-Click

"...This should be enough."

It wasn't anything special, but I'd managed to prepare a decent meal.

The portion looked right for two people.

From what I remembered when we occasionally ate together, she wasn't the type to eat much, so this should be fine.

'She should be back soon.'

I'd timed the preparation to match when I thought she'd return, so it would be disappointing if my estimate was off.

I'd have to serve the food cold after all that effort.

...Well, it's not that I really care. I just don't want her misunderstanding with thoughts like "Se-jin can't cook." I may not be amazing at it, but I wouldn't say I'm bad either.

-Ring ring ring

-Click!

Ah, perfect timing. Thankfully I won't have to worry about the food getting cold.

"Se-jin! I'm back... huh?"

"I prepared something simple. Come eat after you get settled."

"...How did you...?"

"I made it myself."

"You did?!"

...She looked extremely surprised. Maybe even touched...

It was clear she hadn't imagined I would cook for her at all.

"...I felt bad about staying here, so I just threw something together. It's nothing fancy, so don't expect too much."

"N-no, it smells great! I thought you ordered it from somewhere."

"How could I go out? If it were really urgent, I'd transform and leave... but I didn't today."

If I absolutely needed to go outside, I could transform like yesterday and cosplay as a regular person. After all, it's Han Se-jin who's missing.

"Hehe. Having someone cook for me when I come home... it's been a long time since I lived independently."

Being winter, it was natural that Shin-ah still carried the cold air from outside. The chill flowed in with her, along with the bag she was holding.

"...You must be cold, so come in quickly. It won't taste good if it gets cold. Come eat after you freshen up. I've set everything."

"Okay~"

Shin-ah came in humming, took off her coat, and I rummaged through the refrigerator wondering if there was anything else I should take out. I sat at the table, and shortly after, she joined me in comfortable clothes.

"Wow. I didn't tell you what ingredients were available. How did you manage?"

"Whatever's in the refrigerator is what's available. Nothing special. I didn't touch the meat. It might have been something you were saving."

"Ah. I wasn't really saving it, but it's probably been there a while. I didn't have much appetite until recently. I bought it thinking about nutrition, but didn't have the energy to actually cook it."

...Now I feel a bit guilty.

"Well, to think that Se-jin would return and prepare a meal for me. I could die happy now."

"You're still young, don't think like that. There's so much to do in the world."

"It's actually when you're young and don't know the world that you have fewer regrets. The more you know about the world, the more things you want to do, you know?"

Is that so? It's actually quite convincing.

Anyway, let's put aside this pointless conversation.

"Try it. I've only ever cooked for myself, so I don't know if it's good or not."

"It smells delicious already. Thank you for the food!"

-Munch

...Why am I nervous about this?

I couldn't help feeling tense as she picked up the rolled omelet with her chopsticks, her face full of anticipation. If her expression soured, even I would feel quite disappointed.

And her response was...

"This is delicious!"

"...Phew."

Thank goodness. It was okay.

Well... she might just be saying that because she can't say otherwise to the person who cooked...

'Even just saying it is something.'

If it were truly bad, she couldn't even offer empty compliments. At the very least, her expression would stiffen or her chewing would slow down.

But she was chewing normally, which meant it was at least edible.

That's good enough.

"To be honest, anything Se-jin made would taste delicious to me."

"............"

"...Isn't this where you're supposed to say something like 'Then I'll cook for you from now on'? That's how it usually goes."

"You've been watching too many dramas."

Expecting such romantic lines from someone whose romantic cells are completely shattered—what an ambitious dream.

Besides, those are lines exchanged between lovers. Not appropriate for people temporarily connected by business.

-Munch munch

"...How would you honestly evaluate it, without flattery?"

"If I'm being completely honest, are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Well, it's my first time cooking for someone else. I could use an objective assessment."

I have cooked for someone before... but they weren't an outsider, so it wasn't an objective measure.

-Pause

"...W-wait, me?"

"Take the spoon out of your mouth when you speak."

-Pop

"I'm your first?!"

"Well, it is my first time preparing a meal for someone else."

"So I am your first!"

.........Sigh, this is why perpetually single people...

Look how she latches onto the word "first." It's not wrong, but it's burdensome for the person on the receiving end.

