“It was a terrible day.”

The girl, who used to be Maejima-san—Rino Honda-san—learned that I am a witch. Furthermore, as was exposed, Honda-san is also a witch, and, appearing to be a rival of mine from the days of middle school, she issued me a challenge. Upon being challenged I have lost by default. It should have been an excessively reckless to have a flight contest with me who lacked a magical force.
“Lie? You are lying to me?”—she had turned exceedingly disturbed and depressed. Whereas arrived in search for me, such myself can not neither remember nor compete her. She had lost all her vigour, and wordlessly parted with me.
Afterwards, I had taken my wonted classes, a nothing had happened as though, and went home.

“No, did I made her day a terrible one? She have travelled the way from Shikoku all by herself to bring me back, eh…”

I was filled with apologies.
There was also a part of me, however, which felt the weight. If she were mere friend, she would not have taken the trouble of looking for me. In fact, no one have departed Shikoku to seek me out up until now. It is worth to mention that the school officials were likewise frantic with pursue for me, however the behaviour was plainly confined by Shikoku. Only my parents, being conscious of situation as they were and feigning ignorance, had connived it, but ever since I reached here I had hardly any correspondence from them. Perhaps they have lost zest for me as a mediocre person who has been deprived of proficiency of the witch.
In any case, no one was alarmed enough to take any major action. Save for a sole person: her. Honda-san was the one and only who set off to seek me out. Beyond three years elapsed from my leaving, but only she had earnestly searched for me and tracked me down.
Was “Tsugu” so cherished a companion for her? Or else was she, as she say, a rival of hers?
I am not whatever blind to her feelings.

“Umm—, where was it.”

To find even little a help, I rummaged amidst the closet of my dwelling​.

“Oh, this one, this one.”

What I have found was a middle school graduation album. A singular middle school of witchcraft in Shikoku. Such a school of Tokushima I have had attended through. Albeit I ostensibly attended a regular girls’ private school, in its actual nature it was a unique centre of learning whereat the only teachers and students were witches.
Flipping through the pages of a thick album, I regarded a page with the photo of myself placed upon; the placed upon photo of myself who wear an unfamiliar to me face. It was a queer feeling.

“There you are.”

As well as red-haired girl have found a place upon the same page. A confidently raised eyebrows, with a look of triumph and self-assurance upon the countenance. It is definitely Honda-san. She was there indeed. As she said, we were classmates, studying in the same place, and undoubtedly competing also.
Pass the pages further: Cultural festival, field day, school trip. Within diverse a setting and place were she and myself. Me smiling. Honda-san with a visage of fury. Amid the photo of the trip, Honda-san and I were pictured together. I fancy we were in the same group. Honda-san wore a visage of discontent, whereas I had a dazzling smile upon mine.

“Having fun, eh, me.”

I have no memory. I have no memory of any of the photos which been taken.
It is slightly different from commonplace amnesia.
There are few from these classmates whom I recall. However, these are—“Ah—, you—,” or “We have talked once, I guess?”—people with whom I had faint a connections. Someone who did no affect upon my “Emotions” in whatever way. I can but remember this kind of folk.
On the other hand, any a people I was close with, in particular students and teachers of the same grade, I am utterly unable to recollect. I have perfectly no memory of the folk with whom I was involved.

“We must have been close, Tsugu been.”

To be more precise, I have not been bereaved of my magical force but the “Emotions” which brings forth a magical force. Along with remembrance that coiling round the “Emotions,” this had likewise vanished clean.

Being deprived of emotions, “Tsugu” could not give a birth to magical force, and departed significant a slice of her remembrance.

Honda-san might been a person who provided me with some feelings. That being the very article I do not remember in the least.
She is a precious companion for “Tsugu.”
Then, what is she for “Tsugumi?”

Even pondering over it will leave me with no answer, nor will I be able to do anything about it.
As I paced my way for convenience store wherein I was working part-time by weighty a stride, I was greeted by merry, in contrast to me, store manager today as well.

“Hey, Tsugumi-chan, you don’t look well, do you!”

Kaede Tono-san. Albeit a store manager, she hitherto appears to be in her late twenties. I am unaware of her actual age, and she will not teach me; but I am aware that she is single.

“Do I look this way?”
“Got a broken heart?”
“I have not, and I’m not in love.”

Your bearing upon utter “Ara, sorry,” which follows a finger that you pressed against your lips I regard as erotic, however no significance in exhibition of it to me resides therein.

“I’d been falling in love lots when I was about you age, Tsugumi-chan—. A fair lady with lots of love was I.”
“Yes, yes, I am sad loner, anyhow. Besides, manager-san is still pretty and fair lady.”
“Oh—, Tsugumi-san has a quick eye! Come marry me.”
“I won’t. Did you have another failed marriage hunting today?”

Her bright visage had rapidly grown dreary.

“…Will you listen?”
“How lengthy it is?”
“It should fit within working hours.”
“Well, I’m listening.”
“Sassy girl~”
“It’s small sacrifice to have my salary for just an audition.”

The narrative of marriage hunting failure of store manager had commenced today once again. She sketched me that she put in an appearance to a speed dating today. Since the store manager has a pleasant face, it seems that she was popular at first, and yet—

“Whenever one chats with me, their face turn ever scrunched. Of every single one, you know?”
“What were you talking of?”
“We were talking of annual income, when to give a birth to a child, what kind of lessons we’ll give them, ah, and eldest son is out of question.”
“Strangely realistic. Such an aspect is rather attracting, eh.”
“It’s not crucial if we are getting married!”
“Right, but——”

Certainly no one sought for the real world. Whilst in process of marriage hunting, what they sought for was a romance. Although I am teenager, I do not actually know.

“What are coupling odds?”
“About a half every time.”
“These are pretty good odds.”
“I have never been among them.”
“You are wasting your money.”
“They all have no eyes. Ah—, I can’t wait to see my next prince-sama to show up in a luxurious car with a passbook of ten million yen~”
“That’s what I’m saying!”

I have no notion how serious she being, however I find her an amusing person. It is getting ridiculous to be anxious about her.

“Feel better?”

The store manager questions me.

“Isn’t this my line for listening you complain?”
“Doesn’t it make you feel better to hear mistakes of others? It makes you happy to see people being stupid.”
“Ah—, it is, is it not, something like so. It’s amusing watching manager-san.”
“Did you call me a stupid just now?”
“Ha-ha-ha.”

I like people of intense emotional modulation.
That is partly for envy, and also partly due to easiness of snatching a magical force from them; however I would not do that at work still.

Upon our conversation, on my way home, I felt lighter and had a light stride.
Whilst having nigh expired bento box, which I received from store manager today once again, I am heading home.
I wonder what is that child, Honda-san, is up to now. She forsake her home town and now all alone in the Tokyo. What will she do henceforth, will she return to Shikoku?
Well, I need not to brood over her… She is a strong witch. Undoubtedly will regain her footing at once——

“Ah.”

I could discern a girl weep.
The girl had been seated upon a swing.
It was hard to see plainly in the dark, but the girl’s hair was red of shade all the same.
My feet had taken an action arbitrarily.

“Eh? Honda-san.”

It was the girl I reminisced of just now.

“…Are you all right?”

Her eyes, red with tears, enveloped me upon a question.