"You don't really need a haircut if you don't want one. I think it looks nice the way it is."
Mio tried to reassure Shinji, but the timing may not have been the best, considering they were already walking up to the front door of a familiar house.
"Really...? I'll ask them what they think too. I did say that I might stop by just to say hi."
They had been holding hands the entire way, but after ringing the doorbell they had let go.
A voice could be heard from inside the house.
It seemed the residents were in the middle of something.
"Yes yes, I'll be right there~"
The door opens and a mature-looking woman with long green hair greets her visitors with a warm welcome.
"Oh, Shinji and Mio. Hi! What brings you here?"
Natsumi Kyouno's expression becomes an even happier one at the sight of them.
"Hi Natsumi-san. We were in the neighborhood and decided to stop by."
"Are you busy? We ran into Kotori-san and she nagged at Shin for not getting a haircut."
Natsumi laughs at what Mio had revealed.
"Yeah, that sounds like something she'd do. Sure, come on in. I'm helping someone else right now so you'll have to wait though if that's okay."
Natsumi turns around and heads inside, leaving Shinji and Mio to close the door behind her.
"We can come again some other time if that'd be better."
The two of them had already let themselves inside, but Shinji figured he could remind her that he was not trying to bother her.
"No, it's okay. I'm almost done anyway. Sorry about that, Yoshino~"
Natsumi had walked into the backyard where a lady around her age was sitting on a chair with a haircut cape wrapped around her.
She was only getting her hair trimmed, so Yoshino Himekawa's blue hair was still as long and as elegant as ever.
"Ah, Shinji-kun. Mio-san. Good afternoon."
She had turned her head a little to see who had come to visit.
Her expression brightened up similar to the way that Natsumi's had at the front door.
"Hi Yoshino-sensei."
Yoshino laughs at Shinji's greeting.
"How much longer are you going to call me that for? I haven't been your teacher for a while."
"You'll always be my teacher, though."
"I hope Sawa isn't causing you trouble at school, Yoshino-sensei."
Yoshino had decided to become a teacher years ago.
She had started out as a kindergarten teacher and moved to teaching middle schoolers a while after.
"Sawa's been on her best behavior."
"Wow, I'm a little surprised about that."
Shinji briefly recalled how his little sister was dancing on him this morning.
"She's still growing up, give her a break."
Natsumi chimes in as she does the finishing touches for Yoshino's hair trimming.
Sawa wasn't the only one who did crazy things at her age.
There was once a witch that had played many pranks on people when she was still a little girl.
"You know, I'm glad everyone is getting along, but isn't everyone forgetting about someone~?"
Yoshino had been wearing something on her hand for a while, but Shinji and Mio had trouble noticing since she was facing the other way.
"Ah, sorry Yoshinon."
Shinji raises a hand to apologize.
"And how come you call Yoshino 'sensei' and not me~?"
"Uh, Yoshino-sensei's the one who taught me the stuff I know though."
"Yeah but she didn't teach you everything, did she~? I mean did you forget the person who taught you how to make out with the girl standing right next to yo-"
"Ahhhhh, that's right! By the way where's Mukuro-san? I haven't seen her yet."
Shinji desperately tries to change the subject.
"Wait what is he talking about?"
Mio, however, wanted to hear about it.
There were instances where she was kissed by her brother, but even she did not know the hinted story behind it.
"I'll tell you some other time, I promise."
Shinji was hoping Mio would notice the clue that he was extremely embarrassed.
"At least give credit where credit is due, Shinji-kun~"
"It's not like I'm denying it, okay!?"
Natsumi and Yoshino gently laugh at the comedy unfolding.
"Mukuro went to go see a movie with her sister today. It might be over by now, actually. There, done."
Natsumi holds a mirror to show Yoshino, who nods in satisfaction.
"Thank you for always doing this, Natsumi-san."
"Don't mention it. Better that I do it anyway."
There were times when Yoshino would have difficulty doing certain tasks due to her occupied hand.
