Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume30 Chapter4 1

Star Up Teacup. Part 1.

The 'revenge group' of Sachiko-sama, Kashiwagi-san, Yuuki and Yumi walked into the same restaurant they went to back in autumn. Unfortunately, there were no free tables, but after waiting about five minutes a group of four left and they were able to slot right in.

The amusement park's restaurant was quite interesting. There was a completely exhausted father, a group of middle school students who were hurriedly stuffing down their food so they could move on to the next ride, a child crying on the floor after what had started out as a brotherly quarrel and a couple who had finished eating but were still completely absorbed in their own private world. Even though they shared this fairy-tale space, they were all lead characters in their own dramas.

So how would Yumi's group's drama unfold? Just like last time, they all went to the counter and ordered their own meals then split the bill. And, as expected, when they got back to the table they saw that everyone had ordered three-colored curry.

"Everyone must really like their curry."

Sachiko-sama muttered, to which the three others responded, "That's not it."

"You've been going on and on about your revenge, Sacchan, so there was this pressure to order the same thing as last time."

The Fukuzawa siblings nodded in agreement to Kashiwagi-san's explanation.

"But I didn't say you had to do that."

Despite her statement, Sachiko-sama had also ordered the same curry, so she may have unwittingly cast the spell on herself too.

"Anyway, the curry here's good so it doesn't matter."

Almost immediately, Yuuki started to soak up the curry with his extra-large naan bread. He must have been hungry after all. Sachiko-sama and Yumi, sitting next to each other, had a whispered conversation and then broke one of their naan bread pieces in two. The other, untouched piece, they offered to the guys. The portions here were a bit too large for high-school girls, but not quite enough for guys in their late teens, so they always expected to share some of their food. This way was much better than letting the guys have the left-over naan bread after they had finished eating. This was one of the many ways in which they could make the revenge, or revision, better than the original.

"That reminds me, Yumi. We haven't done the roller-coaster yet."

"Don't tell me you're going on that too, onee-sama?"

Maybe she'd been secretly practicing riding roller-coasters, like she's been practicing driving for her license.

"I won't go on the roller-coaster. I've told you that before, haven't I?"

Indeed she had.

"Then I'll pass on it too."

If it would keep her onee-sama waiting, then Yumi had no desire to ride the roller-coaster. And if things went like last time, then she'd be riding it alongside Kashiwagi-san. She didn't really want that.

"Don't hold back on account of me. Just because I won't be riding it is no reason for you to abstain."

"I'm not holding back."

Then Kashiwagi-san, who had been listening to their conversation, chimed in:

"If you don't want to go on the roller-coaster with me, we can search for Rei-san's group and you can go with her."

Bulls-eye.

Was Yumi's face betraying her thoughts yet again? If she were to hastily bring both her hands to her cheeks then it would just confirm his suspicions. Therefore, she calmly and quietly smiled back at him.

"That's a rather over-inflated sense of self you have."

"Really? Well then, anytime you need an escort, I'll be there for you."

While Yumi was thinking about how odious his smugness was, she realized she had a long way to go if she wanted to spar with Kashiwagi-san like this.

Aim for a higher stage, he said. On that autumn day. Was she still fumbling around in the same place as back then?

"Yumi."

Unexpectedly, Yuuki spoke.

"I'll ride the roller-coaster with you, if we don't find Yoshino-san's group."

"You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm not."

It looked like he was using the roller-coaster to cover over his earlier cowardly behavior at the haunted house.

Like a piece of naan bread soaking up chicken curry. Still, it seemed kind of sad.