Chapter 13: We’re Talking About Life

Overall, Yuan Qing had lost—not just the battle against Hifumi, but also his bet with Raven. 

This was the second time he had made a major choice in the heat of the moment.

The first time was on a rainy night, when he was fooled by a noisy raven into signing a contract to become a Magical Girl.

The second time was at the tea party, where he had accepted a provocative challenge simply because he was annoyed by Raven’s constant chatter.

And the result?

The first time, he gained a familiar he couldn’t shake off, a job as a Magical Girl, and the burden of learning to play the role of another person.

The second time, he lost to Kazama Hifumi, lost his bet with Raven, and performed a show of “glory in defeat.”

‘Glory in defeat my foot,’ he thought. ‘I should never have made that bet with Raven.’

Now he was in a bind. He had thought that winning would allow him to finally get the upper hand on Raven, but it turned out he had overestimated himself… or rather, he had overestimated how much the popularity boost would increase “Miss Raven’s” abilities.

Yuan Qing rolled over and buried his face in his pillow.

But with such a massive spike in popularity this time, Ms. Mine should provide some sort of compensation, right?

Probably?

“Goodie…” Yuan Qing cheered weakly into his pillow.

Then Raven asked, “What’s so good?”

“…”

***

At the same time, on the other side of the city.

Mizuho sat in the agency’s lounge. Across from her was her producer, Shinohara Sachiko, an elegant woman. She was a 55-year-old former idol and a current golden-age producer who had single-handedly made several idols famous.

“I watched yesterday’s stream,” Sachiko said, placing a cigarette between her lips. She lit it and took a slow drag. “It peaked at 2.3 million real-time viewers. This morning, two of the top five trending topics on all social media platforms are about you.”

Technically, smoking was prohibited in the lounge, but no one dared to stop Sachiko.

“Yeah… I know,” Mizuho said, stretching. “I barely slept last night because I was busy looking at all that…”

Sachiko gripped her cigarette and smiled. “Your management team is going crazy. The number of interview invitations, program offers, magazine covers, and ad endorsements has more than doubled.”

“Miss Raven actually held her own against the strongest of the new generation. Honestly, my worldview is collapsing because of it.”

Mizuho’s response was cold. She showed little enthusiasm for the fact that her idol workload had more than doubled.

Sachiko frowned, her mouth turning down in a look of exaggerated sorrow. “What’s wrong? Are you starting to hate me already?”

“No… it’s just…”

Mizuho couldn’t find the words.

Sachiko chuckled. “Are you homesick?”

Mizuho stuck her tongue out at Sachiko. “I would never miss that place; it’s nothing but filth and insults.”

“Of course… I know. You realized long ago that when you’re in trouble, the only person you can rely on is yourself,” Sachiko said, taking another puff. “That’s why I want to know instead—what is someone like you worrying about?”

The smoke drifted from her mouth as she spoke.

Mizuho leaned back, lying completely flat on the sofa with her legs crossed and eyes closed, as if savoring the moment.

“…Honestly, Sachiko, yesterday I experienced the greatest failure since I left my mother’s womb.”

“And?”

“Can’t you tell I’m surrounded by an immense sense of melancholy?” Mizuho let out a yawn. “Haaa… I feel like someone else is living my life for me right now.”

Having said that, she grabbed a pillow, threw it over her face, and went back to acting like a limp, salted fish.

Sachiko flicked her ashes. “Well… it doesn’t matter. Everything is only just beginning.”

“I’ve already failed as an idol. Please call me Miss Raven from now on,” Mizuho’s voice came through the pillow, sounding muffled. “I’ve already… Miss Raven has already…”

“I’m not talking about being an idol, and I’m not talking about being a Magical Girl. I’m talking about life,” Sachiko said, her lips curling into a slight smile that revealed teeth yellowed by years of smoking. “Your life is only just beginning. One day, all these ‘alreadys’ won’t matter anymore.”

“…”

Mizuho didn’t say a word. She simply reached out a hand and gave an energetic peace sign.

Sachiko rubbed her nose. “Heh… you really are a well-behaved and likable girl.”

The cigarette was finished, and Sachiko left the room.

On Mizuho’s phone, the last message of her previous conversation was still stuck on “I know.”

Mizuho thought for a moment, typed a few words, deleted them, typed again, and deleted them again.

Finally—

Mizuho: “What are you doing?”

Yuan Qing: “Sleeping.”

Mizuho stared at that single word for a long time.

Mizuho: “Are you free tomorrow?”

Yuan Qing: “For what?”

Mizuho: “To go somewhere with me.”

A long time passed.

Mizuho assumed he wouldn’t reply and was about to put her phone down when a message arrived.

Yuan Qing: “Is there money involved?”

Mizuho: “Yes.”

Yuan Qing: “What time?”

The clone asked, “What time?”

Mizuho looked up at the clone that had appeared on her shoulder at some point. It was the one who had just spoken.

“Now,” Mizuho answered.

The clone blinked. “Now?”

“Now,” Mizuho said, standing up to straighten her clothes. She checked the mirror to ensure her makeup was perfect. “Teleport me.”

“As you wish—” the clone drawled.

Pitch-black raven feathers surged up, and a vortex of dark feathers suddenly swirled inside Yuan Qing’s room.

A second later, Mizuho tumbled out from the center of the vortex.

She was mentally prepared this time, managing to steady herself after stumbling a couple of steps.

“Phew…” She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair, which had been ruffled by the teleportation. “I really can’t get used to that feeling of weightlessness.”

Mizuho looked up and toward Yuan Qing on the bed.

Yuan Qing was still wearing a faded white shirt. His hair was a mess, his body was buried under the covers, and his head was half-submerged in the pillow. He radiated the aura of someone who had just woken up.

Yuan Qing turned his head, looking at Mizuho with one eye. The two stared at each other for a second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

“Did you…” Mizuho spoke first. “Just wake up?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

Mizuho suddenly felt a pang of regret for saying “now.”

Yuan Qing didn’t seem to care. He sat up and let out a yawn. “Didn’t you say I was going somewhere with you? Where to?”

“Change your clothes first,” Mizuho said with a wave of her hand. “The dark gray suit.”

Yuan Qing looked down at his shirt, then at Mizuho, before slowly crawling out of bed. “Wait here.”

He grabbed the clothes sitting at the foot of the bed and walked into the tiny bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Mizuho sat on the bed, feeling the slight lingering warmth of Yuan Qing’s body on the sheets.

Raven flew down from the windowsill and landed on her shoulder. “Why did you suddenly decide to come find him?”

“He helped me gain so much popularity all at once, after all,” Mizuho answered honestly. “I thought I’d pay him back.”

Raven gave a meaningful “Oh?”

“What’s with the ‘oh’?” Mizuho lightly tapped Raven’s beak. “I also have a few things I need to explain to him.”

Raven gave another “Oh.”

Mizuho decided not to argue with a bird.

The bathroom door opened, and Yuan Qing stepped out.

The dark gray suit looked even more natural on him than it had in the fitting room. He had haphazardly run his fingers through his hair; although it was still a bit messy, it combined with his world-weary expression to create a sense of lazy fashion.

Mizuho silently pulled out her phone.

“Don’t take a picture,” Yuan Qing requested.

“Just one.”

Request denied!

“You already took some before,” Yuan Qing protested.

“That was then, this is now.”

Protest denied!

“Sigh…”

Yuan Qing sighed and gave up his resistance.