Editing Mahou Sensou:Volume 2 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 11===
A week after what happened with Kurumi. The semester exam period had ended with disastrous results. Luckily his parents weren't around to scold him, so there wasn't as much of a problem in that regard, and he was relieved to know that he could still recover, even so, it wasn't to laugh about getting bad grades. Besides, Takeshi was facing another situation.

 After the above happened, Kurumi no longer showed up for the magic affinity group training that had already resumed after the end of the exam period. And, she also did not approach Takeshi in the classroom again as she used to. Ida also continued with her insecurities so Takeshi was left to train alone.

Since morning Takeshi had been watching Kurumi closely, with the intention of breaking the ice. When it was time for recess, he tried to talk to her who was sitting next to him.

-Hey... Isohima....

This was the first time Takeshi did that, since she was always the one looking for him, so he was breaking the rules in that aspect. However, Kurumi didn't respond at all and simply got up from her seat and left the classroom. Takeshi followed her into the corridor because he was fully determined to talk to her.

-Isoshima I want to talk to you.....

However, no matter how much he called out to her by walking behind her, she didn't turn around.

"I guess she's avoiding me... It's too obvious. He's been doing the same thing for a whole week."

Takeshi had certainly said he wanted his space, but he also hadn't said not to talk to her again at all. All he wanted was for them to get along more like what they were: childhood friends.

Kurumi continued to ignore Takeshi and went into the girls' bathroom. Takeshi stood in front of the entrance and let out a sigh.

-Takeshi-kun... did you have a fight with Kurumi? -Asked Mui who appeared walking down the hallway. Takeshi smiled bitterly and answered:

-Sort of...

He didn't really feel that they had fought, but everything gave the impression that they had. Mui looked up and said to the worried Takeshi:

-Do you want me to talk to her?

However, Takeshi politely declined. After all, he had already been wandering around after Kurumi for quite a while.  Besides, he wasn't the only one to blame and solving that matter also depended on Kurumi.

-No, I'll wait a little longer.

-Really? -Mui asked with concern, but seeing that Takeshi was determined, she went back to the classroom.

Takeshi knew he had to do it on his own and he was sure that if he didn't succeed, Kurumi would move further away from him. That was not what he wanted.  He even wondered if it would be better to go back to his usual relationship with her.

Finally when all the classes were over, Takeshi took Kurumi by force. She was about to leave the classroom as soon as the bell rang.

-Hey Isoshima, wait....

The classmates looked at them with some suspicion, but then they didn't take so much attention anymore. Kurumi tried to break free from Takeshi's grip, but when she saw that it was impossible, she ducked her head.

-Why are you doing this? I told you several times that I wanted to talk to you and you didn't listen to me..." Takeshi declared in a stern tone.

At that moment, drops of water started to fall at Kurumi's feet from her crouched face. She was crying. Takeshi noticed that and froze completely.

Most of the students just stared at them, but of all people, Ida let out a heavy sigh, approached them and grabbed them both by the arm to pull them out of the classroom.

-If you're going to fight, do it somewhere else. -Ida told them.

Then she pointed with her chin to the emergency stairs at the end of the hall.

-I'm sorry. -Takeshi replied.

Then Ida let out another sigh and said:

-If you don't get along you will create a bad atmosphere in the team and remember that I am also part of that team.

-You are right...

Ida pulled the repentant Takeshi, and whispering in his ear so Kurumi wouldn't hear said:

-Bringing out the soft side of a woman, that's a gift only we men have.....

-What are you saying? -Takeshi asked.

-I don't know, Dad used to say that..." replied Ida.

Takeshi involuntarily let out a small laugh and then Ida patted him on the back. She was still holding Kurumi's arm, but she had already stopped crying. When they climbed the emergency stairs, Takeshi finally let go of her. But Kurumi still kept silent.

-Listen, Isoshima... Let's stop this already, okay?

—…

-Isoshima?

Takeshi was waiting for Kurumi to answer him something. She leaned on the stair railing and even with her face bent down, she finally answered:

-You said not to be so clingy with you remember?

-Yes, but that's not what I meant, you're overreacting too much.....

He didn't want to get so far away that he would never talk to her again.

-I just told you to give us some space, but it wasn't for you to go that far.

Kurumi was still depressed.

-I just..." Kurumi spoke in a voice so low that it seemed like the wind could blow it away. I didn't want you to hate me...".

Kurumi wiped the tears from her eyes with her fingertips.

That gesture made Takeshi feel miserable. He never intended to make her cry. He didn't even expect Kurumi to have cried like that. So he let out a heavy sigh suddenly. Something that caused Kurumi to suddenly shudder. That caused Takeshi more misery as it was inconceivable that she could ever be afraid of him.

-I could never hate you. I just, I couldn't help but be shocked.  -He mentioned in a sweetened voice.

Kurumi raised her face slightly and asked:

-Shocked? Hadn't talking to me shocked you?

-Of course...

It was bad enough for him to be ignored by Gekkou, and he was shocked to see Kurumi so intent on doing it the same way.

-So... Shall we continue as we were?

She looked up and stared at him, then Takeshi smiled.

-It's okay...

Immediately after that, Kurumi broke away from the railing and approached Takeshi.

-Huh?!?!!? mirror ....

She held Takeshi's hand very tightly.

-Don't you want to?

-Well...

Takeshi was a bit confused about what she meant, then Kurumi clarified:

-I mean holding hands. Not when we're alone, but when we're at school, right?

Kurumi looked up with wet eyes and Takeshi frowned and whispered slowly:

-Okay...

With that, the charade of pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend was prologue. But it was much better than being ignored by Kurumi. Although he felt like he was at a dead end, he had no choice and simply walked back to the hallway holding hands with Kurumi. If it helped Kurumi feel better, then that was fine.

In response to the half-surrendered Takeshi, Kurumi stopped making that tragic face she had. However, she thought Mui had urged him to follow her to try to talk to her.

As she went into the girls' bathroom to run away from him, she heard them talking in the hallway. At the time, he barely caught a glimpse of them mentioning his name.

"Would he have made peace with me because she asked him to?", Kurumi wondered.

"If she hadn't asked him would he have left me alone any longer? »

All that boiled down to one very sad question she wanted to ask him:

-Takeshi, is there someone you like?

But, Takeshi who was walking behind her didn't seem to have listened.