Volume 2 ❀ Chapter 2.3: Opposite Laws Against Dreams ~ An Asura’s Antinomy

Unmistakable, it sounded annoyed. Extremely annoyed and even furious. However, the way it was concealed was so clever, it made me extremely curious.

“Unacceptable. I find that extremely unacceptable.”

Nobuyuki is home!

Closing the tap, I quickened my pace towards the corridor but stopped midway down the stairs.

Why am I hiding?

“I will not succumb to your requests just like that.” I heard how he was changing his shoes, and throwing some bags, maybe a way to vent that suppressed madness he was hiding. “Me? I am her familiar. Her representative. Anything you want her to do has to go through me first. Huh? Manager? Do I sound like a manager? Very well then, I am her manager in your terms.”

Who is he talking to…?

“Seriously, I will never get along with you.” There was a two-second pause. “I’m glad the feeling is mutual then, you faker. Now, will you stop the annoying blabbering? I have things to do. Hah? Why do you care about the things I have to do? It’s none of your impostor business. Well, I’ll stop once you halt calling me that.”

I tiptoed a little down the stairs since Nobuyuki’s voice was getting farther away.

Seems he’s gone to the kitchen.

“Merda! Oblitus sum ante discessum facere prandium.” I listened to the sound of the fridge closing violently. “Aw, I’m sorry. You couldn’t understand what I said, Miss Ambubaia?”

The sudden sweet tone made me shiver in fear.

“Very well then, I hope you understand where I’m coming from… How dare you say that to me! Mellare mei mentula stultus scotrun!”

Something hit the table.

“Oh, gods! I didn’t mean to do that, and it’s brand new too!!!”

I guess the conversation ended. I should stop hiding and go down the stairs.

“H-Hey…” my voice trembled a little while I raised my hand casually.

“My dearest Yui!” He immediately went to hug me, his bed hair wagging like a dog’s tail. “Did you wait long? I’m so sorry for leaving the house without leaving a note. Even if it was urgent I should have prepared something to eat so when you came home you’d find food, dear Gods, what if you fainted! I could never forgive myself!”

“Easy there!” I pushed him a bit, finally leaving the tight stair space and making my way to the living room. “I didn’t wait long, and most definitely I wouldn’t faint from hunger, you packed a huge lunch again and I went out with a friend to eat some sweets. I even left you a phone message since you never picked up.”

“I’ll compensate for my absence by cooking some delicious Salisbury steak!” Nobuyuki happily tiptoed to the kitchen, ready to start. “So you went out with a friend today?”

“Yup, we had a drink and a sweet.” I sat down at the table, deciding to finish my homework while having a pleasant conversation. “I know, that wasn’t very healthy but I promise I’ll eat dinner.”

“As you should. Now, give me your dirty lunchbox, and I’ll leave it squeaky clean!” Nonchalantly, I did as he asked and the conversation kept going. “Luckily I bought some grounded meat that was on sale on my way back. Talking about that, I need to pick it up from the entrance.”

Once he finished, Nobuyuki grabbed the bags he had violently thrown on the floor. My gaze followed him, and I couldn’t concentrate on the essay. I could hear how he started humming one of the songs from Shinji’s sister’s concert while chopping up ingredients and whatnot. I thought it would be a good idea to set up the table, and I got up to do so.

That’s when I saw it.

A shiny, black object that was all the rage since last year. It looked brand new and a strange feeling came over me.

“Is that a smartphone…?”

It wasn’t anger per se. I was annoyed, possibly not much like Nobuyuki when he came home, but nonetheless, it irked me.

“Oh right, I forgot to tell you why I left the house!” His back was still turned towards me due to his cooking duties. However, he was moving back and forth, like an excited child with a brand-new toy. “I went to buy one of those things.”

“You bought an iCall?”

“Mhm, and the latest model! The iCall 5!”

“Isn’t it ridiculously expensive?!”

“Aw c’mon, my dearest. You already know my motto. If it’s expensive, it must be good!”

“How did you even get the money to…” No, that wasn’t the biggest issue here. “You bought a phone plan on top of it?”

“Well, what’s the point of having this tech-savvy device if I can’t use it, right?”

“You know there are public spaces that provide free wi-fi.”

“Yes, but your little flip-phone doesn’t come with that function. I did my research! That’s why I got a prepaid SIM card! After doing my homework, I discovered that companies sell locked phones, so I went to the manufacturer’s store to buy the little guy and then that SIM card elsewhere.”

