Chapter 34: Lost and Found

The lost and found at school still had that photo posted.

Several days had passed, and it still hung there, like a mysterious egg-shaped toy turned to maximum power, making the girl restless and uneasy.

Every time Ziteng Sayaka passed the bulletin board, she unconsciously quickened her pace, her eyes fixed straight ahead, as if by not looking, the thing wouldn’t exist.

But how could it not exist?

That pink, weirdly shaped toy photo was displayed so brazenly right in the center of the “Lost and Found” section, with a thoughtful caption attached: “Found at school. Please claim as soon as possible.”

What made her even more anxious was that passing classmates had started whispering about the photo.

“Whose thing is that anyway?”

“It looks so strange. Is it a toy?”

“How could anyone bring something like that to school…”

“Could it be a teacher’s?”

“A teacher’s? Which teacher would use something like that?”

“Hard to say. I heard some adults have… special hobbies.”

The whispers drifted through the hallways and classrooms.

Ziteng Sayaka sat in her seat, head down, pretending to read a book, but her ears keenly caught every comment.

Her fingers unconsciously picked at the edge of the page, almost tearing it apart. (Hoshino Gen, Chairman of the Book Lovers’ Association, expresses strong condemnation.)

She couldn’t claim it.

Absolutely couldn’t.

If she claimed it, that would be publicly admitting it was hers.

Then rumors would spread through the entire school like a plague.

That tomboyish-looking Ziteng Sayaka actually uses that kind of thing?

Who would’ve thought she’s a different person in private?

Does she have other special hobbies too?

Gossip is a fearful thing.

Ziteng Sayaka could imagine what the students would say.

Just imagining those looks and comments made her feel suffocated.

But leaving it alone wasn’t an option either.

That thing was given to her by Yeyan, though she still hadn’t figured out exactly how to use it.

Well, actually she did know.

Ziteng Sayaka was just slow with academics, straightforward, but not stupid.

After Hoshino Gen whispered a brief explanation in her ear, she understood it was meant to add some spice.

That’s why she blushed and threw it away.

Who would’ve thought it would be found and brought back!

This was, after all, something related to Magical Girls.

If it stayed in the lost and found, what if the Dark Erosion people noticed?

Those villain executives were infamous for being pervasive.

Who knew if they had eyes in the school?

If they discovered this item at Chiyu Academy and traced it back, it could expose her and Shiratori Shiori’s identities.

Damned if she did, damned if she didn’t.

If she could, she wanted to contact Shiratori Shiori to see if she had the authority to just remove the lost and found posting.

But setting aside the fact that she had no idea where Shiratori Shiori was and couldn’t reach her, even if she did, the request probably wouldn’t be granted.

Shiratori Shiori was also a girl.

Using her authority to take it down would just mean Shiratori Shiori taking the brunt of the gossip for Ziteng Sayaka.

Ziteng Sayaka lay on her desk, burying her face in her arms.

Why was everything always so troublesome?

She just wanted to be an ordinary Magical Girl, quietly protecting this city.

How did it come to this…

“What’s wrong? You look troubled.”

The voice came from beside her.
Ziteng Sayaka looked up and saw Hoshino Gen watching her with concern.

“N-nothing.”

She denied instinctively, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the window, where she could see a corner of the bulletin board on the distant hallway.

Hoshino Gen followed her gaze, then turned back, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“You’re stressing about whether to go get that thing back, aren’t you?”

He asked in a low voice.

Completely seen through, Ziteng Sayaka stiffened.

She opened her mouth to deny it, but finally just nodded slightly.

“That’s easy. I can go get it for you,” Hoshino Gen said.

“What?”

Ziteng Sayaka was stunned.

“I’ll claim it for you.”

His tone was natural, as if he were saying “I’ll get you a bottle of water.”

“Anyway, I’m a transfer student. Even if someone sees me picking up something like that, I’ll just get talked about for a few days. After a while, everyone will forget.”

