Magical Boy ~ English version

Chapter 6

Nanaya hesitated a few seconds before following the three girls into the dining hall. And, of course, as soon as he set foot there, almost all the talk ended. He didn't fail to notice Kotaro at one of the tables. He too had turned his head towards the door and froze when he saw his comrade in Aitori's outfit. Nanaya didn't really like to stand out. But he was the first boy in Aitori, and the uniform, besides being pink and it's huge knots, bared his stomach completely. The top stopped a little below the bust and the pants were low waisted. He saw Kotaro's face turn completely red, but Nanaya didn't quite understand this kind of reaction. His friend grimaced and finally turned his head away in disdain.Nanaya was going to follow his comrades, but a student blocked his way. He recognized the red-haired, shark-toothed man who had offered to help him the day before. The girls seemed completely under his spell.

"You prank us yesterday." He said. "So you are in Aitori, eh? "

He looked him up and down, then leaned over to see him up close. He hoped to see what was hiding under his hair. Nanaya leaned against the door behind him, which prevented him from backing up. He had never really been so close to anyone.

"This uniform looks a lot better on you than Darkeas's." Said the older one without backing away. "The proof is, I hadn't noticed how cute you were. "

Nanaya had no more reaction. Cute? Him ? He wasn't even sure what exactly the adjective meant. There was no time to think any longer, a fist slammed into the older boy's head. He moaned and groaned before sitting up to face Saurity's teacher, Blue Manta.

"Still flirting with the first years?" Growled the adult. "You are irrecoverable."

"Did you really have to hit me, oniisan?" "

The professor, and apparently his brother, hit him again.

"For you too it's 'Manta-sensei' when you're in school. "

The adult turned to Nanaya, intending to apologize for his brother's behavior, but froze. The professors had been warned of the whole story, although their superiors had glossed over their idea of ​​voluntarily leaving the mistake. And of course, Uchiri Nanaya's name had been repeated more than once among his colleagues at the three schools since the day before. He clenched his fist and looked away to talk to his brother instead.

"You should see your dating again, Kenji." He said. "Saurity's students have nothing to do with Darkeas's students."

"But he's in Aitori." Kenji muttered, rubbing his head.

"Only by mistake. He is the son of Experion. "

The redhead gave the teen a surprised look. Several members of his family, including his parents and his brother, had already fought the evil genius. Several came out seriously injured and one of his uncles had even lost his life. Nanaya expected that the elder would just turn on his heel and walk away, or start insulting and threatening him. But instead, he glanced accusingly at his brother.

" So what ?" He asked. "He's his son, not Experion himself. Isn't tolerance one of the hero's first commandments? Moreover, error or not, he is in Aitori. "

He stood with his arms crossed, confronting his brother without any fear. He didn't flinch, his eyes fixed on the adult's. Blue Manta was the first to break eye contact with a sigh. He shrugged and returned to chat with his colleagues, visibly annoyed. Kenji stayed like that for a moment, before facing his young friend again, smiling.

"He complains about my behavior." He mocked. "But he is worse. Sorry."

"It's nothing." Nanaya muttered.

"I did not introduce myself. I am Hase Kenji. Come and sit at our table, we arrived just before you. There is room."

Nanaya did not have time to answer, the girls happily accepted. They quickly led their comrade to the self-service, where they greeted the cook. The meals at the S.D.A. were of good quality and cooked by hand by a carefully selected team. The chef himself distributed the meals. He liked to chat with the students. Kasato Josuke was a stout man with a laughing face.

"What would make these young people happy?" He said. "I have everything, you just have to ask me. "

The three girls had no hesitation about the contents of their breakfast. But Nanaya was watching the choice that was presented. From European pastry to traditional breakfast based on miso soup, through the simple bowl of cereal, there was indeed something for everyone. Tastes that Nanaya didn't have. Seeing his lost expression, Josuke called out to him.

"What do you like, my boy?" He asked.

"...what I like ?" The teen mumbled. "Eating ... is just an obligation. It doesn't have to be good. "

The three girls and the cook opened wide surprised eyes. Nanaya had spoken as if he were simply reciting a lesson. He didn't understand what was strange. He had never enjoyed eating. The food was bland. He just had to do it to survive. But it was bad and he often skipped meals. His father had always explained to him that he didn't have to love. He just had to eat because it was necessary.

Without saying another word, Josuke stepped back from the counter and picked up several of his preparations to place them on Nanaya's tray, without even asking for his opinion.

"A banana hot chocolate." He declared. "Hand-squeezed orange juice, an apple and a croissant. You better give me an empty tray. And that's a bonus for later. "

He retrieved a small empty bag and began to fill it with konpeitô, coming out of nowhere. These small, colorful, irregularly shaped candies seemed to appear straight from his hand.

"You spawn candy!" Mineko exclaimed as he closed the bag to give it to Nanaya.

"Yes." He asserted. "It's my power. Not very useful in combat, so I studied at Darkeas, to at least be allowed to use it. "

He offered them a smile and offered a sachet to the three girls as well. The degrees earned in Saurity and Darkeas did not necessarily serve to become a hero or a villain. They were mostly authorizations to use his power legally.

In contrast, Aitori was different. The students found themselves associated with a guardian who would follow them everywhere. If they didn't want to become magical girls, they had to give up the Guardian and his powers.

Nanaya retrieved his tray and followed his comrades to the table where Kenji was sitting. The boy who had accompanied him the day before was also sitting there, next to a student of Darkeas who looked like him in every way.

"The old man gave you candy." The blond noticed. "The teachers always lecture him when he does that. "

Nanaya settled in and glanced at the bag. He had never even seen a Konpeito up close. When he saw them in store windows, he thought they were decorations. Kenji called out to him to introduce him to his friend.

"Uchiri-kun," he called. "I present to you Yanase Naoaki. And she is his little sister, Yanase Miiko. She's in first year like the four of you. Why she is in Darkeas is a mystery. "

The subject gave him a middle finger, sticking out her tongue. Just like the back of her eyes, Nanaya noticed that her tongue was black. He mentally repeated their names to himself, not to forget them, wondering what to call them since they had the same one. Then he turned to Kenji.

"Call me by my first name, Hase-senpai." He replied simply. "I cannot use my father's name in Aitori. "

The three girls in her class laughed nervously as they saw their classmates from Saurity and Darkeas react just like they did earlier. Naoaki had even almost spit out his drink, on the shock of surprise. The astonishment passed, Kenji smiled.

"Good, very good!" He declared. "But on one condition: you too."

"Okay, Kenji-kun. "

Silence washed over their table again. The redhead didn't expect the younger to be so comfortable. It was rather confusing.