You call this a love game?

With her small head, that was all she could think of. After all, recently, Homura Akemi had been mostly by Shiraha's side and had almost never left.

"It wasn't a promise, it's an experiment." Homura Akemi explained hurriedly, almost dropping her precious notebook on the ground. She glanced at Shiraha, who was still packing his bag beside her, and whispered, "Shiraha-kun asked me to help look at the experimental data."

"Oh~ then Homura will have a hard time." Madoka Kaname blinked knowingly, but a strange smile appeared on her lips.

Mami's plan worked!

"Still not leaving?"

Bai Yu, who had already finished tidying up, waved to the two girls who were whispering to each other, signaling them to hurry up and finish.

"Ah! Almost done!"

Homura Akemi quickly sped up her movements.

The apartment was filled with the sweet aroma of cream. Madoka Kaname was trying to snatch the last cookie from Kewpie, while Shiraha was already sprawled on the sofa, his school uniform tie hanging loosely.

"How lazy..."

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, casting warm spots of light in the living room. Several girls sat around the table, chatting leisurely and discussing the design of Homura Akemi's magical girl battle suit.

"By the way... why did Madoka want to become a magical girl in the first place?"

Shiraha suddenly asked a question, almost making Kaname Madoka, who was sipping her black tea, choke.

Kaname Madoka scratched her cheek sheepishly, a faint blush rising from her face. "I... saw a kitten get hit by a car, and I felt really sorry for it. Just then, Kyubey appeared and asked if I wanted to save it, so I made a wish."

"Huh?!" Bai Yu sat up abruptly, causing a few drops of the red tea on the table to spill from his movement. "So that's why you signed a contract with Qiu Bi to sell yourself into servitude?"

Mami Tomoe calmly tapped the table with her finger. "Nakazawa-kun, please watch your words."

"Well, what I mean is, isn't this wish a bit too hasty? Just because of a kitten we don't even know, we're going to take such a big risk to fight something like that." Bai Yu was very puzzled.

"Um..." Madoka Kaname was speechless, and just looked away, scratching her head with an awkward smile.

She clearly knew that her decision was too hasty, but at the time she was only thinking about not wanting her cute cat to die. Although she hesitated a bit, she was too anxious to think about anything else and simply made a contract with Kyubey.

Of course, her joy at seeing the cat back to its lively self was genuine; it was just a pity that the cat had run away and she hadn't been able to adopt it.

However, not only Shiraha, but even Mami Tomoe thought the reason for Madoka Kaname's contract was too absurd. But since things had come to this, she couldn't go back in time to make Madoka not have the contract. Rather, she was happy that Madoka became a magical girl.

She has always been a loner, fighting witches alone and living a solitary life. Because she is a magical girl, the world of ordinary people is destined not to belong to her, and this mentality has also led to her having virtually no close friends.

How could she not be delighted when a friendly and approachable new classmate suddenly appeared at this time?

As for the fact that the wish was used so easily, she could only express her regret, as it was beyond her control.

"Homura, did you see that? This is a bad example. Don't follow her example. You have to be very careful about making wishes." Bai Yu leaned close to Homura Akemi and reminded her.

"Shiraha-kun!" Kaname Madoka's cheeks puffed out in anger. "I thought it through carefully, you know!"

"Yes~yes~" Bai Yu waved his hand dismissively, then turned to continue reminding Homura Akemi, "Homura, you must never be the kind of person who gets sold out and still helps the seller count the money. It's very pitiful."

“Stare—(* ￣︿￣)”

Kaname Madoka stared at him intently, her face flushed, but the blush on her face seemed to be something else entirely than shyness.

"Xiao Yan, ignore him! Bai Yu is the worst!"

Caught between the two, Homura Akemi felt a little awkward, but she still mustered up her courage and whispered, "But... I think what Shiraha-san said makes sense..."

