Negi slowly meandered throughout the town located near Mahora Academy. Still seems big because of Negi's height. Negi asked a local shopkeeper who was sweeping outside of his store about a florist shop's location. The shopkeeper put his hand under their chin and thought for a moment. The shopkeeper pointed in the direction where the floral shop was located. Negi bowed and thanked the shopkeeper for directions.
Negi found the floral shop finally. He looked into the window of the shop to see various flowers and plants all over inside. He opened the door as he heard a bell chimed. He slowly stepped inside the shop as a elderly woman approach from the back room of the shop.
"May I help you?" said the florist.
"Well...um...I...guess..." said a nervous Negi.
Negi looked around the shop and said, "What beautiful flowers you have."
The florist tilted her head to one side and asked, "Thank you very much. Are you the tiny professor from Mahora that people were talking about during the festival at the academy?"
A little taken back from being recognized Negi replied, "Yes I am."
"Thought so, so like I said. What may I help you with?" responded the elderly florist.
"Was told that I should find a pink rose for someone," said Negi meekly.
"For your girlfriend?" asked the florist.
"No, no absolutely not. It is just for a good friend," replied Negi flustered.
"Well in that case let me see if I have that perfect pink rose for your 'friend' that is not your girlfriend," said the florist grinning.
Negi looked around the floral shop at various flowers and plants while waiting.
"Guys should we karaoke today?" asked Kakizaki Misa.
"Do we have to!" exclaimed Madoka Kugimiya.
"What else is there to do besides shop," said Sakurako Shina.
Three cheerleaders walked pass the florist shop that Negi was inside of.
Madoka looked inside quickly and did a double take as they walked past the floral shop.
"Um guys think I just saw Negi-sensei in the flower shop," proclaimed a shocked Madoka.
"Yeah right Madoka-san. Your eyes are going," said Kakizaki giggling.
"I am so sure it was him," replied Madoka convincingly.
"Let us go and see," said Sakurako intrigued.
The three slowly approached the florist's window and glanced inside. Inside standing facing a bunch of carnations, was Negi that was indeed seen by Madoka.
"See I told you," replied Madoka with a smile.
"Why is he in there?" asked Kakizaki.
"Maybe getting roses for his 'partner' I think. Could be anyway," replied Sakurako as she was remembering the time when everyone thought Negi was a prince.
"Still though since he is a teacher and if it is a student, he will get into trouble," said Madoka.
"Careful girls, we speculated last time when we saw him with Konoka-san," said Kakizaki as she shivered at the thought of their repercussion by the class rep.
Negi looked behind him through the florist's window as the three cheerleaders ducked to the ground to not be seen. Madoka looked up carefully through the window and saw Negi facing back to the flowers.
The florist came out with a vase full of pink roses. The three cheerleaders could not hear anything inside the flower shop. They saw Negi look over each rose until he found the perfect one. The florist took the pink rose out of the vase and carefully wrapped it in paper. The elder florist handed Negi the rose as Negi paid for it.
The three cheerleaders dashed into an alley as Negi entered the street heading back to Mahora Academy.
"Did he see us?" asked Kakizaki.
"Hope not!" responded Madoka out of breath.
"He is so romantic. Wonder how he will be in a few years if he is that romantic," said Sakurako who still determine to go through with her plan that she hatched during the mo-date.
"Geez Sakurako-san remember he is only ten," said Madoka.
"So?" replied Sakurako.
"How old are you? You will be a few years older then him when he gets interested in girls. He might just like girls around his own age like that girl he knew in England," said Kazizaki.
"Still older women will have experience, so maybe he may like that," said Sakurako.
The other two girls rolled their eyes and gave up.
Negi returned to the girl's dorm room where he stays with the pink rose in hand wrapped in floral paper.
Asuna opened the dorm door and saw Negi standing there.
"Did you get it?" asked Asuna.
"Yes one pink rose," replied Negi holding out the covered vase that contained the rose.
"Can I see it?" asked Konoka grinning.
"Prefer not to open it up, but you can put it in the refrigerator for me Konoka," said Negi,
"Aw man, alright Negi-kun I will," responded Konoka disappointed.
Konoka put the wrapped vase that had the delicate pink rose into the refrigerator.
Asuna, Konoka, and Negi were running late as usual. All three sprinted as fast as they could as Setsuna met them halfway.
"Did you get it out of the refrig?" asked Asuna.
"Yes!" replied Negi.
Negi stood at the front of the class room as he placed the pink rose and its vase to the front of the desk.
All the girls instantly turn their heads toward the pink rose.
"I wonder if it is for any of us?" whispered Haruna to Yue.
Yue shrugged.
"Stupid idiots thinking romantic ideas about a ten year old kid," thought Chisame.
