Unexpected guest

During lunchtime, Shuuta and Kazuma made their way to the cafeteria, with Hanako playfully following Shuuta, prodding his sides and generally messing around with him. Kazuma noticed Shuuta's peculiar jumps and frowned, finding them a bit unnerving.

As they sat down to eat, an awkward silence descended upon them, casting a pall over the table. Hanako sat next to Shuuta, her eyes darting back and forth between him and Kazuma.

The oppressive quiet was unbearable, and Shuuta couldn't take it any longer. He finally broke the ice, his words cutting through the tension. "Do you believe in ghosts?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "Well, I guess so. Why do you ask?"

Shuuta sighed, "I'm sorry for lying. I'll tell you the truth."

Kazuma waited in anticipation as the seconds ticked by.

"So, you were talking to a ghost!" Kazuma exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

"Yeah, her name is Hanako."

"Her? It's a girl?! Lucky you!" Kazuma grinned.

Shuuta was mortified, "Hey, she's listening!"

"Oh, really? Hey, ghost-san, I have many of Shuuta's secrets if you're interested," Kazuma playfully taunted.

"Don't you dare!" Shuuta protested.

Hanako's attention shifted towards Kazuma.

"I can tell you about his fetishes, where his porn stash is, the type of girl he likes, and much more!" Kazuma continued, seemingly having the time of his life.

Shuuta was left speechless as his secrets spilled out, and Hanako listened with a mix of amusement and caution.

"I just moved into a new house! So you don't know where my porn stash is!" Shuuta tried to defend himself.

"I see, but he didn't deny it, did he, ghost-san?" Kazuma needled.

Hanako frowned at Shuuta, who bashfully looked away, feeling his reputation crumble.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ghost-san!" Kazuma greeted.

"And what's your name?" Shuuta mirrored Hanako's question.

Kazuma turned his attention to the ghost girl, saying, "I'm Kazuma, Shuuta's childhood and best friend."

"It's a pleasure, Kazuma-kun!" Shuuta cringed slightly at calling his friend "Kazuma-kun."

"I'm Hanako!"

Kazuma extended his hand to greet Hanako, and she reciprocated. A strange sensation ran through Kazuma as their hands touched, leaving him with a smile on his face.

As Shuuta decided to head to the restroom, he picked up his food tray, disposed of his trash, and walked toward the restroom.

Inside, he examined himself in the mirror and massaged his jaw where Noara had left a mark. He grimaced at the discomfort.

Then, an unexpected presence sent shivers down Shuuta's spine. His body stiffened as he noticed a small girl glaring at him, her eyes fixed squarely on him.

With an exquisite face devoid of blemishes, she had an otherworldly beauty, though she was notably petite, with delicate, spindly limbs.

"Hello," she said in a dispassionate tone, her voice akin to that of an emotionless machine.

Shuuta was taken aback and didn't know how to respond. Dealing with someone so unemotional was a challenge. "What are you doing here? This is the men's restroom."

"Pathetic. I can sense all your mana, but you have no presence. You're harmless, like a rabbit," she remarked, her tone devoid of emotion.

Shuuta was left speechless. A loli Mystic had appeared and seemed to have her sights set on him.

"Hey! I just found out I'm a Mystic! I don't know how to use my powers yet," Shuuta protested, trying to defend himself verbally.

"Stop babbling. I'll kill you anyway, whether you're at your best or not. You'll die by my hand," she replied coldly, her stance shifting into a combat-ready position.

Panicking, Shuuta didn't know what to do. "What if she's incredibly strong? I might not even stand a chance."

With his options limited, he considered the impending doom as the loli Mystic menacingly rushed toward him. Closing his eyes, he braced for impact.

Tap, tap, tap, tap...

Suddenly, he felt her punches, which were more like a tantrum from a child, but they barely grazed him.

"Perish, weakling!" she stated monotonously, her attacks seemingly ineffective.

"You're the one to talk!" Shuuta retorted, relieved that his life wasn't in immediate danger.

