"Just a friend," I replied.

I started walking beside her down the hallway. The window outside showed a darkening sky, and then I noticed the first few snowflakes falling.

"Snow..." I muttered, watching the flakes drift past the window.

"Snow's starting, yeah..."

"Aha, yeah... it is," she replied, glancing at me.

Then, she looked over at me with a grin. "Wanna go to the rooftop to feel it?"

"Sure, why not?"

We made our way up to the rooftop, the cold air hitting us as soon as we stepped outside. The snow had started to fall in gentle flakes, covering the ground and surrounding buildings with a soft white layer.

Sakura took a deep breath, smiling as she looked up at the snow. "It's nice, huh?"

"Yeah," I said, pulling my jacket tighter around me. "It's peaceful up here."

We both stood there for a moment, watching the snowflakes drift down. The quiet of the rooftop gave everything a calm, almost surreal feeling.

After a few seconds, Sakura turned to me. "So, what's going on with you lately? You've seemed a bit distracted."

I hesitated, unsure of how much to say. "Just... a lot on my mind."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

I shrugged, not sure how to explain. "It's complicated."

"I see..." she said, then adjusted her hair with a flick of her hand, holding up a small mirror.

"New mirror? Did you replace the broken one?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, yeah... it was," she replied casually.

I glanced at the hand mirror, noticing it had a cute, ornate design. "Where'd you get it?" I asked, making small talk.

Sakura glanced down at the mirror in her hand, her fingers lightly tracing the edges. "I found it in a little shop downtown," she said, her tone casual but with a hint of pride. "It was on sale, so I couldn't resist."

"Looks nice," I said, nodding in approval. "Kind of... elegant for something so simple."

She smiled. "Yeah."

I walked over to the rooftop barrier and leaned against it, looking out at the students playing football in the large yard or just walking around.

She followed beside me, glancing up with a knowing look. "You're thinking about something again."

"Huh?" I was confused and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"You know... I've noticed. You're quiet a lot, always deep in thought. We're just in our first year of high school, you know?"

"Aha... do I really look like that?" I chuckled, a bit surprised.

Sakura smirked, crossing her arms. "Yeah, you kind of do. It's like you have this whole other world in your head most of the time."

I shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Guess I get lost in my thoughts sometimes."

She raised an eyebrow, glancing at me. "So, what's been going on in that head of yours lately? You seem... different."

I hesitated, unsure how to explain everything—the mirror world, the strange powers, Ayami, and all the weirdness. It felt too insane to say out loud.

The wind blew, tousling my hair as I stared at her. "Sakura-san... do you believe in magic?"

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Sakura blinked, caught off guard by my sudden question. Her eyes widened in confusion, clearly surprised by the randomness of it. "Magic? What... what do you mean?" she asked, her tone a mix of shock and curiosity.

I rubbed the back of my neck, realizing how strange it must have sounded. "Uh, I mean, like... real magic. Not tricks, but... you know, actual magic. Like, things that can't be explained."

She stared at me for a moment, clearly processing what I just said. "That's... that's really random. Where's this coming from? Are you serious?"

I nodded slowly, trying to keep it together. "Yeah, I'm serious. There's just been some weird stuff happening, and I don't know how else to explain it. It's hard to put into words."

Sakura looked at me skeptically, her expression softening just a bit. "Okay, now you've definitely got me curious. Are you gonna tell me what's been going on?"

"Would you believe me if I said I have magic?" I asked.

"...Uh, no?" she replied, her tone a little uncertain.

I looked down, feeling a bit deflated. "Ah, just... don't worry about it."

"What if I told you... I believe there's magic in this world?" she said.

"...Then I'll tell you a story."

"Huh? What story?"

"Well, I just found out about it yesterday."

"What kind of story?"

"In short, do you know the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu?"

"Yeah, that's from Western mythology, right?"

"Well, Enkidu is now ruling the world, and he's making it so people can't use magic."

"Uh... oh, is it?"

I nodded, knowing she wouldn't just believe me like that. "It's a story from someone I knew."

"That's new for me. I never knew about that history, but... it's a good story."

"Yeah..." I replied, feeling a little awkward and not sure what to say next.

"But hey, you see that? The snow's coming..." she said, changing the subject.

I looked up at the sky, the first few snowflakes drifting down, adding to the quiet beauty of the moment. "Yeah, looks like it's going to be a big one," I said, pulling my jacket tighter around me as the cold wind picked up.

She hugged her arms, shivering a bit. "It's kinda cold now. I think we should head back inside."

We headed back inside, escaping the cold of the rooftop.

After a while, the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. I gathered my things and made my way out of school, but instead of heading straight home.

Curious, I made my way to her place. The streets seemed quieter than usual as I walked, the falling snow giving the whole town a soft, quiet atmosphere. It wasn't far, and soon I found myself standing outside her apartment building, texting her that I was here.

I made my way up to her floor, the familiar sound of footsteps in the hallway accompanying me. When I reached her door, I knocked softly.

"Come in!" Ayami's voice called from inside.

I opened the door and stepped inside, finding Ayami sitting on her couch with a laptop open in front of her. The room was dimly lit, with the soft glow of the snow outside filtering through the window.

"You came," she said, glancing up from her screen with a small smile. "I found something interesting. Have a seat."

I took a seat across from her, curiosity piqued. "What did you find?"

Ayami leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "I did some digging. And I think I know why you're the only one who can get through to the mirror world."

I raised an eyebrow. "You figured it out already?"

"Not completely, but I'm getting closer," she replied. "I spoke with one of my friends who also has magic, and he said you might actually be cursed, not gifted."

"What!?" I exclaimed, taken aback.

She reached to the side of her laptop and grabbed a thick book. "I've been researching, and I think we should try a ritual with a pentagram."

"Wait, wait, wait... what are you going to do with me?" I asked, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"Don't worry, it's just to unlock your potential," she said, her tone calm. "But I need a fully black chicken."

"Where am I supposed to get that?" I asked, confused.

"No need," Ayami replied with a smirk. "I've already got one. It's already... well, dead."

"...Okay? Then what's next? What's this ritual going to do to me?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you'll get something cool, like superpowers or something."

I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of curiosity and hesitation. "Superpowers, huh? Alright, let's just get this over with."

Ayami gave me a reassuring smile, though there was a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Trust me, it'll be fine. Just follow my lead, okay?"

She placed the book down on the table and opened it to a page filled with strange symbols and diagrams. The pentagram drawn in the center looked intricate, its lines sharp and precise.

"First, we draw the pentagram on the floor," she explained, grabbing a piece of chalk from her desk. "We need to make sure the circle is perfect."

I nodded, watching as she carefully started marking the floor. She seemed confident, almost too confident, but something about the whole thing felt off. Still, I didn't want to back out now.

Once the pentagram was drawn, Ayami placed the black chicken in the center. She muttered something under her breath, the words sounding foreign and ancient, as if they were from a language I didn't recognize.

"What's happening?" I asked, feeling a strange energy building in the room.

"Just wait," she replied, her eyes focused on the symbols. "The ritual will work... just focus, alright?"

The air in the room grew heavier, the energy almost tangible. I could feel a pull deep inside me, like something was awakening. I didn't know if I was ready for whatever this was, but it felt like it was already too late to turn back.

The room flickered as if the world itself was shifting, and for a moment, everything around us seemed to stand still. The lights dimmed, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

Ayami's voice broke the silence. "It's working... just stay calm."

To Be Continue.