The sudden question took me back a bit. I clenched my fist and turned to the side. Mari-san mentioned that they had their fight…I take it was right of me to assume it happened during work, which might be why Saitou-san brought it up.

“Yeah…they are fighting.”

For a bit, she waited and looked away.

“…Would this have something to do with what I told you, Madoka-san?”

The guilt slowly began to creep up my back. There was nobody else to blame for this right now. But…I needed those answers, no matter how selfish that may have sounded. It…was a hold on me that wouldn't let me forget about my coma.

“…I think so, Saitou-san. Mom has been on edge…and Mari-san is having a hard time expressing her feelings from back then.”

I admitted. She already knew the reason why Mari-san got with mom. Or…at least she knew an extension of it. Mari-san told Saitou-san she was with mom…to protect her.

“Yeah…I assumed something was up. They were nearly shouting at one another when I approached them.”

With a shake of her head, she turned back to me.

“Then after a bit of contemplating I concluded that our chat might have caused this, Madoka-san.”

“Yeah…me. I caused this...”

“No, that isn’t true, Madoka-san.”

To my surprise, she spoke up, cutting away my self-doubt.

 

“Koda-san and Nakagawa-san have always had problems…And I could clearly see these problems coming the moment Koda-san came to my office.”

 

 

With a cross of her arms and legs, she looked away as if recalling that time.

“Koda-san may have fallen in love with her over time…but the fact of the matter is, she got with Nakagawa-san out of guilt.”

 

 

Her tone was colder than the ice-cold temperature outside.  It must have been what it felt like to be a spectator to our family situation rather than someone neck-deep in the problems like me. Saitou-san could analyze it accordingly. 

“So, if your prying for information made them uncomfortable…that wouldn’t be your fault. It solely lies on them not being able to effectively communicate while you were gone.”

“Saitou-san…”

She spoke the words I needed most right now. How I’m doing my best to balance everything…but she’s right. This is a family matter; we all must put in the effort to properly communicate with one another.

“Hey, couples fight. But if they get through it…they will be stronger. So don’t worry, okay?”

Saitou-san made this trip not just to see me…but to comfort me? Little did she know the true reason behind Mari-san’s actions. I’ve already concluded that she shouldn’t know. There’s no reason for her to know Mari-san’s feelings for me…and me for her. So, I nodded and accepted her feelings.

“Thank you, Saitou-san. You…have no idea how much I needed that.”

With a brief hug, she held me close to her. How her touch felt like she was protecting me from the cold elements of this harsh winter. A winter that threatened to rob my life of everything I held dear…

"Okay, you have work soon, so let's lighten the mood a bit."

She stated while letting me go. With a giggle, she leaned in closer to me.

“Do you mind if I escort you to work, my princess?”

She’s good…a little too good. Already, she put me in a place that was hard to say no. After her initial lead in showing she was worried for me…how rude of me would it be to say no to her…

Saitou Risa-san…was a fearsome hunter like she said.

“Sure, I don’t mind…but I feel a tad guilty if I had to be honest. You came all this way just to meet with me.”

I smiled…I could feel the blood racing to my face as she tapped her thin fingers on mine.

“…You went through a lot of work to find me like this… how can I not feel guilty about it?”

With a finger to her mouth, she leaned her head down and admitted to my surprise…

“Well, you want the truth, Madoka-san?”

“I would appreciate it.”

Annoyed, I answered, causing her to scratch the back of her head.

“I…want to be more active in your life, I decided.”

She sounded like a mother apologizing to her child for missing a basketball game. Now I was skeptical, so I leaned back and questioned.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I don’t get a lot of time with you, Madoka-san. The only chance I get to speak with you is when you’re at work…and I'd rather not bother you so often.”

She sighed.

“So, I figured if I could at least find time with you before work…then maybe you’d think about me more often?”

Her cheeks became warm as she confessed what was blasting through her heart. I felt as though if I touched her right now, she’d burn me.

 

“I want to get to know you better, Nakagawa Madoka-san.”

“Saitou-san…”

 

 

“Well, Madoka-san…there’s not a lot of time I get with you. When you work, I don’t want to bother you too much, but when you’re done, you need to go home right away.”