He reached down to push her away, and her tiny arms couldn't reach him.

"Heh, I thought you were going to kill me. What a joke!" Shuuta sighed with relief.

The girl's frustration grew, and she sent a kick to Shuuta's sensitive area, causing him to yelp in pain. He thought his voice sounded like a squeaky toy.

"Why, you little..." His voice cracked in response.

Shuuta retaliated, grabbing the girl and trying to immobilize her. However, she slipped from his grasp, and they both tumbled to the ground.

As Shuuta and the enigmatic girl tumbled to the floor, they ended up in a rather intimate position that resembled a scene from a romantic anime. Almost instantly, Kazuma and Hanako rushed over to investigate the source of the commotion, discovering Shuuta seemingly entwined with the girl.

Hanako couldn't hide her disapproval, and a tinge of jealousy crept into her expression.

"Hello? Is this the police?" Kazuma swiftly retrieved his phone, ready to document what he presumed to be an intriguing situation.

In a desperate attempt to explain, Shuuta pleaded, "Gaah! Stop! It's a misunderstanding!"

"Yes, I'd like to report an incident," Kazuma continued, undeterred.

"Please, Kazuma, just hear me out!"

"Yes, at Memorial High School."

"STOP!"

With a confident 'click,' Kazuma snapped a picture of the unusual scene.

Flash

Shuuta's spirit appeared thoroughly crushed, his eyes reflecting sheer despair.

"My life is over," he whispered, accepting the weight of the situation.

Undaunted, the girl conveyed her parting words, "It's not the end! Remember, I'll have my revenge." She then gracefully wriggled out of Shuuta's grasp and exited the restroom.

Kazuma couldn't resist the opportunity for some good-natured teasing, "Who would've guessed you had a thing for younger girls?"

Shuuta's anger flared, "Shut your mouth! I swear, I'll make her pay!"

In response, Shuuta's eyes took on an ominous crimson glow, and his mouth curled into a sinister grin. Kazuma continued to jest at Shuuta's expense.

"Of course, of course! Like you'd have a chance with the principal's daughter. Oh, wait! You did. Not to mention you nearly... well, you know. I'm jealous, Shuuta; you've got nerves of steel."

Shuuta's eyes widened in disbelief. Could that girl really be the principal's daughter? If so, it spelled doom for him. However, that wasn't the only puzzling aspect. She sensed his "mana," yet his presence was virtually non-existent. What did this mean? Was she a genuine Mystic, or could she be deceiving him?

'I should inquire with Noara-san tomorrow. I don't want to trouble her; she's probably exhausted after our training.'

The trio exited the restroom.

But then...

PAM!

"Huh?" Shuuta looked to his right and saw the girl stumbling, surrounded by a group of mocking girls.

"Just because your father is the principal doesn't give you the right to boss us around!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"Yeah! Little girl!"

Shuuta clenched his fists upon hearing these cruel comments, but he knew that he couldn't interfere if the girl decided to assert her authority.

"All I said was 'excuse me,'" the little girl whimpered.

Shuuta approached her without hesitation, confronting the hostile group.

"Cut it out," Shuuta declared, glaring at the venomous girls who embodied every stereotype of gossipy high school students: excessive makeup, prominent figures, and a self-proclaimed 'popular' status.

The little girl looked up at Shuuta, puzzled by his intervention.

"I didn't know she had friends!" the girl in the center sneered.

"What? Is she your girlfriend or something?" another girl from the group jeered.

Their laughter attracted attention throughout the cafeteria, and soon, a crowd had formed.

A wry smile crept onto Shuuta's face as he began to chuckle.

"Did the circus come to town? Because I see a bunch of clowns!"

"What did you say?"

"I see you have the makeup, all you need is a red ball for a nose and a squeaky sound."

All the girls glared at Shuuta, utterly flabbergasted.

"Do you even know who we are?"

"No, but I can tell you all are just..."

Everyone was left speechless, even Hanako. This side of Shuuta was entirely new to her.

Kazuma, who knew Shuuta well, commented, "Oh, Katashit Shita is back."

