35 Chapter 35

e up his ill-fitting blazer, he thought, "At least if it comes to dancing will this be better?" A thought which had ended up similar to that of digging his own grave.

"Popular, huh?"

Coming up to him with an evil smile was Mari, who had been officially discharged one day earlier.

"Thank you. To tell the truth, I'd far rather be taking it easy."

As if saying it couldn't be helped, Tatsuya glanced over at his sister, who was surrounded by a crowd two, three layers deep.

Fellow students, event organizers, base officials who provided the venue, the executives of companies that sponsored the tournament.

Those were inevitable, but with the inclusion of media professionals (production companies, commercial companies, talent agencies) also dressed up as officials, it made one feel like asking what's the big idea? to the organizers of the party.

Truthfully he would have liked nothing more than to forcefully put those noisy and rude people away, but with a shrewd (frosty?) look, Suzune had warned him against such an approach, so he kept a low profile for the moment.

"I'm not talking about your sister."

Hearing Tatsuya's natural reply, Mari chuckled sadly. "The one I'm referring to is you, Tatsuya-kun." From Mari's point of view, Tatsuya made a tired face.

Although nowhere comparable to the crowd around Miyuki, Tatsuya had been constantly sought out from the start as well.

Most of them were unacquainted adults.

It wasn't that he had never seen them before.

Due to his work at his father's company, despite his age, he knew the face of businessmen quite well.

Still, it was only on the level of a "high school student".

As a resident of the laboratory, he was not necessarily involved on the business side, but compared to general employees in the same industry he had far more contact than "just a little".

Of those who had come to talk with him, he knew more than half of them by sight.

"Wasn't that the president of Rozen's Japanese branch? This would be the first time he talked to a high school student huh?"

"I wouldn't know. It's also my first time here at the Nine Schools Competition after all."

"Fair enough."

As Mari gave her wicked grin, Tatsuya felt a twinge of annoyance. — In the threshold of around 80% or so.

"...Well, there's no helping it. I don't know why you're so reluctant, but just as you can tell a fake gem simply by looking at it, when you see the real deal you can immediately tell that too."

"..."

"Don't put on such a dissatisfied face. The dance is about to start soon. From there on, it's students only. Just be patient a little longer."

Tapping his shoulder, Mari walked over to the drinks table. She seemed to be in a good mood for some reason.

Far more impressive was that despite pushing herself as always even after being wounded, she now seemed to have made a full recovery.

(So a lover has that kind of effect huh...)

Although he himself had no experience, Tatsuya couldn't help but say so to himself.

Around a minute after that, she left the party with Naotsugu, and Tatsuya uncharacteristically was left to ponder on such things.

Doing so, he felt like sighing.

To be certain, very soon, the time allocated for adults to work their tricks on the innocent would be over.

Yet even so his mind was heavy. The reason was the dance.

Truth be told, students like Tatsuya were the exception.

As the bigwigs left, the venue seemed to relax, and a carefree atmosphere filled the air.

The soft sound of wind and string instruments began to flow.

At the enthusiasm of the organisers who had prepared an evening of live music, the young men immediately responded.

Making full use of the trials they had gone through they took the hands of the girls they had grown closer to, and proceeded to the centre of the hall.

It was unfortunate they weren't in dresses, but such a fact was utterly irrelevant to them.

The common dress code for the girls of the nine schools was a silk organdy inner gown (worn under their jacket), which fluttered gently as they moved.

As expected, Miyuki was being swarmed by boys both from school and from without.

It seemed no one was capable of staying away.

Because she was surrounded up until the last minute, she probably hadn't been able to get a single word out.

Unlike Tatsuya, Miyuki had been firmly taught manners on how to act at a ball ("it's not a 'dance party'!"), so provided proper procedure was observed she was unlikely to refuse a dance partner (naturally, that didn't mean she'd dance with just anyone), but rather it seemed the boys were being embarrassed on their own.

From within that crowd, Tatsuya's familiar face became visible to Miyuki.

Or rather than saying familiar face, it might be better to say companion.

Leaving the wall, Tatsuya advanced to the edge of the crowd.

