At the hotel, as the Shiba siblings whispered about the earlier incident, a friend they hadn't seen in a week appeared. "Erika?" Miyuki said.
"Hi, Miyuki. Been a week," Erika replied, her outfit flashy and provocative—enough to make most high school boys avert their eyes. A passing First High first-year boy fled, clutching his nose.
Tatsuya, unfazed, said, "Miyuki, I'm heading in."
"Wait, Tatsuya-kun? …He's gone," Erika noted. Glancing at her, he pushed a cart into the hotel, unimpressed. To him, with little interest in women, Erika's attire was merely "out of place."
"Engineer seniors are waiting," Miyuki explained. "Why are you here, Erika?"
"Cheering, obviously. Plus, tonight's the mixer," Erika grinned.
"It's for participants only," Miyuki pointed out.
"No problem!" Erika said confidently.
As Miyuki eyed her, another familiar face rushed up. "Erika-chan, here's the room key—oh, Miyuki-san," Mizuki said.
"Mizuki… that's quite bold," Miyuki remarked.
"Is it?" Mizuki asked, her outfit less flashy but accentuating her curves, arguably more provocative. Multiple boys hurried past, fighting nosebleeds. Miyuki noticed most males in the entrance were practically sprinting. Was it Erika's fault? Mizuki's? Or, perhaps, her own in her simple uniform?
"Take my advice: dress for the occasion," Miyuki said.
"Erika-chan said formal's no good, but maybe you're right," Mizuki admitted.
"Really?" Erika protested.
"You got a room? That's surprising," Miyuki said.
"Family connections," Erika smirked.
"I thought you hated that," Miyuki noted.
"I hate being seen as 'the Chiba daughter.' Connections? Use 'em or lose 'em," Erika laughed.
Her carefree attitude lifted Miyuki's mood, easing her anger from learning the crash was a driver's suicide attack. "I'm heading in," Miyuki said.
"See you, Miyuki-san," Mizuki replied.
"Later!" Erika waved.
As Miyuki moved toward her room, two male voices called out. "Shibata-san, your luggage," one said, unfamiliar.
"Carry your own damn stuff!" another snapped—familiar.
"(Separate rooms, surely…)" Miyuki thought, amused by Erika's antics but indulging in wild imaginings until reaching her room.
Though floors were separated, the entrance was shared. First High's delayed bus drew eyes from other schools. First High boasted two girls with cross-school fans and a Ten Master Clans heir under scrutiny. Amid the attention on Mayumi, Kanon, and Katsuto, Miyuki and Tatsuya drew equal focus.
"Look at that girl," a boy said.
"Super cute," another agreed.
"First High's uniform. Their girls are top-tier this year," they mused, scouting for unclear reasons. They'd soon flee, noses pinched, suggesting Erika or Mizuki as the cause, since Miyuki's presence didn't faze them.
Curiously, Third High students were scarce. As First High's rival, their absence from scouting was odd, though not total. A group of Third High first-year girls spied on Miyuki and Tatsuya from the shadows.
"Airi, isn't this kinda stalkerish?" one asked.
"We'll see them at the mixer. Why now?" another added.
"What are you saying, Kazuko, Kan? Know your enemy early to fuel your drive, or you'll lose winnable matches!" Airi retorted.
Among Third High's first-year girls, Airi, from the Jūhachihō's Isshiki family, and her Hundred Families friends stood out. Miyuki, who could ignore stares, didn't notice them, but Tatsuya did. "Airi's real target isn't Miyuki—it's Tatsuya-san. That intense stare… she's totally busted," Kuren said.
"Kuren-san! What're you saying!?" Airi flushed.
"You're so obvious," Kan teased.
"Airi's a maiden in love," Kazuko giggled.
"Even you, Kan, Kazuko!?" Airi protested.
Seeing Miyuki was partly their goal, but spotting Tatsuya sent the four into a frenzy, especially Airi. Before summer break, Kuren had scouted Miyuki, discovered Tatsuya, and informed the others.
"Those flashy girls—are they his friends?" Airi wondered.
"But two guys showed up after, so maybe it's fine?" Kan said.
"Four of them staying here together…" Kazuko mused.
"What are you thinking, Kazuko?" Kuren shot her a cold look.
"N-nothing weird!" Kazuko stammered, flustered.
"Ignoring Kazuko's perverse thoughts," Airi began.
"Hey! Not you too, Airi!" Kazuko cried.
"Miyuki's our biggest threat," Airi continued.
"She's a skilled mage and way too close to Tatsuya-san," Kan agreed.
"Too close," Kuren added.
"Don't ignore me!" Kazuko whined.
Their commotion in the corridor corner was far from discreet. "What're you guys doing?" a boy asked.
"What's the hype about?" another added.
"Ichijō, Kichijōji… nothing. Let's go," Airi said, suddenly composed. Kan, Kazuko, and Kuren bowed silently, distancing themselves from the boys.
"George, what's up with them?" Ichijō asked.
"Don't ask me…" Kichijōji replied, baffled by the girls' excitement and sudden chill.