At the Nine Schools Competition's Pillars Break, Tatsuya, assigned to the rookie event, visited the venue to observe.
"Siba-kun, you're here," Kei greeted.
"How's Chiyoda-senpai doing?" Tatsuya asked.
"Very… Kanon-like," Kei replied.
"?" Tatsuya and Miyuki, who'd come along, tilted their heads.
"What does that mean?" Shizuku, also present for the rookie event, began to ask, but the match started.
"Oh?" Miyuki gasped.
"This is…" Shizuku murmured.
Kanon's tactics stunned them, but Tatsuya reacted differently. "A 'minefield'? Impressive power."
"Rumor has it Kanon's power tops second-years," Kei said.
"But why destroy her own pillars?" Tatsuya asked.
"She'd rather break them herself than let them fall," Kei explained.
"I see."
While Tatsuya nodded, Miyuki and Shizuku looked baffled. "Can that win?" Miyuki asked.
"With that power, she can destroy her pillars to block opponent magic or outpace their destruction. Only Kanon could pull it off," Tatsuya said.
"It's effective, but dangerous," Shizuku noted.
"Yeah, Kanon's recklessness is risky. She might accidentally destroy all her pillars if she gets frustrated," Kei added.
Unaware of her fiancé's critique, Kanon won, leaving three pillars standing. Descending, she hugged Kei. "Kei, I won! I won!"
"I saw," Kei replied.
"Oh, Siba-kun's here too?"
"Miyuki and Shizuku are in the rookie Pillars Break, so we're observing. I'm just tagging along," Tatsuya said.
"Got it. Kei, I'll win the next one too!"
Despite their public affection, Tatsuya resisted asking Kei if he could adjust other players' CADs with such care. "Onii-sama?" Miyuki prompted.
"Nothing."
"Shizuku, something wrong?" Tatsuya asked.
"They're a good match," Shizuku said.
"Yeah…" Tatsuya agreed, as he and Shizuku watched Kanon cling to a slightly flustered but unresisting Kei with wry amusement.
"…" Miyuki fell silent.
"Miyuki?" Tatsuya noticed.
"N-Nothing!" she stammered.
"Why the question mark…"
Sensing her thoughts, Tatsuya suppressed a sigh and left for the tent, followed by Miyuki, Shizuku, Kanon, and Kei. The tent's air was heavy.
"What happened?" Tatsuya asked.
"Men's Cloud Ball results were poor. They're recalculating scores," Kanon said.
"Really…" Miyuki murmured.
"Kirihara-senpai competed, right?" Tatsuya asked.
"Yeah, bad luck—he faced a Third High player in round two. Lost in a full set," Kanon explained.
"I see…"
Kanon and Kei, as peers, looked down, empathizing with Kirihara's loss. "Miyuki, I'll step out," Tatsuya said.
"Onii-sama?"
"I'll be back."
Unsure of his destination, Miyuki hesitated but stayed, sensing his silent request. At the Cloud Ball venue's corridor, Tatsuya spotted Kirihara on a bench with two companions. "Kirihara-senpai."
"Siba-bro… I lost."
"I heard from the president."
Beside Kirihara were Sayaka Mibu, who treated him like a brother, and Tomoe Mitsuya, recently often near him. "Set count 2-3, an eight-point difference. The Third High player, a championship contender, fell in round three. Essentially a draw," Tatsuya said.
"Siba-kun…" Sayaka frowned.
"That's a bit…" Tomoe added.
Both glared, displeased with his bluntness. "You're awfully direct. Didn't think I'd be down?" Kirihara asked.
"I did, but I didn't know how else to say it," Tatsuya replied.
"Fair enough…" Kirihara crouched, shoulders trembling. Sayaka and Tomoe, worried he might cry, looked puzzled.
"…Heh, Siba-bro, you're hilarious. Most would offer empty comfort or ignore me, but you…" Kirihara chuckled.
"Am I? I just didn't know another way."
"You came to see me. That's enough. Calling it a draw lifts my mood. Thanks."
"I'll go then."
"Cool. Thanks."
As Tatsuya turned to leave, Sayaka and Tomoe blocked him. "What?" he asked.
They bowed. "I thought you came to rub salt in Kirihara's wound," Sayaka said.
"Huh?"
"I doubted you too. Sorry," Tomoe added.
"It's fine. Please, stand."
Tatsuya, unable to care about such things, saw no reason for their apologies. Unaware of his detachment, they assumed he was restrained by their seniority, continuing to apologize. "Hey, you two, you're troubling Siba-bro," Kirihara interjected.
"Eh?" they said in unison.
Seeing Tatsuya's wry smile, they blushed, apologized again, and fled down the corridor. "Thanks," Tatsuya said.
"No biggie. You helped me too," Kirihara replied, revitalized, heading back. Tatsuya paused, then followed.
Another bro-con, sis-con dynamic… Too many…
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