February 27th is a very important day for me every year.
This day is the anniversary of Waku Nozomi-chan’s passing, also known as Non-chan.
For readers who don’t know about Non-chan, let me tell you a little bit about her.
Non-chan was a girl I met when I was in fifth grade. We met in the hospital where my classmate, Nakayama Shiori-chan, was hospitalized.
Despite fighting cancer herself, she was a kind girl who encouraged other patients in the hospital.
If she had survived her illness, I think Non-chan would have become the seventh witch apprentice, following Pop and the other five of us. Non-chan believed in witches just like I did, and even thought about witch clothing and spells. She was good at playing card games and beating me at them, even though she didn’t go to school, she was better at studying than me.
We only used magic once for Non-chan, to make her a witch apprentice…
We told her she could only use magic to make three wishes come true, but she didn’t use it for herself. Instead, she used it to make dreams come true for other children who were hospitalized in the same ward. She was truly an angelic, kind girl.
I asked the Queen to make Non-chan the seventh witch apprentice. The Queen was going to come and see if she was qualified, but Non-chan passed away and went to heaven before that.
It was an early morning on February 27th, when snow was falling.
I heard the devastating news from Non-chan’s mother after school on February 27th.
I was speechless and shocked, but Non-chan’s mother said to me,
“Don’t be too sad. Non-chan didn’t like to see her friends sad…”
That’s right. Non-chan always put her friends first before herself. If I had a sad face, she would worry and not be able to go to heaven.
I held back my tears and played the snowball fight that Non-chan wanted to do when she got discharged, with her mother. “I’m not crying, so don’t worry,” I whispered to Non-chan in my heart…
Although I only knew Non-chan for two and a half months, those days were very rich and unforgettable for me, like a precious treasure that would never fade away.
Since then, every year on February 27th, I visit Non-chan’s grave with her parents and play concentration with the cards she gave me as a memento at her home. It’s become a tradition to remember her.
Strangely enough, it often snows on February 27th.
I like to think that the pure-hearted Non-chan makes it snow and says,
“Thank you for coming to see me, Doremi-chan.”
This year, it snowed about 10 centimeters since the day before. Thanks to that, I slipped and fell on the snow at the cemetery, which has become an annual joke. Non-chan’s mother laughed and held her stomach. It’s become a tradition for both of us.
I’m not doing it on purpose. But when I think that Non-chan is laughing in heaven, the pain in my butt is also reduced.
So, after finishing the visit to her grave this year, and having dinner at Non-chan’s house, I arrived at MAHO-do just before closing time.
As soon as I entered the store, Hana-chan, who was in charge of the lobby, shouted at me.
“Doremi! What are you doing here at this hour! Today’s club activities got canceled because of the snow!”
“Uh, yeah…”
Hana-chan didn’t know about Non-chan, so it was understandable.
“Aiko’s been helping out at the store all day because her club activities got canceled! Are you on a date with Kotake or something?”
“N-No, it’s not like that…”
I shook my head.
“What, it’s not a date! I was hoping it was true so I could forgive you. Then why are you so late!?”
“Well, you see…”
As I was confused, Hazuki-chan, Ai-chan, and Momo-chan came out of the kitchen when they heard Hana-chan’s loud voice.
“You went to Non-chan’s house, didn’t you?”
Ai-chan asked, and Hazuki-chan and Momo-chan were also smiling.
“Yes. Thank you for remembering, everyone.”
Momo-chan winked and said,
“Of course.”
Then Hazuki-chan asked,
“Non-chan’s mother was happy, right?”
“Yes. But then I fell at the grave again…”
Before I could finish, Ai-chan interjected,
“Doremi-chan, did you do that on purpose?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose at all.”
As I joked around, Hana-chan, who was left out of the conversation, pouted and said,
“Hana and Doremi are talking! Don’t interrupt us. Besides, who’s Non-chan?”
At that moment, a sharp pain shot through my buttocks.
“Ow.”
Hazuki-chan noticed my twisted face and asked,
“What’s wrong, Doremi-chan?”
“Sorry. I hit my butt on the corner of the stone pavement when I fell.”
As I rubbed my butt and spoke, Momo-chan said worriedly,
“Should I get a wet towel from Majorika then?”
“It’s okay. I have one at home. Sorry, I’m going home now.”
“Okay. We’ll take care of the rest,” Hazuki-chan said.
“Sorry. Bye.”
I left MAHO-do with a wry smile.
After seeing me off with a dissatisfied face, Hazuki-chan and the others apparently explained in detail the history of Non-chan and me from six years ago to Hana-chan.
When Hana-chan finished listening, she cried big tears and said,
“Non-chan and… Doremi… are amazing. They’re too amazing.”
Then she jumped into Hazuki-chan’s arms and cried. I found out about it through Hazuki-chan’s email that night.
Even pure Hana-chan was able to understand Non-chan’s and my feelings straight away.
But none of us could have imagined that this would be the trigger for the biggest incident since Misora High School began.
But before talking about that incident, some really good news came in, so I’ll talk about that first.
Hazuki-chan’s father directed and produced the movie “Hyakuman Isshin (One Heart of a Million)”, which won both the Best Director Award and the International Critics’ Special Award at the Berlin International Film Festival, one of the three major film festivals in the world.
As previously mentioned, this movie was shelved in Japan due to the lead actor’s drug use.
This news spread not only throughout Japan, but also worldwide, and it has been decided that the movie will be released in more than 30 countries around the world.
Some Japanese media outlets argue that it’s strange not to release such a masterpiece movie in Japan. There was also an article arguing that it should be released by the end of this year.
Director Fujiwara became an instant celebrity, and footage of the award ceremony, attended by Hazuki-chan’s mother, was repeatedly broadcast on TV.
The day after the award was announced, we sent our congratulations to Hazuki-chan, who came to MAHO-do.
Hazuki-chan replied with a little embarrassment,
“Thank you. I also received a congratulatory call from Baaya in Hokkaido. She was so moved that she cried…”
Her voice choked up as she said this. Hazuki-chan had told us that her parents were working hard to bring Baaya-san back from Hokkaido. Hazuki-chan must have the same thoughts, but she didn’t mention it at all. I think Hazuki-chan intends to bring Baaya-san back when she becomes a professional violinist and wins an international competition. She never mentioned it to us, but I know.