“Besides, I used to be an otaku. Having a few small collectibles is normal.”

Ziteng Sayaka stared at him, speechless for a moment.

What he said made a lot of sense.

A complex emotion surged in her heart: gratitude, guilt, and a hint of…

Warmth she couldn’t quite name?

“But…”

She hesitated.

“You’d still get gossiped about.”

“I don’t care.”

Hoshino Gen shrugged.

“I just transferred here. I don’t have any close friends anyway. Let them say what they want.”

His attitude was so straightforward that Ziteng Sayaka didn’t know how to refuse.

“Well… thank you.”

She finally whispered, her voice carrying a note of dependence she hadn’t noticed herself.

“You’re welcome.”

He smiled and stood up.

“I’ll go now.”

“Now?”

Ziteng Sayaka was startled.

“Why not wait until after school when there are fewer people?”

“Whether sooner or later, it’s better to get it over with.”

Hoshino Gen was already heading toward the classroom door.

“Wait for me here.”

Ziteng Sayaka watched his retreating back, feeling both relieved and inexplicably nervous.

She silently prayed everything would go smoothly.

It should go smoothly, right?

It was just picking up something from the lost and found.

—

The lost and found was located next to the logistics office on the first floor of the middle school building, a small window.

Usually, there was a teacher on duty or a student volunteer who handled registration and claims.

Hoshino Gen arrived at the window.

No one was inside.

He pressed the bell next to it.

“Coming—.”

A familiar voice came from inside.

Hoshino Gen was slightly stunned.

That voice…

The curtain behind the window was pulled aside, and a smiling face appeared.

Long black hair, delicate makeup, a girl’s face with a woman’s figure.

And that perfectly pressed business suit without a single wrinkle.

Oh no. Why did the lost and found supervisor have to be Kurosawa Shizuka?

“Oh my, if it isn’t Hoshino-kun.”

Seeing who it was, Kurosawa Shizuka’s eyes lit up, like she’d found a treasure.

“What brings you here? Did you lose something?”

Hoshino Gen put on a polite smile.

“Kurosawa-sensei, what are you doing here? Isn’t this logistics’ job?”

“The logistics teacher took the day off. I had no classes, so I came to help.”

Kurosawa Shizuka rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with interest.

“So, Hoshino-kun is here to claim something?”

Before seeing Hoshino Gen, her “coming” had a hint of a yawn.

Now she was instantly full of energy.

Hoshino Gen felt the pressure.

One wrong word would arouse her suspicion.

This woman was not only seductive but also smart.

How unfair was that?

Wasn’t there a saying about big chest and no brains?

“Yes.”

Hoshino Gen nodded, trying to keep his tone natural.

“I’m here to claim that… thing posted on the lost and found board.”

“Oh?”

Kurosawa Shizuka raised an eyebrow, her smile becoming more meaningful.

“You mean that little toy?”

“…Yes.”

Kurosawa Shizuka didn’t immediately fetch it.

She kept staring at him.

“Hoshino-kun, is that thing yours?”

“No.”

Hoshino Gen answered bluntly.

“I’m claiming it for a friend.”

“A friend?”

She repeated the word, her tone rising slightly.

“What kind of friend asks you to pick up something like that?”

Hoshino Gen was silent for a few seconds.

“A friend who can’t come herself,” he finally said.

“Can’t come, huh… Let me guess.”

Kurosawa Shizuka dragged out the words, then suddenly leaned in, lowering her voice.

“That friend of yours is a girl, right?”

“Does Teacher seem to know a lot about what she lost?”

Hoshino Gen probed back.

Kurosawa Shizuka’s smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered.

“Teacher is an adult, so of course I understand more than you kids. It’s unavoidable, really.”

She said it matter-of-factly, but Hoshino Gen caught a flicker of discomfort in her eyes.

“So, where’s the thing? Can I take it?”

