Magical Girls' Apartment

Dusk fell, and the girls emerged from the ice cream shop.

"Then we'll be going first. We still have remedial lessons to get back to." Huang Ying and Lan Xiaohuan held hands, their voices tinged with loneliness.

The two young Magical Girls were still in middle school. To keep from falling behind in their studies, they still had to make up after class for the lessons they had missed while fighting Fierce Beasts and Witches.

"I'll walk you home," Huali said.

"Brother Huali, we're really strong! You don't need to!" Lan Xiaohuan clenched her fists.

Huang Ying giggled. "It'd be great if we ran into bad guys."

Magical Girls were not easy targets. Any bad guy who ran into them should be the one considering himself unlucky.

After watching the two little girls leave, Huali headed toward Magical Girls' Apartment with the four girls.

During their earlier conversation, Huali had learned that all four Magical Girls lived in Magical Girls' Apartment. Huang Xing and the others all lived on the third floor, while Huali alone lived on the fifth. But a difference of only two floors would not affect their usual interactions.

"Wow, I'm stuffed!" Green Yi patted her belly. "Parfaits are the best!"

"Green Yi can really eat," Honglian remarked.

"Don't just chat among yourselves. You should look after our little newcomer too. He's a boy living with us in Magical Girls' Apartment, and he just moved in. It must be pretty inconvenient for him, right?" Huang Xing said.

"It's not inconvenient. I'm just a little embarrassed," Huali said, waving his hand.

"Huali, since we live so close, we can keep in touch more often from now on. Please take good care of us in the future," Green Yi said with a smile.

"Not at all. I only just became a Magical Girl. I'm the one who should be asking you all to take care of me," Huali said, still somewhat reserved.

Huang Xing patted his shoulder. "That's different. You're a boy. Don't be fooled by the fact that we're Magical Girls—when we're not transformed, moving furniture and luggage isn't easy."

Honglian stretched her arms. "I won't need your help. With those skinny arms and legs of yours, you don't look very useful."

Huali inspected Honglian's muscles.

At first glance, Honglian's arms did not seem particularly thick. A thin layer of fat covered the surface, concealing any real definition. But when she flexed, the lines of her muscles emerged, and her entire presence changed dramatically.

"Little Pink Hair, I think very highly of you~ You've only just become a Magical Girl, so if there's anything you don't understand, you can ask us. A-Xing has been saying for ages that the team lacked a healing-type member. Your arrival has made A-Xing so happy," Green Yi said with narrowed, smiling eyes.

Lan Lu quietly said, "Mm, yes."

"Don't talk nonsense," Huang Xing said.

"I'll work hard," Huali said.

Green Yi patted Huali's arm and laughed. "By the way, Huali, since we all live together, if you turn into a girl later and don't understand something, you can ask us. I heard that boys have a hard time adapting after becoming Magical Girls. If you run into any difficulties, make sure to tell us."

The topic had suddenly leaped into the future, leaving Huali somewhat at a loss.

"Thank you, big sisters. Um, do you know when I'll turn into a girl?"

"That varies from person to person," Huang Xing said. "Did Minister Sun not tell you? They should conduct the relevant examinations."

Huali honestly said, "No."

Huang Xing thought for a moment. "No? Then maybe... it could happen at any time? I don't know either. Ask him later. I heard that he once had a male Magical Girl under him."

Green Yi laughed again. "When the time comes, don't be too embarrassed. If that sort of thing happens, we can all help you. We're very experienced."

"Um..."

Huang Xing pulled Green Yi back to her side and mildly scolded her, "We can talk about that later. Look how badly you've frightened him."

Green Yi stuck out her tongue.

"I wasn't frightened," Huali said. "I've actually already prepared myself mentally. Are there really a lot of things that need to change after becoming a girl? Isn't it enough to just put on women's clothes?"

"Of course not! Don't tell me you don't know the difference between men and women?" Green Yi asked in surprise.

"Isn't it just longer hair, wearing women's clothes, and having a higher voice?" Huali said.

"And then?" Green Yi asked.

"And then? There's nothing else, right?" Huali thought about it.

Green Yi's eyes widened. "Don't you have an older sister? You don't know how she differs from you?"

Huali thought carefully.

Seeing Huali deep in thought, Green Yi looked at Huang Xing in astonishment.

Lan Lu tugged on Green Yi's sleeve and quietly asked, "What else is there?"

Green Yi rubbed Lan Lu's head. "You don't need to rush to find out yet."

Then Huali clapped his hands. "Makeup, right?"

Green Yi looked at Huali with pity. "Now I'm rather curious about your sister's identity. Did you really grow up with your sister? Were you inseparable?"

"Yeah."

"Could it be that your sister..." Green Yi began, only for Huang Xing to knock her on the head.

"Why did you hit me? I'm concerned, okay?" Green Yi said.

"As if I don't know what you're thinking?" Huang Xing said with a faint scolding tone. "He's such an innocent boy, yet you keep trying to teach him bad things."

"Hey! A-Xing, what do you mean by that? Am I not innocent too? I'm not bad at all." Green Yi pouted.

Huali said, "What exactly is the difference? Can you stop keeping me in suspense?"

"You'll find out," Huang Xing said.

Lan Lu quietly said, "I... can help too."

Her voice was so soft that Huali could not hear her clearly. "What did you say?"

Lan Lu did not speak again, but Green Yi laughed. "She said that if you need anything in the future, Little Lu can help too. By the way, Little Lu should be the youngest among us, right?"

After comparing their ages, Honglian was the oldest at twenty-four, and ordinarily she would retire next year.

Although Huang Xing looked rather mature, she was actually only eighteen.

Green Yi was two months younger than Huali, and both were seventeen.

Lan Lu was the youngest, only sixteen at the moment.

Laughing and chatting, they returned to Magical Girls' Apartment. After picking up some complimentary drinks on the first floor, everyone returned to their own rooms.

In the end, Huali still had not gotten the answer he wanted.

Huang Xing, however, did not hurry back to her own room. Instead, she followed Huali to his room.

Knowing that Huali had only just moved in and did not have many belongings yet, she helped him arrange the room. They also exchanged phone numbers before she finally left.

After seeing Huang Xing off, Huali stretched lazily in his room and settled down to rest.

But when he came before the mirror and caught a glimpse of himself, he did not pay much attention at first. He had already walked past before hurrying back to inspect his reflection carefully.

It seemed like... he had gotten a tiny bit shorter?

And his eyes seemed to have...

A faint hint of pink?