Ch.259IF Side Story: From the Beginning (27)

“I see……”

For some reason, Hayun kept muttering that while staring at the torn part of my clothes until I removed my circuit.

I had no way of knowing what exactly she meant by “I see.” I found Hayun’s gaze a bit frightening, so I decided not to ask.

“……”

After separating from me and barely calming down, Ju-a was looking sadly at the disappearance of the evidence of her victory.

No, give me a break. No matter what, I couldn’t hold onto a shoulder strap all day. And weren’t you just apologizing a moment ago?

After removing the circuit and returning to my pre-transformation outfit, I exhaled lightly and said:

“Ju-a, your outfit is pretty too.”

“R-really?”

Ju-a beamed happily at my words.

Her outfit wasn’t that different from mine in that it was secured around the neck and exposed both shoulders.

But still, Ju-a’s was much more modest. For one thing, there was no hole in the chest area.

……Well, I’m not sure if “hole” is the right word for mine. We both have “one piece of fabric,” but mine is, well, you know.

……

Anyway, it’s that kind of outfit, hmm.

Ju-a happily grabbed her skirt with both hands and twirled around once.

Hmm.

I should tell her not to show her back so carelessly next time.

I’m not quite sure how to phrase it delicately, but anyway.

At least now I no longer think magical girls can’t transform. We can all transform now.

Especially in Ju-a’s case, she seemed to be influenced more by me than by Hayun, and if she couldn’t transform, the only conclusion would be that it was literally my fault.

If she couldn’t transform and lost her position as a magical girl, I probably would have suffered from guilt for the rest of my life.

Guilt toward a magical girl.

That’s something I never would have thought about this time last year. I had always felt inferior to magical girls, and naturally, Hayun was included in that.

“……”

Hayun, who had been wearing a somewhat sulky, cold expression, quickly softened when I looked at her with a slight smile.

I’m grateful to everyone. Coming here made me feel like I’ve become more human.

But if that’s the case, the person I should be most grateful to is Hayun. Without her, I wouldn’t even be here.

If there’s such a thing as a miracle in life, wouldn’t it be how the two of us met and became friends by chance?

We came from completely different environments and didn’t even share many interests, yet we met like this.

“Are all the seniors here today too?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then let’s have a party. Isn’t this a day worth commemorating? Since our magical girl team is now complete.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. What magical girl team has only three members? It’s common sense that magical girls should have at least five members, one for each color.”

That’s right. Magical girls are like special effect heroes or transforming robots.

Anyway, the more members there are, the more merchandise they can sell. If I remember correctly, I think Rose, Dalia, and Delphinium even had related products.

……I wonder if they’ll make merchandise of me too?

Honestly, with my outfit, it wouldn’t be strange if they had to blur parts of it on the news or give it at least a 12+ rating.

……

They’ll figure it out. That’s not for me to worry about.

Just, today is a happy day.

I was a bit tired, but not so much that I couldn’t enjoy some snacks.

“Come on, let’s go.”

I took Hayun and Ju-a’s hands and walked forward.

“Ah, um…!”

“What? It’s fine to stay transformed, isn’t it? I did the same when I first transformed. We’ll see each other’s forms when we fight together anyway, so there’s no need to be embarrassed, right?”

“Y-yes, that’s true.”

Convinced by my words, Ju-a kept her circuit on instead of removing it.

Well, I can understand my outfit with its somewhat open front, but…

What about Ju-a?

Will her back-revealing outfit pass without issues on broadcasts?

…Well, that’s for them to figure out too.

*

“Oh, pretty, so pretty! Quite bold!”

Seo-hee said that upon seeing Ju-a, making her face turn even redder.

Poking Seo-hee’s arm, Yeonwoo looked at me.

“…What?”

“No, I was just thinking that anyone can see she was influenced by you.”

I couldn’t deny that. Our dress code was strangely similar enough to make Hayun oddly jealous.

It’s just that Ju-a had a bit more common sense than I did.

“Ju-a follows you around like she’s your little sister.”

“No, we’re the same age.”

We’re not even a few months apart.

Regardless of my incredulous response, Seo-hee and Yeonwoo continued chattering loudly.