Hazuki-chan, I hope you can live with Baaya-san soon.
It was mid-March, with spring break approaching, and talk of the film festival was finally dying down. Even Hazuki-chan’s house showed signs of becoming brighter. White Day ended without much excitement, and spring vacation is just around the corner.
I dozed off during homeroom. I wonder why this season makes me so sleepy? Even during the best season for soccer in the fall and winter when I was exhausted from club activities, or during the peak times for MAHO-do, Valentine’s Day and Christmas, I wasn’t this sleepy…
“Why are you suddenly saying that, Makihatayama!!”
My sleep was interrupted by the loud voice of our homeroom teacher, Yamaki-sensei, also known as Leon. I accidentally hit my head on the desk.
“Ouch…”
No one in my class reacted to my voice. Everyone was following Leon, who was quickly approaching Hana-chan.
“Hana’s life as a high school student studying all the time has become boring.”
Hana-chan said without any remorse.
“But why start a society!? Why cheerleading!? If you want to join a club, there are plenty of other clubs you can join without the hassle of forming a society!”
“But Hana hates anything other than cheerleading!”
Hana-chan glared at Leon.
Leon was taken aback by Hana-chan’s unusual attitude and lost his words.
Our classmates didn’t move an inch and continued to focus on Hana-chan.
At that moment, I asked a misplaced question, not understanding the situation at all.
“Hana-chan, cheerleading is the thing where you shake the pom-poms, right?”
But before Hana-chan could answer, Leon glared at me and said,
“The one who was sleeping said something unnecessary…”
But then he stopped and said,
“Oh, wait. Doesn’t Harukaze work part-time at Makihatayama’s store?”
“Uh, yeah…”
“Then you knew, right? Makihatayama is trying to start a cheerleading society.”
Now everyone’s attention was on me, except for Hana-chan.
I was a little taken aback, but I scratched my head and said,
“…I had no idea…”
My classmates laughed, and disappointment showed on Leon’s face.
“If that’s the case, don’t interrupt me!”
“I’m sorry…”
I shrugged my shoulders and replied in a low voice.
“Doremi has nothing to do with this. It’s what Hana decided on her own.”
Hana-chan firmly stated.
Leon tried to calm down and took a deep breath before asking Hana-chan again.
“Makihatayama, do you understand your position right now?”
“Position?”
Hana-chan asked in return.
“Since the founding of our school, you have the potential to be the first to pass the entrance exam for the university …the prestigious University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III. If you’re serious about passing, don’t waste time forming a society. If you have time for that…”
Before Leon could finish, Hana-chan raised her voice.
“I’ll study properly! I’ll definitely pass!”
As Hana-chan said, I also believe she will pass the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III. In the recent nationwide mock exam, she ranked third. While working at MAHO-do as Momo-chan’s assistant, her grades haven’t dropped even a little. On the contrary, her grades have only been improving with each mock exam.
She also concentrates on her lessons and asks the teacher for explanations until she fully understands the material. Majorika and Lala said that even after working at MAHO-do, she studies for exams until late at night.
Knowing Hana-chan, even if she spends time on the society, she will surely not reduce her study time and instead increase her focus.
Leon let out a big sigh and said with an unhappy expression,
“Let’s end homeroom here. It’s time for self-study.”
He was about to leave the classroom but then came back and said,
“Makihatayama, tell your guardian to come to school tomorrow after school.”
He said that and left the classroom in a hurry.
He would probably talk to the principal or grade chief.
After Leon left, my classmates and I gathered around Hana-chan and asked her what she meant.
Hana-chan apologized with a smile,
“Sorry for making you worry. But Hana’s determination won’t change, and I’ll definitely create a cheerleading team, so please join if you can.”
“Hana-chan, that doesn’t answer the question. Why did you suddenly bring up cheerleading?”
When I asked, Hana-chan replied,
“If the society is approved, I’ll tell Doremi and everyone. Since it’s self-study time, let’s study for the exams.”
Hana-chan opened a math reference book. She emitted an aura that said she wouldn’t take any more questions.
After school, while I was at the club activities, my eyes were inadvertently fixed on the staff room.
“Senpai, what’s wrong? You’re just staring at the school building.”
Chinami-chan asked me.
“Huh? A-Ah, it’s nothing.”
“Well, if there’s something bothering you, I’m here to listen and help.”
Chinami-chan’s offer was kind, but there was nothing she could do about Hana-chan’s problem even if I consulted her.
“Really, don’t worry about it.”
I put on a fake smile.
As the sun set and the soccer team members began light jogging for cool down, the staff room lights were still on.
Even when I and Chinami-chan were cleaning up balls and practice equipment with the junior club members, and even after all the cleaning was done and the members headed home from the club room, the staff room lights never went out.
For a moment, I thought about using magic to check on the staff room, but I chose to head straight to MAHO-do because I was worried about Hana-chan.
On the way to MAHO-do, Ai-chan ran up from behind.
“Doremi-chan, what’s wrong today?”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t watch the soccer team practice at all.”
Ai-chan had also been watching me. While walking, I told her about Hana-chan’s incident in homeroom.
“I see… Hana-chan has a stubborn side that won’t budge once she starts saying something.”
Ai-chan gave a bitter smile, but immediately became serious.
“Doremi-chan, let’s ask Hana-chan what she really means. If we accidentally upset her, it could be a big problem.”
“You’re right. When magic goes wild… it would be a disaster if that happened.”
We quickened our pace.
When we arrived at MAHO-do, we found Hazuki-chan in the lobby, overhearing the conversation in the kitchen.
“Hazuki-chan?”
When I called out to her, Hazuki-chan put her index finger to her lips.
Ai-chan and I exchanged glances, and quietly approached Hazuki-chan’s side.
Ai-chan asked in a low voice,
“Hazuki-chan, what’s going on?”
Hazuki-chan also whispered,
“Majorika and Hana-chan are on the verge of a fight.”
“Why?”
I also asked in a low voice.
“Earlier, Yamaki-sensei from Misora High School called Majorika.”
“Maybe they reached a conclusion after the staff meeting.”
When I said that, Majorika’s angry voice echoed from the kitchen.