With her hand on her chest, she confessed.

“I…know you’re still getting over your feelings for another person...but…”

As if the floodgates of emotion finally poured out, her feelings came flawlessly from her lips.

“…But I want me to be on the top of your mind more often…or else someone else might swoop you away from me.”

I was straining my ears to hear it, but…I think Saitou-san’s voice was trembling a bit when she said this. I know the level that she’s willing to go to show me that she likes me.

Like when in the onsen and inn. How she willingly jumped up to wash me… just to touch me…or how she went to great lengths to get me alone in the sauna room just so she could lay her head on my lap. Saitou-san…had every intention to be a romantic part of my life.

“Saitou-san…”

That sounded a bit sad. Maybe I was being more inconsiderate about her than I meant to be. Here she was…trying her best to get to see me more often, and I’ve been trapped in my own world…after it was her who gave me such valuable answers.

“…I’m sorry, Saitou-san?”

“Sorry?”

“…You’ve done so much for me…and I haven’t given you much of my time, have I?”

Now with the guilt washing over me like a tidal wave, I slump my shoulders as if the rush of water hammered down on me. Not only did I cause this fight with Mari-san and mom…but now someone who genuinely cared to help me was feeling anxious regarding my feelings.

But before she could speak, the train stopped at the shopping district. Together we stood up.

“…Hey, I know you are still struggling with your feelings…

She looked at me now as we exited the train.

“…But would you like to go and get a cup of tea with me sometime?  You know, outside of your work…and all of this?”

“…L-Like a date, Saitou-san?”

My mouth opened wide. This was the first time that I could remember …that someone…asked me out, wasn’t it? Maybe in the past with Mari-san…but sadly I couldn’t remember that.

“You can call it that if you want, but…I just want to get to know you better, Madoka-san.”

She held her chest again as we stood on the cold platform.

“Because my heart throbs when I think about you. It’s…been a while since it’s hurt this much when someone else is around.”

The cold wind blew but that didn't cool down this moment between us. Her cheeks were redder than I've ever seen from her. I'm sure she's thought about asking me like this for hours…maybe even panicked about it as she waited for me on the train…

So, to show her my appreciation I nodded.

“…I would like that, Saitou-san.”

This wasn’t just about me anymore. Saitou-san was also dealing with feelings of her own. How mean would it be of me to not at least explore this with her.

With a childish fist pump and a reach in the air, she shouted to the strangers around.

 

“Yes! I got a date! I got a date!”

 

 

The group of people waiting for the next train turned away with grumbles. I could see the vast majority found Saitou-san as a pain in their behinds.

“Your shift starts in around forty-five minutes, right, Madoka-san?”

“Yeah, I usually try to arrive a little earlier if I can.”

She put her hand behind her back and tilted her head.

“Why don’t we walk around a bit and talk? There’s something else I wanted to ask you about. Do…you mind?”

She was already making my heart race…what other questions could she bring up?

So, we entered the mall. The temperature was an immediate difference. Again, the illusion of holiday magic echoed around the mall. Now besides her I followed her as we made our way to the higher level of the mall.

Kids were running around, with parents milling about, as everyone was doing their own thing without a care in the world. I haven't been up here much actually. Lately, when I came here, it was for work and that was about it. There were food stands, more arcades, toy stores, video game stores, and more. Someone could stay here all day if they had the money to spend.

“Madoka-san.”

“Yes?”

“I know you like idols and cute things…but I want to know you at a deeper level.”

She tilted her head and smiled.

“What do you want to know, Saitou-san?”

She tensed her shoulders as she placed a finger to her mouth.

“What I know so far is…you like idols and super cute things…which I find adorable as heck.”

With a reach of her hand, she poked my nose.

“Oh, and you apparently like butts…which is just fine with me.”

“Eh?! Do you really have to say that out loud, stupid! There are people around!”

“Oh, you don’t deny it?”

She giggled as we turned the corner, revealing even more shops. I rarely went to this side of the mall, as I thought earlier. It went to show me how enormous this place actually was. As if Saitou-san was my tour guide, I followed her without question. I was getting tired of being on the defense, so I decided to turn the conversation back on her.

"Well, the same can be said from me to you."

I sighed.

