Chapter 235: In the end, Noah’s premonitions had been right.

The afternoon continued peacefully for the trio, who, after finishing their drinks, ordered something to eat.

Hikari began talking about her studies, and Stella showed interest in the subjects she was taking.

She even asked how she managed to keep such high grades while fulfilling her responsibilities as a magical girl.

Hikari explained part of her routine and Noah listened attentively, but when she mentioned the hours she dedicated to studying, he frowned slightly.

"Hikari."

She looked up.

"Yes?"

"That’s too much."

Hikari blinked.

"What is?"

"The hours you study."

"But I need to keep my grades up."

Noah sighed.

"You also need to rest."

Stella nodded.

"Noah is right."

Hikari looked surprised.

"You think so too?"

"Of course."

The actress smiled slightly.

"During shoots we have pretty demanding schedules, but if we don’t rest properly, we end up making mistakes."

Hikari lowered her gaze.

"...I understand."

Stella continued.

"Being responsible doesn’t mean you have to work all the time."

Noah smiled.

"Exactly."

Hikari looked at both of them and then nodded slowly.

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Stella smiled.

"Good."

Noah remained satisfied.

’Looks like they’re getting along pretty well.’

The most important thing was that Stella no longer seemed to be keeping that distance that worried Hikari so much.

The actress was talking with her naturally, and she had even started asking questions on her own initiative, and Hikari answered enthusiastically.

However, this time she made sure not to turn every answer into an overly long explanation, and Noah had to intervene a couple of times when she started getting too excited, but other than that, the meeting went smoothly.

When the last hours of the afternoon began to fall, Stella checked her phone.

"Wow."

Noah looked up.

"Something wrong?"

"It’s gotten pretty late."

Hikari immediately checked the time.

"It’s true!"

Stella smiled.

"I have another commitment later, so I should get going."

Noah nodded.

"Of course."

Hikari lowered her gaze slightly.

"...I understand."

The actress noticed.

"Hikari."

She raised her head.

"Yes?"

"I had a lot of fun talking with you."

Hikari’s eyes widened slightly.

"..."

Stella continued.

"It was nice hearing your opinions."

The student started to smile.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Hikari clasped her hands in front of her body.

"I’m really glad."

Stella smiled.

"Besides, I was surprised by how much you remember from my movies."

Hikari blushed.

"I’m a huge fan."

"I already noticed that."

Both of them let out a small laugh, and Noah watched them, satisfied.

’Perfect.’

Stella picked up her bag and then looked at Hikari.

"We can talk again another day."

The student froze.

"..."

Noah raised his eyebrows slightly, and Hikari took several seconds to react.

"R-Really?"

Stella nodded.

"Of course."

"You wouldn’t mind?"

"Not at all."

Hikari slowly lowered her gaze and then smiled.

"I’d love that."

Stella looked satisfied.

"Then we can set something up later."

Noah stood up along with them.

"I’m glad you could come."

Stella looked at him.

"Thanks for inviting me, Noah."

He smiled.

"No problem."

The actress paused for a moment and then added.

"And I’m glad you’re doing well."

Noah nodded.

"Thanks."

Stella looked at him for one more second and then smiled again.

"Take care."

"You too."

The actress said goodbye to Hikari.

"See you."

Hikari gave a small bow.

"See you soon!"

Stella left the café, so Noah watched her walk away and then looked back at Hikari, who remained motionless, but with an enormous smile.

"..."

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Hikari?"

She reacted.

"Yes!"

"Are you okay?"

Hikari nodded quickly.

"Perfectly fine!"

Noah smiled.

"I’m glad to hear that."

The girl looked at the door Stella had just left through and then looked back at him.

"Noah..."

"Yes?"

"Stella said she wanted to talk with me again."

He nodded.

"That’s right."

"And that she had fun."

"That too."

Hikari slowly lowered her gaze.

"..."

Noah smiled.

"See? I don’t think she dislikes you."

The student remained silent for a few seconds and then nodded.

"You were right."

"I’m glad you understand."

Hikari raised her head again.

"I think I was worrying too much."

Noah smiled.

"A little."

She let out a small laugh and then started putting away her things, so Noah helped her gather both the computer and the documents.

Finally, both of them left the café and, once outside, began walking toward the station.

Hikari carried her bag over her shoulder and seemed much calmer than the day before.

Noah walked beside her, and for a few minutes they talked about how well the meeting had gone.

