and Psion as if they were completely visible to her, his secret might be discovered by random chance.

—He would have to be much more alert and act cautiously whenever she was around.

"I'm Chiba Erika. Nice to meet you, Shiba-kun."

"Nice to meet you too."

The voice of the young woman sitting beside Mizuki cut off Tatsuya's thoughts.

But that was a welcome interruption.

Tatsuya's look had unconsciously turned into a stare, and Mizuki's bashfulness was pretty much approaching its limit, but it had gone unnoticed by Tatsuya.

"But, can I say that this is an interesting coincidence?"

Different from her friend, Erika appeared to be an extrovert and of an unreserved type.

Her short, bright hair and her distinct facial features amplified the impression of her being a lively girl.

"What is?"

"Well, you know, we are Shiba, Shibata, and Chiba right? Don't they rhyme somehow? Though they are a little different."

"...I see."

He could understand what she meant by that.

(But still, Chiba huh... another numbered one?[3] I didn't know that the Chiba House had a daughter by the name of "Erika", but it's possible that she's of collateral descent...)

As he thought about that, really interesting, a somewhat out-of-place laugh escaped from him, but it was not to the extent that drew cold looks from those around him.

After the remaining two students on the other side of Erika had finished introducing themselves, Tatsuya felt like satisfying his trivial curiosity.

"Were the four of you from the same middle school?" Erika's reply was an unexpected one.

"Nope, all of us just met for the first time."

Tatsuya's surprised look might have been a strange one, for Erika started giggling as she explained.

"I didn't know where the place was and I was staring at the information board. That's when Mizuki called out to me."

"...Information board?"

That's strange, thought Tatsuya. The data for the school entrance ceremony included the location of the venue, and had been sent to all the new students. By using the LPS (Local Positioning System), a standard feature in a mobile terminal, even if a new student didn't read the information board, or remember any of the information, one shouldn't lose one's way.

"The three of us didn't bring our data terminals."

"Well, the virtual-screen models are banned and I had the school entrance guide stored in mine."

"We managed to luck into this school after all. It wouldn't make sense to get marked off right at the school entrance ceremony."

"I forgot mine actually."

"So that's the reason for you, huh..."

He really couldn't accept it. It's your own school entrance ceremony; at least verify the location of the venue before coming, he thought honestly to himself, but didn't say a word.

There was no need to stir up any meaningless trouble — thinking about that, Tatsuya restrained himself.

? ? ?

Miyuki's reply address was outstanding as expected.

Tatsuya never had the slightest thought that his little sister would fumble at something like this.

Even though she was fired up and included a number of pretty dangerous phrases like "everyone alike", "as a single body", "aside from magic" or "in an integrated manner", she managed to set them up properly and they didn't sound thorny at all.

Her openness, innocence, and modesty, coupled with her lovely, beautiful appearance, had captured the hearts of not just the guys, the freshmen, but the upperclassmen as well.

Miyuki would probably be surrounded by boisterousness from tomorrow onward.

That was not an unusual thing.

Using the society's standards, one could call Tatsuya a siscon from the way he pampered her. He wanted to commend her immediately, but unfortunately, what followed immediately after the ceremony was the issuing of the ID cards.

Since the individual cards were not made beforehand, the arrangement was to have each and every person go to a certain place to personally have their data written into the cards meant for use within the school premises, so whichever counter they went to, the procedure could be completed, but here, a wall naturally appeared in Tatsuya's heart.

Miyuki probably, undoubtedly, skipped this step; as the freshman representative, she had probably already been conferred with this card.

And right now, in the midst of the visitors and student crowd. "Shiba-kun, which class are you in?"

Erika, with a face that could not hide her excitement, asked Tatsuya, who was the last in line among the group (in other words, he was practicing the 'ladies first' rule).

"Class E."

On hearing Tatsuya's reply, "Yay! We are in the same class."

Erika hopped up and down happily. She seemed to be overdoing it but, "I am in the same class as well."

With just the accompanying action missing, Mizuki also had a similar face, so this might be a natural reaction for freshmen.

"I'm in class F."

"I'm in class G."

Even so, it was not like the reactions of the remaining two were cold and unfeeling. After all, they were in high spirits about enrolling into a high school.

This school has eight year one classes, and each class has twenty-five students.

In this respect, they were equal.

In the first place, the Weeds who were not expected to bloom into flowers were placed in classes E to H, and the Blooms who were expected to bloom into large flowers were never mixed among them.

