"That's impossible.", Izumi commented, "Ryosuke-senpai likes Ryou-chan, well, that's what he said anyways."
Himiko gasped, "Oh my God! Really? Then there's a great possibility that he was only forced to be engaged to Shizuka-senpai."
Ryouko sighed as she took a few steps forward, "It doesn't matter, and it's his life anyways. At least I still got friends that are always there for me.", she said then turned to look at Izumi and Himiko.
Izumi gave her a smile, "Yeah! We'll always be here for you."
"I'll also be here for you.", Hayato said as he popped from the ground.
"GYAAAAAA!", the three screamed in unison.
"That's the second time today! What is up with people scaring the shit out of me.", Izumi commented.
"I'll always be here for the Elique.", Hayato said and he handed over flowers to Ryouko, "I'm deeply sorry for the trouble I've caused you, please accept these as a sign of my apology."
Ryouko took the flowers, "It's okay, it was only a misunderstanding right?"
"Oh no! We have to go or else we'll be late for class.", Himiko exclaimed as she dragged Izumi with her.
"Oh! I have to go, later Hayato-san!", Ryouko followed them as she waved goodbye.
As the students were attending their classes, Kazuhiko went to the dorm to see Keiko.
He knocked on the door, "Keiko-san, it's me Kazuhiko."
"Please come in, the door is open.", Keiko shouted over the other side of the door.
Kazuhiko entered the room, "Am I disturbing you?", he asked.
Keiko shook her head, "Not really, I'm just cleaning up Ryouko's room."
Kazuhiko cleared his throat, "Uh…we need to talk."
"We are talking.", Keiko replied as she kept on doing her business without even glancing over Kazuhiko, "I'm listening."
"It's about Souichirou-kun."
Keiko stopped and stared at Kazuhiko, "What about Souichirou, did you find him?", she asked but Kazuhiko only kept still and didn't answer her question, "Please tell me! Tell me, where is he?!"
"Follow me", he said, Keiko immediately followed him. Kazuhiko kept on walking and Keiko obediently followed being a little teary-eyed.
Keiko stopped as soon as she figured out where they were going, "Why are we heading to the Mahou no Horu? We aren't allowed to go there.", she protested, "Just tell me where he is, we don't have to go there."
"You know about the Mahou Council ne?", Kazuhiko asked.
Keiko nodded, "Yes, I know them. They are like the people who are in charge of managing conflicts in the magic world.", she replied, "Why the sudden question?"
"Well, they have summoned you.", Kazuhiko said as he opened the door of the Mahou no Horu, both of them entered the building.
Keiko placed her hand over her mouth, "I never imagined that I'll be able to step foot in this building."
Kazuhiko stood before a door and knocked, "Keiko-san is with me now.", a few moments after he finished his sentence, the door before them opened, "I've brought Keiko-san with me."
"Welcome, Yamada Keiko-san.", the Mahou Council said in unison.
After giving her respects she stepped forward, "May I ask you, do you know the whereabouts of my husband?"
Miho nodded, "Yes, we do know where he is."
"Please tell me where he is.", Keiko desperately asked.
"You do know about the existence of the prophecy?", Yoshiaki asked.
Keiko shook her head, "No, I'm not. What I want to know is the whereabouts of my husband."
"We summoned you here to tell you about the prophecy.", Yoshiaki said.
"I don't care about the prophecy."
"Really?", Kaede asked, "You won't be interested even if we tell you, that your daughter is the one destined to fulfill this prophecy?"
Keiko looked puzzled and turned around, "Kazuhiko-kun what are they saying? What does this prophecy have to do with my daughter?"
"Please, just listen to what they have to say."
"Tell me what's going on.", Keiko demanded.
"You might've heard of this myth when you were a young girl. A demon child came to life with the help of his 7 knights, the demon's mission is to kill all of mankind. But an angel from the distant future together with her 6 guardians is bound to stop his evil plan. They fought 'till their last breath but in the end the angel defeated the demon child.", Yoshiaki narrated, "That's how the myth goes."
Keiko nodded, "Yes, I remember, my grandmother use to tell me that story all the time."
