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I have yearned to become a magical girl when I was at the first half of my elementary school years.¹ At that time, I wanted to become a magical girl, purely because I saw that magical girls are cute.

In reality, a lot of magical girls are cute, and their clothes are also cute, so not only the young me, but every girl around me also yearned to be a magical girl.

I held a yearning to be a magical girl like everyone else do.

However, one day, my yearning grew stronger than others’.

I, who was in second half of my elementary school years, whose yearning to be a magical girl was still as strong, was attacked by a Phantom.

I of course only encountered a Phantom for the first time then, so my legs quivered and couldn’t move.

The Phantom approached me with his sadistic smile.

And when I thought ‘This is the end of me,’ she came.

“Stop!” She entered the scene as she strongly dropkicked the Phantom. She don shiny black hair, and on top of that, her body was wrapped with frilly black clothes. Her belly button, shoulders, and other places are exposed, despite her height being similar to girls of my age, I thought that she was like an adult.

That girl stood in front of me, she raised her voice.

“Magical Girl! Magical Flower! Black Rose! To protect the everyone’s blossoming smile, I shall fight you!”
That slim and delicate girl, Black Rose, as according to her statement, fought the Phantom.

Black Rose from that time can’t be called strong at all.

The fight was close, she was even hit by the Phantom. Even though she was injured that she knelled down, she kept fighting on.

And so, at the end of the struggle, it was Black Rose’s victory.

Even though she was covered in injuries, she turned towards me. She smiled at me kindly.

“It’s safe now. Don’t be scared.”

Even though she looked battered and wounded all over her body, she paid herself no heed and instead checked up on me. I can’t stop crying at that sight.

I was happy that she protected me. However, I was scared that Black Rose might get seriously injured if the fight went along for longer, it was painful to look at that I cried.

‘Are you okay? Does it not hurt?’, I incoherently said to Black Rose in-between my weeping. She did not walk away in disgust, instead, she stayed by my side and console me.

‘I’m okay, everything is fine’ she said with a smile.

Seeing her strong and dazzling smile, I unwittingly asked, “why didn’t you run? Doesn’t it hurt?”

As a response to my naive question, however, she did not laugh, but instead, she answered with a kind smile.

“It hurts. It really hurts. But, do you know?”

She said that as if she’s cracking a joke. However, what followed next was not a joke, but her true feelings, despite being said with a smile.

“I’m not going to run. Even if I show my back in order to protect a precious someone, I will never show it to run away.”

I only faintly remember her other words, but this particular words remained inside her heart ever after years has passed. That was how strongly her words has resonated with my heart.

I was saved by such a girl, and so my yearning grew stronger.

I want to be strong like Black Rose! I want to be a magical girl like Black Rose!

Today, I have seen my dear friend crying. She killed her own heart. She held strong and said things she did not mean for the sake of her brother’s escape. My best friend pushed herself over her limit.

I’m a good-for-nothing. Even though they were wrapped up in this incident because of me, I can’t do anything!

Sympathizing with Karen-chan, my own tears started to well up. Like Karen-chan, I teared up in frustration.

“…just run.”

Karen-chan pushed that out of her throat. Karen-chan’s also at her limit.

Please, Black Rose, save us…!

I called out the name of the magical girl that I admired in my heart.

That’s why, I was surprised when I heard those words.

“I’m not going to run. I will show my back in order to protect my precious little sister, but I will never show it to run away.”

He said… the same thing as Black Rose?

The memory surfaced when I heard those words.

Black Rose’s words, smile, the way she embraced me, the safety I felt.

That’s right, just wishing to be rescued isn’t enough…!

I roughly wiped off my tears.

I have a makings of a magical girl, so please, make me into one! Lend me your power so that I can save the others! Let me protect someone I held precious!!

—In that case, will thou make a contract with me?

I suddenly heard a voice. I was perplexed by the suddenness, but I didn’t need to think my answer anymore. It was already made.

I will! Make me a magical girl!!

—Very well. Then, from now on, thou art a magical girl.

The moment I heard that voice, something warm flown inside of me.

—Your name, I will let you choose. Even if I say so, you have already decided on it.

Yes. I have already decided.

My name is, Magical Girl: Magical Flower! Cherry Blossom!!

‘Magical Girl: Magical Flower: Cherry Blossom.’
I gasped when I heard her name.

There are countless titles out there other than a hero or a magical girl, such as a magician, a magic warrior, a magic knight, and so on. The distinction between all of them is not set in stone, so everyone is free to choose one for themselves.

However, “Magical Girl: Magical Flower: Black Rose” was a name I thought up myself. That’s why I did not think that she would christ herself as Magical Flower too and gasped.

