In the meantime, Shirayuki and Marie were now making their way back home from the grocery store, and talked about trivial stuff as they walked side by side...
"Marie, can I ask you something?" Shirayuki, that was holding a plastic bag, asked as she looked at Marie.
"Sure, what is it?" Marie, that was holding a plastic bag in each hand, said as she glanced at Shirayuki.
"Well, I have been wondering...why do you always wear a nun's habit?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone as she looked at Marie's nun habit, something that made Marie look at her for a bit in silence.
"D-Don't get the wrong idea...it's just that...when I was ironing the laundry the other day, I wondered why you have so many of them and why you always wear one, whenever you go out..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she blushed, something that made Marie laugh a bit.
"Fufu, no need to get all embarrassed like that, Shirayuki..." Marie said with a reassuring tone, as she looked at the still embarrassed Shirayuki.
"Well you see, back in my old school all the girls have to wear one of these habits, it's one of the many rules of Saint Lourdes...after all, we are nuns in training..." Marie said as she pointed at her nun's habit.
"But to be honest after studying there, for 4 years and having the rule of always having to wear a habit every day, all the time...I ended up getting used to it, so much so, that I can't go out without wearing it...honestly, it even feels weird, if I'm not wearing one..." Marie said with a faintly embarrassed tone as she sighed a bit.
"I-I understand now..." Shirayuki said with an impressed tone as her ahoge wiggled a bit.
"And how about you, Shirayuki? Why do you always wear, shrine maiden clothes?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at Shirayuki's shrine maiden clothes.
"Me? Well...I have only worn shrine maiden clothes and kimonos, for my whole life, and in a way, it's the same as you...feels a bit weird, if I'm not wearing these types of traditional clothes..." Shirayuki said as she grabbed the tip of her red hakama and smiled a bit.
"Hmm, I see...but those clothes really suit you! And to be fair, it would be a bit weird to see you wearing normal clothes...after seeing you wearing only shrine maiden ones, for such a long time..." Marie said as she too smiled.
"But say, don't you have other clothes? After all, girls should always have more than just one outfit!" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at Shirayuki.
"I-I do have other clothes...like that summer dress, for example..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone, as she blushed and looked a bit away from Marie.
"Oh! I have seen that dress, it's really cute! But why don't you wear it?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at the still embarrassed Shirayuki.
"W-Well...you see, Marie..." Shirayuki said as she looked to all sides.
"That dress...was a gift, from Tatsurou and I feel bad wearing it...since I'm scared of messing it up..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone, as she blushed.
"Shirayuki...your such a dummy sometimes..." Marie said with a sad tone, as she sighed, making Shirayuki look at her a bit confused.
"Listen, I understand that it is an important dress...but I feel bad for Tatsurou, he bought you such a cute dress, and you're not wearing it..." Marie said as she sighed a bit.
"I know, that I'm being dumb by thinking like that, but...that dress was the first gift Tatsurou gave me, and if I have to wear it...I want it to be special..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she blushed from ear to ear, making Marie smile.
"Honestly, your such a cutie, Shirayuki...now I understand, why you don't wear it and to be fair...I would probably do the same..." Marie said as she blushed and smiled a bit.
"But with that said, I'm a bit jealous! Tatsurou doesn't even need to buy me a dress, I would be happy, just to own one that he choose for me..." Marie said with a sad tone, as she sighed and pouted a bit.
"Hmm...I can help with that!" As Shirayuki said this, Marie looked at her with a curious and surprised expression.
"We just have to go out one of these days, to buy clothes and you try on a dress that you might like, then you ask Tatsurou, which one looks better on you and then you take that one!" Shirayuki said as she raised her index finger a bit.
"That's a pretty good idea! Nice one, Shirayuki!" Marie said with an impressed tone as she smiled and her eyes looked as if they were sparkling.
"Well, it's my way of making up for the trouble, of making those plans to help me with Tatsurou, that we didn't use..." Shirayuki said with a happy tone as she smiled.
"You didn't need to this..." Marie said also with a happy tone, as she gently bumped Shirayuki' arm with her's.