Eva just shook her head. She liked the black or bloody red roses.
The three cheerleaders looked at each other. Ayaka was fantasizing about Negi giving her the rose and telling her how much he loves her.
"Blondie calm down," said Asuna.
"Cram it monkey," replied Ayaka.
"Investigation of who will get the rose," said Kazumi to herself looking around the room.
"I hope its me," said a few girls to their self.
"Why is all the girls desiring that rose, master?" asked Chachamaru.
"Well a rose can signify what a man is thinking about in a particular relationship," replied Eva.
"So does that mean Negi-kun is liking someone?" asked Chachamaru.
"Asked the boy," said Eva dismissively.
Then most of the girls looked directly at Nodoka as Nodoka was busy looking over her homework.
"What did I do?" said as Nodoka felt all eyes upon her.
"Nodoka-san, may I have a word with you after class?" asked the ten year old professor.
"Ye...sss...," said Nodoka softly and nervously.
"Alright class shall we read another American poet name Robert Frost!" said Negi.
"But professor, what about the rose?" asked Fumika.
"Do not worry about the rose Fumika-san," proclaimed Negi.
"Great looks like the class will not concentrate on the lesson today," said Asuna to herself.
"Poor Nodoka," said Konoka to herself smiling.
Nodoka was fidgeting the whole time in class as the other girls stared at her every now and then.
Internally Nodoka did hope that the rose was for her, but as usual though her doubts came back on why would he give her the rose.
As class ended, the girls slowly took their time leaving. They wanted to see if Negi was going to give the rose to Nodoka or if the rose was meant for someone else.
Asuna moved her classmates like a herd of cattle prodding them out the door as Nodoka was the only one to remain at her desk. Sayo followed Kazumi. Asuna gave the all clear signal.
"Nodoka-san, please come here," demanded Negi,
"Oh!" replied Nodoka nervously as her knees were buckling under her as she tried to stand.
Nodoka walked over toward Negi.
"Is he giving her the rose?" asked Konoka quietly to Asuna.
"Not yet," whispered Asuna.
"Nodoka-san, I know I make you and everyone worry about me. And I have not thanked you properly that I should have over the time we have known each other. From the moment you had your artifact, to the time you helped me with Kotaro-kun, to when you decided you wanted to learn magic with Yue, and to when you pushed me and took the displacement bullet so that I could stop Chao-san," said Negi holding the vase that contained the pink rose.
"Sensei, do not worry about it. I am just glad that I am of some use to you. Not like Yue or the others that are more powerful then I though," said Nodoka with a slight smile.
"You do more then that Nodoka-san," said Negi delicately giving Nodoka the vase.
"For me?" asked Nodoka blushing extremely red.
"Yes this is for you," said Negi blushing.
"He gave her the rose and they are just standing there," said Asuna.
"Awkward I bet between them, but I bet it is kind of romantic," said Konoka.
"A classroom is not my idea of a place of romance," said Asuna feeling a light twinge in her heart.
"Let us go before they spot us," said Konoka.
Nodoka carefully grasped the vase and smelled the pink rose's scent.
Negi blushed again.
Nodoka bowed and took her book-bag with her in the other hand as she left the classroom in her own heaven.
"So you did get the rose Nodoka-san," said Yue as she was filing library book cards away.
"Yes he gave it to me after class," said Nodoka grinning while blushing.
"Did you read the card that came with it?" asked Haruna as she was removing newspapers from their protective plastic covers.
"Did not know there was a card," said Nodoka as she was searching now for one.
"There is the card," as Yue had it in her hand.
Nodoka put the vase on the counter and opened up the card. It read:
Dear Nodoka-san,
Thank you so very much for what you have done. I fully appreciate that you care so much about me and my well-being that I thought that this rose would be a perfect gift for you. I am very happy you are my friend.
Yours,
Negi
"What? No lovey dovey message. Disappointed there," said Haruna shaking her head.
"He is just a ten year old after all Paru-san," said Yue smiling inside that it was not a romantic note.
"It is alright that it is not a romantic note. I got a rose from him and that is all it matters," responded Nodoka in a dreamy state.
Haruna hit Nodoka on top of her head. "Nodoka-san, did or did I not tell you to move ahead with Negi-kun," said Haruna.
"Yes you did," responded Nodoka as she was rubbing her head where Haruna hit her.
"You two stop it. How many times do I have to say he is just ten years old and he has no one in his heart," replied Yue.
"Beg to differ there Yue-san. Remember Anya-san," said Haruna.
"She is back in England," said Yue.
"She may be back there but Negi's heart may be there with her," said Haruna.
Yue nor Nodoka said anything after that.
Nodoka took the rose out of the vase and simply gaze all over the gift she received from someone who she loved.