The Irregular at Magic High School: Secret Silhouette
In the year 2095, magic is a recognized science. At First National Magic University Affiliated High School, known as 'Magic High School,' siblings Tatsuya Shiba and Miyuki Shiba appear to be just a close brother and sister. However, the look in Miyuki's eyes holds something far beyond familial affection. One rainy night, she realizes the truth: 'I'm in love with my brother, as a man.'
Knowing this love is forbidden, Miyuki locks it deep inside her heart. But then, a new transfer student, Alice
The Irregular at Magic High School: Secret Silhouette - Friday of Collapse, Tearful Brocon Screams and Attempted Diary Destruction
Friday morning.
The sky was covered in thick clouds. Outside the window, the leaves of the zelkova-lined avenue rustled restlessly in the wind. Yesterday's rain had already stopped, but the ground was still wet, and the air was cold and heavy.
Miyuki stood before the door of the Student Council room.
The south end of the fifth floor. A corner room. Normally, coming here settled her, if only a little. This place was Miyuki's castle—her place as Student Council president.
But today was different.
It felt as though a cold stone had sunk deep into her chest. The memories of last night resurfaced from her fingertips. The sensation of magic running wild. The moment uncontrollable power overflowed from her own hands. And then—the frozen training grounds. Tatsuya's frostbitten hands. Erika's trembling back.
*(I hurt Onii-sama.)*
Miyuki closed her eyes. The scene from yesterday was seared onto the back of her eyelids, refusing to fade. Over and over, repeating. Her breathing grew shallow.
"President Shiba, please come in."
A low voice came from beyond the door. Miyuki straightened her back. Her fingertips gripped the hem of her skirt once, tightly. Then she slowly opened the door.
Inside the Student Council room, the vice-principal and two faculty advisors sat side by side. On the desk lay several documents—records of last night's magic use. Miyuki's name appeared again and again.
"Sit down."
Miyuki lowered herself into the indicated chair. She did not lean back against the rest. Her pale fingers folded together on her lap. Her fingertips were just slightly cold.
"Regarding yesterday's incident."
The vice-principal opened a thick file. The dry rustle of paper echoed through the quiet room.
"Unauthorized use of magic at night in Training Ground One. Moreover, the scale was such that it froze the entire training facility. According to surveillance camera records, the magic activated was yours."
Miyuki's throat moved faintly.
*(I can't deny it. That was, unmistakably, my power.)*
"For someone in your position—as Student Council president, responsible for maintaining discipline within the school—to cause such an incident is a grave matter. From the standpoint of the magic technician registration system, unauthorized magic use on school grounds would normally warrant expulsion. You understand this."
"...Yes, I am aware."
Miyuki's voice was quiet and composed, just as it was in the classroom. But inside, beneath the ice, the water churned violently.
*(Expulsion. Being separated from Onii-sama.)*
The thought flashed through her mind for an instant. Her chest constricted painfully.
"Normally, an appropriate punishment would be necessary. However, considering your past achievements and the extenuating circumstances of this incident, we will settle this with a severe warning and a written apology. But if this happens again—you know what will follow."
Miyuki gave a small nod.
"Be sufficiently careful from now on. As a magician, if you neglect emotional control, it will lead to the ruin of both yourself and others. You, of all people, should understand this best."
The advisor sitting beside her spoke quietly. Miyuki could not take in even half of those words.
*(Emotional control. If I had been able to manage that, none of this would have happened.)*
Unconsciously, Miyuki stared at her own palms. White, slender fingers. The fingertips that always grew cold first when activating magic. Last night, how much cold had overflowed from these hands? She could still feel that chill lingering between her fingers.
*(The hands that froze Onii-sama's hands.)*
A sharp pain twisted in her stomach. Self-loathing wasn't a strong enough word. Something darker, heavier, colder was settling deep inside Miyuki.
"Submit the written apology to the Student Council room by Monday next week."
Miyuki stood and bowed once.
"Excuse me."
Her voice did not tremble. She was surprised herself at how naturally she carried herself. But that, more than anything, felt hollow.
---
First period, the classroom.
When Miyuki entered, the murmuring atmosphere fell silent for a moment. The students' gazes gathered on her. Many of them knew about yesterday's commotion. The story of the frozen training grounds had already spread throughout the school.
*(Don't look at me.)*
Miyuki faced straight ahead and walked to her seat. Back straight. The queen's mask firmly in place.
She sat down. Opened her textbook. The words wouldn't enter her eyes.
*(No matter what I do today, my heart isn't here.)*
Miyuki was gazing at the cloudy sky outside the window when a familiar figure appeared at the edge of her vision. Reddish-brown hair. A small frame. Chiba Erika.
Their eyes met. For just an instant.
Erika immediately averted her gaze, as if she hadn't seen Miyuki at all. Then she hurried out of the classroom.
*(...Erika.)*
Miyuki felt her chest cracking audibly. Her best friend. The one friend she thought she could tell anything. That friend was now running away from her.
She understood, rationally, that it couldn't be helped. She had been present at the scene of Erika's confession. Her magic had hurt both Erika and Tatsuya. It was only natural for Erika to feel awkward.
But even so.
*(Even though calling out to her wouldn't accomplish anything.)*
Miyuki clasped her fingers together on the desk. Her fingertips were cold. Outside the window, the wind carried damp air.
From the front of the classroom came the sound of students laughing. One of her classmates was talking about something, laughing. Those voices sounded terribly distant.
*(It's as if I'm the only one cut off from everyone in this classroom.)*
Miyuki lowered her eyelids.
At that moment, the atmosphere of the classroom brightened, softly.
"Good morning! Shiba-kun, good morning!"
Amano Alice. Her waist-length black hair swaying gently, she entered the classroom with a smile that seemed to glow. Swinging the bag in her hand, she headed straight for Tatsuya's seat.
