Dream Shattered
Right after Kim Min-ah and I parted ways, I swapped a few words with the homeroom teacher, then headed straight to the café she had been waiting at.
We slipped into a quiet corner of the place. The moment I stepped inside, the teacher looked up, waved cheerfully, and greeted me with a bright “Hey!”
The entire conversation stayed completely silent, which told me she had already cast the Silence Magic barrier.
A soft, translucent curtain shimmered as she glided closer. Her clear voice reached my ears like it was coming from inside my head.
“Siwoo! What do you think? I heard some of the story, right?”
I gave a silent nod without a word.
“From what I heard, it seems like you’re still under the influence of Nightmare’s power. You keep having nightmares you can’t tell apart.”
“…Yeah.”
The teacher’s voice carried real worry. For a second she looked lost, trying to figure out the next step in her head.
“If Harin was right, the only way is for you to overcome it yourself. But how…?”
“I know.”
“Ugh…”
She let out a long, pained groan, clutched her head, then slumped forward with a heavy sigh and rested her face on the table.
“…Siwoo. It’s a bit shameless, but can you watch over Min-ah for me for a while?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. If I talk to her, she just keeps changing the subject. Maybe because we’re both magical girls…”
“Ah…”
My mind raced with a dozen different things I wanted to say, but none of them left my lips.
Saying anything would only pile more worries onto my friend, and I had already promised Kim Min-ah I’d keep this secret.
I couldn’t let another friend carry my burden. At least not anymore.
Even if it wasn’t my place to say so, maybe it was okay to trust her a little.
“Alright. I’ll keep an eye on Min-ah for you. Just until this blows over.”
The second I answered, the teacher smiled gratefully and nodded.
It was the same thing I had done for Harin. I just had to watch over her and keep her mind steady.
What could possibly go wrong?
*****
The next day.
The moment I told Harin about the favor the teacher had asked, she got so angry she snatched my bed out from under me and locked herself in her room.
The teacher had planned to walk home with all three of us, but halfway there she suddenly waved her arms and fingers at me alone, then turned around and dashed back to school, muttering that she’d forgotten something.
“Fufu, you’re getting dragged into everything these days, Siwoo!”
“Yeah…”
“Do you really mind me sticking around with you?”
“Not at all.”
I gave her a shy smile and met her eyes.
The heavy worry that had been clinging to her face vanished instantly, replaced by her usual bright grin.
She had just returned from school a moment ago, her usual bouncy, energetic steps still buzzing with life.
“By the way, how have your dreams been lately? Are you doing okay?”
“Yeah. After talking to you, I feel a lot better. Oh—wait, this isn’t a dream, right!?!”
Kim Min-ah pinched both her cheeks with both hands, then rubbed her stinging face with her palms to soothe the sting.
“Remember that story we told at the tteokbokki shop? Say it!”
“…The transformation belt?”
“Uh-huh. I believe it. You’re definitely Siwoo!”
Kim Min-ah flashed a wide grin, closed the distance in one step, and suddenly slung an arm around my shoulder, pulling me tight.
Even though my body stiffened from the soft, warm pressure on one arm and I tried to pull away, her grip was iron-tight.
Why were all magical girls stronger than me anyway?
I wondered if this should be added to the list of the world’s eight mysteries.
“L-let go, Min-ah…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! We’re friends, what’s the big deal!”
—Thump.
I thought I was doing better, but the moment she said “friend,” my heart started racing hard again. The accidental body contact didn’t help.
I pried her arms off with both of mine and carefully stepped back.
Only then did I feel myself calming down enough to breathe normally through my nose.
“Hmph!”
On my side, Kim Min-ah had her lips puffed out in a pout, arms crossed, head turned away in clear annoyance.
It felt strange, given we were different genders…
…Even though I was living in a cohabitation arrangement with Harin, the thought felt wrong to voice.
“Ah, right. I almost forgot. I need to grab something at the convenience store.”
“Convenience store? Buying stationery or something?”
“Uh-uh. I need batteries. I was wondering if I still had any at home, but they were all dead.”
Kim Min-ah smiled brightly as she answered.
The pout from earlier was completely gone.
