Ah.
Unohana Ren gazed at the sky with a sigh, wondering if this adorable girl in front of her was truly the same as the dreadful Grey Moon, the aloof and unapproachable Magical Girl who seemed untouched by the world and often infuriated others.
Liu Li couldn’t help but laugh at Unohana Ren’s sudden expression.
Not understanding the joke, Liu Li started to ask, but Unohana Ren playfully smacked her on the back, causing Liu Li to utter a series of incomprehensible ‘eh’ sounds in surprise.
‘Sorry about that! It was my fault!’ Unohana Ren exclaimed, quickly running ahead and turning back to apologize sincerely, hands clasped together. ‘I’ll treat you to karaoke later. Please forgive me?’
‘Ah, no…’ Liu Li began to decline, but Unohana Ren grabbed her and pulled her along.
‘But I didn’t say I wanted to go…’ Liu Li protested.
‘Come on, come on~ We’re both girls, don’t be so shy~’
By the riverbank, two adorable girls walked side by side. Even the young boys passing by on bicycles couldn’t help but pause, pretending to rest, and steal glances at them. The combination of a sleek, black-haired beauty and a sweet, twin-tailed girl was like a cherry soda, irresistible to their young eyes.
Unohana Ren clutched Liu Li as she removed her school jacket, revealing a white undershirt, and casually tied the jacket around her waist. The sleeves of the jacket, adorned with cherry blossom patterns, matched the trim of her pleated skirt. Unohana Ren’s skirt was shorter than the others, showing off her healthy, tanned thighs. Her makeup was a bit overdone, giving her a sickly-sweet smile.
Both were undeniably cute, but Liu Li had a natural charm. Besides rolling up her sleeves to reveal her even paler forearms, she didn’t show much skin. She wore boyish long pants and shoes, covering as much skin as possible. Yet, her exquisitely crafted face made her look like a younger sister borrowing her brother’s school uniform, adorably so. Occasionally, beneath her calm exterior, she would flash a bright, uninhibited smile, captivating anyone who saw it.
As they walked by, the boys watched them pass, turning back to catch a whiff of their lingering scent. It wasn’t until Unohana Ren forced Liu Li into a ride-share car that they exchanged glances, sharing their moment of infatuation.
‘That girl was so pretty…’
‘Which one? The black-haired or the red-haired one?’
‘The black-haired one…’ the boy replied, lost in thought, earning nods of agreement from his friends.
‘I feel the same way.’
****
‘Come on, let’s take a selfie!’
In the cramped space of the photo booth, Liu Li and Unohana Ren squeezed together. Liu Li worried about being so close to a current Magical Girl, but she tentatively extended two fingers to pose. With Unohana Ren’s skillful application of filters, photo after photo was captured. They chose a few favorites to print, and Liu Li watched as Unohana Ren admired the results, holding them up to the light with satisfaction.
‘Um, now that we’ve taken the photos, can I go home?’
Liu Li had been dragged around by Unohana Ren for so long, who seemed to have boundless energy, wanting to do everything from karaoke to who knows what else. Liu Li thought to herself that girls were truly frightening and longed for the simplicity of shopping with Zhou Huanan.
Liu Li’s temperament was more suited to a straightforward approach: see something, buy it, and leave. ‘Go?’
Unohana Ren held the photos, and Liu Li thought she detected a hint of menace in her voice. Did she have something else planned?
No! I’ll never agree to go shopping with a girl again!
Liu Li had paid a heavy price for her curiosity, her first experience shopping with a girl proving to be far more exhausting than she had imagined. But there was always next time…
Liu Li finally snapped back to reality, only to find Unohana Ren still gazing at the photo, seemingly lost in thought.
‘Liu Li?’
Liu Li called out, and Unohana Ren looked up with an apologetic smile, squeezing Liu Li’s hand tightly.
‘We’ve been out so long, we must be hungry. Let’s eat before we go back~’
At the prospect of their final stop, which happened to be her favorite part, Liu Li’s face lit up. Unohana Ren led her to a restaurant with a green sign, offering Southeast Asian cuisine. The rich spices and artfully presented dishes quickly captured Liu Li’s attention.
The customers at the neighboring table, charmed by the sight of the girls enjoying their meal, ordered extra dishes, much to the confusion of the restaurant owner. The kitchen staff hurried to keep up with the orders, but Unohana Ren remained fixated on the photo, her mind racing.
She understood it all now. Watching Liu Li eat with such enthusiasm beside her, Unohana Ren felt a mix of happiness and a growing possessiveness. Since the secret identities of Magical Girls were meant to stay hidden, was it possible to turn the tables on Liu Li? Unohana Ren imagined Liu Li’s confused and desperate expression, and the thought excited her. After all, Liu Li was so soft-hearted that she wouldn’t resist much if threatened, right? Once she was used to submitting to Unohana Ren, they could run away from C City together, settling in a quiet countryside village without Banjao, living a happy life. Unohana Ren even envisioned a future where Liu Li, fully in sync with her, would serve her tea, her beautiful face pouting with affection.
‘Heh~’
Liu Li, her mouth full of noodles, looked up at Unohana Ren, who was moving closer. Liu Li quickly swallowed the noodles and backed up against the wall, patting her non-existent chest in relief.
‘Don’t come so close all of a sudden!’
Didn’t this girl know anything about personal space? Liu Li scolded internally, then realized she was a girl too, so she pushed down her frustration and reached for her chopsticks, only to find Unohana Ren even closer, her eyes intense.
Now, Liu Li was truly frightened. What did she want? Just as Liu Li shrank back against the wall, expecting to be pinned, Unohana Ren’s phone lit up with a message. Liu Li watched as Unohana Ren suddenly sat back, her usual energy replaced by a listless demeanor as she picked up her phone and sighed.
‘Is something wrong?’ Liu Li asked, concerned.
Unohana Ren glanced at the screen, reading a message from Captain 19, and shook her head. ‘Nothing, just a beautiful dream shattered by reality.’
Unohana Ren forced a smile and stood up, tucking the photo into her skirt pocket. She looked down at Liu Li, her mouth smeared with sauce, and genuinely smiled. She pulled out a napkin, wiped Liu Li’s mouth, and hugged her tightly.
‘Sorry.’
Unohana Ren gently pushed Liu Li away, stood up, paid the bill, and rushed out, her back suggesting she was fleeing. Liu Li was left bewildered, her head tilted in confusion. She realized she had lost an enemy and gained a friend, and turning back to the table full of delicious leftovers, she felt her appetite return. No matter what happened, she had to eat her fill first!