Chaeyeon quietly approached me.

“…Is that your preference?”

“……”

Hmm.

How should I answer that?

I guess it would have been better if Ju-a had canceled her transformation before coming up. I brought her up still transformed because I was happy and wanted to show everyone, but it seems to have caused some misunderstandings.

“No, it’s not.”

I answered.

“I see, so Jieun has that kind of preference…”

“No, I said it’s not.”

I slapped Hayun’s arm as she muttered to herself beside me.

Hayun looked at me and grinned.

…Yeah, that’s right.

It seemed Hayun was starting to open up as she mingled with friends.

When I first came here, I wasn’t sure how to handle things, but in the end, maybe it’s because we’re all just kids living with hope.

Or maybe it’s because we’re magical girls.

Somehow, we could understand each other.

Strangely, even more than in the original story.

“…Huh?”

When I came to my senses, all the magical girls were looking at me.

“What?”

When I tilted my head and asked, the magical girls looked at each other, then back at me.

“No, it just feels like someone should give a congratulatory speech or something.”

“A speech? We’re just familiar faces hanging out together.”

It might have been necessary in a somewhat awkward company setting, but I really hated that sort of thing. Why would people who don’t even want to be friends say things like “Cheers!” to each other?

“And why are you all looking at me for a speech? Hayun could do it, right?”

“Me?”

Hayun asked, genuinely surprised.

Huh.

Well, Hayun was the central figure in the original story—

……

No, wait.

“No, isn’t it obvious that you should do it?”

Seo-hee asked as if it was ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

Is that so?

The magical girls have a stronger bond with each other “than in the original.”

And the only thing that changed from that “original” was my existence. Me, who originally didn’t exist, or if I did, was just an extra in the background without even a face shown, had infiltrated among the magical girls.

Thinking back, Seo-hee and I became friends, then I became friends with Yeonwoo, and the two of them were forced to get closer, which restored their relationship.

I forcibly pulled Chaeyeon to our side and placed her among us, and even Ju-a, who was somewhat on the outside in the original story, started following me around and eventually transformed in my image.

Hayun just stayed quiet. That wasn’t much different from the original story.

It was just me, a different me from the original, who was busily moving among the magical girls, connecting and repairing relationships.

Without even realizing it.

“That’s right. You’re the most suitable person for this occasion.”

Yeonwoo added.

“…Yes.”

Chaeyeon too.

Ju-a was just looking up at me with sparkling eyes, without saying anything.

Somehow, the atmosphere made it impossible to refuse, so I awkwardly stood up.

“Here, say something!”

For some reason, Ju-a placed a 500ml cola bottle in my hand. Apparently, it was a substitute for a microphone.

“…Hmm.”

I dislike things like congratulatory speeches. When friends gather, they should just talk among themselves.

Besides, we’re not even old enough to drink alcohol, are we?

But.

Well, fine.

I know how harmful it would be to the atmosphere if I refused here. I’m not so tactless as to be serious in a place where everyone is laughing and chatting.

After all, I’m the one who gathered everyone here.

All the more reason to do it.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat.

I was just going to say something simple, but somehow all the kids turned to face me with serious expressions, making me unnecessarily nervous.

“…So, all the magical girls have gathered here.”

I don’t know where they all came from or how they were found. I don’t know if this is the complete number, if there are no plans to recruit more, or if there’s no more talent to recruit.

But, anyway, we’ve gathered like this.

“Everyone has their own staff now, can follow their own hope, and can transform.”

The seniors already knew how to transform, but for us three juniors, it’s a different story.

“Now that we’ve truly formed a team—let’s do well together from now on.”

As I was about to sit down after saying that, Hayun tapped my arm.

“Toast, toast.”

Seriously, why are kids who can’t even drink acting like this?

I grumbled as I raised my half-seated body again.

Then I lifted the bottle appropriately and said:

“For justice!”

“For justice!”

But the voices that came back were so energetic and joyful that I was a bit surprised.

…I see.

In this place, there’s no such thing as “appropriate.”

In the end, everyone was sincere.

……

So was I.

My eyes met Hayun’s.

Seeing Hayun smiling brightly as if to say I did well, I couldn’t help but smile back.