“I won’t forgive you under any circumstances! If you insist, I’ll disown you!!”
”!!──”
We couldn’t stand it any longer and rushed into the kitchen.
Majorika and Hana-chan were glaring at each other in confrontation. Momo-chan, Lala, Dodo and the fairies were flustered and looking at them, as soon as they saw us,
“D-Doremi-chan…!”
“Doremiii!”
They had a look on their faces like they wanted us to do something, but they didn’t say anything except for those.
I nodded and tried to intervene between the two of them, but Hana-chan said,
“Hana doesn’t care at all. I’ll rent an apartment like Hamada Itoko-chan and live alone!”
“W-What did you say!! How will you pay the rent!?”
“I can somehow manage with magic!”
“You’re such a…!!”
Majorika was about to pounce on Hana-chan, so I jumped between them and said,
“Both of you need to calm down.”
I separated the two of them for the time being.
Both of them turned their faces away from me.
“Doremi, did you know? This idiot is trying to start a cheer-reading.”
Before I could answer, Hana-chan said excitedly,
“There’s no idiot! Saying that makes you the idiot!”
“What did you say!?”
Majorika tried to pounce on Hana-chan again, so Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan held her from behind.
“H-Hey, let go of me!”
Although Majorika tried to shake them off with all her might, they held her with all their might. It was really like a fight between children.
When Majorika finally gave up and became quiet, I said,
“But going back to the topic, I didn’t know about Hana-chan’s cheerleading society until I heard about it at school today.”
“Oh, I see. You didn’t tell Doremi either.”
Lala said surprisingly.
“Well, I was surprised too. Hey, Hana-chan, everyone was at school, so I couldn’t ask you in detail. Tell us the reason properly,” I urged.
“That is…”
Hana-chan started to say something and glanced at Momo-chan.
Then Momo-chan came to Hana-chan’s side and gently hugged her shoulder as she said,
“Hana-chan wants to become a cheerleader and support Doremi-chan.”
“Huh? Me? Why?”
Perhaps feeling embarrassed, Hana-chan looked down and said,
“Well, because Doremi always puts herself second and works too hard for us and her friends. We only have one year left in high school.”
“……”
It was true, but I remained silent.
“Plus, you still haven’t decided on your future plans yet… You won’t even get a confession from Kotake unless the soccer team makes it to the National Stadium, right?”
“Yeah, but…”
I blushed.
“Hana just wants Doremi to be happy. I could use magic to help her, but she would hate that… so…”
Hana-chan’s emotions seemed to be rising, and her voice choked up.
“So, are you saying we should start a cheerleading society?”
At Ai-chan’s question, Hana-chan nodded.
“Hana-chan…”
Hana-chan’s kindness made my eyes well up. I think Hazuki-chan, Ai-chan, and Momo-chan feel the same way. All of us have red eyes from holding back tears.
At that moment, Majorika, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.
“I understand the gist of the conversation, but why cheer…”
“Leading, Majorika.”
Lala quietly corrected her.
“Why that leading thing, though?”
Majorika asked again.
“That’s because I recommended it.”
Momo-chan said unexpectedly, and everyone turned to look at her.
“It was at the beginning of this month, Hana-chan asked me how she could support Doremi-chan and Kotake-kun so they can be lovey-dovey.”
Momo-chan explained that she remembered in America, being a cheerleader is more prestigious for girls than those who study well, and it makes you popular with boys.
I’ve only ever seen cheerleading on TV, but there are a lot of beautiful girls in American cheerleading teams. In fact, American high school girls apparently dreamed of joining a university cheerleading squad and cheering for American football games.
“When it comes to cheering, it’s gotta be cheerleaders! When I said that, Hana-chan got interested and we ended up surfing the net together. Right, Hana-chan?”
“Yeah. The costumes are cute and the dance is cool!”
Just as Hana-chan agreed, Majorika’s angry voice echoed.
“You idiot──!! If you have such frivolous feelings, I’m even more against it!!”
Hana-chan was about to say something back, but Majorika continued before she could.
“Hana, I’m not opposing you because I hate you. Just think again about why you chose to pursue medicine!”
Majorika’s words seemed to weigh heavily on Hana-chan, who fell silent and hung her head.
Hana-chan didn’t just aim for the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III because it was the pinnacle of Japanese medicine. It was also because she was thinking about the witch world. In the witch world, using magic to treat life and death and injuries is forbidden. Hana-chan wanted to learn medicine to extend the lifespan of witches and heal their injuries without using magic.
“Also, according to a report from Yamaki-sensei, Misora High School has decided not to recognize the cheer-reading society so that Hana can focus on her studies.”
“……”
Hana-chan didn’t say anything.
“Anyway, I’ll go to school tomorrow after school and have you forget about the society thing.”
With that, Majorika left the kitchen.
Hana-chan clenched her fist tightly and remained silent.
We also wanted Hana-chan to pass the entrance exam for the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III and learn the best medicine, so we had no choice but to silently accept Majorika and the school’s decision. But Hana-chan’s feelings for me were still comforting, so I hugged her shoulder,
“Hana-chan, just your feelings alone have encouraged me enough. Me, Kotake, the soccer team, and everyone else will practice like our lives depend on it and show everyone that we can make it to the National Stadium.”
I said that, but Hana-chan remained silent throughout the rest of the cleanup.
That night, I sent an email to Onpu-chan, who couldn’t come to MAHO-do because of work, explaining what had happened today.
Thirty minutes later, I received a reply from Onpu-chan.
I’m worried about Hana-chan.
Hana-chan may have the magical power to be a second-year high school student, but she’s still an elementary school student inside.
She may not understand what Majorika says or the school’s decisions.
Please be careful with Hana-chan’s actions.
It was a typical calm instruction from Onpu-chan.
However, I couldn’t overcome my sleepiness and only replied with “Roger”.
If only I had taken Onpu-chan’s instructions more seriously at that time…
The next morning, I tumbled down the stairs for the first time in a while.
I was distracted trying to tie the ribbon on my uniform, and I stumbled. But it felt different than usual.
Normally, my family would be worried and come to check on me when that happened, but no one came this time.
