After a couple of classes, the school bell rang. It signaled the start of recess. Students began to flood out of their classrooms, eager for a break and a chance to eat their lunch.

  At the school's rooftop, Nozomi and Yoshino sat side by side on the floor, enjoying the tranquility only found in a place where no one would bother them and their respective bento boxes that released the pleasant smell of home-cooked meals.

  By Nozomi’s side was a note left by her mother that always came along with her bentos:

  Here's your breakfast and lunch, have a nice day! (:

  Yoshino finished her lunch first and took the last sip from her thermos. "Phew, I needed that." She exhaled a tired but satisfied breath.

  Nozomi nodded in agreement while her mouth was full of food. Between bites, she occasionally offered some to Seiza, who was still inside her school bag. After reassuring him that it was no trouble, she stroked his back gently as he ate.

  Once she finished her bento, Nozomi turned to face Yoshino. Her worried eyes searched her friend's face. "Hey, I know it may sound annoying to ask this again, but... are you okay? Like, truly okay?"

  Caught off guard, Yoshino's eyes briefly widened before her gaze softened, drifting down to her thermos.

  The silence that followed stretched awkwardly, filled with unspoken thoughts.

  Finally, she sighed and spoke. Her voice was tinged with vulnerability. "Honestly? If the lack of sleep I got is any indication… probably not. So much happened that I... think I need some time to process it all."

  Nozomi nodded, trying to convey her empathy through a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I think I get it. Well, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," she offered, her eyes filled with earnest support.

  Yoshino's lips curled into a faint smile as she nodded slowly. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind..."

  After a few seconds of companionable silence, Yoshino spoke up to Seiza. "Hey, Seiza... about our conversation yesterday?"

  "Oh. Did you want to know anything else from me? I... can't guarantee that I'll know the answer to every question you may have, but I'll try my best to answer then!" Seiza’s earnest expression eased some of Yoshino's apprehension.

  Yoshino pondered his offer before turning to Nozomi with a question that snuck up on her that she couldn’t ignore. "Thank you... I do have some questions... but there's something I need to know from Nozomi first."

  Nozomi tilted her head, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Huh? Me?" She pointed at herself, wondering what could be so important.

  Yoshino nodded. Her voice was hesitant. "Yes, I... don't know exactly how to ask, but, Nozomi, are you going to keep doing this?" Her eyes revealed the depths of her worry.

  "Hmm? Doing what exactly?" Nozomi tilted her head, confused.

  Yoshino sighed before rephrasing her question so it was easier for her air-head friend to understand. "This whole magical girl thing. Are you going to continue?"

  "Oh..." Nozomi's expression clouded as she grasped the pendant with the bull mark emblazoned on it. "That." She stared pensively at the pendant before shrugging. "Probably, yeah."

  Yoshino's disbelief was evident, her expression one of bafflement. "B-but why? You heard Seiza, right? Those things... darkspawns... plural, it means there are more of them. Why would you want to go out there and... fight more of those things?"

  Nozomi thought for a moment before responding. "Back then... when I met Seiza in my room... I thought I was dreaming. I mean, can you blame me? A talking dog, magical clothes, light powers, and fighting against monsters that shouldn't exist. Even when I saw you bleeding on the floor, I wanted to believe it was a dream just to deny the horror I was witnessing," she confessed, avoiding eye contact as she relived the painful memory.

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  "But... the moment that monster struck me, I realized that it wasn't a dream, but something worse," Nozomi recounted. Her voice was tinged with a quiver of lingering fear.

  The memory was vivid, as if it had just happened.

  Slowly, she reached up and touched her left shoulder, as if feeling the ghostly echoes of the pain she had endured. Her fingertips brushed against the fabric of her shirt, but in her mind, she was reliving the moment when sharp claws had raked through her flesh.

  A shiver coursed through her body, uncontrollable and involuntary. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. The scene played out in her mind: the shock of impact, the searing agony that had exploded through her shoulder, and the sight of her own blood pouring out.

  It was far too real and visceral to be part of any dream or nightmare.

  "It was reality," she continued, voice barely a whisper, laden with the weight of that terrifying revelation.

  The physical pain had been unlike anything she had ever experienced—intense, excruciating, and nerve-wracking. Yet, it was more than just the pain. It was the abrupt, jarring awakening to the fact that her world had forever changed.

  Taking a deep breath and returning to reality, she went on. "When I saw the blood pouring out of my shoulder, I felt... terrified. It didn’t take long for me to cry from the pain and shock, it felt like I was four years old all over again. I must’ve looked really pathetic, because that monster took pity and offered me a deal."

