[3rd POV]
The Yatsushiro Heir's friendship endeavour continued. While walking around the institute, Lone got familiar with the structure, the classrooms... what surprised him was that he could see next to no teachers.
While he walked around, trying to establish a conversation, someone was watching.
A particular short-haired beauty looked at him from the side, hiding. She was someone very shy, someone who was also having a hard time establishing conversation with someone. She reached the main hall and managed to see this handsome boy who struggled to talk to people but didn't give up.
She found the young man to be very handsome, but everyone was avoiding him, and she felt it was a bit pitiful. So she started to follow him. She tried to get the best opportunity to introduce herself, but was too shy to do so. As a result, she ended up tailing him while hiding herself. But at least she made sure to hide herself properly because... it'd be a shame if she were discovered, right?
...
'Is that girl stalking me...? A stalker... on my first day at school? What are the odds?!'
Lone had already walked to the ancient magic research department, a place where there was literally NOBODY, and he had walked around the department in circles twice, and the girl was still there, hiding behind a corner... she tried to hide, but her breasts were so big they stuck out of the wall.
'Having such a pretty and voluptuous girl stalking me on the first day of school while everyone else is avoiding me? If that's not a red flaw, I don't know what is'.
After confirming that he was being followed, Lone sighed and walked back to the main hall, where the people were. Regardless of where he went, he didn't fail to see those two lumps of flesh covered in white silky hair sticking out.
'Hehehe, hehe... I can't keep her walking around forever, can I?'
Houki's obnoxious, ridiculing laughter resonated in his mind, 'I have to swallow the bullet. What's the worst thing that can happen? That she's a spy? If so, she'd be a very mediocre spy'.
There were still a few hours until the entrance speech ceremony; it would be terrible to miss this opportunity to talk to someone.
He turned around a corner, waited a second and then went back around as if I had forgotten something. He bumped into someone on his way back. Guess who?
"Eh?" The girl stumbled onto him and fell on her butt, releasing a delicious wave of you know what. She blushed, gasping like a little pussy cat that had been caught in the act.
"Excuse me?" Lone mumbled politely and stretched his hand to help her up, she accepted it.
"I-I am sorry, I didn't see you there," She stuttered, bowed and then walked in embarrassment with her ears red, then walked past him.
'Girl, are you for real? Do you actually think I haven't seen you!?' He attributed it to anime logic and brushed it to the side.
"Good morning, are you a new student like me?" He followed up, not allowing her to go so quickly.
The girl's golden eyes shone behind her glasses, and she smiled, turning around, "Yes, I am Shibata Mizuki, second course, first year. Nice to meet you, uhmmm..."
"My name is Mashiro Yatsushiro, nice to meet you, Mizuki-san".
**
**
[Lone's POV]
"The pleasure is mine, Mashiro-san" We bowed to one another and whatnot, Japanese stuff, and that marked the beginning of a lovely friendship that would last, well... months. Turns out Mizuki is not from Tokyo either, also... the reason why she doesn't avoid me is that she doesn't know who I am, she's a total clutz.
As we walked together and talked, I noticed the boy's gaze on her. It is a bit sad that most of these kids can't see beyond those two heavy knockers. She's a very charming and easy-going girl, and she's also humble, as you'd expect from a girl who hails from a small town.
She told me her interest, and I told her mine. I wanted to be a magic engineer. As for her, she said she hadn't figured out what she wanted to be yet. Understandable considering her background. Most kids at this age aren't supposed to know what they want to do; they come to an institute to figure that out over time.
"Can I be honest with you, Mizuki-san?" I said as we sat on one of the benches in the open.
"Eh? Yes, please".
"I noticed you following me for a while~" I said with a small smirk.
!!!
She blushed madly and looked like she was about to cry. I laughed, "Don't worry, I am not angry or anything. If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have worked up the courage to talk with you. Everyone has been avoiding me".
Hearing my words, her fright switched into relief, "W-Well, I didn't understand. Mashiro-san is so handsome and friendly, I didn't know why..." Her eyes shone for a moment while looking at me, "You feel very... special too".
"You think? Thanks for the compliment," I smiled, yeah, she's not a spy... or I am dumb.
Mizuki explained to me something that had been puzzling me. This school's system was quite discriminatory. Students who had a nice score in the practical and theoretical test were assigned to the first course. Students who had a poor performance on either test were placed in the second course.
I didn't have a problem with that, but both courses had different uniforms. This was a clear form of segregation and division by status. The students from the first course were called 'blooms' while the ones from the second course were called 'weeds'.
I don't know exactly what it means, but now I understand all this hate towards weed. This is what you call futuristic racism. People are no longer divided by colour in this society... now they're divided by whether they're mages or not.
I felt a bit bad for Mizuki, some other girls wanted to talk to her, but... unlike her, they actually had a clue, they knew who I was, and they didn't want to approach.
