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As in the past, Tatsuya and Miyuki welcod New Years for 2096 AD together.
This year, their father also spent the evening at dwelling of his first love. This actually did not make the situation more awkward for Tatsuya and Miyuki, so there were no complaints.
Neither Tatsuya nor Miyuki were the type to laze about on the holidays. Tatsuya rose at the usual ti for school and waited at the threshold for Miyuki, only raising his head when he heard her call out "Sorry for the wait".
Wearing a long-sleeved, crimson kimono with white flowers, Miyuki gracefully descended down the stairs.
The pearly skin, unadorned with any extraneous makeup, only served to heighten the brilliant red around her succulent lips.
Her silky tresses done up with a hairpin may give off a childish feeling, but that only served to bring out the unique allure of a young maiden in the midst of the mature wardrobe.
In addition, what drew the eyes was not just the products of nature.
Kimonos of the past were designed to confine the chest area, whereas modern designs incorporated a 3-D cut off thod. However, the traditional kimono Miyuki wore miraculously tightened the bust and waist area while still keeping with tradition and maintaining a modest appearance.
The breathtaking sight of the world's cutest younger sister -- these were Tatsuya's true feelings -- appeared to be seeking her older brother's praise.
"Hm, simply beautiful."
Standing in front of his sister while she was putting on her shoes, Tatsuya held nothing back with his praise.
Miyuki's face imdiately flushed crimson.
"Seriously, Onii-sama......
Don't tease
any more."
Despite her embarrassnt, she did not shift her gaze and playfully pouted at her brother. A lesser man with a weaker immune system would have been annihilated instantly.
"I am not joking in the slightest......
Well, let's be off."
To be able to be the master of himself even under such conditions, no wonder Tatsuya was the Onii-sama who had lived together with Miyuki for the past 16 years (to be precise, it was the past 15 years and 9 months).
There was an automated car parked outside the door. Nonetheless, an automated vehicle did not imply that no one was on board. The four seater car had an adult male and adult female sitting in the back row.
"Happy New Year, master."
"Happy New Year, Kokonoe-sensei. Please take care of us in the coming year as well."
Seeing Tatsuya's simplistic greeting and Miyuki's decorous bow, Yakumo replied with a cheerful smile of his own.
"Aya, you're even more beautiful than usual. Almost as if the divine descended from heaven. If they saw Miyuki today, even the fairies of Suru would hide their faces in sha."
On so level, this was a response filled with Yakumo's unique flavor.
"Master......
I don't think that is what you're supposed to say."
The one who retorted so was the woman next to him.
Seeing that soone stole a march on him, Tatsuya slightly lowered his head to the woman before Yakumo could fire back a response.
"Ono-sensei, Happy New Year. Still, would it be alright if soone saw you with master?"
"Happy New Year, Shiba-kun. First day of the new year and this unpleasant already."
Originally, Tatsuya was truly getting a little worried, but it appeared that Haruka was already getting sick of him. Thinking back to his usual behavior and previous run-ins, Tatsuya shrugged as he ca to the conclusion that "being misunderstood couldn't be helped".
"eting sensei here was purely coincidental. Today, I am serving as your guide."
"I see, so that's how it is. Still, if calling a high school student a guide is a little pushing it...... Then that earlier honorific "sensei" may be a little problematic."
At Tatsuya's words, Haruka furrowed her brows from the back seat.
Indeed, for a modern high school student, a single day visit to the shrine did not necessitate an adult chaperon.
Simply put, a "guide" was just an excuse, as the actual purpose was for them to "accompany" them.
Furthermore, even for random bystanders, since he was not a faculty mber, using the honorific "sensei" may easily lead to terrifying delusions that lay in perilous territory.
"Let's think about it as we go. Shouldn't we be leaving now?"
Miyuki made this suggestion after Tatsuya opened the car door. Without paying any heed to the ruminating Haruka, Tatsuya waited until Miyuki boarded the vehicle, closed the door, and took his seat in the driver's seat. After Tatsuya closed the door, the car automatically took off.
After switching onto the train at the station despite unprecedented attention, the four of them got off at the eting place again under intense scrutiny and walked for five minutes.
"Hey, Miyuki, you look great!"
This was the first sentence that greeted Tatsuya and Miyuki at the eting place. Wearing a leather jacket over her long dress, Mizuki was gazing at Miyuki srized. To the side, even Tatsuya was under suspiciously warm scrutiny.