“Wait, wait, wait…!” I plopped into the sofa. “For that, you need a residence card, an ID! Any type of identification! Even if you’re not entering a monthly billing, you need to show papers when buying a SIM card!”

“Aw, my silly goose,” Nobuyuki giggled. “I’m ways ahead of your thought process! If you could please come closer.”

Somehow, I managed to with wobbly legs due to the overdose of nonsensicalism I was living at the moment.

“Now, please check my coat pocket.”

I felt uneasy. Not because I was near a boy, but because this was so weird. I placed my hand inside.

“Ah. Mmmfffp! ♡”

My body froze.

“Yes, just a little further~.”

D-D-D-Did he j-j-j-just…

I moved my hand, shaking violently in fear.

“Can’t you feel that hard surface, my dearest? That’s the answer.”

I took out my hand immediately, scarred for life.

“Y-Y-Y-You…!”

“Hm?” He tilted his head, looking at me in an awkward position. “I what?”

“You… You just…!”

I suddenly feel nauseous.

“I’m just cooking???” Nobuyuki was honestly confused, which made me relax a bit. “Seriously what’s wrong? Don’t tell me I’m really that ugly.”

“H-Huh?”

“Your hand.”

After the magic boy said that, I took notice I was holding something. It was a legitimate identification card, with his name, date of birth, a fake age, and even a picture, and had my address on it. I couldn’t help but think it was a counterfeit, but that even took time, according to Manabu. I also did something he taught us, which was to check for the shiny thingy to verify it was real and, amazingly, it was.

“How did you…?”

“I have my ways.” Scarf boy winked. “However I do feel hurt after your reaction to my photo. I think it caught a very nice angle of my face.”

“Then what was all that about!?” I was livid.

“What thing?”

“The… the…” My lips quivered. “The moan…”

“Hm? I can’t quite hear you.” I thought he was teasing me, but I could tell just from a glance he wasn’t. “Oh, you mean that noise I made? Well… you touched my weak spot.”

What in the actual world?

“I am quite ticklish!” He stuck out his tongue like a kid. “Mayhaps… oh, you dirty, dirty Yui. For a child, you surely are having some impure thoughts not fitting of a Veneficae. Although, I call this Operation to make my dearest Yui have a heart-pounding moment a success after that sofa failure last time! Truly, watching late-night TV works better than recreating a manga scene.”

“I am so done with you!

I don’t even buy that about him being ticklish! And what’s that about him watching late-night telly!?

And I really was so but so done, that I stayed quiet during the cooking process ignoring his apologies and childish waves of laughter.

My mind used to go back to when it happened. I wanted to take away the power of the painful memory of living alone for hurt, prove to myself that I could choose to move on. Now when my brain goes back there I divert it only to these good memories, the healing ones. It's as if I wrote a good story over the top of a bad story, and in time the ink of the bad story fades away until only the good one remains. Nobuyuki helped me heal with his stupid pranks and lively personality, making me forget the event from last night and my loneliness.

Those painful memories are books with chapters, if I think about it, deep and horrible; and so I try my best to leave them on the shelf to gather dust. I want today, tomorrow and every tomorrow after to be wonderful; I want to choose what to write on those new blank pages. Even if my life is upside-down, I truly want these precious moments to stay written for aeons.

The warmth from the Salisbury steak, from his sweet voice to his smiling eyes, is the flame I'll ever need to remain cosy inside these four walls. Even upon this wintry day, when the sky is a woollen grey shawl upon mountain peaks, I feel our happy memories become a delicate glow.

My soul was a flower in winter, blooming wildly.

“Will you find it in your heart to forgive me?” Nobuyuki asked once we were finished eating. I had finished before him since he waited for his food to cool down first.

The crystal embedded in my chest sent a painful sting, yet I could feel a hint of resentment as well as nostalgia. An unusual swirl of emotions that seemed to affect my rationale.

“It’s… fine. It was in good faith.” After I said that, I saw how his stress was heavily reduced from his shoulders. “Still, don’t do it again.”

“Won’t make promises I know I can’t keep!” Regardless, Magic Boy smiled. “So, isn’t my shiny new gadget amazing? I have everything in the palm of my hand! I can call you at any time since you forced me to stop using my ability.”

“Yeah, the reading thoughts thing.”

