Not long after the class bell rang, Nukumizu Kaju had already run out of the classroom with her schoolbag.
Although she felt a little bad for the friends who invited her to go home together, she had something more important to do.
"Ah, she's here, she's here… Ruri-chan~"
Not far from the school shoe locker, she finally managed to corner the other girl.
Gokou Ruri stopped and turned to look at the girl who also had long black hair. However, unlike their somewhat similar appearances, their treatment at school was like heaven and earth. She was just a chuunibyou oddball in her classmates' eyes, while the other was a popular mascot character in the class.
"Is there something you need?"
Pushing aside the chaotic thoughts in her mind, Gokou Ruri asked in a detached tone.
It wasn't coldness or a bad relationship with the other person; if anything, this tone was more like a kind of protective colour for the girl, much like her sharp tongue after changing into a gothic lolita dress.
"Perhaps I'm being nosy—" Nukumizu Kaju hesitated for a moment, but still replied seriously, "But I just feel like Ruri-chan has seemed a bit… hmm, troubled these past two days? If you don't mind, you can tell me any problems you have."
Gokou Ruri was silent for a long while, then gently shook her head: "It's nothing, you're overthinking it."
"But I haven't seen Ruri-chan wearing a black dress and laughing 'oh ho ho' these past two days."
"…In your eyes, am I only normal if I make that sound?"
Gokou Ruri's mouth twitched, then she asked.
"Yes."
Kaju nodded firmly.
Immediately, Gokou Ruri decided to seriously reflect on her chuunibyou mode image management going forward.
But then, her expression darkened again.
"Ruri-chan?"
The perceptive Nukumizu Kaju immediately noticed that the other's mood seemed to have worsened.
Gokou Ruri sighed, then suddenly reached out and pointed at Nukumizu Kaju: "Cat!"
"Eh, are you going to transform here?!"
Nukumizu Kaju was so startled that she immediately covered her head, afraid that suddenly appearing cat ears would be seen by other passing students.
But after waiting for a moment, she found that nothing happened.
"That's how it is."
Gokou Ruri lowered her hand, trying to sound lighthearted as she said, "I'm no longer a witch."
"…Ah."
Nukumizu Kaju immediately recalled what she had heard yesterday at the Clubroom when she went to Soubu High School to pick up her Onii-chan, about what happened at Chiba Port Tower.
Yuigahama Yui, who told her all this, only roughly mentioned that the reason Takuma got angry and ran to Chiba Port Tower, eventually blowing it up, was because Ruri-chan had been attacked by the oddity entrenched there.
She was paying attention to Gokou Ruri today also because Takuma had asked her to keep an eye on Ruri-chan's situation. According to him, Ruri-chan hadn't contacted him for some reason, and even messages he sent were read but not replied to.
Thanks to him, Nukumizu Kaju was able to keenly notice that Gokou Ruri's mood was indeed a bit strange, and she never expected the reason to be this…
"Actually, you don't have to worry too much. Look, I can't use Curse either!"
Although many thoughts popped into her mind at once, Nukumizu Kaju still upheld her kind nature and immediately chose a topic to comfort the other girl: "And Asagumo Chihaya also can't use Curse, but isn't she still a member of the Magic Club?"
Rather, before this, the only ones who could use Curse, besides Asakura, were Ruri. It was only recently that the pink-haired girl who suddenly appeared and the equally pink-haired Yuigahama Yui suddenly became able to use Curse Mirror.
Huh, could it be that the condition for using Mirror is pink hair?
"It's different."
But Gokou Ruri said stiffly.
"How is it different?"
"Asagumo Chihaya is gentle and capable. Even without Curse, she can support Takuma-kun. And you, Nukumizu Kaju, both teachers and classmates like you at school."
Gokou Ruri turned away, her voice sounding incredibly forlorn: "And I only had Curse… Without that, I'm just an ordinary person immersed in delusions… I already…"
"That's not true! Even if they can't use Curse, Asakura and the others definitely value Ruri-chan—"
Before Nukumizu Kaju could finish, Gokou Ruri had already run out of the teaching building without looking back.
Nukumizu Kaju wanted to chase after her, but realized she was still wearing indoor shoes. By the time she hastily changed her shoes, the other party had already disappeared.
The helpless girl could only take out her phone and contact the name that had never lit up since it was added to her contacts.
"A strange number. I don't subscribe to newspapers, I don't have a TV at home so I don't pay NHK reception fees, and I'm not interested in any sales calls. That's all..."
"A blow! Asakura actually didn't have Kaju's number saved?"
"...Kaju Kaju scam?"
"What kind of adorable scam is that? Please stop teasing Kaju."
"Teasing cute juniors is part of Japanese club culture."
"Class society?! No, that's usually only in track and field clubs..."
"So the key is 'cute,' not 'junior.'"
"Hmm, Asakura is like an older brother to Kaju."
"I got brother-zoned in an instant?!"
"Kaju thinks the joke has gone on long enough."
"Hmm, Chihaya's expression is also getting a bit grim. It's probably time to stop."
"Kaju occasionally gets a bit confused about whether Asakura and Asagumo's relationship is good or bad..."
"So, Kaju, you specifically looked for me because of what I asked you to do yesterday?"
"That's right, well... Ruri-chan... she... actually..."
Nukumizu Kaju hesitated, wondering whether she should tell him that the girl had lost her ability to cast spells.
"She can't use Curse for now, or her Curse is going wrong, right?"
"Huh? Does Asakura know?"
"I had a bit of a guess. After all, that child is quite sensitive in that regard."
"Then how will Asakura see Ruri-chan now?"
"With his eyes."
"Asakura!"
"Kaju-chan's voice is getting colder. Although that also has its own charm... Alright, alright, it was just a joke."
The other party's voice on the phone also became serious: "But your question is strange to begin with. Ruri is Ruri. How could my view of her change because of external factors?"
"I see, I understand, Asakura."
"Hmm?"
"I'll leave Ruri-chan to you."
"Okay."
He said.
"Leave it to me."