Batteries? Hadn’t they switched to rechargeable ones by now?
“What are you going to use them for?”
“…Toys.”
“Oh.”
Yeah, old electronics still used batteries. Now everything was eco-friendly and rechargeable, but some things still needed them.
Still, the fact that they were for toys…
Made me want to laugh a little.
“Then let’s go together. I’ve got time too.”
“Really?!”
Kim Min-ah’s cheerful reply made me chase after her as we left the usual path and headed to the nearby convenience store instead.
We passed an older, quieter street and stopped in front of a tucked-away store.
“I’ll be right back!”
She waved and dashed inside.
A minute later.
“I’m back!”
Kim Min-ah was already unwrapping the batteries and sliding them into the strange wristwatch she carried. She trotted over to me.
It had to be the transformation toy she’d mentioned.
“You carried this all the way here?”
“Yeah. Batteries come in different sizes, right? I didn’t want to forget, so I grabbed them!”
“…I could have just written the sizes down in my notebook…”
“Ah, true…”
Kim Min-ah gave a sheepish smile and scratched her head.
Then, after a moment, her face cleared again and she slipped the watch onto her left wrist, tightening the strap.
The toy on her wrist was far too long and bulky to be called a normal watch.
“How is it? Looks cool, right!”
“Yeah. It suits you. But can you wear it outside? It might get scratched or dented.”
“Fufu, I knew that. I asked my senior for a protective magic spell! It won’t get a single scratch even if you fight with it!”
She proudly lifted the hand wearing the watch high on her shoulder.
Her lively, fighting spirit reminded me she was back to normal. I smiled and turned to leave.
“You look happy. Original.”
A cold voice suddenly spoke from somewhere.
It was exactly like Kim Min-ah’s, which made the hair on my arms stand up. And yet it was completely emotionless and icy, which made it even worse.
At the same moment, Kim Min-ah and I both turned toward the voice.
“Dark Blue…!”
I dropped my voice to a whisper, stepped in front of Kim Min-ah, and blocked the path with a single glance at her.
“Siwoo, go hide. You have to hide well, okay?”
I nodded and quietly backed away, trying to slip out of sight.
But…
“Is this your friend?”
“…”
“Hmm. You won’t answer? Understood.”
Dark Blue tilted her head, looked at Kim Min-ah for a second, then turned back to me and stared with eyes that seemed to see straight into my soul.
I froze in place.
“Last time I tried to hurt innocent civilians while preventing you from saving them. But in the end… you succeeded. That was impressive.”
—Clap, clap, clap.
The sound of emotionless, mechanical applause filled the quiet alley.
“This time there will be no failure. I will use everything I have to bring you despair.”
A chill raced down my spine.
“…Purifier Blue. Transformation.”
“Transformation.”
Blue and purple lights flooded the alley. Sirens wailed in the distance, ordering everyone to evacuate.
—Whoosh!
Before I could even finish moving, Kim Min-ah leaped forward, swinging her staff at Dark Blue.
—Kaaang!
Metal clashed with a screech that made my eardrums feel like they were tearing.
“You’re still pathetic, Original.”
“Shut up…!”
Kim Min-ah kept swinging her staff, meeting every strike with another crash of sparks. The brutal fight continued.
I watched the battle from a distance, creeping toward the big building below.
Kim Min-ah seemed okay, so I kept glancing back at the fight.
—Whip, smack!
The staff Kim Min-ah had thrown away flew through the air and slammed into the side of the neighboring building, sending debris flying everywhere.
“Siwoo, are you okaaay…!”
Kim Min-ah’s voice reached me, but the memories burned into my brain moved faster than thought.
“Ah… a…”
Tinnitus rang in my ears, my limbs went limp, and I collapsed right where I stood.
“…Hey…! Wake up…!”
From far away, a voice echoed like it was calling to me. I barely managed to lift my head.
And then I saw it.
“…Stun…”
—Boom…
A heavy explosion tore through the air, leaving a thick shadow on the ground.
Kim Min-ah ran toward me, hand outstretched.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
In that moment, I reached out with both arms to grab her hand.
—Thud.
The world went black.