Closure

Noun

1. an act or process of closing something, especially an institution, thoroughfare, or frontier, or of being closed.

2.(in a legislative assembly) a procedure for ending a debate and taking a vote.

3. Concept of sequential art: the ability to imagine what takes places between the gutters between two frames in a sequential art. (Scott McCloud)

Summary of story

His soul, heart and body belonged to someone else's ; their families were at war with each other; the closed-knitted society feared the consequences of their union—a list of reasons she should put an end to her obsession with him, an obsession she did not know had its beginnings in the backdrop of the Okinawa Incident of 2092. Two-shot.

2095

The wind revealed the hue of his eyes, a fierce and jaded periwinkle beneath his black helmet. His body encased in solid jet-black armor which equipped him with the ability to fly, his silver guns gleaming in the hot sun, despite the carnage of decimated tanks and fallen bodies. They fell on their knees to pay homage to him.

Mortals ought to.

Delicious shivers wrecked her body.

Her vision blurred and focused on the blinding light that decorated the background. They fractaled, shifted and moved. The sounds of gunshot, explosion of bombs in the distance confused her. Someone was screaming in the distance.

"So, it was you…"

She felt as if she unraveled the greatest mystery in the world. She couldn't explain that relief at that closure.

For some odd reason, she knew that blinding light to be herald of the end of chaos. The start to the end. It brought her boundless comfort.

Her name was on someone's frantic lips.

She felt someone holding her desperately, anchoring her.

Someone was weeping.

Though her vision blurred, those periwinkle eyes captivated her and drew her, like the ocean. If she had closed her eyes for a moment, she could almost hear the sounds of waves breaking upon the shore. She could almost taste the salty tinge in the air.

Strange, she could also taste salty moisture on her lips.

Why wouldn't she?

Her mind drifted for a moment. It drifted to an older lady, beautiful and poise. Her sheet of black hair flowed smoothly down her back, and it frame her petite face. Her eyes were of a wild ice-blue, almost the same hue as that man. However, her eyes reflect a deep anguish and suffering. She was frail, very frail but very powerful.

She knew her. Her father had photographs of this woman.

"I have information on him. Why are you searching for him?"

That image drifted away, like chaff in the wind.

Then, she remembered. She had to be a witness. A witness to the magnificence, a witness to his single most glorious moment.

He approached her with great certainty, despite the chaos that was erupting all around them. She disliked violence.

"I need to know that he is safe."

Her cold laughter filled the small room that they were meeting.

"You shouldn't. It is against your duty."

Gunshots sounded near her, tearing her from those wispy images. She had completed her duty. She had the right to do what she wanted. Her eye remained on the warrior that picked his way carefully towards her.

For a moment, she felt like she was a moth dancing around the scorching naked flame.

"I know. I can't explain it. I feel that it is my moral duty to see that he is safe. I haven't told my father about him."

"I'm aware of it, otherwise your father would have put a stop to your foolish desire. Though, I don't see why I shouldn't help you. Some things need a closure."

"A closure?"

A flame that breathed and lived for someone else.

Her mind plunged into memories that she knew that she was conjuring for herself. It was too surreal.

"He is safe. You'll meet him again."

Sounds of waves breaking on the shore wash those images away.

She felt someone adjusting his or her grip over her. Idly, she noticed that the arm was almost as fair as hers, but it was covered with bright red blood.

That man drew close, sinking on a knee, as if he was paying homage. He removed the helmet from his head, allowing the wind to ruffle his wet messy bangs. No, was he proposing? With such a grim smile on his face?

She tried for a smile, but it was too much.

He reached for her hands with his gloved hands, squeezing them tight.

She liked the weight of those hands. It anchored her.

"It'll be over soon, I promise you," whispered he gruffly. His tone was gentle despite the grimness on his face.

"H-how?" Her voice was soft and unfamiliar. It sounded so far away and distant. She tried to muster some more energy to keep her eyes open.

His eyes were now Eton-blue, like the ocean.

"Magic."

5th of August 2092, Coast of Onna, Okinawa

The sun was relentless in its scorching malice and she could feel the effects of the early afternoon sun on her unusual brownish skin. The shade of the sunscreen, besides serving the function of protecting her skin from sunburns, enabled her to camouflage as a local. The shade of the sunscreen was of the similar hue as the sun-kissed bronze on faceless people as she treaded along the soft white sand, inking the beach with a trail of small footprints. It was almost therapeutic to feel the fine sand sinking beneath her feet as she strolled aimlessly along the shore.

The noises of the beach that swirled around her could not disrupt that sense of peace her rare solitude had brought her. Waves crashed rhythmically along the shores, then receded with a whisper. The cool salty breeze billowed her long white sundress and she had to put a hand on her wide-rimmed beach hat to prevent the frisky wind from claiming it as her own.

Her lips stretched into a relaxed smile.

The rays of the sun sparked and gleamed like polished diamonds, depending on the angle the ray had refracted from the surface of the rippling waters. She remembered her curiosity of her younger days—her intense interest with the wide expense of blue—and her hunger for an answer. Why was the sea always moving and shifting? Where the sand did came from, perhaps from some exotic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Oh and Father used to tell her that it was time to run if the sea became too still and too quiet. As she grew up, she turned to science to answer her questions. The science behind the magnificence dispelled some of the enigma of Nature, but did nothing to capture the splendor of soaking in the sheer grandeur of her.

Beautiful.

Glorious.

She felt so small in comparison, facing the vastness of the boundless sea. Just another girl, whose finite lifespan was like grass to Nature—frail and finite. The seas have endured the tides of time but she will not. It put everything she felt in perspective—her fine upbringing, wealth, social status and gifts—she was just like any other.

She closed her eyes, allowing the brackish wind to caress her long wavy curls. Peace saturated her to be alone, away from prying eyes, away from her duties, away from all the tension back at the hotel. Her eyes opened to take in the brilliance of the sea again.

Father was very concerned about the undercurrents of tensions in this prefecture. From their hush whispers and controlled voices, she gathered that a war was looming in the distance. The Yotsuba was here too. She gathered that news from the malice in his usually impassive tone. It was no wonder her father could not stay away from this affair. Besides, it was their sworn duty as a magician of the Ten clans. Her eyes drifted to the bulge in her pocket—the mark of her membership to a community so feared and desired—dreaded and sought after for their power. In a world endangered by nuclear weapons, power contained in a single, mortal seemed less daunting. Entering a magical High school made her realize the weight of her gifts—biological gifts groomed through careful breeding like pedigree horses. The breeding made her the upper echelons of the exclusive community.

Her ruminations were disrupted by the sudden absence of noises. Her body stilled. Something was not right.

She whipped her head around, glancing around the sandy shores. Just moments ago, she had vaguely noticed streams of people milling along the beach or hiding under parasols as she wandered aimlessly. The streams had dwindled into a trickle and there was no one under most of the bright parasols. Her eyes widened when it fell on a crowded sunshade a short distance away.

A young boy, with dark messy hair, was having a confrontation with a group of six burly dark-skinned men at least twice the size of him. His confidence—the determination in his eyes—despite being severely outmatched, captivated her.

Dread filled her stomach at the sight of the hopeless situation.

Her footsteps quickened—a tough feat since she was sinking through sand—grabbing the mobile terminal in her pocket ready to activate it instantly.

Her heart thumped violently.

Where was Nakura-san when she most needed him? She shouldn't have ditched him.

Those brawny men circled around him, swallowing him up.

No! No!

Faster! She tried to urge her legs to move faster.

Hurry!

Then she found herself in mid-air, racing towards the sandy ground.

No!

Pain rocketed through her body, jolting her.

Her small body slammed into the coarse sand with a muted 'thud' and she howled in agony.

"No!" The mobile terminal in her hand flew and landed a short distance away from her.

Those men whipped their heads at the sound of her pained cry. Subsequently, her eyes could not follow the events that transpired.

The small boy moved swiftly and surely, taking him his opponents with a lethal grace that was astounding. Within seconds, every one of his aggressors was on the sand, groaning in pain.

The young boy towered among them, composed. The salty breeze ruffled his fringe and loose brown parka on his body, revealing a pair of emotionless ice-blue eyes.

It sent shivers down her spine.

"W-w-we'll come back." A bald man growled as he picked his cruel body of muscles up and went to help his comrades. They scattered like grains of sand in the wind.

Cowards.

She breathed a sigh of relief, allowing her head to fall on the ground. She felt the shifting of sand before a tanned hand appeared before her eyes.

"Do you need some help?"

His tone was frigid, a dichotomy to the blistering sun.

She lifted her head, curious. Father practiced hard to keep the emotions out of his voice and maintain a gentleness to suit his image. The blinding sun, casting a deep and long shadow over him, obscured his features. She blinked owlishly before placing her hand on it.

Her mind did not register the pain.

Her bleeding hand looked so frail in his larger hand.

With a gentleness she did not know he possessed, he tried to help her to her feet. She cried when pain jolted her frame. Immediately, she collapsed on the warm sand, tears clinging to her eyes.

It hurt so much. It hurt so much. She tried to blink away the pain.

"You sprained your ankle." It was so matter-of-fact that she shivered despite the warmth.

"I-I…" How would he know?

"You're a magician."

Her eyes widened in panic.

"Don't move."

