episode_0019

“What exactly are you training for?”

I lay in bed and asked Amy a question.

Amy answers, breaking the silence that has descended upon the dark room.

“Training to help Shine and Jeff use their powers safely.”

I stretched out my short arms forward.

Blue light forming at the tip of the finger.

The current field that starts as a small line grows in size.

Ppachik-

A wide circle appears with a small noise.

The blue current flowing through it creates a strange picture.

“Jeff. Pretty.”

Shine’s compliments brought a smile to my face.

But the blue current that gathered in his hand quickly disappeared.

Although I was able to use my powers thanks to the bracelet Victor gave me, most of my powers felt like they were being weighed down by something heavy.

This feeling will persist until I completely unwrap this bracelet.

“I’m frustrated.”

“Even if it’s frustrating, just endure it for a little longer.”

Amy gently wraps her hand around my neck.

My heart feels strangely pounding.

I pulled my hand away from her grasp and dug into the soft blanket.

Long hair is tangled and scattered across the body.

“Are you feeling good because it’s a new blanket?”

I nod my head blankly.

The soft, tangled feel of a blanket.

The cool temperature felt behind my thin pajamas made me smile for no reason.

The fragrant scent of herbs tickling the tip of my nose begins to make me feel drowsy.

Swish-

I can hear a small noise moving under the blanket.

A warm and soft sensation runs through my hands.

“Shine.”

Shine, who had her hand under the blanket, holds my hand tightly.

When I turned my gaze to her in the warmth, she was looking at me and smiling.

“Good night.”

It’s clear that the bed is very comfortable, but the small feeling of anxiety and impatience in a corner of my heart does not go away.

I bury my face in the blanket, feeling the strange sensation.

“Good night Shine.”

The next morning, I opened my eyes and was held by Amy’s hand as she finished a simple face wash.

I stagger back into the room and sit down, my sleepiness not yet gone.

He yawns, stroking his slightly wet bangs.

“Change your clothes quickly.”

Amy’s urging from the bathroom made me get up and change my clothes.

This time, I’m wearing a simple tracksuit.

As I wait for Amy, scratching my stomach, Shine, who had been led away by her, runs out of the bathroom.

“Shine!”

Amy’s voice is heard from behind.

Water was still dripping down Shine’s face.

It looks like it came out without completely drying off the moisture.

“No, I won’t do it.”

Shine sticks her tongue out at Amy and crawls onto the bed.

She wipes the moisture off her face by rubbing it on the blanket.

Amy, who had escaped late, was holding a towel in her hand, but she could only let out a small sigh as she watched Shine’s actions.

After a small commotion, we left the room.

A familiar hallway unfolds.

A line of energetic people heralds the morning.

Shine, Amy, and I naturally join the line.

The waiting has become a familiar experience now.

When Shine and I arrived at the restaurant, we sat quietly until Amy brought our plates.

I exchange small greetings with people I’ve become somewhat familiar with, and eat the food Amy brought me.

Today again, it was a satisfying meal.

After finishing our meal, Amy led us to the gym where we had met Victor last time.

“Are you here?”

Inside the gym, Victor was sitting.

He was organizing documents while wearing glasses.

His eyes still looked tired, but he looked a little different with his glasses on.

“Victor.”

Amy still seemed angry at Victor.

She approaches Victor with stomping steps, her face crumpled.

Victor took off his glasses and scratched the back of his head.

There was a look of regret on his face.

“I’m sorry… .”

Amy replied to the weakly flowing apology.

“I have to do this to the kids.”

Victor’s hand twitches on the small desk.

He sighed deeply, bowed his head, and apologized to us.

“Sorry I forgot!”

The voice was so loud that I couldn’t help but be startled.

It was the same for Shine, as she hid herself behind my body while standing next to me.

“How could you forget the kids?”

“No… . I also find that strange… .”

The conversation between the two continues for a long time.

Shine and I stared blankly at the two people before sitting down on a soft mat nearby.

“Shine.”

“Huh?”

“Have you ever played ball?”

“Playing ball?”

As I said that, my gaze was directed at a small rubber ball placed in the corner of the gym.

It’s a ball that children often play with.

When I was young, I couldn’t even dream of something like that.

I was thinking about my childhood for a moment when I got up from my seat at the sound of Shine’s voice.

“I want to try it.”

Looking at Victor and Amy, it seemed like the conversation wouldn’t end easily.

The two seemed to be discussing something while looking at documents.

As I was looking at them, I moved my body and picked up a soft rubber ball in the corner.

That’s what I said, but I don’t remember ever playing ball.

I was walking around the lab and kicked the ball to some of the employees who were playing soccer.

As I was fiddling with the squeaky ball, Shine stood up with her eyes shining.

How should I play?

I started bouncing the ball on the floor.

Shine’s gaze begins to move wildly as the bouncing ball moves.

After bouncing the ball on the floor a few times like that, I threw the ball to Shine.

The ball hits the ground and bounces a few times before flying straight towards Shine.