The two girls who were assigned to different classes naturally went along their way. It seemed like the two of them were headed towards their homerooms. Even though classes A-D and classes E-H were located on different levels, it did not appear that their enthusiasm was any less from that.

It was not like all the Course 2 students would stick around together in one group.

There were also a number of them who would straighten their backs, and be proud about getting accepted into a reputable school.

Since this school was also ranked among the top in the country in areas not pertaining to magic.

The two of them probably went off to search for new friends among those whom they would spend the rest of the year with.

"What shall we do? Shall we go take a look at our homeroom as well?"

Erika asked as she looked up at the face of Tatsuya. While Mizuki didn't ask, she was also probably looking up at Tatsuya.

Save for a few schools who were continuing the old traditions, these days, high schools did not employ the system of having homeroom teachers.

Administrative circulars did not need to be handed out one by one, and besides, there was not that much extra budget to waste on such human resources, so the circulars were distributed through the terminals that were connected throughout the entire school.

A system of having one terminal for school use assigned to each individual had already been in existence decades ago.

Except for individual instruction or practical lessons, almost everything was done using the data terminals.

If more care were needed, counselors who held expertise in multiple disciplines would be assigned by the school.

So, the reason homerooms were needed was for the convenience of practical and trial lessons. When practical and trial lessons ended within time, so as not to have a time surplus, they needed somewhere to hold a certain number of people. (Notwithstanding, detention was a daily affair.)

Besides, with the personal terminal system, it also made some things very convenient.

No matter what background people came from, once the time they spent in the same room became long, they would mingle with one another naturally.

By dispensing with the homeroom teacher system, the bonds between classmates tend to strengthen.

At any rate, if one wanted to make new friends, going to the homeroom was the fastest route to that. But, Tatsuya shook his head at Erika's invitation.

"Sorry. I'm meeting up with my little sister."

There were no lessons nor further things to be communicated to them for today.

Tatsuya had an agreement with Miyuki to go back together immediately after the procedures were done.

"Heehh... if it's Shiba-kun's little sister, then she must be really cute right?"

On hearing Erika's thoughtful and questioning murmur, Tatsuya was troubled as to how he should answer her.

If it's his little sister, then she must be cute. What could that mean? thought Tatsuya. He felt that he couldn't quite connect the cause and effect well.

Fortunately, he didn't really need to force himself to answer that.

"Could your little sister be... the representative of the freshmen, Shiba Miyuki-san?"

Since Mizuki had asked a more primitive question.

This time round, there was no need for him to hesitate. A nod from Tatsuya was enough to ascertain the answer to that question.

"Eh? Really? Then, are you twins?"

The question from Erika was a natural one. To Tatsuya, it was a question that he had heard since young.

"I have often been asked that but we are not twins. I was born in April while she was born in March. If I were born one month earlier or she were born one month later, then we wouldn't be in the same school year."

"Hmm... I guess that really makes things complicated huh?"

With a little sister who was a high achiever in the same school year, it was bound to be complicated, but Erika did not ask that with any bad intent. Tatsuya smiled and let the question slide.

"That aside, it's surprising that you can tell. Shiba is not such a rare family name after all."

On hearing Tatsuya's counter question, the two young ladies smiled faintly. "No no, it's pretty rare."

However, the way she said it gave off a considerably different feel. In contrast to Erika's smile, which was mixed with a sense of wryness,

"Your features look alike..."

Mizuki's reserved smile appeared to lack confidence. "Do we look alike, I wonder?"

Tatsuya's head did not turn at Mizuki's words. In the same manner as Erika's words just now, as if his highlighting tone had taken root, Mizuki's words felt unreal to him.

Rather, he couldn't believe them.

Even if one didn't actively look for the good points in Miyuki, she was a rare beauty. Even if you took away all her superfluous talents, just by being there, she would not be able to help but gather attention -- A born idol. No, a star.

Looking at his little sister, he could understand that the idiom, "God does not give two gifts", was but an unpleasant lie.

Conversely, was he himself above the norm, or above average, perhaps? Tatsuya evaluated himself.

During middle school, to an onlooker, while love letters (to Tatsuya, they appeared as fan letters) were shoved to his little sister, Tatsuya had never once received such a thing.

Even if it were only partially, they should still inherit the same genes, but even Tatsuya had doubted not just once or twice whether they were blood- related or not.

"If you put it that way... uhn, you do look alike. Shiba-kun is quite the hunk as well. It just kind of feels like your features can't resemble any more than that."