He let out a drawn-out sigh before lowering himself to the ground. She could see that he was wearing a brown parka, matched with knee-length shorts. His body was lean, evenly tanned with several scars running across his torso.

He looked like danger.

She felt his hand on her arm, a comforting gesture. A cocoon of warmth swathed around her, creating a blanket of security at that touch. Her body stilled, trusting, despite witnessing his capacity for violence.

Her heart thumped violently in fear when she saw a glittering sight of psions gathering around them like a shimmering cloud.

Magic! He was a magician!

She felt a penetrating balminess spreading over her, concentrating on the areas that hurt the most. The warmth travelled through her like a scanner, with great certainly, like the owner of the magic. Penetrating, exposing, revealing. Yet, she was comfortable in her vulnerable state. In its wake, each part of her body felt alive and new.

The sharp pain disappeared in a flash. The slight wounds on her hand disappeared, leaving only the dry stains of her blood on her palm.

The psions dissipated as soon as they gathered.

He grunted in pain before folding over. Immediately, she leapt to his aid, supporting him. "Are you alright?"

His eyes were squeezed shut, but he waved her concern away with a hand.

Her eyes widened.

"H-how-?"

"—add a hairline fracture," grunted he quietly, leaning backwards so that his arms could support his upper body. The scars gleamed in the sun. He cracked one of his eyes open and peered at her.

She froze at the sight of his brilliant Eton-blue eyes. They sparkled like the wide expense of blue she was admiring moments ago.

"P-pardon?"

"You had a sprained ankle, some abrasions and a hairline fracture." Swiftly, he climbed on his feet. He had a grace reminiscent of a panther.

Hastily, she followed suit, with lesser refinement. "Wait, you're alright? Why am I alright? Wait!" She followed him to the parasol. The teenager, who packed so much power in his thin frame, was only several inches than she was. It was clear that he had not hit his growth spurt, which put him several years younger than her.

He stepped into the sunshade where a girl lay sleeping in its shade. Her flowing black hair fanned across the mat. A shirt covered most of her petite body. Her eyes trailed along her smooth, long and bare legs to the large shirt, then to her face. Unable to help herself, she sighed. The girl was growing to be a beauty—it was obvious that god made her on his finest day. Her features were gorgeously symmetrical—another magnificence—a pert nose and a sharp but petite jawline.

Then, she felt his impudent stare. He stood near her, a frown on his brow, as if he was assessing if she was a threat.

She recognized that stance since it was one that Nakura-san always took. It explained that edge of violence in him. How could he? The boy was so young!

"Is she your charge?"

He met her gaze but kept his silence.

She tapped her feet impatiently for a while before he finally gave a reply.

"She's my sister."

The glance he shot at the sleeping girl was impossibly tender.

Now, she was intrigued. The detached boy cared for the girl deeply.

"She doesn't like others to stare at her."

Warning laced his tone.

"Is that why—"

"No. They harbored ill-intentions for her."

"Why didn't you wake her up and run? You must have enough time to do that."

His glance flirted down to the younger girl.

She didn't think that he would actually reply her since he seemed to be very absorbed with the little girl he called his sister. His devotion seemed excessive.

"She was enjoying a nap."

Her mind couldn't wrap around the way he had placed her needs, no matter how frivolous, above his. Even her bodyguard knew when it was time to impose upon her will and get them to safety.

For some odd reason, she felt almost happy to hear that. There was a child under that veneers of hostility and aloofness. There was also a very generous heart.

Her tone lightened. "It's perfectly acceptable for you to wake her up if her safety is threatened. I know it's fine because my…I-I mean. I- I'm sure your sister wouldn't mind."

He merely looked at her in response, as if she had grown another head.

Sheepishly, she focused her attentions on her hands.

"I will take note."

Her head snapped up at his response. Her long wavy hair cascaded down, obscuring her sight. "Urgh."

"Thank you for helping me."

She grew wide-eyed at the sincerity in his voice. "You—"

"—I would have killed them if you did not distract them."

Shivers went down her spine at his detached tone. It was strange that she did not doubt him. She could tell that he would do anything for this girl.

"Uh…You're welcome."

The corner of his lips lifted into a ghost of a small smile.

Easily, she returned the smile, a sense of warmth enveloping her despite their interactions. She couldn't explain why she felt this way about him but she knew that they could be very good friends.

The breeze ruffled her hair again, causing her to grumble impatiently.

His eyes shone with amusement before he turned away to observe their surroundings.

It was an occupational hazard she recognized that Nakura-san had. She was quite convinced by his alertness to his surroundings that he was either the girl's protector or an abnormally protective brother. Judging from his position, she was inclined to believe that it was the former. What were the odds that it was a combination of both, that he was his sister's bodyguard?

A glance at her watch reminded her that she needed to return to the hotel.

"Wait, you haven't told me how you healed me!"

"Magic." It was almost a snarky comeback.

She pouted at his answer. "You didn't use a CAD. It is not an ancient magic, what kind of magic did you use? I couldn't get a read on it."

He levelled his gaze on her. "Don't I deserve thanks?"

"I-I… Well, thank you. Wait, but what kind of magic did you use? It didn't look like it is part of the four types of magic." Hastily, she closed the distance between them.

"How astute." He turned away from her, effectively ending the conversation.

Pouting, she marched up to him.

"C'mon—"

"I should have left you in pain," whispered he softly, warning her with a look. "It's a secret I don't wish to divulge."

The sound of waves breaking on shores filled their silence.

His answer shamed her, causing her cheeks to pink. In her enthusiasm in unravelling the mystery, she forgot that he was merely a stranger to her and her benefactor to boot! She had never taken such liberties with others. The connection she had with him was unexplainable—she felt too comfortable with him. She sunk into a deep bow. "I'm deeply apologetic. It's unforgivable of me. In my excitement, I forgot about my manners. I'm really sorry."

"It's of no consequence, Saegusa-san."

Her head whipped up instantly to meet his gaze. His eyes lit up with humor.

"You know who I was?"

"Who wouldn't?" The younger boy had the audacity to lift a brow. Oh! How infuriating!

"I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Saegusa Mayumi. It's nice to meet you." She felt a bit strange that they had finally introduced themselves. She couldn't shake off the discomfort from the gaffe.

With a spark in his eyes, he returned the bow. "Shiba Tatsuya."

Shiba. The surname felt familiar to her but he wasn't one of the hundred families.

Her eyes caught sight of her watch again. It was approaching late afternoon.

Her heart sank. Father had probably returned from his meeting! Her father would be displeased if he had known that she had run away from the hotel secretly. "Oh no! I need to go. Nice meeting you." Hastily, she sunk into another bow.

"Wait." He withdrew her mobile terminal from his pocket and handed it to her.

Her eyes darted to the callous hand that held her mobile CAD—her lifeline.

"Thanks! I forgot." Caught up in the strangeness of the whole affair, she forgot about her CAD. "Will I have a chance to see you again, Shiba-san?"

His eyes reminded her of the unfathomable sea. "No, Saegusa-san. Goodbye."

Her father was beyond furious. She could tell from the way the light gleamed off his tinted lenses of his spectacles.

He was waiting in the living room of the hotel room quietly when she entered through the main door. The head of the Saegusa family leapt to his feet immediately. Saegusa Koichi was dressed in a black business suit, which enhanced his images as a refined businessman. His snowy-white hair, however, was windswept, the only evidence that he was anxious.

Her father yelled at her when he saw her dirtied, torn sundress and the traces of dried up blood on her skin.

Mayumi had to convince him quickly that she did not suffer any injury.

She was surprised to know that she had actually torn her dress in the fall. She could envision what conclusions her father leapt to, considering the lack of safety in the region.

She sank into another bow. "I'm really sorry."

Despite her explanation about her carelessness, her father was still upset with her.

Yet, there was a strange gleam in his eye.

Could he have known?

Did he know that she was hiding something from him deliberately?

Her heart thumped violently in her chest.

Her father was a master at collecting intelligence.

She held her breath, trying to recollect herself.

He continued with his usual tirade about being ashamed that she, his eldest daughter, did not know her rightful place as the esteemed Saegusa Ojou-sama. He had raised her far better than that.

"You have a duty to the family. You do not frolick around, doing what you believed that it is good for you. The words that you speak, the decisions you make, the actions you do must reflect the Saegusa family," chided Father coolly, observing her countenance closely.

That childish desire to please him, a feeling that she had stamped out after she had graduated from middle school, reared its ugly head within her, causing her to feel a tinge of hurt that she was not his perfect daughter. She wasn't the emotionless Saegusa ojou-sama who could play her role wonderfully and bring honor to his name. No, she was a person, a living and breathing person.

Father took a deep breath. The frown was still etched on his face.

"What must I do for you to understand the severity of this, Mayumi? Do you really want to have this for the rest of your life?" He tore his spectacles from his eyes, revealing his uneven-toned eyes. The unnatural eye glinted hauntingly at her, causing her to take a step back.

"I—I-I…"

"My own negligence. I paid a high price for this."

She sunk into a deeper bow. She knew the tale by heart. She knew that he was kidnapped and tortured because he was a magician.

"I can see you haven't learned your lesson, Mayumi. You need to learn that there are consequences to your actions. I will deduct half a month of salary from Nakura-san for every time you slip away."

Mayumi gasped.

