Since my Useless Working Sister and Other Troublemakers Became Magical Girls, I have no Choice but to Support Them. - Chapter 1-31: Haruka's Strategy

Chapter 1-31: Haruka’s Strategy

“Good morning! It was crazy outside, huh?”

Haruka greeted her classmates like she usually does.

Some of her friends were curious why I was the one pushing her wheelchair instead of her usual female friends. Haruka answered without hesitation.

“Well, there were tons of media people outside. It was a bit scary, so I thought I’d get a guy to be my bodyguard. Wearing this uniform, it seems likely I’d get approached outside school too. Yuuma lives nearby, and we take the same bus every morning, and it’s really reassuring to have him by my side!”

Then she gave a thumbs-up.

What do you mean “it’s reassuring”? Don’t state it as a fact. At least say it makes you feel more secure. Don’t place so much trust in me.

But our classmates seemed convinced.

Now that they knew the mysterious masked man was a student here, it made sense some people would try to talk to anyone in our uniform. A girl in a wheelchair would definitely be targeted. It was safer to be with a guy in that case.

Some classmates were grinning at how close we seemed, taking the same bus and me being her bodyguard, and the fact that she called me by my first name.

Stop it. It’s a misunderstanding.

Yet, Haruka gave me that smug face again. It’s cute but it’s starting to annoy me.

“Hey, Haruka, are you and Yuuma-kun…”

“Yep, just like you think!”

Haruka replied with a confident, vague answer to her close friend.

She avoided confirming it outright, leaving it up to the listener’s interpretation.

But I’m pretty sure that she just confirmed their suspicions knowingly.

Several girls in the class squealed in delight. Her friend, Rucchan, excitedly patted Haruka’s shoulder, saying, “Way to go!”

At this point, it’s unstoppable. The rumor that we’re dating will spread throughout the class.

“Now we have an excuse to stay together at school! Everyone thinks we’re dating!”

“This girl…”

I pushed Haruka to her seat, talking quietly.

She’s a fool, but she’s proactive. The moment she thought of this plan, she executed it.

She came up with it when she saw the media at the school gate.

A girl in a wheelchair saying this on TV or a livestream might not convince people about the magical girl part, but the high school romance part might seem plausible. And only someone genuinely close would say such things.

If students saw it, they’d immediately recognize Haruka as the girl in the wheelchair and think she has a boyfriend. The link to me was solidified in the classroom.

Haruka smiled at me as if to say, “Everything’s going according to plan.”

“So, should we really start dating? It’d be easier that way.”

“Let’s not.”

“Why not? I wouldn’t mind being your girlfriend, Yuuma.”

“Even if that’s the case, this isn’t the right way to start such a relationship.”

“True. Something more romantic would be nice. I’ll confess to you properly someday then.”

I know she likes me.

But I didn’t expect her to express her feelings in such a ridiculous way or create a fake narrative for everyone.

Not right now, at least.

—

“Lunch was fun. But by the way, the world’s attention on our school is only increasing.”

During lunch at the cafeteria, Rafio spoke to me with a hint of exasperation.

He was speaking secretly from my inner pocket.

Haruka, despite having a bento, joined me in the cafeteria and sat across from me. There’s no rule against it.

“Look, everyone’s tweeting, making videos, and writing articles about it.”

Rafio handed me his smartphone.

I tried searching. “Rumored magical girl’s identity revealed!?”, “A former student talks about the rumored high school!”, “Current students might have a clue about the masked man.”

“It’s a concentrated hell of human ugliness.”

The fairy, who came to save humanity, said tiredly.

“I welcome the attention on magical girls as a fan and as a hope for humanity, but not everyone sees it that way.”

“Many people are just curious or want to use it to gain fame. But not everyone is like that, Rafio. Cheer up.”

“I know. There are good people like you, Yuuma, and Aina who helps people not for selfish reasons. Though there’s also that devilish one.”

Rafio seems genuinely afraid of Tsumugi.

It’s a bit nice being considered good people.

Aina’s usual behavior and Haruka’s foolishness in treating me like a boyfriend are things Rafio doesn’t seem to concern himself with.

“Everyone’s so interested in magical girls. Most posts and videos are about trying to uncover their identities. What do they hope to achieve by knowing?”

“They want to get close to them. Being acquainted with a magical girl is a big bragging right.”

Just taking a photo with one would make them a hit online. It’d satisfy their need for validation.

“Got it. Some people want to become magical girls themselves, so they try to find out who they are.”

“Want to become a magical girl, huh.”

A familiar face on TV said something like that yesterday.