"Mizuki-san, I don't think it is okay for you to be together with me. If you want, we can talk after–"
"I want to talk to you, Mashiro-san... you're such an interesting person. Could you tell me why you want to be a magic engineer?" She leaned forward, completely locked in with me. I sighed, yeah... she's not going to go.
I still smiled. She must want to know... but she didn't ask me why everyone was avoiding me. She knew that topic would sour our mood; she may seem like a clutz, but she's not.
It made me feel sad that I would eventually go, so this little bond was short-lived; nevertheless, I would enjoy my time here as much as I could. We were sitting there peacefully, minding our own business, making a small connection... but some piece of shits had to show up to mess everything up.
"Oi, woman".
We... well, she was called by some people, some kids who straight ignored me and came to talk with Mizuki. I didn't even need to look much to know they were staring at her breasts the whole time. The sight, the angle... I knew... I have been looking at them too, bastard... but I am not this obvious or this disgusting.
"Hello, do I know you?" Unlike with me, Mizuki looked very offended that she was addressed as if she were a piece of fresh meat.
The guy didn't come alone; he came with two of his fuckboys, and he was wearing the uniform of a bloom, obviously. Nevertheless, I knew he was a nobody; I don't remember him from Mashiro's memories.
"I am Takaoka Nao, 1-A from the first course. We have a meeting going on, and we can even show you around. You, though, he can't come"
He introduced himself, but didn't even bother to ask for Mizuki's name. He then told me that whatever party was going on, I was not invited. I don't even think Mizuki is invited... if they could take her boobs and leave her, they would.
I didn't want to impose, so I let her answer them. Mizuki didn't disappoint me
"Sorry, I am not interested. Let's go, Mashiro-san" Mizuki fixed her glasses, hooked her arm with mine to walk away, and that's when I felt she was shivering.
She's unexpectedly brave. By now, the people had started looking at us. This Takaoka was a bit loud as he spoke.
"Hey!"
Mizuki and I both heard him scream behind us.
"Oi, I never said you could go!" He put his hand on her shoulder, and that was it.
"Ugh!"
Before I even knew, I grasped his wrist and twisted it painfully. This boy had no power whatsoever to resist me.
"Ugh! R-Release me!"
He struggled and even took out his CAD. With a swift move, I bent his arm, incapacitated him and snatched his CAD.
'Wow', I gasped at myself. I am doing all this instinctively.
"Don't make this worse than it has to be", I whispered ominously. This was the limit of my politeness, and if there was something Mashiro was not, it was a coward.
"L-Let me go, fucking weed!" He screamed in outrage. I twisted his thumb just for fun before I released him and pushed away. At this stage, everyone was looking at shock.
Damn it, it is the first day...
"She said she doesn't want to come with you. Are you deaf or something? Fuck off..." I mumbled, trying not to be too loud, unlike him.
"Wastrel of the Yatsushiro, who do you think you're talking to?! This isn't Kyushu! This is the first institute; you don't have any power here!" He swung at me, trying to recover his CAD. But with a single clean move, I used his momentum to plant his face on the ground. Even I was shocked.
"Wow, amazing, Mashiro-san!~" Mizuki gasped, just like me.
I felt like my body moved on its own once again. Mashiro may have been a 'useless' magician, but he wasn't a weakling by any means. He was a black belt in Aikido, and those memories were firmly in my mind; I just hadn't assimilated them.
We were being looked at from an angles, perfect... exactly what I needed, to waste someone on my first day. I dropped the guy's CAD on him as he shrieked, trying to recover his breath.
"Let's go, Mizuki!"
"H-Hai!".
I took her hand, and we ran away from the conmotion, unaware that a lot of influential eyes had been staring at us. We reached another building and laughed it off afterwards.
"That was so cool, Mashiro-san, you're strong!~" She smiled and stared at me with shining eyes of interest.
"Well, couldn't just let them do whatever they want; they will come for us later, though, I am sure... they're headstrong like that"
The guy could have let it go instead of making a scene on the first day, but he still wanted to be violent; someone like that isn't going to just give up when he has been embarrassed in front of everyone... by a weed, no less.
"Then we can kick them again~" She said.
'We...? Girl, you're still shivering'.
We collapsed against one of the walls and laughed nonetheless. This was a hallway with no one coming by; surely no one was going to come to interrupt us. Foolish thought.
"That was so cool, Maaa-kyun!~"
I felt a shiver go down my spine; it was instinctive, it was deep... it was like meeting your worst enemy. I, Lone, was okay... but Mashiro suffered.
"Don't call me Ma-kun!" I screamed out of my lungs. I knew who this person was, someone even more naughty than Houki.
I stood up and helped Mizuki so we could meet the two people who had just peeked at the corner of the hallway. One of them was a short-haired redhead, a Japanese ginger.
My brows twitched, "Chiba Erika. What a miracle that you got accepted here".
