Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

"Well, the owner of the coffee shop is a nice guy and very patient with me. Although I haven't fully understood everything yet, I've learned most of it."

"As for the job duties, it involves washing coffee cups, making coffee, serving dishes, preparing snacks, cleaning, basically doing everything."

"Oh! That sounds good! But why are you forbidding me from going to see it?" Baqi pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction.

"Because it always feels too shameful to be seen by others working."

"Aren't you ashamed to have your ○○ seen?"

This time, it was Yuuki Yukino who delivered a chop to Tomoe's head.

"I'm not kidding, Xiaoyuan has only been working for a few days and she's already learned most of it. Isn't that amazing?" Baqi rubbed her head, as if she hadn't said those words herself.

"The menu is quite simple. Since it's a very traditional coffee shop, as long as you master the most basic coffee-making methods and remember the recipes for each type of coffee—there are small notes behind the bar if you can't remember them—the rest is very easy."

"The most common orders from customers are lattes, which are simply topped with vanilla syrup or black tea, depending on the type of coffee. For drinks that are not coffee-related, such as sparkling water, it's even simpler."

The experience of working for the first time was also very new for Yuuki Enishi. Although she was reluctant to let Baqi see her working, she became very talkative when talking to Baqi about the topic.

"Some snacks aren't too difficult to make, like French fries, which are the simplest and the most ordered by customers. Mousse cakes and some breads are ordered from a cake shop. All you have to do is plate them and serve them. Overall, there's no problem."

"But," Baqi continued, "the day Xiaoyuan had her interview, the store manager even made her a cup of coffee, right? Making coffee is actually quite troublesome, isn't it?"

“Not at all!” Yuki Yuki continued to explain to Baqi, “Coffee made with drip coffee or siphon coffee is priced separately. It mainly depends on the coffee machine. Ah, I feel the greatness of technology once again.”

"Can Xiaoyuan make it?" Baqi asked curiously.

"Of course, what's so difficult about that!"

Whether it's drip filtration or siphoning, it's ridiculously simple for Yuuki Eri.

In the university lab before Yuuki Yuuki came to this world, operations like extraction and filtration were the most basic. If you couldn't even do these things well, you shouldn't worry about getting a diploma.

Even the shop manager, after watching Yuki Yu's practiced movements—which seemed more like an analytical chemistry experiment than coffee making—praised Yuki Yu's skill while simultaneously criticizing that Yuki Yu's coffee-making lacked soul.

But no matter what, Yuuki Yuki is quite happy with her job at the coffee shop.

The only thing that puzzled her was that the store manager suddenly fired her, and then called her in the middle of the night to say that she could continue working there if she wanted.

However, Yukiko didn't care much about these minor details, since she could resign at any time if she didn't want to continue.

Besides, she's a magical girl, so even if something really goes wrong, she can just use supernatural powers to solve it.

The two chatted about the fun things that happened during their recent part-time jobs as they walked side by side toward the school cafeteria.

Before even entering the cafeteria, I could hear a heated argument inside.

Most of the students who were about to eat in the cafeteria stopped in their tracks and focused their attention on the vortex of the argument. The students who arrived at the cafeteria earlier were able to enjoy their hot lunch while eating fresh melons.

"What have you guys been practicing all this time? You're too tired to catch the ball? You can't even score when points are practically handed to you? You have absolutely no teamwork or coordination? Is this the level of our basketball team? Is this all the training we've given you?"

The girl's voice echoed in the cafeteria. The team members being scolded by her didn't dare to breathe loudly, and obediently endured her anger with their heads down.

"They lost that points match over the weekend?" Some girls who didn't know the situation whispered among themselves.

"We lost. There's no hope for Yuehai Middle School to qualify for this fall's basketball tournament," someone explained from the side.

"Oh... no wonder Captain Sakuragi is so angry. As the captain, she must have been criticized by the coach too, right?"

"I guess it's..."

This scene seemed somewhat familiar to Yuuki Yuuki.

