"I'm sorry... Even after you've gone to all the trouble of inviting me, but I need to keep my distance from well-known students, especially the others in the Top Twelveー that's what Uncle said."
"Oh, why's that?"
"I have to be careful not to reveal anything unnecessary, he said."
How profound.
"I understand. Well then, would you like to join me for practice in the morning?"
"With you...?"
"My name's nowhere to be found in the Named Charts, so it ought to be fine, right?"
There shouldn't be anything for Kouichirou to complain about there.
"U-Um. So in other words, Amagiri-senpai and I... T- Training alone together?"
"Yep. So don't worry about it."
Kirin nodded shyly.
"Right then. When it comes to the precise time and location, I'll let you know later onー"
But, first things first, they had to trade numbers.
They could figure out the details later; he wasn't sure what time he'd make it to the girls' dorms.
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"Thank you for everything you've done today."
"No, no, those should be my words."
"W-Well then, I'll be in your hands tomorrow!"
Kirin bowed at an angle and raced off to the girls' dorms.
After seeing her home, he sighed.
Night had already fallen. A gorgeous full moon hung in the sky, now dyed a deep navy blue.
A slight breeze blew, and the sound of rustling leaves filled the air.
"..."
He felt the presence of something hidden.
He wasn't sure where whatever it was was hiding itself, but its presence was surely there. That said, he couldn't sense any ill-intent from it.
(Where...?)
He glanced around furtively, so as not to allow the other party to notice his movements, while searching for their location.
The walkway was empty aside from his own person.
That left only the shadow of the surrounding trees, as well asー
(Above...!?)
Looking up, a small figure swung down from a branch high above.
The shadowy apparition caught ahold of Ayato's back.
"Uwa! ...Eh? S-Saya...?"
Twisting his neck for a better look, he caught sight of the person grabbing ahold of him, who was none other than his classmate and childhood friend.
"Hah... Don't scare me like that... You just about gave me a heart attack."
Sighing in relief, he complained to his childhood friend like always.
"...Just now, who was that?"
Ignoring his complaint, she grabbed a tighter hold on his neckー in other words, throttling him.
Ignoring his complaint, Saya grabbed a tighter hold on his neckー
"Hrkー W-wait a sec, Saya... Th-That really hurts!"
"...Then answer me quickly. Who was that?"
"E-even if I want to answerー"
"...Oh."
Realizing the situation, she released her grip on his throat, and dropped down off his back.
"Sorry. I got a little caught up and used too much strength."
"*cough* *cough* Don't worry about it. Anyway, Saya, what're you doing here?"
"I was looking for you. I figured it'd be better to have a high vantage point."
"Looking for me? Whatever for?" Ayato asked, surprised by her answer.
"Tag-team partner. I want to hear your answer."
"Ahー"
By tag-team partner, she was likely referring to the Phoenix.
"I'm sorry, but I'm already teamed up with Julis. That's not going to change."
He'd keep his promise.
"...Is that so? I understand."
She openly gave up.
She could be very stubborn, so he'd answered her in earnest. This conversation had played out just like those they'd had years ago.
"Now that that's done with... Just now, who was that?"
Saya immediately returned to the previous topic of discussion.
The look in her eyes seemed a bit restrained.
"That would be Toudou Kirin-san from the junior high division. You probably heard about her on the news?"
"...Ah. The person you dueled yesterday, the #1."
"Right, right."
Ayato nodded and Saya frowned.
"In other words, she's just a first year in junior highー"
Saya glanced in the direction Kirin had disappeared in and then at her own body before patting her own chest.
"...Life sure isn't fair."
He had no idea what she was talking about, but he could've sworn he saw horns sprouting from atop her head.
"There are places where you two are certainly alike."
"...Where?"
"She's here because she wants to help her father. I tried not to pry too deeply, but you two really feel very similar."
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"..."
Saya declined to comment. Instead, wearing her typical pokerface, she mumbled to herself.
"Father..."
- ψ -
The next day, in front of the high school building.
Arriving five minutes before the appointed time, Ayato found Kirin already there.
"Good morning, Amagiri-senpai."
"Good morning to you as well, Toudou-san."
Kirin wasn't dressed in her uniform, but in a plain, but cute, set of gym clothes. Around her waist she wore a conspicuous pouch from which her nihontou could be seen.
"Before we begin our run, let's start with some stretches."
"OK."
Stretches made for a good warm-up.
The flexibility stretches that he was normally unable to do alone, he was now capable of with her assistance.
The only problem was, as Kirin would shake back and forth while stretching, her chest would sway as well. He didn't know where to look. Because she was but thirteen years old, the effect was all the more shocking.
Moreover, the contact they made assisting one another with stretching made things slightly awkward.
If it was Claudia, she'd undoubtedly be smiling mischievously all the while. Kirin, however, was completely innocent, the thought of which made certain thoughts run through his mindー thoughts he struggled to rid himself of.
"Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no, don't worry about it."
Perplexed, Kirin tilted her head, which only made his heart beat faster.
Her gym clothes were far more form-fitting than her uniform.
"Ahem. Anyway, Toudou-san, what route do you normally take when you run?"
"Oh, I leave campus and circle around Asterisk itself."
"You go outside?"
When Ayato talked about running, he was referring to short distance sprints. This was something new.
"Sounds good. Let's give it a try then."
"Alright then. I'll lead."
Kirin smiled.
Thinking back on yesterday, she really had the liveliest of expressions.
Although the negative feelings she showed on her face outnumbered the positive ones, the smile she showed now was very cute.
Again he was struck with the impulse to pat her on the head.
"? Are you sure everything's alright?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing. Please lead."
Even if Ayato now felt quite comfortable in Asterisk, he hadn't really left Seidoukan grounds. Excepting the one time when Julis had taken him around the city, he hadn't left the campus.
"Got it."
Kirin focused herself and showed a serious expression.
"Oh, before that... Amagiri-senpai, do you use weights?"
"Weights?"
"Right. These, for example."
Kirin pulled out a racing bib from her waist pouch.
Giving it a lift, Ayato found it quite heavy.
It'd be hard for a normal person even to lift.
"When we run on school grounds, we can run at whatever speed we want. That's not the case if we go outside, though."
"Oh, I see. That would be rather dangerous indeed."
When sprinting, members of the Starpulse Generation could overtake even a car at top speed. If they were to put all they had into it, it wouldn't even be close. It went without saying that if they were crash into someone at such a speed, serious injury would result.
When a member of the Starpulse Generation injured someone who was not, regardless of the severity of the injury, they would be harshly punished. That, of course, also included accidents.
"Wearing these serves two purposes: it slows down our top speed and also assists in training."
"That makes sense."
When he was back home, any time he'd felt like going for an extended run, he'd retreat to an uninhabited mountainside to do so. This way of doing things was rather refreshing.
"I also have one for you, Amagiri-senpai."
"Thanks. I'll be borrowing this then."
Putting it on, it was heavy indeed. How effective.
"Alright then. Let's get started."
As she finished speaking, Kirin took the lead and began to run.