After leaving school, Tatsuya was, unusually, acting separately from Miyuki. The reason was easy to imagine: yesterday's battle between Miyuki and Lina had likely caused various complications given Lina's position. Sure enough, Tatsuya had received a text message from Lina asking to meet in the afternoon if possible.
Naturally, Miyuki had objected. However, considering that further complications would only increase the burden on Tatsuya, she had permitted him to go out alone with Lina—on the condition that he take her on a date as well at a later date.
"Hi, Tatsuya. Did I keep you waiting?"
"No, I just got here myself. No need to worry."
"Is that so? Fufu."
"What is it?"
"No, I just thought, 'Tatsuya can act like a proper gentleman, too,' you know?"
"I won't ask what you mean by that, but I've been a man from the start."
At Tatsuya's deadpan response to her joke, Lina couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Sorry, that's not what I meant. Isn't it a trait of Japanese men to pretend they weren't waiting, even if they arrive at the meeting place first?"
"Who knows? I don't know about 'Japanese men' in general, but I really wasn't waiting."
"By the way, did you have some business to attend to this morning?"
"Even I have errands to run. Besides, you had plenty to deal with yourself, didn't you, Lina?"
"...I don't even want to think about it."
It must have been something truly unpleasant. Forgetting she was in front of Tatsuya, Lina scowled deeply. Even seeing that expression, Tatsuya wasn't particularly shaken, but...
"More importantly, isn't it tough for you, Tatsuya? What happened yesterday... that looked pretty painful."
"It's no problem. I have an acquaintance who is an excellent healing magician, so there's no need for you to worry."
In reality, he had activated his self-restoration sequence immediately after parting ways with Lina, but he couldn't very well explain that to her, as she didn't know the circumstances. So, Tatsuya glossed over it with a plausible lie.
"No matter how much healing magic you use, it's only temporary. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
"Considering I did it out of necessity to capture you, isn't it strange for you to be worrying about me?"
"That was then, this is now. Besides, you're a candidate to be my fiancé, so isn't it natural for me to worry?"
"About that... where on earth did that story come from?"
Being called Lina's fiancé candidate didn't feel real to Tatsuya at all. In the first place, he assumed that even if such a proposal existed, Maya would oppose it and crush it immediately.
"Well, I heard the General has taken a liking to you, and wants to marry you off to either Kyoko-san or me."
"...Lord Kudou said that? But are you okay with having something like that decided for you, Lina?"
"If it's Tatsuya, I have no problem with it. Besides, after being shown magic like that, how could I not fall for you?"
"Magic like that?"
"First when you were fighting Erika and Miki, and then yesterday. I've never heard of magic that erases all magic!"
"My magic is only useful in actual combat, though."
Finally understanding the meaning of Tatsuya's previous statement—"I am a magician more useful in combat than in technical skill"—Lina nodded as if convinced, and with a swift movement, entwined her arm with Tatsuya's.
"Hey?"
"For today, Tatsuya, you are my boyfriend, so this much is fine, right?"
"Good grief..."
Having learned sufficiently from other women in the past that resistance was futile, Tatsuya sighed once and decided not to think about it any further.
With Lina, a universally acknowledged beauty, and Tatsuya, whose mature atmosphere and looks unconsciously captivated women one after another, walking together, the other couples around them cast gazes of envy and jealousy.
The men directed envy at Tatsuya and jealousy at Lina; the women directed envy at Lina and jealousy at Tatsuya. It was a perfect split, though occasionally, gazes of resignation or admiration were mixed in.
"Are Japanese lovers surprisingly jealous?"
"Who knows? Asking me won't get you an answer."
"Really? Tatsuya, surely you've dated plenty of girls?"
"Just what kind of person do you think I am, Lina?"
Even though he went out with members of the opposite sex like this, Tatsuya did not consider it a date. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say he could not consider it one.
"But Mayumi and Mari seemed interested in you, didn't they?"
"Watanabe-senpai has a proper boyfriend, and Saegusa-senpai is a direct descendant of the Ten Master Clans. Surely there are partners far more suitable for her than someone like me."
"Tatsuya, you really have low self-esteem. Most of our classmates think you're 'great,' you know? Well, with Miyuki around, they don't exactly say it out loud easily."
"Miyuki and I are siblings."
It was a matter-of-fact reply, but to Lina, it sounded hollow. Tatsuya recognized Miyuki as his sister, but it was clear to anyone with eyes that Miyuki directed feelings toward Tatsuya that went far beyond familial affection.
"Tatsuya, you know how Miyuki feels, don't you?"
"...But in reality, Miyuki and I are blood-related siblings. No matter how much Miyuki thinks of me, that is an undeniable fact."
"For Honoka and me, that fact is something to be grateful for, though."
"Honoka?"
"...Tatsuya, are you pretending to be dense on purpose? Or do you really not understand?"
At Lina's question, Tatsuya wore a bitter smile.
"Honoka has confessed to me once."
"She did!? Way to go, Honoka."
Recalling the incident during summer vacation, Tatsuya's smile grew even more bitter. He hadn't given a clear answer, but since he had essentially turned her down, it was likely a memory Tatsuya didn't want to revisit.
"But you aren't dating Honoka, right Tatsuya?"
"Correct. I am not dating anyone."
"Why? Honoka is cute, isn't she? Even from a fellow girl's perspective, Honoka is cute, and she has big boobs, too."
"That is remarkably vulgar, Major Angelina Sirius."
"Don't call me by my rank right now!"
Lina, not being fully Japanese, didn't realize that Tatsuya was trying to obfuscate the issue. In the end, the subject was changed, and the topic didn't heat up any further.
"Oh well. Then, let's have dinner."
"Just how long do I have to keep you company?"
"Ideally, I'd want to stay with you through the night, but we're high school students, so I'll save that for the next opportunity."
"...You really are vulgar, Lina."
"This much is normal. Even high school girls these days talk about this stuff normally."
"No, telling me that doesn't help me understand."
Chatting like that, Lina took Tatsuya's arm and escorted him to the restaurant she had reserved. However, since Tatsuya walked firmly beside her, to any onlooker, it surely looked as if Tatsuya was the one escorting her.
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