Chapter 17

I never thought I’d run into these two. Takanashi broke out in a cold sweat as she faced the unexpected pair.

Kisaragi and Usami were both staring at Takanashi with suspicious eyes.

“What are you doing, Yuki-chan?”

“Fancy meeting you here. I didn’t know you were into gaming, Yuki-chan.”

“I-I’m not doing anything suspicious… I-I was just enjoying my day off by myself…”

“Really? You’re not hiding something?”

“Yuki, you have a habit of touching your neck when you lie, just like you’re doing now.”

“…!”

“Hey, what are you hiding, Yuki-chan? No secrets between us, right?”

“You’re not planning something weird again, are you, Yuki? Spill it. What were you doing here?”

“Ughhh…”

Cornered and overwhelmed, Takanashi finally confessed everything to them.

“S-So, that’s why… I was tailing the President and Toujou-san…”

“N-No way… the President and Toujou on a date…”

“They’ve already gotten that far…”

The two stood there, stunned, after hearing the whole story from Takanashi.

“Um… please don’t ever tell the President about thi—”

“We’re joining the surveillance.”

“Yeah, we can’t just leave those two alone.”

“Huh!?”

Takanashi, who had fully expected a scolding, was shocked that they wanted to join the tailing.

The two of them spoke, looking somewhat guilty.

“W-We can’t just leave the President be…”

“That’s right. Men are terrifying creatures. We have to keep an eye out to make sure the innocent President doesn’t fall into Toujou-kun’s wicked trap…”

“Oh…! I knew you two would understand!”

Takanashi looked at them with sparkling eyes.

“When it comes right down to it, you’re both curious, aren’t you? About their romance!”

“…!?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I have no intention of keeping their love story all to myself! Let’s enjoy it together! Now, let’s go before we lose them! The three of us will witness the tale of the President and Toujou-kun’s love unfold!!”

“Th-That’s not it! I’m not…”

“It’s not that I’m curious about their romance; I’m just worried about the President…”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say. Come on, let’s go!”

Ignoring their flimsy excuses, Takanashi took off running after the pair.

Kisaragi and Usami frantically chased after her.

◆

“It looks amazing on you, miss~!”

After leaving the arcade, we had come to look at some clothes. It was the kind of shop that sold relatively inexpensive, seasonal clothing targeted at female clientele.

Every time the easily-pressured Saionji was talked into trying on yet another outfit by the salesclerk and emerged from the fitting room, a stir of excitement and scattered applause rippled through the crowd.

It was a strange phenomenon, but no matter how plain the clothes were, they looked glamorous the moment the well-proportioned Saionji put them on.

A large crowd had already gathered around me just to see her, making it look like some kind of fashion show.

“I might want that outfit, too…”

“Who is she? A model…?”

“Her legs are so long… her skin is so pale…”

“She’s so cute…”

“Maybe I’ll buy the same outfit…”

The female customers around us sighed as they watched Saionji effortlessly pull off every look, and the clothes she wore started selling out one after another.

The salesclerk, getting carried away, kept making her try on more and more clothes, leaving Saionji completely exhausted.

“Excuse me, miss, I think that’s enough.”

Unable to watch any longer, I stopped the clerk who was treating Saionji like a dress-up doll and rescued her.

As the clerk shot me a dissatisfied glare, Saionji, changed back into her original clothes, came over with a relieved expression.

“You saved me, Toujou. All that changing in and out was exhausting…”

“Well, you have a great figure, Saionji. Every outfit looked good on you.”

“…Y-You think so?”

Saionji asked timidly, her cheeks blushing.

“Yeah, it’s true. As proof, the clothes you tried on have been selling like crazy.”

“I-I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I want to know what you thought. Which outfit do you think looked the best?”

“Let’s see…”

From among the outfits Saionji had tried on, I chose a dress with a black base that gave off a sophisticated impression.

“I think this one was the best. It was a perfect match for your mature vibe, Saionji.”

“Really!? This is the one you like?”

“Yeah. Personally, I thought it suited you the most.”

“I see. Understood! Then I’ll take this one.”

“You’re buying it?”

“Yes! After all, you went to the trouble of picking it out for me, Toujou!”

“I don’t think my sense of style is very reliable, you know?”

“It’s fine! I’m the one who says it’s fine, so this is what I’m getting!”

“I-Is that so? All right.”

In the end, Saionji bought only the outfit I had chosen, and we left the store.

◆

“Hee hee, this is fun, Toujou.”

“Yeah, it is.”

After leaving the clothing store, I was enjoying some window shopping with Saionji. We browsed around, looking at household goods, shoes, CDs, and books, without buying anything in particular.

For just this moment, Saionji was freed from her duty as a magical girl, her face lit up with the kind of joy you’d see on any ordinary girl.

“This is the first time I’ve ever gone out with a boy like this. I grew up in places that were always filled with only women. That’s why I didn’t understand men, and they scared me. But, Toujou… I don’t know about other guys, but right now, I think you’re a good guy.”

“Well, thanks.”

“How about you? Are you having fun? I hope this isn’t just me being self-indulgent.”