"I think Stella was pretty comfortable with you."

Noah commented, and Hikari smiled.

"I hope so."

"She asked you several questions."

"That’s right."

"And she was the one who suggested they meet again."

Hikari nodded quickly.

"I know."

Then she lowered her gaze slightly.

"I’m really happy."

Noah smiled.

"I’m glad."

’Maybe this time I actually managed to make something turn out like in the anime.’

That thought put him in a good mood.

Ever since he had arrived in this world, practically every original relationship had ended up developing in a different way.

Yume, Luna, and Iris had fallen in love with him, while Aria and Ren had ended up involved in a completely different situation.

However, Hikari and Stella still seemed to have a chance of developing a relationship similar to the one they had in the original story.

’Good.’

Noah smiled discreetly.

’For once, the goddess didn’t manage to ruin everything.’

They kept walking and finally arrived near the station entrance, so Hikari stopped.

"Noah."

He looked up.

"Yes?"

She clasped her hands in front of her body.

"I wanted to thank you again."

Noah smiled.

"You don’t have to."

"But I want to."

Hikari lowered her gaze slightly.

"If it weren’t for you, I’d probably still be thinking Stella was mad at me."

Noah nodded.

"I’m glad I could help you."

Hikari smiled.

"Really."

For a few seconds they remained silent, and then she slowly raised her head.

"Noah."

"Yes?"

"Can I do something?"

He blinked.

"What?"

Hikari took a small step toward him, and he remained still.

The girl seemed to be gathering courage for something, since her cheeks started to turn red, so Noah frowned slightly.

’What’s wrong with her?’

Hikari moved a little closer.

"Noah..."

"Y-Yes?"

She looked at his face, then lowered her gaze slightly, and for a moment she seemed to hesitate, but finally she made a decision.

She leaned forward and kissed him.

"..."

Noah’s eyes went completely wide.

The contact lasted barely a few seconds, and then Hikari pulled away quickly while her cheeks were completely red, but Noah remained still.

"..."

Hikari lowered her head.

"Th-Thank you for everything!"

Noah blinked.

"Hikari?"

She took a step back.

"S-See you tomorrow!"

"Wait!"

But Hikari had already started walking away.

She walked quickly toward the station entrance, then sped up even more, and finally disappeared among the people entering the building.

Noah remained still.

"..."

For several seconds he couldn’t react, but then he slowly raised a hand and touched his lips.

"..."

’What?’

He looked toward the station and then back at the spot where Hikari had been.

’What the hell just happened!?’

He had spent the entire afternoon helping Hikari improve her relationship with Stella, managed to get both of them to talk calmly, and they had even agreed to meet again.

Everything had gone exactly as he expected until that last moment.

’Why did she kiss me?’

Noah frowned.

’Was it a way of thanking me?’

He thought about it for a few seconds and then slowly shook his head.

’No way.’

He remembered Hikari’s red cheeks, the way she had approached, and how she had run away right after.

Noah closed his eyes.

’Don’t tell me...’

Then his phone vibrated, but Noah remained still, so it vibrated again, and he slowly took out the device.

The screen was on, and in the center appeared a symbol he knew all too well: a golden clover.

"..."

Noah felt a bad premonition.

’No.’

He unlocked the phone, the app opened automatically, and a notification appeared on the screen.

[The first one fell, well done, stud.]

"..."

Noah remained completely still, read the message, then read it again, and his eyes slowly widened.

’Wait.’

He looked at the notification again.

’The first one...’

He remembered the mission from that morning, and then he understood that that sentence couldn’t have been written by anyone else.

Noah slowly tightened his grip on the phone.

"..."

’Damn goddess!’

He had spent the entire afternoon thinking he was helping Hikari get closer to Stella romantically, so he had celebrated that the two of them were getting along.

He had even started to convince himself that, finally, one of the original couples from the anime might end up together, but now...

Noah looked at the screen again.

[The first one fell, well done, stud.]

His hands started to tremble slightly.

’THE SIGNAL WASN’T DOWN!?’

He raised his head, then looked up at the sky, and finally shouted.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLANNING NOW?!"

Several people walking near the station turned to look at him, so Noah froze.

"..."

He slowly lowered his head.

"Sorry."

Then he put the phone away.

However, he could still remember that notification perfectly, and above all, the words that worried him the most.

’The first one fell.’

Noah closed his eyes because, if he had understood correctly, there was still one left, and he knew who it referred to.