Unique magic skill (1)

It was astonishing how weeks passed so fast and even more surprising how Makoto quickly got used to Watanabe Mami appearing every day out of nowhere with her demands for him to become familiar.

He wasn’t sure when but she had successfully sneaked into his daily life. There was not a day for her not to either jump out of the bushes or sneak on him from around the corner. None of the situations were coincidental. At first annoying appearances started to be funnier to Makoto. He wasn’t big on being stalked but he couldn’t help but smirk when he saw Mami with leaves and sticks sticking out of her hair not caring about people looking weirdly at her.

It was endearing in a way.

Makoto wouldn’t be able to tolerate the girl as much if she were too persistent but every day it felt like she had a time limit to her approach. Exactly at 5:30 p.m., she said her goodbyes in the most eccentric ways. It wasn’t his business to ask her why she left precisely at this time but with each day passing, his curiosity grew stronger.

But today was different. Never before was the weekend day an issue for Watanabe Mami to appear. Quite on the contrary. She had much more time to bother him not having to attend school. And yet here he was, resting on a park bench together with Nakano while his two younger twin sisters Yukari and Kaori were playing on the nearby playground with no weirdo girl to be seen. And it has already been 1 p.m.

Should he actually worry about himself that he noticed such a thing? Was it normal to be concerned about Watanabe not appearing when technically she was his stalker? Maybe he was going through Stockholm syndrome…

“Thinking about Watanabe?” Nakano’s voice disturbed his train of thought.

“What!?” Makoto blushed slightly, caught in the act. “The hell would you think I am thinking about her, huh!?”

“Lucky guess and a bit of hopeful thinking.”

“Hopeful thinking?” Makoto tilted his head confused.

“You know,” Nakano started, “at first it was just my theory but you kinda do look cute together. Remember that time when she jumped off of the tree and you caught her? Classic shoujo anime moment!”

Makoto sweatdropped. 

How could he have forgotten that Nakano watches all those cutesy shows with cliche wholesome romantic moments together with his sisters so he can be delusional at times?

“Of course I caught her, she would have broken a bone, and no matter what weirdo she may be, I am not so cruel to let her fall like that!” the red-haired boy exclaimed as he remembered the situation. He would never admit that he was thinking how small the girl was compared to him when he was holding her in his arms. Better to leave this information to himself. “Besides,” he continued, “she is kind of a stalker. Do you really think I would be interested in a girl who follows me all the time?”

Nakano pouted but didn’t look like he was giving up just yet. “I mean, it’s not like she is creepy about following you. She doesn’t look like she knows where you are, it’s more like she’s looking for you. Also,” he started again, this time smirking mischievously which worried Makoto, “lately it feels like you are enjoying her shenanigans. Just like now, you were kinda pouting that she hasn’t appeared yet today.”

“Wh- I was not pouting!” Makoto immediately yelled out in defense.

“Oh come on, captain,” Nakano continued to tease, “she is your type, isn’t it? A cute innocent girl, smart at that too. The exact opposite of all the girls that tried to date you and failed.”

Makoto cringed at this insinuation. “Dude, you know damn well that their looks and characters weren’t what the problem was…”

It was true. Onitsuka Makoto had his popular phase when a lot of girls, mostly delinquents just like him, constantly asked him out. A lot of them were really nice and he had a fun time talking and interacting with them. But the red-haired teen knew what he wanted in the teenage years of his life. He wanted freedom and wanted to be a bit irresponsible. He just fooled around all day. Makoto didn’t want to be tied down to a schedule, planning out dates and anniversaries. All of the girls always said that they didn’t mind it, that it was okay and they wouldn’t be bothered by that, only a few believed that they would be able to change his lifestyle. In the end, both types ended up giving up. Dating failed after a few weeks when those girls felt like they weren’t important enough in his life. They didn’t have the patience to chase him around and wanted him to be more active in dating of his own free will even though he warned them that he was not the kind of guy that would do it.

“Fine, fine…” Nakano put his hands up in defense. “But at least you can stop pouting now!”

Makoto looked at his black-haired friend confused. Nakano only nudged his head in the direction of the playground signaling for him to look over there and there she was.

Watanabe Mami once again graced them with her presence, this time being surrounded by the kids who were interested in her weirdness.

Wait... Was she wearing a magical girl cosplay?

Yes, yes she was. 

No wonder why the kids swarmed her when she looked like a character straight out of the series “Card Collector Momo”. A frilly baby blue dress was hard not to grab attention. It was a miracle that she wasn’t holding any magic staff, although somehow Makoto had a feeling that Mami owned one and just didn’t bring it along.

It didn’t take long for the girl to notice him and his friend sitting on the nearby bench. Once her attention was on them, or as the red-haired gang leader believed, on him to be more specific, she left the kids behind to approach two delinquents instead.

“Well well well, if it isn’t the Red Oni, what a-”

“Can we cut the bullshit part of you pretending it’s a coincidence?” Makoto quickly cut her off. “Go on, say that you want to make me your familiar, I will refuse, as always, and we could both go our ways for the day.”

Mami puffed out her reddened cheeks in annoyance which made her look like a little hamster.

A cute little hamster.

She didn’t look like Makoto had discouraged her to keep trying as she was about to say something but couldn’t because other female voices forestalled her.

“Makoto-nii, don’t be a butthead to Mami-sama!”

“Makoto-nii, meanie!”

It was Yukari with Kaori who unnoticed managed to follow the black-haired teen girl now defending her from Makoto’s rudeness.

How did Watanabe manage to turn those two girls against him? In the ranking of the most favorite person in the world, he scored third, right after Nakano and Tomoya but then Mami came along and suddenly dethroned him from the third place that he secured for so long.

Was it her plan all along? To turn the kids against him because everyone knew Onitsuka Makoto would never lay a hand on a kid or woman who didn’t consent to him fighting them?

No, no. It was getting absurd. Surely he just acted paranoid and Watanabe wasn’t that much of a mastermind to use such a bizarre strategy.

And yet when he looked up from the girls to Mami and saw her cheeky smirk, the doubts immediately came back to him.

“Looks like it’s three against one, boss,” Nakano chuckled as he patted his sisters on their heads.