"Now, we have to choose a day to go out...do you think we could go this weekend?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at Shirayuki.
"Hard to say...let's ask Tatsurou, when he comes back!" Shirayuki said as she smiled again.
"Yes, let's do that!" Marie said with a happy tone as she also smiled...
And with that, Shirayuki and Marie were getting close to the apartment complex...
"What are you going to make for lunch, Shirayuki?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at Shirayuki.
"I was thinking of making something simple...like a tuna or ham and cheese omelet, with some rice as a side dish..." Shirayuki said as she looked at the plastic bag she was carrying, something that didn't last long as she was interrupted, by a cute voice.
"Shirayuki-chan! Marie-chan!" Wise, that was holding a small cardboard box, as she stood close to the entrance of the apartment complex, said as she saw Shirayuki and Marie getting close.
"Hello, Wise-san..." Shirayuki and Marie said at the same time, as they got close to Wise.
"Oh! You two went groceries shopping I see, and here I was wondering, where you two went..." Wise said as she looked at Shirayuki and Marie, holding plastic bags.
"That's right...but is something wrong?" Shirayuki asked with a curious and worried tone as she looked at the white box, that Wise was holding.
"No, nothings wrong...Shirayuki-chan..." Wise said in a reassuring tone, as she smiled and got close to Marie.
"Here, Marie-chan, I believe this is for you!" Wise said as she handed Marie, the small box she was holding.
"What is this?" Marie asked with a curious and surprised tone as she held the box and moved it around to inspect it a bit.
"I don't know, it only says that it came from France...Paris to be precise..." Wise said as she pointed at the small paper with an address.
"Paris? Then it must be a package, from my aunt!" Marie said with a happy tone as she looked at the box, then at Wise.
"I haven't talked with her in a while...I wonder what could be inside..." Marie said with a happy tone as she smiled and gently shook the box.
"Only one way to find out, right?" Shirayuki said as she got close to Marie.
"Your right, I have to open it to know what's inside..." Marie said as she laughed a bit.
"I'll better open it inside the apartment...thanks for holding on to this for me, Miss Wise!" Marie said with a happy tone as she looked at Wise that also smiled.
"No need to thank me, dear!" Wise said as she saw both Shirayuki and Marie making they're way to Tatsurou's apartment, but...
"Oh! Wait, a second, Shirayuki-chan! Come here for a bit..." Wise said as she signaled Shirayuki to come close to her with her hand.
"Yes, what is it, Wise-san?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone, as she got close to Wise, while Marie stayed a bit away.
"Say, Shirayuki-chan...did something good, happen today?" Wise asked a bit silently as she placed her hand on Shirayuki's shoulder and leaned a bit forward.
"If...something good, happened?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone, as her ahoge made what looked like a question mark.
"I mean, Tatsurou-chan, had a big smile on his face this morning...don't tell me that you two...have been doing naughty stuff?" Wise asked with a mischievous tone as she winked.
"Heh? I don't know what..." As Shirayuki said this, she suddenly realized what Wise was talking about.
"N-N-Nothing happened! Especially something like what your thinking, Wise-san!" Shirayuki said with a very embarrassed tone, as her face became completely red and her ahoge pointed upwards.
"Shirayuki... you're not tricking anyone, with that reaction..." Wise said with a stoic tone as she looked at the still embarrassed Shirayuki.
"Come on...don't be like Tatsurou-chan! You can tell me...and I'll keep it a secret, I swear!" Wise said with a happy tone as her tail wagged around quite a bit.
"I-I already told you, Wise-san, n-nothing happened!" Shirayuki said still with an embarrassed tone, as she turned towards Marie.
"We have to go and take care of lunch! L-Let's go Marie!" Shirayuki said as she got close to Marie and grabbed her hand, and as soon as she did that, Shirayuki began running towards the apartment, while she dragged a very confused Marie.
"W-Wait a sec, Shirayuki-chan..." Wise tried to call Shirayuki, but it was mostly useless as she was already climbing the stairs and ignoring her.
