Chapter 494
However, by noon, Kazama Kiriori quickly suppressed her smile, which made it easy for some people to guess what had happened.
Because----
"President, are you under a lot of pressure preparing for the exam lately?"
What she heard was a rare word of concern from Kirishima Ai.
Kazama Kiriori turned her head to the side and saw the junior girl, a first-year high school student, blinking her dark eyes and looking at her.
As one of only two... now seemingly only three Magic girls with decent grades, the two of them can barely find common ground.
"Same as usual, so it's fine?"
Kazama Kiriori dressed up as the reliable upperclassman she always was.
Now, these Magic girls have gathered together for lunch after a long time.
Sakaki Chika also examined it carefully and said:
"President, it seems like you didn't prepare a proper lunch today? Are you sure everything's alright?"
Sakaki Chika, on the other hand, has an amazing ability to observe.
Although Kazama Kiriori lives alone, she prepares her lunch very carefully every day, since she needs to make sure she gets enough nutrition during the school year.
But this morning, she was exhausted from what happened last night, so she and her mother just made something haphazardly.
"... Hmm? Maybe I was a little tired from studying last night. Sorry, I'll be more careful next time."
Kazama Kiriori thought for a moment, then naturally gave her her usual smile.
Upon Kazama Kazama's words, the two Problem Child immediately believed him.
The remaining two, Takanashi Shiori and Kuroki Yuka, were eating their own bento boxes.
Kuroki Yuka said while picking up a piece of fried chicken:
"Hey Senpai Kazama, would you like some food from us?"
The Takanashi, however, remained silent and simply ate.
Kazama Kiriori lowered her head and looked down.
The food I cooked today wasn't very appetizing.
It's too late to go to the store now; she doesn't want to go home hungry after school. She feels she might need some strength lately.
Kirishima Ai and Sakaki Chika seemed to have similar reactions.
"Then, if the president doesn't mind, I'll have mine too?"
"Um, thank you everyone..."
Just as Kazama Kiriori was speaking, Kirishima Ai, who was standing next to her, accidentally bumped into Kazama Kiriori's arm while raising her arm to pick up some food for her.
The next moment, all the Problem Child in the empty classroom heard a scream from Student Council Kazama Kiriori.
"... Uh, President?"
Kirishima Ai innocent and embarrassed, not knowing what she had done to make the student council president make such a painful sound.
Kazama Kiriori tried to laugh it off, but she covered her arm and hissed softly.
"It's alright, it's alright..."
At that moment, Takanashi Shiori and Kuroki Yuka suddenly had a flash of inspiration and subconsciously exchanged a glance.
... Could it be...?
Is it true or false?
Volume Four Does This Count as a Magical Girl??: Chapter 17: Return... Is this just everyday life?
Recently, Kougami Kage has been living a very comfortable life.
Not only have the lovers returned to normal and remembered their past and romance, but the city has also returned to peace. Recently, the Magic girls no longer need to come to her for physical examinations or Monster predictions.
Moreover, his fiancée is about to finish her semester as a homeroom teacher, and he will have more time to spend with her.
But is it just an illusion?
Lily seems to be treating her exceptionally well lately.
Although Lily used to often buy her gifts, pick out clothes, and text her, Kougami Kage felt that Lily was acting strangely lately.
Could it be that...
"..."
In her research room, Kougami Kage held a bath towel over her wet long hair, her languid expression appearing indifferent, which was actually her natural expression.
Her dark pupils lowered for a moment, then quickly regained focus.
In fact, she has always been very intelligent.
As a genius scientist, Kougami Kage may often be blinded by love, but she is never a fool.
The truth behind this situation is clear to her with just a little thought, given her intelligence.
Lily must be...
I've fallen even more in love with her lately.
Thinking of this, Kougami Kage nodded seriously, her heart filled with satisfaction and pride.
I feel so bad.
But to be honest, Haihara has been acting a bit strange lately.
Various aspects.
For example, Haihara, who originally had a small appetite, has recently become very greedy. She always looks at her food with a cold gaze like a carnivore before elegantly devouring it.
For example, whenever the weather gets cold, Haihara becomes incredibly lazy, even indoors. Sometimes, Kougami Kage almost suspects that Haihara is going to hibernate.
As for her relationship with her lover, Haihara has been making more demands lately, and she's also become more carnivorous in that area.
