Heroine at level 1

On the third Monday of February, as we were closing MAHO-do and began preparing for tomorrow, Onpu-chan came by.

We were talking about an article on White Day that was featured in a fashion magazine. Just like last year, I made a MAHO-do Valentine’s Day cake myself and gave it to my family and Kotake. The gift for Kotake was just a sports towel.

“I have something similar. This time of year is busy.”

Yada-kun’s gift was handmade chocolate and a CD that GB-san released in America. But isn’t it good enough that Hazuki-chan was able to perform live together with him? Her jazz violin performance has reached new heights. She now has more common topics to talk about with Yada-kun.

Ai-chan received a lot of chocolates again this year from classmates and juniors. There were also many cute ones. She really made enemies with the male students at Misora High School again.

Momo-chan gave one to Ran-san at “Eugene” in addition to her classmates. It’s partly because he’s her patissier mentor, but maybe she still likes him.

I saw Hana-chan give it to a friend she became close with. As expected, she couldn’t find a boyfriend in such a short time. There are some boys in the class who seem to like Hana-chan, but I won’t say anything.

Ai-chan showed a magazine page to Onpu-chan, who had joined in the preparations,

“We were talking about this article. I know how you feel. When Dad brings back souvenirs for Mom and me, it’s always something weird that she doesn’t like.”

“That’s because he’s trying to be funny for the Kansai people, right?”

Ai-chan showed her thumb to Onpu-chan,

“Exactly. But the quality of the jokes is getting worse. Maybe it’s because of age.”

Uh-huh. Dad often misses the mark too. Mom says the same thing. When it comes to souvenirs or presents, it’s better to stick to safe choices like manju (buns) or cookies.

“Doremi, what did you get from Kotake for White Day last year?”

Hana-chan brought the conversation back to me,

“It’s hard to say when you’re looking at me with such shining eyes.”

Yeah, that guy Kotake completely forgot about White Day and apparently rushed to buy something at the convenience store. Of course, he didn’t know what was inside.

“White Day is a whole month after Valentine’s Day. It’s natural to forget. Boys are usually like that.”

“Yeah, I guess so. A high school boy who’s too thoughtful is a bit… strange.”

As Hazuki-chan and Momo-chan said, I can’t imagine Yada-kun or Kotake buying gifts in advance. It’s probably something similar this year too. I can’t ask for anything, and I can’t urge him either. Just don’t forget at worst.

“Onpu-chan, did you give gifts to your co-stars?” I asked.

“Yeah. We were just talking about the drama, and the filming will start around White Day, right? I wonder what kind of return gifts celebrities give. I’m curious,” Ai-chan added.

When we asked her, Onpu-chan didn’t give a clear answer. Huh?

“What’s wrong, Onpu-chan? Did something happen with the drama?”

Ai-chan asked her.

“Is something troubling you? If we can help, please let us know.”

Recently, Onpu-chan has been looking at Hazuki-chan a lot. I wondered if she had something she wanted to talk about, but her gaze was a little different. Yes, it felt like she was observing. Hazuki-chan seemed to have noticed too.

“What’s wrong? It’s not like you, Onpu.”

“That’s right. Maybe you’ll feel better if you talk about it.”

MAHO-do’s leading duo, Hana-chan and Momo-chan, also seemed curious.

“…Uh… Um…”

It’s rare for Onpu-chan to stutter. And her face seems a little red.

“Ahh, I get it! Onpu-chan, you’ve fallen for a co-star!”

“No way!”

She cut in just before Momo-chan’s exclamation. It was a quick reply.

Even Ai-chan didn’t have time to retort, and she was just staring.

Momo-chan, who said it herself, Hana-chan and I were also curious about Onpu-chan’s unusual reaction, Hazuki-chan calmly asked,

“So, is it still about your role-playing?”

Onpu-chan nodded. Hazuki-chan’s father is a movie director, so her perspective is a little different from ours. She was quick to catch on to Onpu-chan’s topics.

We weren’t all looking so gloomy this time because we knew it wasn’t a serious problem. We’ve known each other for a long time after all.

We’ve heard from before that Onpu-chan was struggling with her role in the period drama. The lead actor is a male actor, and it’s a serious drama.

“The drama is a two-hour special, and the sets and period research are done thoroughly. There are many male co-stars. There are many veteran actors and actresses.”

“That’s amazing. Will you appear a lot too, Onpu?”

Since hearing about the period drama, Hana-chan has been very interested.

Some witches can see the human world from the magical world and some witches live in the human world. Therefore, some witches have seen real world history or Japanese history. But Hana-chan was born in the modern world, so she only knows about the past from textbooks and movies, just like us.

“Will you wear kimonos? A juunihitoe¹? A hakama? Will you wear a wig too? Ahh, I want to secretly go see the filming!”

“Hana-chan, you’re getting too excited.”

“That’s right. Let’s listen to Onpu-chan’s story first before asking questions.”

Encouraged by Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan, Onpu-chan started talking. First, she explained the period drama to Hana-chan and Momo-chan, who are returnees from abroad.

The setting is the Warring States period. The lead actor is a somewhat well-known warlord, and Onpu-chan is his princess. There are sets in Tokyo, a studio in Kyoto, and real castle location shoots.

“Right now, we’re doing a script read-through, and a female co-star said something to me. She said that I don’t understand what it’s like to fall in love with someone. So, I’m feeling a bit scared about filming starting. That’s why I was watching Hazuki-chan and Doremi-chan. It was Valentine’s Day season, after all.”

