Ch.109109. Amethyst and Garnet (9)

“How was it?”

“Well… department store food is always good. For me, at least.”

“Really? I’m glad if you enjoyed it. Was everything okay?”

“More than okay, I’d say.”

I came with her to the department store that has a movie theater.

To think I’d be back here after just a few days…

At this rate, I might end up becoming a VIP member or something.

Though frequent visits probably don’t matter much.

Places like this usually only give VIP status to people who spend over ten million won a year.

That’s completely out of my reach.

Well… I might have considered it when I was with Eden.

I had a traditional Korean meal with Seohyun.

Honestly, food is food wherever you go.

She just suggested we eat wherever she felt like, and she chose the closest place.

The traditional restaurant we went to wasn’t very crowded.

Well, who comes all the way to a department store to eat traditional Korean food?

Especially when it’s more expensive than places outside.

Because of that, we were able to eat comfortably.

A villain and a magical girl, eating peacefully without drawing much attention.

The wrapped rice eaten in that serene atmosphere was indeed delicious.

Hmm… wrapped rice.

I should try making it sometime.

It seems easier to prepare than I thought.

After finishing our meal, we left the restaurant.

This time, there was no threat from anyone when we came out.

Rather, people around us seemed to flinch as if trying to protect us.

Feeling the weight of their gazes, I looked around and, sure enough.

People were surrounding us again.

They seem to be trying to blend into the crowd, but I can still sense them.

But interestingly, most of them appear to be protecting rather than attacking us.

“Seohyun, by the way, didn’t you tell the association?”

“Huh…? What?”

“Weren’t you supposed to tell them we don’t need security or anything like that?”

Seohyun must have forgotten to mention it.

That’s why there are security personnel mixed in with the crowd.

It would be a shame if this became unnecessarily troublesome.

I should tell her to have them withdraw…

“I did tell them… The association president even replied to my message saying he understood…”

“What…?”

Wait.

Those people aren’t security personnel…?

Then why do they look like they’re guarding us…?

And with such perfect disguises…?

If they’re guarding us while looking like ordinary people, they must be excellent agents.

…Huh?

“They’re probably not security. I’m your security.”

“Why would I need security…”

“That’s right. I’m your bodyguard.”

“…Ugh. A-Anyway, t-that aside, why are those people…? Following us…? They don’t seem like they’re going to attack us…”

“They might be fans.”

“…Fans are protecting us?”

“Who else would care about us?”

“…That madman from earlier?”

“I don’t sense anyone like him. No malicious intent.”

“…Hmm. If they really are fans, why are they protecting us…?”

“I see some of the same people from earlier.”

“Earlier as in…”

“Especially those who were restraining that person.”

“…”

“Maybe they’re watching over you because they like you.”

“Me? No. There’s no reason for anyone to care about garbage like me…”

“Are you insulting me right now for caring about you?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“No? Hmm… So you’re saying I’m hopeless trash for eating with such garbage…?”

“No, why would you be trash? That’s…”

“Exactly. Don’t talk like that.”

“…Everyone says things like that. Why would you…”

“Well, if I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t have asked to hang out with you in the first place.”

“…I suppose that’s true.”

“Yes, it is.”

“…Sigh. Fine. My mistake.”

“Yes. Your mistake.”

“…So why are those people…?”

“Probably trying to protect you.”

“…So that’s what it comes down to.”

“Yes.”

Those people.

Not well-trained agents at all.

Just people who like magical girls, protecting a villain.

Ha.

It sounds contradictory and strange, but what can I do if this is the truth?

“…I don’t understand. Not at all.”

“Well… that’s understandable.”

“…Aren’t you being too calm about this?”

“Why?”

“This. Don’t you find it strange? Citizens protecting a villain. Isn’t that weird…?”

“Well, if they like you, what can we do? Besides, do you know how rare it is to safely see a villain up close? Villains are best viewed on TV or phones. From a distance. What if you get caught up in something while watching up close? Your life could end right before your eyes.”

“…I don’t kill people, though.”

“Why? Not you. There are plenty of villains who go around killing people. That’s why the standard procedure is to avoid villains on sight.”

“…So, a neutralized villain, a famous one at that, in a safe place next to a magical girl, is a guaranteed spectacle. Is that it?”

“Spectacle? Am I some monkey in a zoo?”

“What…?”

“Even at school, kids… ugh. Every time I come back from battle, the kids…”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Good. As long as you understand.”

We held hands again.

