Is This How You Use a Self-Destruct Switch?!-Chapter 18 : Read but Not Replied

Time seemed to have an accelerator pressed, for Tsuan... this was probably the fastest school day of her life.
Perhaps, happy times are always stingy.
No incidents, no commotion. No monsters trying to disturb the campus tranquility, no magical girls on duty whimsically scattering candy from the sky, and no crises hanging overhead that seemed ready to overturn the world at any moment.
For Megumi, today's most special gift was simply having a super cute good friend.
And for Tsuan, she had merely gained Megumi's friendship—something that to others might seem insufficient to make an adolescent girl feel so fulfilled and wonderful.
Yes, every corner of this world, every day should rightfully be filled with such happiness, beauty, and joy. Today was just another ordinary page on the calendar.
But it was precisely this taken-for-granted 'ordinariness'...
Tsuan looked at herself in the mirror, at the corners of her mouth that had learned to smile without needing to be forced up. She gently shook her head, a few strands of disheveled hair scattering with the movement, gently brushing past Megumi's shoulder beside her.
This 'normalcy' that she had once been unable even to imagine... today, for the first time, showed her its gentle undertones.
"It's all Megumi-chan's fault, always touching my hair and such... now it's all messy! Megumi-chan needs to take responsibility, okay?"
The blue-haired girl naturally didn't have the habit of carrying a comb, but this couldn't stump her. After all, only miracles used when needed could be called magic!
She pretended to reach into her bag searching for a comb, actually just rubbing Ruby's ears twice before using magic power to condense a small, light blue comb.
"Of course I'll take responsibility... silly Tsuan-chan!"
The cool comb passed over Tsuan's scalp, bringing a slightly itchy, comfortable sensation, straightening out each strand of long hair that Megumi had messed up.
"Although I'm a bit sorry to Tsuan-chan... but it really feels super, super comfortable to rub~"
She put the magic-condensed comb in her pocket, trying to disguise it as an ordinary item, but this disguise had... absolutely no effect in Tsuan's eyes.
But so what?
Why Megumi had magical items, what relationship Megumi had with magical girls...
What meaning did such questions have?
She turned to look at Megumi who was choosing hair accessories for her, remembering how she had actively pressed close during the photo...
"Hehe~"
She approached Megumi step by step from behind, until the distance shortened enough for her to clearly smell the candy fragrance on Megumi's body before she stopped restraining herself.
"Take this~"
Two bodies full of youth and vitality pressed together, intimate like good friends who had played together since childhood... but here
"Lisuansheckack!" (Tsuan-chan sneak attack! Meanie!)
Tsuan cupped Megumi's cheeks and kept rubbing them, making her voice hard to understand.
"Hehe~ It's because Megumi-chan was too silly that this happened~"
The two who started chasing each other on the street were stopped by a patrolling police officer and lectured about road safety regulations.
"Did you hear clearly? Chasing and playing around on the street like you two is very dangerous!"
The police officer clapped his hands forcefully, making the two magical girl human forms who were stealing glances at each other look at him simultaneously before making promises.
"We promise we won't—"
Tsuan joined Megumi's voice.
"Do this kind of thing again—"
Megumi gently took her good friend's soft palm.
"Please trust—"
Tsuan accepted the fingers inserting between hers, gripping back with slight force.
"Us, Mr. Police Officer!"
The police officer was quite helpless with these two troublemakers, but could only let them go. After all... educating them again next time they did this wouldn't be too late.
"Yes~ Thank you, Mr. Police Officer!"
Megumi properly pulled Tsuan to the sidewalk beside them, walking forward step by step steadily and slowly.
Just like a truly well-behaved good child, but Tsuan still sensed from Megumi's softly hummed song... a hint of mischievous cuteness.
The warm, soft sensation together with Megumi's relaxed demeanor made Tsuan's slight nervousness vanish completely, transforming into the same warm, reassuring feeling as Megumi's.
Is this... the life I should have?
She looked back at the police officer watching them.
Everyone is so gentle... so gentle to me... if I won't again...
