Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume27 Chapter7 2

The Door That Opened. Part 2

"When did you realize?"

The teenaged girl that, until recently, Shimako had been calling 'Ami-san' asked timidly. Sitting beside her was another teenaged girl, who was also slumped over and looking downcast.

"Something felt off from the start. But it was only recently that I became convinced."

"Only recently?"

Shimako nodded, "Yes."

"In front of the toilet block, it seemed like you two were arguing about something, remember? I picked up the fallen shoe, and saw the name that was written on the inside sole."

Although somewhat blurred, the name 'Emori' was clearly visible written in permanent marker.

"Ahh … "

One or the other, no, probably both of the girls in front of her said in comprehension.

"It would indeed be strange for Igawa-san to be wearing Emori-san's shoes. But, rather than the fight being over someone mistakenly putting on someone else's shoes, it seemed more reasonable to me that it was Emori-san wearing her own shoes. Which led me to reconsider everything that had happened up until that point."

Upon reflection, the foundation of Shimako's belief that the girl she called 'Ami-san' was actually Igawa Ami was because that was the girl that had been brought to her when she initially called on the first-year peach class, and because that girl had presented Igawa Ami's student diary – and that was all.

For instance, if there was someone standing in for Igawa Ami, and she gave that girl her student diary – basically, if they were accomplices – then it would be easy for them to trade places.

In that case, 'Ami-san' would seek to avoid public attention at all costs. If someone called out her real name, then she'd be found out immediately. Even if that didn't happen, if the rumor spread that 'Ami-san' was the winner, then the switch would be over. Lots of people would know that 'Ami-san' wasn't Igawa Ami-san.

"Therefore, you are Emori-san."

Shimako looked first at 'Ami-san.' Immediately following that, she turned to 'Ami-san's classmate.'

"And you are Igawa Ami-san, right?"

They both nodded, with a sense of resignation.

"It's no wonder Noriko thought Igawa Ami-san seemed different to the image I presented."

It was only natural, since they were looking at two different people.

So then, why had Emori-san pretended to be Ami-san? That was what Shimako didn't understand. She had wanted to bring them both together here to find that out.

"So, could you tell me why?"

Shimako asked, and the real Igawa Ami-san started speaking, haltingly.

"Chi … Emori-san and I sit next to each other in class, and have been good friends ever since we started school here. Out of all the Roses, we both like you, Rosa Gigantea, the best, and we bought matching white rose pencil cases, and we've both grown our hair long like yours, and we do everything together."

As she listened, Shimako thought back to the white rose stickers she saw on their lockers.

"Plus, our voices sound similar enough, so we'll sometimes answer each others' name during roll call for a bit of a joke, and we occasionally swap lunches. I guess the boundary between us sort of blurs when we're at school."

"But on Valentine's Day, unusually, we took different approaches."

At this point, the previous 'Ami-san', ie. Emori-san, took over telling the story.

"Ami-san entered the absentee's chance draw, while I took part in the treasure hunt. Of course, we were both going after the white card."

And, as everyone knew, the white card was not found on the day, so it went to the absentee's chance draw.

"When I arrived at school the following day, Ami-san looked deathly pale. She said that the white card might fall to her. She'd heard about the white card's hiding spot that morning, and knew it was quite close to the place she had written."

The words she'd written on the absentee's entry form were, "Under a car in the staff parking lot." Using Mami-san's scoring system, it was a 90.

""What should I do?" she asked. I told her flat out that she should go on the date. However, Ami-san said she couldn't, that it would be impossible for her. She said she wouldn't even be able to talk to Rosa Gigantea alone, never mind go on a date with her."

Ami-san mumbled, "Because."

"It was always fun to imagine getting close to you, Rosa Gigantea, and talking with you, and even going on a date with you, but when it looked like that might become a reality, I didn't know what to do."

Shimako didn't consider herself that imposing a person, but perhaps she was hard to approach, even beyond her involvement in the Yamayurikai leadership.

"Then Igawa-san started panicking, saying she was going to turn it down. I thought that was stupid. I asked her, "Why, when you've got hold of something that we all were wishing for, are you letting it go so easily?" Then I said, "If you can't do it, then give it to me." It just slipped out."

Emori-san hung her head. She'd been regretting those words that 'just slipped out' ever since.

"I'd meant it as a joke. So I said, "I mean, if you're just going to give up, after all." But then Ami-san said, "Okay. We can just swap places like we always do." Even then, I wasn't serious. I thought Ami-san would change her mind, given time. I still only half believed that she would actually win the white card. However, that afternoon."

"I paid a visit to your classroom."

Shimako remarked. That day, Shimako had paid a visit to the first-year peach group classroom to speak to "Igawa Ami-san."