As I rubbed my sore butt and entered the dining room, my family, who usually chatted while eating breakfast, were eating silently, as if it were a funeral.
Especially Mom and Pop were not making eye contact, and Dad, with an awkward expression, looked at me and said,
“Doremi~…”
He begged for help with his eyes.
“Good morning… but what’s with this gloomy atmosphere?”
Then, Mom started talking frantically.
“It’s nothing! When I said I’d get a professional pianist to teach her from April, Pop said no way!”
Pop said nothing and ate her ham and egg silently. I sat down at my seat and spread butter on my toast, saying,
“It’s a good thing, Pop. Hazuki-chan said the same thing, but the piano major at Karen Girls’ Academy has more people than the violin major, and the competition is fierce. So, I think it’s necessary to take professional lessons from now on.”
Pop immediately put down her chopsticks.
“Be quiet, big sis. It’s none of your business.”
“W-What? What kind of attitude is that? It’s natural for us to worry about you because we’re family!”
“Then let me say this. How much do you think it costs for a professional pianist to give you private lessons?”
“I, I don’t know…”
I had no idea. Pop grinned and continued.
“Also big sis, you’re taking the university entrance exam next year, right? With your grades, you definitely won’t get into a national university. Even a private university is out of reach as long as you’re the manager of the soccer team. Then you’ll have to take a year off and go to prep school.”
“I-It’s not decided yet that I’ll have to take a year off!”
“Even so, it’s impossible to pass on the first try.”
What the hell… I wanted to refute her, but I realised that I had no more than 50 percent confidence of passing on my first try. I was honestly at a loss for words. Just as I was about to say something, Mom slammed her fist down on the table and said,
“You’re just a kid, you don’t have to worry about money! Your father and I can manage the cost of your lessons. Right, dear?”
“Y-Yeah! Money comes and goes, after all. If worst comes to worst, we’ll figure something out.”
As Dad expressed his weak opinion, Pop said,
“Are you planning on asking the chief editor for a loan like you did when you bought the piano?”
“Ugh.”
That hit the nail on the head.
Come to think of it, that happened a long time ago…
There was a time when we didn’t have a piano at home. Mom entrusted me with the dream of becoming a professional pianist and gave me piano lessons, but I went through a period where I didn’t like the piano because I had no talent for it. Mom realized her mistake and sold the piano so that I wouldn’t have to go through sad times, but when Pop expressed her desire to play the piano, Dad begged the chief editor of a fishing magazine which he was writing for a loan, and the piano returned to our home.
Since then, Pop has been studying hard at Karen Girls’ Academy in my place, as I couldn’t meet Mom’s expectations.
While I was thinking about that,
“Pop, you’re not going to quit playing the piano, are you!?”
Mom interrupted.
“I never said anything like that!”
Pop retorted in a harsh tone. The atmosphere became even stranger, like yesterday at MAHO-do.
After a long silence, Dad looked at the wall clock and said,
“It’s already this late. Pop, you have to go to school soon.”
Pop stood up silently and left.
I stood up, restrained Mom, who was about to say something, and said,
“Let’s talk about this calmly. I’ll talk to Pop in my own way too.”
Saying that, I took a bite of my toast and chased after Pop.
While we were waiting at the bus stop that Pop always uses, I asked her about her true intentions.
“Pop, you used me as an excuse, didn’t you? There must be another reason.”
I didn’t have any evidence, but I had a feeling. It’s probably the intuition of sisters.
Pop looked surprised for a moment.
“You’re quite the observant one, big sis.”
She immediately smiled and said,
“I’ll talk to you about it properly when you come home from your part-time job tonight.”
With that, Pop got on the bus.
I’ve been too busy with my own problems lately, so I haven’t had a chance to talk to Pop. As I regretted that, I headed to Misora High School.
When I came near Misora High School, I witnessed a scene so overwhelming that it made me forget about Pop in an instant.
In front of the main gate of Misora High School, there was a crowd of teachers and students who couldn’t enter the school. The crowd not only occupied the sidewalk in front of the gate, but also extended to the sidewalk on the other side of the street.
What the heck happened? When I tried to approach the gate by pushing through the students with a strange premonition, Ai-chan and Momo-chan came out of the crowd.
“Doremi-chan, it’s terrible! Hana-chan has barricaded herself in the principal’s office and locked down the school!”
“Whaaaat!?”
Then, Momo-chan said,
“She’s planning to barricade herself until the cheerleading society is recognized!”
“That’s just crazy~~!”
I wanted to see for myself, so I pushed through the crowd and went to the gate. The gate was closed with a thick chain and a large padlock, and barbed wire was strung over the gate and the fence.
At that moment, I heard the sound of a camera shutter nearby. Shimakura Kaori-chan was taking pictures.
“Kaori-chan, can I borrow your camera?”
When I asked, Kaori-chan said,
“You want to see Hana-chan. Put this on.”
She attached a telephoto lens and focused on the principal’s office window before giving me the camera.
On the digital single-lens reflex monitor, I could see Hana-chan wearing a headband in the principal’s office. There were also banners that said “Recognize the cheerleading society!” and “Blockade the school until it’s recognized!!” posted on the window.
“Hana-chan…”
I remembered Onpu-chan’s email from last night. If only I had handled it properly, I could have stopped Hana-chan before she did something like this. But it was too late to regret now.
I tried to go back to Ai-chan and Momo-chan to think about what to do next, but then Leon appeared with a big bolt cutter.
Leon moved the blades of the cutter twice, then tried to cut the chain.
At that moment, the two blades broke with a cracking sound.
“W-What the hell is this chain!?”
Leon slammed the cutter on the ground with bitterness.
Undoubtedly, Hana-chan used magic.
“Well, then!”
When Leon tried to jump over the gate, a creepy sound of buzzing came suddenly from the barbed wire on top of the gate.
“What’s that sound!?”
When Leon moved two steps away from the gate, he heard Hana-chan’s voice coming from the principal’s office.
“Electricity is running through the barbed wire! You’ll get electrocuted just by touching it!”
I could see Hana-chan holding a loudspeaker from a distance.
“When did she prepare for something like this? Geez!”
──Leon, that’s also magic.
When I muttered that in my mind, the principal and several teachers, including the grade chief, approached Leon.