I see. The actress who said that is in her 30s and unmarried, and she has been the subject of several love affairs. She’s also a pretty good actress,

For the role, you have to feel love for each of the three male co-stars individually. With the way you read the script, it all sounded the same and didn't convey anything.

Onpu-chan mimicked her. It seemed like Tamaki Reika’s high-pitched laughter, “Ho ho ho ho ho!” would follow.

“Well, she wasn’t actually that haughty, but that was the mood she gave off.”

It’s frustrating, but I can’t deny it. That’s how it looked.

Ai-chan said with a grin,

“Love, huh? But anyway, maybe Doremi-chan isn’t the best reference?”

Yes, yes, that’s right. Sorry about that.

“Maybe I’m not much of a reference either,” Hazuki-chan said.

“Oh, Hazuki was really into it during the live concert.”

“Yeah, when you were playing together during the last song, Yada-kun and you were looking at each other and creating a great atmosphere.”

Hana-chan and Momo-chan immediately pointed it out, and Hazuki-chan blushed.

“That was thanks to the costumes and the song. I was completely in character as ‘Luna’. Oh, but I understand Onpu-chan’s job a little better now. It felt like I became a different person.”

“That’s right. That wasn’t Hazuki-chan, that was Luna,” Ai-chan said.

“You looked more mature too,” I said.

With just makeup and costumes, you can become a different person. It’s amazing. I think playing an instrument or singing is similar to acting. It’s about aligning your emotions with the music. Everyone has their own playing style, but Hazuki-chan’s playing is gentle and seeps in.

“Why don’t you perform in various dresses and makeup all the time?”

Momo-chan asked with an excited expression filled with expectations,

“It’s not opera, so you don’t need to change that much. That day was special. But it was really fun and a good experience.”

Hazuki-chan answered calmly. Actually, they had filmed that performance on video. It was a present from GB-san and his wife. I thought Hazuki-chan would be embarrassed to watch it again, but surprisingly she was calm, as if she was watching someone else and said it didn’t seem like her.

When she became Luna, it felt like I found a different Hazuki-chan. I’m looking forward to her violin playing from now on.

“Well, Onpu-chan, if you wear costumes and stand on location or on set, can’t you get into character?”

I just thought that simply.

“In the musical last year, she said she could perform easily when she thought of us.”

Ai-chan said. Hazuki-chan and Hana-chan agreed,

“The other day, the role of the female professional shogi player looked so real. I thought actresses were amazing.”

“It was so cool~, Onpu.”

We were talking about how she probably got a role in a period drama. That’s why we waited even after closing time to hear about the filming.

“I know. There are a lot of handsome co-stars too.”

As soon as Momo-chan said that, Onpu-chan’s expression twitched.

“Oh, Onpu. Do you have a crush on one of those handsome actors…?”

Hana-chan’s words prompted a quick reply from Onpu-chan.

“No way!”

What is this, a replay?

“Hang on. We’re getting off-topic again. We’ve been saying thoughtless things too. It’s late but still worrisome to leave now. Onpu-chan, can you summarize quickly?”

Ai-chan prompted her, and Onpu-chan began her explanation. We won’t get to the heart of the matter if we keep this up. Good job, Ai-chan.

We finished the preparations for tomorrow and it was already after our working hours. Majorika and Lala wanted us to leave, but they also had a complicated look on their faces, like they wanted to be a part of our gossip. I hope we can be helpful for Onpu-chan’s role before filming starts. While listening to Onpu-chan’s story, I’m sure we all thought that.

It seems that Onpu-chan is training for the drama. The costumes and wigs for period dramas are apparently very heavy. She’s not a background character, so of course, her costumes are heavy. I wonder if it’s true that the way she speaks is also different. There’s a scene where she rides a horse a little, so she started horseback riding.

I was in the lobby talking to Hazuki-chan, who was also changing the store display to Hinamatsuri² mode behind her.

“Onpu-chan is really competitive, isn’t she?”

“Yes. She’s a hard worker. But I’m worried about her stubbornness.”

“That’s certainly true. I wonder if what the actress told her is such a serious thing.”

Hazuki-chan stopped her hands and looked up.

“Onpu-chan seems to have a complex about never having fallen in love with a man, but that’s not a problem.”

Hazuki-chan sighed lightly and resumed her work on the display.

Hazuki-chan, I don’t understand the meaning at all.

When I thought of asking a question, I saw a customer and we returned to our designated positions.

After serving the customer, Hazuki-chan began working again, and I felt like it became unclear. I was looking absentmindedly at the table that was becoming more and more like Hinamatsuri thanks to Hazuki-chan’s hands.

There’s a small round table near the cash register at MAHO-do, and we decorate it in various ways depending on the event. I remember the herbs Marina-chan gave me and the rabbit plushie from Onpu-chan’s incident.

Valentine’s Day was also sparkling pink, but the table decorated with a small Inner Palace and artificial peach blossoms has a soft pink image. Hazuki-chan has a sense of style and is good at these delicate tasks.

We have to change it quickly as the event progresses, but Hazuki-chan notices it all the time and adds various things. We also decorate together before big events like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. That’s also one of the fun things.

“I wonder if filming has already started.”

After sending off several more customers who came in, the showcase became empty. While preparing for cleanup, Hazuki-chan muttered with a worried look. When I noticed, Ai-chan was cleaning outside.

It’s getting late and the sun is setting later, and I can feel the air getting warmer. I took the remaining cake to the kitchen and started cleaning the showcase.

After replenishing, Hazuki-chan and I returned to the kitchen, and Momo-chan had also started cleaning up. We naturally talked about Onpu-chan’s period drama.