And Mukuro Hoshimiya was known to take great care of her own hair, however when it came to cutting she was still a little uncomfortable at the thought of it.
Thus Natsumi had decided to do the cutting while Mukuro focused on the other areas of styling, and together they somehow managed to start their own salon.
Natsumi had also gotten good at dressing people up for parties and cosplay.
"Let us do your hair next time~!"
Yoshinon offers to repay the favor.
"Sure. Don't make any funny styles with my hair though, okay?"
Natsumi grins at the mischievous rabbit and turns to look at Shinji and Mio.
"So, who's next?"
"I guess it's me."
Shinji gently pulls at his hair, thinking that Kotori had had a point earlier.
"Do you just want a trim like Yoshino?"
"Yeah, please."
"Hmhm, then come over here and let your big sister take care of you."
Natsumi laughs amusedly.
But hearing the title "big sister" made Mio twitch her eyebrow a little.
Not failing to notice, Natsumi attempts to reassure the real sibling.
"Ah, I was just kidding, Mio. I know you're the only one for him."
"It's okay, Natsumi-san. I understand."
If anything, Mio had felt bad for getting jealous over something that she knew was not a very big deal.
"Sorry, it's a force of habit. I used to do that with your father a lot."
"Actually she still does that with him~"
Yoshinon continues to remind people that he was present among them.
"Shhh, Yoshinon!"
Natsumi holds a finger up to shush him.
"But dad's older than you."
The damage had already been done.
"I wasn't really around any younger guys. And he kind of just played along."
For some reason, bringing up her past with Shido made Natsumi warm inside.
"He played along with me a lot, even after all the mean things I did to him..."
That last line had been muttered quietly before she began cutting Shinji's hair.
He had traded seats with Yoshino.
Yoshino herself was now standing next to Mio.
"So, Mio-chan, wanna know how Shinji-kun got to be such a good kisser~?"
Mio's eyebrow twitched again.
The way Yoshinon had said it could lead to many assumptions.
One assumption was that Shinji had gotten good at kissing by practicing with someone.
And if it was a story that Mio had not known about until now, then the practice may not have been with her.
"Hey, wait! That's playing dirty!"
Shinji could not move because of Natsumi already being in the middle of trimming his hair.
And for her own amusement, she was not interested in stopping.
Without waiting for a reply, Yoshinon begins his torment.
"Hey hey, Shinji-kun~"
A few years ago when Shinji and Mio were on their final year of grade school.
Yoshino had come over to play with the kids, specifically with Sawa who had kept asking when Yoshino would come over again.
Not to anyone's surprise, Yoshino was good at playing with puppets and dolls and got along well with children.
"Hm? What's up Yoshinon?"
The two of them were sitting on the porch in the backyard while watching Mio and Sawa run around together.
At some point Yoshino and Mio had decided to switch playmates.
Even Mio was aware that there were other important people around her aside from Shinji.
"Have you kissed Mio-chan yet~?"
"Y-Yoshinon!"
Yoshino panicked from seeing Yoshinon suddenly cross what could be a personal line to Shinji.
"Yeah, I kiss her all the time."
However Shinji answers unfazed.
"Whoa, seriously~? Kids these days~"
For a rare moment, Yoshinon showed disbelief.
Shinji tilts his head in wonder at the reaction.
"Is it really that weird? I kiss all of dad's friends too."
"Oh, like on the cheek~?"
"Where else would you kiss someone?"
"Uh, I mean, have you not seen what your mom and dad do~?"
"What mom and dad do...?"
Shinji ponders for a moment.
"Wait, you were talking about kissing on the lips!?"
His face flushes red as he realizes where the conversation was headed.
"But mom and dad do that because they're married, right!?"
"It doesn't have to be when you're married~ Yoshino's kissed your dad on the lips too you know~?"
"A-Awawawa..."
Yoshino flails her other arm, now also embarrassed and even more unsure of what to do.
