"I apologize for summoning you all at such a late hour. However, this is a matter of utmost urgency, and I had no other choice."
I received a sudden summons from Seia late in the evening. I had wondered why she would call me to what has essentially become Mika's private office, but upon arriving, I was surprised to find Justice Task Force Chief Tsurugi-san and Sisterhood Prioress Sakurako-san already there. Not even a minute after I arrived, Relief Knights Head Miné-san joined us, and Seia dropped a bombshell. The Arius reclamation operation, which was scheduled to be carried out in the near future, had to begin immediately.
The moment I heard that, I knew this had something to do with Mika. The fact that Mika herself wasn't here was suspicious enough.
And sure enough, it seems Mika charged into Arius alone the moment she heard that the Arius students she'd made contact with had their betrayal exposed. I was a little surprised that Mika was responsible enough to go to such lengths for children she'd only met once. And yes, that is a compliment.
Well, Mika has been very kind lately, so I suppose it's not entirely out of character. This must be Mika's love. When she first lost her memories, I was worried about what would become of her, but most of the changes I've seen in her lately have been positive, so I don't really mind.
...No, it would be more accurate to say that I actually like it. Not too long ago, I found myself disgusting for even thinking such things, but I'm glad that feeling has lessened a bit since I opened up to Mika.
However.
"We must form a unit with whoever is available right now and depart for the Arius district at once. Otherwise, Mika's life is in dang—"
"Seia-san, I think I must have misheard you... You're joking, right?"
What on earth is Seia trying to say? Not just that Mika is in danger, but that her life is in danger? In all of Trinity, the only one who could possibly pose a threat to Mika is the Chief of the Justice Task Force, Tsurugi-san. I can't imagine who could possibly threaten Mika's life.
"...I wish this were a joke. But the longer our support is delayed, the less I can guarantee Mika's life. For every minute our support is delayed, the probability of Mika surviving the night will decrease by ten percent."
Ten percent? Not one percent, but ten?
This is clearly an exaggeration meant to scare us. Realistically, it would be impossible to finish preparations within ten minutes, and there's no way to avoid wasting some time on the way there.
However, if she has to resort to such scare tactics, it must mean Mika's life is truly in danger.
Fufu... fu...
Honestly... Mika, I really don't think I'll live a long life because of you.
When you get back, you'd better be prepared for a lecture so long you'll be begging me to just stuff you with roll cakes instead. Yes, I'm going to teach you a lesson so you never do something this reckless again.
...So please.
"N-Nagisa-san?!"
"Nagisa! Are you alri—"
"She needs medical attention..."
Please come back safely.
"..."
A hospital room. The Tea Party's private one, at that.
I've been here before because of Seia, but I never thought the day would come when I'd be using it myself. My body isn't as absurdly durable as Mika's, but it's not as frail as Seia's either.
And what is this needle in my arm? I'm not sure if getting an IV drip just for fainting for a moment is standard procedure.
Well, looking at the time, it seems it was more than just a moment. Still, seeing Mika fast asleep in the chair next to my bed, it seems things worked out while I was unconscious. The fact that she's back safely, without any major injuries, is proof of that.
I had originally planned to spend at least a full day lecturing Mika the moment she returned, asking her if she had any sense at all. If she understood how important she was to Trinity right now, if she'd even considered the people who would grieve if something happened to her because of her recklessness...
...But all of that was just an excuse. That wasn't what I really wanted to say.
The catheter in my arm was bothering me, so I tried to pull it out myself, but it was surprisingly stubborn. If I caused a problem trying to remove it myself, it would only be my loss, so I decided to call an attendant and ask them to do it.
The attendant who entered the room had a strange expression on her face when she saw Mika asleep in the chair. Since we represent different factions, there are still some in the Tea Party who don't know how close we are.
"Nagisa-sama, is there anything else you require?"
"...Fufu, no. I'm fine, you may leave. Thank you for your help."
"Of course. Please call me anytime if you need anything."
After the attendant left, I gently moved my arm. It felt a little stiff, but thankfully, the feeling soon disappeared. It might have just been my imagination.