“Kurona-san, please run.”

“……but-”

“It is a magical girl’s fight from here on out. Please. Take Karen-chan with you, and run.”

She held a serious face that I have never seen before.

……as she said, I will only be a dead weight at my current self. However, even if she win against White Goat and Black Goat, she might not win against Ziege, who may be stronger than me.

While I’m in a dilemma, she said with a little troubled face.

“Does my back look that undependable?”

…she can’t be serious, can she? She transformed into a magical girl at the last moment, fight a boss to protect the people she hold dear, that’s a protagonist no matter how you cut it. Moreover, her pink color accentuate her impression as a protagonist.

“You’re really cool.”

After I frankly told her, she bashfully grin, as if she’s happy.

“That’s good. I was worried about that a little.”

Even though she, who’s still bashful, acted as usual, her slightly trembling hand didn’t escape my attention.

There’s no way I can shame her, who have held strong in the face of this crisis.

“…I will call for help immediately.”

“Thank you. Then, I will believe in Kurona-san and buy some time for you.”

With that said, Sakura-chan–no, Cherry Blossom took her stance.

“Leave it to me, Cherry Blossom.”

“I will leave it to you.”

We turned our backs to each other and start running.

I ran to help Karen run away. Cheery Blossom, she ran to protect us.

“W, wait, Sakura!!”

Karen, who looked stupefied by the current situation, finally grasped the situation.

“I will try my best, Karen-chan!”

Cherry Blossom said curtly without turning around.

“Sakura… SakuraAAA!!”

You can hear her pained voice. It was the voice originated from her concern of her best friend. It was an expression originated from her heart.

I kept running as I hear her bellow.

Even if we stay, we can’t do anything.

As of the surrounding people, when they saw that we were running and Cherry Blossom was going to fight, they snapped back from their stupor and immediately started running themselves.

Ziege was unable to stop their escape and attack them because Cherry Blossom attracted his attention.

“Brother, Sakura is, Sakura is……!”

Karen continued to struggle against my hold as I carried her.

However, I affirmed my hug on her, so that I wouldn’t drop her.

I know what Karen wanted to say. I also know what she wanted to do.

However, I can’t allow her to. It will void the purpose of Cherry Blossom’s action and feelings.

That’s why, I didn’t reply to Karen’s words and continued running.

“Brother, please…..!”

Karen stopped trashing around. She curled up her body, held me tightly, and place her head on my chest.

“Please, save her……Onii-chan…”

She weakly called out to me by how she used to call me.

How many times have I heard Karen making this voice, I wonder? How many times have I made her feel like this, I wonder?

I stopped running.

“Onii, chan…?”

She said, half in bewilderment, and half in anticipation.

This place is good enough.

We managed to distance ourselves from the battleground far enough. Also, there’s no one here to see me, nor is there any security camera.

There’s completely no one watching.

The only eyes that are here are Karen’s, whose are looking at me to look for help.

If there wasn’t anyone else, if there was only this one set, that’s plenty.

“Karen. I’m sorry for not coming to your school entrance ceremony. Actually, I did come, but I also didn’t come.”

Karen looked at me, who said that, a statement which defies logical connection, doubtfully.

“However, even if I did not come, I² did come properly, you know?”

“W, what, are you saying…”

Karen looked at me, baffled.

I, I have made my resolve.

“Karen, watch me, don’t look away. Look at who I am, what I have become.”

“Onii, chan…?”

I put Karen down slowly, and take a few steps backwards.

“Maple.”

“I’m here, Mep!”

When I called for him, Maple appeared out of thin air from inside a fancy smoke.

Karen shook out of fright from the sight of Maple appearing out of thin air. However, when she saw that it was Maple, she widen her eyes in astonishment.

“T, that’s…!”

Karen is Sakura-chan’s friend. So, it wouldn’t be strange for her to know who Black Rose’s contracted fairy is.

I sweetly smiled at the amazed Karen, and accepted the bracelet from Maple.

“Magical Flower: Blooming!”

In a flash, my body was wrapped in black light.

To tell the truth, I’m scared that Karen is about to know my identity. Our relationship may irreversibly change after this. I mean, I, a boy, become a magical girl. I can only imagine what Karen’s reaction might be.

‘How shameful’, ‘I feel crept’. Any reaction it might be, it should be a reaction showing disdain.

That would be very painful, and very sad.

However, that’s not an excuse to let Karen keep weeping as she’s now!!

I have become a magical girl to keep Karen smiling and to protect her smile!!

I have became a magical girl for the sake of Karen, my precious little sister!!

