Draconis spent the whole day shadowing Nodoka Toyohama, quietly studying every reaction, every little tell. By the time the final bell rang, he'd pieced together a pretty clear picture.
Nodoka was in the same boat Mai Sakurajima had once been—caught in the throes of an unstable, half-awakened supernatural ability. Honestly, these powers were more trouble than they were worth. No combat edge, just endless headaches.
And the only way to fix powers like these? Change the way the person thinks.
He stuck around until school let out, enduring a day of boredom for the sake of observation.
On the walk home, Nodoka fretted aloud, "I wonder how my sister's doing…"
"If it's Mai, she'll be fine." Draconis answered, his confidence unshaken. He'd seen firsthand just how sharp and adaptable Mai could be.
"…Yeah, if it's her, nothing ever goes wrong. She's always been amazing." Nodoka's voice was tinged with gloom.
Draconis matched her pace, listening to her talk about "sister this, sister that"—yet he'd never once heard her actually call Mai "sister" to her face.
He broke the silence. "Mind telling me why?"
"Huh? Why what?"
"Why you never call Mai 'sister' when you're with her." His tone was casual, but his eyes were sharp.
"B-because she's a senior in the entertainment world," Nodoka replied, avoiding his gaze.
Draconis wasn't buying it. "I'm guessing it's a lot more complicated than that."
"Oh? What do you know?"
"I know a few things." He kept his voice easy, but his words cut deep. "Like how you used to idolize your sister. But lately, you had a falling out with your family—probably because of Mai. So you came here, not just to see her, but maybe to finally say you hate her."
Nodoka froze, wide-eyed. It was as if he'd reached into her chest and pulled out the secret she'd never spoken.
"You… I didn't say anything! How do you know all that? Is this some kind of power?"
"Nope." Draconis couldn't be bothered to explain his reasoning. "Mai figured it out a long time ago. Actually, I only pieced it together because she pointed me in the right direction."
Nodoka's defenses crumbled. "You're so annoying! Demon, sorcerer—why does my sister have someone like you on her side? Is it because of you she made her comeback?"
Draconis heard the edge in her voice, the frustration boiling over. He paused, then said quietly, "So Mai's return to the spotlight made things worse between you and your mom."
Mai had been back for a while now—commercials, drama roles, her face everywhere. Turn on the TV or stroll through town, and you'd see Mai Sakurajima at least once a day.
That kind of presence was suffocating. No wonder Nodoka's mother was feeling the pressure.
Mai's mother… what a move.
But it was Mai's own drive that brought her back. Draconis smiled wryly. "I nudged her, sure, but Mai loves acting. Even without me, she would've returned eventually."
He added, "But if you just want to vent, go ahead. Say whatever you need to."
Nodoka fell silent. Draconis had hit the mark with uncomfortable precision.
She'd been under so much pressure—grueling rehearsals, never able to match Mai's pace, her mother's constant demands. All of it had built to this breaking point.
Draconis considered his options. Maybe it was time for a different approach—help Nodoka find her own confidence, break free from her mother's shadow. If he started there, this mess might resolve itself quickly.
He could see the plan forming in his mind.
The two returned to Mai's house in silence. Not long after, Draconis's phone buzzed. It was Mai, calling from Nodoka's number—the one he'd saved that morning.
"How was today?"
Mai's breathing was a little ragged, probably fresh off dance practice.
"School went fine."
"That's good. You stayed with her all day?" she asked.
"Yeah."
"You're so responsible."
Her voice was calm, but Draconis caught a subtle change—something softer, almost wistful.
He couldn't help but grin. "Mai, are you jealous?"
"That was time you should've spent with me."
That was as close to an admission as he'd ever get.
Draconis laughed. "Don't I know it. But what can you do?"
Mai quickly got herself back together. "Any discoveries?"
"Pretty much what you guessed."
"So?"
"So I'm working on a fix."
Draconis glanced at Nodoka curled up in the living room. "But this is going to take a while."
Mai didn't let her anxiety show. "Got it. Take care of Nodoka for me."
"I can't be with her every day. She's not my girlfriend."
That actually seemed to lift Mai's spirits. "Heh, but she does look like your girlfriend right now, doesn't she?"
Draconis snorted. "Fine, for the sake of Mai's face, I'll make time. Just not tomorrow—I've got another contract to check in on. I'll put my plan into action once your commercials start filming."
"Alright. I need to get back to dance practice. Bye."
Mai hung up, as decisive as ever, but her voice lingered with a hint of longing. She really did want to swap back soon—so she could enjoy her happiness with him.
Draconis stared at his phone, one eyebrow raised.
Jealous Mai was adorable.
He got up, stretching, and called out lazily to Nodoka, "I'm heading out. Make your own dinner tonight."
"Huh? You're not staying to eat with me…?"
"If I stay, where am I supposed to sleep?" Draconis rolled his eyes, rare annoyance in his voice. "I should be sleeping with Mai, but she's wearing your face. You want me to sleep with you instead?"
Nodoka's face went crimson. "Go die!"
"You're the one with a death wish, aren't you? But I'd advise against it." Draconis's words were calm, but carried a weight that made Nodoka pause. He turned and vanished in a shimmer of teleportation magic.
Nodoka stood frozen, staring at the spot where he'd disappeared, feeling utterly exposed.
How did he know?
…Was his insight really that scary?
Scary enough to be terrifying…
…
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