Act 2, Chapter 3: Heat Haze Days

The summer sun blazed over Sakuragawa High, its heat seeping into the school’s halls, amplifying the pressure of the post-midterm grind. Months had passed since the first-year Light Music Club members had solidified their bonds in the Sanctuary of Frequency.

Their shared moments of music-making not only deepened their bonds but also served as a healing balm for their individual emotional wounds. Although the Sakuragawa Halloween Festival was four months away, the present moment was fraught with its own set of challenges.

Hiroki Yamada, now a seasoned first-year, navigated the LMC’s chaos with a mix of pride and exasperation. Aoi Mizuno’s chuunibyou priestess persona still flared, her dramatic antics—proclaiming herself guardian of the "Sanctuary’s sacred chords"—drawing stares and whispers across the school.

Hiroki countered with his signature karate chop to her forehead, a ritual born from their middle school days to prevent it from escalating. Their playful clashes, like a recent mock duel in the courtyard where Aoi brandished her prank knife and Hiroki "summoned Tartarus’ wrath," had landed them in the teacher’s room, scolded for "disrupting academy harmony."

Hiroki cringed at the memory, wishing he’d resisted Aoi’s provocations, but her infectious energy was hard to refuse.

As the sweltering June sun beat down, Hiroki found himself confronted by a formidable adversary: his midterm grades. He’d aced social studies—history (92), geography (88), and arts & music (95)—his passion for music history shining through.

But the "four horsemen of the apocalypse"—math (27), physics (34), chemistry (43), and biology (53)—had crushed him. The failing grades stung, a grim reminder of his academic weaknesses, threatening his place in the LMC.

In the 1-A classroom, Aoi’s empress-like laughter echoed, her chuunibyou in overdrive. She triumphantly brandished her midterm papers, each grade a proud proclamation—math (78), physics (65), chemistry (72), and biology (80)—like a conquering hero displaying spoils of war. "It seems the Dark Lord failed to face the might of the four horsemen, eh? How pathetic," she taunted, her priestess persona gleaming.

Takane Yuzuriha joined in, her seductive chuunibyou empress act dialed up as she flashed her own passing grades—math (82), physics (70), chemistry (68), and biology (75). "Oh my~~~, my handsome prince needs aid~~~," she purred, leaning close.

"Don’t call me that!" Hiroki snapped, his face flushed with frustration, their teasing salt in his wounds.

The 1-A homeroom teacher, Catherine Jocelyn Prowler, cut through the noise. "Hiroki Yamada, remedial classes start tomorrow, Friday. Don’t slack, or you’ll be suspended from LMC activities."

Hiroki’s shoulders slumped, dread pooling in his chest. "Y-yes…" he muttered; the threat of losing the LMC—a sanctuary for his grief over Kaito Yamada—hit hard like a bullet train.

Takane's infectious enthusiasm shattered the gloom, her hand reaching out to grasp his. "By the way, let’s go to the LMC room! We’ve got a surprise for you!"

Hiroki, too defeated to argue, let Aoi and Takane drag him along, their energy relentless, where declining would only fuel their teasing.

***

The LMC room hummed with the faint echo of prior rehearsals—guitar riffs, drum rolls, and synth arpeggios lingering in the air. Hiroki Yamada trudged behind Aoi Mizuno and Takane Yuzuriha, his shoulders slumped from the sting of his midterm failures and the looming threat of LMC suspension.

The promise of a "surprise" from Aoi and Takane did little to lift his spirits; their mischievous giggles only deepened his dread. As they pushed open the LMC room door, Hiroki froze, his eyes widening in horror.

"W-WHAT THE HELL?!" he shouted, a mix of shock and frustration cracking his voice.

Before him, Aoi and Takane stood with triumphant smirks, brandishing a frilly pink magical girl cosplay outfit, straight out of a glittery anime like Madoka Magica. The dress sparkled with sequins, complete with a ruffled skirt, a heart-shaped pendant, and a matching pink twintail wig.

It was a punishment, they declared, for Hiroki’s "sins" of flunking the "four horsemen of the apocalypse" and shirking his academic duties. Their chuunibyou surged, reveling in his downfall like heroes tormenting the villain.

Takane’s empress-like chuunibyou flared, her voice dripping with seductive teasing as she leaned close, her eyes glinting. "You broke my heart~~~, running from trouble instead of facing it~~~. How sissy you must be, my prince of darkness~~~."

"STOP WITH THAT BULLSHIT!" Hiroki roared, his face flushing red, frustration boiling over at their relentless prodding.

Aoi struck a dramatic pose, flourishing the cosplay outfit like a sacred relic, her priestess persona in full swing.

She swayed in a mock dance with Takane, their movements synchronized. "As punishment, I hereby declare thou shalt transform into a magical girl to atone for thy sins! This garb, enveloped in the mana of light, blessed by Laconia herself, shall undo thy wickedness to zero!" Takane dangled the pink twintail wig, her smirk widening.

"DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Hiroki snapped, his voice echoing in the empty room. But his defiance felt hollow; the weight of his academic failures and their teasing left him cornered.

"Don’t be nitpicky, my handsome prince~~~," Takane purred, caressing his chin with a seductive grin, pushing his patience to the brink. "SHUT UP!!!" He barked.

Aoi and Takane struck a final chuunibyou pose, thrusting the outfit toward him. "Now, prove thy worthiness! Transform!"

Hiroki’s shoulders sagged, his resistance crumbling under their relentless antics. "AAAGGGHHHH! Fine! Fine! You won! I’ll change!" He groaned, about to unbutton his school uniform.

Both girls froze, their faces flushing crimson. "W-Wait! You should transform! Not strip!" Aoi stammered, her priestess facade cracking as she shielded her eyes, mistaking Hiroki’s actions for perversion.

"THEN GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!" Hiroki barked, his frustration peaking.

Giggling nervously, Aoi and Takane scurried out of the music room, leaving Hiroki alone with the dreaded outfit. He stared at the pink monstrosity, the sequins glinting mockingly under the fluorescent lights. With a heavy sigh, he braced himself, shedding his uniform and slipping into the magical girl dress.

The fabric felt absurdly tight, the frilly ruffles itching against his skin. He topped it with the pink twintail wig, feeling the synthetic strands tickling his neck. Glancing at his reflection in a nearby music stand’s polished surface, he cringed at the sight of himself. "Dark Lord of Tartarus, my ass," he muttered, his dignity in tatters.

The door creaked open, and Aoi and Takane re-entered, their eyes widening before dissolving into laughter. "Lo and behold, the Magical Maiden of Tartarus emerges in all her glory!" Aoi proclaimed, her chuunibyou flair reigniting as she clapped.

Takane wiped a tear from her eye, grinning. "Oh, my prince~~~, you’ve truly atoned with such 'bravery'!"

Hiroki glared, his face burning in shame beneath the ridiculous pink wig. "Enough! Just get this over with!"