"Hey, hey, Shiba-kun! Were you okay after yesterday? I heard the training grounds froze, so I was worried! I happened to be away from that area on Public Morals Committee work. If I'd been nearby, I could have protected you perfectly with my defensive magic!"
Miyuki's fingers gripped the edge of her desk tightly.
*(This girl is always like this.)*
Alice sat down in the seat next to Tatsuya and pulled her desk closer. The distance was too close. Close enough that their shoulders might touch.
"Shiba-kun, I don't understand this problem, so teach me! Come on, just for a little while after school!"
Alice opened her notebook and held it out toward Tatsuya. Her gestures seemed even more forward than yesterday. Touching his shoulder. Her fingertips brushing his arm.
Miyuki couldn't watch any longer.
*(Today too, that girl is beside Onii-sama.)*
The depths of her chest burned as if scorched. Jealousy. Loathing. Impatience. All of it mixed together into a thick, murky mass, rising up to the back of her throat.
*(Because I can't do anything.)*
The memory of last night's rampage tangled around Miyuki's legs like a weight. What if it happened again? What if she hurt Onii-sama again? The thought paralyzed her—she couldn't move a single finger.
Cold air flowed in from the classroom's climate control. Even though it wasn't summer, the cooling seemed to be set too strong.
---
Lunch break.
Miyuki slipped out of the classroom and headed for the rooftop. The rooftop was usually locked. But through her Public Morals Committee work, she knew where the key was kept.
She pushed open the heavy iron door.
The damp wind whipped through Miyuki's hair. Under the cloudy sky, the rooftop was empty. The waterproof-sheeted floor was still dark and wet from last night's rain.
*(I wanted to be alone.)*
But that wasn't really true.
Miyuki took a small terminal from her pocket. She traced the screen with her finger. Contacts. Tatsuya's name. The call button.
*(Will he come?)*
Her heart pounded like a frantic bell. With trembling fingers, Miyuki sent a message.
*"Onii-sama. Could you come to the rooftop during lunch break? There's something I need to talk about."*
She clutched the terminal to her chest. The sound of her heartbeat resonated all the way to her fingertips.
*(I have to tell Onii-sama. I can't endure this anymore.)*
Miyuki had been holding her feelings inside, unable to tell anyone. Her feelings for Onii-sama. These emotions that threatened to destroy their relationship as siblings. Her hatred for Alice. Her guilt toward Erika. All of it, all of it, swirled in her chest, threatening to break her apart at any moment.
How long did she wait?
"Miyuki."
A familiar voice. Miyuki spun around as if struck.
Tatsuya stood there. The Course 2 uniform. White gloves, the pair to Miyuki's own. As always, a quiet face that betrayed no emotion.
*(Onii-sama.)*
The moment she saw him, something inside Miyuki snapped audibly.
"...Onii-sama."
Her voice trembled.
"I don't understand anything anymore."
Miyuki took a step toward Tatsuya. Her eyes burned. Her vision blurred.
"Alice-san is clinging to you. Erika likes you too. And when I see that, I feel so disgusted with myself—so hateful, so angry, so sad... And yesterday, I even hurt you, Onii-sama."
Tears spilled over. She tried to stop them, but they wouldn't stop.
"Onii-sama, you can't manage without me!"
Miyuki's voice rang out across the rooftop.
"I've always been by your side! I've always protected you! Alice-san, Erika—all of them, all of them are in the way! The only one who should be by your side is me!"
Miyuki was screaming. She no longer cared if anyone saw. Along with her tears, the murky emotions from the bottom of her heart overflowed into words.
"I am your sister! I'm glad I'm your sister! I'm the only one who can be useful to you! Those girls don't understand anything about you!"
Miyuki collapsed on the spot. Her knees hit the wet floor. Her vision distorted. Her breathing ragged. She couldn't see through the tears.
*(Ah, I'm saying things that even I find repulsive.)*
The cold part of her mind thought that. But she couldn't stop anymore.
"Onii-sama, look at me. It can't be just anyone. It has to be me. You need me, and I—I can't go on without you... Far more than those girls, far, far more..."
Miyuki raised her face. A face ruined by tears. Even so, she looked straight at Tatsuya.
"I belong to you, Onii-sama. Because you belong to me."
The final words dissolved into the damp air and vanished.
Silence.
Only the sound of wind on the rooftop. In the distance, the faint noise of lunch break echoed.
Tatsuya was silent. He said nothing. He simply looked down at Miyuki. His expression unreadable.
*(Say something. Onii-sama.)*
Miyuki pleaded in her heart. Be angry. Be exasperated. Anything—she just wanted words.
But Tatsuya said nothing.
Instead, he approached Miyuki, quietly crouched down, and wrapped his arms around her.
The suddenness of it stopped Miyuki's thoughts. Tatsuya's arms enveloped her body. His white gloves touched her back, gently.
*(Onii-sama's scent.)*
Her heart pounded violently, as if about to break. Inside Tatsuya's chest was warmth. A quiet, certain warmth, different from her own.
But.
*(...No.)*
Held in his embrace, Miyuki felt a cold despair slowly spreading through her entire body.
*(That's not what I wanted.)*
She had wanted words.
She had wanted an answer to the question: "What am I to you, Onii-sama?"
Tatsuya wouldn't say anything. He only held her, offering no reply to her cries. That silence felt, to Miyuki, the same as rejection.
*(Onii-sama only sees me as his sister.)*
The depths of her heart froze over. Even though she was being held, it was as if the warmth couldn't reach her. Miyuki pressed her face against Tatsuya's chest and wept, stifling her voice.
---
After school.
Miyuki went home alone, speaking to no one. At the shoe lockers, she thought she heard Al
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