When the principal gestured, the grade chief whispered something to Leon.
“What? The back gate too!? I see…”
Leon’s face became even more sullen. Hana-chan was beyond belief…
The teachers apparently thought that if the fuss got any bigger and the media rushed in, it could become a problem for the principal’s career, so they decided to cancel classes today and send the students home.
If there’s a live broadcast on TV, it could even lead to the principal’s resignation.
I ran to MAHO-do with Ai-chan and Momo-chan, weaving through the students going home.
As we arrived at MAHO-do, Majorika was standing in front of the store with her arms crossed.
“You’re late! What were you doing?”
Majorika already knew about Hana-chan’s siege incident.
“Ma, Majorika…”
She said before I could finish,
“Just now, I received a call from Yamaki-sensei. I’m going to school to persuade Hana. You guys become witch apprentices immediately and sneak into the school while I’m persuading her.”
As we nodded, Lala said,
“I’ve sent a message to Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan. Rere and Roro should be there, so they will come to replace them.”
Dodo and the other fairies also looked worried about us.
We rushed into the store and started changing our clothes.
“Pretty, witchi, Doremi-cchi!”
“Pretty, witchi, Aiko-cchi!”
“Pretty, witchi, Momoko-cchi!”
We each said our catchphrase and finished changing. Finally, we all said together,
“Witch apprentice, version 17!”
We struck a pose and took out our magic brooms to hurry to the sky above Misora High School to meet Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan.
When we flew about 1000 meters above Misora High School, Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan were already waiting on their brooms in witch apprentice form.
“Hazuki-chan! Onpu-chan! You’re early.”
I said and Hazuki-chan replied,
“It’s a big deal for Hana-chan.”
“It’s good that it happened before classes started.”
Onpu-chan, who had just finished filming in Kyoto and was taking classes in Tokyo during the set breaks, said.
I looked at Onpu-chan’s face and said,
“I’m sorry, Onpu-chan. If you had followed my instructions in the email, this wouldn’t have happened…”
“But that’s not the point now. Let’s break into the school and persuade Hana-chan,” Onpu-chan interrupted.
“Yeah. If it’s this high up, Hana-chan won’t find us.”
We all nodded at Ai-chan’s words, and I took out my Sweet Poron and chanted,
“Pirika pirilala poporina peperuto! Everyone, become sparrows!”
Smoke appeared as I shook the Poron, and we all turned into sparrows.
“Okay, let’s go, everyone!”
We flapped our wings slightly and headed for the school building where the principal’s office was located.
However, we hit something about 20 meters from the building and fell down an invisible slide, falling out of the school grounds. As soon as we hit the ground, we turned back into our apprentice uniforms with a puff of smoke.
“Ouch… what was that just now?”
I said, and then I heard Hana-chan’s voice from somewhere.
That's too bad. I put up a barrier with magic. You can't enter even if you use Magical Stage. You know how strong Hana's magic is.
“Probably telepathy,” Hazuki-chan said.
“That means we can talk to Hana-chan if we use telepathy with magic,” I said.
“But I’ve never used telepathy with magic before,” Ai-chan said.
“Maybe Hana-chan can hear our voices because it’s her we’re talking about,” Onpu-chan said.
“Probably. Hey, Hana-chan, can you hear us?”
Momo-chan said, speaking towards the school building. After a brief moment of silence,
...I guess.
Hana-chan’s telepathic voice was heard.
“That means we can convince her here!” I said.
“That’s how it is,” Ai-chan said.
When I tried to persuade her, Hana-chan took the initiative.
It's useless to try to persuade Hana. Hana won't move from here until the principal approves the society.
“Hana-chan…”
Everyone let out a big sigh. Despite this, I spoke to Hana-chan.
“Hana-chan! What do you think will happen if you do this? Suspension… or worse, expulsion…”
Before I finished speaking, Hana-chan’s telepathic voice was heard again.
I won't talk to Doremi and the others anymore. Bye.
“Hana-chan!”
I shouted, but I couldn’t hear Hana-chan’s telepathic voice anymore.
Instead, I heard Majorika’s altered voice coming from the gate. It seemed like she was using a loudspeaker borrowed from somewhere.
At that moment, another telepathic voice was heard.
Everyone, please move away from the scene.
It was the Queen’s voice.
When I was about to shout out loud, Momo-chan covered my mouth and whispered in my ear.
“Hana-chan can hear you too.”
I nodded and pointed to the sky.
When everyone nodded, we flew to the point where we had just met on broomsticks.
Soon, the Queen’s telepathic voice was heard.
I've seen everything through my crystal ball. If we continue to provoke Hana-chan, there is a possibility that she will use even stronger magic. Let's use the Magical Stage to send one person to Hana-chan's side.
“Wait a minute, Your Majesty.”
Hazuki-chan said, and Onpu-chan continued.
“Hana-chan said it earlier, but isn’t it impossible to break through the barrier even with Magical Stage?”
Don't worry. I will support you.
“If that’s the case, we might be able to do it!”
Momo-chan nodded and said,
“We all want to go, but who should it be, Doremi-chan?”
Ai-chan said looking at me.
I think that's a good idea too
I nodded at the Queen’s voice.
“Everyone, let’s begin the Magical Stage!”
I pulled out my Sweet Poron and held it in front of me.
“Pirika pirilala, freely!”
“Paipai ponpoi, flexibly!”
“Pameruku raruku, sonorously!”
“Pururun purun, eloquently!”
“Perutan petton, refreshingly!”
We chanted the spell and stacked our five Sweet Porons around my Sweet Poron, then held them up towards the sky and yelled,
“Magical Stage!”
As the Magical Stage appeared above us, the Queen’s voice echoed.
Deliver Doremi-chan to Hana-chan!
My body flashed and turned into light, diving towards the school building.
Thanks to the Queen’s support, I broke through the barrier, passed through the ceiling and floor of the school, and reached the principal’s office.
My body returned to normal, and I appeared next to Hana-chan, who was arguing with Majorika through the loudspeaker.
“Huh!?”
Hana-chan cried out in surprise, but quickly turned towards the loudspeaker,
“Stop!”
She shouted.
“What do you mean, stop! The conversation isn’t over yet!”
Majorika’s voice could be heard from the school gate.