No, but Kougami Kage felt that Haihara didn't actually seem to have changed.
Occasionally, Kougami Kage could still see the sadness and dejection that Haihara showed on her face, a sadness that was only occasionally revealed in her.
After all, her lover was sensitive, passionate, and prone to hiding his true feelings.
At times like these, she has to stay by Haihara's side and give this actually sentimental ice beauty a hug.
Suddenly, she heard someone walk up behind her naturally and say:
Did you dry your hair properly?
That person was clearly Haihara Lily Chou.
After she walked over, she glanced at Kougami Kage's long, gray-black hair, which had grown to her waist, with water droplets still dripping from the bottom of her hair onto the leather armchair.
Because Kougami Kage had just come out of the shower, she was only wearing a loose robe, which was already thin and was wet in patches.
Haihara, unfazed, patiently took a towel and dried Kougami Kage's hair first.
"Your hair is really thick."
Long hair is difficult to dry.
It always takes a long time to blow-dry Kougami Kage's hair, but Haihara enjoys the process. She skillfully picks up the hairdryer and begins to blow-dry Kougami Kage's hair.
The tiny water droplets swayed in the wind, and because they were so close, Haihara could smell the sweet fragrance emanating from Kougami Kage's hair. If it weren't so strange, Haihara might have wanted to just bite Kougami Kage's head right then and there.
Unfortunately, she wasn't a snake and couldn't open her mouth very wide.
"Will it look bad?" Kougami Kage was already used to being well-behaved next to Haihara.
Haihara said gently and patiently:
"It's quite pretty, and it's also easy to tie up."
Recently, she's really taken to dressing up Kougami Kage.
After all, although Kougami Kage has a very good-looking face, her dressing style is completely disastrous from a woman's aesthetic point of view. Apart from being relatively hygienic, everything about her is very sloppy.
As long as she doesn't go out, Kougami Kage wears her messy research coats.
Therefore, Haihara hopes that her lover will dress up more beautifully and attractively in front of her.
"And you're beautiful no matter what."
After drying her hair, Haihara calmly offered another compliment.
Kougami Kage smiled shyly.
Just like Kougami Kage's life, Haihara's life is also returning to normal.
Although every time she felt she was getting back on track, things never really went smoothly.
Haihara pulled up Kougami Kage's hair, gently holding it in each hand to form twin tails. She shook her hands expressionlessly, causing Kougami Kage's twin tails to sway back and forth.
She seemed to be having a lot of fun.
"Kougami."
After that, Haihara stopped and used her fingers to comb Kougami Kage's hair again.
Kougami Kage also gently touched her neck, which was a little itchy from being rubbed by strands of hair:
"What's wrong?"
When Haihara suddenly calls someone's name, it's usually because she's about to bring up a strange topic.
Kougami Kage sat quietly, letting Haihara touch the strands of hair that were curling around her with her fingers.
Haihara blinked, her gaze drifting slightly, and casually brought up the topic at hand:
Do you ever think back to your past dreams that you've given up on, if you ever have?
After listening, Kougami Kage looked somewhat curious.
Dreams don't seem like a topic Haihara would talk about.
It seems that this word has nothing to do with Haihara herself.
She never had any particularly grand ambitions from birth.
Kougami Kage himself does have one.
Her current dream, in a way, has already come true: to be happily together with Haihara. For the rest of her life, she can accompany Haihara while doing the research she enjoys.
If we're talking about the past...
"Probably, but to be honest, it's already very faint."
She recalled.
A long time ago, really a long time ago, before she fell in love with Haihara when she was a child, she dreamed of becoming a villainous Doctor like those in tokusatsu dramas.
To create strange and evil gadgets, to create Monster, and to become Demon King yourself?
"Lily, what about you?"
She naturally countered with a question.
Haihara stroked Kougami Kage's hair for a while, her gaze lingering as if she were reminiscing about something.
Then, she said in a seemingly casual manner:
Me?
"Recently, I suddenly remembered that I seemed to have had a dream that I abandoned halfway through."
Give up halfway?
Kougami Kage had never heard Haihara mention this before.
Rather, she clearly remembered the dream that Haihara had told her when they were children.
It's about becoming a Magic girl.
But now, it's as if Haihara is telling someone else's story.
In this research institute where only the two of them were present, Haihara spoke with great seriousness this time.