──I think she has feelings for someone who has been like an older brother to her since she was a child, a child of her wet nurse…

──After that, when she was 12 or 13 years old, her parents introduced her to her fiancé and she began to be conscious of him…

──Yeah, that’s right. But she ended up marrying into another warlord’s family.

After cleaning up with everyone, we changed clothes and continued talking about Onpu-chan’s drama.

Majorika and Lala also listened to Onpu-chan’s drama story, but they said the historical background was difficult to understand. Hana-chan is the same, and Hazuki-chan seems to know the most,

“Papa directed a movie with a story set in the Warring States period. I’ve read the original work, but… I wasn’t that interested at that time. And there’s not much material left about women in that era either.”

The recently canceled movie was also a period piece. Hazuki-chan is feeling conflicted about the situation as well. By the way, there are many famous warlords’ wives whose real names are not known. Hazuki-chan said that if there was someone who seemed to know about that era, we should ask, and we decided to do so.

Onpu-chan is definitely the heroine, but the main characters are still the warlords, and there’s only a little bit of romance. It’s apparently difficult to express the feeling of falling in love in a short scene with lines. It’s different from modern dramas after all.

Onpu-chan didn’t come that week, and it was the weekend. There were no practice games, so I decided to work at MAHO-do from the morning. We had planned to study together after our part-time jobs ended on Saturday and Sunday because Onpu-chan wouldn’t come until Monday. Hazuki-chan’s exam is over, so we’ll probably be relying on her again.

And it was Monday.

As soon as class was over, I headed to MAHO-do. It was the last Monday of the month. Momo-chan was preparing for next month’s cake and Hinamatsuri cake reservations. Oh right, it was the tasting day. I was so excited. Next month’s cakes were more important than studying for tests right now.

Onpu-chan was coming later in the evening, so I wanted to hear a lot of her stories. What? It seems like I have some free time? Yeah, I wasn’t the same as I had been last week. I received a good lecture on the Warring States period from an unexpected person.

When we closed the store and went to the kitchen, a nice fragrance filled the air,

“Ahh, I’m so happy!”

I couldn’t help but shout.

“Well, Doremi-chan, you shouted loud enough,” Ai-chan said.

Of course. Everyone was smiling when I looked around. It was the power of sweets.

“Doremi-chan, you always have a happy face every month and that makes me so happy too.”

She was finishing up with a smile. Momo-chan is really amazing. Her efficiency is getting better and better. Is she careful but fast or fast but careful? Either way, she’s amazing.

We’re pretty open about sweets every month, and we’re constantly giving our opinions. From there, Momo-chan’s ideas expand, and when we see the finished designs, we’re already drooling with the taste in mind.

So, today we saw the real thing and after eating it, the satisfaction was beyond our imagination! There was almost nothing to fix. Majorika and Lala seemed to be the same as us. They were cute and delicious.

When we received Onpu-chan’s message saying she’d arrive soon, the preparations for tomorrow’s and next month’s sweets were already completed. We lined up the plates, Lala prepared the tea, and Majorika was waiting in her usual spot.

Oh yeah, by the way, surprisingly enough, Shimakura Kaori-chan, who is aiming to become a professional photographer, was very knowledgeable about the Warring States warlords and that era. She had photos of castles and warlords on her mobile phone, but why were they posing together? And to make it even more interesting, handsome warlords? I wonder what on earth happened there.

I asked the reliable Yamauchi Shinshuu-kun about the rest, but he’s knowledgeable about the local history because his family runs a temple. Both of us became more and more passionate about the topic, and in the middle of the lecture, it was like listening to sutras. I can’t convert what I heard into kanji.

That part was left to Hana-chan, the miracle girl of concentration and effort, who was receiving the lecture together.

“I’m sorry. I got stuck in traffic on the way.”

When Onpu-chan rushed in, all the sweets for the Hinamatsuri had already been cut into pieces for everyone. The design was a typical diamond shape, with the pink sponge being strawberry and the green being spinach. I was surprised when I saw vegetables in the kitchen, but when they were carefully sieved and mixed into the dough, they turned out to be a surprisingly beautiful green color. Matcha can also achieve the same effect, but since it’s a festival for children, we used spinach instead.

“Wow, it’s beautiful. Speaking of which, Hinamatsuri is coming soon.”

Onpu-chan spun her plate around.

“Yeah. We’re only making a few besides the reserved ones, but the colors are really nice, so I’m thinking of putting them in the store with some variations throughout March,” Momo-chan said.

I agreed with her. The pink and green macarons wrapped in white chocolate were for the Emperor, while the red and yellow macarons were for the Princess. Making macarons was surprisingly difficult, but they were perfect as accents.

“So, how was the drama filming going?”

After finishing her second bite, Ai-chan leaned forward and asked Onpu-chan. Momo-chan was cutting up the next sweet, a roll cake.

“Yeah. Did you get any more snarky comments?” I asked.

“It’s Onpu-chan we’re talking about. It’s been a week, so I’m sure she’s gotten the hang of her role by now, right?”

Since Hazuki-chan also noticed that Onpu-chan was eating sweets happily and had a brighter expression than last week, we felt comfortable asking.

“Hana studied about the Warring States warlords too. Everyone got a little more knowledgeable.”

Hana-chan said proudly, and Onpu-chan looked complicated and leaned back on her chair.

“Um… well…”

It wasn’t because we pressured her, right? Onpu-chan couldn’t find the words. Momo-chan handed her a slice of roll cake and winked.