"Father, that is unfair—"She slammed both of her hands on the side table.

"You need to learn that this is a battlefield! The Saegusa family has many enemies. The situation in Okinawa isn't as simple as you may think. You may be dismissed." He turned his back to her, a dismissal.

Mayumi clenched both of her fists in an attempt to rein in her temper.

It was a battle she couldn't win.

She turned away.

"By the way, you're not allowed to leave your room without my permission."

Her anger flared at the injustice but she held her tongue. With clenched fists, she continued on her way back to her temporary sanctuary.

Despite her anger, she could hear snatches of conversation between the esteem butler of the Saegusa family and the head.

"Yotsuba Miya is here. They were… "

She was tired of this.

With furious tears in her eyes, she stormed back to her room. Carefully, she shut the door after her, taking comfort in its silence and emptiness. Sobbing, she threw herself on her bed and covered her face with a pillow, willing to block out the rest of the world.

Mayumi did not want these duties. She did not want to live under the shackles of the past. She wanted the freedom to be who she was. Her mind drifted to the boy she met at the beach, Shiba Tatsuya with his piercing ocean-like eyes. Her heart ached at the impossibility of developing their friendship. Then, she remembered that she had scored a minor victory against her father. She had managed to keep the secret of Shiba Tatsuya to herself. There was no doubt that her father would have hunted for him if he learned that he had the ability to heal.

Immediately, she stared at her unbroken skin, where the abrasion ought to be beneath the stains of blood. Carefully, she caressed her skin, searching for a groove, a sign that an injury was once there. Her brows furrowed. There wasn't. It was as if she wasn't injured at all. Her skin was clear of blemishes as if it was re-created.

Mayumi sat up immediately, pondering over the puzzle that was Shiba Tatsuya.

August 11th rolled along with blaring emergency alarms and dark toned military vehicles that patrolled the street. She was finally released from her glided cage due to the precarious situation. Controlled chaos epitomized the living area. The bodyguards and the butler were hasty in their actions and sharp whispers. Her father was agitated that they were caught in the middle of battle. The aggressor had sent a fleet of SRBM submarines to the Kerama Islands from the West seas. Mayumi realized, with horror, that the aggressor had already overran a few places with land, sea and air force but they were a distance away from where they were situated.

She knew that her father was trying to contact the military for more information. She would do that if it were her, since she would need all the information to make a decision.

"We'll stay," commanded Father strictly, looking anxious. "There is no way we can help if we do not have enough information at our fingertips."

He echoed his concern about the lack of information.

"Father, we're magicians. Don't we have a duty to the society?"

He whipped his head around to look at her. "Not in an irrational manner." He spread his hands open wildly. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to remain compose. "We must always act with an understanding of the situation, otherwise we'll be slaughtered. We're capable of bleeding and hurting so we need to learn to make the best decisions in the worst of times. I'm hesitant in joining the fray because of the possibility that the 'left blood' might have revolted against us and they play a critical role in this prefecture."

He walked to the window and stared out of it dispassionately.

She tucked a stray fringe behind her ear, before clasping her hands before her.

"A civil war then?"

He shook his head. "A war made advantageous to our enemies through the exploitations of the tensions. The people—no, we—treat them horribly. An oversight. It doesn't help that there was a surge in the number of guerillas. "

Mayumi considered her father's unusually candid words. "You can't act because you don't know who to trust?"

"I need to reach this Captain Kazama of the Air Force, before any decisions can be made. I hope we're not too late."

It was a silent admission.

He had to make the best of the situation, despite the fact that they had very little influence in this area. Her father's honest admission of his lack of ties between the military and them betrayed how powerless, they, one of the esteemed Ten clans of the magical society, were. Out of their areas of influences, they were nothing but sitting ducks.

She never felt the weight of the mantle of the family on her father as heavily as now.

Her father did not cave into the pressure but he was concerned.

Mayumi paced back and forth in the room as the adults tried to gather as much information as possible. They couldn't get hold of more intelligence which made the Head of Saegusa more convinced of a rebellion in the army and his decision of remaining in the hotel.

"Nearly everyone living in the hotel has evacuated for the closest military shelter," reported one of the bodyguards. "It's chaotic outside. The military is trying to maintain a semblance of order as civilians flee."

The stampede of evacuating civilians would be as dangerous as the battlefront. Their butler and bodyguard protested her father's decision in remaining in Okinawa when their safe house was quite close to them.

"Civilians? Are there any magicians in the frontline?"

The bodyguard shook his head since he didn't have the answer.

Magician. Her mind drifted to Shiba Tatsuya and she wondered if he and his sister were caught in this chaos. His abilities at restoring would have made him a good inclusion to the army. She desired to head out to the coast and find him. She was convinced that the Shiba siblings must have lived really close to the coast. The lack of baggage showed that the trip to the beach was a short one, which meant that they lived really close to the shore.

If they had lived near the coast, then they would be in greater peril.

She wanted to know if her newfound friend and his family were safe.

"What about them?"

She would think that the Yotsuba would be accompanied by someone, just like the Saegusa family.

He received a negative response. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Request for someone to pick us up—"

"And not try to do something about this? What if the civilians need our help?"

The tension in the room crackled and exploded.

Her calm father exploded suddenly. "Do you think I like running away from trouble? I'll not risk the safety of you. Running is very much as honorable as fighting." His father was on his feet, glaring at her.

Mayumi chose her words carefully.

"We could help with the evacuation. If someone is picking us up, we could set up a point and bring the civilians to safety. We're heading to the nearest shelter right? They will need protection too since the military shelters may not be that safe."

He appeared to deliberate on her words.

"The military shelters cannot hold that many people. They would have only brought in those that they consider important."

He held up his hand, as if considering her suggestion.

He closed his eyes, drawing a hand through his hair. "Everyone do as she has suggested. Get someone to head down to those military vehicles and broadcast the message. I assume they shouldn't be part of the rebellion if they are assisting the civilians."

He issued another incomprehensible order to the butler.

The Saegusa family went into full swing, assisting the locals to evacuate the place inland, with their own resources. Mayumi had never seen such a huge crowd of worried people gathering so that they could be taken to the shelter of the Saegusa family.

Her bodyguards had to flank her to ensure that she was taken seriously. She was highly disadvantaged by her petite size. She assisted in maintaining crowd control and facilitated communications between the soldiers on the ground and the Saegusa family.

Most of them were in the dark.

All the news they had was that the army had chosen to take back the places overrun by the enemies, which meant that the battle was favoring them.

She kept her eyes open, searching for smaller boy with piercing blue eyes among the faceless crowd.

The crowd soon became a light trickle of restless people.

She could almost see the end in sight. She estimated that they needed to make two more trips to get everyone to safety. Where were they? Were they in trouble? She urged to send her bodyguards to gather information on Shiba Tatsuya and his family.

Then, a bright light that burst more brightly than the sun on the horizon riveted her. The light dissipated almost immediately and a second siren, this time a warning of tsunami blared across the city shrilly.

Anxiety bubbled in her. Did they need to leave soon?

"It's a false alarm. The areas affected are the beaches near Naha to Nago. Repeat, this is a false alarm," blared from speaker that surrounded the city.

Relief swept over them like a storm.

Drowning the loud chopper sounds, cries of victory shook the place. They were finally safe again.

The day was saved by an unfamiliar strategic magic.

Mayumi's eyes drifted to the spot where she saw the bright light erupting. There was a tinge of familiarity in that powerful magic. It was so familiar to her, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

The conundrum of the magic strangely reminded her of the riddle in the form of an emotionless boy with azure eyes, and his phenomenal healing magic.

2095, Spring, First High.

She never thought she would see him again.

Her mouth slackened at she stare at the photograph that she had withdrew out of the folder of two hundred who had passed the Entrance ceremony. Those perwinkle eyes that shot through his messy fringe were cold, reflective and analytical, unlike the aloof but warmth stare she recalled. His mouth was set grimly as if he did not know how to smile and there was an air of lethal around him.

It was his grades that baffled her.

He had perfect score for two most difficult papers at Entrance examinations: Magical Theory and Magical Engineering. It was the best academic scores in the History of First High. However, his practical grades were dismal. His ability to alter reality was terrible and he had barely passed the examinations.

How could that be? She remembered his mysterious ability to heal. She glanced at her palm, the hand in which he had once miraculously healed her.

"Amazing."

"Astounding."

"It's a pity."

"Don't you think this Shiba Tatsuya is awesome, President?" The pitchy voice of Azusa interrupted her rumination.

"Pardon?"

She turned to look at the petite girl. She had a bright gleam in her eyes, as she clasped her hands in a prayer.

"She asked if you think that this first-year is amazing."

She bobbed her head excitedly, appearing younger than she was.

A-chan's eye lighted up. "I would love to meet him!"

Her stomach knotted at her Kouhai's excitement (She would usually blush at the sight of her cuteness).

"You will, I believe. The representative of this year is a girl who shares the same surname as him. A Shiba Miyuki," replied Ichihara Suzune, a girl with flowing blue hair and garnet hued eyes. Mayumi liked her since Rin-chan reminded her of Shiba Tatsuya with her unfriendly ways. According to rumors, she was considered her dichotomy—the Ice Queen. She knew that under the icy armor lay a very generous heart.

