Flaga’s senses and thoughts dissolves along with the dream.
Yawning, Maroha chase away his sleepiness and reorganize his thoughts.
“What a shame.”
The interrupted kiss that was just reaching the interesting part was all a dream.
Maroha is in the real reality, and that is the in the auditorium of the Independent high school, Akane Academy.
Although Maroha is a freshman, you cannot detect a single nervous vibe from him. In fact, even before the welcoming ceremony is halfway through, he is already napping in his chair. Still, it’s not because he is being arrogant or anti-social .
It’s just his natural state.
While this may be a paradox, he is the type that appeared relax and casual in his attitude, but is surprisingly focus on his goals. And his small, small goal is to peacefully go through the next three years of high school without any major demerits.
Moroha is that kind of guy.
Swallowing back a second yawn, he rubs his eyes and slowly opens them, and was immediately stunned.
Unexpectedly, a beautiful face is right in front of him, close enough that they are breathing on each other.
Sparkling eyes, like stars scattered over the ocean.
Those eyes are staring steadily at him and her whole body is leaning over the seated Moroha as if to cover him up.
The whole situation is screaming “Let’s kiss.”
It’s like a continuation of his interrupted dream. Blue and black —— while the colour is different, the girls’ eyes are exactly the same as Salacia’s.
Moroha quickly check out the girl.
She’s wearing the school-issued uniform for female and pinned on her small chest is a nametag written:
[1-1 (White) Ranjo Satsuki].
Mahora is also a Year 1 Class 1 student, thus it seems like she’s a classmate. Still, although it’s obvious, her name is not Salacia.
What the hell is going on? What is this intimate distance?
While Moroha is frozen, the girl’s —— Satsuki’s face is looming closer.
Could that regretful interruption of the dream kiss be continuing in reality? Is that even possible?
Just thinking of the softness of those bud-like lips, his heart starts pounding and a squeak escape his throat. He reflectively closes his eyes, awaiting the moment.
“BANG”
Like a blunt instrument, Satsuki’s swing her forehead back, and forward hard into his.
“………….?”
Supposedly a kiss, it was actually a headbutt.
Supposedly lips to lips, it was actually forehead to forehead.
Supposedly an expression of love, it was actually a declaration of hostility.
It’s too excessive. Maroha groan in a mixture of shock, disappointment and pain.
“Are you awake now?” Satsuki asked in a sarcastic voice.
A rare, cute voice like a clear bell. What a waste.
Holding her arms, the single ponytail tied on the left side of her head swaying around like a whip.
“What are you trying to do all of a sudden….?” Maroha glared at her while holding his forehead.
“It’s a punishment. To the rude people who sleep shortly into the welcoming ceremony,” declared Satsuki, looking down on him while emitting intense pressure.
“Everyone has already left for their classroom, but you are still dozing away. It’s just unbelievable.”
The more than 100 freshmen have already disappeared, leaving an empty hall.
“I hate people with no enthusiasm.”
“Isn’t a headbutt too much just for that reason?”
“I was also enraged because you seem to be expecting something else.”
“About that, I apologize.”
“That’s right. Plus I already have someone I liked.”
True. No way in the world would an unknown girl suddenly come up and give you a kiss.
Moroha sincerely repent on his expectations.
“It’s not that I have no enthusiasm.”
After repenting, he feels that he should explain himself.
“It’s just that the principle’s welcoming address was too long, and I doze off unknowingly. I will be motivated from now, so please spare me.”
“ Her speech wasn’t that long.” Although he has already lowered his head, it only returned Satsuki’s reproach.
Her upturn eyes started burning with zeal.
Moroha smiles bitterly. As the girl is beautiful, even when pique her attractiveness is not lowered.
(Ahhhh~~~Ahhhhh. How should I appease her?)
Giving up on further protest, he started musing on how to escape from this situation. But ——
“ The principle said this.” Satsuki starts orating with elation.
“ We are the <Saviors> specially chosen from everywhere in Japan. One who process power. Thus, we cannot never forget our responsibilities and duties which must be taken up! Our gifts must be used for justice……..that’s what the principle said. Don’t you think its valuable input?”
Satsuki, who is getting more excited as she goes on, started twisting her body. Originally holding her arms, it became like hugging herself with her face flushing red.
Maroha is shocked silence.
(“Can’t understand. Totally cannot understand”). He swallowed back those words that he wanted to say.
Still, Satsuki notice his pitying eyes and give a cough. Feeling the near loss of her dignity, she tried to cover it up by extending a finger upward.
“So…so in conclusion. As you are a <Savior>, you must be a great person in your past life? Thus, have some awareness and train yourself seriously. Since we are classmates, let’s work hard together.”
A totally enthusiastic statement. She must be a kind person at heart to want to have a good relationship even with those that she dislikes for slacking.
Maroha scratch his head and his displeasure disappeared.
“If you fall asleep again, I will start scolding,” says Satsuki as she smiled brightly for the first time.
A smile as bright as the sun, like pouring out from the boundless energy in her body. For Moroha, or anyone else, they’ll be charmed by that smile.
