Madoka who walked while pushing her bike, pa.s.sed another bike that ran from the opposing direction.

Gacha!*

Looking back to the sound, the previous bike had fallen down.
Madoka spontaneously asked her.

“Are you all right?”

After leaving the bike and approached her, that woman looked back as if surprised.

Her age was around 40s. Wavy hair reached her shoulder, with nice facial features.
She soon smiled and answered.

“I’m all right…or so what I wanted to say, but the chain seemed off. Old bike are not good, aren’t they…”

While saying so, she looked down.
Indeed, the chain was off.
Madoka too, who was worried if they crashed when pa.s.sed by each other back then, felt really thankful after knowing that the woman fell because disconnected chain, and the woman too looked unhurt.

“Could you repair this?”

“I guess so. Because I’m not really skillful, I usually brought it to the bike shop…”

“I can repair this. I also go to school using bicycle, I have repaired it several times by myself.”

The woman looked like she wanted to refuse the offer, waved her hands to the side.

“It’s fine. Your hands will be dirty. It’s all right. My house too is just right there.”

Madoka, even though had been told so, bended on one knee near the bike unhesitatingly, hoisted her hands to the chain.

“Oh, such a lovely hand…I’m sorry. Thank you.”

The woman too, honestly expressed her grat.i.tude here.

“No, it’s okay”

Madoka also smiled sweetly, continued doing the repair.
The process was not so difficult, the chain was inserted so the pedal could fit it, “kakka”[1] sound can be heard as the chain returned to its original position.

“Thank goodness”

“Amazing. It’s repaired.”

Madoka got up, turned to the woman while smiling.

“The chain is loose, so it seems easily undone. It might be good to get it adjusted in the bike shop.”

“Thank you. I will do that. Here, let’s wash your hand. From there, it’s very close.”

That woman with compelling looks, spoke to Madoka

“Because there are also perspiration after coming back from club activities, I will take the shower immediately after arriving at my house, so it is all right.”

“Well, I’m so sorry. You were really helpful. Although cannot be a token of thanks, let’s wash your hand, okay?”

The woman took Madoka’s arm.
Like that, she pulled Madoka’s arm spiritedly.

“Aah, yes. If so, then just my hand…because I brought a bike too, please wait as I take it.”

“I understand.”

After saying that, the woman replied with big smile.

“What a lovely lady…”

Looking at that smile, Madoka thought, although their age were slightly differed, Madoka was charmed by the smile with sweetness that remained in some place.

The two of them pulled their bicycle, then stopped in the yard, entered into the front of the apartment complex.

“You’re a high schooler?”

“Yes, I am a first year student in Asahi High School.”

“Oh, my son too.”

Madoka’s heart startled.
The destiny that had been given up crossed her mind.

“I am Kisaragi Madoka. First Year, Group One.”

“Not in the same cla.s.s. His name is Ichiyanagi Makoto. Do you know him? I think he doesn’t stand out.”

“Waa!”

Madoka spontaneously shouted aloud.
The throbbing heart swelled.

“Eh, what?”

“Well, Kami[2]…no, I heard rumour that he’s good at studying. Yes, I know of him.”

The woman understood and nodded.

“Come to think of it, in the high school enrollment test, he seemed to have been the top student.”

“Shyuu…”[1]

Involuntary sound was lost.
Madoka felt the correctness of her own intuition; because trying to rely on an overly high mountain, anxiety appeared.

“I am Makoto’s mother, Maho Ichiyanagi. Nice to meet you, Madoka-san.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Compared to her son, the mother seemed to be more sociable.

After feeling a bit calm, and they arrived in front of the house’s door, Madoka’s heart throbbed again.

“I’m home. Is Makoto at home?”

While entering through the door, Maho-san spoke toward the inner part of the house.

—————————–

[1] Onomatopeia?
[2]“Kamisama.”
Starting from this chapter, all references to Makoto the G.o.d of Study within the story will be written as “Kamisama” instead of “G.o.d”. I’m sorry for inconsistencies that may arise.