"All I know about you is…that you're my stepmother's boss. That you like sitting alone in a restaurant writing romance novels and drinking freshly brewed coffee. You love your fair share of horoscopes too. But beyond that…”

We faced one another now. The crowd of onlookers went about their weekend with family and friends or the like. But right now, the world seemed to be centered around only the two of us. As if we were trapped on a secluded island and the people around us were just waves in the sea.

“Oh…does that mean you’re interested in me too, Madoka-san?”

Is that what that implied? I couldn’t deny that I was in a way…interested in Saitou-san too. So…to express myself as clearly as I could, I gathered the courage in my chest and confessed…

 

“…Yeah. I am interested in you.”

Calmly, I repeated by saying…

“I want to get to know you better, too.”

 

 

There was no doubt about it. Saitou-san made my heart race in a romantic kind of way. Even though I’m still shrouded in thoughts about Mari-san…Saitou-san certainly has done her best to implant herself in my mind, too, at times.

When I turned to her, I could see a wide smile from the side of her face. When she turned to me, she was literally beaming with excitement.

“How much time do you have before work, Madoka-san?”

“Oh…looks like I have around forty or so minutes.”

Checking my phone that still opened up with the carnation picture. It was the same picture she gave to me when we first met. Yuko-chan messaged me the picture when I was on the train and I’ve cherished it from then on. It always warmed my cheek when it appeared. As if the flower is blooming when my phone lights up. It certainly is a wonderful gift that I cherish from Yuko-chan.

“Okay then, I want to do something really fast with you!”

Before giving me a chance to ask, the lion took hold of my fingers. Confused, I walked with her as we waded through the weekend crowd. As if she was an adventurer showing me the landscape of the mall, she took it upon herself to move about with purpose.

“Ah…where are we going?”

At the corner of the mall, between two small food joints, a station with a strange square-like box sat there. It had a screen with hearts beating around it. It seemed to be a Christmas display of some kind. There were plenty of boys and girls lining up to get their chance with it, whatever the heck it was.

 

 

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to take you here since we met.”

Confused, I tiled my head to her.

“Ah...what is it?”

“Just watch.”

She stood back with me as we watched a pair walk up to the panel. They both inserted some money and touched the screen.  After all the settings were adjusted, one stood on the far left and the other on the far right. In front of them was a large box-like thing, each with a crystal ball on them.

“Come on! Come on!”

Saitou-san muttered. I wasn’t sure what was happening as they placed their hands on the ball. For a moment, the screen flickered like in a fantasy movie. That’s when the floors lit up under them. The lights got brighter before the screen revealed an obnoxiously pink 90% display. Hearts fluttered about with a pop.

“Wow!”

Saitou-san cried, clapping her hands along with all the onlookers. Suddenly a voice reverberated from the machine. The screen lit up saying the words “Match made in heaven.” Of course, I knew what this was now…an open display of compatibility.

“Come on, let’s get in line, Madoka-san.”

“Eh…are you sure?”

 

 

This was way too embarrassing for me. Not only were we both girls, but our clear age difference wasn't something the crowd would easily overlook. And what if our number didn’t reflect what Saitou-san wanted, too? Would it be worth the shame in a group of people we didn’t know? However, Saitou-san seemed to not care as she pumped her fist.

“This will show for certain that we are perfect for each other!”

“Saitou-san, you do know this is just a computer, right?”

With a shake of her head, she responded.

“Saya-chan gave me another reading this morning…”

I put out my hand to stop her, but she held it and insisted as she continued.

“Saya-chan said that my love relies on a little luck. So, it has to be this what she’s talking about.”

She giggled like a schoolgirl. This side of Saitou-san was something beyond me. She’s mature, gorgeous to a fault, has a…nice body, and super smart…but then she caters to cheap ploys made by the people who like to scam naïve people.

"Do you think a computer can really tell us if we're compatible, Saitou-san?”

I calmly questioned.

“This one does though! It even lights up and goes, bew bew, when the perfect match comes. There’s no doubt about it, it has occult-like powers behind it.”

I guess there was no way of getting around this one. So, to not waste any more time, I stood in line next to her. It was a bit embarrassing because a few couples were looking at us strangely. For good reason too. I'm not only with another girl but one a fair share older than me. I'm sure we looked like the most flip-flopped pairing one could ever think of.

