Chapter 208: Stella confirms it, and Ayane plans a small visit.

After talking with Noah’s mothers, Stella looked at him again.

"By the way..."

She took out a small bag.

"I brought you something."

Noah blinked.

"Another gift?"

Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Another?"

Noah glanced at the bags his family was carrying. Stella followed his gaze, then let out a small laugh.

"I see."

Noah sighed.

"They came to visit me."

"That’s good."

Stella handed him the bag.

"Mine is simple."

Noah opened it. Inside was a special-edition movie, the cover showing an adventure story with fantasy elements.

Noah looked at it.

"A movie?"

Stella nodded.

"It’s one of my favorites."

Noah lifted his gaze.

"Really?"

"Yes."

Stella smiled.

"I’ve watched it several times."

"Were you in it?"

"No. I wish I had been."

Her smile widened.

"But that way I can enjoy it without constantly analyzing my own performance."

Noah let out a small laugh.

"I get it."

Stella pointed at the box.

"I thought you could watch it while you rest."

"Thanks."

"You don’t have to watch it right away."

"I know."

"But when you do, I’d like to know what you think."

Noah nodded.

"I’ll tell you."

Stella looked satisfied. Then Emma looked at Sarah, and the two exchanged a smile. Noah felt a bad premonition.

Emma spoke.

"Sarah."

"Yes?"

"I think our son is still meeting girls."

Noah closed his eyes.

’Don’t make those comments.’

Sarah smiled.

"Looks that way."

Stella raised an eyebrow, and Noah reacted immediately.

"It’s not what you’re thinking!"

Emma looked at him with amusement.

"What are we thinking?"

"Mom."

Sarah laughed.

"We’re just kidding."

Emma looked at Stella.

"With so many girlfriends, I’m starting to think Noah is looking for another one."

Noah froze. Ava frowned. Stella blinked, then smiled.

"Another girlfriend?"

Noah raised a hand.

"You don’t have to answer that."

Stella looked at him, then back at Emma.

"Well..."

She paused briefly.

"...I wouldn’t mind being his girlfriend."

"..."

Noah’s eyes went wide. Ava stopped moving. Emma blinked. Sarah raised her eyebrows. Stella kept smiling, and Noah felt like he needed to sit down again.

"What?"

Stella looked at him.

"What?"

"What you just said..."

She let out a small laugh.

"I just answered."

Emma started laughing.

"Wow, Noah."

Sarah smiled.

"Looks like we weren’t that far off."

Noah tried to explain himself.

"We’re not dating!"

Stella nodded.

"That’s true."

Noah sighed in relief, until she added,

"For now."

Ava stepped forward.

"For now?!"

Stella looked at her.

"Yes?"

Ava crossed her arms.

"My brother already has enough girlfriends."

Noah looked at her.

"Ava."

"What?"

"That’s not necessary."

"Of course it is."

Stella observed Ava, then smiled.

"What a protective sister."

Ava narrowed her eyes.

"Very."

"I see."

For a few seconds the two of them stared at each other. Noah immediately remembered what had happened when the fake Stella had visited their house.

That time, the Great Mother had managed to calm Ava down with just a few words. But now the real Stella seemed to be enjoying her reaction.

Noah brought a hand to his face.

’This can’t be happening.’

Emma intervened before the situation could get worse.

"Well, we’d better take Noah home so he can rest."

Sarah nodded.

"That’s right."

Stella’s expression changed.

"Of course."

She looked at Noah.

"Sorry, I didn’t mean to hold you up."

"It’s fine."

Stella smiled.

"I’m glad you’re okay."

"Thanks."

"And rest."

"I will."

She pointed at the movie.

"When you watch it, let me know."

Noah nodded.

"Alright."

Stella said goodbye to Emma and Sarah, then looked at Ava.

"Take good care of your brother."

Ava answered immediately.

"I always do."

Stella smiled.

"That’s good."

Finally she walked away. Noah watched her for a few seconds, then looked down at the movie.

’What was all that?’

He had agreed to go to the movies with her because he thought she might need to talk about the magical girls.

Then he had ended up fainting, and now Stella had just said in front of his family that she wouldn’t mind becoming his girlfriend.

Noah closed his eyes.

’No.’

He remembered Hikari and the conversations the two of them had started to share.

’Please let her have just been joking.’

Sarah spoke.

"Noah."

He lifted his gaze.

"Yes?"

"Shall we go?"

"Sure."

Emma smiled.

"Stella seems like a very nice girl."

Noah nodded.

"She is."

"And very pretty."

"Mom."

"I’m just saying."

Ava answered immediately.

"He doesn’t need another girlfriend."

Sarah let out a small laugh.

"It’s okay, Ava."

Emma looked at Noah again.

"Although that girl seemed pretty interested."

Noah sighed.

"Can we just go home?"

Sarah nodded.

"Of course."

The four of them started walking toward the parking lot.

Ava stayed right beside Noah the entire way. From the way she was looking at the movie Stella had given him, it was clear she hadn’t forgotten that conversation.

A certain distance from the hospital, a young woman was watching the exit from an elevated position, binoculars in her hands.

The young woman was Ayane Kagetsu. She had arrived shortly after learning that Noah had been hospitalized.

She hadn’t managed to get closer, mainly because his family was present, and then his girlfriends had started arriving.

Ayane slowly lowered the binoculars.

"..."

Ayane frowned slightly.

’How many girls does he need visiting him?’

She raised the binoculars again and saw Noah walking with his family.

He seemed to be doing fine, and that was what mattered. Ayane felt relief.

’Thank goodness.’

When she heard that Noah had lost consciousness at a movie theater, she had been quite worried.

At first she had even considered the possibility that it might have been an attack from Nozomi, but then she found out he had been taken to the hospital and that he was stable.

Even so, she had decided to check for herself.

Ayane watched as Noah approached the family car while Ava stayed by his side and his mothers arranged a few bags.

Ayane lowered the binoculars.

’He’s okay.’

That should have been enough. She could go back to her responsibilities; she had pending reports.

Reina was probably doing something she shouldn’t, Misaki was surely arguing with her, and the unit was still suffering the consequences of the reduced resources.

Ayane sighed, but then she thought about Noah again.

About how he had woken up, that he would need to rest for the next few days, and that all those girls had been able to visit him.

All of them except her.

Ayane looked toward the parking lot again.

’It wouldn’t be appropriate to interrupt him now.’

His family was there, and he had just been discharged. He needed peace and quiet.

Ayane nodded slowly.

That made sense. She shouldn’t bother him. But she also wanted to check in person how he was doing.

Watching from a distance wasn’t enough, not when she had been so worried. So she put the binoculars away and thought for a few seconds.

Then she took out her phone while Noah was already getting into the car. Ayane watched him one last time.

’Maybe I should visit him when he’s resting.’

She stayed thinking.

A short, polite visit, without drawing too much attention. She could bring him something and ask how he was feeling, just to make sure he was recovering.

Ayane put her phone away, and her expression relaxed slightly.

’After all, I know where he lives.’

She looked toward the street where the family car was beginning to pull away, and finally made a decision.

’I’m going to visit Noah at his house.’