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I studied hard while attending school.

In my first year, there were many kids who avoided me, and plenty who openly disliked me, but not anymore.

To be more precise, I guess that concept of ‘openly’ has disappeared. I’m not sure if they talk behind my back, but at least they no longer frown or laugh at me to my face.

Well, honestly, I don’t really care anymore. If it were back when I was lonely, when I couldn’t hold onto anything, then things would have been different, but that’s not the case now.

My relationship with Ha-yoon is still going strong. Plus, Jua is in the same grade, so the three of us always hang out together during lunch.

It’s a pity Ji-hye is at another school, but we end up meeting after school anyway.

There were also seniors around, and the interference from people around us has pretty much vanished, which made me feel at ease.

My grades quickly found their footing. They dropped a bit in the first semester, but there was a solid foundation I had built before that, and I studied with seniors during the break, so my first grades were enough to get a scholarship.

We enjoyed our second semester of second year.

After school, we ate tteokbokki on the way, bought loads of snacks, and somewhat celebrated. Jua hadn’t been to a karaoke place, so I dragged her along once.

The number of leftover company goons declined steadily.

Seeing us fight them off, more people began to think that it was pointless to rush in any further. Noir Corporation was no longer spending money to attack magical girls. But then again, how much help could the ones who got kicked out offer? It seems like the bounty is gradually decreasing.

So, we just enjoyed ourselves. What’s the harm in that?

The seniors who were earnestly studying throughout the whole second semester seemed too busy to play with us, but we had a blast. We had so much fun that we even got up early one Saturday to go all the way to Gyeongju for roller coasters and came back that evening.

Ha-yoon grew closer to me as time went by. Jua, Ji-hye, and Pang-pang were the same way. Even though Pang-pang was ‘busy’ in a way, it didn’t mean she didn’t have any time at all.

I liked hugging those girls. It was too cute and lovely to see Ha-yoon, wearing her coat, tightly sticking to me, trying to share warmth through that thick clothing.

For some reason, Ji-hye kept side-eyeing me, wanting me by her side, while Jua was similar but she would burrow under my armpit and tight hug my waist with both arms.

Pang-pang, I don’t know why, but she loved to hug me from behind. I wondered if that flight from before left a deep impression on her. I even considered taking her for another ride later.

It’s called the second semester, but it’s actually just a few months. That’s how school life is. Blink, and a third or even half of it has already flown by.

Autumn passed, and winter arrived.

The weather got quite cold, but strangely, there seemed to be no sign of snow.

Though it didn’t feel entirely dry either.

“Hey, senior!”

As I raised my hand and shouted, someone coming from a distance waved their hand excitedly.

“What’s up? You were out?”

With sparkling eyes and a wide smile was Seo-hee.

I figured she would be the first to show up. She wasn’t the type to sit and take exams for long.

“I missed you since you weren’t here in the morning.”

With no hint of embarrassment, Seo-hee came over to us.

“You thought I should surprise you, didn’t you?”

“Didn’t you just want to sleep in since it was a day off?”

Ah, I got caught. Well, it’s not entirely untrue.

Our school was one of the exam centers, so first and second graders got a break on the entrance exam day. I skipped breakfast and just slept in.

Ha-yoon and Ji-hye did the same. As for Pang-pang, I wasn’t sure if she slept late or not since she didn’t live with us in the first place.

“Here.”

I took out a piece of rice cake from my pocket and handed it to her. It wasn’t anything fancy, just something you’d typically find at a convenience store.

“Is this what you give after exams?”

Seo-hee, who was usually laid-back about everything, cocked her head at me in disbelief. Though she did take the rice cake.

“Well, exams are all about your ability until you leave the exam room.”

“Oh, since the competition of ability is done, now it’s all about luck?”

“That’s not wrong, is it?”

Different schools might have different exams, and there could be interviews too. But that’s for later. At least for now, it’s like this.

Seo-hee chuckled and put the rice cake in her pocket.

“Well, I’ll take it for now. Still, giving it before the exam seems to fit the meaning of ‘passing.’”

Whatever the reception, it’s done.

“What should we do? If there are still kids with upcoming exams, we might have to wait a while.”

Other kids were already passing by us, some of them treading eagerly. Everyone looked cheerful.

The sky was completely black, but it hadn’t been long, so they’d probably go somewhere to hang out before heading home. It meant they had crossed a major hurdle in life.

“Should we go to a café and wait?”

“……”

At my question, Seo-hee turned around.

After a moment of contemplation, she looked at me with a rather serious expression.

“Remember when I said I’d find an escape route?”

“I remember.”

That was a memorable statement.

“……But you know, we really did work hard.”

“I know.”

It might seem like we were just having fun together, but I’m sure there have been times when they’ve been diligently studying out of my sight.

Well, they do say that if you only study, your brain doesn’t seem to work well. Sometimes recharge time is necessary.

“Yeon-woo and Chae-yeon were the same way.”

Seo-hee turned her back.

With her hands in her coat pockets, she looked towards the school.

“I, too, would like to stick together until the end if possible. I’ll wait here, so you guys go warm up in a cozy place and come back. Or if you tell me where you’ll be, I’ll take you there.”

“……”

At those words, Ha-yoon and I, Ji-hye and Jua, along with Pang-pang, exchanged glances.

We all laughed together.

“You’re really trying to act cool.”

“I’m not trying to act cool; I actually am cool. I’m a magical girl famous for being amazing. I might need another title besides just ‘girl’ from now on.”

Yeah, I know.

Happy Rose was a very popular magical girl. With her red hair flowing, wearing a magnificent red dress, she fought off villains with her iron fists—she was the heroine of justice.

Always with a smile and a relaxed fighting spirit, the magical girl.

When I saw Rose, I probably felt a pang of jealousy for that reason. There was just too much to envy.

“……”

I turned to the kids.

I bet Ha-yoon and Jua would surely say they’d stay here. They had always fought alongside the seniors as magical girls.

Ji-hye would stay if I did, and Pang-pang would likely do the same. These two hadn’t known the original magical girls for that long.

But would it really be alright to force them to wait?

“Let’s wait together.”

But to interrupt my worries, Ji-hye sighed and said. White breath puffed out with her words.

“Having come this far to wait, it seems a bit… off to go somewhere else to wait.”

“Oh, I think that makes sense.”

Pang-pang nodded, her hands shoved deep into her coat pockets, smiling with a grin.

“And waiting until it gets super cold to drink warm coffee is really tasty. It’s winter, after all. It might be nice to soak in a bit more of the winter vibe.”

“……”

I let out a deep breath.

It was both a sigh of relief and a sound of joy spilling from me.

Really, I could hardly ask for better friends around me.

I might have been blessed from the start. If I had been honest with Ha-yoon from the beginning, and if I had started playing with these kids from the beginning, I might have been enjoying such joy long before now.

…….

No, that doesn’t seem right either.

Perhaps if that had happened, we wouldn’t have gotten so close ‘this much.’

“Alright, then let’s wait together.”

I said that, and everyone nodded.

Then, we huddled together and quietly waited in front of the school. Until Yeon-woo and Chae-yeon came out after the last period ended.

Until the two of them turned to us with bright smiles—

In a calm place, we wait pleasantly, with a bit of prayer in our hearts.

 

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