-chan you damn idiot!"

Both Chisato-san and Yoshino were completely overwriting the events of last year's date with today's.

"That was fun. Really."

Chisato-san said as she tightly grasped Yoshino's hand in front of the K station ticket gate. It was a handshake.

"I don't mean to be rude to Rei-sama, but it was much better than last year. Back then, it felt like the me that I was projecting was a fake. But this year, it was the real me, so I think that's why I could enjoy it so fully."

"So, you're saying that you didn't feel like you had to take into account my wants?"

"Yep. But that's a good thing, right?"

" … If you say so."

Yoshino thought, "Well, whatever." It wasn't as though she hadn't enjoyed herself either.

Hiding her fear behind laughter in the horror movie, eating her flop of a lunch, looking at the animals, and screaming out loud.

No, it was much more fun. So much so, that they found it hard to part after their time together. Which explained her slip of the tongue.

"Chisato-san. Why don't we go and see Rei-chan now?"

"Alright."

Despite the unexpected nature of the request, Chisato-san replied immediately.

"I thought something was missing. And you're right, Rei-sama. My revenge won't be complete without making a joyous report to Rei-sama."

Chisato-san was getting quite excited about the prospect, overawing the person who invited her.

"Hold on a minute."

Let's calm down and think about this.

"What?"

"Sorry, I forgot. You have a commuter pass, so you're fine, but I'm 10 yen short."

Since she was 10 yen short, she couldn't take the bus.

"Oh, but didn't you say you were going to pay that yourself?"

"Yeah, but."

That had been her original intention. But, how to put this, she was reluctant to fudge the numbers of their date while it was still alive. In other words, she'd been willing to pay 210 yen of her own money to get home, since it didn't feel right to be stingy when they had 200 yen left, but Yoshino had been contemplating fooling Chisato-san into thinking she was catching a bus, and then walking home. Of course, she was completely unconcerned that Chisato-san was going to write in the report that she rode her bike. The important thing was the question of her feelings.

"Hmm. Well, let's go then. I'll walk you to Rei-sama's house."

"Huh? How far do you think it is?"

How many bus stops was it? Yoshino counted on her fingers as she thought. Was it eight or nine? No, wait, she couldn't recall all of the names of the stops, so that would make it at least ten.

"But Yoshino-san, it's not so far that you can't do it, right? I thought you'd be all for it. Plus, I can just get the bus back easily enough."

Brandishing her commuter pass, Chisato-san quickly walked off.

"Geeze."

If that's the way she wants it, that's the way she'll get it.

Sometimes playing shiritori word games, sometimes riddles, sometimes skipping, and occasionally singing, they passed the bus stations one by one.

By the time they arrived at the bus station in front of Lillian's Girls Academy, an entire hour had passed.

They'd followed the bus route the entire way. Rei-chan would probably know a safe short-cut, but Yoshino studiously avoided that so she wouldn't get lost in some unfamiliar street. Even Chisato-san only knew the commuter routes, from K station to school, and from M station to school. At any rate, she knew how to get to home (Hasekura) from here, but they had to cross the road using the pedestrian overpass.

Looking down at the school grounds from that height, there were so many trees that it almost looked like a small forest. If it looked like this in winter, when all the deciduous plants had lost their leaves, then surely it must look absolutely stunning in summer.

"Are you getting caught up in your emotions?"

Chisato-san tapped Yoshino on the shoulder. Those who take this bridge on their way to school every day must grow accustomed to the view.

"Mmmm."

How to put this feeling into words?

"It's like, when you see something familiar from a slightly different angle."

And you realize once more that you love it.

As Yoshino was wondering if she was going to get laughed at for saying something so out of character, Chisato-san stood next to her and said, "Yeah."

They watched the bus to M station finally arrive.

From their position atop the walkway, they saw a group of students running towards it.

Simultaneously, they both called out different names.

"Shimako-san?"

"Tsutako-san?"

When they heard what the other had said, they said, "Huh?" and looked again. However, the group had already been swallowed up and the bus departed. There was no chance to confirm it.

There were a number of other students who got on the bus too. Maybe they hadn't been doing anything together, however –

"Why would Shimako-san and Tsutako-san be with each other?"

On top of that, at school.

No matter how much she thought about it, Yoshino couldn't come up with an answer. She bunched her hand into a fist and raised it high above her head.

"Tomorrow, I'm definitely going to ask Shimako-san about it."

She looked forward to the coming of tomorrow.