Helica Tenrai and Sakuragi, the captain of the school basketball team, are two completely different people in terms of height, temperament, and personality. Yet, for a moment, the two shadows overlapped in front of Yuuki Yuuki's eyes.

Just moments ago, Yuuki was happily discussing the interesting stories about her part-time job with Baqi, but now Yuuki felt as if something was suddenly stuck in her throat, unable to be coughed up or swallowed, blocking her breathing.

"They're arguing again? Xiao Yuan, do you remember the day I transferred here? It was also lunch break, and it was also around here. The scene of that short, blond guy yelling at the other members is really memorable."

Baqi spoke frankly and told Yuki what was on her mind.

"Ah, Xiaoyuan even went to help the short, blond guy out of a predicament that day. It really made me so angry! That ungrateful guy actually turned around and talked back to Xiaoyuan! But Xiaoyuan was so gentle back then, she liked to help with things that had nothing to do with her."

Baqi clenched her fist and stomped her foot, expressing her indignation on behalf of Yuuki Yui for what had happened a few months ago. However, Yuuki Yui herself did not react to this, only letting out a barely perceptible sigh.

"Forget it! It's all in the past! Let's think about what to eat for lunch today. I want beef noodles! How about that for today?" Ba Qi immediately changed the subject.

Yuuki Yuki remained silent, watching the argument unfolding in the cafeteria with a complicated expression.

As Yuuki silently watched, the chaotic situation underwent some entirely new changes.

The girl wearing the disciplinary committee armband squeezed into the crowd, using her body to block the middle, and immediately began to restore order.

"Stop arguing! Stop watching! I'm Riko Serizawa from the Discipline Committee. Everyone, please don't block the way and disturb other students' meals! Disperse, disperse!"

As the students from the Disciplinary Committee pulled away Captain Sakuragi, who was still throwing a tantrum, Yuuki Yuki still didn't say a word.

The people who would cause trouble in such situations have changed, and I'm no longer the nosy, meddlesome person I used to be.

Everyone will embark on their own brand new life.

"Ah! Yuuki-senpai!"

Yuuki Yukino heard someone call her name.

Turning around, I saw the fifth member of Nijisanji, and the only magical girl who didn't go on the school trip because she wasn't a third-year student, standing at the cafeteria entrance, calling her own name.

Sakura Hanako, who had just entered the cafeteria, looked at Yuuki Yuuki standing in front of her with slight surprise. She quickened her pace and came to Yuuki Yuuki's side: "As expected, it's Yuuki-senpai. Are you eating in the cafeteria, senpai?"

"Yes, good afternoon, Hanako." Yuuki Yuuki smiled and waved to Hanako.

"What a coincidence to run into you here! Would you like to have lunch together at the Nijisanji activity room? Mizuno-senpai is here," Hanako said, extending a direct invitation.

Yuuki Yukino glanced at Tomoe beside her, then at Sakura Hanako, whose gaze had also fallen on Tomoe.

"How about not today?"

Sakura Hanako opened her mouth, then bowed slightly to Yuuki Yuuki: "Alright, then see you next time, Yuuki-senpai."

"Okay, see you next time."

I've changed. I can no longer go back to that little activity room and be one of their noisy members.

However, everyone will move towards their own brand new life.

Chapter Six: The Fading Rainbow

Having entered her dream middle school with good grades, Sakura Hanako should feel satisfied, but recently she has increasingly felt powerless in her middle school life.

It wasn't about academics; while Sakura Hanako's grades couldn't compare to those of the top students who consistently ranked at the top of their grade, she was definitely among the best.

Sakura Hanako herself doesn't care too much about specific rankings. As long as she does her best, that's enough. She has her strengths and her weaknesses. She sees herself as just an ordinary person.

Although her identity as a magical girl is not ordinary, the opportunities for her to take action are few and far between, and what troubles her is not this aspect, or at least not entirely this aspect.

It's a problem of interpersonal relationships.