With a few taps of the screen, the large screen in the middle of the room was filed with a large photograph of one of the most beautiful girl they had ever laid their eyes on. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as her brother—the only thing that they shared—and she was surprised to realize that she was as fair as her name.

Shiba Miyuki's features were splendidly symmetrical, astounding them. Her eyes drifted past those shocking ice-blue eyes, down her small pert nose to her cherry-red lips. She had grown up to be a beauty.

Her mind drifted back in time to the coast of Onna where she saw her, sleeping under the shade with her brother, Tatsuya hovering protectively near her. She would love to know her. She would like to know why her brother prized her so much.

From the results of her practical, it seemed as if she was a very talented magician.

"Beautiful."

"As different as day and night if they were siblings."

"We don't mean to insult you, President—"

Hattori Hazou immediately protested, holding both of his hands up.

"No, Shiba Miyuki is really stunning." Mayumi pressed both her hands to her cheeks as she admired her exquisiteness. "Indeed, the Shiba siblings are as different as night and day." She smiled at the thought, excited at the prospect of meeting them again.

"Oh." He deflated, turning away.

It was tradition that she would have to invite Shiba Miyuki into the student council. If things had not changed much, then she would meet Shiba Tatusya frequently.

Would he remember her? Oh! What could she say to him?

She felt like skipping at the thought of seeing him again.

"President?"

"I shall leave the preparations of the Entrance ceremony to your capable hands," concluded Mayumi, turning to face her council. She sank into a deep bow after winking at A-chan. "I'll make myself more useful by doing patrols tomorrow."

None of them protested, knowing that it was better that way. Most of them had worked with her for three years, so they knew her capabilities.

"It is as you commanded, President."

"Isn't he a dear?" teased Mayumi playfully, looking around.

Immediately, the Vice President blushed at her compliments.

Suzune waved her off with a hand before diving into her work once again. Mayumi had already exceeded her patience. She knew that Rin-chan tolerated her because she was capable, powerful and smart. Her knowledge at Magical Theory had won her respect from reserved girl.

A part of her hoped that she wouldn't meet the older Shiba until she knew what to say to him, another was desperate to be reunited with him again. She tried to stamp her desire. It wasn't acceptable: courtship between individual in the Ten clans was determined by politics. Her father was planning to match make her to either one of the older heirs of the Ten clans soon. One of them was in charge of the co-curriculum club in First High: Juumonji Katsuto. He was her peer, a powerful man of his own right.

Her cheeks reddened at her thought. What in Kami's name was she thinking about? She wasn't fascinated in Shiba Tatsuya that way, right? She shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts before starting on the task of confirming the attendance of the guests for the Entrance Ceremony.

It was soon the next day. Mayumi merely needed to check on her council for a while to make sure that they had not gone mad from the sheer amount of workload. She was chased out to carry out her patrols. Her hands were clasped together as she wandered around the scenic compound of First Magical High, savoring the fresh breath of freedom.

The willowing wind caressed the thick wavy mass of hair that tumbled down her small back. Under the sun, the lush curtain of wavy hair were a spectrum of colors—ebony, slate-grey, jet-black and charcoal—as they caught the light. Absently, she swept the tendrils that were obscuring her vision to the side, parting her fringe distinctively. Most of her locks were held firmly using a large polka-dotted bow, allowing them to cascade down her shoulders with the rest of her hair.

It was the last time she could savor the beauty of spring in First High since she was graduating soon. The subtle fawning glances as she combed the grounds of First high for lost souls reminded her of her duty to maintain her image as the eldest daughter of the Saegusa family, an image enhanced by her actions in the Okinawa incident. She smiled kindly at the schoolmates who met her eye and greeted her classmates warmly. She knew that most of them worshipped that image of her and it was her duty to maintain that farce.

Mentally, she was keeping count of gazes that lingered a bit too long on her.

The whispers were very much part of her life, her rank as the eldest daughter of Saegusa family.

She soon wandered into the gardens of First High between the auditorium and the student's recreation building. It was simply beautiful here. Spring had painted the garden with generous brushes of fresh vivid green and splashes of wildly bright colors. Mayumi simply enjoyed the pleasing aesthetics.

A small group of second-years caught her attention. Their tones were harsh with criticism, polluting the tranquility.

"A weed. What's he doing here?"

"He's early... he sure is enthusiastic for a reserve."

"Probably doesn't know his own place."

"In the end, he's just a weed."

How dare they!

Mayumi glared at the passing juniors. None of them realized that they had offended her.

Then, she remembered their conversation.

The lost sheep she had to shepherd. She halted and scanned the surrounding carefully. All she could see was an individual sitting on a three-person bench under a large tree. His back was hunched and he was staring at the mobile terminal in his hand.

Cheerily, she approached him. With her hands clenched before her in a formal posture, she chose the least daunting introduction. "Are you a freshman? It is almost time to go—"

She gasped immediately when he lifted his head to meet her gaze.

Her pulse raced furiously at the sight of him.

Gracefully, he climbed to his feet. To her surprise, she had now barely reached his broad shoulders. They were broader than she had remembered. The lack of eight-petal flower emblem on his left breast reminded her of the cruel fact that he was a victim of discrimination. How could they when he was so powerful!

An air of danger clung on him, something that she did not realize he had.

Subconsciously, she took a step back. Mayumi tucked her fringe behind her ear shyly, her cheeks red.

"Do you always order others around?" His voice was deeper and huskier. When she lifted her head to look at him, she was surprised to see a glimmer of humor in those azure eyes. It was lighter than she had remembered.

She pouted. "I'm on duty. I'm supposed to direct first-years into the hall."

"That's an important mission. Not quite unlike the one you performed three years ago—"

"You knew about that?" Her eyes widened.

He shrugged carelessly. "I think everyone knows of it. I wasn't quite surprised. I mean you tried to rush to my aid three years ago. You're part of the Student council." His eyes were fixed on the wide bracelet on her wrist. "That's fairly new."

It showed that he had firm knowledge of CAD on the market.

Her eyes caught the sight of his virtual display terminal. It was a reading portal on magical theories. "You like reading? It does explain your spectacular scores. Good job by the way."

Derision flickered in his eyes. Was that a trick of the light? These were accomplishments!

"Shiba-san? You know that your grades are unparalleled in the history of First High right?" She cocked her head aside, looking at him carefully.

The first-year settled for a shrug, but it was clear that he was not comfortable with her praises. For once, she was reminded of the appearance of that young child on the beach of Onna. He looked almost unsure of himself when she had suggested that he could prioritize his own safety. Her heart ached at the thought that he thought so lowly of himself.

Her eyes fixed on the absence of the eight-petal ume on his chest.

Mayumi inched closer to him, dropping the volume of her voice. They were only inches apart.

"It doesn't define you," protested Mayumi harshly, her fist clenched.

Both brows shot past his hairline.

"It doesn't matter if you're Course 1 or Course 2. It depends on what you make of it," affirmed she, meeting his gaze confidently. "You're better than this. I'm sure everyone will affirm that."

His eyes turned into a murky blue.

"W-what—"

She extended her palm towards him, her right hand, as if she wanted to offer her help. The one that he had healed three years ago.

A look of realization crossed his face.

"You haven't quite answer me how you did it," accused she, with a bright twinkle in her eyes.

"Magic," echoed Tatsuya, a faint smile on his lips. His emotionless stare held a hint of tenderness.

She laughed, knowing that he would never tell her the secret. It was fine with her. Mayumi was quite sure she would be able to unravel the mystery. However, she had so many questions for him, so many questions about Okinawa. "How did you and your family escape from the Okinawa incident?"

A flash of regret appeared in his eyes for a moment.

"We took shelter with the military—"

"But lost someone in the process? I knew that there was a rebellion."

He nodded, looking so grave.

The sight of him looking so severe made her heart ache. Mayumi searched her mind for another subject.

"I tried looking for you. I couldn't find either you or your sister. I couldn't send people to search for you discreetly after the Okinawa because it will raise the suspicion of my father."

He arched a brow. "Your father doesn't know of me?" The gentle wind caressed his fringe, sweeping his messy bangs into his eyes.

She shook her head. "No. It is hard to talk about you without giving away your secret. I'm from Ten clans. They will take rapt interest in you, one that is far less driven by intellectual curiosity."

The corners of his lips lifted into an appreciative smile.

Her heart raced at the sight.

"Aren't we supposed to attend the ceremony now? I know you like to be fashionably late but I can't be."

That earned a smack from Mayumi immediately. The sound of her hand making contact with his well-defined arm resounded loudly in the empty garden. The wavy-haired girl stared at the spot she had hit him in shock. Did she just hit a boy she barely knew?

His eyes lighted with humor. Shiba Tatsuya wasn't even hurt from her violence.

"Hurry, little ojou-sama. You shouldn't keep the other mortals away from your sacred presence. I'm quite sure that the freshmen would like to have the opportunity to meet the once-in-a-decade prodigy at remote precision magic. " Without waiting for her, Tatsuya made his way towards the auditorium a short distance away. The area was starting to pack up.

Why that cheeky, smug little first-year!

"You should be honored that I'm willingly to accept your snarky comments," complained Mayumi loudly, matching her steps to his wider and brisk strides. She was surprised that he had bothered to take note of her history, although her accomplishments were publicized. "I'll get back at you soon!"

