The Discovery of Secrets
Today, I walked the lonely path to school alone.
Harin seemed wounded by yesterday's teasing from me, or was she just pretending to be angry?
From morning, she had hidden under a blanket on the sofa, covering herself completely, and refused to answer even when I called.
Tapping her a few times, there was no reaction, so I lifted the blanket. I won't bring up what happened after that.
Anyways.
The school main building was visible in the distance, and the walls looked neatly repaired.
So much destruction, yet it was restored in just a few days.
It seemed like a magical girl had come to fix it.
Gradually, voices of other students talking reached my ears.
"Ah... I wanted to take one more day off."
Speaking in a gloomy tone with a downcast expression, or
"Hey! I saw the magical girl who repaired the school!"
"Really?! For real?!"
Even the girls chatting excitedly, their eyes sparkling because they loved magical girls.
At that moment, I was thinking meaningless thoughts like whether that magical girl was the class president or Kim Min-ah.
-Wada dada da da da...
"Siwoo!"
From behind, with loud footsteps approaching, someone grabbed my shoulder while I turned to look.
From the voice and energy, it was clearly Kim Min-ah.
Suddenly pulled into a hug, I was startled, but since I had prepared my heart after hearing the footsteps, I didn't yell.
I just let my body bounce slightly.
"Ah, hello. Kim Min-ah."
"Siwoo! Your face looks bad! What happened when you came home yesterday?"
"Ah, no... Just tired..."
After returning at dawn, I fell asleep while eating ice cream with Harin, so I slept late.
During that time, I got up early for school preparation, and now my body felt like a mess.
Normally, I would arrive at school much earlier and sit, but after repeating the "just a little more sleep" thing a couple of times, here I was at this hour.
That's why so many unfamiliar students were visible today.
"U-um... Kim Min-ah. How's your condition? Are you okay?"
I carefully changed the subject.
Because if I kept answering question after question, it would never end, and if I did something wrong, I might get caught on Harin too.
After all, even if I arrived late, I had slept right away, so I shouldn't have been that tired.
The reason was because I had eaten ice cream with Harin late.
"Me? I'm totally fine!"
With her energetic smile, she patted her heart with her palm.
"More than that, it's more important to protect the people dreaming! That's why I can sacrifice my own dream!"
"What are you talking about?"
Walking slowly, chatting quietly amid the noisy students.
"I am a hero! A hero who protects people's dreams! For that, I can even sacrifice my own dream!"
Her words were whispered so quietly they wouldn't spread, only audible to me, but the weight of that statement was anything but light.
In fact, it was a declaration to abandon one's own dreams for others'.
If it were me, it would be impossible, on a completely different level of resolve.
"...So, is that possible?"
"Of course it's hard. Something like last time might happen. But I won't give up, no matter what."
"Is that your goal? Or your dream?"
"Well... I guess both!"
She grinned with a smile.
Always lively, radiating energy that lifted everyone's spirits like the sun.
"And I trust my friends. Seoyeon too, and you."
"T-Thank you..."
"Thank you? Don't mention it! I'm the one who should thank you!"
She pulled my arm, which was draped over her shoulder, and pulled me strongly closer.
From the jealous stares of the boys around, I hurriedly created some distance.
"By the way! This is the main point!"
"Huh?"
"From now on, I'll stick to you, Siwoo!"
"...Why?"
I hadn't expected this.
She took one step closer because I had created distance, then pulled me even more tightly so I couldn't get away anymore.
Because of that, my body kept getting closer, and even if I wanted to pull away, I couldn't push her off with my hands.
"Of course! I owe you, so I have to repay!"
"Um..."
"No, if there's anything you want, tell me! I'll do everything for you!"
"Anything?"
I asked with a playful tone.
Because if I said it like that, Kim Min-ah would realize her slip and quickly change direction.
Contracts were important, and the words chosen there were even more crucial.
The moment I said it, as expected, Kim Min-ah's expression changed subtly.
