Chapter 31

Chapter 31 The aftermath of the raid on Blanche’s HQ was handled by Jumoonji Kaito as the representative of the Juumonji Clan and the officials, and the students who participated in the raid were only asked to explain the chronology of events and let go. After the event, Mibu Sayaka was told to stay in a hospital to monitor her behavior and memories, given some of her memories had been altered. They had to make sure that there were no memories other than her misunderstanding about Mari’s words to her. The Kendo club’s captain and step brother of Tsukasa Hajime, Tsukasa Kinoe, was also hospitalized for the same reason. And given the probability of this case, he was not given any criminal charges. None of the students who joined the egalites will also be reprimanded or given punishment for this incident. After all, if they were, the school’s accountability would come under scrutiny, and they wanted to keep it under wraps. Thus, time passed, and the day of Mibu Sayaka’s discharge from the hospital came on May 10, 2095. Yuuji, Aika, Tatsuya, and Miyuki came with bouquets to celebrate her discharge as promised. Entering the lobby of the hospital, they immediately saw Sayaka talking chummily with Kirihara. “Oh my oh my~!!! Fufufufu~ They’ve gotten chummy, huh~?” Aika’s lips curled into a wide, catty grin as she watched the two talk with each other. Even from a distance, the atmosphere around them was clear. They’re both clearly interested in each other, but they’re still too shy to show it as affection, so they just act friendly with each other. A typical romance between an innocent couple. Yuuji smiled at her helplessly and thought of the time when they were also still too shy to confess their feelings to each other. Yuuji acted as gentlemanly as he could and tried to help her and be friendly then, while Aika would always make dirty jokes when she’s embarrassed. Although they’re now unafraid to show their love for each other, they were just like Sayaka and Kirihara in the past. “Apparently, Kirihara-senpai’s been coming to visit her everyday~!” Erika came from behind and appeared beside Yuuji with a teasing grin. “Oh my~ Kekeke~ Then since he’s not even hiding it, it’s a must for us to tease them, then~?” “Hehehe~ I’ll help you out with that.” “Hah... Stop that, you two. Don’t tease an innocent couple.” Yuuji bopped Aika and Erika’s head softly and called out to Sayaka. “Mibu-senpai.” “Ah, Tsubakihara-kun, Shiba-kun, everyone!” They approached her and they could immediately see Kirihara’s shock and nervousness immediately from seeing an extremely handsome guy approaching them. “Congratulations on being discharged, Mibu-senpai.” Yuuji and Miyuki then both gave them the bouquet they’ve been holding, and Sayaka received them gratefully. “Thank you so much!” As the girls chatted away, Yuuji met gazes with Kirihara and nodded his head before giving him a thumbs up. His face immediately blushed at the realization of Yuuji’s actions, but before he could say anything, Sayaka’s father approached Yuuji and Tatsuya. “Are you Tsubakihara and Shiba?” Yuuji and Tatsuya turned to the older gentleman, and they immediately recognized him not only as Sayaka’s father. “Yes sir.” “I see. My name is Mibu Yuzo. Sayaka’s father. May I have a word with the two of you for a moment?” “Of course.” Yuzu led the two slightly away from the group and began to thank Yuuji and Tatsuya for helping her daughter. “I did not do anything to be thanked for, Mibu-san. It was thanks to Aika, Miyuki, and Erika who talked Mibu-senpai through it.” “Indeed. All I did was callously pushed her instead, so I must be despised instead. I’m not worthy of any gratitude.” Mibu smiled softly at the two young men before him and turned to his daughter. “I could never even be able to bring myself to push her away. I’m aware that her magic skills weren’t coming along, but I never truly grasped how much that fact was torturing my daughter.” He turned his gaze towards Tatsuya. “My daughter told me that listening to you made her remember what it was to be torn. And that’s what triggered her to wake up from her nightmare.” He then turned towards Yuuji. “And she was also saved by you and Kiryuu-kun because you told her that she hadn’t wasted her time. So please allow me to say it. Thank you very much for helping my daughter.” Yuuji smiled helplessly and finally relented before a father’s sincere gratitude. “You are welcome, Mibu-san.” “Mm. You two are just the kind of man Kazama said you were.” “You know Major Kazama, sir?” “Yes. I’m already retired, but he’s an old comrade in arms who once shared a barrack with me.” He looked at Tatsuya for a