"Heck, your father's even kissed me~"
"On the lips!?"
"Uh, no. On the cheek."
The raising of Shinji's voice did not seem to get the attention of the other girls.
"Anyway, does that mean you two haven't kissed on the lips~?"
"N-No..."
Not comfortable with answering Yoshinon's question, Shinji slouches a little.
"Hmm~ She might be waiting for it, you know?"
"Y-You think so?"
"You know what you should do~?"
Yoshinon does not confirm with Shinji whether he actually knew what Mio was thinking.
"D-Don't say it. My heart isn't ready for this."
Shinji, on the other hand, knew what Yoshinon was going to say.
"You should surprise her~!"
"I knew it..."
Shinji sighs tiredly.
"No way, I can't."
"Why not~? You're gonna have to do it at some point~"
"But, like. We're still in grade school."
"But you love each other, right~? That's all that matters~"
"There's gotta be a timing for it or something though."
"What, like marriage~? That's so far away though~ Can you even wait that long~? Do you even know if you'll actually get married~?"
"..."
Shinji did not know what else to say.
"Y-Yoshinon, I think that's enough."
"Right, you talk to him Yoshino~"
"Th-That's not what I meant..."
Yoshino pouts a little.
"I-I don't think you have to rush it, Shinji-kun..."
Mio and Sawa had noticed their neighbors and were waving to them.
"B-But I also think you should think about it a little..."
"Come to think of it I think Yoshino was around your age when she kissed your dad~"
"Wh-What happened to letting me talk to him!?"
"Ah, sorry~ I was lost in thought and kind of just let it slip~"
"A-Anyway...whether you do it now or later...I don't think Mio-chan would take it in a bad way."
An awkward silence had formed thanks to the bunny on Yoshino's hand.
But eventually...
"No, I think you're right."
Shinji looks at Mio and Sawa who had continued chasing each other in the distance.
Tohka and the others always looked out for Shido's children.
They had never once done them wrong, so they were all trusted among each other.
"I'll do it."
And this time, he would trust in the advice of his current mentors.
Shinji had been filled with a new kind of determination.
"Thanks for talking to me about it."
Yoshino smiles, and Yoshinon folds his arms while nodding in approval.
A little while later the mood had toned down again.
Shinji turns to look back at Yoshino.
"So then, what was your first kiss like?"
"Hoo boy~ I'll tell ya, Yoshino just straight up fell and-"
"Y-Yoshinoooooon!"
Yoshino had spoken louder than she had ever spoken that day.
"And actually the second time she kissed him wasn't long after~ Yoshino you're actually pretty wild deep down, aren't you~?"
At some point the story turned into how Yoshino had kissed Shido.
The Yoshino from back then would have lost her cool again.
However the current Yoshino had a different attitude.
"It's still one of my happiest moments, even if it was also one of the scariest."
Yoshino recalls how she was being hunted by the AST during that time.
She had felt lost and afraid, but Shido had gone through a deadly snowstorm for her.
Shinji and Mio had already heard this part of Yoshino's memories, so she had decided there was no need to mention what had happened after.
"...I see."
Mio had been listening to Yoshinon intently.
Natsumi had finished trimming Shinji's hair ages ago, but Shinji himself remained glued to his seat, not even turning around.
"Then when you suddenly kissed me the first time..."
"Yup, it was all thanks to Yoshino and me~"
"So that's what got you two going."
Natsumi had crossed her arms and listened to the story that she hadn't known about either.
She looks over at Shinji, only to smirk.
He had been quiet for a while.
"Aren't you going to say something to her, Romeo?"
"Please don't call me that..."
Shinji hides his face in his hands.
"I said I'd tell her later!"
Shinji gets up and stares at Yoshinon while feeling the warmth of his own cheeks.
"Yeah, but I wanted tell the story myself~"
Yoshinon was a tough mentor at times.
"You're pretty wild yourself, Yoshinon."
Natsumi calls out the bunny, making sure to let him know that he was not innocent either.