I sat up and looked at Mika, still sailing through dreamland, and my heart felt warm. Judging by the time, she must have rushed straight here after finishing her business. She seems to have changed into comfortable clothes, so she must have made a quick detour, but I can forgive that.
Anyway, seeing her here, having stayed by my side all night because she was worried about me, all my anger at her just melted away. She's a truly impossible person to hate.
...But, is that position comfortable? Forget comfort, having your neck bent at that angle can't possibly be good for you.
"Honestly, Mika-san. You're such a handful."
Muttering to myself, I got out of bed and carefully lifted Mika into my arms. I'm not as strong as her, so I can't say she was light by any means, but I could just about manage. It's not something I'd want to do often, though.
After laying her down on the bed, I noticed the ornaments on her wings. They were covered in small scratches, no doubt from last night's ordeal, and some were even chipped. She probably has plenty of spares at home, so I decided to just throw these away and began to remove them one by one.
If she complains later, I'll have to buy her a few new ones... but that seems like a nice excuse to spend some time with her. Mika has been so busy lately that we haven't been able to spend as much time together as I would like.
It's cute how her body twitches every time my hand touches her wing, but she doesn't wake up. Mika is generally cheerful and extroverted, though not as much as before, so seeing this quiet side of her is a little different, in a nice way. Fufu.
After removing all the ornaments, I gently turned her onto her side. Lying flat on your back can make your wings feel stiff.
Then, I too lay down on the opposite side of the bed, facing her. It's not a large bed, but there's certainly enough room for two girls to lie on their sides.
I'm not sure why I got back into bed. I don't think I could give an answer other than, for some reason, I just wanted to.
"...Mika-san."
I gently reached out and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. When did this sense of closeness become so natural? No, not just natural—why have I started to wish we could be even closer?
...I see.
It was a simple enough reason that anyone who wasn't a fool could understand, but if that person themselves denies it, then there is no way they could ever know. Yes, just as I have been doing... until this very moment.
"Mika-san, what should I do? I know I shouldn't feel this way... I know I shouldn't."
One day, you lost your memories, and I realized that my longtime friend was a much more precious existence than I had ever thought.
In our relationship, where I had always been the more mature one, I found myself drawn to the mature side you began to show.
You, who retained your old mischievous and energetic side, but had become so much kinder... It seems that I, Nagisa Kirifuji, have come to love Mika Misono.
"I... I think I'm in love with you..."
It seems I've fallen in love.
As I whispered the words, part of me hoped Mika hadn't heard, while another part wished she had. With this conflicting heart, I placed a hand over my own, which was pounding like a broken brake, and let out a small breath.
Now that I've finally faced my true feelings, I'm afraid she'll find out the moment our eyes meet. It's that difficult to hide.
But just because I've realized my feelings doesn't mean anything will change right away. No, it can't. If this relationship were to be ruined by a single mistake of mine, I don't think I could handle the aftermath.
If I were to try to change a relationship that was simply a friendship, I would have to be prepared to deal with the backlash if I failed. Or, I would have to approach it with the resolve to succeed, no matter what.
It feels a bit strange to say this, but I believe I've lived a life closer to success than failure. There have been more times I've gotten what I wanted than times I haven't. So this time, too, I won't even consider the possibility of failure.
My face was so hot I could feel the heat through my hand. I took a deep breath, calming and steadying my heart so Mika wouldn't notice the change in me at a glance.
Perhaps I am just a coward. A coward who doesn't have the courage to confess these feelings that are about to overflow right here and now.
But now that I've become aware of my own heart, our relationship is bound to change someday. I may not have the courage to confess my feelings just yet... but I can at least make you like me a little more, can't I?
They say a good start is half the battle, and there's still plenty of time. So, just wait a little longer. Until I've gathered every last scrap of courage I have to confess my feelings to you.
"Hnnnngh... Huh? Nagi-chan...?"
"Did you sleep well, Mika-san?"
Yes, there's still plenty of time. Fufu.