"She's even worse than Tatsurou-chan...when it comes to talking about these things...and now I'm even more curious..." Wise said with a depressed tone, as she let out a small sigh.
"But I won't lie...I shouldn't have forced myself on Shirayuki and pressed her for answers like that...I just hope she doesn't get angry and stops talking to me...it would break my soul..." Wise said with a sad tone as her tail and ears pointed down.
"I'll tell her I'm sorry! Better go and make some apology cookies!" Wise said as she walked towards her apartment, with her tail wagging around...
Meanwhile inside Tatsurou's apartment...
"I'm...I'm really sorry about that Marie..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed and tired tone as she placed the plastic bag she was holding, on top of the kitchen table.
"You don't need to apologize...I'm not angry, I'm surprised if anything..." Marie said as she also placed the plastic bags and the box she was holding on the top of the kitchen table.
"Say, what did Miss Wise ask, for you to react like that?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she saw Shirayuki taking the groceries out of the bags and placing them on the table.
"W-Well...she...she asked about Tatsurou..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she stooped placing the groceries on the table and blushed.
"And she just asked about Tatsurou?" Marie asked as she got close to Shirayuki, that blushed even more.
"S-She was just asking, about Tatsurou and nothing else..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she mumbled and looked a bit away from Marie.
"Come on, you can tell me, Shirayuki..." Marie said with a curious tone, as she hugged Shirayuki.
"I can't tell her...that Wise-san asked...if Tatsurou and I were doing naughty things..." Shirayuki thought as she blushed once more.
"Please, Marie...not you too..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone, as she looked away from Marie again.
"Now, I'm getting really curious...don't leave me in the dark here!" Marie said as she hugged Shirayuki a bit tighter.
"W-Well..." As Shirayuki was about to crack and tell Marie what Wise asked her, she was interrupted once more.
"I'm home..." Tatsurou said as he opened the door of the apartment.
"Wouldn't you look at that...Tatsurou's back..." Shirayuki said with a happy tone as she got out of Marie's grasp.
"She's running away..." Marie thought as she pouted a bit.
"Hey, you two...did you went shopping?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone as he got inside the kitchen.
"Yes, we did!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as she got close to Tatsurou.
"Ah, right! Today's Thursday...there's a lot of sales at the grocery store today..." Tatsurou said as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"Yes, that's right..." Marie said as she nodded and also got close to Tatsurou.
"You could have waited for me and I could help, carrying the bags...what's this?" As Tatsurou said this, he looked at the small box that Wise gave Marie.
"Oh! That's mine, it's a package from my aunt!" Marie said with a happy tone as she pointed at herself.
"Your aunt?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he looked at Marie.
"Yes, my aunt Helena..." As Marie said this she suddenly stooped, as she opened her eyes wide.
"Wait...I can't tell them...who auntie Helena, really is, can I?" Marie thought as she was hit with sudden realization, that she never told Tatsurou nor Shirayuki, that her "superior" was Helena Delacroix, the leader of the Supreme cross and one of the strongest persons in the world.
"W-Wait a second...what if Tatsurou and Shirayuki...become scared? After all auntie Helena is very well known and strong...and if they know she is my aunt...they could start to treat me differently! I don't want that to happen..." Marie thought as she looked a bit down.
"Marie, is something wrong?" Shirayuki asked with worried tone, as she got close to Marie.
"Huh? Everything's ok, it's just that...my aunt Helena, took care of me when my mother passed...and I miss her..." Marie said with an honest tone, as she kept looking down and blushed a bit.
"It's normal that you miss her, Marie, and it's even more normal when she was the one that took care of you, after your mother passed..." Tatsurou said with a comforting tone, as he, gently head patted Marie, something that surprised her a bit.
"Tatsurou's right! It's only normal that you miss her, Marie!" Shirayuki said also with a comforting tone, as she hugged Marie and smiled.
"Thanks, you two..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone, as she blushed and smiled.
"What was I even thinking...both Tatsurou and Shirayuki...they would never treat me differently...just because of auntie Helena..." Marie thought as she kept smiling.