Shen noticed that he walked in an efficient manner, his head and back held straight, not an ounce of energy wasted on frivolous use of muscles like putting a saunter to his walk. It was unlike the way she was taught to glide, with her head held straight proudly up, and her stomach tucked in, with a little sway around the hips.

"I'm more worried about incurring the wrath of Miyuki than your little kitten tantrum."

"Kitten!"

She couldn't believe her ears. Did that boy call her a little kitten? The image of a huggable little white kitten with bright scarlet eyes, wearing a large polka-dot bow under its chin appeared in her mind.

Why, that first-year…

He dipped his head in a nod. "Kitten, with those fearsome little claws. They pack a punch."

Irritated, she stomped on one of his foot before brisk-walking into the auditorium, forgetting about her manners.

Mayumi could almost hear his soundless laughter echoing after her.

She executed her duties with a finesse that was befitting her post. Several honorary guests needed Mayumi's firm hand to ensure that they behaved properly before the other students. These old men were the reason why First High enjoyed such a high budget and they could not be offended. However, their contributions to the school were not due to the sense of altruism, but of a leering nature. Magicians, due to the genetics, tend to be very easy on the eyes, compared to their counterparts. Most of the powerful magicians were one of the most beautiful people in the world and their magic slowed down their aging.

It could be quite problematic for the school after she graduated since A-chan or Hazou may not be brought up to deal with such th-characters appropriately.

Plastering a polite smile on her face, she entertained her guest as she led them to the foyer where their personal vehicles waited patiently for them.

"Saegusa-sama must be very proud to raise such a beautiful, intelligent and accomplished daughter. We expect more things from you, young lady," claimed one of them, patting her hand.

His touch exceeded the duration which most consider polite.

Mayumi slowly withdrew her hands from his with the excuse to execute a polite bow. "Thank you. I bid you a good day." She suppressed the desire to rip his hand apart with her magic.

With polite aloofness, she bid them farewell and these men departed.

"You're amazing, President," smiled Hattori, his face flushed. "The way you dealt with them was smooth. Otherwise, they would have caused us more problems."

Mayumi irked dealing with politics.

She winked at him playfully, causing his cheeks to be enflamed. Inwardly, she laughed at the control she had over him. "It's your chance next year. Anyway, I would like to meet Shiba-chan."

Her mind drifted to the fiery speech she had given. If she was right, she was a lady after her own heart.

His back became ramrod straight.

"Shiba-san should be in the auditorium. She did a good job. It is a good time to put forth our request to invite her into the student council."

She smiled pleasantly at him, before heading in that direction.

It was quite easy to find her. Following the trail of whispers and roving glances, she found herself near a crowd. Like the red sea, the crowd parted for her as she tried to reach the epicenter of the gathering.

There was a gentle smile on the representative's face, but Mayumi could tell that she did not appreciate the adulation and the flattery from the crowd.

"You did really well, Shiba-chan. I do think that everyone should be treated alike," smiled Mayumi, announcing her presence.

Shiba Miyuki was more beautiful in person. Her ice-blue eyes revealed distaste for the fawning, although her gentle smile could have passed off as welcoming and sweet. Mayumi smiled to herself. There may be some hope for First High, after all. She could tell from the tense lines around her face that she was barely tolerating the crowd.

Those ice-blue eyes brightened for a moment before she sank into a deep bow. Her manners were befitting of an ojou-sama. She wasn't surprised since Tatsuya was her bodyguard. There was a hint of star-struck in her eyes, as if she was excited to meet her.

Oh, her reputation may have preceded her again.

Tucking her wavy hair behind her ear, she sank into a formal bow.

"I'm Saegusa Mayumi, president of the Student Council. I would have loved to meet you before the ceremony but I was held up. I'm pleased to finally meet you." Affectionate lined her tone as she gazed at her. It was tough not to be since this was the second time she had met her.

"Shiba Miyuki. I look forward to being in your care." Miyuki returned the bow with a poise that was breathtaking.

She grinned warmly before turning to face the crowd. "If it doesn't trouble you, I would like to speak to Shiba-chan privately for a while."

Immediately, the crowd dissipated in a flash.

A flash of appreciation and relief appeared in her eyes.

Mayumi cocked her head to the side and smile. "It takes a while to get used to this."

Miyuki blinked owlishly at her. "I'm sorry, President?"

"Mayumi, if you don't mind. It takes a while to get used to this," repeated Mayumi kindly. "After a while, you'll learn to adapt to it. It can be slightly trying in the beginning. It's good not to be alone."

"Oh, I couldn't, President. That wouldn't have been proper. Thank you for the advice."

Mayumi pouted. "Mayumi-senpai, if you have to insist on proprieties."

Miyuki smiled indulgently. "Miyuki then, Mayumi-senpai."

"President?" Hattori interrupted. He seemed surprised at the affectionate tone that she had used. Mayumi brushed those feelings off.

"Mayumi-senpai, I have a prior appointment. I need to leave first." There was unease in her voice.

"President?" Hattori's tone was more adamant.

Cheerfully, she gestured to the other side of the auditorium where she knew that Shiba Tatsuya was waiting patiently for her.

"Shall we?"

She received an unreserved and brilliant smile from Miyuki.

Wordlessly, they fell into step as they headed out to meet Tatsuya. Anxious, Miyuki hurried before her, as if she was worried that she had kept him waiting. What a strange relationship. Had things changed after the Okinawa incident? She remembered the careful and respectable distance Tatsuya had placed between him and his sister. It was one between a bodyguard and a charge, not close siblings. However, it seemed as if Miyuki really adored her brother.

She could barely control her laughter when she caught sight of the confrontation between the sister and the two girls that were clinging to Shiba Tatsuya. Although she was mildly annoyed to see that he was so popular with the girls, she was more intrigued with the way that the siblings interact.

Their wordless communication reminded her of her sisters and her. Miyuki was upset that she had to be polite to them. Coerced, she made her introductions to the other two girls. However, it appeared as if she liked Chiba Ericka, a straightforward woman. If she did not remember wrongly, she was the younger sister of Mari's beau.

There were rumors about her prowess. Ericka may not be as talented as her second brother, but she seemed to inherit a lot of the Chiba talent.

Interesting, they were all Course 2 students.

Her final year seemed to be shaping up to be a fascinating year.

Tatsuya's gaze met hers for a moment as if he was curious of her presence. Automatically, he returned his attention to his sister.

"Miyuki, are done with your business with the Student council? If you aren't, I could kill off some time by myself."

She felt that it was a good time to introduce herself before it became impolite.

"It's good to see you again, Tatsuya-kun," smiled Mayumi warmly. She attempted to play the gracious senior before her juniors, but that kitten comment was beyond infuriating. Her emphasis on 'see' did not miss him.

He inclined his head slightly, a gallant action that was almost sardonic. Oh! He was definitely mocking her gracious Saegusa ojou-sama persona.

Her smile widened at that parry.

Tatsuya returned with a ghost of a smile.

With her head held high, she turned to regard the rest of the juniors. "I'm Saegusa Mayumi, by the way. I apologize for my tardiness in introducing." She sank into a deep bow.

She could almost hear a snigger from Tatsuya as his classmates took turns to introduce themselves. There was an unnatural pause when the juniors stared at something at her side.

Oh! She had forgotten about Hazou.

He stood by her side, like a bodyguard.

She was mildly annoyed when her vice president did not take her cue.

Ericka seemed to be impressed to meet her in person. Apparently, she had been following the Nine School Competition since she was in middle school.

Mayumi thanked her politely for her compliment, barely suppressing the embarrassment.

Curious, she asked them about their first day at First High.

Most of them were excited about starting their course, reminding of her own excitement when she was a freshman three years ago.

Then, she remembered that she was here to speak to Miyuki about her appointment to the student council.

"Great. It was nice meeting you." She clapped her hands together. "I'll take my leave then. We should speak on a more appropriate date." She smiled at Miyuki, who looked surprised that she was leaving so soon.

"But president! What about the schedule?"

The vice president was insistent about the tight agenda again. In the bigger scheme of things, Miyuki's agreement to her post on a later date posed little problems.

She silenced him with a look, before turning to smile at her juniors. "We do not have an appointment with Miyuki-san. We should not impose on them any further."

Tatsuya was about to protest but he held his tongue, befuddled at Mayumi's actions. He seemed to be gauging his sister's response to them.

She nodded at her. "Thank you for being so understanding, Mayumi-senpai." For some reason, the First-year became more reserved.

"I would love to have the opportunity to catch up with you, Miyuki-san and Tatsuya. I shall take my leave." With a smile, she bowed before her juniors before breaking away from the crowds and heading toward the Student Council room.

Upset, Hattori trotted behind.

"It is my choice, Hattori," chided Mayumi when they were out of earshot. "Besides, Miyuki-san would appreciate the break. It has been a difficult day for her even though it seemed so effortless for her." She could imagine her nerves, the control she required to deal with the crowd, the patience. It must have been overwhelming for the representative. She could at least give her some time to recuperate.

"Oh, I didn't think…" He blushed again. "I'm sorry."

"It's not an issue. You could cover her duties until she accepts her post. It's a fitting punishment isn't it?" winked Mayumi.

He let out a groan. "President…"

"You deserve it for the dirty eye you shot at Tatsuya. Don't think I didn't see it."