few moments and then turned towards Yuuji, and stared at him for a while longer, before smiling once again. “Don’t worry. I won’t say a word to anyone about what I’ve heard from Kazama, so rest assured. I just wanted to tell you that I know that you two are the ones who saved my daughter. I really appreciate that.” Yuzu patted the both of them one the shoulders and walked away, leaving the two guys glancing at each other awkwardly before returning back to their group. “Ah Tsubakihara-kun, Shiba-kun! What were you talking about with my dad?” “It was nothing. We just greeted each other after he recognized us. A person who once looked after us was apparently a close friend of his.” Tatsuya explained. “Oh really?” “Yes. It’s a small world, huh? I didn’t expect it either.” “Heeeh~ So you two have such a strong connection, then~! Hey Saya, why did you jump ship from Tatsuya to Kirihara-senpai? You were in love with Tatsuya, right~?” Erika grinned teasingly. “H-Hey, Eri!” “If it’s just a matter of looks, I think Tatsuya wins, you know~? Oh, but if you only consider looks, then there’s no way you would look at anyone but Yuuji, right~? After all, his looks are worlds apart from Kirihara-senpai~” “Y-You’re just beyond rude, aren’t you?!” Kirihara gritted his teeth as his cheeks blushed redly in embarrassment before Erika patted him on his shoulder. “It’s fine, Kirihara-senpai. When it comes to men, looks aren’t everything... Well~! If it’s too far apart like you and Yuuji, then it’ll be a super steep mountain to climb~” “Seriously, I’m gonna make you bawl, damn you!!!” “Now now~ Anyway, was Kirihara-senpai’s diligence the clincher for you~? Are you the kind of girl who gets all knees-weak over the gentleness of an awkward guy~?” “Y-Yes... Just like you said, Eri... I-I think I fell in love at first sight with Yuuji-kun... And then, I-I also find Shiba-kun attractive...” “...Eh?!” Not only Kirihara, but Erika was also caught by surprise at her honesty. “Because... Both of them have something I truly admire... an unwavering strength, and the power to back their ideals. But... even as I felt admiration for both of them, I also felt afraid...” Sayaka slowly looked up from the bouquet to the two of them. “No matter how hard I try... I know I could never, ever stand by their sides...” Erika fell silent and looked down to her hand and clenched it. She admired Yuuji’s power and the light he shined... He’s like a sun that lit up the entire world. So bright... so beautiful... yet so far. She wanted to be close to him, but she was afraid... She could never shine as brightly as him. She’s not as beautiful or as sexy as Aika, nor is she powerful enough to stand by his side. She’s just a girl with a normal high school girl’s figure and slightly good with the sword. She’s not even girly or cute, and there’s so many other girls cuter, more beautiful, and more powerful than her who would fit him better. But... what pained her more than that realization was the fact that she still couldn’t give up on him. Being with him made her feel very happy and warm. Even though they hadn’t interacted much, the little time she spent with him was always fun. Every message they sent to each other always made her heart flutter. And everytime he showed his concern for her, she couldn’t help but fall in love with him again... Erika unconsciously glanced at Yuuji and saw him similarly staring at her. She immediately averted her face away as she felt her heart skip a beat. “But Kirihara-kun... Even if we fought sometimes, he’s someone who would walk at the same pace as me. I guess that’s why...” Sayaka looked at Kirihara lovingly, causing him to avert his gaze in embarrassment and rub the back of his head. “Mmmm~!!! Thank you so much for the meal, Sayaka-senpai~ I’m so full~” Aika grinned and turned her attention towards Kirihara. “Then~? What about you Kirihara-senpai~? How long have you been in love with Sayaka-senpai?” “Kuh! N-Not you too! Give it a rest, will you?! Who cares about that stuff!” “That’s right, Aika. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been.” Kirihara, Sayaka, Erika, and Miyuki all turned and looked at Tatsuya in shock. He was the last person they’d expect to join in this kind of thing. “The important thing is that Kirihara-senpai is seriously smitten and head over heels for Mibu-senpai.” “W-What the... Hey you!!!” Kirihara’s face turned crimson red as he looked at Tatsuya in disbelief. But before he could do anything, Yuuji also decided to join and pour a tub of salt to his wound. “Mm, he’s right. I can’t say much but, after seeing Kirihara-senpai’s gallant figure of cutting down Blanche’s leader and displaying his anger over Mibu-senpai’s abuse, I can’t help but admit defeat when it comes to Mibu-senpai...” “Oh my~” Erika, who had recovered from her own embarrassment thanks to Kirihara’s embarrassment, decided to join in again and tease him. “Hey Yuuji, tell me later in secret, okay?” She said shyly as she grabbed the hand that held hers back, intertwining their fingers. She averted her face away from him, not wanting him to see her goofily smiling face right now from the sheer happiness of finally knowing that her crush feels the same way as her. Erika tried stealing a few glances at him, but immediately averted her gaze away again after seeing his smile. She had no experience when it comes to romance. This was her first love, so she was extremely unprepared for things like this! They’ve been growing closer recently, yes, but just holding hands with him already surpasses everything they’ve done together all this time combined! But as soon as she heard a giggling from him, she pouted and glared at him, which only made him giggle even more. “W-What are you giggling about...?!” “I’m sorry. You’re just so cute, even more than usual.” “!!!! Y-you idiot! H-How could you say something like that with a straight face!” “Ahahaha, I’m sorry! My heart is also beating really fast, you know? But I’m just... so happy right now.” Erika felt her heart tightened when he said that and felt his hand holding hers tighter. She looked down to the ground and also held his hand tighter. “...I-I’m happy too.” Seeing the two adorable love birds being all embarrassed and shy, Aika’s lips couldn’t help but curl into a wide grin. Fufufu~ Erika being shy is super adorable as expected~ I can’t wait for when we could have “fun” together a lot in bed~ With light, excited steps, Aika approached the two and hugged Yuuji’s left arm with a huge smile and cheered. “Alright~! Then let’s go and explore the house together~!!!” She then proceeded to lead (drag) her darling and new sister around their house. After all, she knew that Erika would definitely be spending most of her time here from now on~ Aika led them on a journey, going into every room, nook, and cranny there are in the house and had Erika become familiar with the house, including the underground lab and gym and the second floor, which surprised her to no end. Even though her family was a well respected family and well off, even her main house’s estate was nothing compared to this! After they went to the swimming pool, Erika finally couldn’t help but ask them if they’re super rich, and Aika just showed her Yuuji’s jaw dropping stock trading portfolio and his bank account that made even a young lady of a well respected household such as herself couldn’t help but stare at it dumbfoundedly... She couldn’t believe he’s her age with the amount of wealth he has... He might even have more than all of her family’s assets combined, and he’s one person!!! But after Yuuji bonked Aika for showing it without his permission, Yuuji took over the tour and led Erika to the rest of the house before they all had dinner together and settled down on the couch in the living room. Yuuji casted the “Overlord” anime to his home theater system so they could watch it together. Erika had never seen this anime before, but she wasn’t quite knowledgeable about anime, so she didn’t know that this anime wasn’t of this world. Regardless, she still found it pretty interesting. But right now, most of her attention wasn’t on the show, but on the fact that she was resting her head on Yuuji’s shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her waist! Aika was also in the same position on the other side, but she didn’t look nervous at all. SHe looked very comfortable and was enjoying the show to the fullest, often laughing out loud or commenting on how funny the main character was. But she was super nervous!!! This was the first time being this close to a man in her entire life!!! She wanted to approach it slowly at first, but after seeing Aika nuzzling into his embrace and him opening his other arm to invite her, there’s no way she could not accept it! She was swept up by the atmosphere and his invitation before, but now, she’s super nervous! The thought of being a couple with Yuuji was only a dream a few days ago, but now, she’s in his embrace!!! How could she not be nervous!!! Well... This doesn’t feel bad... Aside from her rapidly beating heart that she could hear in her ears despite the sound from the anime, the warmth and comfort she felt from being in Yuuji’s embrace was... blissful. It was the first time she had ever felt this way... Erika stole a glance towards Yuuji and tried her best to