“I’m having fun too, Saionji.”

“Really! That’s wonderful!”

Saionji smiled like a blooming flower.

To be honest, I never thought a day out with Saionji would be this much fun. At first, I was told I was just going to be her baggage carrier, and I figured it was better than immersing myself in tedious chores all alone at school. Now I’m surprised at myself for enjoying it so much.

“I wish this moment could last forever…”

The words seemed to slip from Saionji’s lips unintentionally.

“You’re right, our days off are only once a month. I’ve been thinking I wish fun days like this would last forever, too.”

“That’s not it, that’s not what I mean… I’m not saying this because it’s a day off, but because I’m alone with you…”

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

“Huh…?”

Whatever Saionji was about to say was drowned out by a piercing scream.

The peaceful atmosphere of the shopping mall was instantly shattered into chaos.

KABOOOM!

BA-BOOOOM!

Immediately after, the sound of explosions rang out, and the entire mall shook violently.

“It’s a monster!”

“A monster showed up!”

“Runnnnnnnnnnnnn!”

Shouts and screams echoed from all directions, and a grim atmosphere instantly enveloped the mall.

Monster Alert! Monster Alert! A monster has appeared inside the mall! Please evacuate the building immediately! I repeat! A monster has appeared inside the mall! Please exit the building immediately!

“A monster!?”

Saionji’s expression instantly tightened.

People were screaming and scrambling to escape in response to the blaring monster alert, flooding the stairways and elevators.

“What do we do, Saionji?”

“We have to fight! Who knows how many casualties there will be if a monster rampages in a place this crowded! We have to defeat it!”

“Got it.”

I nodded.

Saionji immediately started to take off her clothes to transform.

Just then, three figures came running against the flow of people from the other side.

“Mikan! Chiyo! And Yuki, too! Why are you all here!?”

The ones who ran up to us were the three remaining members of the student council.

Saionji cried out in surprise at their unexpected arrival.

“Why are you here!?”

“W-Well…”

“Um, uh…”

“W-We just happened to be shopping nearby…”

The three of them looked away awkwardly.

“I see! Well then, this is perfect timing! A monster has appeared! We’ll all work together to take it down!”

“U-Understood!”

“Understood, President.”

“Of course, President!”

“Good. In that case, Yuki! First, use your specialty, detection magic, to pinpoint the enemy’s location! Can you do it?”

“You got it, President! Transform! Magical Girl, Takanashi Yuki!”

Takanashi threw off her clothes and transformed.

A dazzling light enveloped Takanashi’s small frame, dressing her in a red and white dress.

So this is Magical Girl Takanashi Yuki’s outfit, apparently.

“I’ve found them! It seems there are multiple monsters!”

“What did you say!?”

“Hold on! I’m pinpointing their exact locations now!”

Takanashi Yuki used her magic, determining the number and precise locations of the monsters inside the mall.

“There are five monsters in total! The closest one is on this floor, there are two above us, and two below us!”

“Five of them… that’s a lot…”

“Five monsters all at once…?”

Kisaragi and Usami grimaced at the reported number of monsters.

It was truly rare for this many monsters to appear at once, so it was understandable that they were worried.

“What’s the plan, President?”

“Right… We have no choice. It seems we’ll have to split up to defeat them. I’ll handle the monster on this floor. Mikan and Chiyo, you take the monsters on the floor below. Toujou and Yuki, I’m counting on you for the monsters on the floor above.”

“Understood!”

Kisaragi and Usami acknowledged Saionji’s orders.

But I, and Takanashi, didn’t reply.

Takanashi glanced at the President, then at me, and after a moment of apparent hesitation, she spoke.

“President, please wait. Let me handle the monster on this floor, not you!”

“Hm? Why is that?”

“Because I want you and Toujou-kun to handle the monsters on the upper floor, which have a much stronger presence! I might not be able to win against the ones upstairs!”

“Hm, so that’s it! Then leave it to me! Toujou and I will suppress the upper floor!”

Saionji nodded at Takanashi’s reasoning and looked at me.

“Let’s go, Toujou. You heard Takanashi. We’re the strongest ones here. The two of us will take control of the upper floor.”

“…Wait, Saionji.”

I stopped Saionji as she tried to pull my hand and lead me upstairs.

Then, I looked at Takanashi and said.

“Takanashi. Are you sure about this?”

“Huh…?”

“I’m asking if you’re sure about your decision.”

“What do you mean?”

Takanashi tilted her head, feigning ignorance.

But I didn’t miss the slight tremor in her voice.

“Hey, we don’t have time to dawdle! If we don’t take care of these monsters quickly, the number of casualties will only keep increasing!”

Takanashi quickly averted her gaze from me.

Saionji hurried me along.

“All right. Saionji, let’s go take down the monsters on the upper floor. Let’s do it as fast as we can so we can help the other three.”

“Yeah, of course!”

Saionji, Kisaragi, and Usami transformed.

Then they ran off toward their assigned floors.

“…”

As I left, I glanced back once at Takanashi.

She was watching me and Saionji head for the upper floor with a somewhat lonely expression.