Hana-chan’s face twisted with annoyance, and she snapped her fingers.
Majorika’s voice suddenly disappeared. She seemed to have stopped the loudspeaker’s function with her magic.
Hana-chan looked at me with an incredulous expression.
“How did you break through the barrier…!?”
“The Queen helped me.”
“Oh, I see… so you did have a plan.”
Hana-chan lightly tapped her head.
“What do you mean a plan! I was going to say earlier, but doing something like this could get you expelled! If that happens, you won’t be able to go to university or become a doctor!”
“I don’t want that~!”
Tears welled up in Hana-chan’s eyes.
Although her body was 17 years old, her heart was that of an elementary school student.
I took Hana-chan’s hand in both of mine and said quietly,
“Hana-chan, I’ll go with you to apologize to the teachers.”
“I don’t want to do that either. I want to start a cheerleading society.”
“Are you okay with being expelled?”
Hana-chan shook her head and drooped her shoulders, big tears falling to the ground.
“Listening to Non-chan’s story made Hana want to be a person like Doremi… or Seki-sensei from elementary school… to sincerely consider the other person and think about them with deep kindness. I want to support not just Doremi and Kotake, but everyone who’s doing their best…”
Warmth flooded my eyes.
“Hana-chan… I didn’t know you were thinking that… You should tell the teachers about it. They’ll understand even without doing something like this.”
“Do you really think so…?”
Hana-chan finally lifted her head, her face a mess of tears.
I hugged Hana-chan tightly.
“Don’t worry, I’m with you. I won’t let Hana-chan get expelled.”
“……”
Hana-chan seemed to understand the seriousness of what she had done.
At that moment, I remembered my elementary school graduation ceremony. I barricaded myself in MAHO-do because I didn’t want to say goodbye to everyone.
When I let go of Hana-chan, I said in a slightly playful way,
“If Hana-chan doesn’t apologize, maybe I should go in front of everyone like this.”
Hana-chan was surprised and grabbed my arms,
“No, Doremi! If you do that, they’ll find out that you’re a witch apprentice! If that happens, Hana won’t be able to stay in the human world!”
I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw Hana-chan trying to persuade me with her round eyes.
“Hey, what’s so funny!?”
Hana-chan got angry.
“Sorry, sorry. It was a joke.”
When I barricaded myself in MAHO-do during the graduation ceremony, it was because Hana-chan was about to reveal that she was a witch in front of everyone.
“That’s payback from back then.”
“Geez~, Doremi!”
Hana-chan pouted for a moment, but when I started laughing, she couldn’t help but laugh too.
After we finished laughing, we removed the banner from the window of the principal’s office.
Then we left the school building, crossed the schoolyard, and walked all the way to the school gate. Of course, both Hana-chan and I had changed into our school uniforms.
We could see Hazuki-chan and the others, who had also changed into their uniforms, behind the teachers.
Hana-chan gave Leon the key from her pocket. Leon unlocked the lock and opened the gate. Majorika rushed in first.
“Hana, you’re such a brat!”
She raised her right hand to slap Hana-chan.
Hana-chan closed her eyes, bracing herself for the slap. But it was me who took the hit when I suddenly appeared from the side.
It hurt so much. Majorika was surprised.
“Doremi…?”
“Majo… No no, Makihatayama Rika-san, please listen to Hana-chan’s story before scolding her. Please listen, teachers!”
I deeply bowed my head.
Hana-chan seemed frozen, perhaps surprised to see the teachers looking at her sternly.
I put my hand on Hana-chan’s back and pushed her forward.
“Just tell them what you told me earlier, Hana-chan.”
Hana-chan nodded and told them why she wanted to start a cheerleading society.
When she finished, the stern expressions on the faces of Leon and the teachers disappeared.
The principal looked around at everyone and said,
“We will decide Makihatayama-san’s punishment at an emergency staff meeting. First, let’s remove the barbed wire.”
As soon as he said that, Leon turned to Hana-chan,
“Makihatayama! I assume the power has already been cut off.”
Hana-chan nodded, and everyone, including Leon and the teachers, showed a relieved expression.
Suddenly, Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan came running up to them and said,
“We’ll take care of that!”
The grade chief, who saw them wearing different school uniforms, said,
“You’re not our students…”
But Ai-chan explained,
“Everyone is Hana-chan’s best friend and co-worker at MAHO-do.”
Hearing this, some of the teachers said,
“Oh, isn’t that Segawa Onpu?”
“Did you work there too?”
Onpu-chan smiled and replied,
“I don’t work there often, but Hana-chan and I are very good friends.”
She then lightly rested her arm on Hana-chan’s shoulder as if she were an actress.
Or rather, she is an actress.
“Well then, shall we leave the removal of the barbed wire to Harukaze and her friends and go to the staff room?”
Leon said, and the principal and teachers nodded and started walking towards the school building.
Leon lightly grabbed Hana-chan’s shoulder,
“Geez, you’ve caused us so much trouble. Well, leave the rest to me.”
He whispered and followed the teachers.
We all bowed deeply at Leon’s back.
After making sure that the teachers had disappeared into the school building, Hana-chan snapped her fingers and quickly made the barbed wire disappear.
“For now, let’s go back to MAHO-do and wait for the teachers’ decision. Hana, be prepared for a long lecture from me,” Majorika warned.
Despite her words, she had a smile on her face.
“Yes…”
Hana-chan let out a big sigh, stuck out her tongue, and followed behind Majorika and us.
Two hours later, the phone at MAHO-do rang. When I quickly picked up the receiver, it was Leon.
“Yes, this is MAHO-do!”
“Oh, Harukaze.”
“Yamaki-sensei! What’s going to happen to Hana-chan!?”
“She caused such a big commotion. She’s suspended.”
“Sus… Suspended?”
I was relieved it wasn’t expulsion, but I pretended to sound serious and asked,
“For a week…?”
But Leon didn’t answer.
“I-It’s not going to be a month…”
Everyone around me was listening carefully.
Then, Leon’s laughter could be heard,
“Who do you think I am? I persuaded the teachers and got it down to one day.”
“One day~~~?”
I shouted,
“Yay~~!”
“That’s great!”
And everyone else cheered.
