Sometimes We Have Nightmares -1

I said something like this not too long ago.

That Noah has strangely bad luck when it comes to fun. Then how should I interpret the current situation?

I was looking at Noah through the car’s rearview mirror, thinking.

Noah was looking at her phone.

“…Haah.”

She let out a long sigh.

It seems she’s not entirely happy.

“Noah, it’s still your first time going to an amusement park. Aren’t you excited?”

“I am excited. But…”

Noah said that while looking around.

A huge 12-seater van. Besides Noah and me, there were three more people on board.

In order: Lee Taehwa, Yu Yul, and Seo Jin-ah.

While I wondered why they were here, it made sense when I thought about it.

“This feels like we’re going on a business trip.”

That was Noah’s complaint.

Fair enough. Noah had expected to go out with just me, not with all these people, which she probably didn’t want much.

“It can’t be helped. As members of the association, we have to follow orders.”

I decided to accompany this schedule as Noah’s guardian.

Noah looked disappointed, but this is the best I can do.

“Still…”

Seeing Noah’s pouty expression, Lee Taehwa said.

“Come on, don’t be like that. This is association business after all.”

“…Tch.”

“Plus, they’re even giving us an allowance? It’s awesome.”

Certainly, Taehwa was right about that.

This van was also provided by the association, and Noah was given an allowance.

Well, I’m paying with my own money though.

The one who showed consideration for Noah was Seo Jin-ah.

She turned her head back to look at Noah.

“Noah, don’t worry.”

“About what?”

“We’re not insensitive people.”

As she said that, the corners of her mouth turned up.

“We’ll discreetly slip away. We can’t intrude on your first date.”

“Fi-first date?! It’s not like that-“

“Hmm? Then does that mean you’ve already been on several dates? Impressive.”

Noah made “eek…eeeek…” sounds and then went back to looking at her phone screen. She seems to have realized that the more she argues, the more she loses.

…By the way.

“Hey, Yul, was it?”

“…!”

“Why are you staring at me? Is something wrong with me?”

I wonder why she’s staring at me so intently.

“Ah… that…”

Yu Yul’s words trailed off. I could see her red eyes wavering.

As she hesitated without saying anything, Noah, unable to bear it any longer, intervened.

“Yul.”

“Uh… yes? Unnie?”

“Didn’t you say you’d apologize to the mister? Did you lie to unnie?”

“No!”

Noah scolded Yu Yul with a truly stern voice. Yu Yul looked completely intimidated by Noah’s manner.

To me, it just looked like a kid scolding another kid.

Yu Yul’s red eyes turned towards me, and I heard her trembling voice.

“I… I badmouthed the food the mister worked hard to make… saying it was tasteless… I’m sorry…”

“Hmm? No, taste is personal… don’t worry about it, it’s fine.”

Yu Yul bowed her head and turned to Noah. Soon after, Noah was patting her head.

Seeing this, the corners of Lee Taehwa’s mouth curled up mischievously. She looked at me with playful eyes.

“Hey, mister.”

“Yes?”

“Is that how you usually do it to Noah?”

“…”

I kept my mouth shut and focused on driving. If I get caught up in that pace, it’s over. I’ll just end up as teasing target #2 along with Noah.

When I didn’t say anything, Taehwa turned towards Noah, and soon a small commotion broke out.

‘…Phew. Now I can think a bit.’

While everyone’s attention was on Noah, I could organize my thoughts.

This current situation.

The random event that happened to coincide with perfect timing.

‘Sudden event, Dawn at the Amusement Park.’

An event that occurs when all members of Team Athena head to the amusement park while alive.

Due to the sudden appearance of a monster, the amusement park will turn into a nightmarish place.

And if they lose that battle.

‘Noah will be trapped in the amusement park, suffering for the rest of her life.’

I could try to dissuade them from going, but that would be difficult too.

The magical energy obtained from defeating the boss is also quite substantial, enough to robustly develop not only Iris but also other magical girls.

On top of that.

‘Sigh, after looking forward to it so much, how could I say it’s not happening.’

After promising the amusement park, how had Noah been? Hadn’t she spent her time armed with expectation like an excited child?

It was difficult to suddenly tell such a person, ‘We’re not going, you shouldn’t go either.’

Even if she pretended to be fine on the outside, she would probably be sulking inside for a while.

Plus, this is something that will happen eventually anyway. It’s better for me to follow when she goes to do such dangerous things. At the very least, I can transform into Kraken and help.

Couldn’t I just appear saying, ‘It’s my job to eliminate you!’?

‘That sounds good.’

It’s probably thanks to the image I’ve built as Iris’s stalker… no, rival.

I’ll do my best to play with Noah before things happen.

Hmm, a pretty good scenario-

“It is a date! Going to an amusement park just the two of you is a date!”

“It’s not! It’s just going out to play!”

“Mister! Isn’t it true!? You’re taking her to the amusement park for a date, then riding the Ferris wheel in the evening to kiss-“

“Lee Taehwa, stop it!!”