"I could say the same to you~"
The girl stood proudly in front of me, not shrinking a little despite the fact that I was towering over her. Chiba Erika may not be a member of the Ten Great Clans, but she was a member of the Chiba Clan, which was still quite renowned and reputable within the nation. Her clan was a home of heroes of the Tokyo Police Department, and her older brother is en route to becoming another one.
We have seen each other on numerous occasions, all of them events related to our families. We're not friends, but because both of us had any business with magic, we got drawn to one another more or less at those parties in order not to be completely alone.
She's insufferable, but... I am somehow glad she's here, too.
Erika doesn't fear me... she's a breath of fresh air. Once she started laughing, I looked at her warm gaze, and I knew she felt the same way.
"I am glad you're here," She mumbled. I was surprised, didn't expect her to voice her relief out loud.
"Thanks–"
"That's what you wanted to hear from me!? Dream on, you wastrel of Yatsushiro!~" She hissed like a snake.
"If I am a wastrel, then what are you? I bet your theory scores were very average," I mocked back at her. This girl's MCA is capable of only one magic sequence at best, and she's lazy and hates to study. How the hell was she accepted?
"You know me well~" The vixen giggled.
"Don't feel so prideful about that", I said with a deadpan, mirroring someone else's voice, it was a boy who came alongside her.
"Ma-kun, this is my childhood friend Miki. Miki, this is my rival, Ma-kun" She introduced us, both of us were outraged, but I voiced it out first.
"Don't call me Ma-kun, and who the heck is your rival...? rival in what? Eating noodles? girl, we're not on the same level!"
"You're right, Ma-kun, I am superior. At least I can defend myself with a sword, but you? You're going to eat dirt sooner rather than later," She grinned, "Don't worry, onee-sama will protect you from the bullies".
"A-Ano... eto" Shibata Mizuki pouted at me and tugged my sleeve. Somehow, we left her out of the conversation.
"Sorry. Erika, this is a new friend I made today, her name is Shibata Mizuki. Also... Miki" I wanted to introduce her to the guy, who was also looking at her chest, but at least he tried not to be too obvious about it, and he was shy too...
Approved.
"My name is not Miki! Erika, stop calling me like that in front of people, they will think that's my name!" He yelled at her
"Isn't that your name, Miki?–" Erika tilted her head 'cutely'.
"It's not!"
Ma-kun, Miki... this woman just calls anyone by any name she wants.
The guy introduced himself as Mikihiko Yoshida, and he was Erika's childhood friend. I don't know how they can be friends when they're so different from one another. He's chill, easygoing and calm... Erika is a troublemaker.
"Nice to meet you, Shibata-san".
"Aren't you going to call her Shi-chan or something?"
"Shut up, Ma-kun".
...
Soon, we walked back. Apparently, they were with another group, but Erika pulled Mikihiko to chase after me after I had humiliated, humbled, and destroyed the guy. We didn't find them back there, and were soon informed that the entrance ceremony was about to begin.
We walked into the main auditorium, where most students were concentrated. As I expected, Blooms and weeds were separated in different spots. We looked for where to sit until a guy waved his hand towards Erika and us.
"Shiba-kun!~"
I perked up when I heard the surname Shiba, and the guy looked at me. We locked eyes for the first time.
"We have some seats over here, they may not be enough though", He said calmly, and we walked to sit there in that area where he was.
"Ma-kun, these are Shiba Tatsuya and Saijo Leonhard, we met earlier".
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mashiro Yatsushiro-san" He stretched his hand forward, I shook it.
"The pleasure is mine, Shiba-san. Please address me casually, I believe we are the same age. I beg you, don't mind my status, we are all the same here, aren't we?" I said, pointing to the shoulder of our uniform.
We were all weeds.
He smiled and nodded, then we sat... any conversation would have to happen later.
"Nice to meet you too, Saijo-san", I said to the other guy, who perked up when I greeted him and nodded just meekly. For real, this big guy is afraid of me?
"I knew Leo was a big softy!~" Erika giggled and teased him, of course, she wouldn't let go of this chance.
Leo wanted to bicker back, but we couldn't. The ceremony started, and we were asked to take our seats and be silent. Then, just then... a goddess took over the scenery.
!!!
I gasped at how beautiful she was.
"First year representative, Shiba Miyuki!" She bowed down, then started to recite her discourse beautifully.
'Shiba Miyuki...? If I remember correctly, this is the heroine, isn't she?'
I didn't know her name, but I have seen her in photos with Tatsuya in the anime cover. Damn it, Tatsuya is going to eat well.
We heard her words in silence, utterly beautiful and eloquent. By the time she finished her discourse on the union, we all stood up to applaud. I couldn't help but be jealous of Tatsuya if that's the main heroine of the show.
"She's beautiful, isn't she? That's Shiba-kun's younger sister!~" Erika whispered next to me.
"..."
'Eh?'
That's when I noticed they actually have the same surname. I looked at both of them... and they both look very similar. And this is a romance anime, and he's the protagonist, and she's the main heroine...
'E-Eh?'