What should I do?
Hayoon thought with a dazed expression.
In the end, she did nothing.
She couldn’t talk to Jieun, or even properly finish the work.
The mission failed in the worst possible way.
The plan to give up on Noir Corporation while still trying to gain an advantage completely failed.
While the antenna collapsed, people were diligently sent out.
Thankfully, the building didn’t collapse, but that didn’t mean they could keep using it.
The building couldn’t be used until it had undergone a safety inspection.
It was highly likely that repairs would be needed.
It was a very sturdy building, so it wouldn’t require rebuilding or demolition, but still.
“Hayoon…”
Even in that situation, Cherry was worried about Hayoon.
The Galactic Federation didn’t blame the magical girls.
Even if Noir Corporation officially criticized them, even if the CCTV footage they released was shown on the news, it seemed they hadn’t given up on their relationship with the magical girls yet.
Of course, it didn’t seem like they were planning to send the magical girls out to do something else right away either.
Last time, it was seen as preventing terrorism, but this time, it seemed like they made things worse on purpose.
Naturally, the public’s view of magical girls became somewhat negative.
“You don’t have to worry too much! Everything will be okay,”
But it seemed Cherry couldn’t find any more logical ways to comfort her.
She just kept repeating empty reassurances.
And, of course, those words didn’t comfort Hayoon.
Hayoon just sat there, slumped over the desk, staring blankly.
All she could think about was Jieun.
She had caught someone.
She didn’t want to become a murderer.
But as soon as she made eye contact with Jieun, she fell.
There were other magical girls there, but Hayoon probably didn’t help at that moment because she thought nothing major would happen.
Someone who could fly and was much faster than an ordinary person.
Naturally, if she had caught someone, she should have been able to safely put them down.
The reason she fell like that was—
Jieun’s eyes scared her.
Jieun was the one who had ruthlessly beaten people, along with the other magical girls, to settle situations.
What was Jieun thinking at that moment?
Did she think Hayoon had intentionally dropped the person?
Hayoon wasn’t sure.
Jieun’s expression was simply one of surprise.
Jieun had jumped from such a high place.
And she had saved Hayoon while falling.
Hayoon still remembered Jieun’s scream.
It was the worst. Really.
No matter how Hayoon moved, it always seemed to bring pain to Jieun.
Where did it all go wrong?
As Hayoon was blaming herself, almost like she was going to dig a hole in the ground, and Cherry fidgeted next to her,
Ding—
The smartphone on the desk vibrated, making Hayoon flinch.
It was too loud because she had her ear pressed against the desk.
The vibration kept going.
It was a call.
“Rose?”
Cherry muttered.
The smartphone screen showed [SeohuiSeohi Unni] as the caller.
Hayoon answered the call immediately.
“Yes?”
[Hayoon.]
The voice on the other end of the line sounded a bit serious.
[Did you see the news?]
“News?”
[You haven’t seen it yet.]
The voice hesitated a bit, as though debating whether to say this now or not.
The pauses in between were somewhat empty.
But eventually, Rose decided to tell her.
[In the news, that girl… your friend.]
“Jieun?”
[Yeah.]
Rose paused for a moment before continuing.
[It seems like they’re trying to label her as a terrorist again. The company is being very active about it.]
“What?”
[It’s true that she stole major equipment. Also, that person with the “zip” on their shoulder, it seems they used to work at Noir Corporation. They’re supposed to know a lot about the equipment.]
“…….”
Hayoon must have been about to hang up and search for related information because Rose added,
[But I know that Jieun didn’t do it. I saw it with my own eyes. However, what happened a few days ago is true. That generator has ended up in someone’s hands.]
We were there because we wanted the generator too.
The situation between the Federation and the company was unclear, and they passed the blame onto each other.
We don’t know how much of it Jieun or that “zip” person was aiming for, but at least the
Federation didn’t send the magical girls purely for good reasons.
[… Sigh, I honestly don’t know what to do either. In this situation…]
They could reveal all the facts to the world.
But even then, the Federation and the company would probably deny it.
They might already have prepared solid evidence.
Too much time had been wasted in confusion.
If they had time to be confused, they should have kept moving.
Of course, if they did, her parents would be angry.
People would start treating Hayoon like a strange person, and in the worst case, there might be articles about her spread by the media.
“…….”
Just like what’s happening to Jieun now.
After thinking about this, Hayoon felt like all the blood drained from her body.
She shivered.
Rose couldn’t bear to see Hayoon like this.
So, her voice over the phone remained calm.
[If anyone asks for your opinion, I think it’s better not to answer. We’ll discuss what to do next, step by step. We can’t let anyone be wronged, but… we can’t go against everything by ourselves, right? There are others who could take our place, even in other countries.]
Right.
The most important figures in the Galactic Federation’s plan were those who could generate energy by turning circuits with hope as a medium.
[…We’ll find a way, step by step.]
“…Yes.”
In the end, their conversation ended without any real progress.
A way.
What kind of way should they find? How could they bring Jieun’s situation to a positive conclusion and end this terrible situation?
Hayoon had no idea.
She thought that she couldn’t keep stalling, but in the end, she couldn’t come up with any answers.
Moreover,
Hayoon’s ‘hope’ had already become extremely fragile.
She had fallen last time while flying.
The further she thought she was from Jieun, the more distant the light of hope seemed.
Jieun’s disappearance had already changed Hayoon’s life so much.
“Jieun.”
Hayoon again laid her head on the desk.
And she thought of Jieun.
The more time passed, the more guilty she felt about Jieun.
And yet, she still had no idea what to do.
Once again, she had ruined all those chances due to her own mistakes.
She couldn’t even have a proper conversation.
Jieun had even avoided her without saying a word.
Hayoon thought back to the moment she had fallen.
At that time, there had been no magic coming from the bouquet.
That bouquet, too, was a memento of her memories with Jieun.
Jieun probably gave it to her without much thought.
Hayoon knew that.
It wasn’t a gift for a birthday or some special day.
Jieun had just bought it when she saw Hayoon silently looking at the flowers.
She probably thought it would wilt after a few days in a water bottle.
“……”
Hayoon closed her eyes.
Cherry placed a hand on Hayoon’s arm.
But in the end, she couldn’t say a single word of comfort.
*
“Hey.”
“You’re shortening the nickname now? What do you expect me to respond with?”
“Why? Isn’t it enough if I just know you heard me call you?”
“You should call me by my full name.”
“Your name is not James, it’s ZzipzziSqueak.”
“You might hear it that way, but we have our own way of pronouncing and intonating!”
Despite this, their planet name was still ‘ZzipzziSqueak’.
I didn’t feel like debating anymore, so I decided to change the subject.
“So, what are you planning to do with it?”
James gave me a sideways glance, but since he didn’t want to argue, he finally answered.
“Well, for now, there’s no way to use it. If we try to use it as a substitute for electricity here, the entire area will be plunged into a blackout. And all the equipment connected to the power will burn outreak down.”
So that was why he had initially thought about destroying it. But once he saw it, he wanted to keep it.
“So, you’re just going to store it until you can use it?”
“Yeah, that’s one option…”
James looked at me and smirked.
It was incredibly eerie.
For a brief moment, his face looked less like a hamster and more like a rat.