Kidnapped by a Retired Magical Girl
I got kidnapped by a retired magical girl. Luckily, I managed to land a day labor job.
It was all thanks to the director who always had a soft spot for me—he recommended me for the gig. The pay was pretty generous too. Maybe I'll hit up a sauna with this, I thought. But then the mini sauna and bath in the penthouse popped into my head. Still, going there every day didn't feel right.
Lost in those thoughts as I walked down the street—
"Found you."
"...Soo-ah?"
I'd been kidnapped by a former magical girl.
Kidnapping. The act of ignoring someone's will and forcibly dragging them away.
That summed up exactly what was happening to me right now. Soo-ah had appeared out of nowhere, grabbed my wrist with an iron grip, and was hauling me off.
"Ugh, ack! S-Soo-ah?!"
"Come on."
Her strength was insane—my wrist felt like it was about to shatter. No way this came from a woman with such a slender build. It really hit home just how ridiculous magical girls were.
"Why... why didn't you come today?"
"Huh?"
She sounded desperate, like she was being chased by something. She wasn't in her right mind. Her eyes were unfocused, and there were dried tear tracks stark on her cheeks.
She looks like someone who just got dumped. Total nutcase.
"You said you'd come again. I waited... kept waiting."
"...It's not even been a full day yet?"
"You said you'd come often!"
No way. She said I'd come again, and now she's flipping out because I didn't show up right away? Haven't we only known each other for less than a day?
If she's this wrecked after just half a day apart, how the hell has she been surviving all this time?
"Haa... haa... Let's go to my place first. You promised you'd come again, right? We can talk there."
"No, I mean, okay, but my wrist..."
"No!"
"Eek... It h-hurts..."
I just heard a crunch! My wrist is seriously gonna break!
"Ah. Aah. S-Sorry! Does it hurt a lot? When I get worked up, I can't control my strength... I didn't mean to..."
"I get it, just let go of my hand first..."
Seeing me groan, Soo-ah startled and released my hand.
My wrist looked brutal, bruised in the exact shape of her grip. Maybe even a little dislocated. How strong was her grip strength to do this?
"W-Wait! I'll heal it!"
She fidgeted anxiously, then reached for my wrist again.
I flinched away on reflex, but a warm, soothing sensation spread from my wrist, melting away the tension. A green light flowed from her hand, seeping into my skin.
"...Magic?"
It was definitely magic.
The miraculous power that only magical girls could wield in this world. And here she was, a retired magical girl, using it.
"I thought you couldn't use magic anymore?"
"I can still use it. Just can't kill Kaiji with it. To slay Kaiji born from negativity, you need the pure heart of a girl..."
"Ah..."
"That's why the mascots call us witches. Existences left with only magic, no girl's heart anymore. I mentioned it before, right?"
Witch. The contempt in that word stabbed right into my chest.
"I'm a poison magical girl. Poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin, so healing's my specialty! If anyone around you is sick, just let me know. I'll treat them."
"That's impressive..."
"I-It’s not that big a deal."
Before I knew it, the pain in my wrist was completely gone. The red bruise had vanished too.
If anything, my wrist—which had been nagging me with a dull ache lately—felt healthier than ever. This skill would have serious demand among office workers with carpal tunnel.
"I-I'm really sorry..."
"Ah, no, it's fine. You healed it and everything."
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence hung between us.
It was hard to get mad, but thanking her felt weird too. I wasn't unhappy she'd come find me, but the suddenness left a bit of annoyance. Mostly, it was just... awkward.
"I-I know this sounds weird, but... would you live with me...?"
"Huh?"
The silence was getting itchy, and I was about to say something—anything—when she beat me to it.
"I-I'll pay you plenty. As much money as you want, use my place freely. If you need magic, I can help with that too."
"E-Even so, living together outright is a bit... y'know? We're a guy and a girl, after all. Who knows if something awkward happens."
"Eek..."