His mouth became slack. "B-but, but…"

Wordlessly, she walked ahead of him, contented to let him simmer at the prospect of doing more work. She knew that he had deliberately thrust his chest forward to feature the emblem prominently, to intimidate the Course 2 students. That, together with his impolite lack of introduction, revealed his contempt for them.

The discrimination was systematic, it didn't help that the Course 2 students accepted it as their fate since they were not rank as highly as their Course 1 counterparts. However, they were very much part of First High.

She did not quite expect to see him on the second day of the orientation during her specialist class in the afternoon. The shooting range was opened for visitors to observe the class. From her previous experience, she knew she was performing before a crowd.

"You always draw them like moths to a scorching flame," noted Mari, glancing around. "What if they learn who you really are, Mayumi-san? You'll probably lose them in a flash. You've never show interest in any of them. "

She shot her friend a glare, before donning on her googles. She headed over to check on her specialized CAD in a shape of a sniper Rifle.

"Oh, the First year representative and her brother are here. This will be interesting."

Her head snapped at her words. She glanced around the place, searching around the rows of observers. Her eyes fell on a man standing awkwardly in the first row. She could feel his gaze on her.

Her cheeks enflamed.

"I'm afraid that the freshmen seem to be more explosive compared to the previous year. Due to the Shiba siblings. It seems to heighten the rivalries between the Course 1 and Course 2 students." She leaned slightly against her machine, looking at Mayumi disinterestedly.

Mayumi reached over to switch on the program, setting the difficulty at the highest. Usually, she did not do so since everyone knew of her prowess on the shooting range. For some odd reason, she wanted to show that impish freshman that she was more than just a kitten.

Tuning everything out, she focus on activating her magic.

Within moments, she took out everything on that appeared on the field in a splendid display of precision and power.

It was almost effortless to her, considering that she needed to train at a more grueling pace at home. She removed her google. Subconsciously, her eyes darted to the person standing in the first row. There was a hint of admiration in his Eton-blue eyes. Quietly, he backed away as if he was running away from trouble.

"Showing off, Mayumi?" teased Mari. "I bet that tension will escalate really fast."

Following Mari's glance, she noticed the dirty looks that Tatsuya seemed to garner from his other peers.

"How long do you think?"

"In two days."

"In a day," proposed Mayumi, her eyes bright.

"A treat at the café shouldn't be too much for our Saegusa Ojou-sama, should it?"

Mayumi stuck a tongue at her. "I hope you have enough allowance for the rest of the month because you're losing this bet."

Due to the procedures, the most dangerous window of time for escalation of conflict would be after dismissal when the students had received their CAD. Following that logic and their awareness of the rising hostilities between 1E and 1A, both Mari and Mayumi took the time to patrol in the vicinity just outside of the school.

Mayumi was almost certain that the tensions would explode in a round of violence because of the individuals such as Morisaki Shun in them. He had a reputation of being fiery, beside mastering the technique of quick-draw. Neither Ericka nor Saijou Leonhart seemed to be bowing down from the conflict either. Then, she detected the gathering of Psions around a girl. Instinctively, she released a bullet of Psions to interrupt her sequence, disrupting the freshman's plan at activating magic.

"Stop right there, attacking others with magic if it is not for self-defense purposes is more than a violation of school rules. It's an offense!" A wave of Psions surrounded her, at her disposal, waiting to be used and shaped.

She could sense that Mari's CAD was activated and she was on the verge of using her magic.

Her eyes took in the sight of the freshmen.

The culprit had passed out into the arms of another female classmate.

She was surprised to see Tatsuya looked intently at her, as if she was producing a glow.

Mari shot a death glare at the aggressors. "You're from class 1A and 1E, right? Follow me and I will hear you out."

The rest of the freshmen shivered at the tone of her voice.

To her surprise, both Miyuki and Tatsuya stepped out to speak to Mari. His eyes was emotionless and analytical. His eyes had never drifted away from Mari's CAD. So, he could detect the gathering of Psions? This was starting to be really interesting.

"We're sorry, the prank went too far."

"Prank?"

At those unexpected words, Mari's eyebrows shot past her hairline. She knew that she wouldn't believe their words. They had witnessed it from afar. It was due to the Course 2 student's competence that a fight did not break out as quickly.

"Yes. Morisaki's quick-draw is famous, so I asked him to give a demonstration as a form of satisfying our intellectual curiosity. However, it become too out of hand. The others were only anxious to defend."

Mayumi noticed the shock on Morisaki's face. So, he didn't think that Tatsuya would attempt to lie to protect him or he assumed that Tatsuya did not know the specialty of his magic. If this conversation was held in the hallowed halls of one of the Ten Clan, she would have thought that Tatsuya's admission of his knowledge of his rival's magic would have sounded like a threat.

If he could join the Student Council, he would be a force to be reckoned with.

The freshmen became speechless, contented to stare at their feet.

Mari's smile grew colder.

"Then why did that girl from 1A try to use attack magic?"

"She was surprised. I would think it is a conditioned reflex." He glanced at Mari's own CAD pointedly, maintaining an impassive mask.

Mari shifted her weight to the other feet, her arms folded. "Your friends were about to be attacked by magic, but you still insist it was a prank?"

Despite the heat of her accusation, Tatsuya remained impassive.

"Even if you call it an attack, all she intended to fire was a flash of blinding magic. It wasn't on a level where it could have caused blindness or impairment."

Again, there was a collective intake of breath among the freshmen.

"Oh? "Her sneer turned into admiration. "It seems you're somehow able to read the activation sequence before it's deployed." Mari's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Mayumi was astounded to learn of his skill. It took a high level of innate talent to develop a logical mind that could decode strings of activation magic with a glance. It was a gift!

Miyuki dipped into a deep bow. "As my brother has explained, it was a series of misunderstanding. I apologize for bothering you, senpai."

Seeing that they have tried their best to protect their friends, Mayumi stepped in. "Mari, it's fine. Tatsuya and Miyuki-san said that they did it to improve their own knowledge. While I applaud the spirit of it," she shot a sweet but lethal smile at all of the freshmen, "it is prohibited for you to execute it. I hope you don't repeat this mistake at all." Her eyes fixed on Morisaki's face, as if warning him personally not to repeat his mistake of challenging the Course 2 students.

He shifted uneasily.

Then, her smile grew pleasant as she glanced at her good friend Mari.

She looked skeptical but she accepted her judgment in this. "Since the President has spoken on your behalf, I shall refrain this time. Should it happen again, I will carry out disciplinary measures." Her eyes hardened at that threat.

The freshmen sunk into a deep bow.

"You're Shiba Tatsuya right?" asked Mari, glancing at Mayumi, who was standing next to her side. Mayumi intentionally looked away, pretending as if she was not concerned with their personal exchange.

"Yes," affirmed he, sharing a meaningfully glance with Mayumi. There was humor in his eyes. She clasped her hands behind her back, desperately trying to maintain the persona of the President before the rest of the first years. Mayumi shot a surreptitious smile at both Miyuki and Tatsuya before following her friend back to the school.

"Mayumi, I don't owe you the treat now," began Mari airily, appreciating the cool spring breeze.

A shower of petals added color to the wind.

"Why?" pouted Mayumi, halting to face her classmate.

Mari turned to look at her. "I did a favor for you by letting you become the heroine so I don't owe you that treat any longer."

"What?" demanded Mayumi fiercely. "Those are two different matters!"

"I would have punished them if I wasn't doing you a favor. The students from both classes needed to be taken down by a peg; otherwise there is a possibility of escalation of violence."

Mayumi shook her head, her curls bouncing energetically. "Such tensions are common. Punishing them would make things worse. It was good that Tatsuya tried to alleviate the situation, it will help cool things down a bit." She pressed her finger to her chin contemplatively. "The discrimination is systemic."

"Besides getting that Shiba Tatsuya to notice you, Mayumi? You were watching him throughout our conversation. I might be inclined of accepting him into the Public Moral Committee so that both of you may spend more time with each other."

"You have an active imagination!" chided Mayumi, blushing.

"It is going to be a fascinating year. We have a batch of Course 2 students who can stand against them. Things will change." Mari rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

Mayumi smiled, knowing the truth of her words. Mari herself was an outlier, one of the rare powerful magicians born to an unknown lineage, causing waves in First High when she first exhibited her magic. If she could smell a wind of change happening soon, she would be incline to believe it. Her words reminded her of the appointment she had to make with Shiba Miyuki.

"As graduating members of First High, we should be heralds of a new age right?" quipped Mayumi playfully.

"If that is the will of the Preisdent, who am I to deny it?"

"I should think that the Public Moral Chief who ought to maintain the standards of morality, would have enough political clout."

"Ptfff. Oh please, you are too popular to be touched."

Anxious to check on them, she waited for them at the station in the morning.

Hiding her mischievous agenda, Mayumi joined them for a while as Tatsuya and his friends were heading to school. She preferred to use the time to be alone, since her schoolmates would swarm around her whenever she was within the school compound. She was anxious to check on him and Miyuki.

Miyuki expressed her discomfort that she had to respect the culture in school and have lunch with her classmates.

Tatsuya seemed to approve of his sister's endeavor to make more friends.

It was strange to see him behaving so protectively. They felt more like a lovers rather than a pair of siblings. Did the death of that person in the family during Okinawa bring them closer together?

