(A.N.: Thank you for the positive feedback! I will continue the story as promised. I hope you guys enjoy this ride to the end with me. Cheers!)

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[Chapter 2: Of Being Untouched]

"...Thats a pretty unique name you got."

They say Karma is how the world works. Do good, and good things happen. Do bad, and you get a taste of your own medicine.

Did Homura believe that?

Yes. Yes she did. But her feelings were apathetic. She never invested herself in the thought.

But the warmth of Madoka's hand in hers and the sight of the apron clad girl smiling at her made her think about the strangest thing.

Karma.

In her life, she was alone. She lived in an isolated bubble with her parents, and that was it. No Karaoke after school, no going to the departmental store to buy snacks for friends, no love triangle angst, nothing. She had repelled herself from the crowds, without making an effort. She was invisible. Clumsy, and struggled at normal conversations, but stable.

Had she tipped the scales? Had the balance shifted finally, to favor her?

Did karma bring Madoka to her life of no color?

Homura believed so.

Breaking out of her trance after what seemed like hours, she noticed she wasn't holding Madoka's hand anymore. But the phantom feeling remained.

"Is that a school uniform?" Madoka asked, cheerful as she was all along, eyeing Homura's simple black and white uniform. "Where do you study?"

"...A c-catholic all girl's school. Its nothing fancy." Homura said, uncertain as ever.

"Wow. A catholic schoolgirl!" Madoka chirped. "I go to a co-ed school, though. In the city."

The place was rural, Homura noticed as she looked out the window. Now that the rain slowed down a bit, she could observe her surroundings. There were cobblestones that lead upto the café entrance, and the roads were a glossy black. There were little to no buildings nearby aside from some closed shops.

"Do you have clubs at your school?" Homura asked, her eyes still outside. Her conscious mind then caught up with her subconscious one, making her feel a deep sense of regret over the question she asked.

"Ummm, there are a lot of clubs, but I am not in any." Madoka chuckled nervously. "I don't have any hobbies...I enjoy the small talks with friends, though. I think that is all I can handle." She giggled.

Homura felt happy, that she wasn't taken the wrong way. But the sense of fear still remained.

How could she not? 'This is uncharted lands!', her mind screamed.

"It sounds like you are happy." Homura said, in the calmest voice she could muster. "So it doesn't matter if you don't have hobbies."

Madoka was surprised at how forward Homura was being. Or trying to be. She was also happy.

"I suppose so." Madoka smiled.

"I don't have clubs at my school." Homura said, sadness welling up in her eyes.

"You do have fun with friends, right?" Madoka asked, trying to sprinkle some optimistic thoughts onto her.

Homura didn't reply. Her sadness didn't leave her. After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head swiftly.

Madoka grew a little concerned. But she had a good intuition. She pieced together the pieces she had collected, and figured out that either Homura was not used to making friends, or is not apprached by people in her class.

Either way, she knew the matter was sensitive, and didn't pursue the topic.

"Oh, what about family?"

Homura's face now was stoic, a significant improvement from her forlorn expression.

"My father is a teacher of a University." Homura said, as if she had the answers memorized from a book. "My mother works part time as a librarian."

Madoka smiled. It wasn't the answer she expected, but at least Homura was comfortable now.

"My mom is a businesswoman." Madoka said, smiling. "My dad stays at home, and manages the café. We opened up a few years ago, after my brother started to go to school."

Homura's shoulders went from a visible rigid to an uncertain fidget.

"That is nice."

Madoka was surprised. Was Homura finally able to come out of her shell?

The rain slowed down. The skies began to clear up, letting the sun peek through in all its glory, the time just before sunset.

A spark in the pink haired one ignited a peculiar thought.

'She's adorable. Like a shy little girl!', Madoka thought to herself. When her conscious mind took notice of this, she grew embarrassed. 'Shame on you, Madoka! You're not supposed to think like that', she rebuked internally.

But her thoughts were interrupted by what she saw.

Homura stared out the window, and she noticed rays of lavender light shine through her jet black hair, casting thin streaks of shadows on her face. Her grey eyes were blank, devoid of any emotion, but the sunlight that came from outside seemed to detail every part of her irises.

Sharp grey.

Madoka gasped, quietly and subconsciously observing the bespectacled maiden in front of her. Why, she didn't know. Her mind didn't bother to question her action.

Suddenly, Homura broke out of her trance. She looked at Madoka, blinked, and then frowned through her glasses.

Madoka was spellcast. She just stared at Homura, her mouth opened lazily, forming an 'o'. Madoka wondered what Homura was thinking in her trance. She also wondered why she had broken out of it.

Homura's face brightened in a shade of red, her ears were burning in embarrassment. She fumbled around in her dress pockets, and clumped up all she could get her fist on. Then she let the contents of her hand rest on the table. Some loose cash and two coins.

Homura, still as red as as a tomato, took the stylish cup of coffee, which was lukewarm by now, and chugged it down with her eyes closed. Immediately after finishing the caffeinated beverage, she stared down at the floor, and said, "Thank you for your hospitality!"

Bowing rigidly, and making sure she took her schoolbag with her, Homura bolted through the front door, like a deer who had caught sight of a lioness.

...Leaving the pink haired waitress in her wake.

The sound of the bell ringing and the door shutting brought Madoka back into reality. She sat there, dumbfounded.

Through the window to her right, she saw Homura run down the wet black street that now refected the lavender glow of the sunset. Her vigor in running could only be compared to that of an Olympian.

However, as soon as her mind was done processing the information, she realized that the event that had unfolded in front of her made absolutely no sense.

Her eyes glazed over the table she was sitting at, to notice the empty cup of coffee and more than 500 yen in crumpled notes and stray coins which Homura had left behind.

She then looked at her own cup of coffee. A final wisp of steam blew past her nose, as she took a sip.

Madoka frowned. Sheasked herself, bewildered and a bit taken aback by Homura's rushed, yet strange escape,

"Wait, what just happened?"

The strawberry flavored cupcakes Madoka had made earlier that day, were quite delicious. She wanted to share some with the mysterious girl...

But to her dismay, the two cupcakes she had brought, lay untouched at the table.

-(End of chapter 2)-

I have plans for this, that you are going to like. Hehe.

Also, I will update the story's cover image. The link for the artist is in my bio and below. Check their work out, its amazing! Its NSFW, so kids... stay out!) ...I am going to be a terrible parent, aren't I?)

Artist name is caffeccino.

Page: ..tumblr..com

Again guys, thank you. Feedback is always welcome.

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Stay safe,

DSH99