17. Well, That Person Is My Partner, But... (End)
The bridge was packed with people and cars when we arrived.
Worried voices, voices desperately searching for someone. Voices trying to control the crowd.
All kinds of voices tangled together so that I couldn't properly make out a single one.
Behind Park Won, who was pushing ahead through the crowd, I instinctively covered my ears.
"Hold on, stop! This scene is currently under control! You can't come in!"
"We're from the Association. We received a request from the Association to handle the situation."
"What? Then the person who was temporarily assigned... is that you, Park Won?"
When Park Won pulled out his Association ID and held it out, the police officer looked back and forth between us.
The officer's expression subtly twisted every time he looked at Park Won's face.
'This Park Won guy really does have a bad reputation.'
While I was lost in thought by myself, whenever I made eye contact with the officer, I reflexively lowered my head.
Even though no one had specifically told me to hide my identity in front of the police, it just naturally ended up that way.
Lately, crowded places have been uncomfortable too... I guess I've instinctively started being wary of people in general.
I really hope it's not related to the effects of becoming a Magical Girl.
"Well, come on in for now. Still, keep in mind that you haven't been authorized for official activity."
"Mm."
"What I mean is, please don't blow this up into something big.... Intersection, two temporary Association personnel entering."
The officer half-heartedly spoke into his radio, putting particular emphasis on the word "temporary."
Unlike him, who stepped onto the swaying bridge with indifference, I furrowed my brow at the vague uneasiness.
It was just then that I wondered if the label "temporary" could really feel this unpleasant.
[Please get me out—!]
I just faintly heard a voice.
"The hat is bothering me...."
"Don't take it off carelessly."
"But I'm telling you, I can hear something. Asking for help.... Someone keeps calling out like that."
"You're not thinking of jumping in, are you."
Honestly, I'm not confident. With my meager abilities, stepping in would probably just make me a burden.
But still, they're calling out so desperately....
Now that I've heard someone asking for help, I can't just stand by and watch.
After putting some distance between myself and the crowd with quick little steps, I began focusing on the voice.
The tuft of feathers on top of my head stood up stiffly.
[Thud.]
[Thud thud.]
[Thud thud thud thud thud.]
[I'm scared, d-don't come—! Please, anyone, just help me!]
I felt the tip of the tuft on my head stand up even more sharply.
I felt like I had to go.
I felt like I couldn't just stay here like this.
Because it felt as though I was the very person they were desperately searching for.
Even though I knew my abilities were lacking, my heart pounded heavily in my chest.
"There's no time for this."
"No."
"We might be too late at this rate, Partner. This isn't the time for that?!"
"...."
"Is it because I can't fly, and I don't have any decent abilities?"
"It's not only for reasons like that. There are procedures, after all."
"Would even Peregrine... have done that?"
I know. I know that too.
Even though I know that if I insist on stepping in, I might only be a burden.
"I'm sorry. I can't do that, Partner."
I stood in front of Park Won and looked up at him.
If Albatross had been here, would Park Won have stopped her like this?
No. He wouldn't have stopped her.
Even though I understood in my head why Park Won was stopping me, somehow I felt like I had to go.
I don't remember it, but I became a Magical Girl after making a promise with Peregrine.
I couldn't stain that name by hiding behind it like a coward.
"Until you arrived, I was trying to just watch too. But... I heard a voice asking for help."
"You know perfectly well there's nothing you can do even if you go."
"I know, but I'm going anyway! At the very least... I'll do something I can be proud of under the name Peregrine."
"...."
"If you want to discipline me for violating regulations, go ahead. Because I have nothing to be ashamed of."
Behind me as I walked ahead, I heard Park Won's voice.
Instead of grabbing me, Park Won called out to me with a sigh.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, I'm serious! Because even Peregrine would have done it!"
I still have a hard time understanding this impulsive feeling myself.
But even so, I feel like I have to do this.
Because right now, I'm the only one who can save that person.
Because even in the moment when only one person remains, moving forward for dreams and hope is what a Magical Girl is.
That's why, even when she's gasping for breath, a Magical Girl has to keep running.
I turned my back on Park Won and started running at full speed.
Even though this body has no wings and can't even use any decent magic.
I don't want a future where I fall asleep chewing over regret because I couldn't save someone.
"Help—! An Ab-Aberration is trying to get in!"
"The Aberration suppression rounds aren't working! Damn it, they worked just a few months ago!"
I leaped between the police officers who were aiming useless guns at the Aberration.
I ran without paying any attention to the officers shouting from behind me to stop.
I began making my way across the gouged-up bridge on two legs instead of wings as its rebar groaned precariously.
"Hey, stop! Goddammit, someone grab that person.... Aaaah!"
As I narrowly dodged the debris the Aberration threw, I heard the screams of the police officers behind me.
It was dangerous, but it didn't seem like anyone was hurt.
That's a relief.
I reached out and picked up a round sign that had fallen to the ground.
I erased the anxiety in my pounding heart with a sense of responsibility.
I can do this. No, I have to do this.
Repeating that to myself, I raised my voice to draw the Aberration's attention.
"—!"
I spun around a couple of times and hurled the round sign, and it struck the Aberration that was rampaging on top of a car.
The moment the Aberration flinched in surprise and moved away from the car, I immediately took that spot.
