000 The usual cafeteria;
001 and the usual scene.
002 I was watching Chris.
003 I couldn't let go of what happened yesterday.
004 [Chris]
005 "... What?"
006 Chris asked, looking slightly displeased.
007 ... Did it show on my face?
008 To cover it up, I answered casually, pretending I'd been thinking about his partner issue.
009 [Torta]
010 "What are you going to do now?"
011 [Chris]
012 "What I'm going to do, huh..."
013 [Chris]
014 "I only just started, so I'm going to search at my own pace."
015 [Torta]
016 "... Geez. Make a little haste already."
017 [Chris]
018 "I already found a candidate of sorts."
019 [Torta]
020 "Really? ... If that's true, then okay."
021 [Chris]
022 "It's true. So don't worry about it too much."
023 [Torta]
024 "Okay, got it. I'm going home for today."
025 [Chris]
026 "Okay, see you tomorrow."
027 I walked out into the corridor, having somehow been able to keep up the pretense.
028 ... I was in the clear.
029 I didn't act any different from my usual self,
030 and Chris didn't seem to have noticed anything. He saw me off without objection.
031 This gesture confirmed that nothing serious had happened yesterday.
032 The girl named Falsita Fawcett didn't seem to have mentioned anything to Chris.
033 If she'd had that intention, she wouldn't have gone out of her way to court him like that.
034 [Torta]
035 "... Then why?"
036 There was nothing but questions. However, I couldn't exactly ask Chris directly.
037 ---So, I quietly waited in a corner of the hallway for Chris to come out.
038 Good.
039 Chris left the cafeteria before lunch break was over.
040 Today was Thursday - the day that the letter from Chris would arrive,
041 and additionally, the day that I had to send mine.
042 I had to catch Asino at his classroom before noon, hear him out, then quickly go home to write my letter.
043 I cautiously followed Chris - taking the utmost care not to get noticed - to find out his plans for the day.
044 It appeared that he was going to stick to this building for his search. After confirming this, I hurried to the main building.
045 I glanced at the clock - it was ten minutes before the end of lunch break.
046 I could finish my business within five minutes, so as long as Asino would arrive at Ms. Cordell's lesson room at least five minutes early, I could still make it.
047 ... However, I couldn't just barge into the room. If Asino had arrived before me, there was nothing I could do from that point forth.
048 In any case, I decided to wait until five minutes before the start of his lesson.
049 I still had the letter to take care of, so I wasn't going to wait any longer.
050 [Asino]
051 "Well well, if it isn't Tortinita."
052 A few minutes later, Asino finally appeared.
053 [Torta]
054 "... You're late."
055 [Asino]
056 "For what? I'm five minutes early, actually."
057 [Torta]
058 "Well, whatever."
059 [Asino]
060 "So? I don't suppose you were waiting for me?"
061 [Torta]
062 "Actually, I was."
063 [Asino]
064 "... Huh?"
065 [Torta]
066 "Falsita Fawcett. I take it you recognize this name?"
067 [Asino]
068 "... Yeah. She's one of my partner candidates."
069 [Torta]
070 "... Huh. Pretty impressive, for someone like you. So why did you tell her?"
071 [Asino]
072 "Well aren't you being direct."
073 [Torta]
074 "I'm not one for beating around the bush. Why'd you do it?"
075 [Asino]
076 "Because she asked me about Chris."
077 [Torta]
078 "Why did you tell her?"
079 [Asino]
080 "Are you deaf? Because she asked."
081 [Torta]
082 "You don't remember our promise?"
083 [Asino]
084 "'Don't tell anyone else,' was it? I remember. However, I don't remember ever saying I would keep it."
085 [Torta]
086 "I thought that what you said was your way of pledging you would, though."
087 I put a good bit of spite in my voice, but it failed to agitate the pompous creep in front of me.
088 [Asino]
089 "My only answer was 'whatever.'"
090 Three years ago---
091 Asino certainly did answer with only a 'whatever.'
092 But it was clear that he fully grasped the situation.
093 I'd thought it was just his indirect way of expressing his consent... but it appeared I was wrong.
094 Why he remembered something from three years ago in perfect detail like that, I didn't know.
095 Then again, I wasn't exactly one to talk.
096 [Torta]
097 "... What's your intent?"
098 [Asino]
099 "Tortinita."
100 He always said my name in full, without abbreviating it.
101 It sounded quite disdainful coming from his mouth, but I didn't have the energy to correct him.
102 [Torta]
103 "What?"
104 [Asino]
105 "It's none of your business."
106 [Torta]
107 "If it wasn't my business, I wouldn't be here, now would I?"
108 [Asino]
109 "What I talk about with Fal is none of your business. Don't make me repeat myself."
110 [Torta]
111 "... 'Fal,' huh. Are you that desperate for her affection?"
