11

Whether my heart was shrinking to the size of a walnut or not, the situation was getting more serious by the minute.

At least, from my perspective.

With Hayun sticking close to me, the only thought swirling in my head was this:

…Does that reporter know about me?

Noir Corporation doesn't explain situations very well to me.

It's the same for the other combatants too.

We're essentially like day laborers at the bottom rung of the ladder.

But what about the reporter?

If he's a criminal wanted by the Galactic Federation, he might receive similar treatment.

No, he had to.

For Hayun and me to be captured properly in photographs, we adjusted our positions accordingly.

Ahead of us, Ji-hye and Iris walked.

By having them subtly block the view ahead of us, it became harder to capture Hayoon standing next to a man.

Besides, Iris was well-known as a magical girl.

The goal of the stalker was to capture scenes of a date with her boyfriend, wasn't it?

It would be obvious to anyone that we looked like a group of friends hanging out, so Iris being in the frame would be excluded.

Behind or to the side.

With telephoto lenses, the shots would likely come from a distance.

I thought the chances were high the photos would be taken from behind.

Shooting from the side would reveal me, a woman, standing there without even trying to hide it.

Iris was walking ahead, glancing at her smartphone, seemingly checking for updates.

Hayoon pressed closer to my side, even resting her temple lightly on my shoulder.

Surprisingly, Hayoon seemed completely unbothered by this posture.

Does she act this way with other friends too?

I tried to recall, but it didn't seem like it.

Last time we bumped into each other while she was with Earthpa, she didn't act like this.

I don't harbor romantic feelings for Hayoon. She's pretty and kind—anyone would naturally find her likable—but she's my childhood friend.

Plus, there's a significant age gap between us.

I don't even entertain such thoughts.

Still, it wasn't as if my heart remained completely unaffected.

Honestly, what guy wouldn't feel a flicker of emotion with a pretty person leaning close?

Unless his orientation was exclusively toward men.

What was this?

I'd never seen Hayoon so cheerful before.

No, she did have a cute and bubbly personality in the webtoon, and maybe that side of her was gradually showing here.

…Ah, I see.

Maybe she was acting.

After all, getting photographed by the stalker was necessary to figure out where he was.

I was processing all this when Iris, walking ahead, abruptly stopped.

"Found him."

"Huh? Wait, Ju-ah—"

Before Hayun, sensing something, could reach for Iris, she was already holding a gun.

Of course, it wasn't the long rifle she usually used to shoot at me.

Transforming now would be overkill, especially with so many people around.

Instead, she carried a handgun—not a large police-style one, but a compact weapon that fit in her palm.

Thunk.

Iris wedged her hand between me and Hayoon, pulling the trigger.

"Eek!?"

As the gunshot rang out, a strange noise came from somewhere behind us.

"Ju-ah!"

Hayoon shouted at Iris, her tone sharp.

Was she angry? Judging by the furrow of her brow, it seemed like Hayoon was glaring in her own way.

"Don't worry. I memorized his face."

But seriously, how does she aim so well with such a haphazard shot?

Then again, Iris never seemed to aim precisely.

Her bullets always seemed guided—maybe enchanted.

They looked like mere lasers at first glance.

"Excuse me?"

A voice came from behind us.

Looking back, I saw a man sprawled on the ground, with a couple approaching to help him.

When the man swatted their hands away and stood up, our eyes met.

"…Ah."

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have noticed anything.

But perhaps because I was aware of the situation, I caught it.

The man's right eye gleamed strangely.

Without glasses, it reflected light like a lens.

Realizing he'd been spotted, the man turned and bolted.

Seeing him flee, Hayoon's expression changed.

Her grip on my arm loosened, and the satisfaction that had been on her face vanished.

Replacing it was the hardened look I had seen every time she prepared to fight.

It was different from Iris, who seemed to enjoy the thrill of combat.

Hayoon's expression was always resolute.

While Hayoon rarely showed anger, her stiffened face conveyed seriousness.

And then, Hayoon ran.

"Ahh!?"

"Sorry!"

Hayoon apologized while chasing after the man, who was shoving past people in his escape.

"This isn't going to be easy," Iris commented.

Transforming here was tricky.

There were too many people, and this wasn't a true combat scenario.

The Galactic Federation cared about its image—excessive force would invite criticism.

Sure, the Federation operated outside the law, but they couldn't ignore public opinion.

"Hmm."

While Iris didn't transform, she considered alternative methods.

Glancing at the buildings, she said, "I'll head up there."

Without waiting for a response, she sprinted toward the nearest structure.

Ji-hye and I were left standing awkwardly, exchanging bewildered looks before scrambling after her.

At this rate, someone was bound to recognize Hayoon.