"Ahhhhh! I'm not going outside tomorrow!"
Natsumi laughs at Shinji's declaration.
He was ruffling his newly trimmed hair.
"It's not like the world knows."
"I'm letting dad cut my hair next time."
"I cut his hair for him too."
"Then I'll learn how to do it myself!"
"Want me to teach you?"
"I'd still have to show my face here!"
Shinji hurries to Mio and grabs her hand.
"Let's go, Mio."
"Oh, okay."
"Thanks for the haircut, Natsumi-san."
Shinji made sure to not forget in showing his appreciation.
"No problem. Don't worry about paying, it's on the house."
Shinji's haircuts were always on the house.
Mio had been in a daze throughout the rest of the conversation.
Yoshinon's story had made her think about how her first kiss actually happened.
Most importantly, she had confirmed that there was no one else who had kissed Shinji romantically.
And that put her heart at ease.
"Ah, thanks for telling me your story, Yoshinon."
Mio made sure to express her gratitude to the person who put her heart at ease right before she was dragged inside the house.
"No problem~ Make sure your brother doesn't die of embarrassment or something~"
Yoshinon waves at her, even though she had already left.
A brief silence had been left behind for Yoshino and Natsumi.
"...Are you feeling alright?"
The green-haired stylist decided to check up on her friend.
"Yes. Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm okay."
Yoshino had been looking at her puppet with a nostalgic look in her eyes.
Yoshinon had gone quiet.
"I just missed my mother more than usual today for some reason."
"..."
Natsumi was not sure of what to say during moments like these.
Unlike Yoshino, she was never able to get along well with her own mother.
Fortunately, it seemed that nothing needed to be said from her end.
"I'm hooooooome~!"
Because a voice had been heard coming from the front door after it loudly swung open.
"Where is everyone!? Natsumi-san~ Yoshino-san~"
"...We're in the back. Also you don't live here."
Natsumi calls into the house with a slightly tired voice of her own.
Not long after, a woman with long and light indigo blue hair pokes her head out into the back.
"Ah, Natsumi-san~ Yoshino-san~ I'm back~"
Miku Izayoi's face had brightened up the moment she found the two girls.
"Welcome back, Miku-san."
"Ohh~ How was the trip~?"
Yoshinon had broken his own silence.
"The trip was great, thanks for asking! I got to meet so many overseas fans and they all spoke some languages that I couldn't understand. One of them looked like our kids so it made me think of home and I decided to come back early."
"They're Shido and Kurumi's kids. And you just missed them."
"Ehh, really? That's too bad. Oh well, I was going to go see them later anyway."
"Maybe Sawa, but apparently Shinji won't be going outside for the rest of tomorrow."
"Wow. What did you do this time, Natsumi-san?"
"No, it wasn't me..."
The silly banter between Natsumi and Miku continued while Yoshino laughed.
She was very happy that Miku showed up when she did.
And while she didn't show it, Natsumi had felt the same way.
"Well, I guess we should do that shopping now. It's getting late."
"Right..."
Shinji and Mio were already heading for the shopping district.
Mio herself had a feeling that Tohka did not actually need anything, but she also thought that there was nothing to lose in keeping up the lie.
To her it didn't matter what they were doing as long as she was with the man walking next to her.
"Hm?"
While it was indeed getting late, it wasn't too late to the point where most people had gone home.
A significant amount of them were still leaving and approaching the district.
And among the people passing through, one person caught Mio's attention.
"Ellen-sensei."
A lady with pale blonde hair had been walking towards them.
Hearing her name being called out from hearing distance, the lady who still seemed like she hadn't aged a day looked up.
"Ah, Shinji. Mio."
Calling them by their last name would make things confusing, so Ellen Mathers had started calling them by their first names since a while ago.
Ellen herself had gotten used to being addressed by her first name at Raizen High.
Mathers-sensei had sounded strange.
"Hi Ellen-sensei. Were you doing some shopping?"
