Puella Magi Rei ♥ Magica: The After Story

Chapter 1: "Watchful Eyes"

The bell had just rang, the entirety of Mitakihara High letting out for lunch. Rei lagged behind the crowd of students, waiting for someone in particular.

"You're not seriously waiting on him, are you?"

Rei blinked, turning around and seeing her friend, Tsuki.

"Yes, I am. He wanted to go with me to lunch today." Rei said, running her hand through her hair.

"Oh Rei, you're adorable. He's a Senior and you're a Sophomore. Chances are, he's going to want to go after other Senior girls.. He's probably just using you to make someone jealous." Tsuki said.

"Tsuki.." Rei blinked, glaring at Tsuki lightly.

"What? I'm only being real. Senior boys are crude. All of them." Tsuki said, pulling some of her snow-white hair out in front of her, in a strand.

"Pardon me."

Tsuki grunted, as a tall boy with bright orange hair gently brushed past her.

"Sorry, Azuma." Tsuki said, giving Rei one last look before walking off toward her car.

"H-Hey, Azuma." Rei smiled up at the guy as he approached her.

"Hey, Rei." Azuma said, pulling out a set of keys from his bag. "You ready to head out?"

"Sure." Rei said, looking in the direction of Tsuki, as she entered her car. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Well, I had a place in mind. Depends if you're up for it or not." Azuma grinned lightly.

".. Oh yeah. I know what you're talking about." Rei let out a sheepish grin.

"Granny Mei's Noodle Place!" Azuma and Rei shouted at the same time, before sprinting toward his car.

The Noodle Place was just around the corner from the school.. Maybe a little further. Rei relaxed in the passenger side seat, before looking over at Azuma, analyzing his facial reactions as he drove.

He's so cute when he can go from perfectly calm to immediate road rage in two seconds--

"Come on! What are we waiting on? Christmas?" Azuma raised his voice, before letting out a growly-sigh as Rei began laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Azuma grinned, looking over at Rei who was having a hard time sitting still from laughing so hard.

"You're just adorable when you get pissed off." Rei said, wiping a small tear from her eye. Her face red. "You're just like my friend. Tsuki cannot stand idiot drivers."

"Then she has common sense then. You'll understand when your car actually gets on the road how annoying some of the drivers here are." Azuma said, scratching the back of his head.

"I understand already, just by watching you." Rei said, with a smile as they finally pull up to the Noodle place.

"Hey, did Kyousuke and Hitomi ever figure things out?" Azuma asked, gently climbing out of his car.

"I'm not sure. I know she started going to more and more of his concerts.. That seems to be the only time they see each other anymore." Rei sighed. "Makes me glad that you barely know how to play the trumpet."

"Hey." Azuma threw his hands up. "I was never much of a musician anyway. Art is my scene."

"As long as you don't become so big shot that you leave me in the dust." Rei smiled, wrapping her arms around Azuma's chest. He let out a laugh, wrapping his arms around her as well. "I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."