While her disguise might work if she stayed still, running through crowds made her stand out.

Even so, no one seemed inclined to stop a magical girl chasing someone down.

As I ran, I glanced up at the buildings.

Iris was leaping effortlessly between rooftops.

She wasn't doing this with raw strength alone—it had to be magic.

The stalker, likely enhanced, ran at a breakneck speed, with Hayoon keeping pace, unrelenting.

"Wait, wait."

Suddenly, Ji-hye reached out, stopping me mid-stride.

"What?"

"Haah… Just hold on a second. This is exhausting," she panted.

"That guy's an alien, and she's a magical girl. Do you think normal people like us can realistically catch up?"

She had a point.

While I was out of breath, I wasn't as winded as Ji-hye.

As someone with combat experience, I was in a different league compared to regular people, even if I wasn't elite.

After a brief hesitation, I exhaled and pulled out my smartphone, calling Hayun.

It rang twice before she answered.

[Ji-eun?]

"Hayoon, can you corner him? Can you reach Iris?"

[Yeah, I can, but…]

"Good. Then the two of you can handle it. The spot is—"

I described a route based on my earlier observations of the area.

Old habits die hard.

Whether successful or not, combatants were trained to secure quick escape routes.

While imprisonment wasn't a concern, exposure of identities was.

Moreover, securing an escape route isn't just about fleeing—it can also be repurposed for other uses later.

The same applied here. While walking through the streets earlier, I habitually checked the routes in advance. I couldn't memorize every detail, but the streets in the bustling area always connect to the main road in some way.

If I could just find a way to loop around and come out—

*

Hearing Ji-eun replay their instructions, Hayoon pondered for a moment.

…Was Ji-eun always this composed?

Her personality… was originally quiet and composed.

She did tend to talk a bit more when she was around Hayoon, but even then, she was never particularly talkative.

If the seat next to her was empty, this friend would quietly come and sit without saying anything, waiting until Ha-yoon spoke first.

That's how Hayoon felt about Ji-eun.

And because of this, Ha-yoon was most comfortable when she was with Ji-eun.

Her parents had high expectations of Hayoon.

They were good people, but their conversations with her mostly revolved around her future, given the weight of their expectations.

Her friends…

They were all good kids, but they usually initiated conversations first.

Occasionally, when they approached in groups and took turns talking to her one by one, it felt overwhelming.

Not that she disliked them…

"Alright, I understand. Then I'll circle around and push them back."

Hayoon answered calmly.

She tapped the wireless earbud in her ear to end the call and immediately pressed the communicator to connect with Iris.

[Blossom?]

Iris answered with a slightly surprised voice.

"Joo-ah, can you help herd that person a bit?"

[Ah, that's a good idea.]

Thud.

A faint noise, almost inaudible to others, was followed by a loud bang as a magical bullet lodged into the ground near the right foot of the monster running ahead.

The bullet didn't leave visible marks, but the alien criminal seemed to feel its power, abruptly turning and fleeing hastily in the opposite direction of the shot.

[Where should I drive them?]

"Toward the main road from earlier. Ji-eun seems to have an idea."

[…Your friend?]

Iris sounded unconvinced.

It was understandable.

After all, magical girls had only started operating in Korea recently.

Two years.

A long time, or a short time, depending on perspective.

Moreover, being a magical girl wasn't a consistent activity.

Unless an incident occurred, the Galactic Federation called for dispatch, or someone preemptively intervened, Hayoon was just an ordinary high school student.

It was a period longer than military service, yet it felt fundamentally different.

Though Iris saw herself as a professional, Hayoon didn't fully agree.

Magical girls often clashed among themselves and rarely coordinated in combat situations, opting instead for individual strategies.

While Blossom had yet to lose a battle and tried to get along with everyone, Hayoon suspected they would falter if a much stronger enemy appeared unexpectedly.

"It's fine. Ji-eun is smart."

Her grades were near the top, to the point of sparking envy among classmates.

Though she ranked slightly below Iris and Hayoon, maintaining such results without attending private academies spoke volumes of her intellect.

She was also good at navigating routes.

[Are you seriously entrusting command to a civilian?]

"I'm not delegating command, just taking her advice."

More importantly, Hayoon didn't think Ji-eun would ever say anything that would harm her.

While others approached Hayoon expecting something from her, Ji-eun quietly sat beside her, looking thoughtfully at Hayoon as if pondering what she might need.

And when the time came, Ji-eun offered precisely the help Hayoon needed.

Honestly, Hayoon trusted Ji-eun's words more than Iris's.

Whether that was good or bad, she wasn't sure.

[Well, alright. It shouldn't be too dangerous for now. The target doesn't appear armed.]

"Okay."

