I Became a New Magical Girl Priest

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I have my reasons for going to school, despite everything.

First, I feel that if I just stay here without doing anything, things are bound to get complicated.

The police are already lurking around, and reporters with a keen sense for news are starting to hover nearby.

Sure, the police are one thing, but leaving those reporters unchecked doesn’t sit well with me. I thought that if we went out, at least their attention would be somewhat diverted.

But then again, if we just wander around aimlessly, that could create its own kind of chaos.

Secondly… and this is something I’ve thought about several times, I don’t want my presence to mess up the magical girls’ lives even more than they already are.

Though honestly, things have already gotten messy, and I don’t want to make them worse from here.

Maybe the government will offer to count every day we miss school as attendance, but that would just complicate matters further.

I wondered if it would be better to show that I have some intention to attend school—this was the conclusion I reached after stretching my short thoughts as long as possible.

Fortunately, my school uniform was still intact.

As for the others’ uniforms—

“Hey…”

Just when I was finished changing clothes, the orphanage teacher poked her head into our room.

Her expression showed a hint of surprise.

I wondered what was up, and it turned out that a delivery had arrived in front of our orphanage.

Inside were uniforms—belonging to the other magical girls staying in our room.

“It seems they’re really putting in effort.”

Dalia said as she accepted the uniforms with a rather complicated expression.

The uniforms looked completely new. Perhaps to keep things fair, my uniform was included too. I didn’t feel particularly grateful about it, but for now, I decided to stash it in my wardrobe.

Well, considering we’re staying here now, I suppose it was a possibility they could quickly think of.

Given that the police were hanging around, they probably knew the magical girls weren’t heading home.

Since they wouldn’t know what we were thinking, it seemed like they were trying to lighten our mood by “matching our feelings on all fronts.”

The kids stared at each other in their uniforms for a moment.

“What? Is it weird?”

Ha-yoon asked subtly. To be honest, the new uniforms seemed a bit looser than the previous ones. The old ones fitted her perfectly, but this one looked like it was sent based on a rough estimate of her size.

But that didn’t mean it looked weird.

“Just… this look feels nostalgic.”

I said honestly.

Since we had gone to school together for so long, it hadn’t actually been that long since I last saw Ha-yoon in her school uniform.

But somehow, it felt like ages.

Maybe the weariness of tough times stretches out time even more.

It wasn’t just Ha-yoon; the other magical girls looked even more so. We rarely crossed paths in school, after all. Thinking back, even though we got quite chummy while in our magical girl outfits, we hardly seemed to hang out in school settings.

“Phew.”

Rose sighed deeply.

“Do you think attendance… will be a problem?”

“Why would it be a problem?”

When Rose casually voiced her sudden concern, Dalia replied as if it were absurd.

“Still, getting expelled or suspended doesn’t seem likely…”

“…Well, there were a few times I skipped class, so it should be fine.”

Delphinium added, somewhat mischievously.

Yet even while saying that, she didn’t look entirely sure.

By this point, Jua had turned pale, as if she was just starting to worry about school.

This whole situation had stemmed from everything that had happened, so it was hard to find any words of comfort. It would almost be easier if we had created some guilt from the get-go, like how it was at the beginning of our runaway.

Knowing recently how Jua has been oddly sticking to me, that guilt just amplifies.

“Well, shall we go?”

At my words, the kids nodded.

I decided to set aside the thought of how to get to school for now, and once we exited the orphanage, a police van was waiting outside.

It felt strange seeing “POLICE” written in big letters on the outside. It wasn’t like we were being arrested or anything.

“You don’t need to worry.”

As I was staring intently at the driver’s face, those words came to me.

I let out a sigh.

“Ji-eun.”

Just as I was hesitating to get into the van, I heard someone call me from behind. It was Ji-hye, looking directly at me.

Ji-hye suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

“Take care.”

Then she whispered softly.

“…Okay.”

I replied in a whisper too.

As Ji-hye let go, the warmth I felt moments ago vanished instantly, causing my mood to plummet again.

In the end, I took a deep breath and got into the van.

It seemed that during our stay here, we’d have to commute like this. I wanted to avoid the situation where reporters would pack into the already crowded trains and buses.

If they were to try to abduct us, they could just tear the van apart, and that would be that.

I could only hope that the police would keep a good watch over Ji-hye as well, who was going to another school.

*

The moment I stepped into the school, I felt the atmosphere shift.

If I had to sum up the gazes directed toward me until now in one word, I would say “jealousy.”

Ha-yoon is a popular girl. That popularity has a vibe akin to “watching a celebrity,” and while it mediates a kind of “criteria” upon meeting, there’s no escaping the envy that comes with being a sought-after individual.

She was the only daughter born into a wealthy family, and a magical girl under the Federation’s protection. It’d be strange if people weren’t jealous of someone who lives like that.