Megumi led Tsuan around the corner, and after confirming the police officer couldn't see them, she playfully stuck out her tongue. The hand holding Tsuan's palm wasn't released by her; instead, as if afraid she might get lost, she gripped even tighter.
"Mr. Police Officer is really nice, he didn't scold us~"
"Mm..."
Tsuan responded softly, looking down at their clasped hands.
Megumi's hand was warm and full of vitality, like a little sun, continuously transmitting heat and reassurance. And this feeling of being cherished... being held firmly, was as foreign as a miracle to her.
She couldn't help but gently squeeze back with her fingertips.
Feeling Tsuan's subtle response, Megumi's smile grew even brighter, as if she had received tremendous encouragement. She shook their connected hands, her voice becoming more excited and cheerful.
"Hey hey, Tsuan-chan!"
Megumi's voice was like honey, carrying the intimacy of sharing secrets.
"Today was really super—happy! Meeting Tsuan-chan was so wonderful!"
I also... want to say that!
"Meeting Megumi-chan was so wonderful too!"
Megumi felt this chemistry with Tsuan again and paused slightly, as if thinking of some particularly great idea. Her blue eyes suddenly lit up, like the sparkling star on her staff.
Just now with Mr. Police Officer, Tsuan-chan and I had great chemistry! Maybe we're not just good friends... but also...?!
Megumi slightly turned, leaning close to Tsuan, mysteriously lowering her voice but unable to hide her enthusiasm.
"So! Such a wonderful thing must be shared with Amber!"
"Amber?"
Tsuan unconsciously repeated the name, a hint of curiosity and confusion flashing in her red eyes.
This name sounded somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember where she'd heard it... after all, magical girl codenames naturally had certain disguising properties, plus Tsuan wasn't thinking in that direction at all...
"Mm mm! She's my good friend!"
Megumi nodded forcefully, her blue medium-length hair bouncing playfully with her movements.
"She's one of my super—important good friends! Although she's always lazy, always looking for places to sleep, and often gets called out by teachers to stand in class..."
Megumi made exaggerated dozing and standing poses while talking, making Tsuan couldn't help but purse her lips and laugh softly.
"But she's really amazing! And as long as you prepare ice cream, she becomes very, very easy to get along with~ Though it seems like there's no difference even without preparing it..."
Megumi introduced her old friend to her new friend while planning to have Tsuan meet Amber, since her intuition told her—
This could multiply their sweetness several times!
The sunset gradually stretched their shadows... seemingly symbolizing their friendship would never separate.
Tsuan took the popsicle Megumi handed her, somewhat clumsily tore open the packaging, and began tasting the cool, sweet flavor.
"How is it? Does Tsuan-chan like this flavor?"
I like it, and... being with Megumi-chan, I like any flavor of popsicle.
Megumi raised an eyebrow and bit into her ice cream. She casually put Amber's portion in her pocket, using a bit of magic power to maintain the temperature so it wouldn't melt in the packaging.
"If Tsuan-chan can come play at my house in the future~ I'll let Tsuan-chan try~ ice cream I made myself!"
Although using magic power directly instead of waiting for the freezer might cause some difference in taste, it's still delicious~
At least~ it can make Amber eat it all!
"Mm!"
They made promises under the sunlight, as if everything... was heading toward happiness.
A sudden, unprecedented dizziness rushed into Tsuan's mind, making her legs go weak while being quickly supported by Megumi.
"Careful!"
This feeling came fast and left fast. It only stayed for a brief moment, seeming like... some kind of warning.
But for Tsuan, none of this mattered. Because she was beside a good friend, about to meet many, many cute, caring, gentle good friends.
Such things should be put aside for now.
"Thank you~ Megumi-chan~"
Her clear red eyes reflected her companion's smile, as if nothing had happened, Tsuan continued following behind Megumi, being led step by step toward Amber's residence.
But along the way... Megumi became increasingly silent.
The continuous "Let me tell Tsuan-chan..." sentence patterns had completely disappeared, replaced by... a feeling Tsuan didn't want to describe or understand at all.
"Megumi-chan?"
She tried calling to her companion, worried something had happened to Megumi.
"If there's something urgent... I...?"
Megumi... didn't turn around.