“It’s a sign of LOVE, after all.”

“No… it’s not.”

It was rare to see Onpu-chan who couldn’t get her words out. It was a good thing that Oyajide wasn’t here. After taking a bite of the roll cake, Onpu-chan’s eyes widened.

“It’s delicious. The fruit in the middle is refreshing, the cream is rich but soft, and there’s a hint of cheese flavor.”

“You thought all roll cakes were the same, didn’t you?”

Hana-chan said as if it was her accomplishment. But I also thought that way a little. After all, the center was full of fruit, with plenty of cream and a fluffy sponge.

“Well, it’s a classic. The fruit is arranged on top, making it colorful, but it’s something you can find in any store. However, I didn’t expect it to be this delicious.”

“Right. I’ve tried many patisseries’ roll cakes, but Momo-chan’s roll cake is light and fluffy, and I think I could eat half of it alone.”

Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan agreed in unison.

“Thank you, everyone! As Onpu-chan said, the cream has mascarpone cheese in it. By the way, I’m planning to make another cream with cherry blossom flowers,” Momo-chan explained.

Oh, it’s spring-like. Mascarpone cheese was used in tiramisu, which was popular in the past. It has a rich flavor due to its high fat content, yet it’s fluffy. We haven’t used it much before. Also, the classic baked goods will have a limited edition flavor of cherry blossoms.

“We can’t stop talking because it’s so delicious. Onpu-chan, please continue after we finish eating.”

Ai-chan urged Onpu-chan to continue speaking after finishing her desserts.

“…I had the opportunity to have dinner with the actors I co-starred with several times. I don’t talk to many men my age, except for people from my agency and classmates. Maybe because it’s a long shoot. I’ve become quite frank with them. They’re all wonderful people.”

Onpu-chan spoke more clearly than before, although hesitantly. More than half of the cast has already been announced, and we mostly know who the actors are. Come to think of it, she only made a guest appearance in the drama during the stalking incident, and when she played the female professional shogi player, her co-stars were all women and older male actors. Since Onpu-chan’s re-debut, she hasn’t portrayed any romantic stories.

“The person whom Onpu-chan admired like an older brother was actually the child of a wet nurse and a vassal of a warlord’s father. As for the fiancé, is it what they call a love triangle?” Momo-chan asked.

After everyone was satisfied with Momo-chan’s sweets, Lala brewed another cup of tea and we continued our conversation.

“It may be possible in a modern drama, but we cannot overrule our parents’ decision.”

Hazuki-chan said, and Onpu-chan nodded.

“It was inconvenient. Hana is lucky she wasn’t born during the Warring States period.”

“Though you weren’t born in the human world to begin with.”

Although Ai-chan immediately made a retort, Hana-chan has been a candidate for Queen since she was born. If Yume-chan chooses to stay in the human world, she will eventually become Queen.

In most occupations, including feudal lords and warlords, there was little freedom in love, unlike in modern times. Generally, it was said that marriage was decided based on whether the families’ ranks matched, or as a business transaction, and the child mortality rate was high, so there were many adoptions of sons and daughters.

“At first, I thought of acting the person I adored like an older brother, but in the role, I also have a real older brother. I don’t know how to differentiate between the two. Moreover, the person who becomes my fiancé is a colleague of my actual older brother.”

“That’s complicated…”

Ai-chan said and Hana-chan continued.

“Do you feel guilty about the person you first fell in love with?”

“Well… but women born in the feudal lords’ family of that era didn’t have the consciousness that love should be free in the first place.”

Onpu-chan was struggling because she was taking the role seriously.

“That’s why I’m reading various materials now. As for romantic feelings… it’s still difficult. When I talk to them in reality, both of them are wonderful… but it’s impossible to differentiate between feelings of liking and loving.”

Is this still the case? We all thought so, but we didn’t say it out loud. Perhaps, she was trying to force herself to fall in love. That’s how we felt.

“Onpu-chan, at your age, you’ll have more offers for love stories and school dramas.”

Hazuki-chan said,

“…Right, right.”

Onpu-chan unusually held her head in her hands. Although she didn’t appear much in continuous dramas before, the dramas that become popular among our generation are mostly school love stories. Even so, it was strange that Hazuki-chan made such a remark.

I wonder if actors, even if they don’t play the lead role or just a minor role, are struggling with their roles like this.

“Here you go, Onpu-chan.”

Momo-chan stood up and brought a large box. She put it in front of Onpu-chan,

“Filming starts this week. Please let everyone try the baked goods I made. You can only ask anything you don’t understand at this moment.”

“Huh…?”

“I also learned a lot from Ran-kun. His chocolate is really delicious. I think he felt my respect for him. Onpu-chan, you should learn a lot from that actress too.”

Onpu-chan’s expression softened at Momo-chan’s smile.

“Onpu-chan, even if you haven’t committed a crime, you can still play the role of a criminal.”

Hazuki-chan said something ominous again, and we all gasped.

“Feelings of love and how we express them aren’t all the same. It’s different for all of us, like me and Yada-kun, Doremi-chan and Kotake-kun, Momo-chan and Ran-san. And then, Tamaki-san and Tachibana-san. Everyone’s different. Everyone’s opinion can be a reference, but you’re the one who will play the role, Onpu-chan.”

It appeared as if Hazuki-chan was possessed by her director father with his way of speaking.

“That actress has had many scandals, but her acting is excellent. You should have a respectful attitude and ask her… And, it’s also common for actors to actually fall in love with their co-stars.”