"Right. Whether it was fate or luck, it was Ami-san herself who answered the door. And rather than identifying herself, she came over to see me. She said, "Remember our promise, you have to take my place," and then she slipped her student diary into my hands."

And so, Shimako had believed her completely. After all, there was no reason to expect something like that had happened.

"Numerous times I thought about coming clean to you. But then I'd think it would be such a waste, or that it was too late to say anything, or countless other competing thoughts. Although, if I'm being honest, maybe all I was thinking was that I wanted to go on a date with Rosa Gigantea."

Tears fell down Emori-san's face. Shimako hadn't meant to blame her. She'd just wanted to hear the truth.

"And then?"

Shimako stood up and opened a window. It felt like the atmosphere was growing stagnant. The weather was fine today, so the fresh air that ruffled the curtains as it entered wasn't cold.

"Did Ami-san choose the route for our date?"

Shimako-san turned around and asked them, and Ami-san responded with, "Yes."

"I read last year's report, and it sounded fun, so I told Emori-san I'd like the same thing. Even though it would actually be her going on the date. And if it was at the Rose Mansion, it'd be away from public notice, which worked out well for us."

So, even though they'd decided to go ahead with the swap, they'd planned it out together and it hadn't changed their friendship. Which explained why 'Ami-san' never answered immediately whenever Shimako asked her a question about the date, instead responding with, "I'll think about it and get back to you tomorrow," or, "I'll go over this again at home," and taking the question as homework. It was because she'd decided to talk everything over with the real Ami-san.

"I always thought that it should be Ami-san going on the date. Even up to today, I was always willing to swap back if she changed her mind. I told her that if she apologized and explained what had happened, then Rosa Gigantea would forgive her. We met an hour before the date started and talked it over. But Ami-san was stubborn."

"Well, I mean, how could I face up to her after all this time? I'd deceived Rosa Gigantea. I'm a dishonest person. I'm unworthy of that right. If the real Igawa Ami is someone like me, then there's no way she could have a fun date."

Setting aside the deception, Shimako wondered if Ami-san really had to go as far as calling herself dishonest and unworthy. There's a large gap between running away because you're timid and being 'dishonest,' and, at the very least, as the person whose entry in the absentee's chance draw was closest to the answer, she most definitely did have that right.

Ami-san continued.

"So, in that case I should have bravely stood aside. But I was still overcome by this lingering affection. I watched you, from afar, as you went about your shopping, and let Emori-san persuade me into getting on the bus to school."

"And in the bathroom, you and Emori-san were quarreling about whether or not to go the Rose Mansion together, right?"

"That's right."

The truth had come out. Shimako said, "That's enough," and Ami-san responded with:

"But, there's something else, something I have to tell you, Rosa Gigantea."

"Is it about how you knew the hiding place of the white card beforehand?"

Shimako asked, and Ami-san's eyes flew open in shock.

"… How?"

Shimako returned to her seat, and looked directly at Ami-san.

"Well, about that. Even though you didn't get the Aota-sensei part, it was still an incredibly detailed answer. Plus it's the absentee's chance, right? You wouldn't have been able to put an entry in if you saw it being hidden on the day."

They'd talked about in on the day after the event, as they were sorting through the other entries. Not a single person who knew the location had leaked it, so it was a mystery how it got out. Mami-san had said to Shimako that she should ask the winner if she got the chance, but the chance hadn't arisen, so she hadn't asked until now.

"By chance, I spotted Rosa Gigantea and the three boutons in the car park. So I thought, hmm, just maybe."

"Ah, so it was that after all. You shouldn't have worried. That was our mistake, you didn't break any rules."

"Ohh, really?"

Ami-san's expression quickly brightened. Until then, she'd obviously been beset by guilt about putting in an entry when she already knew the answer.

"Could that be why you didn't participate?"

Emori-san prodded, as this was apparently the first she'd heard about Ami-san knowing the answer. In response, Ami-san stuck out her tongue.

"Yeah, it was. I felt guilty. But I thought, well, if no-one finds it on the day, then it's okay, right?"

"Huuh – no way – "

"It's true."

They both laughed together raucously. The same expression on their faces as Shimako had seen in the courtyard once before. The very expression that Shimako had hoped to see.

Ami-san to Ami-san, and –

"Emori-san, could you tell me your first name?"

Shimako asked. And, as she wiped away her tears of laughter, the former 'Ami-san' answered.

"Chiho. My name is Emori Chiho."

Chiho-san to Chiho-san, they'd both finally reverted back to normal, and that probably explained why.

"Well then, Ami-san, Chiho-san, I know it's a bit late, but why don't we have lunch?"

The 'carelessly purchased overly abundant food' was just right for three people.

There was still plenty of time left for their date.

It would be such a waste if they didn't have a great time.