“It’s not..” A big sigh escaped his lips. “Forget it. Anyway, I can even track your phone with this!”

“Please stop invading my privacy even more!” The homely atmosphere was quickly being broken. “Don’t you even dare, just phone call and I’ll answer unless I’m in the middle of class. Or just text message, I don’t know!”

“Fineee.”

Right, since we’re talking about the iCall…

“Who were you talking to before?” I dared to ask.

“Just some rotten candy.” Nobuyuki’s reply came out cold.

“You sounded very angry.”

“Really? Guess I didn’t conceal it that much.”

“Come on, tell me.” I was actually getting super curious.

“As I said, some rotten candy.”

“Oh, is it a girl you met on one of your Takayama outings?”

Time for some payback.

He stayed silent, surprisingly.

“Aha, perhaps you managed to entrap a girl to make you that fake ID and bought a phone just to speak with her. I’m just a pretext,” I raised my eyebrow up and down, crossing my arms. “I see, I see how it is. And just now you were angry because she found out she was used. Poor damsel.”

“Honest talk? Your delusions as really bad, my dearest. You need to have more creativity.” Nobuyuki replied deadpan. “I am sure that one of your friends from school could’ve come up with something better.”

“Well, excuse me for not having a wild imagination!”

“You certainly did have one a few minutes ago.”

That was because he made it sound so misleading!

“Whatever, just tell me!” I stretched my arm to grab the phone, that was lying all alone in the middle of the table.

“Hey, hey, watch it! It’s brand new!” Albeit, he was a couple of seconds late.

I proudly waved it in my hand. Surprisingly, he hadn’t added a password, so I did the most logical thing: look at the call log.

It only had one contact there: Lupam.

Then, I decided to search the contacts. Surprisingly, there were three: Love nest, My Dearest and Lupam.

“Did you seriously name my phone home number love nest?” I felt my eyebrows now twitching.

“Isn’t that the truth?”

I swear, this guy…

“And who is Lupam?”

Violently, he panicked. Nobuyuki started moving his hands in every single direction, babbling and seemed to be in a rush.

“Y-Yui! Hurry, we need to use soap for that mouth, right this instant!” Stuttering, he tried to stand up but comically failed. “Y-You shouldn’t be saying those things! Dear mother of Celestia, please forgive this innocent child! I ask for your mercy!”

“You’re acting weird…”

However, I did have an idea.

“Lupam.”

He cringed on the floor.

“Please, my sweet, cutesy Yui. Stop saying that word…”

“Lupam!” I smiled.

“Stop it!!!” Nobuyuki tried to tear his bed hair, resulting in utter hair loss around it. “Don’t say it with such a pure smile!”

“Huh… I think I get it.” A snicker was illustrated on my face. “I guess this Lupam is top secret, huh? Maybe, I’ll keep on mentioning this Lupam until I discover her identity.”

“Please, stop it!” The shriek magic boy did pierced the heavens. “Alright, I give. Just stop saying that word, pretty please?”

My silence was enough, implying him to keep on going.

“As I told you, she’s that rotten candy” Fixing his scarf, Nobuyuki managed to restore his composure. “That Ameka girl.”

My eyes were wide open in bewilderment.

“You were talking with her? How?”

“She left a message on the phone here, so I decided to call her back to give her a piece of my mind.”

“You bought an iCall for petty revenge instead of dialling her back from here?”

I honestly sometimes believe Nobuyuki is incredibly stupid or just lets his emotions get the best of him when it comes to his pride.

“You’re mistaken! Although I do admit it was the perfect excuse. Anyhow, I just told her what had to be said… Wait a second what are you doing!?”

While he was talking, I decided to check the phone.

“Listening to the voicemail,” I stated matter of factly.

“No, don’t—”

He was too late.

Beep.

Oh, seems no one is home. It’s me, Ameka Hayami. I tried to contact you, but your mobile phone seemed to be off. Don’t ask how I got your home number. I have my methods. Going back to the subject of this call. I wanted to meet up with you and your mutt tonight at the bar. I need some help with some urgent matters. It has to do with… another one of us. Don’t keep me waiting all night.

Beep.

“Nobuyuki…” Turning around, I felt a deadly aura emanating from my very soul. “This is very important, she is mentioning another one of us, which means another magical girl I’m pretty sure given your mood and the tidbits of your conversation I overheard when you arrived.”

