Chapter 333

Sakaki Chika didn't answer immediately, but her hands unconsciously clenched together, and her eyes showed a slight disappointment, though this was quickly concealed.

After that, Haihara slowly sipped her coffee, trying to hide her emotions.

Then, Sakaki Chika suddenly raised her head again, as if she wanted to say something to Haihara.

Haihara blinked.

What is he trying to say now?

As a result, she heard something that greatly surprised her.

"And then... teacher, I'd like to ask you for permission that I might not be coming to school for a long time."

After a long period of preparation, Sakaki Chika finally spoke clearly and fluently.

This time, unusually, he didn't stutter.

However, Haihara suddenly stopped drinking her coffee.

At first, she thought she had misheard.

Then, when she came to her senses, she froze for a moment, looking up at her idol with a blank expression.

"... What does this mean?"

Haihara had actually seen similar applications before.

She should say that she received such an application from Sakaki Chika when the school year started, and she even approved it.

For this reason, Sakaki Chika was nowhere to be seen in the class for a long time after the start of the semester.

Since such leave of absence was not considered truancy, Haihara was happy to see this happen.

But this time...

"After Christmas, because of work, my agent said I might need to make some choices between work and school, like... like before."

The answer is self-evident.

Even if Haihara were to choose for herself, she would know what to pick.

At this moment, Haihara realized that unlike last time when she had agreed so easily, this time she was probably a little reluctant.

For a very long time.

If it's the same as when school started, that means that before this semester ends and the class is disbanded, Sakaki Chika won't show up in this class much more often.

As an adult, Haihara quickly composed herself.

"Hmm... that's true."

Haihara propped her face up with one hand and gripped the cup handle with the other.

"Then I'll go find the leave application form in a bit."

She put down her coffee cup.

Reality always has these regrettable aspects.

It's a bit of a shame.

After she agreed to the request, I thought it would make things easier for Sakaki Chika.

However, she might have made a mistake somewhere.

When she looked at Sakaki Chika again, she saw that the little animal-like girl had a rather listless look in her eyes, and with that aggrieved little face, she looked pitiful.

She was on her way to get the watch when she happened to pass by Sakaki Chika. Noticing the other woman's expression, she stopped in her tracks.

At that moment, the girl reached out and gently touched Haihara's wrist:

"Teacher... teacher."

She grabbed Teacher Haihara.

Haihara didn't know what she wanted to say to her.

But suddenly, Sakaki Chika said to Haihara ---

"After I leave... please don't forget me, okay?"

She looked uneasy.

These words stunned Haihara once again.

She stopped in her tracks, looked down at the little girl, and saw the girl's very serious expression.

This child... is so insecure.

"I don't have Alzheimer's, so there's no need to worry about that."

Haihara, unusually, offered words of comfort and even raised her hand to touch Sakaki Chika's face, putting her at ease.

Incidentally, she pinched her idol's cheek.

It feels amazing.

As expected of a popular idol, even the feel of her face is celebrity-level.

After that, as if to confirm once again that Teacher Haihara hadn't lied to her, Sakaki Chika boldly stretched out her arms and hugged Haihara's waist.

Haihara felt as if a little child had suddenly hugged her.

After that, when she felt Sakaki Chika hugging her tightly, Haihara thought for a moment and then said to her:

"Although I won't have time on Christmas Day, it's no problem for us to go somewhere together in the evening on Christmas Eve or any day before."

Sakaki Chika loosened her grip slightly, but then nuzzled her head even closer.

The hair on her head twitched.

It seems that the words of comfort just now were effective, and afterwards, Sakaki Chika said:

"Then... Teacher Haihara, give me a hug too."

After that, Haihara fulfilled this small request.

Next, she was released and planned to look for a form to apply for an extended leave.

During this time, since there was still some time before class, Sakaki Chika was left alone in Haihara's office.

Sakaki Chika was still somewhat dazed after Teacher Haihara left.

She paused for a moment, then clasped her hands together and rubbed them together.

At that moment, she turned around and glanced at Haihara's office.

The teacher's office is equipped with heating.

So it probably gets very hot sitting here for a long time.

Although it's unknown what happened while she was unaware, there was a slightly wrinkled white shirt that Teacher Haihara usually wore on her chair in the office.

Subconsciously, Sakaki Chika took a step forward.

While instinctively checking that no one else was at the door, she slowly walked to the desk and then to the chair.

In the quiet office, when Haihara wasn't around, Sakaki Chika still had that harmless and docile expression, but she carefully picked up the shirt.

She held it in her hand and examined it for a while.

Her beautiful brown eyes reflected the woman's clothes being clutched in her small hands.

Sakaki Chika's expression didn't change; she simply picked up the clothes slowly, lowering her head to sniff the scent of the shirt.

Although Haihara's personal hygiene has always been very good.

But no one knows what the girl was feeling at that moment.

After a while, she buried her face in her clothes, just like when she curls up in bed at night, and slowly closed her eyes as she smelled it.

The girl's hands crumpled the hem of her clothes, and she pressed her hands against her face through the fabric, as if she could still feel the lingering warmth.

Her ears had somehow turned pink.

"..."

It's really hot in Teacher Haihara's office.

Chapter 112 A Day in the Life of Doctor

At midday, in a corner of the city, two Magic girls walked through a snow-covered alley, searching for something.

The two of them were clearly Thousand Sins and Dark Kite.

If before it was just a vague, conscious reminder, after the transformation, that strange, drawn-in feeling became increasingly intense.

Even their Crystal seem to echo the call, constantly radiating light.

Dark Kite revealed a curious expression:

"Really, I have a feeling that something unusual is attracting me from nearby."

The Nightmare Dragon Crystal on her Magic Wand kept flickering, which made her pay attention to it.

Thousand Sins looked around.

She used Magic to alter her vision, allowing her to see through the walls and search for things related to Magic Power.

However... her Magic was affected.

"This is really a headache. If we keep going like this and still haven't found it, school will start soon."

Thousand Sins scratched his head.

Clearly, the fact that the clues had finally appeared before her, yet she was completely clueless, left her feeling somewhat frustrated.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Dark Kite was still leaking air:

"Let me make this clear: I'm going back as soon as class starts, otherwise I'll get scolded by the teacher."

Compared to Takanashi, who frequently skips classes, Kuroki Yuka clearly doesn't want to be Problem Child who skips classes without cause so soon after arriving.

Especially since her family lives next door to Haihara.

Back then, Haihara- san was a troublesome and terrifying woman who personally debuted as a villainous Witch to solve the problem of truant students. She definitely doesn't want to anger Haihara- san again.

Thousand Sins waved his hand.

"Okay, okay..."

After that, Thousand Sins put one hand on his hip, looking listless and sluggish, while pinching his chin with the other hand, and began to calmly think about whether there were any clues he had overlooked.

That's strange.

Given her Magic Power perception abilities, it's generally impossible for her to be completely unaware of anything.

But she had this feeling that something was bothering her.

The only remaining point worth noting is that this place seems to be quite close to the Doctor's research institute.

Should we call and ask the Doctor what's going on?

So, Thousand Sins did just that.

"Good afternoon, Doctor..."

She obediently made a phone call and then began to ask what the signal the Doctor had just sent her meant.

Then she received the Doctor's answer.

"... You mean the detection equipment misjudged the situation?"

The girl raised her eyebrows slightly.

After a while, she said "I understand," then asked a few more questions before hanging up the phone.

She raised her head again, lost in thought.

"How is it?"

Dark Kite was curious.

"The Doctor said that the signal she just sent was something like a machine malfunction."

"But I can clearly sense a strange aura nearby."