Chapter 1. Out of Sorts (6)

There were two reasons I got close with the Earth-boo.

First, she was the one who struck up a conversation with me.

I've almost never been the one to speak first unless someone approached me beforehand. Whether networking would help me or not, I simply couldn't think of a good reason to go expanding my circle. Connections, after all, need to be managed—and the more people you know, the more astronomically annoying that management becomes.

I hadn't originally planned on befriending an alien, but the Earth-boo was remarkably persistent about talking to me.

"You've got the makings of an idol, you know."

I have no idea where she got the confidence to say that. Honestly, there's a good chance she wasn't thinking anything at all.

You know the type. The people who go around saying things like, 'My dream is to make a foreign friend.'

I was probably just the easiest Earthling her age to approach in our unit, so she settled for saying whatever came to mind.

The second reason was that we lived in nearly the same neighborhood.

I say 'nearly' because it wasn't literally the same neighborhood. If you wanted to split hairs, you'd call it the next one over.

Apparently she'd wandered from place to place hunting for cheap rent and ended up around here. Since our commutes home sometimes overlapped, we inevitably ended up having this conversation or that more often than not.

I grew up hearing pretty often that I seemed sharp or standoffish, but when it came to turning people down, I was terrible at it. A complete stranger might be one thing, but cutting off someone I'd keep running into face after face was something I just couldn't do.

Not that I disliked her, anyway……

That said, she's not exactly a friend I'd want to show off to the others. For one thing, she's tied to my workplace—and more than anything, given her personality—

"Anyway."

Hayun's friend, who had been scanning me with narrowed eyes like she was hunting for a weak point, turned her gaze to the Earth-boo, who was practically hanging off my shoulder with an arm around my neck.

"Looks like someone enjoyed a nice drink today."

Astonishingly, the statement was technically true. She really did have just 'a drink.' Without dessert, even.

"Of course noooot! Something good happened, that's all!"

"……"

The corner of her mouth curled up slightly. She thought she'd caught me.

"Oh my, so you started drinking in the middle of the day?"

As if that would ever happen.

We're both high school students.

Ah, though to be fair, this Earth-boo technically did do something illegal. It just doesn't count as a problem because it's not against the law on her home planet.

I glanced sideways at Hayun.

Hayun was still watching me with wide, round eyes.

I turned down her Christmas invitation, but we hadn't made any plans for today. Or maybe she was just surprised that I had a friend she didn't know about?

"Well…… I've heard that on some other planets, people are allowed to drink from childhood, but wouldn't it be a problem if we copied that?"

"I didn't drink."

I turned my gaze back to the girl fidgeting beside Hayun like a mosquito and said,

"If it wasn't alcohol, how'd you get that wasted?"

"Coffee."

"Coffee?"

"Yep, coffee. She gets drunk on coffee."

The problem with this answer isn't the answer itself—it's that Earth is absolutely crawling with people who make excuses in exactly 'this style.'

It hasn't quite reached the point of races mixing wholesale, but on a galactic scale, the number of intelligent lifeforms is said to top 1.5 trillion. That '1.5 trillion' is the figure tallied by the Galaxy Federation—in other words, that's how many beings possess the technology to board a starship and venture into outer space.

Naturally, Earth hasn't fully accepted the Federation yet, and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Federation has its own calculations, so the number of aliens who can come here is limited. Even so, it was only inevitable that spotting an alien on the street had become about as ordinary as spotting a foreign tourist.

Human tourists to Seoul mostly cluster in places like Jongno or Myeongdong, where they can soak up a suitably Korean atmosphere and shop at the same time. Aliens are different. No matter where they go on Earth, it's still 'Earth,' isn't it?

Wherever they wander, they get to savor an atmosphere utterly unlike their home planet, so alien tourists show up in every decently large city of every decently famous country.

And naturally, the 'excuses' come in every flavor imaginable—and Earthlings latch onto those excuses to do illegal things of their own.

To someone who didn't know better, that's exactly how it might look.

"Want to take a sniff and find out?"

When I said that, she made a face like she'd stepped in something foul.

"Stop making excuses—"

"Hold on."

But before she could fire back, Hayun stepped in.

