I still wanted to train magic with the others, but the teacher kept glancing my way, so I couldn't attempt anything unusual.
"I was no good with protection magic," one girl said.
"I'm bad at enchant magic," another added.
"I failed with earth and wind..." a third girl said with a sad face.
After about two hours, everyone finally finished their training.
"Hanaoka-san, are you free after school today?" a girl asked.
"Uh, Ichikawa-san... do you need something from me?" I replied.
The one who spoke to me was Ichikawa, a girl with an intellectual air. She was beautiful, and her glasses suited her well.
"If you like, I want to talk about magic and maybe have dinner together," she said.
"Me?" I asked.
"Yes," she answered with a small smile.
We had never talked before. Why did she invite me? She said she wanted to talk about magic, so maybe she cared that I was left out today. If so, Ichikawa-san was an angel for being so kind to an old guy like me.
So, I ended up having dinner with her. She wanted pasta. In my forty years of living alone, I had never gone to a restaurant just to eat pasta. If I ate pasta, it was always from the convenience store, heated in the microwave. Eating at a real place like this was my first time in about twenty years.
"Hanaoka-san, this is tasty," she said with a happy look.
"Yes, it's really good. Food from a restaurant is different," I said.
"I'm glad it suits your taste. By the way, Hanaoka-san, you are amazing," she said.
"Um... in what way?" I asked.
"Your magic. You seem on a different level from everyone," she said.
"Different... more like I'm outside the group. I feel left out," I said.
"No, that shows you are not like the others. You are great," she said.
"Hearing that makes me feel better," I said. I had felt quite down today, so even if her words were just to be nice, they made me happy.
"Your magic power is very strong, right?" she asked.
"Strong... the number seems high," I said.
"I see. Sorry, but may I ask your job, Hanaoka-san? By the way, I am a Little Witch," she said.
"A Little Witch? That sounds cute. It fits you well, Ichikawa-san," I said.
"Oh, not at all... you are good with words, Hanaoka-san," she said, a bit shy.
"No, really. As for my job, I am a Great Magician," I said.
"A Great Magician? I have never heard of that job, but it sounds powerful. As expected of you," she said.
"You flatter me," I said.
She giggled. "Hanaoka-san, saying 'you flatter me' like that, you are funny."
"Haha... you flatter me," I said again, unsure what else to say.
"I heard a rumor... are you single?" she asked.
"Ah, yes... it's embarrassing at my age," I said.
"I see. What kind of woman do you like?" she asked.
"My type... I don't think I have the right to speak about women like that," I said.
"You are a gentleman, Hanaoka-san," she said.
"No, not at all," I said, shaking my head.
"So... what do you think of me?" she asked.
"Eh? Ichikawa-san? Well, of course I think you are young and pretty," I said.
"Young? I'm already 23," she said.
"No, you are young," I said at once. 23 not young? I was forty!
"I'm joining the Defense Agency, so I hope I can meet someone nice soon.," she said.
"I'm sure you will find someone good," I said.
"That's not true. How about me for you, Hanaoka-san?" she asked softly.
"I-I'm honored. Even as a joke, thank you. The Defense Bureau has many elite people. You could choose anyone," I said.
We kept talking about love while we ate. I had no real stories to share, so I only listened. But hearing a young woman talk about love made me feel young too, and I almost got carried away.
When Ichikawa hinted she didn't want to go home tonight, I almost misinterpreted her words.
If I had, rumors about the old guy with the wrong idea would have spread all over the school.
I was glad we were not drinking. If we had alcohol, I might not have stayed so calm.
Notes:
• Ichikawa - 23-year-old Little Witch specializing in support magic. Intellectual with studious aura; wears well-suited glasses enhancing her beauty. Boldly romantic ("How about me for you?"), directly propositions Hanaoka during pasta dinner and hints at overnight stay ("didn’t want to go home tonight").