Teacher, I Am Actually a Villainous Magical Girl

Kirishima Ai said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Teacher Haihara looked at the young girl and smiled.

Perhaps because she was a little tipsy, she found the girl quite cute right now.

"Did the teacher scold you again today?"

Teacher Haihara leaned in close to Kirishima Ai, pinched her cheek, and gave a small smile.

Kirishima Ai only let out a vague, muffled "Mm."

Without saying anything more, Teacher Haihara found a random spot to sit down, and Kirishima Ai sat down beside her as well.

After the two had sat there for a while, Kirishima Ai spoke first:

"Um, excuse me, what should I call you?"

Teacher Haihara pondered for a moment, chin in hand.

"You can call me Lily."

It was a somewhat cute name that didn't really suit her, but in her current state, it didn't matter what she was called.

Upon hearing the gray-haired woman's name, Kirishima Ai blinked, then lowered her head:

"Ms. Lily, what kind of person is Teacher Haihara?"

"Are you talking about your homeroom teacher?"

Kirishima Ai nodded.

"Hmm..."

Teacher Haihara hadn't expected Kirishima Ai to ask such a question; after all, she assumed no one would care about a gloomy, boring, background-character teacher like herself.

Was it because she had been a bit harsh today that the girl wanted to hear some bad things about her?

She thought about it for a moment:

"I don't really know her that well. I've heard she's a bit dull and not very likable, and that her character and teaching ethics are mediocre. You'll find plenty of people like that in society later on."

Teacher Haihara didn't mind bad-mouthing herself.

It was the truth, anyway.

"...She's not that bad, though."

Kirishima Ai looked up.

...Why did this girl suddenly change her opinion of her?

"Maybe."

Teacher Haihara replied nonchalantly.

The drunkenness seemed to be fading, so she picked up the bottle again and took a long gulp.

Wiping the alcohol from the corner of her mouth, Teacher Haihara thought for a moment:

"Why do you want to be a Magical Girl?"

This question was similar to the previous one, yet also quite different.

This time, she was simply curious about why Kirishima Ai wanted to be a Magical Girl.

Although, there wasn't really any point in asking.

Teacher Haihara had wanted to be a Magical Girl when she was a child too, but she was just ordinary—not some chosen girl.

In fact, Teacher Haihara was a bit confused even now.

Why are Magical Girls, Magical Girls?

Is it because they are luckier than others, or is there something they possess that she lacks?

Kirishima Ai thought for a while.

"I have a younger sister, she's about middle school age now."

Teacher Haihara knew this.

Kirishima Ai's parents were divorced; her current guardian was her father, but she lived alone, while her sister lived with their mother.

"But, she actually can't go to middle school."

Teacher Haihara looked at her without speaking.

"When she was little, she was in an accident. She couldn't walk, and she spent a long time lying in a hospital bed."

The black-haired girl spoke slowly.

"During that time, I would watch Magical Girls with her. Actually, I wanted to watch them too... Back then, she told me that it would have been great if a Magical Girl had come to save her."

"So I thought, if only I were a Magical Girl..."

If she were a Magical Girl, she could have saved her sister back then. Her sister could have lived as a normal person, gone to school, and perhaps her mom and dad wouldn't have fought and divorced later on.

However, the miracle did not descend at that time.

When she truly became a magical girl, it felt like everything was a dream.

Perhaps she could really become her younger sister's hero.

Moreover, if she possessed the miraculous power of a magical girl like those in anime, she might even be able to heal her sister's legs.

Although she couldn't do it now, one day...

"Since I've gone through the trouble of becoming a magical girl, I must continue to fight."

She wanted to be her sister's hero.

After listening, Teacher Haihara simply rested her chin on one hand, saying nothing.

So, did Kirishima Ai become a magical girl?

Teacher Haihara thought about it carefully; she didn't seem to have any particular reason for wanting to be a hero.

She simply wanted to be special.

Because her past life had been dull and mediocre, Teacher Haihara sometimes wished she were a more extraordinary person, which was why she hoped to become a magical girl.

But perhaps such a reason wasn't enough to become a magical girl.