As Hayun took a single step toward us, a crisp crunch of snow on pavement sounded underfoot.

"Jieun, I'm sorry."

"……"

Here I was, racking my brain for some cutting remark—no profanity, just a beautifully crafted barb I could be praised for later—and Hayun apologized to me first.

"You're from Planet Kipuren, aren't you?"

"Huh?"

Hayun leaned forward slightly, looking up into the Earth-boo's face, and at the sound of the planet's name, the girl lifted her head.

Blink.

Her eyes blinked.

The dazed stare she'd fixed on Hayun slowly widened.

"B-B-b-b-b-Blossom!?"

And then, as if the alcohol—no, the caffeine—had been slapped clean out of her system, she snapped bolt upright.

……Yeah. This is exactly why I didn't want to run into her.

Of course she's an Earth-boo. Earth-boos love magical girls too, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠naturally.

And Blossom was the most popular of all the magical girls.

She's never said it out loud, but if the reason she picked this neighborhood out of all the cheap-rent districts was 'because it's close to where Blossom lives,' I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.

"Hello. You must be Jieun's friend? Jieun has…… never really talked about friends from outside school."

More accurately, I don't often share personal stories. If I start rambling, both the fact that I live at an orphanage and the fact that I'm a combatant for an evil organization could slip out.

"Huh? Huh? Ah, yes!"

The Earth-boo's eyes darted back and forth between me and Hayun, trying to parse the situation. Was I imagining things, or had I never seen this girl's brain move this fast before?

"I'm Lee Hayun, Jieun's friend from school."

"Ah, yes, yes."

As if 'ah' and 'yes' were the only words she had left, the Earth-boo nodded furiously.

"With Jieun, um, we met at a part-time job—"

The moment those words left her mouth, my heart rate spiked. She's usually so skittish you'd think she was raised on sidelong glances, and now I was sweating bullets wondering what she'd blurt out next.

"Oh, is that so."

Flick.

Hayun's gaze flicked toward me for just a moment.

I have never once told her I had a part-time job.

……No, seriously, never. I'd avoided it deliberately, but thinking back on it, in the almost full year since we started high school, I've barely told Hayun anything about my personal life.

Then again, it's not entirely my fault. We've just both gotten busy.

Maybe because we're drawing closer to the 'main story,' the circuits have been developing faster, and Noir Corporation has been scrambling to keep up. Naturally, the magical girls are busy too.

And Hayun has entrance exams to prepare for. She's only just about to move into her second year, so it seems early—but apparently, getting into the arts ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠college she's aiming for means steady preparation starting now. Her club activities have gotten busier, too.

"……"

But even knowing it wasn't my fault, some part of me felt guilty, so I looked slightly away.

"Of course, caffeine consumption has never once been illegal in our country."

Hayun said, in her soft, measured way.

"Still, I don't think you should overdo it. You might run into someone from your home planet out on the street, after all."

Even coming from the same planet, she could easily be from a different country—but fair enough, it wasn't a zero possibility. The fact that this Earth-boo could come here at all meant travel from her planet had been approved.

"Ah, yes!"

Hearing that answer, Hayun nodded slowly and offered a smile.

"Ah, um, excuse me!"

Just as Hayun's face was turning back toward me, the Earth-boo shouted.

"Yes?"

Hayun answered, a little startled, and the Earth-boo hurriedly rummaged through the inside of her coat.

Then she pulled out a notebook and a ballpoint pen.

……

Uh, hey, hold on a second.

My expression nearly cracked the instant I saw what she was holding out. By the time I'd barely managed to choke down the urge to scream, she was already handing the notebook and pen to Hayun.

……That's a combatant's notebook, you idiot.

The kind stuffed with shift schedules and the like—even with a checklist section and a 'tear-out letters from the heart' page!

Thankfully, the cover was blank, and if you skipped past the whole front section you'd find nothing but memo pages full of empty lines. Even so, it's the kind of notebook that's dangerous just to show another person.

No, it's not like it contains any earth-shattering secrets, but anyone who saw you carrying it would know exactly what line of work you were in.

Fortunately, Hayun seemed to have no idea what the notebook actually was. She accepted it naturally and signed it.

