Author's Note) The World Of The Dream-Filled Author Part 2 (Haruhi)

I left the store with my plastic bag in hand and walked towards the bus stop, which would take me to school. One would think technology would have boomed due to magic, but it was not like it was in the stories. Magic was not about magic circles or the like. I guess it could be more called an ability than magic, but once one person called it magic, it stuck, and that is what it has been called since. 

When one uses magic, there is no magic circle forming in the air with runic markings. There was no flashy show to watch when casting a spell. A person who could wield fire could do so without any notice. This was why school training was needed, and any crimes using magic were treated more harshly based on the crime. However, the crime rate did drop since magic appeared. No one wants to go into a store to rob it and end up being burned to death by the cashier. Even young kids could easily protect themselves from being kidnapped.

You can say that magic allowed humanity to live in peaceful times.

The bus slowly rolled to a stop in front of me. I got my pass out and tapped it on the reader before taking a seat in the front. There were other kids from my school on this bus as well, but none of them would ever say hi to me. Not that I mind. It was not like I had any of the same interests as them. My interests were solely in my writing. Even now, I already had my notebook out and was jotting down ideas.

Sadly, the bus ride was never that long. I soon had to put my things away and get off. Seiryukan Gakuen was a massive school with many facilities. With its three dungeons, everyone wished to come here. I got in by the skin of my teeth. 

Dungeons allowed for a new type of job to appear. Those who entered dungeons were called divers. You could register as a diver at the Divers Guild and take on requests that people would post. Something I have written about many times. But sadly, it seems my ideas were never original.

The thing about dungeons was that they had to be heavily guarded and cleared once a month, no matter what. Otherwise, you would get what is called a dungeon break. If a dungeon sat too long, the mana inside would build up, and the monsters would break free and begin wreaking havoc in the communities. If a dungeon goes undiscovered for too long, it could become a big deal. I have no plans to become a diver, but it was an option I had thought of if a novel of mine is not picked up before I graduate, mainly because it would still allow me to write on the side and make enough to live off of.

As I sat down at my desk, the normal cliques were already gathering. They all talked about this and that. School had only started a week ago, and everyone seemed to have already gathered together in their own groups. 

But from what I have seen, there always seems to be that one yes man. The person who doesn’t really speak much but still nods and agrees with everything that is being said. I guess the idea of being left out and alone scared them. 

As more and more students entered the room, there was one girl who stood out the most. Hirano Aoi, the school’s belle and also one of the most powerful first years. She was the school’s director's niece, which gave her a lot of sway within the school. She was beautiful and smart, and her fire magic was so strong that she could even fight on par with a third-year. 

The school’s forums had a post on the first day to vote for the school’s belle. She won by a landslide. I normally would not care about such things but her entire being had sparked my author’s spirit. This was why this past week, I had been studying her, trying to find out more about her. Since I could not talk to her directly, I could only take notes as I observed her and build a character from that. I was not sure what kind of story I wanted to write yet but I felt maybe I could come up with something once I got a character sheet written up.

But you can say that between me and Hirano, our worlds were completely different. We were two people who were destined to follow different paths in life. She was outgoing and popular while I was the kitten in the box that everyone ignored.

The bell rang, and our homeroom teacher walked in. She was also the teacher for the next class, which was our practical magic class. She rattled off names to take attendance. This part of the morning I hated the most since I had to speak up. Luckily I only needed to say the word ‘here’. If I was lucky I would not stutter while saying it.

“Alright, since you all have my class next, I will post team pairs for the magic test today.” When I said that Hirano and I were supposed to be in two different worlds, I truly meant it. That was…. That was how it was supposed to be. When I saw my name written on the board, I couldn’t help but be surprised. My name was written next to Hirano’s. The school belle and I would be taking out magic test together.

I looked over at Hirano, who just so happened to be looking over at me with a small smile on her face, making me instantly lower my head. Her pink, rosy lips were curled up into a smile, causing her to look even more beautiful than she already was. It even made me, a girl, heart skip a beat.