Chapter 5 📖 Magical Diary (2)

She quickly pulled out her magical diary and used the time of the stopping train to flip through the pages that covered the NICE ICE™ Skating rink incident, the library incident, the MagiFair incident and various other notes. Even though she was just starting to write down everything recently, there were already quite a few pages filled with her experiences and what she learned from Kouhei. Just now she started writing in a delicate handwriting about the event that just took place.

"Hanako?" The voice belonged to a middle aged woman who just got on the train and was approaching the girl in question from the side. Immersed in writing, Hanako didn't notice her at first and was surprised about being called out to.

"Mom!? What are you doing here?" She asked while quickly hiding the magical diary behind her back.

"Ah, I was just visiting your grandma. Now I am on my way home", her mother explained while sitting down next to Hanako. By now the train car was basically completely filled. No empty seats remained and more and more people were going to take a standing train ride.

"How is she?"

"She is doing good! She was so happy about my visit. I bet she would be happy if you would visit her again sometime soon."

"Ah, I think I will do that then", Hanako agreed with the idea.

At the next station, an elderly woman entered the train car. Since she had trouble finding a place to sit down, Hanako kindly offered her seat to her, like a magical girl would do as well.

"Thank you, child", the senior citizen sat down in Hanako's stead, now positioned between Kouhei and Hanakos mother.

With every further stop, the train got more crowded. It felt like all the office workers of the city agreed upon riding this particular train. Hanako was pushed around a bit and shoved more and more into the direction of her mother with every additional person getting onto the train.

"She can't see, right? It's impossible to see from her position", she was understandably uncomfortable standing this close before her resting mother. Especially if she remembered the fact that there was nothing under her skirt.

"We should get off at the next stop", Kouhei suggested this because he was noticing how troublesome the situation was for Hanako. Furthermore he was basically her partner in crime.

"Are you not coming home yet?"

"There is still some... Student council stuff to be taken care of."

"Oh I see. I will be waiting at home then. Good luck with your task", her mother added supportively.

"Yeah, thanks. My task...." It felt weird for Hanako to get encouraged from her mother for a task the two of them envisioned completely differently.

The two of them squeezed their way out of the train car while her mother waved goodbye to Hanako with a smile, "She is such a good child trying her best!"

A bit late, the elderly woman also got up from the seat she got from Hanako before and slowly, very slowly ventured to the exit of the vehicle.

"Hm? What is this?" Hanako's mother spotted a little book on the seat next to her, "It has Hanako's name on it?"

Hanako and Kouhei found themselves in front of the station they just got off at. It was almost dusk and it started to get chillier outside.

"Thanks, Kouhei..."

"Hm?"

"...For suggesting to get off the train."

"Ah, sure! No problem!" He assured her with a grin and a thumbs up. He seemed to like this gesture.

"What should we do from here?"

"Why not take a quick break and grab a bite. How about... Here is a fast food joint, I heard people from our class talk about it!"

According to Kouhei's invitation, they entered the restaurant. It had a modern interior and several monitors were displaying the different available meals. It was the kind of restaurant that was kids friendly as well. Some menus came with little toys to play with.

"What would you like to get? I guess today is on me!" Kouhei was in a generous mood.

Since Hanako was usually sated quickly and since her mother would prepare dinner for her at home, they decided to only get fries to share between them and a soft drink each.

"Good evening! May I take your order, Kouhei?"

The boy behind the counter, wearing a white and red striped uniform with a fitting hat was referring to the customer by name.

"Heeh. I didn't have a clue you were working here. Is it your new part time job, Seiji?"

The two boys were acquainted since Kouhei once entered a practice training session of the baseball club. New students were able to check out the clubs they were interested in without committing themselves for a full year. But since it was too bothersome of a sport, Kouhei never showed up after that one time.

"You bet it is! It's not too far away and the work hours fit perfectly into my schedule. The pay is on the lower end of the spectrum though", he added that last part with a whispering gesture, concealing his mouth with a hand. Then he spotted the girl he met at the library before, now shyly hiding behind Kouhei to evade the boy at the counter, "A-And she is your girlfriend!?"

"Nah, not really girlfriend. Just master and apprentice."

"Oh I see. Just master and-, What!?"

"Can we order now or not?" Kouhei demanded. There were other customers waiting in a queue behind them.

"Eh. Okay, okay, okay. What can I get you?"

They placed their order and it was left to Kouhei to finish the payment.

"Ah, it turns out we are currently out of fries. But a new batch is right in the making. It will be ready in a minute or two! Just take a seat and I will bring you your order once they are prepared. Would you like ice in your drinks?"

They agreed and took the little sign which read the number 5 to signalize that they were currently waiting on an order.

"Let's sit over there", Kouhei pointed to a table in the center of the restaurant and the pair approached the spot in question. Halfway from the counter to their goal, they got interrupted.

"Hey wait a second! I said you don't go running off all alone!!"

A kid was running around the tables, carrying a toy airplane in his hand. It was this week's kid's menu item. The voice belonged to an obviously overstained nanny.

'Bonk.'.

The kid tumbled into Hanako and fell to the ground, enabling his guardian to catch up and seize the outrunner.

"I am terribly sorry. He is a bit too energetic today", the nanny apologized to Hanako with a slight bow.

"No worries. It's cute!" She replied with an honest smile.

After this short intervention, both mentor and apprentice arrived at their seats.