He was by no means slender, but he skillfully slipped through the press to stand by Miyuki's side.

"It's been two days huh, Ichijou Masaki."

"Ah, Shiba Tatsuya."

The two exchanged easygoing(?) greetings.

They didn't consider themselves friends, yet at the same time, they didn't think that they needed stiff formalities either.

"Is your ear alright?"

"It's fine, it's nothing worth being concerned about."

"Is that so."

At Tatsuya's (intended) politeness, Masaki returned a quip which could hardly be called amiable. Well, for him who suffered defeat in what by all means should have been a victory, he couldn't really be expected to happily accept concern from the winners. Although his tone was ambiguous, it certainly held a dismissive air.

Becoming aware of Miyuki's cold gaze turned in his direction, Masaki's heart sank in dismay.

"Eh, ah... Ah? Shiba!?"

He suddenly called out Tatsuya's last name, causing Tatsuya to make a "is this guy alright?" face.

"Are you, her brother!?"

Masaki's words caused Tatsuya no end of weariness.

"...Are you telling me you only realised just now? Seriously?"

His amazed face implying "I think I understand?", Masaki stood frozen.

A modest laugh was heard.

Covering her mouth, Miyuki turned away.

"...Ichijou-san, you weren't able to tell Onii-sama and I were siblings?"

Miyuki's voice as she spoke to Masaki, as she suppressed her laughter, seemed somehow happy.

"Eh, no, that um... yes."

As Masaki gave up trying to find an excuse, Miyuki looked on with a smile.

He wasn't quite sure what had caught her interest, but it seemed to him that Ichijou had suddenly become sensible in Miyuki's eyes.

That being said, it only meant he was now considered on the level to be a possible dance candidate.

"You can't just stay standing here forever, so Miyuki, why don't you go dance with Ichijou?"

At Tatsuya's words (or more precisely the "dance with Ichijou" part), Masaki looked up sharply.

His eyes shone in anticipation.

After Miyuki's giggling bout subsided, she tilted her head in Masaki's direction as if asking "what will you do?".

"Could you please...accompany me for two songs?"

With a reverential voice, Masaki bowed deferentially to Miyuki. "Please take care of me as well."

Returning the bow, Miyuki took Masaki's proffered hand.

As he took his position Masaki, his face glowing, nodded to Tatsuya in thanks.

Seeing that, Tatsuya thought "what a mercenary guy".

The romantic comedy(?) Masaki was acting out was no concern to Tatsuya. (As long as Miyuki was "alright" with it.)

That was why he was able to accept it so easily.

When it came to himself however, even in the best of conditions, he was unable to deal with such things.

At this moment, catching a glimpse of his hesitant shifty form, he was acutely aware of his own immaturity.

"Sir, at a time like this, it's best for the man to take the lead."

Honoka alone was too much for him to handle, how could he be blamed for wanting to run away from this whole mess? He wanted to complain to this newcomer. —But that didn't come out.

"Erika...why are you a waitress?"

"But I've been doing this since the beginning." Tatsuya's complaint was airily brushed aside.

Leo and Mikihiko, as participants, had been invited to the party. Both Erika and Mizuki, perhaps treated as part of the staff, were along as well. But the four of them weren't participating, preferring rather to attend as part-time workers.

Mikihiko was as per his wishes(?) working in the kitchen, but Erika was moving up and down the hall dressed in a fluttering waitress costume.

"...Then I really don't think you should be wasting time in a place like this."

"Giving appropriate advice to our guests is also part of the job description."

Being answered with such a straight face, Tatsuya felt the urge to apply palm to face. Her "work" aside, Tatsuya knew there was another reason for Erika's words.

Honoka was waiting for Tatsuya's invitation.

He knew exactly where she was without needing to be told. But he had absolutely no idea what to do after that.

After all, he had no experience whatsoever in "inviting" a woman. "Sir? There really isn't any need to think so hard about all this."

Erika had only been here for her amusement earlier, but gradually a note of amazement crept into her voice.

At this rate though, that amazement would soon turn to irritation. Thinking that would be a bit, no absolutely unbearable, Tatsuya decided to bite the bullet. "...Honoka."