"Well then, how about we open it and see what your aunt sent you, Marie?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he stooped head patting Marie.
"S-Sure!" As Marie said this Shirayuki stooped hugging her and soon enough, they were all looking at the small box.
"Ok then..." Marie said as she began pulling on the transparent duck tape and as she finished, Marie opened up the box to reveal another smaller white box.
"Weird...a box inside a box? Is this a matryoshka joke?" Marie said with a joking tone as she took the white box out and smiled a bit.
"I hope, it's not another box..." As Marie said this both Tatsurou and Shirayuki smiled as they watched Marie, removing the lid, that revealed an aqua-blue colored phone.
"I don't believe it...It's a phone!" Marie said with a surprised and impressed tone, as she took the phone out of the box and began moving it around in her hand as if it was a foreign object of sorts, something that made both Tatsurou and Shirayuki smile.
"Say, Marie, you never had a phone before?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he looked at Marie.
"Actually, no...I tend to use "call circles" a lot, so I never thought of getting one...nor I wanted to ask my aunt for one since they tend to be a bit expensive...and I don't like it when she wastes money..." Marie said as she sighed a bit.
"I'm not gonna lie, they tend to be expensive...but there are cheaper options nowadays...and a phone is something that you should always have on you..." Tatsurou said as he rubbed his chin a bit.
"I know...but I still couldn't bring myself, to ask for one..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone, as she smiled a bit.
"I understand...hmm? What's this?" Tatsurou asked with a curious tone, as he noticed a small folded paper, that was inside the box the phone came in.
"Let's see..." Marie said as she placed the phone on the table and picked up the folded paper and opened it, to see what it was.
"Marie, I forgot to give you this, when you left for Takamagahara...I'm really sorry, about it, please forgive me! Love Helena...P.S: I want you to use it! And don't come up with any excuses! Oh, be a dear call me, when you receive it!" As Marie read what was written on the paper out loud, she laughed.
"Seriously, sometimes my aunt still surprises me..." Marie said as she kept laughing.
"Your aunt sounds like a good person, Marie..." Tatsurou said as he also laughed.
"Agreed, I would love to meet her!" Shirayuki said as she placed her hand in front of her mouth and laughed.
"One of these days, for sure!" Marie said as she calmed down with the laughs and smiled.
"Well then, I should turn it on and call her..." Marie said as she grabbed the phone and prepared to turned it on.
"Wait a sec, Marie, you probably shouldn't call your aunt right now..." Tatsurou said as he got close to Marie.
"Heh? Why?" Marie asked with a confused tone, that didn't last long.
"Oh, right! It's still night in France, I forgot about that..." Marie said a bit embarrassed.
"No need to be that embarrassed...let's see, it's 12: 26 pm and if memory serves right, the best time to call your aunt, would be from 17:00~18:00 pm forward..." Tatsurou said as he looked at the watch in the wall, while he rubbed his chin a bit.
"Then I'll call her around that time...but for now, I'll put this in our room!" Marie said with a happy tone as she placed the phone inside the box and took it to her and Shirayuki's room.
"Well, in the meantime while she does that, how about we put the groceries away, Shirayuki?" Tatsurou asked as he placed his right hand, on his hip as he turned to Shirayuki.
"Let's do that!" Shirayuki said as she walked towards the table to take the groceries out of the bags and putting them away, with Tatsurou doing the same...
And so, hours later, around 18:00 pm, inside Shirayuki and Marie's room...
"What a day...I would never expect that auntie Helena, would send me a phone...but even better than that..." Marie said as she took a seat on her and Shirayuki's bed and looked at her phone.
"Back in the kitchen...that was the first time...Tatsurou head patted me, now I understand why Shirayuki is always so happy when he does that to her...I just hope he does that to me more often in the future..." Marie said with a very happy tone as she placed her hand on her head and blushed, while she tried to replicate the head pat for a bit.
"Well, I should stop for now...it's time to call auntie Helena..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone, as she took her hand off her head and picked up her new phone, and got ready to call Helena, but as she was about to do that.
