Negi and Nodoka arrived at the girl's dorm.
"I will wait outside here and escort you to Library Island," said Negi politely.
"You do not have to do that professor," said the nervous bookworm.
"It is no trouble at all. Plus I would feel better just in case anyone is after you next since they already decided that the rose was important enough to take," said a smiling Negi.
Nodoka thoughts went rushing through her head and the loudest is Negi concerned for her because he is falling for her or is it just a concern as one of his students. She was going to ask him.
"Professor you still do not have to go out of your way for someone like me," said Nodoka slyly.
"Nodoka-san, you are one of my partners. You are one of my best friends even though you are my student. I care a lot of what happens to you," said Negi.
Nodoka did not know how to interpret his meaning because her head was swirling with hearts circling her head. She managed somehow with her new found strength to compose herself enough to put herself inside the dorm and ran up the steps toward her room.
"So you been with the professor today I see," smirked the manga artist and one of Negi's magic partners.
"Hi Paru-san, yeah its just um well...you see...," said a flustered bookworm.
"No need to explain," laughed Haruna.
"Got to get change for work," said Nodoka as she dashed inside the dorm room.
Haruna just stood there laughing.
Negi waited patiently outside the girl's dorm for Nodoka.
"Hi professor," was said by girls wandering in and out of the dorm making Negi a little uncomfortable.
Finally Nodoka came out walking toward Negi with her Library Island uniform on.
"How do I look?' giggled the bookworm.
"Perfect!" responded Negi.
Nodoka blushed as they headed toward Library Island.
Nodoka noticed how quiet it became between them as she watched him in his thinking mode.
He looked mature and very serious when he gets that way.
A sigh by Nodoka was heard by Negi.
"Oh sorry Nodoka-san, I must be bad company since its quiet," said Negi apologetic.
"Oh no professor. It is fine. Looks like you had something in your head to mull over. I am just happy you are taking the time in your busy schedule for me," blushed Nodoka.
"Well I had free time. You are also very important to me nowadays," smiled the teacher.
Nodoka looked up into the night sky and saw a falling star. Negi looked up and saw the same thing.
"Go ahead wish upon that star Nodoka-san," said Negi.
Nodoka closed her eyes and said to herself, "I wish Negi and me will have walks like this for the rest of our lives together."
Nodoka opened her eyes and saw a smiling Negi next to her gazing up at the night sky.
"So are you done with your wish?" asked Negi.
"Yes!" smiled the bookworm as they continued their walk.
"When do you get done with work? asked Negi.
"Well today is my short day to work. Think the others have to stay late," replied Nodoka.
"Around what time?" asked the professor.
"Oh sorry! Eight o'clock or so," replied Nodoka.
"If you do not mind? I would like to escort you to talk with the cheerleaders and then we could walk back to the dorm together," asked Negi.
Nodoka's mood began to brighten as she would be spending more time with him alone.
"Sure! Would love too," said a smiling bookworm.
"Then it is a date. Sort of," smiled Negi.
Nothing more was said between the two as they reached their destination. Nodoka thanked Negi for the walk and went inside the library. Negi watched to make sure she was safe inside.
Negi headed to World Tree Plaza to think.
Negi's stomach began to growl with emptiness inside. He has not eaten anything all day.
Negi unintentionally ended up at Chao Bao Zi. Fei Ku spotted her Chinese martial arts disciple and waved him over toward an empty seat. Negi happily wandered over.
"Hello professor! Miss training you," said Fei Ku.
"So sorry Ku-san. A thing has occupied my time of late," smiled Negi.
Fei Ku patted on top of Negi's head and said, "No worries."
Satsuki Yotsuba, the new owner of the establishment since Chao left, saw her professor looking over the menu.
"Professor what can I get you?" smiled Satsuki.
"Hello Yotsuba-san. Anything that you think I would like," sighed Negi.
"What is wrong?" asked the little chef as she was mixing ingredients in a pan for her professor.
"It has been a busy day and I do not think anything has been accomplished," said Negi in a defeated tone.
"Talking about the rose missing from bookworm's room?" smiled Satsuki.
"How did you know?" asked Negi.
Satsuki simply smiled and winked.
"Well the sport girls did not know anything so I think talking with the rumor mill starters is next," said Negi.
"Ah you mean the cheerleaders," giggled Satsuki.
"Yes them," sighed Negi.
Satsuki handed Negi a plate full of what she cooked as Negi thanked her and dove into the food like a wolf hungers from starving.
"Good food," replied Negi.
Satsuki smiled brightly as Negi's mood became brighter as well.
