I Rejected the Magical Girl's Confession
There's this concept called personal space.
To use a kinda gross analogy, imagine a bus with plenty of empty seats, but some random old guy insists on peeing right next to you. That's the kind of unease humans feel when strangers invade their space. We haven't built up enough trust yet.
And right in front of me was a girl who'd perfectly breached my personal space.
"Um, sorry about yesterday. I just really wanted to get my feelings across somehow…"
I gazed at her flushed face and bowed head with a mix of awkward emotions.
Magical Girl Ruby—no, the girl named Ravi. I'd only met her two weeks ago.
The idea that a kid like her had confessed to me shouldn't even be on the table.
Targeting me, her sworn enemy? Super suspicious. And right now, I had every reason to doubt her intentions.
"Got it. I'll make some coffee—have a seat for now?"
"Th-thank you…"
I tabled the confession topic for the moment. Diving straight into the main issue wouldn't help anyone.
Buy time, calm the other person down. A negotiation tactic I'd picked up in my old world.
Next up…
Who knew what she might pull next? I needed at least some basic precautions.
I slipped behind the counter to Amber, who'd been holding her breath and watching the whole scene.
She looked lost, scanning my face anxiously. Kinda made me feel bad.
Tick!
Pretending to boil water, I grabbed the nearby notepad. Speaking out loud would tip off Ravi.
[If Ruby tries to jump me, bolt out the back door right away and tell the boss. Snap a photo if you can.]
That should cover it. Nothing missed.
This cafe looked ordinary enough, but it was actually one of Silver Unit's branches. Amber got it when she was promoted to exec, but since she's still in school at Jewelry Academia, I'd been stuck managing it.
So yeah, send an emergency ping, and someone from the org would come running in no time.
"……"
She gave a slightly grumpy look at my near-order memo but nodded anyway.
I'd told Amber it was "consultation," but the real goal was this: while I stalled Ravi, she'd snap a pic and alert the boss.
Time to probe Ravi's motives and give her my answer on the confession.
I returned with a cappuccino—the kind she often ordered here.
"Hoo, hoo…"
Ravi blew on the hot coffee, then sipped, savoring it.
Tension eased. Perfect time to get into it.
"Mind telling me why you confessed to me?"
"Love at first sight… Isn't that enough?"
"Nope."
Just so we're clear, there's zero reason for her to fall for me. Average looks, empty wallet.
We'd only known each other briefly, so no "you led me on" nonsense.
"I get that you're serious. Transforming into your magical girl form and all."
Sharing secrets she could've hidden? That's commitment.
But the key is mutual feelings. One-sided emotions aren't love.
"Problem is, I don't know you at all. Even spilling your identity like yesterday doesn't make me suddenly get you, Ravi."
"……."
If she'd built up to it step by step, I might've considered. But not now.
"Plus, I can't commit to you, and getting flagged by the Magical Girl Administration? Hard pass. Can you convince a guy like me?"
"I-I'll make sure no one finds out…"
"So, a sneaky affair?"
Hard pass. That'd betray everyone who's backed her so far.
Better to go public and own it.
"You're not just any student now. Own that you're humanity's hope—the strongest magical girl."
Sounds like advice, but it's my honest take.
Modern kids hate scoldings, so this dings my image a bit. Calculated.
"A cute girl like you liking a guy like me? Flattering. But I can't accept this confession."
I barely paused to breathe through that whole speech.
It covered everything I'd mulled over all night. Should be answer enough.
Issue was, even now, Ravi stared at me with those suspicious eyes.
"St-still, I…!"
Bzzz—
Right as she mustered her courage, a weird alert buzzed from the brooch on her clothes. Perfect timing.
"…Looks like a monster nearby. Can we talk later?"
"Sure. It's late—tomorrow or whenever."
The second she bolted out, I heard footsteps racing up the stairs. Off to "slay" the monster, no doubt.
Amber poked her head out after hiding for nearly ten minutes.
"…She gone?"
"Seems like."
That monster? Probably her quick improv. Timing screamed it.
"Ugh, my legs ache… Held that weird pose for twenty minutes!"
Classic student. She lightened the heavy mood just right.
That's how she earned trust from the other execs and the boss.
"Anyway, huge deal! The real Magical Girl Ruby confessed to you, senpai!"
"…Why the pissed-off tone?"
No one more wronged than me here. At least no ropes this time—better than yesterday.
"So? Telling the boss?"
"Gonna think it over. We don't even know what she's after."
"Hmm, yeah, fair."
If it's a trap, Silver Unit's survival's at stake. Gather intel first.
"Still, you handled that confession like a pro. Kinda cool."
"Silver Unit aside, I'm an adult. Gotta own up when confessed to."
"Whoa, showing off."
"……."
Fine, guilty.
"Whatever. She'll lose interest soon and bail. No way a normal girl falls for me."
This world’s full of hotter, more capable guys than me. A star like Ruby? They'd line up.
I'll wait for her to crush on some better dude.
"…There's a girl who likes you right here, and you say that."
Amber muttered something low, but it was too quiet to catch.
"Haa…"
After slaying the monster and getting home, Ruby flopped onto her bed, picturing Jade's face. How he'd stayed cool and given her a proper answer despite her sudden confession.
Only Jade treated her not as Ruby, but as plain old Ravi.
With the magical girl mask glued on forever, "Ravi" could never come out.
"He was wary of me. Adorable."
Perfect. If he kept his guard up and pushed her away, that was all she needed.
Jade rejecting her? Right on script. Proof the plan was working.
Of course, no one could call the situation ideal. Yesterday, she'd lost control and tied him up—a total blunder.
But once humans trust you, they rarely doubt.
What if Jade, who saw her as a thorn, started trusting her?
That wariness would flip into something stronger overnight.
Dependence, attachment, obsession, craving…
All blending into a murky, intoxicating emotion.
"Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade…"
Ravi repeated his name with mad eyes.
Like Adam and Eve, just the two of them in the world—pure bliss.
Silver Unit, monsters, magical girls, mana.
To Ruby, they were all barriers between her and Jade.
She wanted to ditch it all, lock him in her cage. But that wouldn't save him. Memories showed a man who savored simple joys.
"…I won't let you die this time."
Time to advance the plan.
Ordinary love couldn't save Jade.