But at the same time, Ha-yoon’s personality suited her being a “trophy.” She wasn’t good at saying no and couldn’t utter bad words to others, so it was unavoidable.

And I disliked the treatment Ha-yoon was getting, which is why I kept those around her at arm’s length.

The jealousy directed at Ha-yoon shifted to me, someone who was close to her without standing behind any influential background.

Only a select few bullied Ha-yoon openly, but simultaneously, it made making friends a bit awkward.

Well, it didn’t really matter. I was satisfied with just being close to Ha-yoon.

…Wait a minute.

“……”

“Ji-eun?”

While lost in serious thoughts, Ha-yoon tilted her head at me, stopping in her tracks.

I hesitated for a moment, staring at her.

Could it be that I’ve viewed Ha-yoon as a sort of trophy? Did I enjoy the perspective of just being a friend to a magical girl—

—No, upon reconsideration, that didn’t seem right either.

I certainly got jealous of Ha-yoon, which led me to become a combatant, setting everything in motion, but even then, my affection for her wasn’t like that of a “trophy.”

I quietly took a step closer to Ha-yoon.

For some reason, her face flushed a bit, and she hung her head low.

Why?

This felt quite absurd.

Isn’t she the one who, without shame, pulls me in when we wash and snuggles up behind me when sleeping?

Just yesterday, Ji-hye was curled up in my arms while Ha-yoon boldly hugged my back.

…No, this situation feels a bit strange.

Anyway, this change in her was puzzling.

Rose passed by us, on her way to school, and smiled at me, as if teasing the atmosphere between Ha-yoon and me, which felt somewhat suffocating.

Dalia and Delphinium also seemed to flush a little before quickly hurried past us.

“Well, I…”

Jua said that but tried to step ahead of us, only to suddenly freeze as if she had made a firm resolve, and she then walked alongside me.

The odd tension surrounding us intensified.

I could feel the gazes of the other kids in the vicinity directed at us. And those gazes weren’t infused with the envy and jealousy I was used to.

It was perplexity.

Somehow, it seemed us walking in the middle was causing a similar feeling of bewilderment within the students from this school.

In the end, we headed toward our classroom without really having any more conversations.

For reference, Jua was so bewildered that she tried to enter our classroom but ended up fleeing outside in a panic.

…Not that she was particularly concerned, more like she was blanking out.

*

There was no way I could focus on class.

While we were cleaning the classroom, my desk didn’t seem to collect too much dust, as if it had been cleaned thoroughly.

However, the front page of the textbooks I had left in the desk was glaringly white. We had drifted too far away from the class before we could get back on track.

I felt a fleeting sense of scholar’s time.

This time, I felt like my grades would take a nosedive. Speaking of which, I’d already blown my chance for midterms, hadn’t I?

It was already late April. Midterms were just around the corner. Even if I were to study now, how many problems could I solve after having missed so much of the semester?

Sure, money could fix the situation, but it was still a painful blow to think that my spot in class could be shaken.

I even had a childish thought that maybe I should have just gone on like this until after the midterms. My gaze drifted toward Ha-yoon.

“……”

It seemed that Ha-yoon wore an expression of bewilderment as well.

Well, no matter how close to genius she might be, she couldn’t solve problems in a situation without any input. No matter how large the storage capacity, if there’s no data stored, then nothing would show.

The kids in their third year must have it worse.

…Perhaps, as some of them said, skipping an entire year might have been better after all.

But come what may, class went on.

The teacher who entered the classroom cast a wary glance between Ha-yoon and me, but seemingly decided to leave us be and proceeded to start the lesson.

The atmosphere among the kids was a bit restless, but still, the lesson continued as normal.

I focused hard, trying to pay attention. At least some of the things we learned last year intersected with the class now, so it wasn’t entirely fruitless. I was thankful for my diligent studying.

It seemed Ha-yoon felt the same, as her focus gradually returned as the class went on.

Well, there we go.

No matter how much I wanted to return or not, I was back in school.

Which meant I should just give it my all. There was no reason to think about anything else.

That’s the way I’ve lived so far.

*

However, it seemed Ha-yoon’s thoughts were a bit different from mine.

“Should we step out for a bit?”

During lunch break, I casually suggested that to Ha-yoon.

Of course, it didn’t only mean heading out to eat. There were some kids glancing at us since the morning, seemingly assessing when to approach us, and both Ha-yoon and I felt a tad uneasy.

Every time I suggested going out during lunch, Ha-yoon would readily agree, and today was no different.

Though the atmosphere felt a bit different.

Earlier, when we got to school, there was a moment when Ha-yoon blushed and quickly averted her eyes, and she was still in that state now.

And I found that expression of hers a bit discomforting. I couldn’t precisely articulate why, though.

Thinking back, Ha-yoon’s behavior at school tended to lean in that direction. Even before we became this close, Ha-yoon had always walked behind me, maintaining a polite distance.