In class, Sakura Hanako has her own friends; she is neither the center of a JK (high school girl) clique nor an outsider.

Sakura Hanako's troubles stem from the interpersonal relationships within her club.

"Yuki-senpai, would you like to have lunch together at the Nijisanji club's activity room?"

Today, she also extended an invitation to the senior members of the club she had met by chance.

The pink-haired girl standing in front of Sakura Hanako is Sakura Hanako's senior in Nijisanji.

"How about not today?"

As expected, Sakura Hanako was rejected.

However, this wasn't the first time she had been rejected like this.

Sakura Hanako quietly entered the Rainbow Club activity room after pushing open the door, and sat down in her usual spot—where she always ate lunch.

Diagonally opposite her, the blue-haired girl with the always expressionless face was already sitting there, taking out the lunch prepared for her at home from her lunchbox.

"Good afternoon, Mizuno-senpai." Sakura Hanako greeted him as usual, opening the portable bento she had just bought from the cafeteria.

"Sakura, good afternoon," Mizuno Yuya said, just like her daily routine.

They arrive at the club activity room together, greet each other, have lunch together, then spend time on their phones in the activity room until the lunch break ends, before saying goodbye and returning to their classrooms. This is the daily routine of Sakura Hanako and Mizuno Yu.

It started the day after that school trip.

After eating for a while, Sakura Hanako suddenly spoke up, breaking the awkward atmosphere that usually surrounded the activity room.

"Oh right, I ran into Yuuki-senpai in the cafeteria today. She and Inuyama-senpai were getting ready to eat together. I even asked her if she wanted to come eat at Nijisanji, but as expected, Yuuki-senpai refused."

Mizuno Yu picked up a sausage from the lunchbox, put it in her mouth, chewed for a while, and then remained silent for a long time.

"Oh, really?"

Sakura Hanako couldn't continue what Mizuno Yu was saying.

Sakura Hanako could tell that Mizuno-senpai wasn't sure what she had said, which was why she had been so perfunctory.

The topic was dropped, and Sakura Hanako lowered her head, continuing to shovel the rice bowl she had just bought into her mouth.

After a moment of silence, Sakura Hanako couldn't help but speak again: "When I met Yuuki-senpai, she was very enthusiastic and I didn't feel like she had any issues with me. But why did she suddenly stop coming to Nijisanji?"

This isn't the first time Sakura Hanako has brought up this topic.

Last time, she invited Helica, who was hiding in the storeroom eating bread, but Helica rudely kicked her out.

The last time, she invited Lin Jiezi, and Lin Jiezi was no different from before, and she successfully persuaded her to come.

However, unless Sakura Hanako goes looking for her, Hayashi Mustard will never come on her own initiative.

As for what happened, Lin Jiezi had no idea. Even when facing her junior, Sakura Hanako, she stammered and seemed completely clueless.

“It’s nothing.” Mizuno Yuya answered this more than once: “Everyone is in their third year now, it’s normal for everyone to have their own things to do. Having lunch together and going shopping together are not part of club activities.”

"Furthermore, no new corrupted magical girls have appeared in Moonsea City. Nijisanji is a magical girl club, so it's normal that they don't gather together since there are no corrupted magical girls."

This argument sounded perfectly reasonable, and every word made sense, but Sakura Hanako couldn't accept it.

Even without any necessary activities, Helica's personality makes her want to drag everyone out to find something to do.

While busy with magical girl projects, he also frequently takes everyone out to play, and his grades are excellent. This is the kind of person Sakura Hanako sees as Tenrai-senpai.

With her personality, she wouldn't give up other things for the sake of certain things.

For example, even though she didn't continue forming a band, Terrej Helika still practiced her guitar diligently.

If, as Mizuno Yu said, everyone is moving forward but their directions are gradually diverging, eventually fading from view, Sakura Hanako will feel reluctant but can accept it.

But for some reason, a reason she herself didn't know, Nijisanji fell apart, which Sakura Hanako absolutely could not accept.