A good scenario…

“Noah, if you suddenly disappear from school, people will think it’s that!”

“What!”

“Married dropout-“

“You’re really going to die…!”

…Ugh.

‘This is exhausting…’

I wish Noah and I could be alone soon.

After buying tickets and entering the amusement park, we experienced a small commotion.

“Won’t you do it?”

“I won’t.”

“Your body seems honest even if your words aren’t.”

“You forced it on me!”

The bickering between Noah and Taehwa that had started in the car was still continuing.

I wondered why they were like this again, and it turned out they were arguing over a headband.

“Noah, quickly pick one.”

“I said I don’t want to…”

“Come on, when you come to an amusement park, it’s customary to do at least this much.”

Noah put down the red devil horns she had been wearing on her head.

“I don’t understand. Why waste money on this…”

That was Noah’s grumbling.

Well, I did understand Noah’s thinking.

Just because everyone else does it doesn’t mean I have to.

You can enjoy yourself plenty without doing such things.

Well, that’s probably what she’s thinking.

The money is a waste too.

Normally, I would have understood Noah’s thinking.

But this time was slightly different.

“Noah, why don’t you give it a try?”

“Ah… do you think so too, mister?”

“There are things you learn by trying them yourself.”

Noah kept glancing at the headbands.

She probably did want to try them. She just didn’t say so because she’s so used to saving money.

And most importantly.

“You received that card to use at times like this.”

It’s not even your money being spent, so what’s the problem?

Although it is taxpayers’ money, it’s not like we’re stealing like those high-ranking officials. It was clearly given to be used as travel expenses, so there’s no room for guilt.

After hearing my words, Noah thought for a while and then said to me.

“Th-then…”

“Yes?”

“Please look and pick a pretty one for me…”

She’s coming at me like this?

Noah said that and moved to the headband stand on the side.

Why is she deliberately going to the side? As I was thinking that.

I felt warm gazes looking at me.

“Go quickly, mister.”

“…I understand that, but why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just because?”

“…”

So that’s why she went.

I also followed Noah to avoid the burdensome gazes.

So we arrived at the side stand.

More colorful and diverse headbands were displayed.

“What would suit her…”

Since I don’t have much experience with this either, I hesitated.

Horns seem too strong an impression for Noah to wear. Stars or hearts are too flashy.

After contemplating for a while, I found a plain one.

Plain, but if it suits her, it would emit a destructively cute vibe.

“Noah, would you like to try this on?”

“Th-this one?”

“Yes.”

Noah looked alternately at the headband and me, then sighed.

It can’t be helped. If you didn’t like it, you shouldn’t have asked me.

Noah closed her eyes and slowly approached.

It seems she wants me to put it on for her.

‘What a spoiled brat.’

Thinking that inside, I put the headband on her.

The result.

“How do I look… mister?”

“…Oh.”

“I’m asking how I look. Don’t just exclaim…”

“You look cute, take a look in the mirror.”

The mirror was reflecting.

Noah wearing a white cat headband.

Her hair is white, the headband’s color is white.

As a result, it’s so natural that you might not even realize she’s wearing a headband.

Who would think that’s a headband?

They’d just think it’s a cat.

“It’s not weird, right?”

“…It looks good.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

I patted Noah’s head.

With a slightly reddened face, she closed her eyes and concentrated, looking really like a cat.

She might even start purring.

It was a peaceful time.

As if the events that would later befall us were a lie.

Thinking about that, I felt time was precious.

Head pats are nice, but I can give those every day.

I led Noah back and rejoined the group.

While we were gone, the destination had already been decided.

Taehwa, who had been to this place several times before, led us to a certain location. A line that was already quite long.

Noah froze stiff as she stood in that line.

She looked like she might raise the hair on her body.

“Tae… Taehwa, do we really have to go here…?”

“Yes, this place is perfect to use as a fork in the road. The exits are different too.”

“Uwah…”

“Even Yul is standing still, how can you be like that?”

“…”

“There’s no reaction from the kid? Is she already dead?”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Our turn approached moment by moment.

When it was Taehwa’s turn, she waved her hand.

“Then the three of us will go in first and proceed from there.”

“W-wait, Taehwa!”

“Noah, have fun too! See you later!”

Saying that, Taehwa pulled Seo Jin-ah and Yu Yul and went straight in.

Into the gaping mouth of a monster. More precisely, into a gate shaped like one.

[The Monster House]

Leaving only Noah and me.

…Taehwa, aren’t you being too obvious?

“M-mister…”

“Noah, if you’re scared, we don’t have to go.”

“…No… since we’re already here, I should go at least once…”

Noah was scared.

Why is someone who beats up monsters afraid? I thought that briefly, but this and that are different.

Noah’s trembling gaze turned towards me.

Grab.

“But… hand…”

“Hand?”

“Please hold my hand…”

I held her hand.

As if my hand were some kind of saving grace.

Really, this kid is hopeless.

“Alright, then let’s go in.”

“Yes… yes!”