Library Island was inconspicuous quiet for an early morning as Nodoka and Haruna were putting newspapers into plastic holders to protect them. Haruna notice Nodoka was extremely quiet since she returned last night with Negi.
"Are you alright?" asked Haruna.
There was no response from Nodoka. Either she did not hear Haruna or simply not going to answer.
"You do not like alright Nodoka-san. Did something happen last night between Negi-kun and yourself?" asked Haruna.
Again no response back.
"I feel like I am simply talking to the books laying around here," said Haruna.
"Sorry Paru-san just in thought. Yeah something did happen last night," quietly said by Nodoka.
Haruna closed one eye and stared at Nodoka was a puzzling look.
"Negi left me at Chao Bao Ziwith Asuna to go off with Chisame-san. He looked like he wanted to leave with her (Not really he did not want to leave but he is a teacher and Chisame is one of his partners). And when he got back he was smiling and tried to half-hearted apologize leaving me. I stayed at the table until he got back. Luckily Fei Ku was there so if any trouble Negi-sensei's Master would prevent it," said a depressed bookworm.
"Come on girl Negi is never happy being dragged anywhere. Have you seen him when Asuna drags him somewhere and how his expression looks? Chisame-san does not have the same interest in Negi-kun like you do bookworm. You fell in love with him. While Chisame does not even like many people in class and you think she likes the ten year old professor? Remember she was very reluctant to join us against Chao-san. She may want more information on her pactio in private. Since even the net may not have that kind of information for her," declared Haruna.
"But he left me to go with her. He broke a promise to me. He said he would never leave me," responded Nodoka.
"Girl he is ten years old for God sake. He tries his best to accommodate all of us the best he can do. I bet he would tell you that if he was not dragged away as I suspect by Chisame-san, that he would tell whole-heartily regret leaving you there with Asuna," reassured Haruna.
"But he left me," responded Nodoka.
"You have to get over that. Did he try to race back to you as fast as he could?" asked Haruna.
"He said he tried as fast as he could. But he still left me," sniffed Nodoka.
"Seriously you need to get over the fact that he left you alone for a while. Or is it the fact that he left with a girl who is one of the most beautiful in class if you go by her website," said Haruna.
Nodoka looked like she was a deer in headlights getting slammed by a car full of a fact that it was the reason why she was furious with Negi for leaving her. Her insecurity about herself started to rise to the surface as she was shaking.
"Oh my God Nodoka-san! I did not mean to say anything bad," replied Haruna as she was freaking out.
"He cannot be falling for her can he?" asked Nodoka.
"No Nodoka-san!" replied Haruna cautiously.
"But she is beautiful when she changes into her alter ego. Eventually he could fall for her since he did say once that he is a fan of hers," responded Nodoka.
"You confessed. Chisame-san does not get close to anyone. So you do not have to worry about her," responded Haruna.
"I just do not know anymore. I am so lost in this," sniffed Nodoka.
Haruna giggled and said, "This is your first time in love with a boy. Granted younger boy and he has not reciprocated your feelings as of yet. But do you still love him after this episode?"
"I...well...love him with all my heart," said Nodoka.
"Then tell him the truth about what you are feeling. Worse thing you can do for yourself is bottle up your emotions," said Haruna.
"I do not want to scare him away or worse make him more confused then he is already with me," replied Nodoka.
"You said you love him. Then be honest with him. Honesty breeds trust," said Haruna.
"I guess!" said Nodoka.
"He may even tell you what Chisame-san and him discussed in general," said Haruna.
Nodoka looked up at the clock and dashed out behind of the counter of Library Island and put the newspapers away in their place.
"Guess she may be fine now," smiled Haruna.
Negi meanders around Library Island. Nodoka spotted him out of her corner of her eyes.
"Could it be?" Nodoka asked herself.
Nodoka looked again over to where she thought she saw the professor. But, he was not there. She shrugged her shoulders and placed a book back on a shelf. All of the sudden she got a slight chill up of her spin and a little tap on the shoulder. Nodoka spun around and saw Negi standing there smiling up at her. Nodoka began to shake a little, but she calmed down immediately.
"Do not scare me like that sensei!" exclaimed the bookworm.
"Sorry!" snickered the little professor.
"What do you want?" asked Nodoka.
Yue and Haruna walked closely to where the student and teacher were.
"Oh there are alone together," said Haruna.
"Yeah so? That is how it suppose to be," said Yue.
"Are you so sure about that?" smiled Haruna.
"Yes I am sure," said Yue.
Meanwhile Nodoka was not looking directly at Negi for fear she will cry in front of him. She did not want to worry her beloved professor anymore then she has. She does not want to be more of a burden then she should be according to what she believes she is.
