When She Becomes a Witch

The rain, which was pounding, pounding, was coming down.

I may even call it rain of grace here, but for Aoi Shiro, who comes from the humid imperial kingdom (Smeramikuni) compared to Europe and the United States, I still have the impression that this is a depressing season.

"Rain, it won't stop."

Chloe, who was doing her own assignment, looks up and squeals.

There's nobody else in the after-school classroom.

Aoshiro said that he had sewn a decorative ribbon to use for his graduation production dress, but it didn't take the shape he thought it would, and he had sewn it back again and again from earlier.

This is always the case these days. I thought I'd moved on, but I'm back in the wings.

... I know what caused it.

It's Chloe in front of me.

Future with Chloe.

What are you going to do when you graduate?

We haven't discussed that with her yet.

"But we're in late June, and it's time for a long rain. Then it's summer."

"Yeah, right."

When Aoshiro replied not so well, they were both silent for a while.

Only the sound of rain pounding on my ears.

Zah... Zah, Zah...

I realize Chloe wants to know when to talk, but I dare ignore that and move the needle. One more of these ribbons today... No, I want to make three.

Za... za, za... za, za...

Besides the sound of rain, you can call it the sound of yarn and cloth rubbing together and the sound of Chloe moving the pen.

Plus two regular breathing sounds.

That's all it consisted of, a small world.

The world was broken by the lid.

The sound of Chloe putting the pen on her desk. That... sounded unexpected.

"Hey, Souzillow"

"... what's up?

"That's what my father said about getting one assistant in the near future... I'm sure Soujiro would..."

Tingling, my shoulders trembled.

What a fascinating story.

I might get a tailor's shop on Atlantis' main island.

I'm sure there's a lot you can learn. That's what I can't learn in a year or two.

But it's...

"That's a very good story."

"Isn't that right? So... so"

Chloe's voice is stuck in pain. Even though it's always Chloe who talks clearly.

So I said it from Souzillow.

I must return to the emperor's kingdom.

"Souzillow"

"I can't postpone my return home"

"... Souzillow"

Chloe's sobbing echoes in the after-school classroom.

"Until graduation, I wonder. We."

I thought I heard something shattering.

Aoshiro has been too happy this past year.

But that's already changed.

You can't dream forever.

Even a gorgeous ballroom will have some time to relax.

I don't know if Aoi and Chloe know that.

Chloe stands up softly.

And I quickly put the texts together and held them in my chest.

I'm going home first.

"Ah...... hey!

Soon after Aoshiro stops, she leaves the classroom.

Zah... zah, zah... zah... aah...

Without having to look out the window, the rain is getting stronger.

... Did he have an umbrella?

I get anxious, but I just went after him, will that Chloe listen to me very much? And would you go into Aoshiro's umbrella?... I'm sure I can't.

"Ha..."

With a grand sigh, carefully return the needle to Needle Mountain.

At times like this, it is decided that holding scissors and needles is not a lot to do.

"Me too, let's go home."

The luggage feels strangely heavy.

I don't know, I don't know what it's like this time of year.

Even the hand with the umbrella is weak and heavy.

Zah... zah, zah... zah... aah...

The rain was unpleasant.

The feeling of rain pounding on my skin was also uncomfortable.

I made Chloe cry myself, uncomfortable.

Blurry, I think, with the rain hitting me.

Then how was it right to answer?

I know, there's no right answer.

But.

From the beginning, everything, I couldn't.

Shh, my toes stick into the puddle, but I moved on without worrying.

The water sticks to the socks, and the cold and disgusting.

What are you doing, me?

Somehow I reached the boarding house, opened the door - so my eyes were smeared black.

... What are you doing, I...

"Damn, I didn't know you had an umbrella but wouldn't use it"

Riordo shrugged, muttering so in a voice that seemed to add a line.

Aoshiro couldn't do it even if he wanted to disagree. In fact, you're right, I think I did something stupid, and my throat hurts so bad that I couldn't talk properly.

Aoshiro apparently went home without an umbrella and collapsed in abundance at the boarding house door. When I realized it, they put me to bed in my room, and it was the next morning.

Oh, my God, it's so bad, it distracts me from Riordo.

"... not as good as you, but we have the same problems."

……

I didn't know it was so painful to want to speak up to my best friend with a similar affliction to myself, but I can't.

"Madame said she made a sweet bread risotto. Eat this before it gets cold, take your pills and get some sleep."

When he snorted at the words, he made him laugh as luxuriously as he always did.

From that day on Aoshiro was absent from the school for seven days.

Even though he said he could move now, he did not allow Madame or Riordo to leave the boarding house.

One day, when I was feeling much better, Riordo told me this.

"Rebecca said that Chloe is sleeping with a cold, too. You're in line."

Alignment.

... It's supposed to be something I'm not happy about, but I wonder why, what makes me oddly excited.

"... you guys are a good couple after all"

Without even hiding the shadow, Riordo sighed and said so.