Chapter 18

A department store with Pretty Heart.

Just arrived at the swimwear section.

“What a coincidence. I also bought swimwear here.”

“Really?”

Now that I’m here to buy swimwear, it feels a bit strange.

It’s not as tense as when I first became a girl, but there’s still some resistance…

“Ah! How about this?”

“…Should I try it on first?”

By the way, women’s swimwear is really diverse.

There are all kinds of designs and variations.

Men’s swimwear is just boxers or briefs.

Anything else seems a bit perverted…

“Hmm… So I just take everything off and put this on, right?”

Since you don’t wear underwear under swimwear, that must be it.

Then… Oh, it feels different from wearing underwear.

“…How is it?”

“Wow… So cute~!”

I don’t know why she suddenly called me cute, but I guess it suits me, so she said that.

Should I just buy this?

I’ll only wear it once when I go to the sea anyway.

“Alright, this one…”

“No, unnie! You need to try more!”

“Uh, uh… Okay…”

Why is she puffing out her breath like that?

For regular clothes, it’s definitely better to try a few more, but for swimwear, I’ll only wear it once or twice, so is it really necessary to choose so carefully?

…Looking at her eyes, it’s hard to refuse.

“How about this one?”

“Oh… Is this a bikini with a semi-transparent skirt?”

“Something like that. It’s for people who feel a bit shy wearing just a bikini, but some wear it because it looks prettier.”

Even though she’s only in middle school, she knows a lot about this.

Is she studying fashion or something?

“How is it?”

“This one also looks great on you~!”

Really…? Well… My current body is a magical girl body created by mascots, so I can probably pull it off.

By the way, getting praised like this feels good.

I never received such compliments when I was a guy.

I was always busy fighting, so I neglected everything else, always getting scolded for my studies.

But my grades were still above average, and my college entrance exam scores weren’t bad…

…But is it okay for me to feel good about being complimented for looking good in swimwear…?

It feels a bit morally wrong…

“This swimsuit is also recommended!”

“Okay… But, uh, stop puffing out your breath… I can feel how excited you are.”

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Pretty Heart seems a bit… no, a lot different.

What’s next? This one looks like a school swimsuit.

No, more like a competition swimsuit?

“Hmm… Is it okay?”

“It’s okay! But, other ones suit you better.”

“Really? Then let’s skip the one-piece.”

“Okay~.”

After trying on various swimsuits that Pretty Heart kept bringing, we concluded that bikini-like two-pieces suit me best.

But since my chest isn’t very noticeable, ones with frills suit me better.

She even said it’s so cute and tried to hug me, so I guess that’s right.

“But unnie, you usually look very cute, but when you become a magical girl, you look very sharp. Is there a reason?”

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“Well, your impression changes a lot when you’re a magical girl.”

“Really? Hmm… Maybe it’s because when I transform into a magical girl, I’m always ready to fight, so my mindset changes.”

“But unnie, your impression changes so much…”

“…I don’t really know either.”

Does my impression really change that much before and after transformation…?

This isn’t affected by the Perception Distortion Effect since it doesn’t work on other magical girls.

I should check it in the mirror later.

But really, does my impression change that much?

“Ah, how about buying this, this, and… this? They all suit you!”

“…Okay, let’s buy them.”

“Hehe~ Next time, I want to go to the sea with unnie.”

So she was picking all these swimsuits because she wants to go to the sea with me.

But was she always like this…? I thought she was more quiet and pure…

…Must be my imagination.

“Now that we’ve bought the swimsuits, let’s go back.”

“…Wait a minute, unnie.”

“Why?”

“Unnie… There are more clothes that suit you. So, let’s buy some casual clothes too!”

“Uh, uh…?”

“Let’s go! Unnie!”

“Okay…”

Uh, huh…? She seems to be going a bit overboard…

But since she’s usually quiet, it’s hard to say anything…

…Ah, whatever… I’ll just go along with it today…

“Unnie, your fashion sense isn’t great! So… let’s see… Ah! This would be good!”

“Uh…”

Pretty Heart’s voice tone went up, and her excitement seemed to have increased.

She kept talking to me while picking out clothes, making me try them on, and praising me each time.

Overwhelmed by her energy, I ended up obediently trying on the clothes she picked, and she kept complimenting me.

“Hey… It’s getting a bit embarrassing…?”

“It’s okay! I’m only picking out what really suits you!”

“Ah, I see…”

Come to think of it, when she came to my house, she was glancing at my clothes… She must not have liked them…

Girls’ radar is scary, really.

Guys don’t really care or comment unless it’s something really weird.

“Lastly… Try this on! This will definitely suit you!”

“Alright…”

Sigh~… But honestly, all the clothes Pretty Heart recommended suited me well, so it’s hard to stop now.

This kind of thing requires a good sense of style, and getting it checked for free is a win for me.