"The prophecy is very much similar to that myth.", Hotaka added, "In the near future, it is said that an evil force will awaken and kill every living creature in the magic world, to stop this evil force the angel and her guardians must travel back to the ancient times to put a stop to the demons' revival."
"Oh no, don't tell me my daughter is the one who will put a stop to it.", Keiko said looking a bit furious, "You are not taking my daughter from me!"
"It is her destiny as the Elique.", Kaede said.
"I didn't give birth to her, to be involved in such..such.. madness.", she said as she broke down and started crying, "I can't afford to lose another important person in my life. I just can't, I might die if ever that happens.", she kept on crying and Kazuhiko immediately came to her aid.
"We can't do anything about it, and about your husband…", before Miho can finish what she was saying Keiko interrupted.
"Did you kill him?", Keiko asked, "Did you kill my husband?!"
"Please calm down Keiko-san.", Kazuhiko said as he tried to restrain her from attacking the Elders.
"He was wandering around the Mahou no Horu and he accidentally knew about the prophecy, when he figured out that his daughter is the one to stop the evil, he tried to replace her.", Miho narrated, "He spent months trying to figure out how to stop the evil without having to risk his daughters' life, and the he found the Jikan no Modosu, these are the magic robes that will transport one person back to the ancient time, but the robes only works if you wear them inside this building. So he got inside, wore the robe and disappeared."
"It's been years since we last saw him.", Yoshiaki added, "But a day in our time is equivalent to a week in the past, so he's been stuck in there for quite some time."
"Is there a way to get back? Why isn't he coming back? You should help him! Help him get back!", Keiko protested, "Please, help him."
"The only way to get back is to wear the Kyukyoku Gakuen uniform.", Miho said, "Because this piece of garment was made here, inside this building. If he wore a uniform, he would be able to return."
"But…everything is just so out of order. I don't want to lose my daughter, but I want my husband back as well.", she kept on crying.
"Whether you agree to it or not, your daughter has to make the decision.", Hotaka said.
"She's too young, she's not ready for this kind of things!", Keiko argued.
"It is written here that the prophecy would start the day she turns 18.", Yoshiaki said, "But, nature have spoken, the spirits that will guard the magic world have awoken, which is the signal that the evil is soon to come upon us."
"It's too unfair for her and she can't do this alone, she still gets lost when we go off to some place, and you plan to take her on a place where she knows nothing about?!"
"She won't be alone.", Kazuhiko said, "We need four more students who will serve as her guardians, the spirits will choose the others, all you need to do now is accept reality."
Keiko repeatedly shook he head, "I can't lose my daughter, and I'll definitely die if I lose her."
At school Ryouko received a lot of gifts from her classmates, friends and some random upperclassmen; she was discreetly opening each one of them with a smile on her face.
"Waa~ Ryouko-chan is so cute, opening her gifts so dearly.", Sumire commented.
"She's always like she doesn't want the wrapper to be torn into pieces.", Izumi said, "It's like she cares more about the wrapper instead of what's inside the wrapper."
"It's not like that, it's because the one who gave me the gift took the time to wrap is nicely, so I should take care of it."
"She's so cute!", Sumire commented.
Izumi was looking around and then he noticed Ayumi by the door, "Oh, looks like you have another gift to open."
"Eh?", Ryouko wondered, "From who?"
"Yah! Yamada Ryouko –san can you please come here for a second?.", Ayumi said cutely making the boys from class drool.
Ryouko stood up and walked to where Ayumi was, "What is it Ayumi-senpai?"
Ayumi handed over something to Ryouko, "I heard it's your birthday, so I thought it wouldn't be that bad to give you a gift for a change. Happy Birthday!", she said as she gave Ryouko a hug.
"Waaa~ You actually greeted me.", she hugged Ayumi back, "Thank you, Ayumi-senpai!"
"Oi! Don't be so close.", Ayumi protested as she pushed Ryouko away.
Ryouko kept on smiling, "Thank you so much for the gift."
"What is up with you? Are you actually smiling?", Ayumi asked Ryouko as she grinned at her.
"I'm just happy that you gave me a gift."