Nodding at Iris's response, Hayoon slightly quickened her pace.

She wasn't as fast as when transformed, but the distance between her and the monster was gradually closing.

*

Good.

While she managed to lure the monster back to the main road, how could she predict which alley it might emerge from?

Actually, it wasn't that hard.

Annoyingly, this world was dominated by social media.

And human vision was broader than one might think.

Even if someone didn't notice something directly overhead, they instinctively followed movements flitting about in the distance.

Purple and pink hair were fairly common colors.

But that didn't mean those colors weren't eye-catching.

Among people with similar hair colors, they might blend in.

But if a girl with purple hair was running across rooftops, she would undoubtedly stand out.

"What on earth is she thinking, running across rooftops like that? If she's going to do that, she might as well transform into a magical girl."

"Well, thanks to her, we can at least roughly figure out where Ha-yoon is."

"Ah… Ah… Over there, I think it's that way!"

Ji-hye pointed in agreement, and I nodded silently, too busy to respond with words.

I kept running, glancing at my smartphone.

#MagicalGirl #Blossom #Iris

Those hashtags were trending on social media.

Videos people had taken were popping up everywhere—clips of eye-catching pink straight hair and a purple ponytail.

And on top of that, Iris was shooting at the monster.

What a mess of teamwork. Then again, it was like this in the original webtoon too.

Thanks to that, we managed to get to a decent spot ahead of time to wait.

It was a good thing we wandered around those alleys earlier.

While I couldn't memorize everything, I'd at least noted landmarks and key locations.

Even though the crisscrossing alleys looked incredibly complex, in reality, memorizing the main streets was enough to figure out where each alley led.

No matter how tangled the narrow alleys seemed, they eventually opened onto a main road.

People living in those alleys needed to reach shopping areas, after all.

Besides—

Noir Corporation was surprisingly serious when it came to dealing with magical girls—they were a thorn in their side.

Though my smartphone looked ordinary, it had an app exclusive to Noir Corporation employees installed.

At a glance, it resembled a simple navigation tool, but it was actually a service powered by Noir Corporation's geostationary satellites.

The app used a tracking system based on specific energy waves emitted only by magical girl circuits.

Technically, it wasn't illegal—it measured "energy," not "people."

This was why I could confidently assure Hayoon earlier, even though catching the target required a mix of luck and coincidence.

Noir's knack for skimping on explanations while meticulously equipping their tools was both ridiculous and laughable.

Then again, it was probably a byproduct of another project they'd decided to make public.

In that sense, it wasn't much different from an ordinary GPS app.

I swear, I don't normally use this feature. Seriously.

It was just one of those mandatory employee tools.

Besides, why would I bother tracking someone I could meet at school anyway?

...Though saying that makes me sound even more like a stalker.

"There! Look!"

Ji-hye pointed upward toward the rooftops.

I saw it—purple hair bouncing as its owner leapt far in the distance.

Her hair was almost as long as Blossom's, making her easy to spot even from afar.

I gripped the frying pan I'd bought earlier for 5,000 won and positioned myself at the side of an alley, ready to ambush.

Waiting for the footsteps to draw closer—

Clang!

I swung the frying pan directly at the alien's face with pinpoint accuracy.

"Urk!"

The monster took the hit and fell backward, collapsing with a loud thud as the back of its head smacked the ground.

Did I overdo it?

Though I'd gotten caught up in the moment and joined the action, wasn't this guy technically a fellow employee?

Well, considering the creepy stalker photos he might've taken, he was probably a bad guy anyway.

Am I going to be okay?

As belated fear crept in, something heavy suddenly latched onto me.

"Hayoon?!"

For a split second, I thought Hayoon had figured out my identity and tackled me to handcuff me.

But that wasn't it.

"Ji-eun, that was amazing! How'd you do it?"

Of course, I couldn't just say, I used an app to track you.

Fortunately, magical girls didn't know much about the energy their circuits emitted.

Otherwise, they would've tracked me down ages ago.

From a distance, Iris leapt lightly off a building and approached.

She didn't even bother hiding anymore, her eyes fixed on me with a hint of curiosity.

Did I stand out too much?

I shivered slightly at the thought.

*

Could this civilian actually have exceptional intuition?

Iris stared at Blossom's "friend," her thoughts swirling.

There was something vaguely familiar about her.

Ah, right—

Among the combatants she often encountered, there was one with a… noticeable chest, much like this one.

She had to come up with an excuse about identifying them by their helmet because there was no way she could admit she'd recognized them that way.

Even so, that one combatant had an unusual air of determination, unlike the others.

Always messing up at critical moments—

Sigh.

What was she even thinking, staring at a civilian like this?

Iris let out a small sigh and turned her gaze toward the fallen stalker.