Negi thanked everyone at Chao Bao Zi for their hospitality while he was eating their delicious food. Negi looked at his watch and their was still time for him to wander over to the World Tree Plaza.
Sitting under the tree thinking about everything that has transpired since he got to Mahora. He met these two girls who are directly or indirectly related to his father. Asuna knew his dad when she was a toddler and Konoka's father was one of Nagi's best friends. Then a thought went to Eva and her relationship with his dad. Mortal enemies yet a one sided love. Negi thought of Imma and Takamichi's relationship with Nagi. And then Negi's last thought was Chao. Could she be telling the truth that they were related?
Takane Goodman spots Negi under the tree deep in thought.
"Excuse me, professor?" shouted Takane.
Negi did not hear her approach him. Takane sat down next to the little professor and looked at him.
"The girls are right. If you look at him like how he is now, he looks so mature," blushed Takane to herself.
Negi looked over toward Takane and smiled.
Takane jumped a little because every time she has been around him her clothes tend to fall off.
"How are you tonight Miss Takane-san," asked Negi.
Takane trying to compose herself responded, "Doing well and you?"
"Not so well I am afraid to say," responded Negi.
"Staying out of trouble I hope," sternly said Takane.
"Yes, but it is not that. I gave a rose to a student and the rose was stolen from her room. Not many leads and less suspects. It might be hopeless," said a despondent teacher.
"Wait! You gave a rose to a student? Is that crossing the line from a student/professor relationship? Is it the that same girl from the festival?" inquired Takane.
"Well she was down in the dumps with her mood. So the other students suggested I give her a pink rose. And yes it was Miss Miyazaki-san who acquired the rose," said Negi.
"Ah a pink rose. As long as it was not a red rose I think it did not cross that line. Wish I was younger and I got that rose Well would you like some help? I am free tonight. Mei has training so I will be alone," asked Takane.
"I thank you for your offer, but I do not want to trouble you with my troubles. It seems when you get involved you tend to be stripped of your clothes and your dignity at the same time," blushed Negi.
"Well...it is...not that it happens all the time...just that...," said a flustered Takane.
"Sorry!" said Negi softly.
"Well just be careful professor," said Takane as she brushed herself off getting up.
As Takane was about to walk away, a ripping sound was heard as Negi tried to stop her. A loose piece of cloth got embedded in a nook of the tree and started to tear her skirt. The skirt ripped and fell down as she was not wearing any underwear. Negi quickly gave Takane his coat to tie from her waist as she ran away.
"It happened again," sighed Negi.
Library Island was bustling with people as always searching for their elusive book that they need to study. The girls from Negi's class were huddled at the information desk.
"So you spent the day with the professor?" asked Haruna.
"Yeah I did helping him talk to the sport girls," replied the meek bookworm.
"Is that all you did was interrogate? No kissing in between?" asked the manga artist.
Nodoka blushed at the thought of Negi and her kissing outdoors where people could see them. Not like it was not the first time though since they kissed during the festival at night.
"No Paru-san, Nodoka-san has more dignity then swapping fluids with the professor," said Yue.
"Well it would be nice if she did advance with the relationship before someone steals him away," said Haruna looking at Yue.
Yue looked away and responded, "Sure it would be nice, but remember he is just ten and he has a lot going on now that he is too focused on finding his father."
"I am just happy I can spend some time with Negi-sensei," added Nodoka.
"We have warned you to not be complacent. Sooner or later he will take an interest in girls. Rather it be for a pactio or just a normal romantic relationship. He may be just ten as Yue stressed, but he is more mature then what a ten year old should be," said Haruna taking off her glasses to rub her eyes.
"But, girls I just do not want to push to hard on him that it scares him away. I want to be worthy of him both magically and I guess you can say romantically as well. I certainly do not have experience in dating or falling in love with someone as some do in class. But, I can do the best that I think...No, I can do the best I know I can be. To show him I can protect him and he does not have to always protect me," sniffed Nodoka.
"Wow Nodoka-san, you have grown in inner strength since the professor got here," said Haruna as she patted Nodoka on the head.
"She is not a dog Paru," said Yue.
Haruna giggled.
A few girls were taking baths as the mysterious voice appeared yet again lost.
"Ugh now I ended up with naked girls in the public dorm bath looks like. What is with all the big breast?" steamed the voice.
"Has Negi falling prey to these girls? I need to find him and get him out of here before he becomes a pervert like most boys tend to be around big breasted girls," said the voice.
"Hey do not touch me there," giggled a naked girl in the bath.
"What? Just washing your back," giggled the other naked girl in the same bath.
"Be careful where your hands are," laughed the first girl.
"Sure thing," replied the second girl.
