Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 2 (The Oumeno Strikes Back)

Miu and the Mechanic (10)

    Kokichi and Himiko arrived at McDonald's in disguise, ordered their food, and sat at a table near Kazuichi and Miu. Because the McDonald's was mostly empty, Himiko didn't need to use her spell for her and Kokichi to eavesdrop on Kazuichi and Miu.

   "So, Miu, if it's not too personal, I was wondering...were you ever bullied when you were younger?" Kazuichi asked. 

   "Haha! Of course not! Cuz I was a hottie who-" Miu began. She looked at Kazuichi, who stared at her with disappointment. "Ohh...s-sorry...i-it's a habit," Miu muttered sheepishly. "Um...well, yeah, I was bullied, too. Especially by this girl named Etsuko. Back then, I wasn't good at inventing things like I am now, er...not that I'm bragging, or anything!"

   "I know what you mean. Go on," Kazuichi nodded encouragingly at her.

   "Er, well...I wasn't good at inventing things back then," Miu continued. "I used to tinker around with some of the stuff I could get my hands on. But, whatever thing I was tinkerin' with, Etsuko would pretty much destroy it. Because of her, I was basically a nobody in elementary school all the way to the beginning of high school. Shortly after high school started, she ended up in juvie for beatin' up a teacher."

   "Wow! What a loser!" Kazuichi exclaimed. 

  "It's not my fault!" Miu said. "I was the victim of bullying!"

   "N-No, not you!" Kazuichi replied. "I was talkin' about Etsuko!"

   "Ohhh..." Miu said softly. "Yeah, she put me through hell. And even after she went to juvie, the bullying didn't stop. Because of her influence, everyone else bullied me. They made fun of me for not having a boyfriend, and for even bein' a...a...um..."

   "A what?" Kazuichi asked softly. 

  "A v...v...v-virgin," Miu groaned. 

 "You are?" Kazuichi asked. Miu shamefully nodded her head. 

  "I mean...that's not really a big deal, Miu," Kazuichi said. 'Why do you make it out to be? Why do you pretend to be something you're not?"

   "Because I thought it'd make me cool," Miu replied with a small shrug. "I thought people would want to be my friend, since I didn't have any friends when people knew I wasn't a virgin." 

   "W-Well those people at your old high school suck!" Kazuichi said. "You're way more awesome than they are!"

   "D-Do you really mean that?" Miu asked as she timidly twirled a strand of her hair. 

    "Totally, Miu!" Kazuichi replied. "You're an inventor, dammit! You gotta start actin' like one! A real one! Not some person who acts all tough and...and...I dunno, 'unvirginated,' but someone who is truly passionate about inventing and truly confident in the ways that your inventions can improve the world! That's who you are, Miu!"