Of course, the clothes are a bit expensive, but that doesn’t matter to me now.

“Ugh~! Finally done…?”

“Good job, unnie!”

“Yeah…”

I’m tired, so tired… Just changing clothes, why am I so exhausted…?

“…! Unnie.”

“What now…”

“Since we’re at it, let’s pick out underwear too…”

“No, why are you picking out my underwear?”

“Huh? No… Your outerwear is like that, so your underwear probably isn’t great either… And picking out underwear together isn’t weird, right?”

“…What? Really?”

“Of course, it’s not common, but it’s not weird. Close friends sometimes go shopping for pretty underwear together.”

“R-really…”

This must be a lie, right?

Have you been watching too much Japanese anime?

No way friends would pick out underwear together…

…But if I refuse here, she’ll probably sulk, so I can’t do this or that…

“Ah, okay… Let’s go…”

“Okay~.”

Just when I thought it was over, now I’m being dragged to the underwear section.

Just because she thinks I’d pick boring underwear.

This time, she even went into the fitting room with me to check my underwear.

Of course, she waited outside while I changed, but still.

Isn’t it out of line to just look at someone else’s underwear like that…?

…Pretty Heart is getting weirder and weirder.

Is this even normal?

Is she subtly lying to fulfill her desires?

Besides, I’m an adult, and you’re a middle schooler?

You know the age difference, right?

“Sigh~…”

“Hehe, good job, unnie.”

“Yeah…”

I’m really tired… Is it finally time to go home?

Ah, but as a thank you for recommending clothes, I should buy her something to eat…

“…Oh, that place looks good.”

“Unnie?”

“By the way, aren’t you hungry?”

“…I am.”

“Right? Then let’s go there. That Hot Taco place.”

“Is that Mexican food?”

“Probably? I’m not sure if it’s Mexican or Texan, but it’s definitely that kind of food. They have a lot of similar dishes.”

“Let’s go!”

So, that Hot Taco place it is.

Let’s eat there, rest, and then go home and lounge on the sofa.

“I’ll have that… and that… Ah, the Crazy Hot Red also looks good.”

“Cr-Crazy Hot Red…? Isn’t that super spicy…?”

She really loves spicy food.

Then I’ll start with the localized bulgogi taco… this and that…

…Ah, if I eat all this, I’ll be too full.

I’ll just order two.

I’ll have a milkshake too, so if I eat all this, I’ll be really full.

“Oh… It’s delicious.”

“This place is a real taco gem.”

“Right. I found it by chance, didn’t expect it to be this good. No wonder it’s crowded.”

…Crazy Hot Red, was it? She’s eating it without changing her expression.

Not even panting from the spiciness.

She’s really strong with spicy food.

“By the way… I’m going to the sea next week.”

“…Huh?”

“My friends are determined to take me to the sea.”

“Then, I want to go too.”

“My friends are all burly adult men. Still want to go?”

“Adult men…? Unnie, why is your social circle…?”

Ah, she’s questioning that.

I can’t tell her the secret, so it’s a bit awkward…

“…It just happened that way. They don’t even treat me like a girl, so they’re comfortable. They’re all into older sisters.”

“…Then, I feel relieved. I want to go too.”

“But they’re all men, you know?”

“I, want, to, go.”

“…Let me check first.”

This is… I feel like she’s clinging to me, but I didn’t expect her to be this obsessive…

But if I take her along, my friends might feel uncomfortable, what should I do?

I already sent them a message… Huh? They’re okay with it, really?

“…They said it’s okay.”

“…!! Really?”

“Yeah. No problem.”

“Then… Where are we meeting?”

“They’ll drive, so probably in front of my house.”

They’ll probably bring a big, latest-model SUV.

They’re really serious about that kind of stuff.

They don’t travel much, but when they do, they go all out… Like crazy people.

They even bought an SUV just for trips and had it customized by a technician, so that says it all.

“But they know I’m a magical girl, right? They keep secrets well, so it’s not a problem, but what do you think?”

“Th-they know you’re a magical girl…? Is that okay…?”

“Well, they’ll figure out you’re a magical girl from my social circle anyway.”

“…Is it okay?”

“It’s fine. They’ve kept my secret well so far.”

“Th-then… It’s okay.”

I thought she wouldn’t come after hearing this, but she really wants to go with me that much?

…Well, looking at her eyes, she doesn’t seem to see me in a sexual way, so it should be fine.

She probably has an abnormal attachment due to immense respect.

She was really excited when I first mentored her.

I’m not really someone to be respected, though.

“……”

“…What?”

“Ah, nothing…”

“Want to eat more?”

“Ah.”

“…Order more. I know you eat a lot. And I’m paying, so eat as much as you want.”

“Thank you…!”

Next week, the sea… It’s my first time…