The room fell into an eerie silence for a few seconds. Even Madoka Kaname, who was still angry, fell silent. Homura Akemi felt a little lost in the strange atmosphere.

Bai Yu blinked, then suddenly reached out and ruffled her bangs, "That's why our Xiao Yan is the smartest."

The affectionate address instantly shattered the little courage Homura Akemi had just mustered, causing her to bury her head back into her collar, her expression hidden.

"Nakazawa-kun, bullying girls isn't gentlemanly behavior," Mami Tomoe said gently, taking a sip of her black tea.

"How can this be called bullying?" Bai Yu blinked innocently, then turned to look at Akemi Homura, who was cowering like a timid mushroom hiding in the ground. "This is just a close interaction between good friends, right, Homura?"

“Friend…friend…” Homura Akemi’s eyes dimmed slightly, and she forced a smile. “Yes…friend…”

So they were just friends...? She thought...

But she was greedy; she wanted more than just friends.

Rather than being best friends for life, she desires a deeper and closer relationship, such as a lover, a wife, or a partner with whom she can entrust her life and never be apart. That is what she longs for.

The thought that the person she likes might fall in love with someone else, get married, have children, and even invite her to the wedding, albeit as an audience member, filled her with panic.

The initial joy of being patted on the head was suppressed, and she felt a sense of loss, with an inexplicable sense of urgency weighing on her heart.

Chapter 48 Mami Tomoe's Grand Romance Plan! (4k)

Mami Tomoe stirred the newly added sugar cubes in her teacup, her golden eyes slightly narrowed. Homura Akemi, standing beside her, had her head drooping so low it was almost buried under the table, her face noticeably paler. Even the usually oblivious Madoka Kaname could sense that something was wrong with Homura.

Bai Yu's word "friend" was like a stone, shattering all the budding romance in her heart.

"Nakazawa-kun." Mami Tomoe suddenly put down her teacup, the porcelain cup clinking against the tray. "Could you please go to the convenience store and buy some sugar cubes? We've run out at home."

"Now?"

Shiraha was sprawled on the sofa, poking at Homura Akemi's braids, when she heard this and lazily looked up, "There's still half a can of black tea left..."

“I want the kind from Hokkaido,” Mami Tomoe added, while secretly wrapping a ribbon around his ankle under the table. “And bring back some strawberry daifuku too, it’s just on the next street.”

Just as Bai Yu was about to refuse, she was suddenly pulled by the ribbon and stumbled.

Mami Tomoe looked at him with a smile, "There's only one boy here, Nakazawa-kun. How about you be considerate of us and show your gentlemanly manners by helping everyone out?"

Feeling the ribbon beneath him travel up his calves and was about to reach his thighs, Bai Yu had no choice but to nod in agreement.

"Yes, of course, I'm a very gentlemanly man," he said confidently, patting his chest heavily.

Then he turned and left, not even having time to give Mami the money she wanted to buy him.

"This is utter tyranny..."

Muttering complaints under his breath, Bai Yu simply closed the door and left this relaxing and restful place.

The moment the door closed, Madoka Kaname rushed to Homura Akemi's side.

"Xiaoyan, what happened to you just now? You looked so—disappointed!"

However, Homura Akemi had no heart to respond to her friend's concern. She forced a smile and kept her head down in silence.

Mami Tomoe remained seated, slowly stirring her black tea, the sugar cubes at the bottom of the cup making a crisp clinking sound.

"Xiaomei, you really like Zhongze, don't you?"

"I...I didn't..."

Homura Akemi subconsciously denied it in a low voice, but her voice was softer than a freshly baked marshmallow, sounding very weak.

She liked Bai Yu, even more than she liked herself, so much so that when she heard Bai Yu say that they were just friends, her mood plummeted like a rollercoaster.

As for when she fell in love with him...

Did it start with love at first sight? Or was it helping her out of a predicament during class? Or was it taking her along as a burden even when you were too weak to walk after being attacked by a witch...?