Hazuki-chan, Hazuki-chan… She suddenly seemed stronger. I almost wanted to call her “onee-san”.

“Speaking of which, in Hollywood, actors often get married or divorced and are very busy. I guess that happens when they spend a long time together.”

As Ai-chan said, it’s a topic that comes up a lot. Japanese actors also say in interviews announcing their marriage that it was because they co-starred in a drama or movie.

I wonder if Onpu-chan can’t move forward until she’s satisfied with her own feelings. Maybe it’s not because she’s an actress, but because of her personality.

“…I don’t really understand.”

Majorika, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“One thing I can say is that all of you still have a long way to go. After becoming witch apprentices, you may have more diverse experiences than others. However, most of the solutions are due to the use of magic. Hazuki and Aiko may have had difficult experiences, but they’re not that rare. From my perspective, Hana and Doremi and the rest aren’t that different. You’re all still children.”

Lala shrugged her shoulders as well,

“You’re still only at level 1. Onpu, you need to free your feelings more, otherwise it’s tiring. And as Momo-chan said, it’s not embarrassing to ask about things you don’t understand.”

Onpu-chan may seem the most mature and cool among us, but to Majorika and Lala, is she still a child? I can’t argue with that. Seeing Onpu-chan’s face turn red, it seems like they were right. Majorika and Lala haven’t aged for nothing.

In front of us, Onpu-chan returned to her natural self, but maybe she hadn’t done that in front of other people. After being advised by the two, Onpu-chan smiled shyly like a child again.

A mail arrived from the manager and Onpu-chan stood up energetically.

“I will ask that actress. I’ll tell her that I’m thinking of playing this way. It would be lucky if I could get some advice, so I’ll try my best.”

Onpu-chan turned to us and said,

“Momo-chan, the next month’s sweets were really delicious. I’ll bring your baked goods to the meeting tomorrow. And thank you for researching about the Warring States period for me. To make a good drama, waiting for my own love experience would be too late. I’ll have the veterans teach me a lot.”

With an idol-like wink, Onpu-chan left MAHO-do. The rest of us cleared the dishes and put on our jackets.

“Is she embarrassed that she’s never been in love, Doremi?”

“Hana-chan, even if you ask me, I wouldn’t know.”

“Because of her profession, it might be better to have experienced it than not.”

We waved to Hana-chan and left MAHO-do, walking along a dark path and talking about what had just happened.

“By the way, Hazuki-chan looked cool.”

Hazuki-chan blushed at Momo-chan’s words and said,

“That’s not true. But I know how hard Papa is trying to make a good work. I thought I’d borrow Luna’s power so that Onpu-chan can go to the set with confidence.”

While she said it as if it were someone else, Luna was still in Hazuki-chan’s head. Looking at Hazuki-chan who was fidgeting now, I felt like I wanted to point out what she said thirty minutes ago.

“By the way, Onpu-chan was like Momo-chan or Hana-chan at the end.”

“That’s a compliment, Doremi-chan.”

Of course, Momo-chan. Both of them are pure without any hidden agenda.

I had a light dinner at home alone, talked with my family, took a bath, and spread out my textbooks in my room. It was strange how the hectic day changed into a normal day.

Momo-chan had made lots of baked goods for Onpu-chan even though she was busy. The sweets were as satisfying as usual.

Hazuki-chan surprised me again after Valentine’s Day. She is going to perform with university students and alumni again, just like last year. Even though it’s difficult to practice, she comes to MAHO-do after practicing at school early in the morning. It’s like the unfortunate event at the end of last year was just a lie, and she’s still in front of us with the same smile.

I only have the opportunity to interact with older people at school with teachers, but if you’re surrounded by older people, your way of thinking might become more mature.

“No, first is the exam.”

I shut down the negative thoughts and opened my reference book. As Leon had said, I had to get a decent grade at this time when the club activities had settled down. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everyone who was working hard.

March has come and the final exams are over.

The results aren’t out yet, but I think I did pretty well thanks to studying with everyone.

During the exam period, I took a break from my part-time job. MAHO-do was helped by Majorika, Lala, Dodo and the others, as well as the wholesale witch Dela, who came to fill in for us temporarily.

This is always the case during exams. MAHO-do is a regular customer of hers, so Dela helps out without complaint.

So on the last day of exams, when I went to MAHO-do after school, Momo-chan was already there. Ai-chan couldn’t run during the exam, so she didn’t come today in order to practice running. Hazuki-chan also had one more day of final tests at Karen Girls’ Academy, so she wouldn’t come.

“Doremi came!”

Hana-chan greeted me with a smile.

“How was the exam, Doremi-chan?”

Momo-chan asked me, and I gave her a victory sign.

“More importantly, where’s Majorika and the fairies?”

“Well, it seems they were pretty busy while Hana and her friends were taking a break, so Majorika and the fairies went to the hot springs of the witch world earlier.”

“Whaaat!? We were supposed to have a break until today, and they still wanted us to work!? We just finished the exams and wanted to relax!”

I complained, and Hana-chan quickly replied,

“Don’t worry. The store can take a day off tomorrow.”

“Really!? Majorika is really something!”

My mood improved in an instant.

“By the way, Doremi-chan. I was talking about it with Hana-chan just now. Are you free tomorrow?”

“Huh? Are you discussing leisure activities?”

As I leaned forward, the two leaders of MAHO-do raised their index fingers at the same time.

“We’re thinking of going to check on Onpu’s situation.”

“Onpu-chan sent us an email yesterday, telling us she’s at the Kyoto studio, so we thought we’d use magic to get there.”