Ayumi patted her head, "Enjoy your day kid! I'm off!"
"Take care senpai!", Ryouko said as she watched Ayumi walk away.
"So, are you and Ayumi-senpai finally friends?", Sumire asked, "You guys seem pretty close now."
Ryouko shrugged her shoulders, "That's not for me to decide.", she answered when she noticed Izumi walking out of the classroom, "Mi-chan? Where are you going?"
"Ah, Himiko asked me, if we could have lunch together.", Izumi answered.
"Oh, is that so? Then, have fun with your date!", Ryouko said.
Izumi nodded, "Will do!", he said and then went to fetch Himiko in her classroom.
Himiko's classes ended and she was waiting by the door, "I wonder what's taking I-chan so long?", she thought to herself and then started imagining different things, "Maybe he went to the bathroom and put on some cologne, or maybe he's too excited he didn't know what to do.", she was in her own little world when some chatter-boxes passed her direction.
"Oh my! Did you like see Izumi-kun's gift to Ryouko-san?", a girl asked.
"Yes!", they squealed in unison, "I saw that necklace in the Marche Magie, I wanted to buy it but it was too expensive for a student like me to afford.", a girl added.
A girl sighed, "Ryouko-san is so lucky, Izumi-kun must really like her, for him to give her such an expensive necklace."
The girls sighed in unison, "She's so lucky, she's pretty, she's smart and she's got a man that loves her dearly."
Despite her feisty nature, Himiko didn't respond because of the shock that she received from the things she just heard, "Come to think of it, I've never really asked him if he ever had feelings for Ryouko-chan.", after some time Izumi arrived.
"Ah! Himiko there you are!", Izumi exclaimed, "Did you wait long?"
Himiko shook her head, "No.", she replied looking a bit down.
Izumi immediately noticed that there was something wrong with her, "Is something wrong? Did something happen in class?", Izumi asked.
Himiko just shook her head, "No, everything's fine."
"Are you sure?", Izumi asked with a reassuring voice.
Himiko nodded, "Wait, on second thought, I want to go somewhere."
"Tell me."
"I want to go somewhere private.", Himiko replied.
"Private?", Izumi asked looking a bit puzzled, "What for?"
"I just want us to be alone together.", Himiko earnestly replied.
"Private? Private?", Izumi started thinking to himself, "Where in the campus can you exactly call private?"
"Let's go to the dormitory.", Himiko said and dragged Izumi to the dorm.
"Ah, wait. I can walk by myself.", Izumi protested, but Himiko took no notice of him and she kept on dragging him to the dorm. When they reached the dormitory, they went straight to Himiko's room, got in and Himiko locked the door.
Izumi sat on the bed, "So, what is it that you want to talk about so privately?", Izumi asked winking at Himiko.
Himiko sat before him, "Kiss me.", she demanded.
"Eh?", Izumi asked looking a bit shock, "Kiss?"
"Yes!", Himiko exclaimed, "If you really do love me, then kiss me!"
Izumi scratched his head, "A kiss isn't the measurement of a person's affection, you know."
"Is that really it? Or are you just making excuses?", Himiko asked looking at Izumi furiously, "If you really love me, just kiss me. That's all you have to do!"
Izumi hesitated, "It's too early for a kiss, we don't have to rush things like this you know."
Himiko pushed him down and crept closer to him, Izumi was in shock that Himiko would do such a thing, he didn't know how to react but as he felt Himiko's breath coming closer, he pushed her away, "I'm sorry. I just can't do this."
Himiko looking a bit hurt sat down, "Is there someone else?", Himiko asked, "Tell me, is there someone else you like?!"
Izumi didn't react at all nor make eye contact with Himiko, "Is it Ryouko-chan?", Himiko asked but Izumi gave no response, "Is it her? Answer me, damn it Izumi!", she kept on repeating the same question to Izumi, but he didn't answer, "You won't answer me? Fine! I'll just go confront her myself!"
Himiko was about to dash off when Izumi pulled her by her arm, "She doesn't even know! So, stay her out of this!", he exclaimed.
