"Phew… this is more draining than I anticipated," Tatsuya sighed, leaning his weight back into the depths of his chair.
Mayumi approached him, carrying two cartons of juice in her hands.
"Good work today, Tatsuya-kun. Here, this is for you…"
Tatsuya accepted the drink with a nod of thanks, his gaze lingering momentarily on Mayumi.
The way her lips pursed as she sipped her own drink through the straw was undeniably adorable.
Noticing his intense stare, Mayumi turned toward him with a mischievous, teasing smile.
"What's the matter? Have you finally fallen for this big sister's charms?" she asked, punctuating the question with a playful wink.
Tatsuya let out a small, composed smile, answering with uncharacteristic bluntness.
"I've been captivated by your beauty and charm from the very beginning."
"Eh…?" Mayumi froze, her mouth hanging open in a perfect 'O' shape.
Tatsuya let out a dry, teasing chuckle.
"So, you didn't even notice?"
"Ugh…" Mayumi went quiet, momentarily robbed of her usual wit.
"Mayumi, when do you have some free time?"
"Are you… asking me on a date?"
"You could put it that way."
Mayumi took a deep breath, her expression shifting to one of rare seriousness.
"I don't mind you going out with other girls, but at least once, I want a date with just the two of us."
As she spoke, a deep crimson crept up her neck, and she cast her eyes downward in embarrassment.
"That's exactly what I had in mind. How about after the Nine Schools Competition?" Tatsuya proposed.
"I wouldn't mind that at all."
"Good. Then it's a settled."
Tatsuya smiled with satisfaction, drained the rest of his juice, and tossed the empty carton into the trash bin with a practiced flick.
"…And what about Miyuki, Sayaka, and Erika? You promised to go out with them too, didn't you?" Mayumi's tone turned sharp, a distinct edge of jealousy lacing her voice.
Tatsuya paused for a fraction of a second before answering nonchalantly.
"Don't worry. I'm quite adept at managing my time."
Mayumi let out a helpless, exasperated sigh.
"You really are a top-tier playboy, aren't you?"
"But you like that about me, don't you?"
"Ugh…" Mayumi bit her lip, unable to deny his point.
Tatsuya's smirk widened.
He leaned in close to Mayumi, bowing his head slightly to whisper directly into her ear.
"Regardless of how many women are in my life, you will always remain one of the most important to me."
Mayumi's cheeks turned a vivid scarlet, her heart hammering against her ribs harder than ever before.
Tatsuya let out a soft breath against her ear one last time before pulling away.
Mayumi felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of emptiness—as if something precious had been abruptly snatched away, leaving her feeling strangely lonely.
"Break time is over. I should get back to class."
Tatsuya gave a casual wave of his hand as he began to walk away.
Mayumi pouted, watching his retreating figure with an irritated glare.
"How dare he play with my feelings like that! Just you wait… come Valentine's Day, I'm giving you God-tier bitter chocolate!"
Valentine's Day was still months away, yet Mayumi was already beginning to plot her "diabolical" revenge.
Shortly after leaving the Student Council room, a sudden, inexplicable chill ran down Tatsuya's spine.
'Is someone talking behind my back? Is it Mayumi? No, there's no way.'
He brushed the thought aside, trying to stay positive as he made his way back to the classroom.
...
When the roster for the Nine Schools Competition was officially announced, Tatsuya found himself staring in disbelief at his name listed alongside Yoshida Mikihiko and Saijou Leonhard.
"Mikihiko, Leo, and myself for Monolith Code? How did this happen? Both Mikihiko and Leo are 'Weeds'—how were they chosen to represent the school in Monolith Code?"
"It seems Juumonji-senpai was quite impressed by their abilities," a voice chimed in.
"That is why he appointed them to represent the first-year block."
"Miyuki? I can understand Mikihiko; his Ancient Magic is indeed exceptional. But why Leo? His magic is strictly optimized for close-quarters combat, and close-range engagement is prohibited in Monolith Code."
"Ah, about that… it seems Juumonji-senpai found a specialized CAD for Leo-kun to use."
"Hoh?"
Miyuki flashed a sweet, knowing smile.
"Shouldn't Onii-sama know more about that than I do?"
"Eh? Ah… has that CAD already been put on the market?"
"Yes. Ushiyama-san worked tirelessly to perfect the prototype you provided, Onii-sama. He began selling it immediately after obtaining the license."
"Wow… Ushiyama-san really is a hard worker."
Tatsuya was momentarily speechless, letting out a wry laugh at how destiny seemed to have a strange way of folding back on itself.
'Well, this isn't so bad.'
Tatsuya smiled faintly, amused by how the world seemed to be steering the course of fate back to its original path.
"By the way, Onii-sama."
"Yes?"
"Mikihiko-kun seems to be looking for you. It appears he has something he wishes to discuss."
"Hoh? I wonder what it is."
"I'm not sure. I wasn't told the details."
Tatsuya smiled and gave Miyuki's nose a playful pinch.
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. Perhaps Onii-sama could find him using your 'ability'?"
Tatsuya knit his brows slightly but complied, activating his Super Elemental Sight.
He kept the output to an absolute minimum to avoid detection.
However, despite his discretion, Juumonji, Mayumi, and a few of the school's elite felt a faint ripple in the atmosphere.
"Found him… Want to come along?"
"Hehe, of course."
Miyuki immediately wound her arm around Tatsuya's.
The two walked together through the hallway, completely indifferent to the ambiguous and lingering stares of the students passing by.
To be continued...Anvanced Chapter p*tre*n.com/AgamYupi02