“I see. We might find out which actor Onpu-chan is interested in.”

Is it her childhood friend who loves the princess she plays, or is it her fiancé…? I feel like I’m becoming like one of those gossip-loving middle-aged women in the entertainment industry.

But in order to go to the Kyoto studio, we have to use magic. Isn’t this a personal use of magic? Wouldn’t this violate the promise we made to the witch Queen not to use magic for personal gain?

As I was thinking about that, Momo-chan said,

“Doremi-chan, you’re also considering the promise with the Queen, right?”

“Yeah… Isn’t it bad if we use magic?”

“I thought so too, but then Hana-chan said…”

Before Momo-chan could finish speaking, Hana-chan grinned and said,

“It’s okay if Hana uses magic alone, even if Doremi and Momoko don’t.”

“T-That’s right! If Hana-chan uses magic, then the Queen will surely overlook it, right?”

“Of course!”

“Then let’s meet here tomorrow at 10 a.m.!”

“Wow──!”

Momo-chan and I raised our fists with smiles on our faces.

On the following day, Momo-chan and I went to MAHO-do, and Hana-chan suddenly said,

“Let’s go! Pororin pyuarin, Hana Hana pii!”

She chanted a spell, and our bodies were enveloped in light.

The next moment, we were teleported to a filming studio in Uzumasa, Kyoto. Moreover, all three of us were transformed into townsfolk commonly seen in period dramas. Hana-chan’s magic is truly amazing. If it were just us, we would have had to use the Magical Stage for transportation and then use another spell to transform, but she used two spells at once.

“Wow, I’ve always wanted to dress like this!” Momo-chan exclaimed.

Now we wouldn’t look out of place walking around the studio. Good job, Hana-chan!

“Let’s go look for Onpu then!”

Just as Hana-chan led the way, we began searching for Onpu-chan.

Even on a weekday, the open set street was bustling with tourists.

Among them were several women dressed like us. They must have rented the costumes.

We searched for nearly an hour, but couldn’t find Onpu-chan.

“It’s really difficult to search with so many people around. Hana-chan, can’t you use magic to help?” Momo-chan asked.

“Sure, I can.”

Just as Hana-chan was about to use magic, a bulletin board caught my eye.

“Wait, Hana-chan!”

“What’s wrong, Doremi?”

“If we look at the bulletin board, we can find Onpu-chan’s location.”

I remembered when we went to see a movie being filmed by Hazuki-chan’s father, the location and schedule for that day’s shooting were posted on the bulletin board.

When we went to the bulletin board, today’s shooting schedule and names of the cast for “Hoshiyama Group” were posted. Onpu-chan’s director’s name was Hoshiyama-san, so it was the right one.

“Onpu-chan’s name is there! Let’s see… it’s B Studio now!”

We hurried to B Studio.

We found the studio quickly, and some staff members were just bringing in lunch boxes.

“Let’s follow those people in.”

When I said that, Momo-chan and Hana-chan looked surprised.

“Wait, that’s too daring.”

“If we’re caught, it will cause trouble for Onpu.”

“If we’re dressed like this, they’ll mistake us for the cast and won’t notice. Let’s go!”

I pushed the hesitant two forward and entered the studio.

There was a palpable tension in the studio. It was the scene where Onpu-chan, playing a princess, was making tea for a samurai whom she admired like an older brother. The staff was all focused on the shoot and didn’t notice us.

Onpu-chan glanced at the young samurai while spinning the tea whisk. Through her eyes alone, it was clear that she harbored feelings for him. Onpu-chan, your acting is amazing.

Suddenly, the director’s loud voice echoed.

“Cut──!”

Immediately, the director and staff checked the scene they had just shot on the monitor.

“OK! Onpu-chan, that was great. Let’s take a lunch break!”

“Thank you very much!”

Onpu-chan smiled and bowed with delight.

As Onpu-chan and her manager sat down to eat the lunch boxes that the staff had given them, the actor playing the young samurai came over.

While eating lunch with the actor and exchanging a few words of conversation, an actress in her 30s playing the role of a koshimoto³ passed by.

Onpu-chan interrupted her conversation with the actor and put her lunch box on the chair, then greeted the actress by going to her side and started a friendly conversation.

We, who had been hiding behind the filming equipment, recognized the actress was the one who had given Onpu-chan some harsh opinions during the script rehearsal.

“Onpu-chan, you seem to be talking quite friendly.”

“Momoko’s cookies were effective.”

“In that case, that’s great.”

Momo-chan smiled.

When Onpu-chan parted with the actress and returned to her original place, the actor playing the young samurai had finished eating lunch and was chatting with another staff member while drinking tea.

“It’s not that actor that Onpu-chan has feelings for.”

I said, and Hana-chan agreed.

“It seems so. They didn’t seem particularly close…”

“In that case, is her true love the fiancé actor?”

Momo-chan said, and at that moment, the actor in question came into the studio with a child actor. I’ve seen the child actor on TV before. Mom said he was good at acting. I forgot his name, though…

When Onpu-chan noticed the two of them, she went out of her way to get two more lunch boxes from the staff and gave them to the two of them.

“She went out of her way to bring them lunch boxes…” I said.

“So, it’s definitely him!” Hana-chan said.

“Since he’s younger than the other actor from earlier, there’s no mistake!” Momo-chan said.

We all looked at Onpu-chan and the actor with sparkling eyes, but they only exchanged greetings and then parted ways. On top of that, Onpu-chan sat the child actor next to her and began chatting happily with him while they ate lunch.