And then, I started pounding on the car's front-door window with my fist.
"Break, break... just break, please!"
[Crunch.]
My trembling heartbeat overlapped with the sound of rebar stretching.
Faster. I have to strike down harder. I don't care at all if glass shards get lodged in my hand.
I had to save this person. Otherwise I'd be unworthy both as a person and as Peregrine.
As I struck the windshield with my blood-soaked hand, I picked up the round sign from the ground again.
Ignoring the vanished Aberration, I started hammering the door with the sign.
"It's dangerous...! You, if you keep doing that...!"
"I know...!"
The car tilted. My vision tilted too.
The bridge's rebar began snapping one by one.
I'd wondered where the Aberration had disappeared to—it had moved away from us and was gnawing at the rebar.
"Kiiiiii—!!!"
The Aberration came into view, laughing grotesquely as it prepared to fly at me.
Don't interfere. I have to save this person.
I don't have time to pay attention to you.
If you come any closer, I'll—right here.
"Kihik...."
"What the...."
I just glared at it, and it backed off so pathetically.
Why? No, actually, I'm glad it backed off on its own, but.
[Screech!]
Or maybe it ran away in advance because it seemed like the bridge was about to collapse....
"Ah, aaah...! I-I'm falling...! What do I do!"
"It's okay...! I'll do something about it!"
"Who are you to be saying you'll save me or not...?!"
The person who will save you.
Someone who protects citizens in danger.
A star watching over the city, fighting harder than anyone for dreams and hope.
I have to say that name—the one you can hear without feeling anxious.
Because only then can I save you.
"I'm Peregrine...! Because I came to protect you!"
"Peregrine.... Uh, ah. Aaaah...!!!"
I barely managed to pull the citizen out of the car.
Before the car fell, I placed the citizen on the road first.
Now, if I can just get myself out... that would be enough.
As expected, it was too late. The bridge was collapsing.
This is bad....
———
Ugh.
Uuugh...!
"Uuuegh...! Cough. Cough... haah."
I thought I was going to die.
As I came to my senses, I barely managed to raise my body.
My body was soaked. I'd definitely succeeded in saving the citizen, at least.
But I was too late, and in the end the road collapsed and I fell into the river too.
I remember up to the moment I fell....
"You really caused one hell of an accident."
"What...? Why are you here?!"
When I raised my body on the riverbank, Park Won was sitting beside me, completely drenched.
After failing a few times to light a water-soaked cigarette, Park Won quietly set the pack down beside him.
Even soaking wet, he kept his sunglasses on to the very end....
"You dummy. If something happens to you, I'm the one who gets disciplined."
"...."
"Ruined a whole pack of cigarettes. What a waste...."
"You didn't... did you?"
I instinctively raised both hands to cover my mouth.
Park Won was watching that sight with... eyes that said he found it pathetic.
"Seeing as you're talking, you're fine."
"No.... I asked if you did it."
"I didn't."
"Really?"
"Peregrine is sturdy, so there's no need for mouth-to-mouth."
Well, that's a relief, but....
As my mind came back, only then did a burning sensation rise from my fingertips.
My hands, soaked in blood with shards lodged in them... were absolutely not the hands of a Magical Girl.
"Still, Peregrine is Peregrine. I followed and watched."
"What? I don't really understand what you mean."
"An Aberration running away from just a glare—didn't you think that was strange yourself?"
Now that I think about it, that's true. I really did just glare at it, and it ran off on its own.
Is this guy trying to say the Aberration instinctively fled?
"The peregrine falcon is the apex predator of the ecosystem."
"...."
"Honestly, I was surprised, but you lived up to the name Peregrine.... But you, how are you going to handle this problem?"
Park Won held his terminal horizontally out toward me as I sat there drenched.
It seemed to be a video interviewing the citizen who survived on the bridge.
"Oh, this person... is the one I saved earlier."
"Exactly."
[She was a Magical Girl who identified herself as Peregrine. Her outfit was a little different, but.... She defeated the Aberration and saved me!]
Oh....
"Why did you say the name, you...."
"To re. Reassure, the citizen...."
"There were plenty of other ways."
"How am I supposed to weigh options one by one when it's that urgent...."
"That's what your Partner is for."
That was a fair point, but....
Honestly, what am I supposed to do when what you say doesn't sit right with me.
"For now, even if it's temporary, I'm your Partner."
"I... know that."
"I'm not saying your approach was wrong, but I'd appreciate some cooperation."
"I'm sorry for rushing in without thinking. Park Won... Partner."
"Well...."
After a brief pause, Park Won turned his head toward me.
With water droplets dripping, drip, drip, past his hair, he nodded.
"Still, that was the most Magical Girl-like behavior you've shown recently."
"...."
"I'll reflect on it too. I'll help you write the disciplinary paperwork."
"What...? I'm getting disciplined for this?"
"Of course, you dummy. You leaked Association secrets."
"Huff. Huff.... You revealed your identity?!"
Just then, I heard a voice rushing up from behind.
An Gi-yeon. A honeybee that only looks for the honey pot.
Behind her, a figure came into view, floating in the air instead of walking on two feet, moving on tentacles beneath her skirt.
A person who remained clearly in my fragmented memories.
It was the Association's Director.