Maybe soon...
"Yeah! Anything!"
Um.
This wasn't the answer I had expected.
Even after receiving it with a gloomy tone, this showed how much she trusted me.
Up until now, she had helped quite a bit... no, actually a lot, but not to this extent.
The consciousness returning was actually thanks to Harin.
Here...
"U-um... You know the cadre we met last time. Do you know what the class president said about him?"
"Ah, the one that said we had to capture him? Yeah, I remember. Why?"
"Well, just... Later, help the class president. I was worried because the order from the Association seemed different."
"Um... Got it! If that's your wish!"
That should keep Harin's brainwashing from deepening or her corruption from returning.
Of course, this was assuming no other magical girls joined in between.
But having more allies was always better.
Especially when there was a one-in-a-billion chance that Harin would decide to reveal her true self, or that some mistake would expose Harin's identity to the class president or Kim Min-ah.
There had to be a final line in the worst case.
It felt like thinking of the worst situation, but I had to prepare for it.
The moment I thought about reaching out, it was as late as it gets.
"But besides that, no other wishes? That's not your wish! Helping comrades is the natural thing to do!"
Kim Min-ah's words left me momentarily at a loss.
What should I say?
Honestly, there was nothing I wanted.
"If I think of something, I'll tell you."
"Great!"
*****
Entering the classroom, students were chattering in groups.
When I sensed their presence, the class president turned his head and found me, then stood up and approached.
"Harin didn't come today?"
The class president glanced at the empty seat for Harin.
At the same time, it was also my seat next to it.
"Yeah. Maybe she's just being troublesome again."
I still don't know on what grounds she would come to school today.
She just felt uncomfortable or bothered.
Honestly, even until dawn yesterday, I thought we would remember old memories and chat happily, so her mood should have been fine.
But because of one wrong word, it ended up like this.
Or rather, I still couldn't understand.
Was my question about what she wanted to say really so infuriating?
"Ah, by the way, Siwoo. Can you do me one favor?"
"Huh? Favor? What favor?"
"Can you tell me Harin's phone number? I heard her old number is being received by someone else after she changed it..."
"Ah..."
That was a problem.
After all, I didn't even know if Harin had a phone now, and if she did, she would probably get angry if I just gave her number.
Or rather, in her current state of being hurt, she wouldn't be angry no matter what I did.
"Harin... probably doesn't have a phone...?"
I told the class president honestly.
I didn't think Harin would keep bothering the class president with calls.
And if she fought and dropped her phone, and the class president found it, a bigger problem could arise.
For example, just like last time when the class president saw Harin's windbreaker and challenged her to a fight.
"Ah, I see? Then there's another thing to ask. About last time..."
The class president tilted his head, then nodded as if he understood.
Good, the crisis seemed over for now.
"...Wait a minute."
At that moment, I thought.
"Then how did you contact Harin? How did you know her number? How did you make the promise? How did you know her recent state?"
"Huh?"
But I hadn't thought she would ask this.
"Back then too, and last time, you said Harin was okay after meeting her. How did you make that promise? How did you know her recent state?"
For some reason, the class president's eyes seemed to shine with pink light.
It didn't seem like some kind of magic... but his clear will to never miss a single fragment of truth was evident.
I quickly thought of excuses, but no matter how much I thought, I couldn't come up with an answer the class president would accept.
Should I say I live nearby?
Then he would ask for the address again, and I wouldn't be able to answer.
If I said I asked Harin, the current class president would probably use magic to follow me and find her home address.
Or if I said she was sleeping out, that would cause another problem.
"Ah, well, um..."
Sorry, Harin.
Just once more, make me bother you.
"We... live together at my house...?"
"Eh?"
The class president blinked his eyes for a moment, giving himself time to process what he had just heard.
And then.
-Bang!
He slammed his hand down on my desk hard.
"Are you crazy?!"
Students passing in the hallway even looked this way as he shouted loudly.