“Are you serious?!”

A couple in front of us complained that their "matchmaking" was sadly a sharp 50%. The girl was furious as she threw her bag at her “lover.” This made me think that people were getting too into this, and my shoulders began to slump.

“Ohhh, we’re up next Madoka-san!”

Like a kid, Saitou-san skipped up to the front. I lingered behind as we made our way to the machine of judgment. It flashed still with the previous rating of 50%. I found it a tad depressing that this machine had the ability to literally break someone’s dream. So, I steeled my resolve. If we get a low score in this, I’ll do everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t upset Saitou-san all too much. I didn't believe in all this kind of junk, so it wouldn't sway me anyway.

“So, what settings are we using, Madoka-san?!”

I approached, seeing the settings now.

[Basic] which seemed to be just a percent score. This might have been what the previous couple was using. It appeared to be the cheapest too.

Then there was [Basic +]. This lists out a bit more detail like reasons for the scores and other ways to improve compatibility. In other words, this machine was going to literally judge us and tell us how to make our relationship better. I almost burst into laughter seeing this.

Then there was the last one that read [Soulmate Mode]. It catered to the rich, I’m sure, as the amount was a sharp 1600 yen. Not worth the price, at all, I’m sure.

“Ohh, let’s go for the big one!”

Saitou-san cried as she inserted the full 1600 yen. That didn’t surprise me by this point, though. I wanted to read into it more, but before I could read it, the screen flickered, causing the directions to vanish into the sea of binary codes.

“Okay, now what Saitou-san?”

“You stand over there and put your hand on the crystal ball. I do the same over here.”

 

 

Saitou-san gave directions like she’d watched this a million times. So, I stepped over to the right and put my hand on the crystal ball. It was a tad warm, a testament to how many people this machine has scammed during its reign of terror.

“I’m ready.”

Saitou-san cried, earning a smile from me. The screen flashed, pointing for me to look at a black box ahead of me. I didn't see the previous couple do this, so it was a tad odd, to say the least. Once I stood there, gazing into the onyx of this dark box, a flash came out.

“Eh?!”

“Hehe, did it shock you, Madoka-san?”

“What was that?”

Now, to my surprise, the screen began to light up in all kinds of fantastic colors. So, I turned my head to the computer screen, expecting a somber number to ruin Saitou-san’s day when…

98.6% compatibility spiked in front of us, earning a clap from the people behind. The crowd cried cheers of joy. Others booed us. I expected this level of salt, so I didn’t take it personally.

But that wasn’t what shocked me. It was the picture that formed in the center of us that gave my heart a brash pounding.

 

“Oh my gosh! She’s adorable, Madoka-san!”

 

 

Not only did our compatibility reach astronomical levels…but in the middle was an adorable child with…my blue eyes and glasses. But she also had the long burgundy hair of the other girl. Oh, and her eyes were shaped like hers too. I didn’t realize it until now, but this machine was a baby maker too.

Saitou-san ran up to the screen. She pushed a button earning a bunch of pictures to come out from it. There had to be around ten or so just shooting from the machine.

“Here’s yours.”

There I stood, looking at my future child with a woman named Saitou Risa. I couldn’t fathom when we had conceived such an adorable child, but…I didn’t want to let the picture go. It…was too cute to just toss away.

“Not only that, but it also seems we’re compatible enough. But even if it said we weren’t, I was just here for the picture.”

Cleverly, she snickered.

“Oh, so this wasn’t for the compatibility score at all, was it, Saitou-san?”

She giggled.

“Nah, I just wanted to have a baby with you.”

“D-Don’t say things like that! Especially when there’s a crowd nearby.”

After the initial flustering was over, we began walking away. So, I put my baby picture in my wallet as Saitou-san seemingly ogled over hers.

“How much time do you have left, Madoka-san?”

“Hm…a little over half an hour.”

 

So, we mindlessly began walking around the mall again. After all that craziness with the machine, I found it nice just to look around without a care in the world. Suddenly, Saitou-san spoke up...

“…Hey, what kind of person do you look for when you fall in love Madoka-san?”