“W-Well…” His amber eyes looked in the opposite direction, which for me was enough to know he was guilty of his actions. “I-I mean this girl cannot simply make you do her bidding, and given what happened last night I found it extremely rude and—”

“We’re going!” I stated, fixing my hair.

“Really…?”

“Really. I have many questions regarding last night that I know you won’t answer, and if I can talk with Miss Ameka and meet another magical girl, then maybe I can get you to talk.” Preparing myself, I was ready to leave, until something important popped into my mind. “Scratch that, we can wait a few minutes. I need to charge my phone.”

“B-But it’s already late and…” Blue-haired boy was trying his best to find an excuse.

“Takayama is near, and it’s only 7 PM. How long could it take us anyway? She just wants to talk. We are going.”

After stating my ultimatum, the anomaly in my life went to clean the table and plates, utterly defeated without muttering a single word.

Hopefully, I’ll get some answers, especially about that strange feeling I got after seeing Miss Ameka’s Rosa Crystallum. I feel that tonight will bring some peace of mind.

❀

The relaxing sound of the bus slowly drifting into the distance set my heartbeat at rest. Although I had managed to muster up an unimaginable amount of courage to take the lead in this unusual situation, the initial moment had died and now I was facing the dire consequences of letting my feelings go overboard.

Hands—trembling.

Body—shaking.

Legs—noddles.

Heart-rate—scared bunny.

During the ride to Takayama, Nobuyuki kept silent the whole way. His gaze was far away, into a distant place I was unable to reach. I felt utterly alone, like a speck of dust floating in outer space. An old song played in the background, the driver letting his musical tastes be known given the time it was. This place was only for us two, and the awkwardness made it worse.

Perhaps he is mad I called him out like that. I should have taken his feelings into consideration. This day has been so weird, first Manabu, now Nobuyuki. At least seeing Yuiko made my day, a comforting presence while still being a little uncanny. I still feel like I’m talking with a perfect version of myself, but I should stop thinking that way. Yuiko is Yuiko, and I am her friend. She would feel sad if she knew I thought this.

“Let’s get going, my dearest.”

The anomaly that broke into my life suddenly spoke, his tattered yellow scarf swaying in the slight breeze. Extending his right hand, a lukewarm smile brought the streetlamps’s radiance to shame.

The warmth of Manabu, Yuiko and Nobuyuki feel all so different.

We didn’t speak much. We grunted and gestured and bickered over the din of the hubbub. I was hypnotized by the road and only followed his pace. I noticed the edges of the flats were losing definition against the indigo sky.

The streetlamps that weren't burned out projected little circles of white light onto an empty, cracked sidewalk. The traffic light toyed with the wind, telling all the nonexistent drivers to stop. The walk sign was on, letting us step out onto the faded white lines of the crosswalk.

It seemed like the clouds had gotten a sudden fascination with the moon and wrapped themselves around it. The moon's faint glow passed through them, colouring them white from grey.

The cool monsoon air carried a sweet moist scent like a candy shop kept inside a refrigerator.

The kaleidoscope of shimmering lights flickers in the distance as the starry sky sweeps over the city that never sleeps.

“We’re here.”

And he was right. We arrived at our destination way faster than the first time. The outside still reeked, yet my heart was pounding with anticipation. A white motorcycle was parked nearby, and the fact it had a sidecar struck me as unusual.

Once we made it inside, the ring bell greeted us at a silent, dark bar.

A stark contrast from the first time I was here.

The performing stage was dimly lit up, and I could barely make a silhouette scurrying from all sides.

“Could it be the lady from before?” I asked in a whisper.

“Who knows.” Nobuyuki shrugged. “I’ll go get us a table. Given they allowed you to stay here I’m sure there will be no problems with you being a minor.”

“Look who’s talking.”

“Hey, watch it! I’m way older than you!”

“Yet you still look around my age.”

Nobuyuki smiled again.

“Glad to see you peppy.”

His warmth went away, while I stood there next to the door.

“It’s glorious, isn’t it?”

Even though I had been at this rundown bar just once a while ago, visiting a place that evoked certain pleasant yet terrifying memories, there is such joy. It is as if the time continuum has folded, as if each visit were touching one another, as if time itself were many petals of a wonderful flower. That was what the voice right by my side transmitted.