Upon hearing their voices, Leon said,
“Makihatayama is nearby, right? Tell her that she’ll have to stay at home tomorrow and write a letter of reflection.”
“Thank you so much, sensei!”
I bowed my head repeatedly, even though I was on the phone. Then, Hana-chan snatched the receiver from me.
“Yamaki-sensei, how about the cheerleading society?”
“Oh, Makihatayama. The society has been approved since your true intentions were conveyed.”
“Really!? Yaaay!!”
“Don’t be too happy yet. Although it’s approved, there are two conditions for the society to continue.”
“Conditions?”
“One is that if you fall below the top of the grade even once after advancing to the third year, the society will be dissolved then.”
“That’s okay! Hana will never fall. So, what’s the other condition?”
“The other is that if there are fewer than five members by the end of April, when new students enroll and decide which club to join, the society will be abolished.”
“Okay! I’ll do my best.”
After hanging up the phone, Hana-chan gave us a victory sign.
“We need five members by the end of April…”
I said and Ai-chan added,
“If it’s five people, we can manage.”
Then Onpu-chan calmly said,
“I’m not sure about that. Third-year students are busy with exams and job hunting, and second-year students are already in some other club, right?”
“I’m in the soccer team and Ai-chan is in the track and field team, so we can’t join the society.”
Hana-chan looked at Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan expectantly.
But they looked apologetic and said,
“We’re sorry, Hana-chan. We’re not students of Misora High School.”
“I have a job, and Hazuki-chan is busy with violin and part-time work, so it’s impossible.”
“I see… I have to rely on new students.”
When Hana-chan’s expression turned cloudy, Momo-chan said with a smile,
“Hana-chan! I’ll join!”
“Momoko, thank you!”
Hana-chan hugged Momo-chan.
“Let’s actively recruit new students!”
“Yeah, let’s do it! We can get more than ten people!”
Just when the Momo-chan and Hana-chan were getting excited,
“W-Wait a minute!”
Majorika shouted loudly.
“What about this store!? If you two are recruiting members and practicing cheers, you won’t be able to make sweets!”
“No problem. Then don’t worry. I’ll work overtime to make up for it.”
“Hana will too!”
“However…”
Lala, who still looked worried, glanced at Majorika and said,
“I understand Hana-chan, but even Momo-chan…”
“I think I’ve said this before, but I’ve been going back and forth between school and MAHO-do every day, and on my days off, I felt skeptical about my life, which only consisted of visiting pastry stores. I only have one year left in high school, and I want to enjoy it more.”
After Momo-chan’s explanation, Majorika crossed her arms and said,
“Hmm~~~~, We left Momoko alone in charge of the store, so I understand. Okay, I’ll allow it.”
“Thank you, Majorika!”
Hana-chan thanked her,
“Majorika, even if I join the society, I won’t neglect making sweets, so don’t worry.”
With Momo-chan’s strong words, everyone’s faces were filled with smiles.
Just as the incident with Hana-chan was resolved and there were bright signs of starting the cheerleading society, my stomach started to growl loudly..
“I’m hungry now that I’m relieved! Majorika, give me cake! For free!”
“That’s sweet, Doremi. I’ll deduct it from your part-time job wages.”
“Aww~~~.”
Suddenly, Majorika burst out laughing,
“Just kidding. Take whatever you want, it’s my treat.”
Sometimes Majorika is just plain nasty, like she’s a bad person or some kind of wicked witch.
We took the cake made by Momo-chan and Hana-chan, the MAHO-do’s leading duo, put it on plates, and decided to eat it outside on the terrace since the weather was nice.
Lala brewed tea, and the fairies joined us as we enjoyed our sweets.
Then, classmates and former classmates from Misora First Elementary who were worried about Hana-chan began to arrive one after another.
Hana-chan bowed her head and apologized to each of her friends who came to see her, while inviting them to become members of the cheerleading society, but she didn’t get any positive response.
Hana-chan was really sneaky.
Some classmates and former classmates also bought sweets, and by evening, the store’s products were sold out, which was a great success.
Rere and Roro, who had been acting as Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan’s substitutes, came back, and everyone shared the work of cleaning up the store, making sweets for tomorrow. All the work was finished, and the store was closed at 6 PM.
As I was about to put away the outdoor sign, the sound of a motorcycle engine echoed. The motorcycle stopped in front of the store, and the person wearing a racer suit took off her helmet. It was our elementary school teacher, Seki-sensei.
“Welcome, Seki-sensei! Oh, I’m sorry. We sold out of sweets today…”
She is a regular customer who often comes to buy sweets, so I apologized.
Seki-sensei immediately waved her right hand and said,
“I didn’t come to buy anything today. I heard that Makihatayama caused a terrible incident?”
“What! Sensei, did you know about it?”
Seki-sensei put her helmet on the terrace table and sat down on a chair.
“Probably all residents of Misora City know about it.”
“What!? The rumor has already spread that much!”
Seki-sensei nodded and continued.
“When I was surprised and contacted Yamaki-sensei, I heard that the incident was resolved, and you guys went home, so I came to check on you.”
“I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“There’s no need for Harukaze to apologize. I heard from Yamaki-sensei.”
“What, what did he say?”
“He said that you climbed over the electrified barbed wire and met Makihatayama in person to persuade her.”
“Well, yeah…”
“Yamaki-sensei was surprised. He wondered how Harukaze managed to climb over that barbed wire.”
Gulp! I couldn’t say that I was helped by the Magical Stage and the Queen, so I scratched my head and said,
“Well, um… Hazuki-chan and the others who came to see me threw me over!”
“Haha, that’s so like Harukaze.”
At that moment, Hana-chan came out of the store to see Hazuki-chan, Ai-chan, Onpu-chan, and Momo-chan off with a “good job” voice. The five of them immediately noticed us on the terrace,
“Seki-sensei!”
They shouted and came running toward us.
“Hey, everyone looks healthy!”
Everyone smiled and greeted her, sitting around the table.
Seki-sensei looked at Hana-chan and said,
“I heard about Makihatayama from Yamaki-sensei. You really did something outrageous.”
“I’m sorry…”
Hana-chan bowed her head.
“But I heard that you started the cheerleading society.”
Hana-chan nodded repeatedly.
