Volume 27 Chapter 7 (1/2)
In front of the elephant enclosure, they ran into some quite unexpected people
”Mami-san?”
”Err, ah, Yoshi+no-san!”
Both groups were taken aback Ma ice-creams Wasn't it a bit cold for that?
Yoshi+no folded her aration
”I suppose it would be a bit boorish to ask why you're here”
Mami-san was the chief editor of the ”Lillian Kawaraban” → She knew that today was the day of the Valentine's Day dates → She caather information about the dates
There could be no other reason for tspaper clubaround this area today However
”No, listen, listen”
Mami-san and Hidemi-san frantically waved their left ar ice-cream
”We're just having our own date”
”Huh?”
”It has nothing to do with a newspaper article Really”
”Oh?”
”At first, I did think about straining myself to follow you, likeabout it, it seemed kind of pointless Because today, somewhere, somehow, the three winners of the treasure hunt would surely be having a wonderful time”
Hearing this, Yoshi+no and Chisato-san looked at each other They answered neither, ”Yeah,” nor, ”No way,” instead suely
”And yet, we'd be chasing after them like idiots? On Sunday, of all days? We're not detectives, but we're going to follow theet paid for it?”
Ma about it Apparently this was still a fairly raw topic
”But ive up just like that”
Hidemi-san blurted out excitedly from beside her
”She said, ”If we're going to write an article about a date, we'll write a report about our own date””
”Hah”
Not really understanding, but just saying so to be polite This time around Mami-san explained
”So, basically, a personal account along the lines of, ”What can you do for 4000 yen?” So that our readers can compare to the three dates of the prize winners Of course, we've covered all the expenses ourselves”
Truthfully, it wasn't just Mami-san and Hidemi-san, there were a lot of soeurs at school that were like that
”There's two patterns”
Man
The first was trying to guess where the future Roses were going on their dates, which had been last week, the other was resolving to go on a date that Sunday If the details of the date weren't published, et of 3000 yen
Following that thought, once the Valentine's Day special edition of the Lillian Kawaraban was published, there would be a nu to follow the saue of Lillian's Girls Academy students would probably descend upon three areas around Tokyo
”And with that, I bid you farewell, so we don't intrude upon each other”
The tspaper club members waved cheerfully, then headed off towards the monkey enclosure
”Oh uess they really are just out on a date”
The two that had been left behind saw them off with the expressions of those who had just been tricked by a fox
Sorry to say, but the fox enclosure was in the opposite direction
”When did you realize?”
The teenaged girl that, until recently, shi+ beside her was another teenaged girl, as also slu downcast
”So felt off from the start But it was only recently that I became convinced”
”Only recently?”
shi+mako nodded, ”Yes”
”In front of the toilet block, it see, remember? I picked up the fallen shoe, and saw the name that ritten 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 E over so on someone else's shoes, it see her own shoes Which ledthat had happened up until that point”
Upon reflection, the foundation of shi+irl she called 'Airl 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 soirl 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 'Aawa Ami-san
”Therefore, you are Emori-san”
shi+ that, she turned to 'Ami-san's classmate'
”And you are Igawa Aht?”
They both nodded, with a sense of resignation
”It's no wonder Noriko thought Igawa Ae 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 hat shi+ theether here to find that out
”So, could you tell me why?”
shi+, 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 rown our hair long like yours, and we do everything together”
As she listened, shi+ht back to the white rose stickers she saw on their lockers
”Plus, our voices sound sih, so we'll so roll call for a bit of a joke, and we occasionally swap lunches I guess the boundary between us sort of blurs e're at school”
”But on Valentine's Day, unusually, we took different approaches”
At this point, the previous 'A the story
”Ami-san entered the absentee's chance drahile I took part in the treasure hunt Of course, ere 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, Aht fall to her She'd heard about the white card's hiding spot that , and kneas quite close to the place she had written”
The words she'd written on the absentee's entry for Ma 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 o on a date with her”
Ami-san mumbled, ”Because”
”It was always fun to i with you, and even going on a date with you, but when it looked like that ht become a reality, I didn't knohat to do”
shi+ a person, but perhaps she was hard to approach, even beyond her involvement in the Yamayurikai leadershi+p
”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 soo so easily?” Then I said, ”If you can't do it, then give it to me” It just slipped out”
E those words that 'just slipped out' ever since
”I'd oing to give up, after all” But then Ami-san said, ”Okay We can just swap places like ays do” Even then, I wasn't serious I thought Aiven time I still only half believed that she would actually win the white card However, that afternoon”
”I paid a visit to your classroom”
shi+mako remarked That day, shi+roup classrooawa 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, shi+mako had believed her co like that had happened
”Nu 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 co honest, o on a date with Rosa Gigantea”
Tears fell down Emori-san's face shi+mako hadn't meant to blame her She'd just wanted to hear the truth
”And then?”
shi+mako stood up and opened aIt felt like the atnant 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?”
shi+mako-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 Eh 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 friendshi+p Which explained why 'Ami-san' never answered immediately whenever shi+ with, ”I'll think about it and get back to you to the question as ho over with the real Ami-san
”I always thought that it should be A on the date Even up to today, I was alilling to swap back if she changed her ized 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 tiantea I'ht If the real Igawa Ami is someone like me, then there's no way she could have a fun date”
Setting aside the deception, shi+ herself dishonest and unworthy There's a large gap between running away because you're ti 'dishonest,' and, at the very least, as the person whose entry in the absentee's chance draas closest to the answer, she ht
Ami-san continued
”So, in that case I should have bravely stood aside But I was still overco affection I watched you, fro, and let E on the bus to school”
”And in the bathrooo the Rose Mansion together, right?”
”That's right”
The truth had coh,” and Ami-san responded with:
”But, there's soantea”
”Is it about how you knew the hiding place of the white card beforehand?”
shi+mako asked, and Ami-san's eyes flew open in shock
”… How?”
shi+mako 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 ot out Mami-san had said to shi+ot 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?”
Ahtened 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 A the answer In response, Aue
”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”