  Her expression uncharacteristically hardened. "I told them they can shove it!"

  Yoshino could easily infer the nature of the deal. She grew a small smile at Nozomi's defiance.

  Nozomi turned her gaze towards Yoshino, her scowl softened by the fiery determination within her eyes. "Those darkspawns, monsters—whatever they are—I don't care. If they ever threaten you... they will have to answer to me first. So yeah... I won't stop until I'm sure you’re no longer at risk from getting attacked by then."

  Yoshino's eyes widened in surprise at Nozomi's unwavering conviction before she sighed and looked up at the sky. "Seriously…" She looked back down at Seiza. "Hey, Seiza... I think I finally got what I wanted to ask first."

  Seiza raised a curious brow. "Sure, what do you want to ask?"

  Yoshino hesitated before steeling herself. "Could you give me powers just like Nozomi's?" Her voice was firm with resolve.

  Both Nozomi and Seiza recoiled in surprise. "EHHH?!" they exclaimed simultaneously, bewildered by Yoshino's request.

  "A-are you sure you want to do this, Yoshino? D-didn't you just question me about it?!" Nozomi asked. A bead of nervous sweat trickled down her face.

  "Yes, but…" Yoshino trailed off before continuing. "I can't just do nothing while you risk your life for me. That’s a shittier deal than that rock I got as a prize!"

  Nozomi nodded slowly, torn between understanding and worry. On one hand, Yoshino having powers could make things smoother. On the other hand, it would place her in more danger.

  Seiza's fake cough broke the tension, drawing their attention. "Er, sorry, but I'm afraid that's impossible, Yoshino."

  Both girls turned to him, puzzled. "What do you mean by impossible? Don’t you have more of those pendants?" Yoshino asked.

  Seiza sighed before searching for the right words. "I have... but they won’t work on someone incompatible. The power Nozomi uses is one where you need to embody the sign you were born with. As a Taurus, Nozomi embodies qualities like loyalty and bravery. Without the right sign and traits, the pendant won't work." he pointed at the pendant on the blonde’s neck.

  Yoshino thought for a moment. "So, because of these... specific requirements... I can't use the pendant's power, right?"

  Seiza nodded. "Exactly."

  "But how do you know which sign I am? I don't remember telling you," Yoshino inquired, raising an eyebrow.

  Nozomi chimed in. "Oh yeah, I didn't even remember I was a Taurus when we first met. How did you know?"

  Seiza shrugged. "I can see it. It's like a symbol floating slightly above your head."

  Both girls blinked in surprise. "For real?" Yoshino asked incredulously.

  The puppy nodded. "Yes. For example, yours is Capricorn. If you had the potential to use this power, the symbol above you would be glowing like Nozomi's."

  Yoshino absorbed this information with a simple "Oh." but remained resolute. "Even if I can't help with magic, I can help in other ways. I-I just need to find them first!"

  Nozomi nodded, albeit hesitantly. "I guess…?" she murmured, unsure of how her brunette friend could help safely.

  The sound of the school bell signaling the end of recess snapped Nozomi out of her thoughts.

  "Already? Urgh, and next is math!" Nozomi groaned, gathering her belongings and allowing Seiza back into her school bag, which fit him thanks to his magic.

  Yoshino smiled and rolled her eyes. "Come on, if you're late again, the teacher will give you your second earful of the day!" she teased, waiting by the rooftop door.

  As they walked back inside, Seiza thought from inside the blonde’s schoolbag about Yoshino's wish to become a magical girl, recalling that there was another way of making it true.

  He shook his head. No...The price for it is simply too much!

  With that, they returned to their routine, each carrying their own hopes, fears, and unspoken thoughts.

  A Dark Romantic Fantasy

  Slow Burn Romance + Female Lead + Growing Cast of Protectors

  Reluctant Heroine + Masked Vigilante

  My list of enemies is growing. Just months ago, I didn't have any.

  The Red was always a quiet human world. Now everyone hunts the Reaper, and somehow, that hunt keeps pulling me closer to him.

  The danger grows with every step, our connection deepening as the chaos around us threatens to rip us apart. He wants me to stand with him against our enemies, but I know there will be consequences. The closer I get, the more I risk catching the attention of the immortals who keep me in hiding. If they learn my secrets, there will be no escape.

  I'm not a hero. I never wanted to be.

  But I know one when I see one.

  The Reaper saves children from the immortal intruders who travel to Firen to snatch them in the night. He carries blood on his hands and shadows in his soul, yet when he looks at me, I see something beautifully human beneath the mask.

  The rest of them are monsters.

  And now I have to decide-

  Is choosing him worth risking my life?

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