Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 13 - Steeplechase - Chapter 3.2

The afternoon of that same day, Tatsuya took Miyuki downtown. Or to put it more correctly, Miyuki took him.

The test of the new model CAD proceeded without problems and finished before noon. Tatsuya had already returned the special model cartridges to the storage of the CAD he normally used from the one he used in the movement verification test he had overseen and he couldn't find any flaws.

For that reason, the time he had reserved for fixing bugs became completely vacant.

Removing the character for 'prototype', Tatsuya returned home with the completely finished version of the completely thought-controlled CAD as a souvenir to face the sullen glare of his younger sister, who was starting to feel stressed. Of course, Miyuki didn't snipe at Tatsuya or anything — it was rare for her to do so — she just directed surly, angry eyes at him.

However, Tatsuya could not set that aside. Since they had started high school, Miyuki had always maintained second place in the written tests (in the combined scores, it goes without saying that Miyuki was the undisputed top). By no means did Miyuki not comprehend the subject matters she was studying; having said that, she was not the type to obsess over placement. It only took one glance for him to decide that the amount of stress Miyuki was under wasn’t merely from studying.

(Have the preparations for the Nine Schools Competition become burdensome…)

Thinking that, Tatsuya suggested Miyuki go out to change her mood.

“An excursion with Onii-sama? Let’s go! Please let’s go!”

While Miyuki replied like that, Tatsuya was caught off guard by her fierce attitude. In short, Miyuki wanted Tatsuya to come with her. He felt her response was a little too extreme, his little sister just wanted to be spoiled by her elder brother. Tatsuya hesitated because he was aware of that, but he didn't dislike spoiling Miyuki.

“How about you, Minami?”

Tatsuya’s question was partly due to the importance of taking their housemate into consideration.

“No, I have to study for the tests and I want to do a little cleaning.”

So you don’t need to include me, was the sum of Minami’s politely worded answer. Her conscience said ‘Shouldn’t she fulfill her duty as a Guardian and accompany them’, but in the end, her feelings of ‘There’s no way I want to be stuck in that sickening sweet atmosphere’ won.

Tatsuya had suggested the outing, but he hadn’t thought up an actual plan when he did it. So deciding where to go was left up to Miyuki, and as a result, they went shopping in downtown Shibuya.

A weakness for fine clothes was an aspect of Miyuki. She still had only a slight interest in cosmetics, but she liked looking at and wearing clothes, thought Tatsuya. Miyuki’s real feelings were slightly different; she liked having Tatsuya look at her all dressed up. Well anyway, it was a frequent pattern that when he went out with Miyuki they would tour those types of shops. So today as well, the pair was visiting a recently built Fashion Center.

In this center, each tenant did not run a separate business, but rather each floor’s shop owners seemed to collaboratively do business; there were no partitions between fellow tenants. The party dress display was next to the area that sold lingerie, the layout making any male casually walking around feel uncomfortable.

Tatsuya also drew attention when he first got there, but since he was basically only following Miyuki, he didn’t avoid their attitudes. Since he didn’t feel particularly embarrassed, Tatsuya decided that feeling awkward about crossing the lingerie area and the swimsuit area on the sides was strange.

Today, that would backfire on him.

Miyuki had chosen a well ventilated dress for summer use in the area that sold casual wear and presented it to the clerk hoping to try it on; unfortunately, none of the changing rooms for that area were open. Both Miyuki and Tatsuya were fine with just waiting for the previous customers to finish up; however, perhaps a strange inclination awoke in the store clerk who was moved by Miyuki’s beauty, and the clerk forcibly guided Miyuki to an open changing room on the same floor.

Which was a changing room in the area that sold swimsuits.

As usual, Tatsuya crossed the narrow area displaying women’s swimsuits; however, perhaps even he felt it would be wrong to stand outside the changing room. As Miyuki disappeared into a door in the wall across from him, he told her to call him on his information terminal if she needed him and Tatsuya left the area.

However, his consideration was not rewarded. Of the four changing rooms lined up and completely concealed in the store, this was the one furthest in, and as Tatsuya took the corridor to get out to the main floor, he passed in front of the other three changing rooms, where in front of the one closest to the door, he bumped into two young girls. The girls were kouhai that Tatsuya knew well.

“Shiba-senpai!? Why are you here! This is the women’s locker room!”

