Ch.213IF Side Story: Somehow, Everyone Seems to Like Me (14)

I studied hard in my own way while attending school.

In my first year, there were many kids who avoided me and many who openly disliked me, but that’s not the case now.

To be more precise, that “openness” concept has disappeared. I’m not sure if they talk behind my back, but at least the instances of people frowning at me or openly mocking me to my face have vanished.

Well, honestly, I don’t care anymore. If I were still lonely, if I truly had nothing in my hands, it would be different, but that’s not the case now.

My relationship with Hayun continues. And there’s also Ju-a in the same grade. The three of us always hung out together during lunch.

Though Jihye was unfortunately at a different school, we still met up after school anyway.

I had seniors too, and with fewer people interfering in my business, I felt at ease.

My grades quickly returned to normal. My first semester grades had dropped somewhat, but I had built a foundation before that, and perhaps because I studied with the seniors during vacation, I was able to receive a scholarship again from the first grade report.

We enjoyed our second semester of sophomore year.

After school, we ate tteokbokki on the way home, and sometimes bought lots of snacks for our own little parties. I even took Ju-a to a coin karaoke once when she said she’d never been.

The number of company stragglers we encountered kept decreasing.

Seeing us defeat them, more people thought it was meaningless to keep coming after us. Noir Corporation no longer spent money attacking magical girls. And how much decent support could those who were driven out provide? It seems the bounty has been gradually decreasing.

So, we just enjoyed ourselves. Why not?

The seniors who were studying hard throughout the second semester seemed too busy to hang out with us, but we had a blast. We had so much fun that we even got up early on a Saturday, went all the way to Gyeongju to ride roller coasters, and came back that evening.

Hayun clung to me more and more as time passed. The same went for Ju-a, Jihye, and Pang Pang. Though Pang Pang was technically in the “busy group,” it wasn’t like she had no time at all.

I liked embracing them. Hayun in her coat, sticking close to me, trying to transfer warmth through that thick clothing—it was so cute and lovable.

Jihye, for some reason, always targeted my side and liked to keep me next to her, while Ju-a was similar but instead burrowed under my armpit and hugged my waist tightly with both arms.

Pang Pang, for whatever reason, liked to hug me suddenly from behind. Perhaps that flight from before left a deep impression. I considered taking her flying again sometime.

The second semester, though it sounds long, is actually just a few months. That’s how school days are. Blink, and a third or half of it flies by.

Autumn passed, and winter arrived.

The weather got quite cold, but strangely, there was little sign of snow.

Still, it didn’t feel completely barren.

“Hey, senior!”

As I raised my hand high and called out, someone in the distance raised their hand in response.

“What? You were already here?”

With sparkling eyes and a bright smile, that person was Seo-hee.

As expected, she would be the first to come out. She wasn’t the type to sit for long taking exams.

“I was sad you weren’t there this morning.”

Seo-hee approached us, saying such things without any embarrassment.

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Weren’t you just trying to sleep in because it’s a day off?”

Ah, busted. Well, it’s not wrong.

Our school was one of the test centers, so first and second-year students got the day off on the college entrance exam day. I just slept in, skipping breakfast.

Hayun and Jihye did the same. As for Pang Pang, since she didn’t live with us, I wasn’t sure if she slept in or not.

“Here.”

I took out a rice cake from my pocket and gave it to her. It wasn’t anything fancy, just something commonly found at convenience stores.

“You’re giving me this after the exam is over?”

Seo-hee, who was usually easygoing about everything, asked incredulously. Still, she accepted the rice cake.

“Well, an exam is all about skill until you leave the exam room.”

“Ah, so now that the skill part is over, I should rely on luck?”

“That’s not wrong, is it?”

Different schools might have different tests, or there might be interviews. But that’s for later. At least for now, that’s how it is.

Seo-hee laughed and put the rice cake in her pocket.

“Well, I’ll take it for now. Though I think giving it before the exam would make more sense for ‘passing’.”

However she takes it, as long as she accepted it, that’s fine.

“What should we do? If there are still students taking the exam, we might have to wait quite a while.”

Around us, other students were already hurrying past. Everyone looked happy.

The sky had turned completely dark, but it wasn’t that late, so they’d probably go have fun somewhere before heading home. After all, they’d passed one of life’s biggest hurdles.

“Should we wait at a café or something?”

“…”

At my question, Seo-hee looked back.

After thinking for a moment, she looked at me with a somewhat serious expression.

“Remember when I said I’d have an escape route?”

“I remember.”

It was a memorable statement.

“…Still, we tried our best, you know.”

“I know.”

It might seem like they just hung out with us, but I’m sure they studied hard in moments I didn’t see.

Well, they say focusing only on studying can actually make your brain work less efficiently. Sometimes you need time to recharge.

“Yeonwoo and Chaeyeon did too.”

Seo-hee turned around.

With both hands in her coat pockets, she stood facing the school.

“I’d like to stay together until the end. I’ll wait here, so you guys go warm up somewhere and come back. Or tell me where you’ll be, and I’ll bring them.”

“…”

At those words, Hayun, Jihye, Ju-a, Pang Pang, and I looked at each other.

We all smiled together.

“You’re trying to look cool.”

“I’m not trying to look cool, I am cool. I’m a magical girl famous for being cool. Though maybe I should use a name other than ‘girl’ now.”

Yes, I know.

Happy Rose was a popular magical girl. With flowing red hair, wearing a glamorous red dress, defeating villains with her iron fist—a heroine of justice.

Always smiling, always fighting with a relaxed attitude.

The reason I felt irritated when I saw Rose was probably because there were so many things to be jealous of.

“…”

I looked at the others.

Hayun and Ju-a would definitely want to stay here. They were originally magical girls who fought alongside the seniors.

Jihye would stay if I stayed, and so would Pang Pang. These two hadn’t known the original magical girls for very long.

But would it be right to force them to wait?

“Let’s all wait together.”

But cutting through my concerns, Jihye exhaled and spoke. White breath flowed from her mouth.

“Coming all this way to wait, going inside somewhere to wait just… doesn’t seem right.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

Pang Pang said with her hands deep in her coat pockets. A smile played at the corners of her mouth.

“Besides, warm coffee tastes especially good after waiting in the cold. It’s winter. It might be nice to embrace the winter atmosphere a bit more.”

“…”

I let out a long breath.

It was partly a sigh of relief, and partly an exclamation of joy.

Truly, I was surrounded by such wonderful people.

Maybe I was blessed from the beginning. If I had been honest with Hayun from the start, if I had been involved with these kids from the beginning, I might have enjoyed this happiness much earlier.

…

No, that doesn’t seem right.

If that had happened, we probably wouldn’t have become “this” close.

“Alright then, let’s all wait together.”

I said. Everyone nodded.

And so, huddled together, we waited quietly in front of the school. Until Yeonwoo and Chaeyeon came out after the last period ended.

Until the two of them saw us and smiled brightly—

After all the students had left the school, in that quiet place, we waited happily, with somewhat prayerful hearts.