"Are you alright Nodoka-san?" asked Negi.
"Yes!" replied Nodoka.
"You do not look fine," said a confused Negi.
"I am positive that I am fine," responded Nodoka.
"Alright if you say so," shrugged the professor.
"I have to get back to work. So if you do not mind. I have to go," said Nodoka.
Negi grabbed Nodoka's arm as she pulled it from his grasp and started to run from him.
Negi just stood there in a haze of confusion of what happen.
Haruna spied what was going on between the duo and she shook her head because Negi did not go after Nodoka.
"What did you expect Paru-san? He is just a ten year old kid who is not into this love thing yet," said Yue feeling a little happy that Negi did not run after Nodoka.
"True, but at the same time he might lose her," responded the manga artist.
"If he does lose her. There are plenty of others that may take Nodoka-san's place," said Yue.
"Yes like you," said Haruna smiling.
"NO that is not the point," said an angry chibi philosopher.
"Sure it is. If bookworm was not in the picture, you would be all over the kid professor," said Haruna.
"Hmpf!" was all Yue could muster to say as she walked away.
Negi collided with Yue as both hit the floor.
"Ah sorry professor it was my fault for not looking where I was going," said Yue.
"Oh no it is my fault for not seeing where I was," responded Negi.
Yue just gazed into Negi's eyes and started to melt as her knees were about to give way until she closed her eyes and took a deep breathe.
"Are you alright Yue-san?" asked the kid professor.
"Yes!" said Yue.
"Do you know what is up with Nodoka-san today? She is acting funny just a few minutes ago," asked Negi.
"No I do not," responded Yue.
Negi checked his watch and it was almost lunch time. He hated to eat alone, but at times got use to it at Mahora when Asuna and Konoka were busy with their clubs or training at Eva's.
Negi politely asked Yue if she could get a lunch break.
"Really I should not. There is a ton of books that need to be put back on the shelves. And...," said Yue.
Haruna found Negi and Yue and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Hello Haruna-san! Just asked Yue if she could get some lunch with me, but she said you guys are swamped with work," replied Negi.
"No we are not busy, and did the professor ask Yue-san out for a lunch date?" snickered Haruna creatively.
"No Paru-san. He simply wants company," blushed Yue.
"She is free for lunch professor," said Haruna.
"Paru-san do not stick your nose in other people's business," said Yue.
"But Yue-san you want to go. I can smell it in the air," smiled Haruna.
"Fine I will go just to not hear you talk anymore," said Yue as she grabbed Negi by the wrist and dragged him out of Library Island.
Nodoka watched from an upper level and began to tear up. Haruna spotted Nodoka and was about to say something. But, she knew better as she disappeared within Library Island.
Instead of eating at the infamous Chao Bao Zi, Negi and Yue headed toward the academy's cafeteria.
"I will buy lunch since you are accompanying me so I am not alone," said Negi as he was taking out his money to pay.
"I...cannot let...you do that professor," hesitated Yue.
"Why not?" asked the kid professor.
"Because it would feel like we are on a date despite it being lunch," responded the chibi philosopher.
Both of them blushed beet red at Yue's comment realizing that in a way it was a date.
"I know I bought you supper at the Mahora Festival. And, we are friends so here is my thank you for your words before I fought Chao-san," smiled Negi.
How could Yue resist such a smile upon someone she so desperately cares for even though Negi has no clue.
"Fine, but no more buying me anything," responded Yue blushing.
Negi handed the money to the cashier as they sat down at a table within the almost empty cafeteria.
Takahata and Shizuna spotted Negi and Yue and walked over to them.
"So are you on a date or tutoring her?" asked Takahata.
"Um just having lunch. Did not want to be alone so I asked her to accompany me if she could," replied Negi.
Shizuna hit Takahata on the arm and whispered in his ear to leave them be.
"Alright you two. Behave and no kissing the student," laughed Takahata.
Negi and Yue blushed beet red as the elder teacher and adviser of Negi left.
"I thought it was Miss Miyazaki who liked Negi-kun and not Miss Ayase," whispered Shizuna.
"Just about the half of the class likes the kid. Just like his dad with the girls," smirked Takahata as they exited the cafeteria.
"So sorry for that Yue-san," apologized Negi.
"No worries there professor," sighed Yue.
"So how are you doing studying?" asked Negi.
"Doing as well as can be expected with my pactio item," smiled Yue.
"Was not talking about magic," said Negi.
"Ah my classes, well I still hate to study," replied Yue.
"And have you found anyone you like yet? Like Kotaro!," asked Negi.