get closer to him and nuzzle her face to his shoulder without letting him nor Aika notice. But after she found a nice place, she noticed Aika grinning at her and immediately averted her face away. “Hehe~ You’re so cute, Erika~” “I-I wasn’t doing anything!” “Eeeeh~? Who said you’re doing something~? Did you do something?” “!!!! Y-You...” Aika continued to grin and giggle while Erika pouted and glared at her with a red face. “Alright alright. I know she’s super cute when you tease her, but don’t do it too much, Aika.” “Hehehe~ Okay~” “Y-Yuuji! What are you saying!!!” “The truth. Ahahaha!” “Y-You...!! Hmph!” Erika pouted and averted her gaze away in annoyance. But then, she felt a hand on her head. “I’m sorry. But it’s true. You’re just too cute.” “...” Erika wanted to complain. After all, she had never been called cute this many times before, and she felt super embarrassed. But the feeling of Yuuji stroking her head quickly melted away all her embarrassment and annoyance that she just pouted at him and fell back into his embrace. A few episodes later, Erika had finally become accustomed to being in Yuuji’s embrace and began to become fully immersed in the show. Just then, Aika’s phone rang with an incoming call. “Ah, it’s Miyuki~ I’ll go take this okay~? You two feel free to flirt all you want~” “Wha- J-Just go already!!!” “Ehehehe~” With light, joyful steps, Aika walked away with a giggle before answering Miyuki’s call, leaving Erika alone with Yuuji. And now that she’s gone, Erika started becoming nervous again. This time because it’d be the first time she’s alone with Yuuji. But just then, Yuuji’s voice brought her out of her own nervous mind. “Hey, Erika... Are you really okay with this?” Erika flinched and looked at him confusedly for a moment. And only after looking at his serious expression for a while did she realize what he meant and began pouting. "You've hugged and done all this... What's the use of asking now..." She let out a sigh and slumped down, letting her head fall to his lap. "I... I don't know how I would feel about this in the future... After all, it's a harem, right? I never thought about being in one. But... I get along well with Aika, and I... I-I've fallen for you... So I guess... I'm okay with it... For now..." Although she still seemed on the fence about their relationship, simply the fact that she felt okay with it for now lifted so much weight out of his chest. In truth, even though he was happy that he could be in a relationship with Erika as well, he couldn’t help but fear if she’d accept this kind of relationship. After all, while having a harem was a standard in some cultures, it certainly wasn’t in theirs. But it seems like she had come to accept it after Aika talked to her. He raised his hand and placed it gently on her head. He could feel her body flinching from his touch, but after not receiving any sign of discomfort, he began stroking her beautiful red hair. "Thank you.... Erika. I love you." "U-Uhn... Me too... Ahh geez! You didn't have to say that! It only makes it even more embarrassing!!" "You should get used to it, because I'll be saying it a lot from now on." "G-Geez... Do what you want!" Erika grabbed a pillow and hugged it tightly, burying her redly blushing face into it. Then, a few moments later, Yuuji heard her speaking with a muffled voice. "Hey... There's going to be more in the future right...?" In that moment, the faces of his mom, sisters, aunt, and Mayumi flashed in his mind, and he knew he’d have to face more situations like this in the future as well. But, no matter what, he had vowed to himself not to tell any lies to his lovers, so he answered truthfully. "Yes..." Erika sighed into the pillow before facing up and pushed the pillow into Yuuji’s face. "Hah... Well, I know there would be more from what Aika had told me. But just don't go around and seduce girls just because, alright?" Removing the pillow from his face, he smiled helplessly and nodded. "Of course. I promise you." "Mm. Good. And also... Aika told me u guys have some big secrets that you can't say yet... So I'm expecting you to tell me about it the moment you can, alright?" His eyes widened in shock for a moment. There’s only one big secret he hadn’t told her yet. "Alright... Thank you for understanding." Erika snorted and smiled smugly before pointing at him. "Hehe, you should be glad for having such an understanding girlfriend!" "Yes yes. I am I am." "You can just say it once!” AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!! Also, if you'd like to read additional chapters ahead and get a pdf version (Light & Dark), please feel free to check out my at /verglasx ~!!