Hoshino Gen didn’t want to keep chatting.

The priority was getting the item back.

“No can do. According to regulations, lost and found items must be claimed by the owner in person, proving it’s theirs.”

She studied his expression for a few seconds, then stood up.

“But since I know Hoshino-kun and know what kind of person you are, that’s different.”

Hoshino Gen sighed in relief, glad he hadn’t come for nothing.

“Theoretically no” meant yes; “in principle yes” meant no.

It was the same everywhere.

Kurosawa Shizuka turned and went into the back room.

After a moment, she returned with a transparent plastic bag.

Inside was that pink toy, with a pink hollow ball in the middle, covered in holes.

It was the familiar thing, no mistake.

“Here you go.”

Kurosawa Shizuka handed the bag through the window, but when Hoshino Gen reached for it, she didn’t let go immediately.

“Hoshino-kun,” she said, her voice suddenly serious, her fingers brushing against his hand.

“Do you know what it means to claim something like this for a girl?”

Hoshino Gen looked at her, confused.

“It means your relationship is far from ordinary.”

Kurosawa Shizuka continued, “Ordinary friends wouldn’t help with this. Unless you’re lovers, or at least in the ambiguous stage.”

Her gaze locked onto his eyes, trying to catch a classic virgin’s reaction.

Hoshino Gen met her gaze calmly.

“Teacher, you’re overthinking. It’s just mutual help between friends.”

“Is that so?”

Kurosawa Shizuka said noncommittally, finally releasing her grip.

“Alright then. Remember to tell your friend to be more careful. Don’t lose it again. Picking up something like this again wouldn’t be good for the school’s atmosphere.”

“I’ll pass that along.”

Hoshino Gen took the bag and quickly stuffed it into his pocket.

“Thank you, Teacher.”

He turned to leave.

“Hoshino-kun, wait.”

She called him back.

He stopped and turned.

“Is there something else, Teacher?”

“From the day we met, I knew you wouldn’t stay cooped up at home forever. And now, here you are back at school, and at such a good one.”

“Tell me, doesn’t that mean Teacher’s taste in men is pretty good?”

Taste…

In men?

Hearing that, Hoshino Gen looked a bit shy, his expression evasive.

“Th-thank you for trusting me so much, Teacher.”

Kurosawa Shizuka leaned close to him, whispering in his ear, “Even though I’m not a high school teacher, if you ever need help, you can always come to me. I’ll do my best to assist you.”

Although the words sounded normal, combined with her tone and the mature scent from their proximity, there was probably a deeper meaning.

“I-I understand, Teacher. I’ll be going now. Goodbye, Teacher.”

Hoshino Gen acted like he’d never experienced this before, as if scared out of his wits.

After saying goodbye, he immediately fled.

Kurosawa Shizuka watched him leave, her playful smile gradually cooling.

So a girl had already made a move on Hoshino-kun.

And if she wasn’t wrong, it was probably one of the Magical Girls.

—

…Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn!

On his way back, Hoshino Gen groaned inwardly.

He’d miscalculated.

How could the lost and found supervisor be Kurosawa Shizuka?

That crazy woman was not only sexy but also bold.

Every time he faced her various temptations, he had to play the innocent virgin.

It was agonizing.

Of course, Hoshino Gen wasn’t a virgin.

He was a master of romance with rich dating experience.

Countless girls had been captivated by him, deeply impressed.

Sure, it was all online, but as long as the feelings were real, it was fine!

And Kurosawa Shizuka, with her fake concern, saying “I’ll do my best to help you.”

But Hoshino Gen could feel that when she said that, she had reinforced the lock she placed on him.

It had been a while now.

Hoshino Gen was already feeling “the dragon raising its head.”

In a few days, when he woke up in the morning, he’d have the golden staff every guy dreamed of.

Standing up, with just a slight turn, he could sweep through an army.

But right before he left, Kurosawa Shizuka had cast the same magic on him again!

