Chapter 31
MAYUMI SAEGUSA
Mayumi found herself contemplating the words of the Yotsuba clan head as the Nine School Competition came to a close. The Committee had organized a farewell party grander than usual; because of the lack of a welcome banquet, and now all the students who had participated in the competition all gathered and mingled.
"What has you so down?" the familiar voice of Inei-kun interrupted her as he plopped down beside her, and she looked up and shook her head.
"Nothing," she lied, and his eyes narrowed for a second before he shrugged, as he set down a glass of juice for her, and she thanked him for it.
"So, you lost the bet?" he asked, and she perked up at that and realized that, in her stupor, she had forgotten about their little wager.
"I did, didn't I?" Despite their shifting of Miyuki to the senior's section, the juniors scored more points than them, hence giving him the win.
"So you ready to pay up," he asked her softly, and as her cheeks heated up, she nodded.
"Sure, it's not as if we have not done that before," and he nodded.
"Yeah, so what do you think of your reign as the presence coming to an end," he asked, and she sighed, for indeed that had been something bothering her as well.
"I don't know. It feels rather nostalgic, even though it still hasn't quite ended just yet," she replied as she sipped the juice, and he nodded.
"It should, but now you have something more to look forward to. You are going to be a university student soon," and that was interesting. She would be beginning another chapter of her life.
But she would also be leaving the school, leaving his side. Leaving him, she had gotten used to having him by her side, having his reassuring presence at her back, giving her the confidence to face the world.
But was he fine with that? Was this thing that she felt between them a one-sided fling? Or was it actually something substantial, something worth pursuing? Was it something that she even wanted to pursue?
Yes. She answered the question herself. She wanted to,
"Speaking of that..." and just as she was about to ask him about his intentions, they were interrupted by a pair of students who appeared before them.
She looked up and immediately recognized them. They were Third High's aces, the Crimson Prince and the Cardinal George.
"Yotsuba-kun," the red-haired boy began, and both she and Inei perked up at his words. She eyed the boy suspiciously, but despite her fears, the boy put forward his hand.
"It was an honor competing against you," the boy's words shocked her, and she could see many of the students watching their interaction nervously, especially from their own school, with them being acutely aware of Inei-kun's antics.
Yet the boy in question stood up and looked the Ichijou clan heir in the eye before he shook his hand and gave the boy a smile.
"Likewise, your strategy in Monolith Code was rather inspired," he complimented before turning towards the smaller one and offering his hand.
"I believe you are the one who came up with that, George-kun," he added and the younger prodigy nodded.
"I cannot take credit for it. After all, it was inspired by the boy from your school who beat me," he said, and he was referring to Tatsuya-kun, who had beaten him at Crowd Ball.
"No matter it was something to be proud of," Inei added as they both gave each other a tacit nod.
"Will you be participating in the Thesis Competition?" Cardinal George asked, and Inei shook his head.
"I am afraid. Despite what it may seem, I do not consider myself an academic or at least not a revolutionary one," he added with a chuckle.
"A shame I would have liked to take my revenge on you in the Thesis Competition," the young black-haired boy added as Inei-kun shrugged.
"Don't worry though, unlike me, Shiba Tatsuya is quite interested in academia and should give you a run for your money," and the young boy's eyes glinted at the challenge.
"That will be interesting," added Masaki as their eyes finally landed on her.
"It is good to see you, Saegusa-san," they greeted, and she smiled at them.
"Likewise, Ichijou-san, Kichiouji-san," she greeted them both as she stood up. Then suddenly, she saw George nudging the red-haired boy a bit.
"I was hoping that you could introduce me to someone from your school, Saegusa-san?" he asked her, and she was taken aback by his words as she saw a smile appear on Inei-kun's face.
"And who might she introduce you to?" he asked, and as the red-haired boy's eyes shifted, she was surprised. They landed on a sole figure standing tall amidst a crowd of boys.
And given the flushed face of Masaki-kun, she knew just what was going on. And as hers and Inei-kun's eyes met, it seemed they both had an understanding.
"Ohh, you want her to introduce you Miyuki-kun?"
"Very daring of you, Ichijou-kun, very daring," and after a bit of teasing, she did end up introducing the red-haired kid to Miyuki, who was gracious enough to chat with him, even though she felt that nothing would come off of this.