"...Yes, I suppose so."

"Wooow..."

-Sparkle sparkle

She already had bright eyes, but now they were even more radiant. With a little more effort, she might shoot starlight from her eyes like Alice.

"So what's your honest assessment?"

"Oh, right. Um... it's good enough to eat without complaints."

"Which means it's not amazing enough to make a fuss about, I guess."

After finishing the meal, when I tried to clear the dishes, she snatched them from me and headed to the sink saying, "I'll do the dishes!"

-Whoosh

...Well, I expected it, but she had a step stool there too. I guess small people have their own survival methods.

At that moment, I... awkwardly wandered around, not knowing what to do.

Shin-ah told me to just rest, but... as someone staying in someone else's home, it felt uncomfortable to lie down and look at my phone while the homeowner was working.

Even in a situation where I cooked so she would wash dishes, being a guest made things complicated.

"Come on. I told you to rest. Oh, right. I was curious about something I noticed at the convenience store."

"What is it?"

"Do you not shave, Se-jin? I thought men's beards grow regularly. Like, when they're busy in the morning and shave carelessly, it gets all stubbly."

...Is that something to be curious about?

'Well, this woman may look normal, but she hasn't had many people around her.'

Given her personality and appearance, making friends shouldn't be difficult.

Most women her age would be constantly on social media, contacting friends and going out, but she lives quite quietly.

Anyway... the answer to her curiosity is:

"It's hereditary. I don't grow much body hair."

"......So you don't shave?"

"If it doesn't grow, I don't need to."

...She looked shocked.

"S-so, during puberty, did you ever stick duct tape to your skin and rip it off to remove hair?"

"Why would I do that?"

Even if hair did grow, that's bad for the skin. Better not to do it.

"...My mom made me."

"Was she actually trying to punish you rather than remove hair? Were you disobedient during puberty?"

"Oh!"

...Well, anyway.

Basically, Magical Girls don't worry about such things because their magic maintains their appearance at its peak.

While Alice's magic might affect me too, looking at my parents, it's more likely just genetics.

If I did grow a beard, I'd look like an even more unpleasant middle-aged man, so that's fortunate.

"Here, check your medicine. Is this right?"

"Yes, it is."

I had already confirmed it from the photo, but now I verified that the actual medicine was what I used to take.

...Done.

........................

'What should I do now?'

We've eaten.

Got the medicine and the burner phone.

...But my anxiety won't let me just lie down and browse my phone while the homeowner is here.

While I was contemplating this...

"Oh, I have a favor to ask!"

-Startled

Her sudden loud voice surprised me, but I quickly stated my conditions.

"No cosplay, singing, or walks."

"I guess dating is still on cooldown?"

"...Tell me what you want besides those."

"It's related to Senior Alice. I want to learn a spell!"

...She wants to learn one of Alice's spells.

'Why would she want that?'

Alice's spells were tailored specifically for her, and as I've mentioned multiple times, she was the strongest among Magical Girls.

Even Alice's basic spells require much more computational power compared to average Magical Girls. It's not for nothing that I created my own original techniques for efficiency.

...Setting aside those details.

-Whoosh

-Rustle

"What spell are you interested in?"

"Wow. Your voice really changes instantly."

"...It's a habit. So, your answer?"

I habitually twirled my hair while prompting her answer, and she replied with an excited expression.

"I want to learn a teleportation spell!"

* * *

-Beep

...Ah. I dozed off.

I meant to just recline in the car for a moment, but I fell asleep.

"Yaaawn."

Thankfully, being a good car, my body wasn't stiff. I straightened my rumpled clothes and checked my phone that had just alerted me.

I hoped it might be a response from Alice, but unfortunately it wasn't.

'...It's from Mia.'

She must have left the hospital. I should have contacted her first as her sister.

Feeling a bit guilty, I opened the message...

[Hello Sapphire. This is Alice. After returning, I unfortunately lost my original phone. I'm borrowing Mia's phone to contact you. I'd like to use the magic training room at the company. Could I get your help with that? ₍⑅ᐢ. ̬.ᐢ₎♡]

-Crash!

The message I'd been waiting for had finally arrived.