“Cheerleading is fun.”
Seki-sensei said as she made the gesture of shaking pom-poms.
“Sensei, have you ever done cheerleading?”
When Hana-chan asked, Seki-sensei smiled,
“Oh, I was in the cheerleading team in university.”
“Weren’t you in a biker gang?”
“What, I’ve never heard that story before!”
Ai-chan and I asked in succession, and Seki-sensei replied,
“Hey hey, motorcycles are just a hobby. I was the captain of the team and even participated in the national competition.”
“Amaaazing!”
Hana-chan exclaimed in admiration with wide eyes.
Then, after talking about the fun of cheerleading, Seki-sensei asked about everyone’s recent activities. She listened happily to our stories and reacted with surprise or nods.
When I finished talking about the soccer team and how I had not yet decided on a career path, Seki-sensei smiled and said,
“Everyone is living the life I imagined for them. Fujiwara, Senoo, Segawa, Asuka, everyone is working hard towards their dreams. Especially Senoo, it’s amazing how you recovered from that injury.”
Ai-chan blushed and said,
“Thank you for coming to visit me when I was in the hospital.”
Seki-sensei nodded with a smile and looked at Hana-chan,
“Makihatayama is also aiming for the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Science III. I only know your grades from elementary school, so I was surprised.”
“I will definitely pass and become a doctor, so watch me, sensei!”
“Yeah.”
Seki-sensei nodded with a smile and then looked at me.
“Harukaze, it seems like you haven’t decided on a career path yet, but I think there is a career that suits you best.”
“W-What is it!?”
I leaned forward, and Seki-sensei smiled smugly,
“I think everyone here would agree.”
Then everyone nodded. I looked at everyone’s faces and said,
“What are you talking about!?”
But everyone just grinned and didn’t answer.
“Don’t you realize it yet? You value your friends more than anyone else and help those in need without thinking twice. You sympathize with those who are troubled and worry about them. Even today’s incident with Makihatayama might not have been resolved without you.”
“It’s not just my power! Everyone cooperated too.”
“That’s what’s good about Harukaze. You are loved by everyone here and everyone around you that you are involved with. You may not realize it, but that is a great talent that sensei thinks you have.”
Everyone nodded vigorously again.
“What’s the talent… so what is the job that suits me?”
“You have to think about that yourself.”
“Whaaat!”
I voiced my dissatisfaction.
“Well, think about it carefully when you go home. I’m sure you’ll find a good answer. See you then.”
Seki-sensei grabbed her helmet, stood up, and headed towards her motorcycle.
“Thank you for your concern, Seki-sensei.”
Hana-chan said, and she lightly raised her right hand.
“Goodbye!”
She waved her hand lightly at our voices, and Seki-sensei put on her helmet and rode away on her motorcycle in a cool way.
When I returned home that night, my entire family greeted me at the entrance, which was unusual.
“What’s going on, everyone?”
I asked while taking off my shoes, but Mom didn’t answer and said,
“It was tough for you with Hana-chan, right?”
Ah, here it comes. It seemed like everyone in the family knew about Hana-chan’s incident. Seki-sensei’s words that all residents of Misora City knew about it were true.
After changing clothes and sitting down for dinner, everyone seemed worried about Hana-chan, and they asked for an explanation from me, but I was getting tired.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s all settled.”
I answered and ate my dinner in silence.
Everyone seemed to want to know more, but I finished eating quickly and went to take a bath.
However, Pop followed me to the dressing room and asked,
“Hana-chan won’t get expelled, right?”
“No. She only got suspended for a day.”
“I see, that’s good!”
“By the way, Pop, what happened with Mom after that?”
“I haven’t talked to her about anything since then because I’m worried about Hana-chan.”
“I’ll listen to your problems when I get out of the bath.”
“It’s okay for today. You look tired, big sis.”
With that, Pop left the dressing room.
After taking a bath and drying my hair with a hairdryer in my room, my phone rang.
It was Tamaki.
When I answered, Tamaki started talking like a machine gun. Tamaki also knew about Hana-chan’s incident.
“I went to MAHO-do because I was worried, but the store was closed. Even when I called Makihatayama-san, she said, ‘Hana got tired. Tamaki-chan, come again tomorrow.’”
Tamaki even imitated Hana-chan’s voice and wanted to keep talking, but I said,
“Sorry, Tamaki. I appreciate your concern, but I’m exhausted too. I’ll call you tomorrow, so please let me off the hook today.”
“Harukaze-san!”
I could hear Tamaki’s voice, but I hung up my phone.
After finishing drying my hair, I threw my phone on the bed and collapsed next to it.
It was a super hard day…
I thought back on what happened today and one of Seki-sensei’s words stuck with me. She praised me and said that everyone adores me and that it’s a talent…
But is there a job that utilizes the talent of being adored by everyone? I racked my brain but couldn’t come up with anything.
When I got tired of thinking, I tried to sleep and then Hana-chan’s words from earlier in the principal’s office resurfaced in my mind.
Listening to Non-chan's story made Hana want to be a person like Doremi... or Seki-sensei from elementary school... to sincerely consider the other person and think about them with deep kindness.
I was surprised and sat up in bed.
“I see… That might be suitable for me.”
I said to myself and felt a bright future ahead of me. I fell back onto bed.
This is how two-thirds of my high school life passed. Looking back, a lot of things have happened since I entered high school, including to me.
There were many tough times, but now Hazuki-chan is trying to recover from the disaster that struck her father and she herself has become much stronger in the past year.
Ai-chan has also recovered from a major injury and is steadily moving forward towards her next goal.
Onpu-chan also seems to be going through a transformation, experiencing a stalking incident and a level one romance.
Momo-chan overcame a small heartbreak and took the first step towards a more fulfilling high school life with Hana-chan.
Although my relationship with Kotake hasn’t made much progress, thanks to Hana-chan’s incident, I finally see the path I should take.
I’m still worried about Pop, but she’s more reliable than me, so I think she can find her own way.
Thinking about it, my last year of high school seems like it will be a bright and fulfilling year.
…Although, I feel like I always say that, but there might still be some rough patches ahead.
Even though I finally see a bright future, why am I being negative?
I need to keep going and not give up! Let’s go, Harukaze Doremi!