As the music began, she found Inei's hand put forth, and he gave her a smile.
"Care to join me," and she nodded.
"Why not?"
0000
INEI YOTSUBA
As the celebrations went on, Inei found himself getting tired and retired to the balcony, where he stood alone contemplating Maya Yotsuba's recent visit and her intentions. He knew for a fact that she would dare not move against him, given just how useful he was to the clan, but he still had been unable to pin down her intentions.
But more than that, this competition had showed him that his life in Japan was just as much in jeopardy as he had believed and that there were forces acting against him.
"It is rare to see a young mind so contemplative," the words made him perk up. The presence of the intruder had not even registered to him as he turned around, his psions roaring forth as he recognised the person who had just come from behind.
He was Japan's premier magician and the current head of the Ten Master Clan Council—Kudo Retsu, otherwise known as 'The Elder'.
"It is rarer to see a man such as you engaging freshman like me," he replied back as the man smiled in that usual grandfatherly way of his, but Inei was not oblivious to the sinister and brilliant mind that hid underneath that smile.
"Haha, well, it shouldn't be. After, you did quite exceed all my expectations now, didn't you Inei Yotsuba," the man added as he stepped forward and joined him on the balcony.
"You are rather stubborn, I will say; I don't think I have been humiliated as such in years," he was rather candid about his involvement in the whole affair, and Inei shrugged.
"Then you have not been challenged enough. Or age has finally caught up with you," Inei taunted, and the man smirked.
"You truly remind me of your mother," he added, and those eyes opened finally to reveal beady irises looking down at him,
"If we can even call Maya that, after all, you aren't quite a normal child now, are you," Inei's psions roared at that insinuation as he felt his vision sharpen.
"I dare you to repeat that," for the man's implications were not lost on him.
"Truth is, I care little for your origins and your history, Inei-kun. I bear you no ill will for it, no matter how distasteful I find it," he added as Inei listened on, and then the old man retaliated, his own psions roaring forth, clashing with his own.
"What I cannot stand is the danger you present to the new generation. The danger of the very war and conflict that I have given all my life to end, and yet your very presence has reignited the flame that took me thirty years to put out. " His scathing words were allegations and confirmatory of his own suspicions.
"You don't make peace with a hyena trying to hunt you down. You enjoy it after putting a bullet through its head," Inei replied, and the man shook his head.
"And what of the injuries you incur in trying to pull the trigger," and he just shrugged.
"That's just the cost of peace. You either pay it, or become food for the beast. There can be no peace with GAA given that I did not begin this war, they did. They attack me, attack Japan, and yet you sit here and lecture me about peace," Inei shook his head, tired of this whole deal.
"You people are bigger idiots than I thought," and just as he was about to leave.
"Let me warn you, Inei Yotsuba," and he looked the man in the eye as he continued.
"It may seem to you that your powers make you infallible, but do understand that if you go to war with me, and refuse to back down," and at that he noticed the old man's eyes move behind him, and he glanced back and found him looking at Mayumi.
"Then I won't be responsible for the damage incurred."
"You go after her, and I will show you just why does the USNA and Dahan call me the devil. I have been rather merciful to you and your cabal, for I believe you all to be too old and stuck in your ways. But know that my patience ends the second you touch her or anyone else related to me," and with that, he stepped forward.
"And when it ends, the world will know once more what it means to mess with the Yotsuba."
0000
Back in Tokyo, Nakura found himself sitting across Zhou Gongjin as the representative of the Saegusa-Kudo alliance as they engaged GAA through back-channels to discuss peace terms.
"I have been told to really that GAA seeks no confrontation with its brethren in Japan," the man acting as intermediary began as Saegusa clan butler nodded.
"But they also add that as long as Inei Yotsuba is allowed to reign free and is not punished for his crimes against our people, peace is but an impossibility," and Nakura narrowed his eyes.
"And what crimes has Inei Yotsuba committed," he asked, and the man pushed forth an envelope.
"His past actions put aside, this is what we accuse him of. And given your receptive nature, we do not wish to interfere in Japan's issues. But GAA will agree to the terms of peace as long as Inei Yotsuba is made to answer for his crimes."
And as the meeting ended, and Nakura opened the folder, he found himself staring at the very incident that had occupied the news for weeks.
~the Mysterious vanishing of the Top Floors of Tokyo tower~
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