With that in mind, there’s no way that I can keep Karen being sad like this!!

Even if, hypothetically, our relationship turn to dust, I will release Karen from all her sadness until now!!

The black light disperse and fades away.

The figure that remained there were familiar to me. However, it would be the first time that Karen meet her face to face.

“Magical Girl: Magical Flower: Black Rose.”

After I finish transforming, I introduced myself as usual.

“Onii-chan is… Black Rose…?”

Perhaps this is the time when she opened her eyes widest from astonishment.

“At that time, I was Black Rose, so Kisaragi Kurona couldn’t arrive at school. I’m really sorry.”

I apologized as I bow my head. She didn’t reply.

As complete silence filled the space, the sound of distant battle can be heard from far away. Personally, I was scared that she won’t answer me at this time, I can’t lift my head.

“I see, so that’s how it was…”

Before long, Karen said with a tone of acceptance,

“Onii-chan, raise your head.”

“Okay…”

I raised my head in trepidation.

But what filled my sight was instead Karen’s radiant smile.

“Thank you, Onii-chan, for protecting Sakura.”

“Eh?”

I gawked at her sudden expression of gratitude.

Contrary to my beliefs, Karen kept her cool, she looked proud even.

“W, well, I haven’t saved her yet, I was just about to go…”

“No. Did you not save her three times until now?”

“Eh, A, ahh. Until now, you mean…”

If I recall correctly, I have saved Sakura-chan twice. I see, she was talking about that time.

However, the frequency don’t match. I saved her twice, and I can’t remember any third time.

While I looked confused, Karen opened her mouth.

“Onii-chan has saved Sakura-chan that I can stay with her until now. Thank you very much.”

“No, you’re flattering me… I, I didn’t go to your school entrance ceremony after all…”

“Geez! It can’t be helped that you can’t come to school for saving Sakura! I’m not that unreasonable! Not to mention, if Onii-chan didn’t save Sakura, we can’t spend our high school years together! That’s why, thank you! Did you get that?”

“N, nn. I get it…”

“Very good.”

Karen nodded in assent after she vigorously subject me to her pressure.

“Besides, even though you came in the form of Black Rose, you did come to the ceremony properly, right? In that case, it’s fine. That aside, why did you tell me that Onii-chan is Black Rose? If you have told me, I wouldn’t have been angry.”

“No, I have shown you this form clearly when we were small…”

“…Ah,” Karen let out, probably only remembered just now.

“I thought that was just Onii-chan³ crossdressing to delight me…”

“No, although you’re right on the part that it was to delight you…”

Turned out that she didn’t notice that I turned into a girl. Well, I should have expected that. No matter how girly I have turned into, it was before any of the secondary traits come out.

“I see, Onii-chan, you have always been a magical girl from back then…”

“Nn. …excuse me, I mean, yes. I mean, for your brother to be a magical girl…”

“Eh, I don’t mind.”

“Eh?”

Even though I have steeled myself, I was still taken back by Karen’s response.

“Eh, wait, I mean. A boy has become a magical girl, you see? You aren’t crept out by that?”

“Not at all. I mean, Onii-chan has protected everyone under that guise, right? Onii-chan is really popular and the people take pride in you. With that in mind, even I am proud of Onii-chan. I never thought that you’re creepy.”

“Karen…”

My eyes turned warm after hearing delightful words from Karen.

I glad, I really am. I’m glad that Karen hadn’t turned to hate me. She even boasted about me, rather than hated me.

I can’t help but feel relieved that she has accepted me.

“—kh!”

“Kya!”

At the same time, a big explosion can be heard.

Right, Cherry Blossom is still fighting.

“Onii-chan.”

Karen looked at me seriously.

I too, looked seriously at Karen.

“Please. Help Sakura.”

“Yes, I get it. Karen, run to somewhere safe, okay.”

I turned on my heel after saying that.

“Good luck, Onii-chan!!”

I heard Karen’s encouragement from behind me.

I ran ahead without turning around.

I promised her. ‘I will call for help’. That’s why, I will bring one over. And from her point of view, I have brought the strongest person.

“Wait for me, I will be right over there!”

1. Note: Japan elementary school last for 6 years, so it’s the first, second, and third grade.
2. Kurona used masculine I, 俺, when he is a boy, but use neutral-feminine I, 私, when he is Black Rose. In the future, when this not-so-subtle subtleness appears again, I will italize the “I”. In other words, if Kurona, not Black Rose, refer to himself with 私, it will be italized.
3. I was wondering whether Onii-chan should be capitalized or not as it isn’t proper noun, but I indeed want to emphasize it, so it is capitalized. What do you think?