Not her own name—the magical girl name.

"What would you like me to write?"

Hayun asked kindly, smiling.

"Ah, um, then, 'Pangpang,' please."

……This is why I don't call her by her name. If I use it around other people, everyone assumes it's a pet name.

But Hayun, true to her Federation pedigree, didn't bat an eye at the name. She finished signing 'Pangpang!' and handed the pen and notebook back to the Earth-boo.

The Earth-boo, who had been staring down at it with sparkling eyes, cried out:

"Thank you! I'll treasure it as a keepsake!"

"Oh, you don't have to go that far……"

Hayun said, looking a little embarrassed, and then bowed deeply toward the Earth-boo.

"Uweh!?"

At Hayun's sudden gesture, the Earth-boo turned even bluer than usual.

"Please take good care of Jieun."

"Huh? Huh?"

The Earth-boo's language skills regressed all over again.

"……"

And watching that scene left me feeling a little sour.

Hayun is…… a good kid. Magical girls are all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠good kids, to begin with. Iris's personality is twisted, sure, but even she never kills people with her power—she holds the line she drew for herself. In the sense that their essential nature is 'good,' at least.

And among them, I know better than anyone in this world how good Hayun's nature is. We've been childhood friends all this time.

However.

"Ah, yes……"

Whether she sensed something strange, or the caffeine had finally worn off, the Earth-boo's replies turned a little strained.

That's right. Hayun is good.

So good that she believes she absolutely must look after the kids who are just a little…… lacking compared to herself.

She doesn't openly sort people into categories. Hayun wouldn't even think of doing that.

Call it a kind of compulsion. Maybe it's something she picked up from her family.

Whether what's lacking is money, intelligence, or athletic ability, Hayun takes those kids under her wing with a sense of mission. And that's exactly why she's so popular. It's the kind of personality that crooked kids could look at and decide to bully—except, well, bullying someone who's a full-fledged magical girl isn't exactly a wise choice.

Especially since Iris goes to our school, too.

Anyway.

That way of thinking of Hayun's…… honestly, it irritates me sometimes.

Especially when I'm the one on the receiving end of that care.

It's the single biggest reason I still keep everything about the orphanage locked away, tight.

"Well then…… Happy New Year."

Hayun said.

The Earth-boo's face split into a goofy grin. Whatever odd feeling she'd had a moment ago had been flung clear into the sky.

"Yes! Happy New Year to you too!"

I don't know why, but when the Earth-boo said that, the girl beside Hayun puffed up with pride as well.

I suppose this is a kind of Earth-fan fever too. Ever since the Galaxy Federation made contact, human pride has taken quite a beating.

There really are aliens who discriminate against Earthlings, after all.

"And you too, Jieun."

"……Yeah."

"I'll text you."

"Yeah. Text me."

At my words, Hayun smiled at me and waved.

We each turned back the way we'd come.

Hayun looked back toward me again and again as she walked.

Since I saw her do it, naturally I was doing exactly the same.

"……You knew Blossom?"

After we'd walked a while, the Earth-boo suddenly asked.

"Did I not mention it?"

"Not once!"

"Yeah. She's a friend."

"You should've said so ages ago!"

"……I didn't mention it because I knew you'd react like this."

"That's so mean!"

But if I had told her, she'd have begged me for introductions.

It's more annoying than you'd think. No matter what, I wanted to keep my relationship with Hayun the way it was. I had zero intention of milking it, either.

Later—once we graduate and start working—the one-sided consideration I receive will dry up. That's when I plan to reveal that I'm from the orphanage.

By then I'll have quit being a combatant anyway, so there'd be no need to bring that part up separately.

It won't be a perfectly equal relationship, but still. It'll be a much more 'friend-like' one.

"Hey~ I have a favor to ask~"

"No."

"You didn't even listen!?"

The Earth-boo shrieked when I flatly refused without hearing her out.

Whatever the favor was, it'd obviously be asking me to help her collect magical girl autographs.

That's one of the biggest reasons she came to Earth in the first place.

And it's the reason that 'boo' instinct never washes out, either. The ones who come to Earth believing that humans sailed through space without magic, that they love peace, that they're all refined connoisseurs of culture and the arts—most of them go home with psychiatric diagnoses.

