Yukieda’s ear tips flushed red. She glared, teeth clenched.

In an instant, she curled slightly, seeking a trace of security. Then, with a flick of her hair, she turned her back on Mai.

“You… I actually considered you a friend.”

She’d claimed not to care—but the moment she stepped into the changing room, panic gripped her.

Girls clustered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing while changing, waiting for friends before heading in.

“We’re late. No adjacent lockers left,” Mari said, voice tinged with regret.

“Doesn’t matter. Mai and I’ll check the back row…”

Yukieda wiped cold sweat from her brow. Girls always noticed those odd little details to prove how close they were.

Good thing they were late. Changing in front of both would’ve given her away for sure.

She pulled Mai to a secluded corner, shielding him as he changed furtively.

At her insistence, Mai faced the wall.

Thankfully, nothing went wrong. The hotel’s hot spring was spacious, bustling with foreign guests—many wore swimsuits, so Mai looked perfectly normal.

Yukieda stared hard at his chest. *This* was the 100,000-credit luxury prop. What technique? If she hadn’t seen Mai’s lower half before—the censored parts—she’d never have guessed it was fake.

Yukieda herself wore a modest swimsuit. Her chest wasn’t flat, but far from ample. Frills highlighted her youthful charm; the blue bottoms dug gently into her thighs, making them look whiter, plumper, tender.

She leaned in, pinching and squeezing Mai’s fake chest.

Mai’s face flushed slightly. He turned away—partly from her hands, mostly from the view.

From his angle, Yukieda’s chest was fully exposed, even a curious little bump visible. She seemed utterly unaware.

As expected: looked real, felt fake. Hmph. No elasticity compared to her own.

Yukieda felt a strange, misplaced pride.

“Yukieda-chan! Shizuku’s already in. Aren’t you ready?”

Mari’s voice cut off abruptly.

Panicked, Yukieda let go—and accidentally yanked Mai’s towel loose.

Stunned, Mari’s gaze drifted… she’d always admired Mai’s long legs.

On Mai’s **, something protruded. What *was* that?

Mai and Yukieda froze like statues.

Mari leaned closer—then Yukieda snatched her glasses and slipped them on.

“Ah… can’t see clearly.” She adjusted the frames.

“Ahem. Don’t I suit glasses too, Mari-chan?”

Glasses softened Yukieda’s features, giving her a gentle, class-rep aura.

Mari, utterly charmed, forgot everything else.

“So cute!”

“Honestly, Mari-chan—we’re soaking soon! Why keep glasses on? I’ll walk you to your locker.”

Yukieda hooked her arm through Mari’s, dragging her away while shooting Mai a sharp glare.

Phew. Crisis dodged.

After a quick rinse, Yukieda settled beside Mai in the hot spring.

Guests lounged lazily against the edges—many foreign tourists among them.

Technically mixed-gender bathing: a low wooden partition separated the sides. Male voices drifted clearly over.

With Mari and Shizuku elsewhere, Yukieda seized the chance to ask Mai about Master Dai.

After a brief exchange, she learned: she lived on the top floor.

“Then tonight… I’ll meet that legendary Magical Girl.”

Strange. Yukieda felt she *should* remember Master Dai—but her mind held nothing.

Mai explained: one of her abilities. She could make others forget her… until seeing her face restored the memory.

“So… it doesn’t matter if I don’t recognize her now? It’ll just… come back?”

Mai gave a noncommittal hum.

Just then, Yukieda noticed Shizuku and Mari had quietly slipped away.

Inside the shared room—

Darkness, save for moonlight. Two shadowy figures tiptoed slowly.

Silent.

Then—no stealth needed. Shizuku flipped on the light and TV, boldly yanked open the closet, and pulled out Yukieda’s luggage.

She locked the door.

*Even if this building collapses,* she—Mikami Shizuku—*will eat these cookies today.*

She set the cookie box on the floor, snorted coldly, and smiled cruelly.

“This time… scream all you want. No one’s saving you.”

She almost saw the cookies huddled, trembling.

Unwrapping the gift box, she took a deep breath. Her loose yukata rose and fell.

“Alright. Time to eat.”

As she reached for the ribbon—

*Snap!*

Her arm was seized. She struggled—uselessly.

She followed the grip to Mari, wearing an identical yukata, face pale with dread.

“Shizuku-san… did you forget what Yukieda-chan said?”

Of course she remembered. *“I will be… very, very, very angry.”*

Yukieda’s face flashed in her mind.

“But—give up *now*?! After all we sacrificed?! All the comrades who fell?! What was it all for?!”

An impassioned voice boomed from the TV.

“No! I must eat! I must destroy! I must ruin Yukieda’s confession!!!”

Shizuku roared like a rebel storming the barricades, straining to break free.

“No! She’ll be furious! She might cut ties! I can’t—I *can’t* accept that!”

For Mari, life had been a dark path—monsters behind, ghostly hands clawing at her feet.

Then Yukieda appeared: an angel purging demons, a guiding star in the night.

If Yukieda severed ties… what would become of her?

Mari fought back with desperate strength.

They tumbled into a corner, yukatas tangling, skin brushing, breath ragged.

Stamina matched—but Mari pinned Shizuku’s wrists down. Delicate shoulders exposed.

“Let me go, Mari-san.”

Shizuku’s tone was dead serious.

“Shizuku-chan… p-please… just drop it.”

“It’s not about cookies! It’s Yukieda’s *happiness*!”

“I know! But… what if we stop her from going out tonight?” Mari pleaded.

“Troublesome. Destroy the cookies now… and it ends.”

Conviction surged through Shizuku. Mari gasped—she was breaking free!

“No!”

Mari glanced at the cookies, trembling, and forced Shizuku’s wrists down again.

Yukatas slipped nearly off—but neither cared. Strength clashed.

Shizuku gritted her teeth. *Can’t move.*

*What now?*

“Huh? Yukieda-chan?”

Shizuku puffed her chest, glancing past Mari’s shoulder.

“What?”

Mari turned—

“Gotcha!”

Shizuku shoved her off and lunged like a gazelle.

But Mari wasn’t fully fooled. In a flash—leopard-fast—she tackled Shizuku. Both yukatas flew off.

Shizuku inched forward on the floor, muttering “Damn it.”

No eating now. She’d crush them with her forehead.

*Broken cookies can’t be given away.*

The box—so close!

*Swish~*

The door slid open. Cold hallway light flooded in.

Shizuku and Mari looked up.

Just in time to see Yukieda cover her mouth—and collapse limply into Mai’s arms.