The one with the upset voice that pressed him for answers was Saegusa Kasumi, who was a boyish figure in her T-shirt with an animal design and jeans with the cuffs turned up.

“It’s not a locker room, it’s a changing room, Kasumi-chan…… Ah, could it be! You’re with Miyuki-senpai!? Where is she!?”

After she corrected the shocked words of her elder twin, Saegusa Izumi suddenly excitedly approached Tatsuya, clad in her quite feminine but somewhat sheer sleeveless dress that used a lot of lace and had a wide neckline with a hem that was five inches above her knees.

And if the pair was here then he could make a rough but accurate guesstimate about who was in the changing room. Gripped by a sense of impending doom, Tatsuya tried to leave the area. —Unfortunately, he was a little late.

“What are you two making a fuss about…….Oh.”

The high but not quite complete airtightness of the changing room was to blame. Even though Mayumi could hear the noisiness of her younger sisters, she couldn’t catch what they were saying and thus opened the door to scold them.

He knew his back was being glared at. If he made a run for it here, everyone would conclude he was a peeping tom. Rather than resigning himself to being accused of a crime he had no memory of committing, Tatsuya reluctantly faced the momentary awkwardness. Tatsuya had rapidly calculated that in his head and forced himself to calmly turn around.

After all, there was no way she was coming out naked, the worst case scenario was that Mayumi would be wearing underwear.

The cloth that Mayumi, who was standing stock still wide-eyed in front of Tatsuya, was wearing only covered a little bit of her body, the area around her breasts above and her hips, bottom and crotch area below — it was a white bikini.

Her chest had an abundance that did not match her small body and there was a clearly defined cleavage between those two mounds.

Her hips were lush to an unexpected degree and with her narrow waist formed mesmerizing curves.

Her exposed thighs looked smooth as marble but somehow gave off an impression of softness.

“Wha…….Tats…..he…..”

“Please calm down, Saegusa-senpai.”

He thrust both palms out at Mayumi who was beginning to tremble out of fear and repeatedly made small soothing gestures. In short, his body language matched the words he spoke. Surprisingly, Tatsuya’s appeals (?) bore fruit. Mayumi gradually backed away from Tatsuya, returned to the inside of the changing room and, with a slight click, shut the door.

“Kyaaaaaaa!”

What he could hear from inside the changing room was unmistakably Mayumi’s scream. Once again, Tatsuya plotted his escape.

“I thought there had been some kind of incident……”

“I made a fuss….”

All it took was Miyuki’s honest impression to make Mayumi convey an apology with her body hunched down.

“No, it is not your fault, senpai. Rather, it is I who should apologize.”

They were in a coffee shop doing business in the fashion center. Tatsuya, Miyuki, Mayumi, Kasumi and Izumi surrounded the table.

“It’s because I had Onii-sama accompany me to a place like that……Senpai, Onii-sama, I am so sorry.”

Miyuki had invited the other four to this shop. She had asked Mayumi because she wished to properly discuss the previous turmoil; Kasumi and Izumi on the other hand had been summoned as witnesses by Tatsuya.

“No, it’s not your fault, Miyuki-san. It’s not…..it wasn’t like I was seen naked. Be- being embarrassed about the swimsuit is a little strange. I am sorry, Tatsuya-kun. I screamed a little while ago, just out of surprise.”

Because she was older or perhaps because she was aware that she was older, Mayumi determinedly conducted herself like an adult. However, at the same time, it was clearly evident to everyone but herself that her remarks were actually aimed to herself. If you looked at her stained red cheeks and the way her fickle gaze whirled all over the place, you would completely understand that even now she was still distressed.

Tatsuya didn’t say anything. If he denied Miyuki’s words, he would unfortunately look like he was covering for her and all apologizing to Mayumi would do was stir up her mortification.

“No, I think it is understandable.”

It took all his strength for Tatsuya to make that answer.

However, that left one of the girls there dissatisfied. Kasumi was secretly — actually she couldn’t hide it — indignant over Tatsuya embarrassing Mayumi.

If Kasumi’s thoughts were put into words then it would be something like ‘all because he wanted to take a look at Onee-chan in an embarrassing position when she least suspected it!’. She had enough reason left not to call him a ‘Damned peeper!’ but any way you looked at it, she was unreasonably angry at Tatsuya.

Happily for Tatsuya, Izumi probably didn’t share the same rage as Kasumi.

