The Irregular at Magic High School: Everyone Loves My Brother?!

Senior Engineer's Envy

On the second day of the Nine Schools Competition, Tatsuya was at First High's tent, wearing a technical staff blazer…

"Tatsuya-kun, you seem grumpy?" Mayumi asked.

"Not really," he replied.

"Feeling out of place?"

"Well, I can't shake the discomfort."

This was only his second time wearing the technical staff blazer since the opening ceremony. Even the first-course blazer at the social event felt off, and Tatsuya hadn't adjusted.

"By the way, Tatsuya-kun," Mayumi continued.

"Yes?"

"Have you memorized all the data?"

"Pretty much."

"For everyone?"

"Pretty much."

Mayumi's eyes widened at Tatsuya's curt replies. "You're incredible! Is that photographic memory or something?"

"I'd rather have normal magic power," Tatsuya said dryly.

Mayumi puffed her cheeks, looking faintly annoyed. "Something wrong?" Tatsuya asked.

"That's a lavish complaint in front of a student."

Hands on her hips, the older girl glared up at him. Tatsuya rubbed his temples. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… Isn't the match starting soon?"

"Right, let's go."

"Huh?"

"The match."

"Oh…"

During the match, Tatsuya might need to make immediate adjustments, so engineers stayed courtside. He'd forgotten this. "Is Miyuki in the stands?" he asked.

"She's watching Pillars Break."

"Really? You two do split up sometimes…" Mayumi mused.

"Do we seem that inseparable?" Tatsuya asked, feigning a pitiful expression.

The effect was instant. Mayumi flustered, "N-No! I mean, you're apart at school, right? It's just… an image!"

"For a magician, image is reality," Tatsuya teased.

Mayumi broke into an invisible sweat under his gaze, yet oddly didn't mind it. Tilting her head, she deftly looked away.

At the court, her demeanor shifted. She shed her cooler jacket. "You're competing in that?" Tatsuya asked.

"What? Doesn't it suit me?"

"It suits you well."

"Really? Hehe, thanks!"

Praised, Mayumi began stretching, radiating cheer. Tatsuya glanced again. Her polo shirt and skort, more fashionable than functional, seemed impractical for Cloud Ball's intense movements. With her overwhelming magic, attire probably doesn't matter, he thought, nodding.

"Tatsuya-kun, do I sense mockery?" Mayumi asked.

"Just your imagination. No racket?"

"This is my style."

"What CAD?"

Her coy smile didn't faze him. "Specialized type? You usually use a general-purpose one, right?"

"For daily use. This is all I need here."

"Movement magic? Or reverse acceleration?"

"Correct. 'Double Bound.' Push my back, will you?"

Tatsuya pressed with perfect pressure, helping Mayumi stretch until her chest touched the floor. "That's enough," she said, sitting up and stretching more. Noticing her reaching out, pouting, Tatsuya pulled her arm.

"Thanks!"

"No problem."

"This feels… new," she said.

"Huh?"

Mayumi smiled, undeterred by his wariness. "I have a brother and sister, but no younger brother."

"I know."

"You don't treat me specially, do you?"

"I'm not trying to be overly familiar."

"Other guys get stiff or fidgety around me. You use polite speech, but you're… different."

Tatsuya suspected she provoked those reactions but stayed silent. "You're blunt, yet you indulge my whims. Is this what having a younger brother feels like?"

An older sister like her would be exhausting, Tatsuya thought but said, "Maybe? I only have a younger sister."

"True."

Growing tired of her teasing, Tatsuya tried to escape. "Sorry, I should check on the other players."

"No need," a voice interrupted.

"Oh, it's Izumi!" Mayumi said.

"Sevengrass… stop calling me that," Rika, a third-year in the same blazer, snapped.

"Rika-chan, then?"

"Ugh, Izumi's fine."

Rika, an elitist who resented relying on Tatsuya, a second-course student, insisted on handling all but Mayumi's match alone. She left abruptly.

"She's not bad, you know…" Mayumi offered.

"Most don't acknowledge me anyway," Tatsuya said, brushing it off.

Mayumi looked down, misinterpreting his words as needing comfort. With her match approaching, Tatsuya worried her mood might affect her performance. He gently patted her head.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"No time for sulking. This'll have to do."

"O-Okay… I'll do my best."

Why the pat? Why was he so kind? Her thoughts swirled, but her earlier gloom vanished.