"Marie..." Shirayuki called Marie as she opened the door and entered their room.
"Yes, what is it, Shirayuki?" Marie asked with a curious tone, as she looked at Shirayuki coming inside.
"I'm going to go take a bath now, and I wanted to know if you want to go first?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone, as she got close to Marie.
"I'll go second, I want to talk to my aunt first..." Marie said with a happy tone, as she pointed at her phone.
"Ok then!" Shirayuki said as she walked to a drawer that was close to a small wardrobe and out of it, she took a towel and her pink nightgown, which was folded.
"But don't worry, I'll go dry and brush your hair afterward!" Marie said as she gave a wink to Shirayuki.
"Thanks, Marie!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as she made her way out of the room, while her ahoge wiggled around and when she finally left, Marie looked at the phone again.
"Ok...let's call auntie..." As Marie said this she began to look at her phone in silence for a bit as she began to move it around and tapping it.
"How do I...make a call again? Or even better did auntie Helena put her number here?" Marie said as she kept moving it around, but as she did that, the phone began to ring, making Marie jolt a bit.
"T-That scared me..." Marie said as she placed her right hand on her chest and looked at the screen.
"Helena, is calling...accept...video call?" Marie read what was on the screen out-loud as she tilted her head a bit, and after a bit of pondering, Marie pressed the answer button and before she could react.
"Hello, my little Marie!" Helena, that was wearing her usual long black sleeveless dress with a cross stamped on it, said with a very happy tone from the other side of the video call, as she saw Marie that jolted again.
"A-Auntie Helena, you scared me..." Marie said as she sighed a bit.
"I see...so I'm, scary now, huh? I didn't know that..." Helena said with a stoic sad tone as she looked a bit away from Marie.
"No! I didn't mean it like that, Auntie Helena..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone as she flailed her hand around, something the made Helena laugh.
"I was just joking a bit, my sweet angel!" Helena said with a happy tone as she laughed and looked at Marie that pouted a bit.
"I'm sorry, Marie, it wasn't my intention to scare you like that..." Helena said as she now giggled a bit.
"I know that...Auntie Helena..." Marie said as she stooped pouting and also giggled.
"Well then, how are you doing there, in Takamagahara?" Helena asked with a curious tone as she tilted her head a bit.
"I'm doing good, Takamagahara is a really interesting place, now that I had the chance to walk around it! There are so many things here, that are, so different from France, it's honestly impressive..." Marie said with a happy tone, as she smiled.
"I see...and how about the school there, is it good?" Helena asked again, still with a curious tone.
"The school is also good...I still didn't make a lot of friends...but everyone in the class is really nice..." Marie said as she smiled again.
"Hmm, I see, that's good to know!" Helena said as she also smiled, something that didn't last too long.
"But say, my little Marie...how far have you come...with Kurokami Tatsurou?" Helena asked with a very curious tone as she looked at Marie, that began to blush quite a bit.
"Well...it hasn't been that long yet...and well I...how do I..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone as she looked to all sides.
"Let me guess...you haven't gotten anywhere, right?" Helena asked, but she didn't need an answer, as Marie's blushing face, was the only answer she needed.
"I was kind of expecting this...have you been using, that book, I gave you?" Helena asked with a curious tone again, as she sighed.
"I-I have...but I think it's not working that well...since all I get from Tatsurou are embarrassed reactions..." Marie said as she laughed a bit depressed.
"What! You're so cute and yet he hasn't gone, head over heels for you?! How dare you, Kurokami Tatsurou!" Helena said with a very angry tone, as she flailed her left hand around.
"W-Wait, auntie Helena, don't get angry..." Marie said with a worried tone, as she signaled Helena to calm down with her hand.
"How can't I be angry? I was expecting that you already had him under your spell, after all, you have been using the tips on that book I gave you, right? How can he not see you're charm!" Helena said still with an angry tone, as she pouted a bit.
"Well, I have...but, I think that...I'm not going to use that book anymore, auntie Helena..." Marie said with a determined tone, as she blushed a bit.
"Your...not going to use it anymore?" Helena asked with a curious tone as she tilted her head.
