,, flameofsoul: thanks. nico will play a bit more important role later on. ...if i stick to my plans. thanks again, friend.

,, Akari.P: thanks. the brush hasn't displayed much abilities to the story yet, so you'll find that out later. tbh i dont mind reviews much, but still, it delights me when people do, so, thanks plenty, friend.


"Why'd you say that!?" Umi exclaimed.

"Say what?" her new acquaintance asked, deigning curiosity and innocence.

The bluenette pulled her own hair, frustrated. "T-that thing! That thing you said back there! Now everyone thinks we're g... g...!"

"Why're you trying not to say gay?" Shyara asked with genuine confusion.

"S-stop! Stop! That's... that's shameless!" Umi screamed. Receiving a few seconds of silence, she sighed. "...our country doesn't accept that sort of thing easily, you know? And now I'm going to be seen as one of the shameless people!" she said.

"Hey, that's not actually a nice thing to say," Shyara said with a frown. "There's nothing wrong with being gay."

"T-that's besides the point!" the shcool idol said.

Rolling her eyes, the blonde paid no heed. "Besides, I'm helping you. Now you have a chance to give one of your girlfriends something to convince them that you're not with me, and boom! Love level up!" she said.

"Okay, one: why would I do that?" Umi asked. "And two: what do you expect me to do, get them a diamond?"

"...one, because the magical paintbrush. Two, I mean... yeah."

"That magic story thing is a lie!" The bluenette crossed her arms. "Just so you know, I still refuse to believe it's a magical paintbrush."

"Sonoda, you've seen it draw a cube into reality, out of nothing." Shyara raised an eyebrow. "If that wasn't magic, what do you think that was?"

"...i-it was something, but it definitely wasn't magic." Umi then glared at her. "And I'm definitely not cursed!"

"You're stubborn at the weirdest times," Shyara muttered. "Well, either ways, I'm still studying the curse. You'll believe me sooner or later, when I bring back more believable results."

"I'm surprised you'd think anything about that stuff is believable," Umi replied. "Anyways, I'm going to head back to class, to eat with Honoka and Kotori. You just... go to the cafeteria or something."

Shyara blinked. "...h-hey, wait, you're going to leave me all alone? Really?"

"Kiririn, you're a stranger posing as a high school student, I'm sure you're good enough to eat alone." Sighing, Umi glared at her again. "And you've already gotten me in trouble with Ms. Kyouko this morning, I don't need more rumors to spread from us being together."

"B-but-"

"No buts!" Umi pointed towards the opposite direction. "Get to the cafeteria and get something to eat!"

The blonde stared, then tried her best to imitate a puppy face.

"...really?" Umi asked.

"Might as well try," Shyara replied.

The two stared at each other for a long time, before Umi noticed several other students peeping on them. She groaned. "Gods, fine, come join us or whatever."

"Thanks, Sonoda," the blonde chirped. "Love ya."

"..." Umi saw the peeping toms turn bright red from that.

"She said love...!"

"That was an affectionate confession!"

"Those two really are-"

"I will throw you out the window!" Umi hissed at Shyara, before walking back towards class. The blonde hummed happily to herself as she followed her, ignoring the stunned and confused faces of their peeping toms.


"So, uh, Shyara," Honoka began, "how long have you and Umi been, um, like 'that'?" she asked.

"H-Honoka! I told you!" the blunette yelled. "We are not like that!"

"Oh, since yesterday," Shyara replied.

"Kiririn!"

Kotori chuckled. "You two seem to get along so well."

How!? the bluenette thought.

"Wait, so it's been just a day?" Honoka asked. "Are you, like, experimenting with sexuality?"

"Something like that," Shyara said. "Sonoda said she was curious and wanted to try dating."

"With someone you just met?" the ginger asked, raising an eyebrow. "You are weird, Umi."

Umi growled. "Kiririn, one of these days, I will..." She paused. Wait, actually, that was a good excuse. "Uh, right."

"...Umi, if you wanted to try out something like that, you could've asked me," Kotori said.

The three stared at the grey haired girl, who blinked twice before realizing what she said. Her face turned pink.

"W-wait, that's not what I... t-that came out a bit wrong," Kotori fixed herself and looked away. "I- I meant you could've always asked any of us... from Mu's..."