Whenever I crossed my arms, she would blush, so I assumed she felt somewhat uncomfortable and tried to avoid those gestures unless absolutely necessary.

But by now, aren’t we past that?

Even after all we’ve been through, might it be appropriate to express something in such a way? After all, we’ve spent so much time together in the same space, and we still are.

Ha-yoon always snuggles up to me when sleeping. She clings to my back, chest, or face so that I can’t move an inch.

But now?

Why does showing this kind of side in front of others feel strangely unsettling?

To reiterate, I too couldn’t discern my discomfort—

…

Ultimately, if I laid it out simply, it was just a pity that Ha-yoon wasn’t keen on physical contact.

Furthermore, it frustrated me that she was still concerned about other people’s opinions at school.

After wrapping up our meals, we made our way behind the school building.

It wasn’t a place you could genuinely call pretty, even as a passing compliment. Our school had rather tall walls, and naturally, there was hardly anything between the wall and the school building.

Though there were windows on this side, a few spots were piled with objects blocking the view, creating a strangely detached atmosphere from the school.

There had indeed been a couple of times when people dragged me into this space. I dealt with them sternly, though.

“What’s wrong?”

I intended to approach this more kindly, but my notoriously short temper decided to spike up here.

“Hmm?”

See? Ha-yoon looks taken aback too.

As my tone revealed my displeasure, Ha-yoon snapped her head up, her face slightly flushed.

I stepped closer to her and rested my hand on her forehead.

She felt… warm, but not excessively so. One could say the warmth came more from her flushed cheeks due to feelings rather than actual illness.

I lowered my hand and asked.

“Why have you been keeping your distance all of a sudden this morning?”

“D-distance?”

Could it be she hadn’t realized she was doing it out of instinct?

I took a step closer to her again, and she almost instinctively recoiled a step back.

“See? Even now, if I step toward you, you step back.”

“Just this morning you were glued to me while sleeping. And now you’re acting like this?”

It was obvious—what bothered me was how, right now, Ha-yoon was conscious of the students’ gazes.

I get that she can’t help it.

Even though a moment of us close together was broadcasted on TV already, there’s a massive difference between showing such affection in front of people we know and those we don’t.

But then, which side was her true self? The one who clings to me without care in front of crowds, or the one who distances herself due to worry about the mood in the presence of others?

I know it’s not the time to bring this up, yet it’s hard not to be bothered by this strange behavior.

“I-I’m…”

Thud.

Ha-yoon’s back touched the wall.

I leaned closer to her, just like I did in front of that abandoned house.

“Is it possible that your vow from back then isn’t ongoing? The moment you leave that place, does it all end?”

“W-what? Ji-eun?”

“Or was that just a lie?”

Ha-yoon shook her head at my words.

“But why…?”

Slowly speaking brought a feeling of heaviness, and the ‘reason’ began to emerge.

I hate this school.

Though I came here to avoid sacrificing the little things I had built, and to keep from causing any trouble at the orphanage, and to spare the magical girls who follow me from deeper issues, I still can’t stand it here.

I won’t run away, as per my nature, but it’s unlikely that I would miss this place or consider it my “alma mater.”

That’s why it’s even more upsetting.

The biggest reason I’ve grown disdainful of this place is indeed the kids who go here, and it bothers me that Ha-yoon’s distancing herself from me because of that.

“Why do you keep your distance?”

My mind begins to whirl. I could already guess what color it would be—probably black.

“I-I…”

Ha-yoon sighed and caught her breath. A bead of sweat glistened on her forehead.

“I’m… afraid you’ll dislike me.”

“Dislike you?”

I tilted my head and asked, and she replied.

“Yes. Because yesterday… I mean, since you’re so friendly with Ji-hye, I thought maybe my clinginess would bother you.”

I simply stared at Ha-yoon without saying a word.

And with one hand, I grazed the side of her face.

I leaned in close.

“Is that something you should say after kissing my cheek?”

“…I-I’m sorry.”

Ha-yoon mumbled.

But her face oddly appeared relieved.

“…”

That smile made me feel weirdly tangled up.

“So that’s to say you aren’t acting this way because of those kids?”

“Those kids?”

“The ones in our class.”

“Nope.”

Ha-yoon firmly denied that.

I shrugged and stepped back.

I could feel her letting out a long sigh, somehow reaching me.

“Well then, Ji-eun…”

Ha-yoon clasped her hands in front of her chest, eyeing me cautiously.

“Does it mean it’s okay to be close, like wrapping arms and stuff at school?”

“…Have I ever said I dislike that?”

When I asked incredulously, Ha-yoon hastily shook her head.

“…Just do as you please. Rather, I’d prefer that. Don’t worry about those kids.”

Once that reason for our discord faded away.

The reason I’d… been so close as I did.

Ha-yoon smiled shyly once more.

The smile she showed this morning was a bit different than this one.

 

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