"Happy New Year, Shiba-kun. Your attire suits you, however unexpected."
Dressed in a kimono just like Miyuki, Honoka seed to be slightly cowed by her classmate's loveliness, but upon catching sight of Tatsuya's plain but altogether different aura, her heartbeat spiked and she imdiately took on a coy smile.
"Happy New Year. Honoka looks great too."
Tatsuya wasn't just offering empty flattery. He honestly believed that Honoka's kimono was exquisite.
Tatsuya smiled slightly at the ecstatic Honoka and lowered his gaze to his own clothes.
"Since you ntioned this was unexpected, do I really look that out of place?"
"What are you talking about, Tatsuya, it fits you quite well. You look like a boss."
"So I'm the mafia now."
The one who interjected with this comnt that was unknown to be whether in earnest or jest happened to be the jacket-clad Leo.
The three who joined them at the shrine were Mizuki, Honoka, and Leo. Erika and Mikihiko were unable to spare themselves due to the high number of disciples at their respective families, and Shizuku was about to study abroad and was unable to attend due to her father's business.
"Although you don't look like the mafia, but it's definitely a rare sight to see a high school student wear a haori hakama so well."
"Rather than being from the mafia, you look more like a police chief."
Just as the slightly tardy Haruka and Yakumo said, today Tatsuya wore the traditional Japanese hakama and bamboo clogs. Much like what Honoka and Leo said afterward, he really did look the part. The only thing missing was a pair of swords and a police baton.
"Ho, Haruka-san. Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, Ono-sensei.
......Tatsuya-kun, and this is?"
Imdiately on the heels of Leo's well wishes, Honoka also followed up with her customary greeting towards a teacher as she kept one eye on Yakumo and the other eye carefully watching Tatsuya.
Upon hearing Tatsuya's introduction, both Honoka and Mizuki widened their eyes in shock. Honoka was aware of Yakumo's na, but even Tatsuya was amazed to learn that Mizuki had heard of Yakumo as well.
"I see, so that's why we're at the shrine."
Tatsuya was amazed by Leo's display of hitherto unknown depths, but this was in no way ant to be derogatory towards Leo.
"So?"
Given that Haruka was unaware of the link, this definitely wasn't common knowledge.
"Hm? When it cos to Buddhist monks, wouldn't they be monks from the Tiantai school of Buddhism? The Sanno faith and inner sect is practically inseparable."
Hearing Tatsuya's simplistic explanation that was phrased as a question for so reason, the number of question marks floating around Haruka's head only increased.
"I say, you're quite knowledgeable despite your youth. I believe you are Saijou Leonhardt-kun?"
Ignoring the completely confused Haruka, Yakumo happily struck up a conversation with Leo.
"Eh? Do you know ?"
Faced with soone he t for the first ti, Leo responded in a rather serious tone.
"That's because I watched the recordings for the Nine Schools Competition."
Yet, Yakumo's response was also a perfectly serious, uninhibited response, but that only caused Leo to furrow his brows on reflex. This was probably because the image of him wearing a cloak and hood that belonged in a different age and location was likely a mory that would stay with him no matter how badly he wanted to forget it.
After the mutual introductions were finished, the five students and the bald man (in a normal male kimono and not the kasaya) and the young woman walked towards the shrine together. -- Fortunately, no one inquired the reason why Haruka ca along.
The scenery lining the path remained unchanged over the past 100 years. However, this scenery was only possible after the world food crisis had passed. This was a scene that moved anyone of advanced age who lived through that ti, but Tatsuya and company had nothing to be emotional about.
Without any curved paths, up on a long flight of stairs, past the threshold, they arrived at in the courtyard of the shrine. There, Tatsuya abruptly noticed a pair of eyes gazing this way.
This was not an impolite gaze stalking them, but a pair of peeping eyes that occasionally glanced this way.
"Shiba-kun, is sothing up?"
"No."
"I gather the foreigners are rather curious about Tatsuya's wardrobe."
Despite the disguise, there was no way to escape Yakumo's eyes. Even Tatsuya discovered the source without using Elental Sight and, excluding Haruka for the mont, it was guaranteed that Yakumo would notice.
The "foreigner" Yakumo spoke of was a model young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Still, in this day and age, just this alone may be insufficient to determine foreign ancestry. Nevertheless, that young woman's features gave a hint of Japanese descent.