Just as Erika replied to Tatsuya's query, Mizuki also nodded in agreement.

"'Hunk' you said, which obsolete word from which era is that... and doesn't that mean if you take away my face, there's no resemblance in us right?"

Feeling-wise, Erika's words might be a little difficult to understand, but it seemed like it was not just their faces that looked alike. After Tatsuya had interpreted as such, he made a dull jab at her.

"That's not it. Hmm, how should I put it..."

It seemed like Erika couldn't quite express it as well either.

If not for Mizuki's rescue boat, she would probably still be fumbling for a while.

"It's your aura. Your dignified features look alike. As expected of siblings."

"That's right! Aura, it's your aura."

Slapping her own lap, Erika gave a strong nod as well. This time, it was Tatsuya's turn to smile wryly.

"Chiba-san... aren't you someone who gets carried away easily?"

Carried away? You're so cruel, she started protesting but he let it slide. From her tone, it was not like Erika was really flaring up at his comment.

"That aside, Shibata-san, it's amazing for you to be able to tell by our aura... Your eyes must be really good."

But it was Erika who jumped at his words with a deep tone woven into them.

"Eh? Mizuki is wearing glasses you know?"

"I don't mean that. Besides, Shibata-san's glasses have no degree in them right?"

Huh? Erika peered into Mizuki's glasses with a bewildered face.

On the other side of those lenses, Mizuki's eyes widened and hardened.

Was she surprised at being seen through, or was she chagrined at a secret of hers being discovered? Whichever it was, it seemed to Tatsuya that it was something of no consequence to her.

As to why she had made such a face, he had no chance to inquire about it. The time was just up. And it was probably for the best for now.

? ? ?

"Onii-sama, sorry for the wait."

From behind Tatsuya and the rest, who were talking at a corner near the exit of the auditorium, the voice of the person whom he was waiting for called out.

Miyuki, who was surrounded by a crowd, slipped out from there.

Initially, Tatsuya felt that she was a little early, but thinking about his little sister's character again, it was perhaps just about time.

Even though she wasn't one who would shy away from socialization, it was undeniable that she had a tendency to be obsessively displeased with flattery and compliments. While you could say that she was behaving like a kid, since young, there had been no lack of opportunities for her to receive praise, and among them, the times when such compliments were coated with a mix of jealousy and envy numbered not just a handful.

If you think about that, then it was quite understandable that she would be somewhat suspicious of the adulation she received. You can even say that she was bearing it well for today.

"You were quick" was what he intended to say as he turned around, but even though the words remained the same as planned, his intonation turned into a questioning one.

Behind the one he had expected, was an accompanying one whom he didn't.

"Hello Shiba-kun. We meet again."

In response to that amiable, disarming smiling face and words, Tatsuya lowered his head without saying anything.

Despite his inadequate acknowledgement to her courteousness, the smile of the Student Council President, Saegusa Mayumi, did not give way in the slightest. Perhaps, it was a type of poker face of hers, or perhaps, this was something inborn in this young lady who was more senior in age. Whichever it was, Tatsuya, who had only just met her, could not tell.

But, more than the elder brother's strange response to the student council president, his little sister appeared to be bothered by the two young ladies who had snuggled up (?) intimately to her big brother from beside him.

"Onii-sama, they are..."

Before explaining her own situation on why she was not alone, Miyuki was seeking out an explanation on why Tatsuya was not alone. Even though he was a little taken aback by her abruptness, he had nothing to hide. Tatsuya answered without a second's delay.

"This is Shibata Mizuki-san. And that is Chiba Erika-san. We're in the same class."

"I see... isn't it a little too soon to be dating your classmates?"

With her adorable head tilted to the side, it's not like I have something against it, Miyuki's face seemed to say as she asked. Her lips formed a lady-like smile. But, her eyes were not smiling.

Oh my oh my, thought Tatsuya.

It seems like immediately after the ceremony, she has been bombarded with flattery from left and right, setting her on edge, resulting in plenty of accumulated stress.

"There's no way that could happen right, Miyuki? We were just chatting while waiting for you.

You are being rude to both of them, aren't you?"

His little sister's pouting face looked cute to him, but to not give her own name after getting introduced to the other party might not look favorable for her reputation in front of the upperclassmen and the same year students. On seeing Tatsuya's slightly reproachful eyes, a look of resignation flashed across her face for an instant, and following that, Miyuki fixed up an even more gracious smile on her face.

"Good day, Shibata-san, Chiba-san. I am Shiba Miyuki.