None of that matters anymore. What matters is that Homura Akemi likes Shiraha, and that's enough.

"Eh~ Homura doesn't like Shiraha-kun?" Kaname Madoka suddenly exclaimed, "I saw that you two were so close. Last Wednesday during PE class, Nakazawa even took you to play volleyball."

“That was just…” Homura Akemi’s voice grew softer and softer until it finally became a buzzing sound like words.

Mami Tomoe came to Homura Akemi's side and held her slightly trembling hand. "Nakazawa-kun may usually like to joke around, but I can tell that he treats you more specially than anyone else."

The clouds outside the window were tinged with honey by the setting sun. Homura Akemi stared at her face reflected in her red tea, and suddenly whispered, "But he said...we're friends..."

Yes, they are just friends.

This is the extent of our friendship; it cannot be crossed.

"Boys are all like that!" Kaname Madoka angrily tapped Homura Akemi's forehead. "Hitomi gets confessed to all the time, you know. The love letters she receives could fill the whole classroom! But I often hear them say things like, 'Shizuku-kun, you're like a friend of mine, you're like my little sister, my older sister,' and so on. Maybe Shiraha-kun is confessing to you~ Homura, you just didn't realize it."

"Kaname-kun, let's not talk about this now." Mami Tomoe glared at Madoka Kaname helplessly and couldn't help but facepalm.

Even if what she said is true, Zhizhu would probably feel very embarrassed if someone confessed to her like that.

Moreover, Nakazawa-kun certainly can't be generalized. Using this to fool or even deceive Homura Akemi, is it a bit too strange that Nakazawa-kun is confessing his feelings to her?

"Hey, I know."

Kaname Madoka playfully stuck out her tongue, chuckled twice, and then obediently sat to the side to await her fate.

Mami Tomoe grasped Homura Akemi's hand, feeling the girl's soft palm, and whispered, "Akemi-san, what I'm about to say might be a bit offensive, but I still want to confirm with you, do you really like Nakazawa-san?"

Seemingly afraid that Homura Akemi would back down again and not dare to tell the truth, Mami Tomoe added, "If you don't like him and don't intend to deepen your relationship with him, then I will explain to Nakazawa that he doesn't need to come when we hunt witches in the future. Although Nakazawa also has special abilities, he is not a magical girl after all, and he is not the same kind of person as us."

"But if Xiaomei really likes him, I won't stop you. On the contrary, if Xiaomei doesn't know how to take the relationship to the next level, I will help you achieve the relationship you desire with Zhongze."

So, what's your choice...?

Homura Akemi looked up and met Mami Tomoe's golden eyes, her expression serious.

Encouraged by Mami Tomoe's words, which could even be described as a threat in some ways, she no longer had any room for hesitation or doubt.

Homura Akemi took a deep breath, opened her mouth slightly, and said in a clear but not loud voice, "Yes! I like Shiraha-kun! I like him a lot! I like him so much! I like his eyes, they look so beautiful when he smiles, I like his mouth, it feels so soft to the touch, I like his hands, it feels so warm to hold them, and I also like his hugs, they feel so warm and cozy, I like everything about him!"

Upon hearing this, not only Madoka Kaname, but even Mami Tomoe smiled, showing a look of relief.

"That's right, Xiaomei. If you love someone, you should say it out loud. How will others know you like them if you don't tell them?"

"Hmm...I understand, but I..."

She could certainly do it when she was hot-blooded, but now that she had calmed down after saying those words, she felt incredibly ashamed.

How could she say such shameful things in front of everyone! She didn't even want to imagine what her expression would be if Bai Yu heard it.

I immediately asked my parents to transfer me to another school; I'm so ashamed to face anyone, sob sob...

"Actually, it's nothing. It's already very courageous of you, Xiaomei, to say it so boldly. Many people can't even do that," Mami Tomoe said with a gentle smile, then frowned and looked troubled.