“Oh~, he wasn’t her true love then?” I wondered.

“Then who is the man Onpu likes?” Hana-chan asked.

“Maybe it’s the actor playing her real brother?” Momo-chan suggested.

“Hmm~~, I don’t know.”

When I said that, our stomachs growled.

“I’m hungry,” Hana-chan said.

“Let’s eat something too,” Momo-chan said.

In the end, we couldn’t figure out which actor Onpu-chan had feelings for, so we ate lunch in the studio cafeteria and used Hana-chan’s magic to return to MAHO-do.

On Monday after finishing the shoot in Kyoto, Onpu-chan contacted MAHO-do to let us know she was coming.

After returning with indigestion, Momo-chan, Hana-chan and I were eager to find out which actor Onpu-chan had feelings for.

However, Hazuki-chan, who didn’t know we had been to Kyoto, was tidying up the decorative items on store display and said,

“Hinamatsuri is over, so it must be White Day. But there’s also graduation ceremony. Maybe it’s best to go for a normal spring feeling. Doremi-chan, what would you do?”

She looked at me expectantly. Monday, with few customers, was perfect for work, but I was concerned about Onpu-chan,

“Hmm… I’m not sure…”

I answered vaguely,

“I think cherry blossom viewing would be nice.”

Ai-chan said as she entered the lobby and spoke to Hazuki-chan.

“Yes, of course. It’s the season of cherry blossoms…”

After thinking for a moment, Hazuki-chan suddenly looked up.

“Doremi-chan, I heard Shimakura-san took a lot of photos of the castle. Can you print one for me?”

“Huh?”

“Come to think of it, castles are associated with cherry blossoms. How about a display of cherry blossom viewing at the castle to wish for the success of Onpu-chan’s drama?” Ai-chan suggested.

Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan hit it off, and went back to the kitchen. They probably took the decorative items out from the back yard. Cherry blossoms were used last year, but do castles and cherry blossoms really go together as a set?

I sent a message to Kaori-chan, but I tilted my head in confusion. Soon the two returned to the lobby,

“We received a large order from Onpu-chan. There are only a few cakes left, so let’s close the store early and help out, Doremi-chan,” Ai-chan said.

“Eh?”

Before I knew it, Ai-chan had efficiently removed the store’s doorplate and started cleaning up outside. I also cleaned the inside of the store and closed the cash register.

After turning off the lights in the store, I returned to the kitchen, where Dodo and the others were making candy, while Hana-chan and Momo-chan were making baked goods and cookies.

“Doremi, please pack them up as soon as they are ready. Oh, please use the transparent ones.”

Freshly made sweets were lined up on the worktable,

“They’re shooting on a set in Tokyo this week. Onpu-chan said she wanted to bring sweets as gifts to everyone, so she sent a message earlier.”

Momo-chan was excitedly mixing the ingredients. The kitchen was filled with the scent of fruits and vanilla. I wondered if Momo-chan’s baked goods from the other day were well received. Onpu-chan often brings treats to the agency or filming site, so Momo-chan is used to it, but it seemed like there were a lot this time.

Most baked goods are sealed, so they can last for more than a week. However, since the stalking incident with Onpu-chan, we’ve been making things without the MAHO-do logo except for the gifts to the agency.

“Even so, candy and cookies are like White Day gifts.”

Hana-chan took the finished sweets out of the molds and arranged them in rows, Ai-chan and I put them in packages, Hazuki-chan put stickers on them and put them in boxes. With everyone’s help, it was done in no time. By the time we finished packing, and started making the usual sweets for tomorrow’s business, Onpu-chan came to MAHO-do.

“It smells so good! Sorry, Momo-chan, everyone. I suddenly placed an order.”

“It’s okay, Onpu-chan.”

Momo-chan replied with a smiling face to Onpu-chan’s apologetic expression.

“Will you pay in cash? Credit card? On credit is not okay.”

Ai-chan joked just before Onpu-chan took her wallet out of her bag,

“Please make out the receipt in the name of the agency.”

Onpu-chan replied as she handed over the money. Onpu-chan was completely back to normal and looked happy.

After we finished packing all the boxes, it was time for tea. We looked at the lip gloss that Onpu-chan got from the actress,

“That’s fashionable! It looks like a piece of candy.”

“It seems to be a popular small gift among office ladies. I also thought it looked like the package of sweets. As thanks from the other day, I’ll give one to Momo-chan.”

She handed it over to Momo-chan despite her hesitance to accept it.

“Hazuki-chan, that actress said if there’s a chance, she really wants to appear in your father’s movie. Other actors also support you when I tell them that I’m Hazuki-chan’s friend. Please pass that along.”

“Thank you, Onpu-chan.”

Onpu-chan looked apologetic.

“I’m sorry. I’ll buy souvenirs for everyone when I go to Kyoto next time.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. More importantly, I’m glad that Onpu-chan is feeling better.”

Ai-chan said with an exaggerated wave of her hand, and Onpu-chan blushed. Nobody missed it.

“Definitely LOVE this time, Onpu!”

Hana-chan pointed it out bluntly, and Onpu-chan put both hands on her cheeks,

“Um… no…”

Although she was stuttering, it was completely different than before.

“It might be the first time I’ve been treated like a princess like that…”

──No, no.

Everyone shook their hands in front of their faces in silence. I really wanted to interject, but I shouldn’t interrupt her when she wanted to talk. Everyone’s feelings became one in an instant.

“Did something good happen? Tell me, tell me,”

Hana-chan urged again, and we focused on Onpu-chan. I wondered if the name that came out of Onpu-chan’s mouth was her childhood friend, her older brother, her fiancé or another completely different actor.

