The two of them walked to a quiet corner and sat down across from each other.
"Wakaba -san went to participate in a club activity, right?"
"Yeah."
"This time, I feel like she intentionally misled me, but she didn't tell a single lie … she's amazing." Genji sighed.
"Chiaki has always been amazing," Mika told her.
"You two are good friends, but when it comes to Seigo … Seiji, what exactly is your relationship with her?" Genji inquired.
Mika was rendered speechless.
"If you don't want to tell me, then don't. You don't have to answer this question." Genji chuckled. "I'm curious, and even a little envious, because I actually want to become friends with Wakaba -san."
This was the truth. It was quite stressful to be rivals with Wakaba and Chiaki. It would be best if they could become companions.
"Chiaki actually admires you as well. If it weren't for Seiji, the two of you would probably become excellent friends." Mika spoke in a soft voice. "I don't think that I'm good enough to be Chiaki Kagura's good friend. Her good friend should be a girl like you."
"That's not right. You shouldn't say that." Genji looked directly at her.
"Actually, if it weren't for Seiji, I wouldn't have any interactions with Chiaki and Wakaba Kagura at all."
"If she recognizes you as her good friend, then you have the right to be her friend. It has nothing to do with whether you're good enough or not."
"Not only are you looking down on yourself, you're also being rude to her. Don't say such things in front of her."
Mika blinked upon hearing this.
"Thank you for your advice … I feel like you're quite similar to Seiji."
"Eh?"
"The content and tone of your words remind me of Seiji … Chiaki said that you're like a female version of him, and I think so as well."
Genji was rendered speechless.
"That sounds rather strange." The purple-haired girl revealed a subtle expression.
"You're quite similar to him, in Chiaki and I."
"I do have some things in common with Seiji, but if you say that I'm a female version of him, I think … that's not right." Genji folded her arms. "Even if we ignore the differences between men and women, there is still a fundamental difference between us."
"What is it?" Mika looked at her.
"I'm not sure … Should I say that he's more determined, or …" Genji thought for a moment. "… Simply put, he's more powerful."
"Powerful?"
"Yes, this is the simplest way to describe it." The purple-haired girl paused for a moment. "If I use killing as an example, he wouldn't hesitate at all when necessary, but I'm unable to do that … I'm not saying that he's cold-blooded, but that he's stronger than me on a deeper level … something like that."
Hearing this, Mika's eyes flashed.
"He has this extraordinary power, so he's a 'hero,' while I'm at most a 'princess,'" Genji concluded.
"I … seem to understand what you mean."
"As long as you understand."
Several seconds of silence fell between them.
"It's time to get to the main topic." The purple-haired girl had a serious expression. "Uehara-san, after hearing what Wakaba -san said last week, just what did you think?"
…
Later that night.
Seiji invited Mika and the others into the living room.
Chiaki was playing a game with Little Ling Yang, while he, Mika, and Feng Wu went to the study to talk.
"Seiji, actually, your true goal is to protect us, isn't it?"
Mika asked after hearing his explanation.
Seiji blinked upon hearing this.
"I told you before, my goal is …"
"That goal, it's fine even if you don't achieve it, right?" Mika looked directly at him.
"… Why would you think that?"
"I came to this conclusion after talking to Asamiya-san."
"You and Genji?"
Mika nodded.
"I met up with her after school and talked about many things. Then, we both felt that creating a team to deal with our sister was only an excuse. Your true goal was to use the Haruta Family's power to protect the Awakened … to protect your friends."
Seiji was rendered speechless.
"It would be great if you could achieve your goal, but if you really couldn't, you definitely wouldn't force yourself. That's because you've already achieved your goal by taking us under your name and raising us to become stronger. "Mika looked directly at his face." Am I right? "
Seiji smiled as he looked at her.
"You saw through me," he admitted.
"You're right. That's indeed what I think."
"It would be great if I could successfully defeat Sister Yui, but if I really couldn't do it, I wouldn't force myself.
Ever since the New Year, strange things have happened one after another. I feel that it'll be difficult for me to protect all my friends by myself, which is why I want all of you to become stronger. At the very least, you'll be able to protect yourselves in times of danger.
However, there are risks in the process of becoming stronger as well, which is why this method is actually contradictory. However, I still feel that actively becoming stronger is better than passively enduring.
That's what I think, but perhaps you all think differently. That's why I hope that all of you can join my team. I also hope that all of you can think things through and make your own choices. "
"Seiji …" Something flashed in Feng Wu's eyes as she looked at him.
"I want to join." Mika was still looking directly at his face. "I want to become stronger and help you, which is why I choose to join."
"Mika …"
"If I don't join, you'll definitely leave me behind."
"Eh?"
"You're very strong, Seiji, and you'll continue to become stronger. I want to do my best to keep up with your footsteps! "Mika spoke in a serious tone.
This was the final conclusion of her conversation with Genji Asamiya.
The powerful Haruta Seiji would continue to advance forward. If she didn't keep up with him, she would be left behind. Even if she could maintain a friendship with him, it was likely that they would become more and more distant.
From this point of view, liking him was a difficult thing, but also a fortunate thing.
That was because as long as she converted this feeling into motivation and kept up with his footsteps, she would be able to reach a level that she would never have been able to reach before!
…
Wanhua Summer Night was the "Empress."
Shika Kagura was the "Demon King."
Wakaba Chiaki … she could be considered a "Sage."
Then what was Mika Uehara?
Genji couldn't help but think to herself as she sat in her room in front of her drawing board, unable to draw anything on it. She recalled the conversation they had after school.
What astonished her the most was that not only did Mika Uehara accept the fact that Seiji killed someone, she even resolved herself to kill someone for him!
Genji still didn't have such a resolution … or perhaps she wasn't even sure if she could do it.
However, Mika Uehara had already resolved herself to do so, even before Seiji invited her to join his team! Even if she couldn't actually do such a thing, it was already amazing that she had such an intention … it was even a little scary.
Genji had long since believed that Mika had potential, but this type of behavior still exceeded her expectations.
She couldn't help but imagine what type of character such a girl would correspond to.
It didn't take long for her to come up with an answer.
Although she was somewhat clumsy and simple, she wouldn't give up easily. She had hidden potential and a will to never stop … such a person would obviously be the main character of a classic story — the "hero!"
Mika Uehara was the "hero."
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