I looked into a deep pair of diamond-pink eyes right as I went inside, a huge wave of loneliness enveloping me. I was isolated with shame by those who had far more reason to feel it than I. It was as if they grabbed a leg each and pulled until my spine and brain were severed in two, then left me in a freezer in case there were any life sparks left to extinguish. They were my abattoir, my slaughterhouse. Loneliness sounds like such an easy thing to fix: find a friend, and reach out to someone who cares. There are nights when it takes hold of me. All I can do in those long black hours is find an enclosed place to shake until the tears subside and I can focus on the dawn light, breathe, and drink water. It isn't simply a lack of company, though that's part of it for sure, it's a black hole that grows more powerful with every social snub. It threatens to swallow every part of me, bad and good until all that's left is a human-shaped shell too numb to feel the pain anymore.

Why does it hurt so much to look at them?

“The hostess found a nice table near the stage. However, it seems the show just finished.” Nobuyuki’s warmth made me come back to reality. “What a pity. I was looking forward to watching such a dazzling singer once again. You were beaming as well and that made it worth it, my dearest. But alas, that damned faker called us way late into the night.”

“It isn’t that late,” I argued back. “Plus, we’re not here for the show but to talk with her.”

“I refuse to help her!” Nobuyuki yelled as he sat down at the table.

There are so many mysteries that I need answers for. What does she mean with another one of us and why is Nobuyuki calling her an impostor so often? Is it because of our crystal roses? Trying to be upfront about it has not helped much recently. If I give him the silent treatment would he give me some answers?

“No.”

Did he read my mind again!?

As I was about to lash out at Mr Magic Boy, I noticed that he was not replying to me but closing a menu that was in his hands while looking to the left. There, I saw the girl that saved my life and almost killed me at the same time.

Miss Ameka was in her school uniform, clearly upset, pointing her index finger at Nobuyuki. I didn’t notice her presence when she approached us. If she said her greetings and I did not say anything back I’d feel awful, just because I was deep within my thoughts.

“I haven’t said a word yet!” her high-pitched voice made some curious eyes gaze towards us, but neither of them seemed to mind, not even the staff. “I swear that talking with you is like speaking to a wall. How do you deal with him?”

Her question caught me unaware.

“I—”

“The power of love!” Nobuyuki replied, smiling.

“You two are such a pair of freaks.” Mis Ameka grabbed a chair and sat down between us, twirling one of her twin tails.

“Look who's talking you fake veneficae.”

“Stop it with that!”

“Then how do you explain-”

“Enough!”

To my own surprise, I raised my voice, and both startled stared at me, eyes wide open.

I clasped my hands to my mouth, wanting to dig myself into the ground.

Self-control is a finite resource because the part of the brain exerting control gets tired - it requires energy and that gets depleted. So, the repressing of anger needs careful thought. If it is boiling up, how will it be cooled? If it explodes, who bears the brunt? Because their psyche is under siege will naturally seek a more vulnerable person to explode at. Thus, how you deal with your anger is vital. It is like steam in a pressure cooker, you have to find a way to let it out in a safe manner. It's been there a while now, this anger, escaping.

I sat there, my heart pounding like it wanted to escape my chest.

Why did I say that?

My stomach twisted, nausea creeping in like a heavy fog. The words had left my mouth in a rush, without warning, without control. I never meant to snap, never wanted to hurt them. But the weight of everything had built up in my chest, and when I finally cracked, it all spilt out in that one moment.

How could I be so selfish?

I hadn’t even thought about their feelings. All I could think about was how everything had felt like too much, how small and invisible I had felt. But that wasn’t their fault. They didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of my frustration. They didn’t deserve my sharp word. I wasn’t like this.

I don’t want to be like this.

My mind replayed the moment over and over, each replay adding another layer of guilt.

I shouldn’t have yelled. I shouldn’t have said that. I’ve ruined everything.

I could almost hear their voices in my head—maybe they were hurt, maybe they were confused, maybe they thought I didn’t care at all.

But I do. I care so much. Too much, maybe.

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall.

I can’t let them see me cry. Not after what I did.

But the shame kept swallowing me whole. What if they were disappointed in me? What if they didn’t understand how sorry I truly was?

I just want to fix this. But I don’t know how. I don’t know if they’ll forgive me. What if they don’t even want to talk to me anymore?

The silence around me felt suffocating.

I don’t deserve their forgiveness, but I hope—God, I hope—this isn’t the end.

Ameka bit her lower lip. Nobuyuki hid under his scarf.

“My bad.” He apologised.