Her face flushed red as she bowed her head. She seemed so shy in moments like this, but why was she so desperate to live with me?
Just lonely?
"Why are you so desperate about this?"
No point overthinking it alone. I just asked her straight up.
And her answer hit heavier than I'd expected.
"...I'm scared."
"Scared...?"
"That you might suddenly forget about me. Forget my place, forget who I am... and never come back. That terrifies me..."
Scared. Of being forgotten.
Finally, her unhinged reaction started to make sense.
Trauma.
Being suddenly erased from the memories of everyone she loved— that had to be worse than any nightmare. It must have gnawed at her soul for so long. And now, meeting me—a new connection—had made that buried fear explode.
Truth be told, I couldn't even be sure I'd keep remembering her forever.
I didn't know why I could remember her. How could I promise I wouldn't forget? I might wake up tomorrow and have no clue who she was. It wouldn't be weird at all.
"Sorry..."
She looked so pitiful, mumbling apologies over and over. The despair she must have felt graduating from "girl" to adult, suddenly isolated in society. Loneliness. Alienation.
That suffocating sensation was on another level from what I felt when the church collapsed and I got shoved into "normal" society.
Even I spent the first day after just staring blankly at the sky. Hers had to have been worse.
"Soo-ah."
"Y-Yes...?"
"Wanna go on a date?"
"...Huh?"
So, if she'd have me—
I wanted to comfort her.
"Come on. This time, hold hands—not the wrist. And not too tight. I'll bawl if it hurts."
"Y-Yes...?"
Even the adults in our church always said to be a neighbor to the lonely.
The movie theater buzzed with people. I'd heard theaters were dying because no one watches movies anymore, but this one was packed. Probably because two films had already hit ten million viewers. Guess good movies still draw crowds.
I deliberately pointed to an unpopular one and asked her,
"How about this one?"
"Ah... S-Sounds fun."
"Yeah? Looks like a total snooze. Reviews suck too."
"..."
"Haha, you know what they say? Movie theaters aren't great for first dates. If you're awkward, you can only talk about the film. And if it's a flop, you both just end up in a bad mood."
"Is that so? Never thought about it."
"Do you come to theaters a lot, Soo-ah?"
"Ah, no. I can screen upcoming films at home with VIP perks..."
"Ah."
How loaded is she, exactly?
"B-But I haven't seen this one yet!"
"Haha, good thing."
I chuckled and headed to the ticket counter. Casually booked couple seats and handed her the tickets.
"This theater has couple seats."
"C-Couple...?"
"But the popular screenings don't. Cuts down on total seats if they add 'em."
"Ah..."
"Heard that somewhere, anyway. Never sat in one myself. Always wanted to try, though. Kinda weird alone, right? And sitting in couple seats with the guys for some lame flick? Nightmare."
"...It's okay if I'm your first?"
Ooh. That line was gold. Kinda thrilling.
"With someone as pretty as you, Soo-ah? Be an honor."
"Pfft. Yesterday you said I wasn't that hot."
"Eh, you were up against an idol. You don't compare looks with celebs."
"Total player..."
"Hm? Think I've heard I'm good with people. Probably 'cause I grew up in that cult."
"Ah... Pfft. Yeah. Am I getting proselytized?"
"Wanna start a new church? Retired Magical Girl Church. With your powers, it'd boom. I'd fake prayers, you'd heal folks with magic on the side."
"Heh. Sounds fun."
It was a joke, but not a bad idea. No weird doctrines or scamming—just earn decent money healing. Tons of people crave health over cash.
And since it actually worked, it wasn't fraud.
Cults were service jobs anyway.
"Soo-ah, what popcorn?"
"Mm, caramel for me!"
"Butter for me. One each?"
"Ah, then butter for me too. Get a big one."
"Huh?"
"I like both."
"Haha, couple set it is."
"Pfft."
We grabbed popcorn and cola, proper-like, and headed into the screening early.
The movie was goddamn awful.