"Yes!"

Tatsuya made his preparations. "...want to dance?"

It took a comparatively long time to get those words out, due to his lack of self-confidence.

"Gladly!"

Yet, Honoka seemed more than happy enough.

After that Tatsuya was put through his paces with Shizuku, then Eimi, then Mayumi, until finally he slumped against the wall exhausted.

Mayumi was particularly tough.

Her sense of rhythm was quite unique.

Even as a compliment, it couldn't be said that Tatsuya was a terribly good dancer. Since he had never practiced, it was only to be expected. However, he never made a fumble such as stepping on his partner's foot. On the contrary, his steps were impeccable.

During their dance Shizuku had muttered that he "danced like a dance machine", words which could be taken as a compliment or not either way.

Stringing together observed behavior then reproducing and adding some bits Tatsuya's dancing was, beauty or elegance aside, perfectly and technically accurate.

In a sense however, Mayumi was the exact opposite. Her execution and steps were completely off.

Rather than tone-deaf however, it was more that she had an ingenious sense, such that despite her movements being subtly off for each sound, her dance still elegantly moved along with the flow of the song.

Because of that, Tatsuya was forced to match both Mayumi and the music, going along with the rhythm of the two and shunting his steps as necessary.

Any normal person would simply try and match their partner and simply hope everything works out one way or another, but since his body didn't know the dance and Tatsuya was simply reproducing the movements in his head, doing something like that was too much.

Yet even after Mayumi left Tatsuya exhausted, going off to look for another partner in high spirits, numerous girls started hanging out before him meaningfully.

He wasn't nearly comparable to Miyuki, who after her dance drew partners like a shining star, but after his success in Monolith Code there were quite a few girls who took an interest in him.

Looking at his drained appearance however, they uniformly gave him sympathetic looks.

Unfortunately for him, although he himself probably didn't realise, just as he was considering going back to his room, with impeccable timing a glass was held out in front of him.

"Tha... thank you."

He suddenly stopped talking, because that person was completely unexpected.

"You seem tired."

"...haah."

"You don't attend events like this often?"

"That's...it's as you say. This may be presumptuous, but Chairman doesn't seem like the type who bothers with this much either."

"I've gotten over it."

The person speaking to him was Katsuto. He held a non-alcoholic beer in his hands.

Somehow feeling like he had to go along with him, Tatsuya took a drink from the glass he was passed.

But the real deal came after. "Shiba, come with me for a bit."

Handing his empty glass to a waitress passing by (not Erika), Katsuto turned around.

It meant he wouldn't take no as a response.

Dropping off his empty glass the same way, Tatsuya followed.

In the same garden where they had caught the intruder on the opening night of the tournament, the two of them silently stood there with not another figure in sight.

It wasn't a complete silence.

It seems someone had opened a window. The sound of music could faintly be heard. That soft sound lent the atmosphere a serene air.

"Is this alright? I think the celebrations are about to begin soon."

As Katsuto stopped with his back facing him, Tatsuya threw a casual remark.

After the party, a victory celebration in honour of First High was scheduled.

This privilege was given to whichever school won the overall championship.

As both an executive and key player, Katsuto's attendance was of course mandatory.

"Have no concern. We'll be done shortly." Looking back, Katsuto replied.

Did he mean this wasn't a weighty matter?

If that had been the case, there should have been no need to take him out from the midst of the party.

Or perhaps — he simply meant it wouldn't take long.

...From the looks of things, Katsuto meant the latter.

"Shiba, are you from the Ten Families?"

At that sudden question, Tatsuya was almost put on the defensive. Not in the sense of being lost for words, but rather preparing for battle.

It was still forbidden for his identity to be leaked out at this stage. "No. I'm not."

Katsuto's look indicated he would not forgive any dishonesty.

The reason Tatsuya was able to deny Katsuto's assertion however, was because that was true.

He was not one of them. Even though the blood of the Ten ran through his veins, he was never considered one of them.

It was a simple fact. "—I see."

After watching Tatsuya in anticipation for a while, Katsuto nodded impassively.

Tatsuya did not know whether Katsuto had been convinced with his answer.