“I did get carried away too, so, um, sorry.” Now it was Miss Ameka.

I don’t know why they’re apologizing to me. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I didn’t mean to make them feel bad or upset them. But now here they are, saying sorry like it’s their fault, and I don’t even know how to respond. I feel awful.

I didn’t want them to feel like they did something wrong. I’m the one who messed up. They’re always so kind, and they don’t deserve this. It’s like I’m drowning in guilt, but now I have to pretend everything’s okay because they’re apologizing, and I just don’t know what to say.

It’s stupid, right?

I should feel okay now knowing they’re not angry at me, but all I feel is this heavy weight in my chest. I didn’t want them to feel like they let me down. I didn’t want them to think they did anything wrong. Maybe they think they hurt me, and now they’re trying to fix it, but it’s not their fault.

It’s mine.

I can’t even look them in the eye because I feel like I’m just going to cry or say the wrong thing. I want to tell them it’s okay, but it’s not okay. I don’t want them to feel like they’ve failed me when they haven’t. I don’t want them to feel responsible for something they didn’t do.

I hate this feeling.

Why do they have to be so apologetic when it’s me who should be sorry?

I just wish I could make it right somehow, but I don’t even know how. I want to tell them that everything’s fine, but nothing feels fine. All I want to do is take their apology away and tell them they don’t need to apologize, not for something they didn’t do.

“Yui.”

Nobuyuki’s voice broke my inner thoughts.

“There’s no need to feel guilty about losing your temper. We’re here to talk business, and that’s what we’ll do, alright? Stop thinking that every little single detail is your fault, my dearest. I’d never hold you accountable.”

“I have to agree with the mutt here.” Miss Ameka chirped in. “I know we don’t get along and I hate this but I really do need your help right now so your pity party won’t help nor get us anywhere, so perk up, rookie.”

You need to relax, Yui. This is a safe space. You need to keep your emotions in check.

“O-Okay…” I managed to whisper under my breath.

“Good!” Miss Ameka smiled. “Now that that is solved, I summoned you here because I have a favour to ask.”

“What makes you think we’ll accept after what you did to my dearest the other day?” Nobuyuki started growling.

“I know, I’m asking for too much and for that, I want to deeply apologise.” The auburn-coloured-haired girl stood up and bowed. “Please forgive me, it was uncalled out for.”

“Please, please, please, there’s no need to!” I panicked, not expecting such behaviour.

“Hmph.” Meanwhile, the yellow-scarfed boy just shrugged.

Miss Ameka went back to her previous position and placed both hands under her pale chin. Her features were accentuated even more by the dim light of the bar, and the previous customers were already out on their merry way, leaving the main room of the pub for us three. Some people were still at the bar ordering drinks, and their merry laughter made their way over my ears, perking my ears up and down.

“We’re going to Mie tonight.”

Her words hit like a bomb, not quite what I expected.

“B-But we’re in Gifu right now? A-And tomorrow is a school day… and… and… how are we supposed to get there and… oh my Lord…” I stuttered.

“Mie?” Nobuyuki was puzzled. “Where is that?”

“It’s a whole other prefecture that’s almost three hours away!” I exclaimed, my pigtails going up with each syllable. “Given we got here almost at 8 PM, we would reach there if there’s no traffic almost at midnight!”

“I suppose this has to do with that other faker you mentioned.” If this was a film noir like the ones we’ve seen in class, Nobuyuki would be lighting up a cigarette before my eyes. “Come on, spill the beans now.”

“I’m on it!” Miss Ameka protested. “And stop with the faker thing, it pisses me off!”

Nobuyuki was about to open his mouth but I quickly intervened.

“How about we start with that?” I tried to smile. “Nobuyuki, why do you insist on calling her that all the time? Is it because…?”

“When will you ever call me Nobu?” He pouted, making a full recovery afterwards. “This is a pretty delicate matter and there are still people here. Would you mind if you could wait a little bit longer?”

He put on his big puppy eyes.

“I—”

“You should’ve asked you oh so desperately wanted more privacy earlier. I also want to know.” Miss Ameka gave a step back and walked towards the bar counter. She spoke to what seemed to be the manager and suddenly, everything changed.

“I’m sorry but we’re closing earlier today!” The manager spoke. The customers unhappy, left their seats quickly, except for the girl, the one with the diamond-pink eyes I made contact with. “I’m sorry lass, but—”

“I was promised… promised I would speak with her so please… please!”