What a malicious woman!!!

You’ll get your comeuppance!!!

Hoshino Gen cursed inwardly.

By the time he was close to the classroom, he had calmed down.

Anyway, these were just minor annoyances.

Now wasn’t the time to worry about them.

Back in the classroom, Ziteng Sayaka was waiting anxiously.

Seeing him enter, she immediately sat up straight, her eyes full of questions.

Hoshino Gen walked over and sat beside her.

He quietly pulled the plastic bag from his schoolbag and slid it into her drawer.

“Got it,” he whispered.

Ziteng Sayaka looked as relieved as if a huge burden had been lifted.

Her gaze toward him was so grateful he might as well have been her savior.

“Thank you… really, thank you.”

“I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

She pushed the bag containing the toy deeper into her drawer.

Hoshino Gen watched her profile, then suddenly said, “Something like this coming back to you… seems like you two have a connection.”

“It feels like in anime, where some unseen force is guiding you to use it. Why not give it a try?”

Ziteng Sayaka’s face flushed crimson.

“Stop joking. I’ll get rid of it soon—”

“If you need help, you can ask me.”

Hoshino Gen said naturally.

“Using this thing seems to have certain risks. I can provide theoretical knowledge. It wouldn’t be good if you hurt yourself.”

Ziteng Sayaka lowered her head, so embarrassed she could grind her teeth to dust.

But considering he was the one who retrieved it and saved her reputation, she’d hold back—

“Actually, scientifically speaking, experiencing appropriate pain and restraint can help relieve stress and relax the mind.”

“I’m going to dispose of this secretly right away. No one will ever find it.”

“It was thrown so far away and still came back unharmed. The build quality is quite good. Throwing it away might be a waste.”

“I told you, I’ll handle it properly this time.”

“Alright, I believe you.”

Hoshino Gen nodded, then patted her shoulder.

“Just make sure next time you don’t ‘handle’ it to the teacher’s place. The lost and found teacher said things like that hurt the school atmosphere.”

Hoshino Gen, while running his mouth, didn’t notice that Ziteng Sayaka’s fist had clenched tightly at some point.

“Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider? It’s quite thrilling—”

Soon, Hoshino Gen leaned in again with a cheeky remark.

Ziteng Sayaka’s patience finally reached its limit.

Girly Explosive Fist!

With immense force, it struck Hoshino Gen right in the chest, almost sending him flying.

He clutched his chest, looking like he was suffocating, about to roll his eyes back.

The moment she threw the punch, Ziteng Sayaka regretted it.

She hadn’t controlled herself again.

Thanks to Hoshino Gen’s influence, she’d recently read some books about teenage psychology.

She forgot the title, but they said boys in adolescence liked to joke around with close friends, and the more over-the-top the joke, the better the friendship.

Similarly, teenage boys wanting to get a girl’s attention, without being taught proper methods, would instinctively act irritating.

But girls didn’t always understand this behavior; they just found it annoying.

She was already an easily irritated person.

She told herself to control it, control it, control it—but in the end, she couldn’t.

After throwing the punch, Ziteng Sayaka was genuinely panicked.

She hadn’t used full force, but for an ordinary person, it was still unbearable.

She was afraid she might have hurt him.

“Hoshino-kun, are you okay? I’ll take you to the Nurse’s Office!”

Hoshino Gen clutched his chest, his expression agonized.

He looked like he might pass out any second.

“I can’t breathe… give me mouth-to-mouth, quick…”

“Okay!”

Without thinking, Ziteng Sayaka instinctively followed his words.

But when her arm looped around his neck, their eyes met, their lips only inches apart, she realized she’d been tricked.

Ziteng Sayaka’s face turned as red as a boiled shrimp shell, her temperature rivaling a pressure cooker.

The next moment, a lioness’s roar threatened to tear the classroom roof off.

“HOSHINO GEN!!!”

“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!”