"Then, as discussed in a family meeting, here's my advice to you as the vice representative of the Juumonji house.

Shiba, you should join the Ten Families."

"..."

"Hm...how about the Saegusa?"

"... by how about, would you be referring to, how about marrying in?

Or the like?"

"Indeed."

Katsuto's magic "Phalanx", as opposed to Tatsuya's original magic "Decomposition", are like natural enemies.

The moment one barrier is pierced through, another takes its place. It would be endless.

Whilst watching the finals, Tatsuya recalled the unpleasantness of what would be a war of attrition should it come to it...but these words now, utterly unexpected, brought with them a whole new set of horrors.

—This sempai is without a doubt, my natural enemy.

—In many, many ways.

"...in regards to being President Saegusa's partner, was Chairman

Juumonji's name not considered as well?"

"That was certainly brought up too."

"...is President Saegusa not your type?"

"No? Well Saegusa does have, cute charms, in her own way."

"..."

Tatsuya could no longer find a reply.

"Ah, Shiba, are you perhaps concerned about her age? Mm... then how about Saegusa's little sisters? The last time I saw them was two years ago, I'm sure the two of them have grown up to be splendid ladies."

"...Unlike the President and Chairman I'm just a simple high school student, so all these talks of engagement and marriage are a bit much."

"Is that so?"

Katsuto lightly turned his head.

"...However, you should not have too much of a relaxed attitude to all this. Winning against one of the next heads of the Ten Families in a head on confrontation is not something as simple as you'd think."

I don't want to be told that by you! Tatsuya almost retorted.

Tatsuya's confrontation with Masaki had been precipitated by Katsuto in the end after all.

"...I suppose I'll be heading back. Shiba, don't take too long."

Rather than not believing, it was more that he didn't want to believe— (That guy...don't tell me, that was all "spur of the moment"...?)

Watching his back as he pompously returned to the hall, what a terrifying person Tatsuya thought.

"Onii-sama?"

As Tatsuya stood stunned in the dark night, his sister's voice brought him back.

"What's the matter? This is quite rare, for you to be so out of it to not even notice me approaching."

"Nothing... I just saw something strange..."

"Something strange?"

"Ah, no, don't worry about it."

"?"

Tatsuya's words didn't match the situation, but Miyuki simply tilted her head and didn't pursue any further.

"...The party's about to end."

"The celebration is next huh..."

Feeling somewhat pressed, Tatsuya reflectively frowned. "I guess there's no way for me to pass on that..."

Miyuki covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"You'll just have to accept it. Even if you go back to your room, you'll just be assaulted by Honoka and Erika."

"I get Honoka, but..."

"Erika's been captured by the Chairman."

With a suspicious laugh, Miyuki added that the Chairman was quite something.

"Not to mention..."

Her face was still smiling, but her bright voice was tempered by the seriousness in her eyes as she gazed at Tatsuya.

"I won't let Onii-sama escape." Tatsuya sighed deeply. Suddenly, Miyuki tilted her ear. "...the last song is beginning."

"Is that so?"

Tatsuya had also noticed the song change. He wasn't aware it was the final piece however.

"Onii-sama, won't you join me for the last dance?"

Under a dome of moonlight and starlight, wearing a clear smile even Tatsuya rarely saw, Miyuki bowed gracefully.

That beautiful smile brooked no resistance.

"...Then, shall we head back before the song finishes?"

"No, that would be a waste of time." Miyuki took Tatsuya's hand.

"We can hear the performance from here just fine." Taking a deep breath, she huddled closer to him. "These shoes should be alright even on grass." Wordlessly, Tatsuya placed a hand around Miyuki's back.

As if entrusting herself to his care, Miyuki placed her hand on Tatsuya's shoulder.

Their bodies touched.

Gently wrapping his hand around her back and deeply embracing her, Tatsuya took a step.

The two figures spun under an endless starlit sky.

As they spun, Tatsuya's face was all Miyuki could see. Miyuki's face was all Tatsuya could see.

The scenery, the stars, the moon, and the darkness,

In all this wide world which was revolving around them, Tatsuya and Miyuki were the only ones in it.