Because it flew at a reasonable speed, she had no trouble catching the ball.

Shine, who received the ball, touches the surface of the ball like me.

A subtle smile appears on her lips.

Shine, who had been fiddling with the ball, starts bouncing the ball on the floor with the same movements as me.

My gaze began to move on its own as the ball bounced.

Shine, who was bouncing a ball on the floor, looked back and forth between me and the ball, then threw the ball to me.

The ball bounced on the floor a few times, just like when I threw it, and safely landed in my arms.

My heart feels throbbing.

I feel a strange resonance in the game of ball play that I am trying for the first time in my life.

A gaze that met Shine’s.

She also seemed to be having a lot of fun playing ball.

“Take it!”

I throw the ball with all my might.

The ball’s direction is off because of the force put into the hand.

The movement of the ball bouncing a long way away from Shine.

Shine looked at the ball and kicked the ground as she ran.

The deep smile never disappears from her face.

“I got it!”

Shine’s voice sounded very bright as she ran out and caught the ball.

She catches her breath and throws the ball with all her might, just like I did.

The ball flies way off course from where I am.

I too run out and catch the ball just like Shine did.

Repeat this a few more times.

The smile on his lips shows no signs of disappearing.

Hold your pounding heart.

I feel a subtle pleasure.

Shine and I didn’t have much stamina.

After throwing the ball around a few times, we sat down on the floor and gasped for breath.

“Are you done playing ball?”

Amy approaches us, who are out of breath, and asks.

I turn my gaze and look at Victor.

It seemed as if his conversation with Amy was over, and he sat there, resting his chin on his hand, watching us.

When our eyes met, he waved.

“Yes… .”

I nod, avoiding Amy’s gaze.

It was quite embarrassing for a grown man to have so much fun playing with a rubber ball.

At least that’s what I thought.

“Don’t worry, you can play whenever you want after training is over.”

Amy says to Shine, who can’t take her eyes off the ball.

At her words, Shine nodded quietly.

The ball seemed to like it quite a bit.

As the heavy breathing subsided, Amy led us towards Victor.

Near Victor’s desk was a small chair, about our height.

Shine and I sat on the chair.

“Did you hear the name yesterday?”

Victor said, rolling the pen over his hand.

“My memory is a little weird.”

As he said this, he pressed the pen to his forehead.

Victor frowned as if he had a slight headache and let out a small sigh.

“Yeah. Where were we yesterday?”

“I hit the target.”

“That far?”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything strange about using the ability?”

I look down at my hands.

After replacing the bracelet, I was able to use my abilities, but I didn’t feel any inconvenience.

“It’ll still be frustrating. What I’m asking is if you experienced any strange symptoms while using your powers.”

I shook my head.

There was no problem using the ability.

“What about Shine?”

“I have no problem either.”

“Okay… .”

Victor mutters as he begins to fill out the paperwork.

“Then I guess we need to find out the limits in the current situation.”

Victor said this and stood up from his seat.

He neatly organized his papers and headed to a large room in the corner of the gym.

“What does Victor do?”

Now that Victor was out of sight, it was time to resolve my curiosity.

Amy seemed to hesitate for a moment after hearing my question, then answered lightly.

“He’s a weird guy.”

“That weird guy?”

“Yeah.”

“Amy, I’m curious to know exactly what Victor does.”

Amy looked a little surprised at my specific question.

She answered slowly, her expression slightly subtle.

“Usually he does the same job as me, but now because of an injury… .”

Amy kept her mouth shut halfway through.

She met my gaze and let out a small smile.

“What am I talking about in front of a child… .”

“That’s not that kid.”

Amy’s smile deepens at the words she spoke so earnestly.

She reaches out with both hands and starts caressing my cheeks.

A face that is distorted here and there like a soft rice cake.

I freaked out and pulled away from Amy’s hand.

“Amy. Jeff hates it.”

Amy’s hand reaches out to Shine.

Her hands caress Shine’s soft cheeks mercilessly.

“Yeah, sorry guys.”

Amy takes her hand away, stroking Shine’s head.

She then adds:

“Is Jeff an adult?”

“Of course. I’m an adult.”

I nod.

So I could drink beer.

But now I can’t drink it because Shine told me not to.

That felt a little disappointing.

“But Jeff, if you’re an adult, you wouldn’t watch [The Little Witch’s Big Adventure] at 9pm, right?”

“Oops… .”

Amy’s words made me shut up.

The gaze moves left and right.

Is that true?

Don’t adults see that?

But isn’t it fun?

“Then… I’ll do it next time.”

I spoke with difficulty.

Amy, who was watching me like that, burst into laughter.

Amy’s actions of rolling on the floor and laughing made my cheeks start to heat up.

When I touch my cheeks with both hands, I feel a burning heat.

It must have been bright red.

“Amy… . Stop laughing.”

Amy’s laughter stopped when Victor appeared, holding a large machine in his arms.

“What the? Laughing like a crazy bitch.”