"Definitely have to get him out of here before they can get to him," said the mysterious voice.
Nodoka was done with work earlier then usual as Yue and Haruna had to stay a little late as was already said by bookworm. Negi was outside waiting on bookworm deep in thought. Nodoka looked at her professor with a loving devotion respecting to wait until he is out of deep thought.
A minute later Negi looked up at Nodoka and was startled.
"Sorry professor I did not want to interrupt you. You seem to be thinking," said Nodoka.
"No I was not that deep in thought. Just this is bugging me. Why would someone care so much about a pink rose? Are they jealous of something or jealous of you or I? Or is it revenge during the festival for something we did?" pondered Negi.
"Probably because they know I am in love with you. If they are jealous it is because they may want him to be with them and not me," thought Nodoka.
"What do you think Nodoka-san?" asked Negi.
"I really do not know professor," said Nodoka as she knows that Negi is certainly a ten year old who is still not much interested in girls even though he has been kissed by a few.
"If it is for revenge then we must stop them," said Negi.
"Yes we should," responded the bookworm.
"Should we find the cheerleaders now and talk with them?" asked Negi.
"They are probably shopping still at this time of night," said Nodoka.
"This late?" asked Negi.
"The girls do love to go buy things," giggled Nodoka.
Amazingly the cheerleaders were heading back to the dorm as Negi and Nodoka spotted them near the fountain outside the school building.
"Out on a date professor?" asked Madoka.
"No!" said Negi.
"Then why are you two walking around at night for?" asked Kakizaki.
"We were trying to find you three," piped Nodoka.
"Ah why is that? Need fashion ideas or cheering on?" giggled Sakurako.
"Nothing like that girls. The rose that was given by me to Nodoka-san has been stolen for her room. We were wondering if you have any ideas to who or whom would desire to steal the rose since you three love gossip," said their professor.
"Well we have heard that some of the girls are fawning over you professor. Even more now since the festival ended," said Madoka looking over at Sakurako.
"Well you tend to have that mature nature at times professor that tends to attract the girls," said Sakurako.
"As far as the gossip goes with the rose, some of the girls were very disappointed that they did not get it. As to who would desire or have the the opportunity to steal it, we cannot say," said Kakizaki.
"If we hear anything professor. You will be the first to know. It is sad that girls can get jealous from a ten year old giving a rose," said Madoka.
"Yeah seriously!" said Sakurako even though she still wonders what Negi would look like in five years.
"Well be safe on your way back to the dorm," said their little professor.
"So some of the girls are jealous of me," thought Nodoka.
That made her shiver yet a little happy at the same time.
The cheerleaders waved in the distance.
Ayaka snuck out of the dorm to meet up with Mana to discuss any progress about the rose.
"Sorry Ayaka-san, there are few leads if any about the rose," lied Mana.
"What do you mean few leads? There should be a lot since a few of the girls in class are falling for sensei," responded the blond class rep.
"Well it is true that Negi-sensei has the distinct aura of attracting some of the girls, but the the thief did his/her job well. Leaving no distinct trace of ever being near Nodoka-san's room. I will dig deeper if you are willing to go further with this," said the gun carrying priestess.
"Most definitely I want you to search for the culprit," demanded Ayaka.
"Alright will update you in a couple days if I find out more," replied Mana.
On the way back to the dorms quietness set in again between Nodoka and Negi. Nodoka desperately wanted to hold his hand on the way back but hesitated as always.
"Here we are home at least. We had a busy day. Glad I could share the day with you," said Negi.
Nodoka blushed on cue and said, "I had fun as well professor. I love spending time with you."
Negi shook as he heard the word 'love' come out of her mouth.
Nodoka tried to open the door to the dorm complex but her hand slipped as she fell back. Negi was behind her as he had her in his arms as they looked at each other.
Haruna and Yue just was there when they hid behind a tree watching Negi and Nodoka.
"Are they going to kiss?" whispered Haruna.
"Cannot say," replied Yue hoping they do not kiss.
Nodoka took one of her arms and placed them around Negi's neck for support. Her other hand behind his head. Negi's arms are underneath her holding her back.
Nodoka went up to kiss Negi. He met her lips with his for a brief second before both realized what happen. Negi helped Nodoka to her feet as she opened the door to the dorm complex and ran away inside leaving Negi standing there in a daze.
"They actually kissed romantically," giggled Haruna.
"I did not see it," lied Yue.
"Really? It was like in a movie," whispered Haruna.
"Yeah alright," replied Yue trying not to tear up.
Negi just slowly walked inside the dorm as Yue and Haruna slowly followed behind to not be seen by him.