The rookie Monolith Code prelims ranked Third High first, followed by First High, Eighth High, and Ninth High. Per regulations, semifinals would pit Third High vs. Ninth High and First High vs. Eighth High, but since First High and Eighth High just faced off, an exception swapped the matchups to Third High vs. Eighth High and First High vs. Ninth High.
Right after the announcement, Tatsuya wandered the lobby, Miyuki by his side.
"Is that President Saegusa?" Miyuki asked.
"She's talking to someone," Tatsuya noted.
"Her sisters, probably. I heard she has twin younger sisters," he added, his tone certain despite their figures being out of sight, sensing their presence.
"Sisters? They must be adorable," Miyuki said, her voice tinged with a subtle edge.
"Feeling off, Miyuki?" Tatsuya asked.
"Not at all," she replied, her mood noticeably souring.
Tatsuya noted her shift but had no time to dwell. Mayumi, finishing her chat with her sisters, spotted them and hurried over.
"Good work, Tatsuya-kun," she said.
"No, just chatting with your sisters?" Tatsuya replied.
"You knew? Well, I guess that's not surprising for you," Mayumi said. "The Saegusa are famously social."
"True. Even among the Ten Master Clans, Saegusa info is relatively easy to get," Tatsuya agreed, though compared to other families, even they were secretive.
"They said they weren't watching the rookie matches, but now they're interested," Mayumi explained. "Came to borrow hotel money."
"Kind big sister," Tatsuya said politely.
Mayumi blushed, genuinely flustered, while Miyuki's mood darkened further. Tatsuya pretended not to notice.
"We'll head off then," he said.
"See you later, Tatsuya-kun, Miyuki-san," Mayumi replied.
After parting, Miyuki, without prompting, linked arms with Tatsuya. He glanced at her but didn't pull away.
"Oh? Is that Watanabe-senpai?" Miyuki said, spotting Mari ahead but showing little interest.
Tatsuya stopped, forcing Miyuki to pause. "Brother?"
"The Nine Schools Competition's something else," Tatsuya said. "Running into big names everywhere."
He recognized the young man beside Mari, taking a moment to connect the face to the info—no intent to tease.
"Mizuki? Why's she there?" Tatsuya said, tilting his head as he and Miyuki noticed Mizuki staring nervously at Mari and the man.
"Aniki!" Erika's shout rang out.
"Aniki?" Miyuki echoed, puzzled.
Mizuki flinched at Erika's voice.
"If I'm not mistaken, that's Erika's second-eldest brother," Tatsuya said. "A near-world-class close-combat specialist."
"Erika's brother is that impressive?" Miyuki asked. "But why's she so mad?"
"Hey, Tatsuya-san, Miyuki-san," Mizuki said, finally noticing them and approaching.
"Erika bolted off at insane speed when she saw them," Mizuki explained.
"Just watch," Tatsuya said, fixing his gaze on the trio without elaborating.
"You're supposed to be in Thailand for swordsmanship training!" Erika yelled. "Why are you here? Kazu-nii might slack off, but you, Shuji-nii, abandoning your duties? Disgraceful!"
"Erika, I didn't abandon anything," Shuji protested. "I got permission."
"Permission doesn't justify it!" Erika snapped. "You were formally entrusted by the Thai kingdom, and you ditched it!"
"It's just a university club exchange, not some grand mission…" Shuji tried.
"Shuji-nii!" Erika barked.
"Yes!" he yelped.
"Even a club exchange is a formal duty! There's no excuse for abandoning it!"
"You're right," Shuji conceded, wilting.
Seeing world-renowned swordsman Shuji Chiba cowed by his little sister, Tatsuya thought, Sisters run the show everywhere, huh?
"No way you came back for this woman, right?" Erika said, glaring at Mari.
"This woman? I'm your senior at school, you know," Mari retorted.
Erika barely glanced at her, losing interest. "Ever since you started dating her, you've been spiraling, Shuji-nii. The 'Chiba Prodigy' is gone."
"Erika! That's rude to Mari! Apologize!" Shuji demanded.
"No way!" Erika shot back. "It's a fact—you've been slacking since you got with her. If you don't want to hear it, step up!"
The tables seemed to turn, but Erika's relentless momentum overwhelmed Shuji, who couldn't even stop her as she stormed off. Spotting Tatsuya and company, she jogged over.
"You saw that?" she asked.
"Yeah," Tatsuya replied.
"Cool. You're treating next time," Erika declared.
"Hey… fine," Tatsuya relented.
"Deal!" she grinned.
To calm things down, Tatsuya bought canned lattes for the trio, grabbing a black coffee for himself.
"That idiot brother, falling for a woman like that…" Erika grumbled.
"He's a world-class swordsman, right? Calling him 'idiot brother' is a bit much," Miyuki teased.
"How'd you—oh, right, Tatsuya'd know about Shuji-nii," Erika said.
"E-ri-ka," Miyuki said playfully. "No need to change how you talk in front of us. It's 'Shuji-nii-sama,' right?"
"No! Forget that! That's not me!" Erika protested, embarrassed by her refined speech slipping out.
"Erika-chan, you're spilling," Mizuki said.
"You love Shuji-san, don't you?" Miyuki teased, her expression gleeful.
"No way!" Erika snapped.
Mizuki tried redirecting, but Miyuki's amused look didn't waver. Tatsuya sensed his sister was venting stress.
"Miyuki-san, stop egging Erika-chan on!" Mizuki pleaded.
"So, Erika's got a brother complex?" Miyuki said.
"You're one to talk, you ultra-brocon!" Erika fired back.
Caught between two brother-obsessed girls, Mizuki froze. Tatsuya, meanwhile, stepped away to avoid being associated, ignoring Mizuki's pleading looks and sipping his coffee.
"Tatsuya-kun!" Erika called.
"What?"
"Come with me!"
"Huh?"
Tatsuya thought, Isn't this Leo's job? But until Third High's match began, he became Erika's stress outlet. Mizuki, caught by Miyuki, suffered a similar fate…
The Saegusa sisters and Shuji stealing a moment, and Tatsuya pegging Leo as Erika's punching bag—love it! Want to dive into that Tatsuya-Fujibayashi dynamic or brainstorm the IF scenario? Mikihiko's spotlight is next!
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