"That wolf-demon? Hell no! I...well...it is complicated...but I do like...," hesitated Yue as Ayaka comes bursting in with Makie.
"I told you Makie-san that you need to focus more on your studies to help our class rather then play your silly gymnastics," said Ayaka.
"It is not silly. It is artistic and it is what I am good at," responded Makie.
Ayaka was looking over the cafeteria and spotted her favorite person, Negi.
Yue got up and said, "Thank you for lunch professor. I need to get back to the library."
Negi got up quickly as Yue walked toward the exit as Ayaka and Makie pass her on their way toward Negi.
"Sorry girls I cannot stay to chat," said Negi as he walked toward the exit.
"Why is that we have a hard time having the professor alone," said Ayaka to Makie.
Makie shrugged and responded, "You like him more then I do."
"I do not like him," said Ayaka.
"Ah yeah you love him. I forgot," giggled Makie.
"Like you do not want him," said Ayaka blushing.
"I keep telling people that he is just ten years old. Maybe when he matures then it may be different. He is so smart and I am not the brightest so why would he be attracted to me?" proclaimed Makie.
"Yeah you are not the brightest bulb. You are kind of dim at the what you could have with him. Hey wait! Why am I preaching that Negi should have a chance with you when he should be with me," said Ayaka.
"You would suffocate him is why he will never be with you. There are a few of the girls always around him that is sure strange by the way," said Makie hoping to change the topic.
"Yeah very strange. They better not take him away from me," replied Ayaka as she is off in her little world as Negi is the center of attention with her by his side.
"Snap out of it class rep. We need to get going," said Makie as she tried to drag Ayaka.
Negi arrives at Eva's cabin to prepare for more excruciating training.
"Boya I see you made it this time," said Eva.
"Sorry Master I have been occupied with something else," said Negi.
"The rose?" replied Eva.
"Yes and the disappearance and reappearance of Nodoka-san," said Negi.
Chachamaru quietly walked in the middle of Eva and Negi and asked Negi if he would like some tea. Negi told her not when they are about to train.
"Well boya you should not care about the rose missing. As far as Miss Miyazaki, she is one of your pactio partners and the one who has the most...love toward you," said Eva.
"It was a gift I gave to her so it does mean more then simply a rose. She is a dear friend and a great student. Granted that she is not that adept yet with magic, but her pactio is sorely needed," said Negi.
"A dear friend? Hmpf!" responded Eva shaking her head and knowing that kid will someday be like his father with the women.
Within the resort Eva decided to review what Negi has learned so she instructed Chachamaru to not hold back even if Negi gets injured. It was his punishment for missing so many training sessions. Plus Eva did feel lonely without him. Even with the other girls there practicing their magic.
Eva sat on a chair next to Chachazero.
"Master you must have missed him a lot for you to be this harsh on him. I love it," said Chachazero.
"Oh shut up!" replied Eva.
"But, you did miss him," said Chachazero.
"You want to be scrap wood?" asked Eva.
Eva was becoming very fond of the boy. Out of true character of the most feared person alive or dead. The last time she cared for someone she got cursed to be in Mahora. Eva shivered.
"Is this how you will get your revenge on his father?" asked Chachazero.
"Do not worry about what I will do for revenge. I do declare someday that I will though," replied the doll master.
"Too bad you are not the professor age. You two look good together," giggled Chachazero.
"My age I should be dust by now. I cannot love nor will I ever again," said Eva sighing.
"Not if Negi-kun wants you? Or if by slim chance his dad wants you?" asked the doll.
"Not even if hell freezes over," lied Eva as she pondered at one time when Negi matures that he would stay at Mahora to teach and stay with her in her magic older form until he could release his dad's curse.
"Master is lying," said Chachazero as seeing Eva blush.
"Chachamaru I told you to not hold back. Now bury the kid," said Eva as she spied Negi gasping for oxygen.
Chachamaru's 'feelings' were interrupting her all out attack on the professor.
"Fine that is all for now," said Eva.
Negi walked toward Eva and smiled as he got close to her.
"Thank you Master," said Negi.
"Thank me for what?" replied Eva.
Negi closed his eyes and fell toward Eva as he collapse on her lap.
"Get him off of me!" yelled Eva.
"But Master he looks so calm on your lap," said Chachamaru.
"I do not care what he looks like. I want him off my lap. What do I look like a schoolgirl who fawns over him," said Eva as she looked down at Negi.
Negi opened his eyes and said, "Master sorry I am not the greatest of disciples but I have learned so much from you."
"Boya you may not be much now but someday you might be," said Eva as she patted his head as Negi passed out.