Ch.304IF Side Story. From the Beginning (72)

Is this really okay?

That thought kept swirling in my head, but I decided to just give up since no matter how much I thought about it, I didn’t think I’d reach any profound conclusion.

Let’s just go with the flow.

It’s not like meeting these kids is something new anyway.

Come to think of it, we’re all Magical Girls. Including me, all the kids have some fourth-dimensional aspect to them.

Of course, I pride myself on being the most normal among them, but I’m sure everyone thinks the same way about themselves.

“……”

Jihye also had an expression that showed she was contemplating how to take in this situation.

The lounge, at first I just used it normally. It was a bit strange that blankets were spread out in every empty space so you could walk around barefoot, but when I first entered, the lounge still gave the impression of being a ‘lounge.’

But the kids kept complaining it was annoying to move around, so they pushed the furniture aside one by one. They pushed all the tables against the wall and moved the sofas to the edge of the blankets. In other words, they made it so that if you wanted, you could roll all the way to where the sofas were and just climb up.

Before I knew it, there were more blankets, and except for a small area in the center, everywhere we could lie down was connected.

I guess the reason they didn’t put blankets in the center was because they planned to place food there. It’s like having an indoor campfire, but instead of a ‘fire’ in the middle, there are snacks and drinks.

Whose idea was this… well, it’s not like anyone specifically suggested it. Everyone just pointed out uncomfortable parts and changed things, and it ended up like this.

“Great. When we sleep, we can move this stuff and lay down more blankets.”

For some reason, Yeon-woo said this with a very satisfied expression.

“…We can watch movies while lying down too.”

Hey, Chae-yeon. You’re usually smart. Somehow, saying things like that now makes you seem completely opposite from your usual image.

I glanced at Jihye.

It’s fine that I said I’d stay over, but Jihye was essentially dragged here by me.

I already knew that Magical Girls had eccentric sides and ignored common sense, but Jihye… well, at least she had fewer opportunities to see such behavior than I did.

“This is really nice. Should we just clear out the whole lounge and ask for a big mat instead?”

Are you thinking of making a second training room? I thought to myself while looking at Seo-hee.

Honestly, all the kids are so excited that I don’t even know where to start objecting without hurting their feelings.

No, rather, being serious in this atmosphere seems completely out of place.

…

Am I the weird one? Well, this worry didn’t lead to any conclusion either.

“Jieun, Jieun.”

Jihye gently tugged at my sleeve as I sat there with a slightly dazed expression.

“Yeah?”

“So, this is… for ‘preparation,’ right?”

Jihye whispered. Her expression showed she was seriously worried that asking such a question in this situation might seem foolish.

I was actually wondering the same thing.

“…Well, it is a good setup for all of us to deploy together.”

Magical Girls don’t need to change clothes; they just need to wear their circuits and rush out. So being all gathered like this was more efficient in many ways.

I thought this while watching the kids cheerfully turning on a movie with the projector.

By the way, that projector is actually meant for presentations. This place can be used as a makeshift conference room. Of course, there’s a separate conference room too.

“J-just enjoy it.”

Hayun seemed to have made up her mind and advised Jihye. She must have heard Jihye’s words since she was sticking close to me.

“If nothing happens… it’s just like a sleepover anyway.”

Jihye nodded blankly at Hayun’s words.

“So Magical Girls aren’t any different from other kids their age…”

Well, that’s obvious.

…But it felt a bit like making excuses to say that in this situation, so I decided not to respond. After all, it seemed a bit off to say that about “heroes” who fight beings that normal people can’t.

*

In the cool air-conditioned room, I chatted with the kids about various things.

They were at least mindful of why we gathered, so at first, there was talk about Noir Corporation. But in the current situation, talking about Noir Corporation didn’t mean much. We had too little information.

So, it was natural that the conversation shifted to everyday topics.

What wasn’t so natural was Chae-yeon silently turning on what seemed to be an erotic movie on the projector.

Well, considering the atmosphere—teenage girls gathered in one house—maybe it wasn’t that strange.

“…No, that’s not right.”

“Hm? Jieun, did you say something?”

Hayun, who was lying almost right behind me—though still maintaining enough distance not to touch—asked.

“Ah, it’s nothing. Just a thought that suddenly came to mind.”

Fortunately, the movie was showing the male protagonist cheating, so Hayun didn’t question further.

Yeah. Thinking about it again, this isn’t that different from the training I received in the military.

Being ready to deploy at any moment but still sprawled out on bunks making jokes and chatting, or even digging trenches and having pointless conversations.

When you have to endure for hours, just keeping quiet would be torture.

And we’re not just here for a day, but the whole weekend, until Cherry finishes her research and hands over the generator to the Federation.

…Sitting seriously in Magical Girl outfits without saying anything would be torture in its own way.

“……”

Like Hayun, Jihye was lying right in front of me as if to protect me—but also maintaining enough distance not to touch—and now she was just comfortably sprawled out.

She must be tired of being tense all the time too.

In the end, it seems like we’ve all adapted to that strangely relaxed atmosphere.

*

After watching a movie, Friday ended with us falling asleep.

On Saturday, we didn’t have to go to school, and since I had friends and Jihye around me, I was able to fall asleep without feeling particularly tense.

The other Magical Girls seemed a bit uncomfortable sleeping on the floor, but actually, Jihye and I sleep on blankets on the floor every day.

Hayun and Jihye ended up lying on either side of me. Neither of them clung to me. I guess Hayun had to do that before because we had to share that narrow bed.

“……”

But on Saturday morning.

At a time when I should have been sleeping in, I opened my eyes.

The reason was the same as when Hayun clung to me while sleeping.

It was strangely hot, a bit stuffy, and sticky.

When I opened my eyes, the hair color that entered my vision was blue.

In reality, ice is transparent or white. It’s natural since it’s just frozen colorless, transparent water. To see blue ice, you literally have to look at glaciers hidden under the sea.

But somehow, seeing that blue hair made me think of ice. This might be because most of the magic Chae-yeon uses is ice magic.

“Chae-yeon?”

I was lying straight.

And Chae-yeon was on top of me, as if covering me.

Chae-yeon always gives off a cool impression, but her body is actually one of the smallest among us. She’s not completely childlike, and to be precise, she’s just a bit smaller than Hayun.

Her distinctive blue hair gives the impression that her body might be just as cold, but Chae-yeon is obviously a person just like us.

Her body temperature is that of a normal person, so when she’s clinging to me like this, it’s hot.

And along with the sweat from the heat, I was also breaking out in a cold sweat.

Why is she here?

If she had been right next to me, I could have thought she rolled over and clung to me. Maybe she went to the bathroom and got confused about her spot?

But that’s strange too.

The air conditioner is controlling the temperature, but it’s still summer. Isn’t this a season where you’d seek coolness rather than warmth…?

“Hey, Chae-yeon—”

I gently grabbed Chae-yeon’s body and shook her while softly calling her name.

But the person who woke up to that name wasn’t Chae-yeon.

“…Jieun?”

I heard Hayun’s voice from beside me.

Somehow, I thought her voice sounded chilly.

I stiffly turned my head to see Hayun lying turned toward me, quietly staring at me.

“Um… it’s not what it looks like?”

I found myself making excuses without even thinking.

…

Wait, what’s not what it looks like?

I don’t even know what I’m saying.