"However, Xiaomei, don't be too happy yet. Although you two have a foundation of feelings, it can't be completely guaranteed that Zhongze's feelings for Xiaomei are romantic."

"Huh?" Homura Akemi was dumbfounded. She thought that as long as she said it, she would succeed immediately.

“It’s not that simple.” Mami Tomoe clearly saw Homura Akemi’s confusion and quickly comforted her, “But don’t worry, in my experience, the probability of Homura Akemi succeeding is very high. But before that, we need to test her first to see if Nakazawa Akemi has that kind of idea.”

"Then how do we test it?" Homura Akemi pressed.

"For example, deliberately bring up the topic of romance?" Kaname Madoka suggested her brilliant idea.

“That does work,” Mami Tomoe said thoughtfully, stroking her chin. “However, it’s still missing one crucial element.”

"what?"

The two little ones stared wide-eyed and pricked up their ears, looking at Mami Tomoe with curiosity.

Mami Tomoe picked up her black tea, took a sip, and said slowly, "Truly."

"Sincere... what does that mean?" Homura Akemi asked, somewhat puzzled. Could it be that she was just pretending to like someone?

"Although we haven't known each other for very long, I can tell that apart from sometimes joking around, Nakazawa-kun is mostly very caring and considerate of your feelings, Akemi. So if Nakazawa-kun is 'forced' to accept your confession because he's afraid of hurting you, that wouldn't be good for either of you. Or would Akemi-kun accept even if it's fake love?"

"I...I don't know..." Homura Akemi was even more confused and helpless.

If someone told her that everything Bai Yu had done and how he had treated her over the past week was an act, she would absolutely not believe it. She would only think that the other person was trying to sow discord between her and Bai Yu.

“So…” Mami Tomoe took Homura Akemi’s hands in both of hers, gently kneading them in her own palms, conveying a sense of reassurance to the girl, “You can’t be hasty about love, you have to treat it as a life-changing decision. Even if you can’t make up your mind, you have me and Kaname to help you, so don’t worry.”

“That’s right, Homura, we’ll all help you. Sayaka and Hitomi are also very kind people, they definitely won’t refuse your request for help.” Madoka Kaname also came over and reached out to pat her head.

Feeling the gentle comfort from her two friends, Homura Akemi felt as comfortable as if she were soaking in a hot spring.

"Mami-senpai, Madoka, thank you." Homura Akemi looked at them with determined eyes and said earnestly, "Please tell me what to do! I promise I won't let you down!"

"It's not that we'll let Akemi down, it's that we're the ones going to date Nakazawa-san," Mami Tomoe teased, and the atmosphere began to liven up again.

"However, I do have a few ideas on how to do it. Let's discuss them first, and then we can try them out when Nakazawa-kun comes back later."

Just as they were carefully discussing how to proceed, the sound of a key turning in the lock made the three girls sit up straight instantly.

Bai Yu came in carrying shopping bags, her head still covered in some unknown white powder. As she walked, she complained, "The lady at the convenience store insisted on giving me samples of pudding, and that strawberry daifuku shop said it was on the next street, but it's a huge detour! Mami-senpai, I hate you!"

God knows what he felt when he saw that the only shortcut was blocked. It was as if he had gone through all sorts of hardships and finally arrived at the door of the rest area, only to find a sign that said, "The door cannot be opened from this side."

In the end, I had no choice but to go around in circles and finally managed to buy what Mami Tomoe had mentioned.

"Ah, Nakazawa-kun is back. You must be tired." Mami Tomoe quickly got up to greet him.

However, looking at the suddenly quiet living room, Bai Yu couldn't help but ask suspiciously, "What were you talking about? Why did you stop as soon as I came in?"

"Ah...it's a girl's topic!" Kaname Madoka had a sudden idea and hugged Akemi Homura tightly, but she used too much force and the two of them fell onto the carpet.