Honestly, the ones who fixate on a specific idol or magical girl like this are the healthier ones.

"Also, you can walk on your own now, right? Find your own way home."

"Ehh."

My words must have been devastating, because the Earth-boo staggered.

"……"

Hayun and her friend walked on in silence for a while.

Hayun had always lived her life wearing an expression that seemed to have no concept of 'being offended.'

She'd rarely looked at anyone and felt displeased, and even when she did, she never showed it outright.

Others saw Hayun as outgoing but gentle and sweet—a good girl. In truth, that was just their own convenient misreading.

Somehow, people gathered around her. And somehow, the people who gathered wanted things from Hayun.

Only recently had Hayun begun to realize that one of the causes was her 'job' as a magical girl.

It had happened just now, too.

That Kipuren alien called 'Pangpang,' who'd seemed drunk on caffeine, had been a drooling mess right up until she recognized Hayun—the instant she saw Hayun's face, her whole behavior flipped.

How on earth had those two ended up together like that?

There were plenty of aliens on Earth, but becoming that close a friend with one was no easy feat.

Because the gulf ran far deeper than anything you could wave away with 'the cultures are just different.'

That blue-faced alien right there was proof enough. She got drunk on caffeine, didn't she?

If an Earthling met someone like that for the first time, they'd walk into a café and come out horrified. Kipuren people get far louder than usual when they're intoxicated. In other words, that girl had almost certainly been shrieking her head off in the middle of a café.

"……"

"Hey, Hayun?"

Only when her friend called did Hayun's eyes blink. She noticed the sting in them a beat too late.

"Is it because of those two from earlier?"

"Hm?"

What is she talking about?

Catching Hayun's gaze, her friend smiled and went on.

"I thought so. She doesn't seem to realize what an incredible person she's friends with, does she?"

"……"

For a moment, Hayun couldn't find her voice.

"Hanging around with some weird alien, of all things."

Ah. So that's it.

Hayun thought.

This girl still didn't understand how close Hayun and Jieun were. She couldn't even imagine it, really.

It had been especially true since high school. Middle school had been near their elementary school, so plenty of friends had moved up with them—but the high school Hayun and Jieun attended together was a bus ride away.

With the relationships reset, girls started appearing who believed they were closer to Hayun than Jieun was. That they fit with her better.

"……"

What was she supposed to say to that?

Hayun was a little confused.

She liked Jieun. Ever since they were little, whatever Hayun said, Jieun had simply listened, calm and steady.

It wasn't just that, either. Jieun was deeply considerate—though she herself barely seemed aware of it, and probably hadn't noticed at all.

Hayun could easily picture the scene that alien would have caused in a café. She didn't know what the two of them had talked about, but she'd seen the Federation's educational materials on what 'intoxicated Kipuren inhabitants' got up to. They drank to excess and committed crimes not so different from the ones humans committed.

If it had actually escalated to a crime, the girl would obviously have been deported, so it couldn't have gone that far—but by all accounts, Jieun had sat there and listened to that alien Pangpang talk all the way to the end. Had even lent her a shoulder to lean on.

Something Hayun herself never would have done.

How could you do that to a close friend?

……

Ah. No, that's not it either, is it.

"Honestly, there are some things about her I don't like."

And what would you do about it, exactly?

People aren't things you can change just because you don't like them.

"The uniform she wears always looks kind of grimy, and she doesn't seem to have many friends, either. Don't you think?"

"……"

Hayun couldn't bring herself to answer.

I see.

A little while ago, when this girl had been saying those things, Hayun hadn't been able to cut in. Facing someone and arguing with them, word against word, was simply too exhausting for her.

Which meant, in the end, that she'd done nothing but be a burden. No different from standing by.

At the very least, that alien would never have said to Jieun the things this girl was saying now.

"……"

How did I end up walking with this girl again?

She'd just stepped out to the neighborhood for a moment, and they'd happened to run into each other……

……She should have stayed home.

Letting one ear let the chatter wash past—the endless babbling of a girl so pleased with herself—Hayun drifted along, dully regretting it.