“I had been curious about him since the script reading… His name is Konno Shuuichi-kun…”

“Wait a minute! Shuuichi-kun!”

Eh? Hazuki-chan suddenly stood up. She was looking at Onpu-chan with a stern gaze. Lately, I feel like my reactions have been nothing but question marks and exclamation marks.

Oh, I remember now! He was the child actor who was eating lunch with Onpu-chan at the studio in Kyoto and talking like they were close.

“Easy there, Hazuki-chan. Sit down.”

When Ai-chan adjusted her chair caused by her sudden movement,

“I’m sorry.”

Hazuki-chan sat back on her chair and started explaining about Konno Shuuichi-kun.

“Shuuichi-kun became popular overnight as a child actor in last year’s Taiga drama. Before that, he appeared in Papa’s movie, and Papa praised him for being perceptive even though he was still young. When I met him once, he was polite, gentlemanly, cute, and I’ve been supporting him ever since.”

He played the protagonist’s childhood until last spring. After that, he was in demand for commercials and dramas.

“I worked with him for the first time this time. He’s the one who plays the marriage partner in the final scene of the drama.”

“Eh? With such a small child?”

She asked in surprise, and it turns out that Shuuichi-kun is 10 years old in the drama, while Onpu-chan is 16,

“My sister was engaged to him. But she died suddenly, so I broke off the engagement with the first fiancé and decided to marry him in place of my sister.”

“It’s common for the man to be younger, but isn’t the age gap too big?” Ai-chan asked.

Apparently, that’s a common story in those days. It’s definitely a political marriage where the woman is six years older. At first, the two of them couldn’t get along, but eventually they got along well and had children. The protagonist is modeled after a real-life warlord.

“But I felt like I had a special connection with Shuuichi-kun.”

“That’s just acting, you know,” Hazuki-chan added.

But still, I’ve never heard Hazuki-chan talk about that child either. When I asked her about it, she said,

“I missed the timing because I was too embarrassed to say it.”

“It’s like a salaryman being obsessed with idols, right?”

Ai-chan’s casual wording seemed to trigger the two of them,

“He’s not an idol. Shuuichi-kun is also good at acting, and he’s busier than me, but he never loses his smile. And he treats me very well.”

“That’s because it’s his job. He said he would give a better performance than expected no matter what role he was given. I’m thinking of asking Papa to cast him in his next movie the next time he becomes a director.”

“Hazuki-chan, you’re the director’s daughter, so isn’t that abuse of privilege?”

“You’re also trying to lure him with sweets, Onpu-chan.”

“But you have a wonderful boyfriend named Yada-kun, right? Don’t be too hard on me for liking Shuuichi-kun.”

“That’s a different story. You also have fans all over Japan.”

Tea is delicious, isn’t it?

When I said that quietly, Ai-chan, Momo-chan, and Hana-chan nodded while holding their cups. After leaving them alone for a while, we shared the remaining cake from the showcase with Majorika and the others and started to eat it.

And when we finished cleaning everything up, the two of them still hadn’t finished talking,

“I heard a text message notification earlier, wasn’t it from your manager?”

When I said that, Onpu-chan took out her cell phone from her bag.

“It was exciting, right? Both Onpu and Hazuki.”

Hana-chan compared their faces to observe their reactions. Ai-chan patted Hazuki-chan’s shoulder and said,

“Hazuki-chan keeps surprising us. Really.”

Hazuki-chan blushed instantly.

“It’s embarrassing. I accidentally raised my voice…”

Seeing her expression, Onpu-chan also blushed and said really fast,

“The manager seems to already be here. Thank you, everyone. I’m sorry for not doing anything. Oh, Hazuki-chan, do you want me to get an autograph from Shuuichi-kun?”

“I don’t nee… Actually, please get it for me!”

Hazuki-chan seemed to have become distracted, which was unusual for her.

While watching that, Momo-chan asked with a tired expression,

“Doremi-chan, what’s this? Another fight starting?”

“Yeah. It’s surprisingly entertaining, so should we just leave them be?”

Ai-chan also sighed,

“Yeah.”

“You two are weird! What’s going on?”

Hana-chan was the only one who couldn’t keep up with the conversation. Yeah, let’s leave them alone. What the two of them were saying might not make sense to Hana-chan. After all, Shuuichi-kun and Hana-chan were closer in age.

I arrived home after saying goodbye to everyone.

“Oh, you didn’t come home too late today.”

Mom took out my dinner from the fridge for me. I helped her and sat down at the table,

“Next time, Onpu-chan is going to co-star with Konno Shuuichi-kun, and that’s why today…”

“Huh──? Really? Hey, Doremi, can you ask Onpu-chan to get me his autograph?”

Dad, who was watching TV, turned around at Mom’s loud voice.

“Who’s this Shuuichi-kun? Does Pop know?”

Pop, who was studying at the living room table, seemed uninterested,

“He’s a popular child actor lately. He was a hot topic in last year’s Taiga drama.”

“Oh, that Shuuichi-kun was good at acting,” Dad turned back to the TV.

“He’s also appeared in Hazuki-chan’s father’s movie. Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan are huge fans. Oh, but getting an autograph might be impossible.”

Mom’s face became obviously disappointed.

Come to think of it, does Onpu-chan like Shuuichi-kun more than the other co-stars?

The drama shooting has just started. We’re likely to hear more fun episodes. Please let us hear them when Hazuki-chan is around. Fufu.