Himiko then cried in anger, "Here I thought you were going to stop me from going and tell me that you love me.", tears were rolling down her cheeks, "How could you do this to me! Where did you get the nerve to date me, when you're aware that you like Ryouko-chan?! Were you toying with me?! Were my feelings not enough for you?!", she exclaimed as she started hitting Izumi on his chest.
Izumi clenched his fist and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, before I hurt you even more, let's just break-up."
"Never, I will never ever break up with you!", Himiko cried even more that whenever she spoke Izumi couldn't understand anything, she was so enraged that she slapped Izumi, "I've given you all my love and this is how you reciprocate it?!"
"I'm sorry, but you just have to accept the fact that I have always been and will always be in love with Ryou-chan.", Izumi replied then left Himiko.
Himiko cried her eyes out and screamed as loud as she could, "I curse you, Yamada Ryouko!", her voice echoed through the dormitory. After some time, she composed herself and went back to attend her Black Magic Class.
"Ikeda-san?!", the teacher called, "Ikeda-san?!", she repeated but Himiko stared blankly into space. And then the teacher slammed her book on the table, startling Himiko, "It's good to have you back, Ikeda-san."
"Ah, I'm sorry sensei.", Himiko said as she bowed as sign of apology, for the rest of the class she pretended to listen and participate in the lessons, but in reality she was plotting an evil plan to get Izumi back and to take revenge on Ryouko. As their class ended, she went to see her Black Magic teacher.
"Ah, if it isn't Ikeda-san, you know, you should pay more attention in class, it's very vital to your grade.", the teacher adviced.
"Sensei, can you teach me how to curse someone? Or maybe make a love potion?", Himiko pleaded.
The teacher looked a bit puzzled, "Why do you need to learn this, Ikeda-san? These things that you are asking for takes a long time to master, only skilled magicians can perform such spells."
"I'm not asking if I am capable of executing these spells. What I'm asking for, is for you to teach me to do these spells.", she said straight-forwardly.
The teacher shook her head, "No means no Ikeda-san, I hope you understand."
Unable to persuade her teacher she went outside the school and she started to look for a magic shop until she came across Marche Magie, she stepped inside and saw Karen.
"What can I do for a beautiful lady like you?", Karen asked enthusiastically.
"Do you have anything that will make someone fall in love with me or maybe put a curse on someone?", Himiko asked.
Karen analyzed her, "My, my it seems like you are heart has been broken, and you have been betrayed, am I right?"
"How did you know?", Himiko asked.
"I can feel your aura or should I say spirit.", Karen said as she smiled at Himiko, "I think, I have just what you need. Wait right here dear."
"What a weird lady.", Himiko commented, she sat down and waited for Karen.
"I've found it!", Karen exclaimed as she handed over a box, "It's called Hokori Omoide, it's kind of like the pixie dust of broken hearted people."
"What is it for?", Himiko asked.
"Well, with the right chant and execution, it could make a person forget everything in his/her memory, or you could replace a person's role in your memory. In short, it can make you forget about the bad things that happened to you, and you can manipulate other people's memory.", Karen explained.
Himiko grinned, "This is exactly what I need! How do I use it?"
"Take a pinch, place it in your palm and blow it onto the person or to yourself, then read the chant indicated for each spell which is inside this box. And then you'll see this tiny glass thingy, open it up and wait for the dust to come back together with the memory you want to erase or replace.", Karen explained, "And, if you've had enough of it, you can always break the curse, with the use of this cute little hammer, just smash the glass and the spell will be broken. Well, it only applies to the memory that has been replaced by something else, but restoring the memory that has been totally erased is a bit harder you have to…"
Before Karen could finish Himiko interrupted, "I'll take it, how much is it?"
"My, my aren't you a serious buyer.", Karen commented, "It costs ¥30,000 including the magic glass thingy."
"Eh?! It's too much!", Himiko complained, "Isn't there a discount for s student like me?"
"Hmm, if you give me the number of the Elique I'll give it to you for free!", Karen exclaimed.
"Is that all?", Himiko wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it over to Karen, "It was good doing business with you.", she stepped out of the shop and started to head back to school, "This is all I need for my revenge and to get my Izumi back."