"No, I won't...I have been thinking and I...I want Tatsurou to like me, for who I am and not by my charms alone..." Marie said with an embarrassed tone as she blushed, something that surprised Helena, as she became silent.
"And also me and..." As Marie said this, she stooped as her eyes opened wide.
"Wait...I can't tell auntie Helena, that I'm going to share Tatsurou with Shirayuki..." Marie thought as she blushed a bit.
"Is something wrong, Marie?" Helena asked a bit curious, upon Marie's long silence.
"N-No, auntie Helena, everything's alright...it's just that...I remembered that I have lots of homework to do..." Marie said as she laughed, a bit nervously.
"I see..." Helena said as she laughed and looked at Marie for a bit.
"Marie, can I ask you something?" Helena asked with a calm tone, as she calmed down with her laughs.
"S-Sure..." Marie said with a nervous tone as she awaited Helena's question.
"Marie...are you happy?" Helena asked with a curious and worried tone, as she looked at Marie, that became silent for a bit.
"If I'm happy? Well, I am...very happy, auntie Helena..." Marie said with an honest tone, as she smiled.
"I see...I'm happy to hear that..." As Helena said this she looked to her side.
"Oh! I'm sorry Marie...but something came up and I have to go now..." Helena said with a sad tone as she sighed.
"It's ok auntie Helena...we can talk more, some other time!" Marie said with a reassuring tone as she smiled.
"But of course! And I wouldn't have it any other way! Goodbye, my little Marie...I'll call you real soon, I promise!" Helena said with a happy tone as she waved at Marie.
"Ok, thanks for the phone, auntie Helena, bye!" Marie said also with a happy tone while she waved and soon enough the call between Marie and Helena ended as a sudden silence filled the room.
"I'm really happy, that I could talk to auntie Helena again..." Marie said with a happy tone as she fell on the bed with her back, as she became silent again.
"Are you happy?" Marie repeated Helena's words as she looked at the ceiling then at her and Shirayuki's room.
"If I have to be honest...I'm happier here in Takamagahara than in France...of course, I had friends in Saint Lourdes and auntie Helena...but it was so lonely, even with so many friends in school, I was so lonely and when I went to Paris, during vacation, to see auntie Helena she never had time to spend with me...it was always really lonely there...I always had, to spend time alone..." Marie said with a sad tone as she kept looking at the ceiling.
"But here...I haven't felt lonely once...when I'm with Shirayuki and Tatsurou, I never feel lonely..." Marie said with a happy tone, as she got up and placed herself in a sitting position.
"To me, they are like a family...the family...I always wanted to have..." Marie said with a determined tone, as she got up from the bed and made her way to the drawer with her clothes and after a bit of fumbling around in one of them, she took out the "How to seduce" book Helena gave her.
"I...I made up my mind, on the day Shirayuki made that proposal to me and I won't turn on her...I'm sorry, auntie Helena...but I won't go ahead with the mission you gave me...I'll pursuit Tatsurou on my own terms now..." Marie said as she got close to the small trash can, that was under the desk next to the bed and threw it inside.
"I know...that I'm being selfish for doing this, after everything Auntie Helena did for me...but I will do things right with Shirayuki and without resorting to dirty techniques!" Marie said with a happy tone, as she looked at the trash can and remembered the proposal between her and Shirayuki.
"But I'll have to tell auntie Helena about it one day...I just hope she understands...I believe she will understand and that she will forgive me...I think...honestly, I'm not so sure anymore and I'm a bit scared of her reaction..." Marie said as she sighed a bit.
"But everything is going to be fine...I have Tatsurou and Shirayuki with me! Everythings going, to be ok, I just know it!" Marie said as a big smile appeared on her face
"Well then, I'll go and see if Shirayuki finished taking her bath, to dry her hair...and after that, I'll ask Tatsurou if he can teach me how to use my phone!" Marie said as she went to the drawer again and out of it she took a towel, her tank top and shorts, and after a bit, she made her way out of the room and into the bathroom, still with a smile on her face...