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...
"It's Nodoka and I who would mind," Mai Sakurajima said, a playful smile on her face as she tugged Badr's cheek before turning towards her train.
Badr watched her board before turning back to Nodoka Toyohama.
As expected, in her current guise as Mai Sakurajima, she had already attracted quite a bit of attention...
...
Seeing Badr approach, Nodoka seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Can I really just...wait for the train here like this...?"
She glanced at a group of people nearby who were whispering and staring at her.
With his enhanced hearing, Badr could clearly make out their hushed conversation.
"I-Is that...?"
"It's her! The real Mai Sakurajima!"
"Go talk to her! It's a rare opportunity!"
"Eh? Y-You go!"
Their reactions were understandable. In fact, the hardcore fans Badr knew were far more intense than these people.
The real nuisance was the photos. Mai was usually happy to oblige polite requests for pictures, but some people insisted on taking sneaky shots and posting them online without her consent.
Since meeting Badr, Mai had found things easier with him as her personal bodyguard. But Badr couldn't be by her side 24/7, so she still faced this issue from time to time.
This was Nodoka's first time impersonating Mai Sakurajima, and she was unfamiliar with this kind of attention. She felt nervous, unsure whether she should intervene or ignore them.
"Don't worry about those people," Badr said softly.
"Eh? But..."
Nodoka hesitated. In the next second, she saw Badr snap his fingers towards the group. Those who had been attempting to take sneaky pictures silently put away their phones and walked away, not even glancing back.
Nodoka was stunned by their sudden change in attitude.
"W-What just happened?"
"It's called Common Sense Alteration, a type of magic. Very convenient," Badr explained the existence of magic, leaving Nodoka in awe.
Such a magical and convenient ability existed...
"You can relax when I'm around. No one will notice you. But if I'm not there, be careful not to expose yourself," Badr said casually.
"Well then, you should help out more often..."
"I'm not always free. That's why Mai wouldn't make such a demanding request. If it were me, I'd know you were an imposter just from that statement."
Badr's calm words made Nodoka pause.
"You talk as if you know my sister very well..." she retorted, a hint of defiance in her voice.
"You're calling her 'sister' quite naturally now that she's not around," Badr observed.
"...Mind your own business."
Nodoka was slightly annoyed.
Unfazed, Badr continued, "I can confidently say that I know Mai far better than you do."
"Arrogant..." Nodoka muttered. "Speaking of which, how far have you two actually gone?"
"Quite far," Badr replied lazily.
"...??"
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Nodoka finally understood.
"Y-You mean... that... you've done that?"
Her voice rose an octave.
Badr feigned ignorance. "That what?"
"Th-That thing... you know, that kind of thing..."
Nodoka seemed embarrassed to even say it out loud. Her voice trailed off into a near-inaudible whisper, her ears turning red.
Badr found her reaction amusing. In fact, Mai had reacted almost the same way last night.
Mai was undeniably adorable when she was flustered.
"What kind of thing?" Badr continued to play dumb.
"You know, going all the... all the..."
"All the?"
"Going all the... Ugh, I can't say it!"
She punched Badr in frustration, her embarrassment evident.
Badr decided to stop teasing her. "If you're referring to that aspect, then yes, we have. Just yesterday, in fact."
"Eh!?"
Nodoka's eyes widened in surprise as Badr calmly met her gaze.
Contrary to his initial impression, Nodoka seemed surprisingly innocent, despite her dyed blonde hair and seemingly trendy appearance.
Badr accompanied Nodoka to Mai's school, his second visit to the institution.
His previous visit had been to resolve Mai's Adolescence Syndrome, the phenomenon that made her disappear from people's perception.
"Are you coming in with me?" Nodoka asked, surprised.
"I'll take a look around. I'm free for the next couple of days anyway."
Badr didn't mind. Whether it was due to the request from Mai or his own sense of responsibility, he needed to observe the situation to ensure everything went smoothly.
"Will the school let you in?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
Badr strolled through the school gates with his hands in his pockets, his black attire starkly contrasting with the students' uniforms. Neither the security guard nor the surrounding students paid him any attention.
He just walked right in...
Magic really does make you omnipotent...
Nodoka stared at the black-clad youth, who stood out amongst the uniformed students, for a moment before silently following him.
As they walked towards the school building, Badr said, "I'll loosen the Common Sense Alteration a bit. I need to see how well you can impersonate Mai."
"...Okay."
Nodoka nodded. Badr deactivated the magic, and immediately, the people around them noticed "Mai Sakurajima."
Nodoka quickly adopted Mai's demeanor and mannerisms. She was remarkably convincing, even Badr, who knew Mai intimately, couldn't find any fault with her performance.
Even her little habit of twirling her hair was spot-on.
Could it be that she had secretly imitated Mai before...?
Badr couldn't help but wonder. "I'm surprised. You've learned to mimic her quite well."
"I used to imitate other characters when I was younger..."
Badr chuckled. "You mean you used to imitate Mai when you were younger."
Seeing Badr's knowing smile, Nodoka hesitated before admitting, "She was my pride, my role model..."
Was? Past tense...
What about now?
Badr tilted his head in thought for a moment, unable to grasp the crux of the matter.
He wasn't a mind reader, so he couldn't decipher Nodoka's current thoughts.
Taking advantage of the Common Sense Alteration, Badr accompanied Nodoka into her classroom. No one in the class seemed to notice or care about his presence as an outsider.
Nodoka, playing the role of Mai Sakurajima, initially felt nervous. But when she saw Badr, she was rendered speechless.
Due to the lack of seating, Badr had casually perched himself on the windowsill, his legs propped up on the ledge. The wind ruffled his black hair as he listened to the teacher's lecture with his arms crossed, an air of nonchalance about him.
This guy... he's not even in his own school, and he's still showing off...
...
Spending the entire day with Nodoka, Badr primarily observed her reactions.
He had already deduced certain things.
Nodoka, like Mai before her, seemed to be experiencing an unstable awakening of her abilities.
To be honest, these abilities were quite underwhelming, lacking any combat potential and bringing only trouble.
The solution to such troublesome abilities lay in changing the individual's mindset.
Badr endured the uneventful day until school ended.
"I wonder how things are going for my sister..." Nodoka said worriedly as they walked home.
"If it's Mai, she'll be fine."
Badr had complete faith in Mai. He had witnessed firsthand her intelligence and adaptability.
"...Yeah, if it's my sister, she'll definitely be fine. She's always been so amazing."
Nodoka's voice held a hint of sadness.
Badr strolled alongside her, listening to her constant mentions of "sister." Yet, in Mai's presence, she never once addressed her that way.
"Can you tell me why?" he suddenly asked.
"Huh? What?"
"Why you don't call Mai 'sister' to her face," Badr said casually.
"B-Because she's a senior in the entertainment industry," Nodoka replied, avoiding his gaze.
Badr remained unconvinced. "I suspect the truth is more complicated than that."
"You're so nosy! What would you know?"
"I'd say I know a little something."
Badr said calmly, "Like, for example, you used to adore your sister? But recently, you ran away from home, right? And the reason must be related to Mai. So, by coming here, you actually wanted to say you hate your sister the most, didn't you?"
Nodoka was stunned. It was as if Badr had read her mind.
...
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