Their pace didn't slow even by a second.
"Megumi-chan...!"
She called her friend's name again. Fortunately, this time Megumi responded.
The blue-haired girl who was always smiling turned her head searching for the source of the voice, made eye contact with Tsuan for a while, then looked forward again.
Splat
The ice cream that Tsuan had only bitten twice fell to the ground. The eerie familiarity, the old life she wanted to escape forever... crept up her body bit by bit to her ears.
'No... it won't!'
Tsuan gripped Megumi's palm forcefully.
"It won't be like that... everyone can see me, everyone can see me!"
She rejected the speculation in her heart, denying the truth in her subconscious.
I won't go back, I absolutely won't go back...!
She swallowed saliva that still tasted of ice cream, staring fixedly at their tightly clasped hands.
Megumi, Megumi is just angry! Or, or there's something more urgent!
She clenched the hand that couldn't hold the popsicle, raising her head to look again at Megumi's beautiful eyes... which not long ago had brought her warmth comparable to sunlight...
But now...
All that remained in those water-blue eyes was confusion and... something that made Tsuan feel chilled to the bone—unfamiliarity.
We... we clearly had such great chemistry just now...
No, it won't be like that!
'I must have done something wrong, so Megumi-chan is angry... right?'
She knew the answer to the question, but she was still struggling.
Because her good friend...
Still hadn't let go of her hand.
Several female students passed from the other side of the road. A sharp-eyed classmate recognized Megumi's profile and ran to her side to greet her.
"Eh~ Is Megumi going to play with friends?"
The blue-haired girl blinked somewhat hesitantly.
"Suddenly forgot what I was going to do~ But because this road to my friend's house is very familiar, I feel like I should be going to find her...?"
Tsuan bit her lower lip, feeling Megumi's warmth again before... mustering courage.
Verifying whether the answer was right or wrong only required...
"Hello! I'm Nakana Tsuan..."
The girl looked at Megumi's hand hanging at her side, asking somewhat puzzledly.
"What is Megumi-chan... holding? Keeping this pose with empty hands... looks a bit strange!"
Megumi checked the feeling in her palm upon hearing this... then looked back at her action of gripping empty air...
Tsuan gently relaxed her fingers, waiting for her to let go, to ignore her... letting everything return to... before yesterday.
"No."
Megumi's firm answer made her heart jump.
"I... I feel like I'm holding my friend's hand."
She tried hard to explain the vague feeling in her mind, gripping this friendship that was about to disappear even tighter.
"Is that so? Well, see you tomorrow, Megumi-chan?"
"See you tomorrow~"
Megumi waved goodbye with her other hand, continuing to pull the stunned Tsuan toward Amber's residence.
It seemed... a miracle of friendship was born and played its role.
But...
Tsuan could feel it.
Megumi's fingers were gradually letting go of her, this friendship... the last bit of connection was also on the verge of breaking at this moment.
They were getting closer to their destination, but the distance was also getting farther.
When the last bit of bond wore away completely, Amber opened the door and directly reached out both hands to give Megumi a hug.
Megumi's arms also naturally lifted, responding to her companion's enthusiasm.
The hand she had released also dropped at this moment, falling to a position... that Megumi could never touch no matter what.
"Megumi-chan~ Will you treat me to ice cream today too! I love Megumi-chan the most~"
Amber's soft voice made Tsuan shudder. She recognized this was... the one who stepped on Reiko yesterday at the convenience store...
Reiko...
Reiko?!
-No matter what happens, you can tell me.
Tsuan opened her phone like finding a savior, leaning against the wall beside her. Although she lost the chance to enter Amber's house, but...
Edit message.
[Reiko!] Unread
[I miss you... I want to be with you!] Unread
The cold wall reminded Tsuan this wasn't a place to stay long; staying longer might make her sick, but... she still had Reiko!
Although Megumi-chan and Amber can't see me anymore... but Reiko will definitely...
'Because she was the first to appear by my side…'
She didn't know who she was speaking to, her fingers swiping down to refresh again and again, praying that the cold 'unread' would change to read.
...
Unread
...
Read
But no reply.