Her age was roughly the sa as Tatsuya. After taking into account the differences between white and Asian peoples, the differential would be slight, Tatsuya thought.
"Onii-sama, what are you looking at?"
While Tatsuya only observed the young lady for less than a second, this was enough to rouse Miyuki's attention.
Following her brother's gaze, her eyes glinted as an "Oh" passed her lips
"......What a beautiful child."
Miyuki softly expressed her internal thoughts.
In Miyuki's eyes, that young woman was a gorgeous young lady who fully deserved the description "beautiful".
Her hair and eyes were both brilliant in color. On so level, she had the features that rivaled even Miyuki herself.
Regardless, Tatsuya was not observing her for these reasons.
He sent an inquiring look to Yakumom for help -- but seeing Yakumo's highly entertained smirk, he was forced to defuse the situation on his own.
Tatsuya held his sister's gaze while replying to her complaint in an even tone.
"There's no way she can hold a candle to you."
"......You say that every ti. Don't think you can always coax
with that."
While the literal words may seem like a vibrant counterattack, but her embarrassed visage that was flushed beet red undercut any threat behind her words.
"I'm not coaxing you, I truly think that way. Also, that's not the reason why I'm watching her."
"Seriously, Onii-sama."
Miyuki turned her face to one side upon discovering the hidden warning tucked in Tatsuya's words that could not be ignored.
"......
Is there sothing suspicious about her?"
"In terms of suspicious......
I suppose her wardrobe is a little suspicious."
Tatsuya replied with a wry tone. Because of this, Miyuki took another look at the young blond woman and finally realized what he was talking about.
She wore a bright tan coat over her pleated skirt along with striped pants and a pair of long boots. In truth, if that's all there was then this was not worthy of note. However, the length of her coat was approximately the sa as her skirt, which was about 10 cm below the hips, so you could only see the bright patterns on the tip of the pleat skirt. In addition, she wore tall boots with a thick cushion that was highly elastic as well as practically see through lace leggings. To top off the ensemble, she carried a bag covered in artificial fur along with a soft hat with animal figures embroidered on the side. All in all, this made her stick out like a sore thumb when it ca to modern fashion. It was almost as if she wore a combination of fashion designs from the pre-war Spice Girls. With this in mind, it was hardly amazing for Tatsuya to think that she was highly irregular.
Still, Miyuki knew that her brother wasn't truly paying attention to external appearances.
"But, that's not all there is to it."
Miyuki directed an altogether different, and more intent, gaze toward the young girl.
Maybe it was because she noticed that she had been discovered, the young girl started walking as if nothing had happened.
She was headed straight towards Tatsuya's group.
She silently passed next to them before departing down the long flight of stairs.
Still, the profound gaze sent this way as they rubbed shoulders was most definitely not Tatsuya's misconception.
The infiltration mission assigned to Major Angelina Sirius also included blatant misdirection. Among them, the initial contact with the target also included allowing the target to catch a glimpse of herself, so this was successful. Although she was initially worried that hiding her own presence would prevent her target from discovering her, but this apparently was a groundless concern, just as her subordinate had said. Still, being discovered so easily didn't sit very well with her. Ruminating on this, Major Sirius returned and opened the door to the high class condo that served as her quarters for the duration of this mission.
"Welco back."
Originally, Major Sirius believed that her roommate shouldn't have returned yet. However, contrary to her expectations, a welcoming response ca from within the house.
"Silver, you're back."
The Major used her pet na to greet her adult roommate who intentionally t her at the door.
Her roommate was called Silvia rcury First. Besides from her first na Silvia, the rest were all code nas, aning that she ranked first among the Stars planet-class "rcury". Rank Warrant Officer. Twenty five years of age. She was a highly regarded female CO who attained the title of "First" at an early age. In the beginning, Silvia didn't want to join the military and intended to beco a journalist after graduating from college. This ti, her outstanding ability in data analysis prompted her selection as Major Sirius's support personnel.
"Silver?"
This talented roommate paid no heed to Sirius's words and just stared blankly at her. Feeling that sothing was awry, the major called out to her again before Silvia replied back her eyes still glued to the major.
"Lina......
What can I say about that getup?"
Lina was the pet na for Major Sirius. Given the requirents of the infiltration mission, it was vital to hide her identity and avoid terms like "High Commander" or "Major
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