"There are a lot of students who care about this small matter. Give it a little time," smiled Mayumi encouragingly, surprising both Shiba siblings. She would think that they would be surprised since she spent so much time with Course 2 students. "To be honest, I don't know a lot of Course 2 students too."

"Oh."

"Anyway, if you don't mind, you could join me for lunch at the Student Council room. We have our own automatic meal dispenser."

Her response was met with shock from all the freshmen.

Mayumi looked slightly abashed at that admission. However, she managed to persuade both siblings to join her for lunch. There, she ensnared Miyuki with a position as Secretary on her council and Tatsuya as a member of the Public Moral committee. Due to circumstances, Tatsuya won the respect of every member in the Student council, proving his mettle as an exceptional student in First High. It troubled her slightly that Tatsuya would do anything to support his sister, including getting into a formal battle to defend Miyuki's words. It was as if she owned every part of him—his soul, his mind and his body.

Mayumi was impressed by his knowledge of magic and his ability to use it on the battlefield but it reminded her of the strange darkness that surrounded him. His first forays as member of the Public Moral committee helped him to make more enemies, something that he dealt it on his own very well.

Hanzou tolerated him barely for her and Miyuki's sake. She noticed, however, that he learned to be more open-minded and accepting of ideas.

Mayumi was very proud of his achievements in First High. She was upset when she caught a wind of a vicious rumor; it claimed that Tatsuya had exploited his closeness with her to gain his position in school despite being a Course 2 student. If they knew what she had known of him, then they would not be too quick to judge.

Blanche swept through First High and she relied on his quick-wit to help resolve the situation. While she was fighting to ensure the protection of those Course 2 students who were dragged into the mess, he would aid her to resolve it satisfactory, almost as if he could read her thoughts. There was a fleeting look of admiration in his eyes when she chose to bear the responsibility for their actions. She had to since she was the President of the Student Council.

Mayumi was amazed that he took deep interest in the Blanche case.

She was forced to be the target of criticism as she defended the Student Council's position in the midst of the accusation that it promoted unequal treatment between the Course 1 and Course 2 students. Then she delivered her tour-de-force speech that earned the thundering response of all the students watching the forum. The Blanche used the opportunity to infiltrate the school. Wordlessly, he and Miyuki took the initiative to stop the Blanche from stealing information from the school.

Now, she had to resist displaying her irritation at the sight of Sayaka, winding her arms around Tatsuya, bawling into his chest. Miyuki did not seem too pleased that her brother was so close to her. It reminded her of the twins. They used to be jealous whenever one of the suitors came by. Gently, she squeezed Miyuki's hand. "Both you and Tatsuya-kun did very well."

The petite girl peeped at her through her long bangs, surprised. "I was not the only one who…"

"You remembered to issue the order to return the weapons to your friends, Ericka and Leonhart. That was quick thinking, suitable for an occasion like this. It's rare that we have situations like this in First High."

"I couldn't tell. You looked practiced," retorted Ericka, folding her arm. Leon held his silence, sitting in one of the cheap hospital chairs.

Katsuto let out a barking laugh.

"It comes with the territory of being who we are. Terrorist groups had never attempted to intervene with the affairs of First High," conceded Mari, folding her hands, looking at the bawling girl. "We need details."

Tatsuya rose to his feet, his eyes a chilling ice-blue, reminiscent of the time he stood among the gang of aggressors three years ago.

"No, Tatusya. I won't allow you," concluded Mayumi stepping forth, reading his intention. She remembered that look of defiance on the coast of Onna three years ago. It was one that showed that he was not going to bow down to fate. Her back was ramrod straight and she met his fierce gaze.

Tension filled the room at her protest.

Everyone held his or her breath.

"Onii-sama?"

He spun to glare at Mayumi. "You don't intend for the police to intervene, do you?"

She did not bow down from the confrontation, choosing to refute an answer. How could she report this to the police? Sayaka would be punished by the law. She did not intend to escalate the matter for the sake of the students involved in the incident. From the corner of her eye, she could see that Sayaka was surprise by this realization.

"I see. You don't want the problem to recur in the future, Shiba? However, they are a terrorist group and they do not take hostages. I will allow none of the student to take such a risk," returned Katsuto, the head of the Co-curricular club, the heir to the Juumonji family, firmly, folding his arms before his broad chest.

Tatusya remained impassive.

"I do not plan to request aid from the Student Council, the Public Moral Committee or the Co-curricular club," restated Tatsuya grimly, glancing around the small room. The rest of them remained impassive. "I plan to go alone."

"No, I'll go with you, Onii-sama."

"So will I," chipped Ericka, waving her baton excitedly.

"When are we gonna get cracking?" asked Leo cracking his knuckles and stretching his muscles as a show of his readiness for battle.

Shivers went down her spine.

Mayumi glanced at each of them worriedly.

"Do you even know where the base of Blanche is?"

Wordlessly, Tatsuya walked to the door and opened it. Mayumi's eyes widened when she realized that Ono-sensei had been eavesdropping. She was dressed in a dark skin suit as if she was a spy. She filed that knowledge for future reference, knowing that she needed to check her background again.

"... I can't believe I was naive enough to try and conceal my presence against Yakumo-sensei's favorite student..."

Mayumi glanced at Tatsuya. Was that the name of his teacher?

"You did not even bother to conceal your presence." He stood by the door, watching her dispassionately.

Ono-sensei seemed to be intimidated by him. "It's faster if you have a map."

He withdrew an information terminal and handed it over to her after setting it to the map mode. The teacher changed her information terminal into a transmission. Soon, a flashing light appeared on the map.

"Damn! They are right under our nose!"

The image was magnified before it focused in with more details. It became helpful for them to strategize. She took a closer look at the map. The flashing light indicated a location in the hills outside of the city, near the abandoned factories of the chemical dye industry. Her family was involved with ridding the Eco-Terrorist.

Her mind drifted to the sight of light going out from the eye of her masked opponent. She had made a terrible miscalculation for once.

She focused her mind on the task.

"This used to be the hideout of the Eco-Terrorist, which was abandoned when they fled a few years ago. Are there Biochemical weapons on site?"

"Hm, according to our investigation, there are no toxic materials transported to the site," returned the other heir of one of the Ten clans. There was a frown on his face as he rubbed his chin.

"Given the situation, I should think they would remain in their base. Their most important plans had been foiled," explained Mayumi.

"That is a fair judgment."

"Have they detected our magic?" asked Tatsuya.

"Even if they did detect us, they wouldn't change their plans anyways. They're probably waiting for us to show up."

She noticed Miyuki looking at Tatsuya.

"Full frontal assault?"

"That would probably be the tactic the enemy least expects," affirmed Tatsuya, looking at the map once again.

"It is a great strategy," returned Mayumi grimly. "I'll send someone to prepare the transport now." Her bodyguard was usually tasked to wait for her near school. Without waiting for a response, she sent a message to her bodyguard to prepare a vehicle to take them to the location. He would know the place well. Even though she did not agree with Tatsuya and Miyuki at risking their safety, she would help him. Besides, she was certain that Tatsuya could handle the situation, since he allowed Miyuki to tag along with him.

"President, you wish to follow? I thought you didn't want them to fight?"

Mayumi glanced at the Shiba siblings. "I protest against their decision but I won't let them go alone. It is my responsibility as the President. Besides, I was involved in the mission with Eco-Terrorist."

Katsuto looked concerned for a moment. He remembered that incident. "Are you sure, Saegusa-san? I know of that incident. There was a mishap."

Mayumi lifted her head, meeting his worried glance. He would know since he was the heir of one of the families of Ten clans. "I remember the incident too well. I have been involved with other missions since that incident."

Tatsuya's eyes glowed almost accusingly.

"We need you here. You need to be here to make the decisions," protested Mari.

"The only issue that we need to deal with is the security issue of First High. There may be followers of Blanche in school. I need you to see to the security."

Naturally, her order earned a death glare from her friend. Mari was useful for situations like a full frontal assault. Due to Mayumi's position in the Magical society, she was not familiar with fighting.

"Saegusa-san, I can take your place in the assault. You do not need to—"

"Do not complete the sentence if you consider me a member of the Ten clans," interrupted Mayumi, the smile waning from her face. "Both you and Mari are suited to remain in the school and see to the security."

Grudgingly, he nodded at her.

"Be safe, Saegusa-san."

"Let's head out. Let's try to get home for dinner, shall we?" winked Mayumi at her underclassmen.

Silence filled the room for a moment before their groans punctuated it.

Oh, this never failed to make my day. Mayumi smiled inwardly. It was good to get a rise from them occasionally.

They boarded a camouflaged all terrain, driven by her own bodyguard. He looked stern when they began to draft their plans while getting to the location. She knew that he did not approve of her involvement with this confrontation with the Blanche.

Since Mayumi's bodyguard would not leave her, she was partnered for an all- frontal assault.

"You make the call, Tatsuya-kun. You know our abilities better," affirmed Mayumi brightly, relaxing into their seat. She knew that he could make the best decision for all of them.

His eyes lingered upon hers before he started designating duties. It was as if he was surprised that he was entrusting so much to him. Their objective was to eradicate everyone from the Terrorist group, Blanche.

"We'll keep a lookout and take out the stragglers."