“Please take care of me from today onwards.”
Satsuki stretch out her hand and Moroha hold it without hesitation.
When their hands touch, suddenly —— a familiar feeling shot through him, sharp enough to tear at his heart. Even so, this feeling is very easing. Like a migrant bird returning to nest after a long flight.
What is this? Moroha is confused.
Satsuki’s smile frozed.
“My brother once said…...” Satsuki starts talking as if in a trance, face flushed as if having a fever.
“No matter how difficult the battlefield, no matter how strong the enemy, no matter how far we are, no matter if fate tear us apart….”
To Satsuki’s words, Moroha never expect himself to reply automatically:
“I will always be victorious and return to your side.”
A deep silence descends.
In the empty auditorium, Moroha and Satsuki stared at each other.
Like lovers reunited after being torn apart by fate and lost throughout time and space, they stared at each other.
That silence was broken by the school bell.
“You are Salacia right?” Moroha ask confidently.
His first impression of Satsuki, that sudden feeling of familiarity……does not appear to be wrong.
“Are you………Flaga?” Satsuki asked in a hoarse voice.
By saying each other’s name, hope turned to affirmation.
“Flaga……Flaga……” Satsuki looks as if her fondest dream has come true.
Her tearing gaze at Maroha turned hotter, and said: “I have a feeling that I would find you here….”
Satsuki pulled the hand she’s holding to her chest, as if it is a priceless treasure.
Maroha’s expression turned bitter as he looks at Satsuki, who has totally switch to maiden-in-love mode, and said,” Sorry, but I don’t really have much recollection of my past life.”
Maroha strongly feel that it’ll be dishonest and unfair to her if he does not make that clear.
“Eh?”
Satsuki dropped Maroha’s hand that she had been holding preciously just a moment ago.
“Really? You really don’t remember? How you were praised as the best in swordsmanship and Plana mastery? The strongest Guardian of the Holy Sword in any generation? How you destroyed the armies of the Empire almost single handedly?”
At her frantic questions, Maroha just shake his head.
All those accomplishment seems so unreal that he never bothered to take note of them.
Satsuki paused, and whisper with a horrified face,” Did you forget…..about me?”
“I’m sorry,” replied Maroha. Satsuki’s face turned white in shock.
“Didn’t they explain at the start of the ceremony? About how much one can recall their past life is dependent on the individual. For me, I almost have no recollections,” Moroha tried explaining in a vague manner.
“In certain point of view you may be right to say that I’m unfaithful. Am I….I mean Flaga, in my past life…….lovers with you?” Moroha asked delicately.
Salacia expression turns sickly.
(What a waste when she so pretty….), Moroha can only bemoan silently.
Still, her childishness behavior was really interesting and cute,
“No, we were nothing of that sort,” Satsuki angrily turned her head to the side, with the side ponytail swinging along.
“You were JUST my Brother and I was JUST your younger sister,” grumbled Satsuki.
“I see. Did you call me Onii-sama?” Maroha tried to remember the dream he just had.
“I can’t say that that atmosphere…..were of a pair of siblings.”
“That’s not true. We were JUST a normal pair of siblings.”
Satsuki is emphasizing the word “JUST” again.
Their behaviors were more like lovers in Maroha’s opinion.
(Still, if she says so, it should be true…..I guess?) Moroha thinks as he completely let his doubts show on his face.
At his expressions, Satsuki scream out,” Irritating! We were not in that kind of relationship!”
Just when he wanted to mentioned that she is finally facing him, Satsuki’s eyes tightened in anger.
A full posture of denial——tighten fists, thrown back shoulders, angry loud voice.
“ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! THERE IS NOTHING! WE WON’T GO OUT ON DATES DURING FREE TIME, WE WON’T KISS……” She screamed out with her full strength.
“……AND WE ABSOLUTELY WON’T FALL INTO A FORBIDDEN LOVE!”
Moroha’s mind blanked out.
He wasn't looking for trouble, but he definitely had stepped on a landmine and is now stuck in an awkward situation.
He cannot only think that this must be some kind of a joke.
He shouldn’t be fantasizing. But looking at the steaming Satsuki who is covering her mouth with both hand and a look of [Oops, I leaked it out]; he cannot help but recall that scene in his dream again.
“……………….”
Silently looking at each other, and simultaneously looking away.
Satsuki with a flustered face, and Maroha looking everywhere but her.
The mood is really awkward and embarrassing, and cannot be easily escaped.
Maroha is looking everywhere in a desperate hope for something in the surrounding to allow him to escape——and he found it.
Behind where Maroha was sitting, further to the back of the hall.
Originally thought to be an empty auditorium, there is another girl sitting on a chair, sleeping.
“Ummm, hey…over there.”
“Ah…..there’s another rude person! I need to go wake her up!”
At Maroha’s pointing finger, Satsuki leaped towards the new target. Like partners in crime, both are in tune to each other for a way to gracefully exit the situation just now.
Both moved quickly to the side of the sleeping girl.