Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume6 Chapter1 5

Order. Part 5.

"You say that, but."

As soon as Shimako-san heard her situation, she had a face that said "I won't be able to live up to your expectations."

Sixth period class, home room, and then cleaning – a fair wait before she could at last ask her question. Yumi had caught Shimako-san in the corridor on the way to the Rose Mansion and dragged her to a staircase landing.

"Even though we're the prize for the dates, it doesn't mean that we decide on the course for the date. The prize winner and the boutons will discuss this, and then decide on where to go."

As though the exhaustion of yesterday was still with her, Shimako-san had a listless air about her.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It's not something we're taking lightly, but it's causing all kinds of difficulties."

She surreptitiously sighed. Shimako-san's exhaustion probably wasn't solely because of past events but also mixed with mental fatigue from thinking about what they had just been discussing.

The head of the newspaper club, Tsukiyama Minako-sama wasn't an ordinary person, after all.

She wasn't satisfied with getting just a single special edition out of her massively hyped Valentine's Day plan. Since she had been willing to go as far as to invest spare money from their budget into this plan, it was only natural that she would seek some kind of equivalent repayment.

"Perhaps it's harder on the winners than on us. They have to do a report on the date."

"Ehhhh."

Submitting a report. Will they really be able to enjoy their much anticipated date while carrying such a heavy burden? She thought that if she had found the red card, she would be able to enjoy the date to her heart's content, but it seems like the prize is quite a chore. Especially for someone like Yumi, who dreaded report writing, she thought it was just as well she had missed the card at that time.

"Minako-sama's reasoning is that, it's regrettable, but it's the duty of the winner to share with those participants whom victory eluded.... Although I think that's just a front."

"And her real reason would be? Does she intend to use this event for every issue?"

"I think it may just be that. Although I do find it unpleasant that the date will be offered up to the students in such a mercenary manner. The conditions imposed were that the boutons will account for the total money spent and the prize winner would submit a report about the day. For the time being, this is because the date's expenses will be covered by the newspaper club's budget."

"Expenses...? Uwaa!?"

Yumi suddenly cried out. They were on a landing, so her voice echoed up and down the stairway.

"What's the matter?"

Uwaa, uwaa, uwaa, uwaa.....As her voice echoed, Yumi squatted down.

"What an idiot."

"Eh?"

Having no idea what was going on, Shimako-san also squatted down and looked into Yumi's eyes.

"Until now, that hadn't even occurred to me."

"That?"

The date's expenses. Initially she had been provoked by the treasure hunt's prize of a half-day date into inviting Sachiko-sama to a date, but she hadn't actually obtained the privilege of being the true winner. In short, this was a private and independent event, so she was in charge of everything related to it.

Where to go, the date's expenses, and so on.

As the one who did the asking out, should she pay for everything or should they split the expenses? About how much would be necessary? Where should she raise the money from?

"Ahh, geeze."

Her head felt like it would crack just from thinking about it.

At any rate, this kind of conversation about money could spoil the romantic mood, so she wanted to try to avoid it. Especially while there was this kind of distance between her and Sachiko-sama.

"By the way, the date's expenses, about how much will they be?"

Having come this far, she had no choice but to ask this. Having picked out the only part that could serve as a reference, she could come up with a plan. At any rate, this was data that she was lacking.

"It's 3000 yen."

"3000 yen?"

That's 3 Natsume-san's.[2]

"That's per group, not per person?"

"Yeah."

Shimako-san stretched her back and nodded.

3000 yen.

Since she had never been on a real date, Yumi had no idea whether that was a lot or a little.

"At the very least, you can't go to Disneyland with that much money."

"And if you see a movie, there's not enough for lunch."

For Shimako-san, it seems that a date = a movie. But that's definitely the sort of image you would get when you heard the phrase 'first date'. And afterwards to a cafe. Due to the budget, she would have to pass on the amusement park this time.

However. She didn't want to go to a movie theater somewhere within range of their commuter pass, watch a movie, and then say "Goodbye." You could call that a film festival, but not a date.

So now that she'd learned all this, what should she do?

"But first of all, I think I have to have a discussion with Shizuka-sama."

Shimako-san stood up, and straightened the hem of her skirt. Left squatting by herself on the landing, Yumi also stood up. One of her legs had gone to sleep.

"Are you okay?"

Shimako-san lent Yumi a hand, for which she was grateful, supporting her while she grabbed the staircase's railing.

As she was looking over her shoulder, Yumi thought she could see Shimako-san's white sigh.

"Shimako-san, are you depressed about something?"

At which point Shimako-san, who looked like she had been caught doing something wrong, said 'Oh', and smiled.

"It's a bit different to what you just said. It's about Shizuka-sama – it's not that I hate her, it's just..."

"It's just?"

"It's just that I can't even imagine what Shizuka-sama is planning on doing."

Yumi wanted to lend her some strength, but she couldn't imagine either.