Before they knew it, the two of them had been chatting for a while. Kirishima Ai checked the time and wore a look of regret.

"I'm sorry, I accidentally talked too much."

"It's fine."

Teacher Haihara smiled.

Kirishima Ai suddenly looked at Teacher Haihara, afraid that she might suddenly disappear like last time:

"Can I come to see Lily again next time?"

"Hmm?" Teacher Haihara pinched her chin, pondering for a moment.

Under normal circumstances, she basically appeared on this day every week.

So there shouldn't be any problem.

Seeing the gray-haired woman nod, Kirishima Ai showed a happy expression, then hesitated for a moment, as if wondering whether to speak up.

After a while, she lowered her head, her face flushing slightly as she said:

"Then, last time... that comfort, could I have it again?"

Teacher Haihara was stunned for a moment.

Comfort?

After trying hard to recall, she remembered.

Then she looked at Kirishima Ai with some surprise and couldn't help but smile.

This little girl was quite cute.

It was a pity she wasn't her type.

She still preferred mature older women, like Ms. Suzuki.

Soon, Kirishima Ai felt herself being gently embraced by the woman in front of her again, a sensation that was slightly cold yet somewhat warm.

The school infirmary was usually empty, and it was said that no one had ever seen the school nurse, though it was rumored that there was indeed a teacher in charge. It was said that students who occasionally entered the infirmary after school could see the shadow of a tall, thin woman.

Some claimed to have actually seen the school nurse, describing her as an incredible beauty with gray hair, yet such descriptions were quickly dismissed as just another school urban legend.

But indeed, students who occasionally entered the infirmary after school would run into someone.

It was already after school, and the setting sun hung outside the window. Most students had left the school building, but Sakaki Chika had not left; instead, she stayed in the infirmary all by herself.

She wasn't feeling unwell; she just didn't want to go home too early.

Sakaki Chika opened her phone to find many unread messages—some from her manager, some private messages from fans in fan groups, and various commercial advertisements from who knows where.

After staying for a while, she felt a bit bored and thought about taking a nap, but soon she heard footsteps.

Looking toward the infirmary door, Sakaki Chika saw a figure walk in.

Wearing teacher's attire, she seemed to be a teacher...

Sakaki Chika felt a bit nervous and prepared to explain herself first:

"I'm sorry, I..."

But upon seeing the woman who entered, her whole body stiffened, and she looked at the woman with nervous apprehension.

The person who entered was a tall, thin woman wearing glasses with a cold, gloomy temperament; without a doubt, it was her homeroom teacher, Teacher Haihara.

Why would Teacher Haihara be here so late...

Sakaki Chika felt awkward and nervous.

"Teacher Haihara... I... I didn't mean to..."

For a moment, she stammered, trying to explain, but because she was too afraid, she couldn't get anything out.

Teacher Haihara pushed up her glasses, her expression blank.

"It's getting late. Aren't you going home?"

Sakaki Chika didn't know how to respond for a moment.

She truly didn't want to go home.

Even after dark, she would wait another hour before heading back; sometimes she wanted to wait even longer. If her family didn't call her frantically, she might have stayed out for two or three hours.

"...Yeah."

Sakaki Chika nodded.

"You don't want to go home?"

Teacher Haihara asked coldly.

This time, Sakaki Chika didn't know how to answer. After all, she didn't know what to do if the teacher asked her why she didn't want to go back.

"No need to be so nervous. I'm not going to force you to go home."

"Eh?"

Sakaki Chika looked at Teacher Haihara in surprise.

"However, it is true that your personality worries me a bit. If you aren't going home, do you want to chat for a while?"

Teacher Haihara looked at Sakaki Chika.

Sakaki Chika opened her mouth, then nodded blankly.

Chapter 20 Sakaki Chika

Under normal circumstances, Teacher Haihara certainly wouldn't have the mood to care about students or chat about sensitive adolescent topics like psychology. She wasn't that kind of motivated teacher, nor did she care that much about her students.

Although there were other teachers who would show more concern and care for a special student like Sakaki Chika, Teacher Haihara was not that considerate.