No, we were about to hold hands, but…

“Let’s go like this.”

We ended up walking arm in arm.

Anyway.

“The movie theater is upstairs. Let’s go up.”

“…This is embarrassing.”

“We agreed to go around like this, right? And we’re both women, so what’s the problem?”

“I was a man, though…”

“You’re a woman now anyway. And you’ll continue to be one.”

“I… guess so?”

“Does that even matter? Come on, let’s go up. The escalator is… ah, there it is.”

Beyond the crowd of people, there was an up escalator.

We need to get through these people.

“…Think we can make it?”

“Well, if you lead the way.”

“Alright. Shall we…?”

People were lined up for some restaurant or pop-up store.

We need to get through them.

Someone touched my butt…

*Swish*

“Eek?!”

“Oh, did that hurt?”

“W-was that you…?”

“Huh…? What…?”

“Someone just touched my butt…!”

“Ugh… there are a lot of people, so someone probably bumped into you accidentally…”

“Just touched… Yes. They didn’t grab…”

“This isn’t the time for a leisurely chat. Let’s get to the escalator first…!”

Ignoring the pervert who touched my butt and ran off, we decided to push through the crowd first.

What’s so great about a pop-up store anyway…

“…Phew. Really. I’m fine, but are you okay…?”

“Yes. I’m fine. Did you lose anything…?”

“…Just a moment.”

The area that was touched.

Was it my back pocket…?

I’m not the type to keep things in my back pocket.

There’s no way someone stole anything…

Paper.

A small note.

And…

Something soft yet sharp.

I check the contents by touch alone.

A seal.

The mark pressed into the wax is Eden’s emblem.

…An emergency contact method.

“…I don’t think I lost anything.”

“That’s good. Phew. I was worried.”

“…No. I caused unnecessary concern.”

“It’s not unnecessary. Someone almost did something strange to you again. That kind of thing.”

“…It’s nothing. Come on, let’s go up.”

We’re going up, but…

A note from Eden suddenly?

Eden is suddenly making contact?

It’s supposed to be a month later.

The documents I checked clearly stated…

Why?

According to that plan, they need to execute everything precisely on their end too.

Shouldn’t contact be minimized until then?

And.

The fact that they’ve made contact now means.

They must be aware that we checked those documents.

They must also be aware of our current situation.

That we’re living in the heart of enemy territory, practically imprisoned while cohabiting with enemies.

That magical girls follow us whenever we go out.

They must know all this.

Yet they contact us so openly?

They tracked our movements…?

Or did they lie in wait at our residence to deliver this?

Sigh.

It’s dizzying.

For now, I need to hide this fact from Seohyun.

The fact that contact was made.

The plan to revive Eden.

And that I must betray Seohyun and the others.

…

We were always this kind of relationship anyway.

This is normalization.

Returning things to how they should be.

We’re on opposite sides.

We shouldn’t be this close.

I must have been softened by peace for too long.

Yes. Today.

Am I going to let my guard down after being harassed by people again?

The boss taught me better.

The boss.

Yes.

Everything.

“Vine…? What are you thinking about so intently…?”

Seohyun led me off the escalator.

She must have noticed I was thinking about something else.

“Ah, um… I was thinking about the movie Blanc recommended earlier. You know I don’t have much knowledge about movies.”

“Really? Well… we can just go see it together.”

“Ah, there are the posters.”

At the entrance of the theater, there was a place displaying movie posters.

Fortunately, by shifting the topic to movies, I managed not to get caught.

Well, it’s not like I wasn’t thinking about movies at all.

Anyway.

For now, choosing a movie is the priority.

I can continue those other thoughts later.

Hmm. When you don’t know anything, choosing by poster is the way to go.

“…Romance? Is that what you want to see?”

“Hmm? What?”

“You were staring at it so intensely.”

“Romance…”

“I heard you prefer action movies.”

“That’s true.”

“Why aren’t you looking at those…? Ah, is this part of a series?”

I picked up one poster.

A sequel to a famous crime thriller.

“Ah, that one.”

“Your reaction seems lukewarm. Have you seen it already…?”

Seohyun’s reaction doesn’t seem very enthusiastic.

“Ah, that… I already saw it with my friends…”

“When…?”

“After exams. We ate together and watched a movie.”

“I see… well, in that case.”

“Hmm… nothing really catches my eye… Vine, would you choose for us?”

Seohyun couldn’t take her eyes off the romance movie and delegated the choice to me.

…

So you secretly like romance, Seohyun.