“Miyuki-senpai, do you have plans for what you are going to do later?”

At this time, Izumi’s mind was completely full of Miyuki.

“I intend to look at western style clothing for a little while, then return home. Since the tests are next week.”

“So, can I join you?”

All pretence of rational thought had flown out of Izumi and she coaxed Miyuki to let her join them. With what is called ‘artlessness’, she stared at Miyuki with a lust tinged gaze. With great difficulty, Miyuki maintained her smile in the face of the proposal of Izumi who was true to her own desires.

“Hmmm, if Onii-sama says he doesn’t mind.”

“Izumi-chan, it is wrong to interfere with another family.”

Miyuki’s reply was neither a yes or a no, but Mayumi’s words clearly censured Izumi. By nature, Izumi was quick on the uptake. Being gently scolded by her eldest sister quickly returned her to a rational state.

“You’re right. Forgive my rudeness, Miyuki-senpai.”

If things had ended here, the Shiba siblings and the Saegusa sisters would have probably parted amicably. However, Kasumi was a little bit more upfront about her feelings than Izumi.

“Right, Izumi. It’s wrong to interfere with Shiba-senpai and Shiba-senpai’s date.”

“Date!?”

For some reason, the one who rapidly responded was Mayumi.

“Kasumi. We’re not on a date or anything like that.”

Tatsuya’s voice was too calm to sound like an embarrassed denial. As usual, this suitably expressionless response violently rubbed Kasumi the wrong way.

“There’s nothing on earth that can convince me that a high school boy and a high school girl shopping together alone is not a date.”

Mayumi timidly peered at Miyuki’s countenance.

For some reason, Miyuki was bearing it all with a broad smile.

“I don’t think that’s true when the high school boy and the high school girl are brother and sister.”

“I think it’s altogether useless for siblings to date!”

“Kasumi-chan, you are being incredibly rude.”

Izumi broke in from her side speaking in a sharp tone of voice. It was obvious to her that if she didn’t lend her a hand, Kasumi was going to go past what is called ‘the point of no return’.

Even Kasumi herself understood that she was about to plunge into a bottomless pit of quicksand. However, for some reason, whenever she dealt with Tatsuya, the most trifling thing would set her off. It was unusual for one of a basically summery disposition like Kasumi; even she herself felt it was strange.

However, it wasn’t like that realization would win a race against Kasumi’s mouth.

“Excellent magicians have a duty to leave an heir! Or are you going to partner with your sister, Shiba-senpai?”

“Kasumi.”

However, Kasumi’s rampaging tongue was halted by Tatsuya’s not very loud voice.

“That being said, isn’t it also useless to spend your day off with your sisters?”

“Grr!”

In the blink of an eye, Kasumi’s face stiffened and became increasingly red.

To her regret, Tatsuya coolly looked back at the kouhai who was glaring at him.

“Senpai, we will take our leave of you here.”

And immediately after breaking eye contact, he made a bow toward Mayumi as he stood up.

“Ah, I should-”

Seeing the bill grasped in Tatsuya’s hand, Mayumi abruptly started to rise.

“No, since you have had to endure the childish antics of your kouhai, this is a recompense.”

However, there was almost no resistance and Tatsuya went to the register.

Miyuki stood up, bowed to Mayumi and went after Tatsuya.

At the table, Kasumi’s sisters were gazing at her face that looked about to cry and pursed lips with worry and remained with her.

After leaving the shop, Miyuki walked a little while then turned around. Naturally, the Saegusa sisters weren’t following them. With a slightly relieved look, Miyuki spoke to her brother.

“Umm, Onii-sama. I don’t think Kasumi meant any harm.”

For an instant, Tatsuya looked back at Miyuki with a strange look and immediately agreed with a wry smile.

“I think so, too.”

Tension loosened by Tatsuya’s answer, Miyuki let out a huge sigh.

“Even I understood that Kasumi never intended to say that. I only used that logic to keep Kasumi from continuing further but……I was a little too mean.”

Tatsuya smiled in a self-depreciating manner, but Miyuki understood that he wasn’t seriously attacking himself.

“...I like Onii-sama’s habit of not being overly gentle to other girls.”

“...You have all the traits needed to be a wicked girl, too.”

Miyuki’s cheeks swelled with a ‘humph!’

That childish action made Tatsuya smile sweetly.