I'm also a freshman just like Onii-sama, so I look forward to being in your care."

"I am Shibata Mizuki. Same here, I also look forward to being in your care."

"Nice to meet you. You can just call me Erika. Can I call you Miyuki?"

"Yes, please do. It'll be hard to distinguish between me and my brother from our family name."

The three young women introduced themselves to one another again.

The greetings exchanged between Miyuki and Mizuki seemed appropriate for people who have met for the first time. But for Erika, right from the start, she was surprisingly (if this is the right way to put it) friendly.

However, only Tatsuya felt bewildered at Erika's friendly manner of speaking.

There was no sign of Miyuki being bothered by the almost overly-familiar behavior from her nod.

"Ah-ha, Miyuki, I didn't expect you to be so sociable from your outward appearance."

"You are just as open as you appeared to be. Nice to meet you, Erika."

After getting exasperated by all the flattery and compliments, it was understandable that she would be quite fond of Erika's frank attitude, but it seemed like both of them had somehow acquired a mutual understanding beyond that. Miyuki and Erika were both exchanging unreserved smiles with each other. While Tatsuya could not help but felt left behind, it would not do to remain rooted here. Since the group with the student council president who had followed his little sister were of the same crowd, they weren't really obstructing anyone, but because of this, if they continued to stand around here, they would become an obstruction to people who would want to pass through.

"Miyuki. Are you done with your business with the student council? If you are not, I can go kill some time myself, you know?"

"It's fine."

The one who had replied to Tatsuya's question and suggestion was the other party.

"I'm here just to say hello for today. Miyuki-san... can I call you that as well?"

"Ah, yes."

As Mayumi addressed her, Miyuki nodded, her unreserved smile replaced by a solemn expression.

"Well then Miyuki-san, we'll catch up on another day."

Mayumi bode goodbye lightly with a smiling face and started to make her exit out of the auditorium. However, one of the accompanying male students at the back called Mayumi to a stop. On his chest, blooming proudly as if it were a natural thing, was an eight-petaled flower emblem.

"But President, what about the schedule on our side..."

"We didn't really make an appointment beforehand. If she already has another engagement, she should give that priority right?"

After the male student, who appeared to want to persist further, was restrained by her eyes, Mayumi gave a meaningful smile to Miyuki and Tatsuya.

"Well then Miyuki-san, I shall take my leave. Shiba-kun as well, I'd love to catch up with you one of these days."

After bidding them off again, Mayumi left. Following that, the male student who was following behind her turned around, and he glared at Tatsuya so hard as if one could hear his tongue clicking.

? ? ?

"...Now, shall we go back?"

While he had somehow managed to invoke the displeasure of not just the upperclassmen but the student council executive members when he had just enrolled into the school, it was something quite beyond his control. Of course, it was not like he was going to experience a smooth-sailing life where he could just brood over things like that. Despite having less than a full sixteen years of life experiences, Tatsuya had already experienced negativity of such degree.

"I'm sorry, Onii-sama. Because of me, people are getting a bad impression..."

"It's nothing you need to apologize for."

Without letting the distressed-looking Miyuki finish her words, Tatsuya brought his hand up and placed it on Miyuki's head from the side with a small knock. As he continued to stroke her hair in a combing fashion, her downcast face became tinged with an enraptured shade. To any onlooker, this pair of siblings appeared to be approaching a dangerous boundary, but perhaps, still withholding their reservations as a consequence of having just met the siblings, Mizuki, and Erika as well, said nothing about that.

"Well, since we are all here, why don't we go have a cup of tea?"

"Sounds great! There seems to be a nice cake shop around."

In other words, it was a teatime invitation.

There was no need to ask them whether their families were waiting for them. Asking such a thing would probably be a needless consideration. It was the same for Tatsuya and Miyuki.

That aside, Tatsuya had something else to ask. In truth, it was really an insignificant thing, but it was something that would gnaw at him if he didn't ask.

"You didn't check up on where the school entrance ceremony would be held, and yet you know where a cake shop is?"

It might be a question of a slightly teasing nature. "Of course! It's something important, isn't it?"

But Erika nodded confidently without the slightest bit of hesitation. "'Of course', huh..."

His acknowledgement turned into a moan. But, as if it were somebody else's business, Tatsuya thought that someone would receive the brunt of that.

"Onii-sama, what do you think?"

But it seemed like Tatsuya was the only one shocked at Erika's rash remarks.

Even Miyuki did not appear to have paid heed to the lack of common sense in prioritizing a confectionary over the ceremony venue. —Though in the first place, Miyuki was not aware of the details of the whole story.