"Miss Mayumi, we're nearly there. Should I fortify the vehicle?"

Immediately, they all held on, as Mayumi gave him the order to do so. The vehicle smashed through the defenses, causing them to jolt violently from the impact. The vehicle stopped before an empty-looking warehouse. The factory looked dark and unused, but there were man-made trails leading to the entrance of the warehouse.

"You've been here?" Tatsuya asked, looking at her.

She glanced around place, recognizing the location. Was it almost three years ago that she, along with her father had stormed into here to confront the Eco-Terrorist. They had biochemical weapons then which meant that they had to take them out sneakily. It was the first time she had taken a life.

She shook those thoughts from her head , focusing on the mission at hand.

Mayumi nodded. "I remember the layout. I'll head to the back with Nakura-san. I'll meet you soon. Stay safe, Tatusya-kun and Miyuki-san."

Miyuki nodded at her. "Be safe."

Ericka and Leo exited the vehicle to keep a lookout.

Mayumi activated her magic and sneaked to the back. Her bodyguard acted as her shield. Moving with the shadows casted by the setting sun, they entered the building. They could hear fighting taking place near the front of the building.

Tatsuya and Miyuki must have engaged with the enemies.

Easily, she took out those Blanche members with bullets with pin-point accuracy as her bodyguard erected a shield with his magic. Each one of the bullets drove through their wrist, causing them to drop their weapons in pain as another bullet knocked on the spot beneath the ear, causing her opponents to knock out.

Ignoring the tweak of conscience, she followed the voices, sticking close to the shadows. She could almost see shadows of her past here. Gunshots, bomb exploding. Unconscious bodies. She could smell the metallic scent of blood in the air and feel the blood on her hands.

She shook that thought away. The men were knocked out. She had better control over her magic now.

"Miss Mayumi."

"Let's move on."

As she entered the center room, she realized that Tatsuya had just dropped his Silver Horn Custom Trident on the ground with a 'clank' as his eyes grew unfocused.

Oh no!

She directed her bodyguard to take down all the other men silently on the other side. Quietly, they spilt up, leaving this side to her.

Mayumi had faith in Tatsuya. She was quite sure that he was playing for time to unravel the mystery behind the whole attack on First High.

Quietly, she took down the Blanche members one by one, by shooting a solid and compressed air, in close range, to their neck. She was careful to reduce the strength of her magic to ensure she did not shoot through them. Like flies, she dropped them carefully to the ground.

Most of them were watching their leader earnest, barely paying attention to the rear.

Her eyes darted back to the front.

A man who stood before him was laughing wildly. "The amazing Course 2 student is part of us! The first thing you shall do is personally execute your sister. I'm quite sure that is her desire, hearing about both of you."

Miyuki looked composed, as if she didn't mind dying in his hands.

For a moment, Mayumi's eyes drifted to Miyuki. She could not tell if the determined gleam in her eye was a product of her unwavering confidence in her brother to fight off the mental interference or she was willing to die in his hands.

The ambiguity of the moment caused Goosebumps to blossom on her skin.

Tatsuya turned to face her, his eyes unfocused.

Her heart nearly stopped when he took a step closer to her.

There was a dozen of ways men could take out one another without magic.

The smile on Miyuki's face did not falter.

"Consciousness Interference Type External Systematic Magic, Evil Eye," announced Tatsuya emotionlessly, after a moment.

His sister cocked her head slightly, regarded him curiously.

"Mibu-senpai's memory was probably rewritten in the same way," continued Tatsuya, a hint of contemplation in his tone, as shifted his body again.

"Onii-sama, if that's the case..."

At his little sister's wide-eyed question, Tatsuya nodded without any expression on his face.

"The errors in Mibu-senpai's memory were too many for it to be natural. There is a possibility that the misinformation may be brought about because she may have misheard. However, such lapses or errors are not enduring."

"You, despicable scoundrel!" spat Miyuki, her eyes gleaming with wrath. Her hand tightened over the mobile terminal she was holding.

Tatsuya's eyes met hers for a moment as if he knew that she was always there. She sighed inwardly. Was there no way she could hide anything from him?

Forsaking her cover, since her enemies were more focus on their leader, she stepped out into the open. She released her magic after changing the effect to wide-area magic. Within moments, the battle ended in their favor with all of Blanche men incapacitated. The fell to the ground like collapsed trees, their weapons clanking on the ground.

Gracefully, she picked her way through the fallen men to the siblings standing among the fallen opponents. His eyes were eton-blue, rather than the ice-blue she had remembered after a battle. "This reminds me of our first meeting," greeted Mayumi, carelessly drawing her hand through her hair. "This time I managed to accomplish what I needed to do."

There was laughter in his eyes.

"And you did not trip. It was a good idea for you to switch to a bracelet CAD," commented Tatsuya, looking amused.

"Your first meeting?" probed Miyuki curiously.

"You mean he didn't tell you?" questioned Mayumi, surprised.

Miyuki shook her head. "I didn't know that you knew each other in the past."

Mayumi glanced at Tatsuya in surprise.

He shrugged his shoulder.

"Ah. We've met by chance at Okinawa three years ago." Then, her mind suddenly made the connection after reviewing their confrontation with Blanche. "You wanted to annihilate them. It was you who picked a fight with them because you perceive them as a hazard to Miyuki's safety!"

Tatsuya looked almost exasperated. "Didn't I explain to you after that?"

"Wait. What fight?" She looked almost befuddled.

Mayumi turned to look at Miyuki. "I attempted to help him because I thought that he was bullied by a bunch of thugs. I didn't help much, however, I tripped—"

"And provided a distraction. I didn't kill them because of her," interrupted Tatsuya evenly, as if the incident was not important.

"I should have saved them from you!"

Tatsuya laughed.

To her surprise, Miyuki sank into a deep bow. "Thank you for helping Onii-sama."

"Miyuki—"

"Huh?" She was confused. She couldn't understand the exasperation in Tatsuya's voice or the emotions in Miyuki.

Her eyes were gleaming with gratitude when she clasped both of Mayumi's hands. "No one has ever thought of helping him in any way. I'm glad, Mayumi nee-san, that you tried. I know you are here for him."

Tatsuya looked away, as if embarrassed.

Both of her brows shot past her hairline at that affectionate tone. Therefore, the way to winning Miyuki's favor was treating Tatsuya well.

Mayumi focused on the younger girl holding her hands tightly in hers and she saw a faint shadow of another with similar striking features, but a darker shade of blue for eyes. It was a fleeting vision of an older woman. For some odd reason, the memory eluded from grasp. Her mind could not sharpen the vague image of the lady.

However, the woman was of petite size, judging from the way she was swallowed by the couch. She tried to focus her mind on the couch, but it continued to blur. Her words, soft and frail, were wisps in her head.

"You'll meet him again."

The anxiety that laced that delicate memory faded away with her words.

What was her name again? What was the name of that lady?

"Mayumi nee-san?"

Her vision focused on her surroundings. They were standing in the center of the main room in the factory, talking.

The fog in her mind faded slightly.

Miyuki grew uncomfortable from the way she was staring at her.

She pressed both of hands on her forehead, before glancing at Tatsuya. He had taken a step forward, almost shielding Miyuki with his body.

Her heart ached at that sight. The headache cleared.

"I'm sorry. You just remind me of someone." She pressed on her forehead with her palms. She did not remember meeting a lady that looked like Miyuki. If she had, she ought to have perfect clarity.

"Are you alright?" questioned Tatsuya, peering at her closely. His stance had relaxed.

It didn't make sense. There were gaps in her usually perfect memory. Her mind drifted to the words of the leader of Blanche. Could someone with higher mental interference ability tweak her memory? Why would the person do that? How did it happen anyway? Even if her memory was altered, it didn't seem to be the most pressing issue at the moment.

She contemplated approaching her father about it. Somehow, there was a strange reluctance to inform him. Mayumi considered the reason she had kept Tatsuya's identity a secret. It seemed logical to do so.

Perhaps, she could consider researching on families that specialized in mind-interference magic.

Her bodyguard had called up the relevant bodies to sweep the factory. They started to fill the place, carrying the unconscious men away with stretchers.

Her conscience twanged at the sight of them. Her eyes drifted to her hands. she was capable of so much violence. Despite all the missions she had participated, Mayumi did not have a taste for violence.

There was an understanding look in Miyuki's eyes."They aren't dead. Things could have been worse if either Onii-sama or I had to take them out," comforted Miyuki.

She saw the sincerity in her eyes. She actually meant every word of it. Her mind drifted to her accidental display of magic, which convinced her that several mishaps must have happened for her to be this empathetic.

Such powerful magicians.

Who were they?

"Yes, I'm okay. Let's head back. We should be in time for dinner," winked Mayumi, plastering a smile on her face. "I'll handle the aftermath of this problem." Her father would be able to deal with it quickly, even though he may not be too pleased with her behavior. She considered asking Katsuto to help her to persuade her father. Her bodyguard immediately followed her as she led them back to their ride where Ericka and Leo were still waiting.

Her mind was focused on the enigma that was Tatsuya.

A/N: Hello everyone. This idea was lurking in my head for a while. What happens if Mayumi was more of a warrior? I tried to include her into the actual fight of the Okinawa but it is difficult to fit it. Thank you for reading.