112 [Asino]
113 "Huh?"
114 [Torta]
115 "Fool. Why do you think she asked you? Because she wants Chris as her partner, obviously."
116 [Asino]
117 "Yeah, that's right. But they might not match at all on a musical level. If they don't, I will team up with her."
118 [Torta]
119 "..."
120 Was Asino being used?
121 [Asino]
122 "She's apparently going to decide after playing with a few people. Chris just happens to be one of her candidates - as am I, of course."
123 [Torta]
124 "... And so she asked you about Chris' secret?"
125 [Asino]
126 "She didn't ask me explicitly. It was just gossip."
127 [Torta]
128 "... Was it fun gossiping like that? Was she pleased?"
129 [Asino]
130 "What are you trying to say?"
131 [Torta]
132 "I'm in a bind thanks to you letting your mouth run to court her. Was that so hard for you to understand?"
133 [Asino]
134 "It sure was. You should work on your eloquence some more."
135 [Torta]
136 "I think you should learn to pick your subjects a bit better."
137 [Asino]
138 "... So, what... Are you saying Fal exposed everything to Chris?"
139 [Torta]
140 "That's besides the point."
141 [Asino]
142 "She promised me not to tell him. What's the problem, really?"
143 [Torta]
144 "Let me confirm one thing. She didn't explicitly ask you about it?"
145 [Asino]
146 "... She told me she thought Chris was a bit strange, so I explained the reason to her. However, she asked me about a lot of people from our department."
147 [Torta]
148 "... I see. Thanks."
149 In other words, was she just searching for a partner?
150 But that would hardly be any reason to wave an umbrella around for.
151 ... Then why?
152 [Asino]
153 "May I ask you one thing?"
154 [Torta]
155 "Be my guest."
156 [Asino]
157 "What do you see in Chris? You're so desperate it's pathetic."
158 [Torta]
159 "... Isn't he your friend? Then you should know this better than anyone, don't you?"
160 [Asino]
161 "Tortinita. I'm asking why *2Ayou*2A like him."
162 [Torta]
163 "Because he's nothing like you."
164 [Asino]
165 "... You always act so cute when it comes to Chris. Though it's scary when I'm on the receiving end of it."
166 [Torta]
167 "So - you're still just using Chris for your own convenience?"
168 [Asino]
169 "Yep. That's why I'm friends with him. His talent is no laughing matter - it's beneficial to be on good terms with him. If I thought it wasn't, I'd cast him right away,"
170 Asino said, sneering.
171 He'd told me the same thing the first time I talked to him about Chris.
172 But he wouldn't be able to do it.
173 He may act cynical and calculative, but he was but a greenhorn from a wealthy family.
174 He enjoyed some popularity, but due to his tendency of looking down upon others, he had a hard time getting along with people.
175 The reason he was on good terms with Chris was because Chris wasn't the type to care about that - and not because he 'let Chris be friends with him,' or anything like that.
176 [Torta]
177 "Do be careful not to get cast away yourself."
178 [Asino]
179 "You're such a joker."
180 [Torta]
181 "Oh, you'll laugh soon enough."
182 [Asino]
183 "... Time to go."
184 [Torta]
185 "Bye, Asino Artiere."
186 [Asino]
187 "See you, Tortinita."
188 Asino entered the lesson room.
189 There was no need to worry about him.
190 Despite what he said, he wouldn't be able to cast Chris away.
191 That was Asino's weakness - and exactly the reason I thought I could leave Chris in his care.
192 ... In any case, I would go out and meet this 'Fal' tomorrow,
193 and ask her why she approached Chris... Actually, this was already clear.
194 To ask him to become her partner, no doubt.
195 What I really wanted to ask her was why she made a scene by opening that umbrella yesterday.
196 [Torta]
197 "I'm home."
198 [Ninna]
199 "Oh, welcome back."
200 The letter hadn't arrived yet, so I went to my room upstairs.
201 It would usually arrive right around now.
202 I ceremoniously changed my clothes.
203 ---I put on the clothes Arietta used to wear.
204 Wearing these clothes would calm my heart---
205 As though I had become Arietta.
206 It allowed me to forget all about Asino Artiere and Falsita Fawcett.
207 Last Sunday, it rained again.
208 For the first time in what must have been several months.
209 I've heard that rainy conditions used to be a regularity, however it had become a rarity these days.
210 The scent of rosemary gradually became stronger as I became increasingly proximate.
211 Breaking off one of its stems, I brought it to my nose.
212 I thought I'd use this as an ingredient today.
213 Or perhaps in a warm cup of herb tea.
214 ---As I gazed out the window while entertaining such thoughts, I noticed a silhouette approaching the mailbox by the entrance.
215 It was the mailman.
216 This was the day that Chris' letter would arrive.
217 A day that I treasured greatly; a day that hurt me deeply.
218 t09