"I didn't realize looking like a clown was the latest trend!" Shuuta laughed and offered a mock bow of apology.

A member of the gossiping girls attempted to retort but fell short, unable to find a suitable comeback. The others fell silent during the roast.

"What's going on here?" A dignified voice inquired.

Shuuta turned to find Hikaru approaching.

"President?" the leader of the gossiping girls exclaimed in surprise.

"President? You're Hikaru? What?" Shuuta was equally astonished to learn that Hikaru was the student council president.

"Onii-chan?" the little girl questioned, equally shocked by her brother's presence.

"Onii-chan?" Shuuta stared at the astounded girl, his brain struggling to process everything.

"Onii-chan?!" the leader of the gossiping girls nearly had a meltdown upon hearing the girl's revelation.

"Yes, she's my sister... Isn't she adorable? I mean, look at her! Her snowy, curly hair, those light blue eyes, the cute fang peeking out, and her stern expression! If anyone were to harm her..." Hikaru's demeanor took a dark turn, "...they wouldn't be standing here." He concluded with a smile.

Shuuta stumbled backward, unintentionally tripping over the girl, ending up in an awkward position that was purely accidental.

"I swear to God I'll kill her," Kazuma chuckled behind Shuuta.

Shuuta shot Kazuma an angry glare. He couldn't believe that Kazuma found this situation amusing, not realizing the danger of provoking Hikaru, who remained oblivious to the existence of Mystics.

Hikaru questioned the situation, his gaze shifting between the leader girl and Shuuta.

In an unexpected move, the young girl raised her hand, successfully drawing Hikaru's attention, and spoke up, saying, "Allow me to clarify everything."

She points at Shuuta with a dark face, "That boy, he tried to touch me in the restroom!"

"HUH?! I tried to protect myself from her! She entered the men's restroom!"

"And those girls over there humiliated me just because I'm the principal's daughter," the loli explained.

The leader of the girls stammered in response, trying to deflect the blame, "No, we, uh, were just playing around." She stiffened as she spoke.

Shuuta was at a loss for words; the loli hadn't even mentioned that he had helped her.

Meanwhile, Hikaru remained enigmatic. His thoughts were inscrutable, but suddenly an air of enmity began to emanate from him, almost imperceptibly. As milliseconds passed, Shuuta felt a chilling sensation, initially dismissing it as his imagination. However, upon closer inspection, he noticed the loli clutching his arm.

"I'm sorry, I think I crossed the line," the small girl whispered shakily, her uneasiness sending shivers down Shuuta's spine.

Is he that intimidating? Shuuta couldn't help but wonder.

"You can't feel the pressure? I suppose you haven't unlocked your powers yet," the loli commented as she stood behind Shuuta, resting her head on his back.

"What are you doing?" Shuuta questioned.

"His aura is intimidating."

"Do I have to fight him?"

"Likely."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

As Hikaru approached Shuuta with a commanding presence, the little girl gripped Shuuta's shirt tighter, and the group of girls watched in fearful silence, their hearts pounding.

Shuuta and Hikaru stood facing each other, displaying no fear and maintaining their calm. Hikaru placed his hand on Shuuta's shoulder.

"Did you do that to her?" Hikaru inquired. "I can tell you're a good person, and I know you helped her."

"Of course, I didn't do anything like that! I'm not interested in little girls!" Shuuta responded with an awkward laugh.

Hikaru's hostility dissipated, and the small girl breathed a sigh of relief that her brother had refrained from taking action.

Suddenly, Kazuma's eyes lit up.

"Hey, Shuuta, I've got a funny picture to show you," Kazuma said with a mischievous grin.

Shuuta and Hikaru were curious. As Shuuta saw the picture, his eyes widened, and his expression froze. Hikaru's face darkened, revealing no emotion.

It was the picture Kazuma had taken when Shuuta was on top of the little girl.

Hikaru placed his hand on Shuuta's shoulder once more and offered a faint smile.

"Duel me or face the consequences," he declared.