Her voice cracked as she spoke, trembling like a leaf in the wind, every word escaping her lips with a raw urgency. Her eyes, wide with desperation, were filled with tears that threatened to spill over, her chest heaving with every breath she took. She stepped forward, her hands outstretched, almost as if she could physically pull the person back from their decision. Her words came fast, a jumble of emotion and pleading, strained as if she were reaching for something just out of her grasp

"Please... you don’t understand!" she cried, her voice breaking mid-sentence. "I need... I need this! Please don't do this..." Her throat tightened, and she took a shaky breath, fighting to keep her composure, but the despair in her voice couldn't be hidden. It was all-consuming as if the weight of her heartache and fear had poured out into every trembling plea. She sounded as though she could barely hold herself together, each word a lifeline that slipped through her fingers just as quickly as it was spoken.

“I’ll keep on telling ‘ya the same thing over and over again. She’s not here.”

Miss Ameka's demeanour had completely changed.

Her bright smile had once been effortless, lighting up her face like the sun breaking through the clouds. But now, the joy seemed to flicker and fade, replaced by a shimmering tension behind her eyes. What was once a carefree girl had become a stiff, controlled silence. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, betraying the storm brewing beneath the surface. The hands that had once danced gracefully in conversation now clenched into fists, the knuckles turning pale from the pressure. Inside, her heart raced, a pulse of frustration building like a fire she couldn’t douse. 

Her mind screamed with irritation, but her exterior remained calm, almost unnervingly so. She forced a smile, but it was a mask—one that barely concealed the deepening frustration. Her chest tightened as the anger twisted within her, a storm cloud forming in the pit of her stomach, and it felt like she might explode if she didn’t hold it together. Her teal eyes, once warm and inviting, now held an edge—a sharpness that cut through the air with quiet fury. 

She didn’t trust herself to speak, the words on the tip of her tongue dangerous, ready to spill out in a torrent of emotion. But she swallowed them down, knowing that once unleashed, there would be no going back.

This is almost like the other night!

“I won’t give up until I speak with her. I swear.” Her short, bobbed platinum hair hid her welled-up tears, a beautiful cascade of colours made its way through the air due to the hair decorations she had, almost like a rainbow of gems flowing through it. “I won’t give up.”

“Good luck.” Miss Ameka waved her hand, while the unknown girl left.

Pure silence is an almost tangible thing, thick and heavy in the air as if the world has paused for a single breath. It’s a quiet so deep, it seems to swallow all sound, leaving nothing but an eerie stillness. No rustling of leaves, no hum of distant traffic, no breath of wind. It wraps around you, dense like a fog, pressing in from all sides until it feels as though you’ve stepped into a vacuum where even the smallest movement would shatter the calm.

In this silence, time seems to stretch, each second lingering, unnaturally drawn out. Your own heartbeat becomes loud, the only sound in the vast emptiness, reminding you of your existence. The silence is heavy, but not oppressive. It’s a waiting silence as if everything is on the brink of something, and you hold your breath, afraid that even the faintest sound might break the spell. It's the kind of quiet that speaks as if it carries secrets too profound for words.

Until she came back to the table and lifted her shoes to the top.

“Now, shall we?”

“What was that about…?” I didn’t notice I was pointing towards the entrance of the bar.

“A little pest that comes every now and then.” The magical girl of sweets cleared her throat. “Anyway this isn’t about that, speak, mutt.”

“I’m on it, faker.” Nobuyuki coughed, before closing his eyes and slowly opening them again. His gaze was lost. “Both of you, if you’d mind stripping—”

In a matter of seconds, Miss Ameka had him by the neck, choking him.

“Would you kindly repeat yourself?”

“Miss Ameka you’re going to kill him!”

❀

Nobuyuki was still grasping for air, while Miss Ameka and I had part of our school blouses open, showing our respective rosa crystallums.

Just as I suspected.

Miss Ameka’s was hydrangea-shaped and had no colour at all. It seemed like a pretty expensive crystal now that I think about it; while mine was a pink rose with green leaves, sparkling more than life itself.

It may come off as a surprise to those who work on lapidary regularly, but Miss Ameka’s gemstone seemed to express the idea of swimming in your thoughts, not knowing where to go, just swimming, searching for answers, and a light that shines through. Rather than being as excited as her, I saw the image of a quiet, yet certain feeling slowly burning up.

