The Nine Schools Competition was over, and Tatsuya was navigating a busy summer break. Between his various obligations, a call came through to his terminal one day.
"Hello?" he answered.
"Shiba-kun? It's Ichihara," came the voice on the other end.
Surprised but keeping it hidden, Tatsuya responded calmly. "Is something up?"
"No, it's about the tuning matter we discussed before the competition."
"…Oh, you mean me coaching you? I thought that was just the president's whim," Tatsuya said, recalling the conversation.
"It was, but after seeing your skills during the Nine Schools Competition, I thought maybe you could help me improve to a decent level."
Suzune's tuning skills, while competent, didn't reach the level of the competition's engineers. This wasn't humility—it was fact. But Tatsuya, unaware of her exact skill level, couldn't gauge her potential.
"So that's why you called?" he clarified.
"Yes. If you have time, that is."
"Let's see… I'm free tomorrow and the day after, but after that, it's tough."
"Could I ask for your guidance at school those two days, then?"
"If that works for you, I'm fine with it," Tatsuya replied.
He'd planned to tinker with his CAD in his room, so coaching Suzune posed no issue. He agreed without hesitation.
"Thank you. What about the time?"
"I'll match your schedule."
"Could we do it from morning until the school's final dismissal time? Since we only have two days, I'd like as much guidance as possible."
"Got it. Shall we meet in the student council room?"
"Yes, that's probably the safest place."
Tatsuya tilted his head, puzzled by what Suzune meant by "safest," but he didn't press her on it.
"Then I'll see you tomorrow. Thank you."
"Alright, see you then."
Cutting the call, Tatsuya addressed the sister eavesdropping beyond the door. "That's the plan, Miyuki. I'll be out tomorrow and the day after."
"Wha—?! I-I understand, Onii-sama," Miyuki stammered, caught off guard.
"Lock the doors properly and don't let strangers in," he added.
"How old do you think I am, Onii-sama?" Miyuki asked, half-indignant.
Despite being treated like a child, her expression was bright. She knew his concern was reserved for her alone, so she didn't mind the overprotectiveness.
"Still, I never imagined Ichihara-senpai would ask to train under you," Miyuki said.
"Neither did I. I thought it was just the president's prank," Tatsuya admitted.
He'd initially dismissed the idea, but something had shifted in Suzune's mindset after the competition. What it was, he couldn't quite figure out.
The next day, Tatsuya and Suzune met in First High's student council room. It was only natural, given their agreement, but their punctual natures meant they arrived right as the gates opened, without even setting a specific time.
"Let's start by showing me your tuning skills, Ichihara-senpai. Use your own CAD," Tatsuya instructed.
"Understood," Suzune replied, pulling out her CAD and beginning adjustments.
Her technique wasn't particularly polished, but it was clear she had above-average skill for a non-competition engineer.
"I see. Since you declined to be an engineer for the competition, I wasn't sure what to expect, but you're above average," Tatsuya noted.
"But not at the representative level," Suzune said, her tone self-deprecating.
Her words drew a wry smile from Tatsuya. She was right—her skills might have held Azusa back during the competition.
"Next, try tuning this," he said, handing her a device.
"What's this?"
"It's Miyuki's CAD from the competition. I've set it to lower values than we used. Bring it up to the settings we had for the event."
Tatsuya had tuned Miyuki's CAD himself, so raising its settings wasn't simple. Both he and Suzune knew this, but with only two days, efficiency demanded pushing her limits, even if it was a bit reckless.
"…Huh?" Suzune faltered, hitting a snag.
"Here, like this," Tatsuya said, guiding her patiently.
Though she struggled, his clear instructions helped her progress steadily.
"I didn't expect you to actually ask for my guidance," Tatsuya remarked as they worked.
"After seeing your technical prowess at the competition, how could I not?" Suzune replied. "You overturned precedent."
No first-year had ever been selected as an engineer for the Nine Schools Competition—a feat made more remarkable by Tatsuya's status as a Course 2 student. To Suzune, who valued skill, this was unprecedented.
"And…" she began.
"And?" Tatsuya prompted.
"No, it's too soon to say," she said, hesitating.
Tatsuya tilted his head, puzzled by her pause, but her averted gaze told him she wouldn't elaborate.
"Looks like you're done. Next, try this," he said, redirecting focus to avoid wasting time.
The second day's training was as rigorous as the first, with no wasted effort. Suzune's innate talent, combined with Tatsuya's exceptional guidance, propelled her tuning speed well beyond the average for a competition engineer.
"Impressive, Ichihara-senpai. You don't need to downplay your skills anymore," Tatsuya said.
"It's thanks to you, Shiba-kun. I couldn't have grown this much alone," Suzune replied earnestly.
Her words weren't humility—she genuinely believed Tatsuya's guidance was pivotal. But he brushed it off.
"You just brought out your latent potential. I only helped a little," he said.
"That's not true!" Suzune insisted, her voice rising. "This is absolutely because of you!"
Her uncharacteristic outburst caught Tatsuya off guard. Lacking a connection to emotions himself, he couldn't fathom why she'd reacted so strongly.
"Ichihara-senpai?" he asked cautiously.
"…Yes?" she replied, calming slightly.
"Why did you get so emotional just now?"
Suzune took a moment to answer, choosing her words carefully.
"…I can't stand seeing someone I care about belittle themselves. Even if it's you doing it to yourself."
Tatsuya blinked, stunned by her unexpected confession. She'd never shown any hint of such feelings before.
"Someone like me… isn't good enough?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.
"No, I'm just… a bit thrown off," Tatsuya admitted.
He could've understood if it were Mayumi—her flirtatious nature made such things plausible. But Suzune, always cool and composed, confessing to him sent his mind into a rare spiral of confusion.
"Honestly, I don't understand why you'd like me," he said frankly.
"It's because you're so straightforward," she replied. "I thought, 'This is someone I could get along with.'"
Though still bewildered, Tatsuya found her reasoning oddly convincing. His expression settled back into its usual calm.
"Alright, Suzune-san. Let's make this work," he said.
"Yes, Tatsuya-san. I look forward to it," she replied, a faint smile breaking through her usual reserve.
Thus, a mature high school couple was born, though their relationship wouldn't become public knowledge until after the summer break.