"T-that'd be shameless!" Umi hissed. "B-besides, that's not really better!"

"...w-well, I personally wouldn't mind," Honoka whispered.

"Did you say something?"

"N... nothing."

Umi stared. "...right." She sighed and took another bite from her sandwich. "Anyways. Can we, like... change the topic or something...?"

"Whatever you desire, honey," Shyara said.

Again, this prompted some eavesdroppers and Honoka and Kotori to turn a bit pink.

"Kiririn," Umi muttered.

"Okay, okay, don't throw me out the window," the blonde said.

"...Umi, you make scary threats," Honoka noted.

"..."

The conversation died as they resumed eating, running out of ideas of things to talk. Except for the false rumor with Shyara, but Umi would probably kill the other two, they figured. Or shoot arrows through their butts, but that didn't sound pleasant either.

...actually... huh. Honoka felt rather ashamed once she imagined such a scenario in her head, growing curious. She shook her head to shake off the image, once more getting her friend's concern.

"Honoka, are you sure you're okay today?" Umi asked. "You're a bit off today, I'm worried you won't be able to practice properly."

"N-no, no, I'm fine," the ginger replied, "I just, uh... I just need something to distract me..."

Kotori then chuckled.

"...what're you laughing at, Kotori?" Umi asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just... I dunno, your lips are a bit shiny," she said. "Grease from the sandwich, I guess."

"O-oh, okay." Umi smacked her lips twice, but eventually remembered that never did anything to help. She moved around i her pockets to try and pul her handkerchief out.

Honoka, meanwhile, stared at the bluenette's lips. "...hm. Shiny."

"...it's really nothing to stare at," Umi mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"...I want to kiss," Honoka blurted.

"..."

"..."

"Whoa," Shyara whispered.

Asides from the useless blonde, everything went silent for the group- and that meant everything. Everyone in the class were now staring directly at them, unsure what to make of what they just heard.

Honoka's and Umi's face turned extremely red. "H-H-Hono-"

"No! That! Was! Just! Some! Thing! Mistake!" Honoka interrupted. Then she grabbed her loaf of bread and ran towards a random direction.

"W-wait right there!" Umi screamed.

Then Honoka... jumped through the window.

Umi's red face turned into a dreadful blue. "Honoka!?" she screamed.

The ginger haired idol somehow landed safely on the ground floor and ran towards their school's gate. "I want to go to hell!" she screamed whilst covering her face.

"W-whoa," Shyara muttered.

"T-that was quite the confession," Kotori remarked.

"No, how the hell did she survive that!?" Umi asked. "That was impossibly dangerous! Y-you girls saw that, right!?"

"Yeah," her remaining childhood friend said. "That was really fast, how she ran away... Honoka.."

Umi narrowed her eyes questioningly. "How is that the only thing you comment on?" she asked. Then she regained her blush. "A-and forget what she said!"

Their classroom door slid open with a slam. "What happened in here!?" a familiar ballet danger inquired.

The bluenette smiled. "Eli" she said, relieved. "J-just now, Honoka jumped out the window!"

"And she ran out of school!" Kotori added.

Eli frowned. "She what!?"

"I know, right!?"

"Why'd she do that?"

"..."

Umi looked away.

Oh, boy. Eli scratched her head. "Well, uh. Umi! You're coming with me to get her back!"

"Wait, what?" The blunette felt the blonde grab her hand, and suddenly she was pulled out the classroom and towards a safer path out the building. "W-wait, can't we just call her by phone to come back?"

"No! We're going out there to get her!" Eli said. "That's the most logical choice!"

"No it's not!" Umi yelled. "What's with you today!? Am I the only one noticing everyone around me be weird today!?"

Eli continued running. Sorry, Umi. I've been giving this a lot of thought since yesterday... she thought.

I just want to spend some time with you!


Shyara watched as the two girls ran out the school gates as well. ...she does have a point though, the blonde thought and looked at the shards of glasses near her feet. That sort of action would've killed the girl...

"I hope Umi will be okay..." Kotori whispered. "...and Honoka..."

Their common senses seems to have been tweaked with. Shyara rubbed her chin. After school, I'll have to investigate the spellcode of this area...