"Well, sounds good. After all, we just got acquainted with one another. Be it the same gender, or the same year, we won't find another friend too many."

Even though he said that, he had never really put much thought into his agreeing response. There was no particularly pressing matter awaiting him at home either. Originally, Tatsuya did think that they should go somewhere to spend the afternoon to commemorate his younger sister's enrollment before going home.

Since it was not a well thought out line, it reflected his offhand true voice.

Apparently aware that it was his true voice speaking, Erika and Mizuki returned their words in this manner.

"Shiba-kun I say, when it comes to Miyuki, you don't ponder too deeply over it..."

"You really care about your sister, don't you..."

Whether it was a compliment or a comment from blank amazement, before the combined respective differing gazes, Tatsuya could only remain silent with a bitter face.

? ? ?

The "cake shop" that Erika brought them to was in fact a "French cafeteria with delicious dessert". They took their lunch there and spent some time chatting merrily (it was the three females talking, and Tatsuya was only listening), and by the time they got home, it was close to evening.

There was no one to welcome them.

The house, which vastly exceeded average in size, appeared to be inhabited by just Tatsuya and Miyuki.

He returned to his room and took off his uniform first.

He really didn't want to think that such a 'makeshift mantle' could affect him that much, but, after taking off the blazer that was intentionally fashioned to look "different", he felt a little lighter. He clicked his tongue once at these feelings of his and quickly finished changing.

As he was relaxing in the living room, before long, Miyuki, who had finished changing, came down from her room.

Even though materials had made a large progress, apparel design had largely remained the same as a hundred years ago.

With her beautiful shapely legs revealed from below the short skirt of a style from the start of this century, Miyuki approached him.

For some reason, this little sister's fashion sense tended towards a more revealing nature at home. Even though he seemed to be more or less used to it, her considerably increased femininity from it frequently caused Tatsuya to feel troubled about where he should set his eyes on.

"Onii-sama, would you like something to drink?"

"Sounds good. I would like a coffee then."

"Certainly."

As she headed towards the kitchen, a banded loose tail of hair swayed behind her slender back. It was to prevent her hair from interfering with her kitchen work, but, from the fleeting glimpses of the fair nape of her neck, which was normally covered by her long hair, an inexpressible loveliness radiated from the wide center of the neckline of her clothing.

In an advanced country where the use of Home Automation Robots (HAR) was widespread, women —— as well as men —— who involved themselves with kitchen work belonged to the minority. There were few people who performed any actual cooking in general, such as toasting bread or brewing coffee, with their own hands unless it was a hobby. And Miyuki belonged to this minority group.

It was not because she was a machine moron.

When friends came to visit, she would normally leave it to the HAR.

But, when together with just Tatsuya alone, she would definitely opt to labor herself.

The grinding sounds of beans and bubbling sounds of boiling water reached Tatsuya's ears faintly.

She could be said to be pretty hung up to even go to the extent of using the simplest paper drip, rather than using an old coffee maker model.

He had tried asking her once, and her reply was that she wanted to do it that way, so it was probably indeed a hobby for her. He also recalled the time when he had asked her whether it was a hobby, and she had glared at him with a pouting face.

At any rate, the coffee Miyuki brewed was most suiting to Tatsuya's taste. "Onii-sama, here you go."

She placed the cup on the side table, came around from the other side and sat beside him.

The coffee on the table was black, while the one she held had milk added to it.

"Tastes really good."

There was no need to compliment further. Just from that alone, Miyuki broke into a grin.

Then, peering into the satisfied face of her elder brother with her smiling eyes, a relieved look surfaced on her face as she brought the cup to her mouth —— that was the usual Miyuki.

With that, the two of them savored their coffee. Neither of them struck up a forced conversation.

Both of them were not bothered by the presence of the other person beside themselves.

The times when it felt bad to not speak to each other for a long period of time had long since passed.

The topics they could talk about were plenty. Today was the school entrance ceremony. They had made new friends, and for some reason, they had encountered worrisome upperclassmen. Miyuki was invited by the student council as expected. The things that could be recalled, and the things that could be discussed, were too many for one night.

But, facing the sibling pair, in the house of theirs, were merely tilted cups in silence.

"—It's almost time to make dinner."

Holding her empty cup, Miyuki stood up. Handing over his coffee cup to his little sister's outstretched hand, Tatsuya also stood up.

The evening deepened into night as usual for the two siblings.