Shinji had noticed that Ellen was carrying a small grocery bag.
"Oh, ah, yes. I thought I'd treat myself a little before classes tomorrow."
The bags had cans of beer and bottles of sake in them.
She was planning on drinking tonight.
"I hope you two will be ready for school tomorrow too."
"Yeah, don't worry. We'll be ready."
"Even though you said you weren't going outside tomorrow."
Mio recalled how cute her brother looked not too long ago.
"What? What is that about?"
"Uh, nothing. Don't worry about it. You'll see us."
Shinji began waving his hands frantically.
Natsumi had told him that the world did not know of the story Yoshinon had told, but if the story spread any further that would eventually be the case.
"If you say so."
Ellen seemed to see this as two kids messing around and that it was not really her business.
"In that case I'll let you two get on with your date. I wouldn't want to keep you for too long."
Ellen had begun excusing herself.
"Uh, is it that obvious?"
"Hm? Aren't you two in love with each other?"
The bluntness of Ellen's question surprised both of her students.
"I-I mean, you're not wrong."
"Shin and I are definitely in love."
"...You should be more confident when you say it, Shinji. Your partner might start doubting things."
"R-Right."
Shinji knew there was still a long road ahead.
"It's okay, I'll always believe him."
"Very well...oh, I just remembered. Before I leave..."
Ellen reached into her bag and pulled out an item that did not look like any alcoholic beverage at all.
"I was at the arcade before I went shopping and got this from a crane game."
She holds out a stuffed bear to them.
"...You play games, Ellen-sensei?"
"I-I just wanted to try it, okay? But I already figured out that it doesn't suit me, so I'm giving it to you."
Mio was the one who took the stuffed bear.
She had taken it because there was something she noticed.
"Oh, this looks like the one that I have."
"You already have one? I could take it back then if you don't want it."
For a moment Ellen thought she would have to keep holding onto it.
Mio shakes her head.
"No, I'd still like to keep it if it's alright with you."
Her old one was showing extreme wear, and Sawa had recently mentioned how she wish she had her own.
"It's alright with me."
Ellen had no attachment to what she had won.
"Apparently they stopped making that type of bear decades ago, but for some reason the manufacturers decided to try and bring it back as a way of reviving an old trend."
"I'm glad we ran into you today, then."
Shinji thought for a ridiculous moment that perhaps there was a force at work.
"I feel the same. Well then, I'll be off."
Ellen gives a slight bow and begins walking away.
Shinji and Mio each give a slight bow of their own.
They began talking again after she had gotten further away.
"She's as interesting as ever."
"Yeah."
A teacher who drank before school and was visiting the arcade.
Ellen had been known to be a very active person when she was not at school.
A week ago she had gone to visit London.
According to her she had just felt the urge to go.
It never affected her work, but it was clear that she was looking for something.
Others suggested that perhaps she was looking for someone instead.
"I'm home."
Even though she was living by herself, Ellen had done her greeting like she always did when she came home.
After closing the door and taking off her shoes, she stood in place for a moment.
The couple she had met just a little while ago came to mind.
"Love, huh?"
At her age, it was difficult to get involved with romance anymore.
She could not remember what her life was like when she was younger.
But at the same time she knew she had to have had someone.
Even when she tried to distract herself, there was always a feeling of emptiness inside of her that she could not get rid of.
There were a few teachers who had shown interest in her, but she could not reciprocate those feelings to them.
And so none of her relationships went beyond friendship.
Even worse, she did not even know who her family was.
She was not even sure if she had a family to begin with.
Her job was all she had, and so she put her time and effort into that when she was not busy with anything else.
But despite her looks, she was still getting older.
And eventually she would retire.
By then she would have to consider finding more things to do.
She was empty.
With no one to fill the void.
And she did not know why.
Tonight, she would try again to seek a solution to her problem.
And if she could not succeed, she would avoid it for the time being instead.
This was the new life of Ellen Mathers.
The woman who was once known as the world's strongest wizard.