“Why are they different,” I dared to ask the question that had been eating me alive slowly, as a mouse munching s piece of small bread.

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because we’re different magical girls, right?” Miss Ameka intervened, raising her eyebrows.

Nobuyuki laughed.

“Don’t mock me, loser!” Her turquoise eyes shined with fury. “Loser, loser, loser!”

Nobuyuki held the palm of his hand, and Miss Ameka shut up immediately.

“Stop calling me small fry as if I were a fish. And I am from the goodness of my heart going to explain why your logic is so, but oh so flawed.” He made dramatics. “Listen here, girls. What I’m about to tell you is important, so clean that ear wax and make sure your hearing sense is a hundred per cent % accurate, especially you faker.”

The girl who is also known as Sweetch gulped, me staring at how he was able to tame her in a matter of seconds.

“Back in my world, there exist three Rosa Crystallums. They are heavily guarded since they represent all of our hopes and dreams. Only exceptional girls can become guardians of Celestia.” He took a deep breath, just to break out in laughter. “But one got stolen and now Yui has it!”

“What in the—”

Miss Ameka was hushed once again, Nobuyuki halting and changing his colourful voice.

“All of the Rosa Crystallums look the same. That means they all bear the same characteristics as the one my beloved Yui has bearing on her chest. However,” he paused, “One has been already in use, the second one disappeared and the third one was in protection by the great Eteninne Almaz. Nonetheless, it managed to go into our greatest enemy’s hands: The Observer.”

We both were about to ask a question, but the blue-haired boy stopped us, as if saying: everything in due time.

“To make things easier, The Observer stole the last Rosa Crystallum for something. And that something has been confirmed by seeing this young woman’s artefact. He’s making copies. For what? Who knows. But all the magical girls, as you call them, we find here will none other but be mere charcoal copies of the original Rosa Crystallum. Happy now why I’m calling you a faker? Because that's nothing more and nothing less of what you are compared to a superior being.”

Nobuyuki was getting angrier, I could feel it.

“And I hope you are prepared for the consequences because as copies, they’re not perfect.”

“I see! We… We get it now!” I tried to ease the conversation even though many more questions floated in my mind. This was not the first time I had heard him mention someone who went by the alias The Observer, but the fact that he felt so much vexation towards this subject made it clearer.

He has a strong connection to these artefacts and won’t admit it.

“Well, I don’t!” Miss Ameka yelled, pressing her hand on the table. “You’re saying that the crystal I have stuck in my chest is dangerous? Is that someone out there making copies? This doesn’t make any sense!”

“I don’t have any intentions for you to understand. You want to know, so all I’m doing is telling you. Hopefully, Yui, your mind is a bit clearer now.” He smiled brightly.

It's just a little more, but it's still not easy. Even when I cry that I want to give up, my heart is still breathing. Breathing for Nobuyuki to tell me the absolute truth behind everything behind this masquerade of lies he’s twisting with his version of this whole tale.

“In other words… we have The Observer who stole the one I have… wait, that doesn’t fit.” I stood up, eagerly. “I found mine at the temple near my house. If there were already magical girls before I became one such as Miss Ameka, then why would they need to steal the last one?”

“Very perceptive, my dearest.” Mr Magic Boy winked. “You see, I have a personal theory. This is pure conjecture, yet, I do believe that when they stole the second one, they started to make copies to create the perfect Rose Crystallum, which means, the perfect magical girl. Alas, the reason they risked it all to get the one you have was for something to reach that end and I haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Talk about an info dump,” Miss Ameka sighed, sitting down again. “These are all conjectures on your part right?”

“Everything except the danger.” Nobuyuki emphasized. “Since they are bootlegs, there’s no way to confirm if they are harming your body or life span in any way.”

“Am I going to die!?” She was about to hold him by the scarf, but she froze halfway. “Wait… then there’s no time to lose, she might be in more immediate danger than me right now! We need to go to Mie immediately!”

“Worrying about others instead of yourself, what a redeeming quality.” I could sense he was being sarcastic.

“Wait! There are still some questions, I’d like to ask that still don’t make sense to me…”

Nobuyuki and I made eye contact.

‭«Although it's just a little more, it’s still no good.»

«Please, please, we want it to reach you.»

«In order to have all of the missing places filled.»

He smiled, washing the inner turmoil that the Rosa Crystallum was transmitting into my heart.

❀

-Part 4 coming soon-