Finally anoter chapter. It came out a little late compared to what I originally planned. 1) I forgot some friends and family members were celebrating their birthdays so I had to buy their presents in a hurry. Big screw up time. 2) This chapter was longer than the others so I was honestly a little lazy to finish it. Really sorry about that. :(

"Mahouka" - Speech

Mahouka - Time/Place

(Mahouka) - Thoughts

If you have a hard time understanding who's speaking, remember how they call each other: Miyuki -(Tatsuya-sama), Mayumi -(Tatsuya-kun), Lina -(Tatsuya), Ayako -(Tatsuya-san)

Chapter 5

Yotsuba residence(not the main one)

"Nice to meet you, Kuroba Ayako-san. And it's been a while, Tatsuya."

"It's nice to meet you too, Shields-san."

"Indeed it has, Lina."

"...I'm here as well, Lina. Somehow, I think you've been staring at Tatsuya-sama's face since you got here."

"T-There's no way I was!"

"I think so as well. It's like you prioritized Kuroba-san, who you never met, and Tatsuya-kun."

"N-Not you as well, Saegusa-san!"

Lina and Mayumi had just arrived inside the reception room where Tatsuya, Miyuki and Ayako were waiting. They all moved to a small room, with couches surrounding a round table. They were the only ones inside, bodyguards and maids were ordered to stand outside so the teenagers could speak in peace.

"I've been thinking about this for a while but maybe we should drop the formalities a little. Calling each other by our surnames feels a little strange considering our relationship. Oh, you may call me 'Ayako'."

"I guess, it does feels strange. Then, like Tatsuya and Miyuki, please call me 'Lina'. It's my nickname from back in the USNA."

"Me as well, please call me 'Mayumi'. Don't mind the fact that I'm older than you, we are all in the same situation after all."

"It's a good thing that everybody is getting along. I feared that some squabbling would happen."

"We wouldn't do that, Tatsuya-kun. I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of us when I say that we all resolved ourselves before accepting this. We would never do something as unsightly as squabbling before you."

"Indeed, Tatsuya-san. It's as Mayumi-san says."

"I think so too but… No offense, but I thought Miyuki was the one most likely to raise a complaint. I-I mean, she is always so territorial when it comes to you."

For one second, Lina thought she might be digging her own grave. She only said it because she believed she should express her thoughts to Miyuki, as friends and fellow wives. Fortunately, she wasn't the only one that gathered her resolve when she accepted the engagement.

"No offense taken, Lina. While I certainly wasn't pleased when I first heard about this engagement, I know this isn't just about me. If it's for Tatsuya-sama's sake, I will do and bear anything and also… since this would make all of you happy as well, I couldn't just shrug it aside like it was nothing."

"Miyuki-san..."

"Miyuki..."

"...I guess we all had to do something we weren't exactly eager to in order to create this situation, huh?"

Without noticing it, all the wives wore the same expression. They were all remembering about the time they accepted the engagement. They all had to do something they weren't quite willing to. Miyuki had to share Tatsuya, Lina and Mayumi had to face their feelings and Ayako had to fight(verbally) with her father. Noticing the mood was getting a little delicate, Miyuki did what she did better, she cuddled with Tatsuya, hugging his arm. Suddenly, the other three girls stopped in their tracks and stared at Miyuki.

"I understand we all had our hardships but we managed to overcome them in the end, right? Let's not get depressed by what happened, but instead celebrate what will happen."

"There will be more hardships ahead but I don't think we won't overcome them. With all of us, I believe we will work something out too, Miyuki."

"...That is certainly a wonderful belief, one that I share as well but how about we focus on the 'now' for a bit? Like, the way you are always hogging Tatsuya-san for yourself, Miyuki-oneesama. I believe we should all have the same chances."

"Ayako-san?!"

""Wha-?!""(Lina and Mayumi)

Ayako moved from her couch to Tatsuya's side and hugged his other arm. Tatsuya was surprised but didn't try to dodge, he would have to shake Miyuki off first and he didn't believe Ayako would do anything harmful to him. But the shock it caused on Miyuki, Lina and Mayumi was on another level. Miyuki never expected this level of boldness from her cousin, though it just showed how Ayako was not holding back anymore now that she had green light for pursuing Tatsuya. Lina and Mayumi were shocked by a slightly different reason, they were surprised that Ayako managed to accomplish something they wished to do so nonchalantly, right in front of their eyes.

"...How unexpected. I guess this just shows how much you've grown, Ayako-san."

"Fufufu. I believe I already said it before, Onee-sama. 'Even if only a little, we strove to outmatch you', even if I become a bride together with you, I still see you as a rival and wish to surpass you. Just now, I only managed to even the odds a little."

"W-Wait a second! If you two are doing it, then I should do it as well!"

"That's right! Ayako-san, even if you say that you reached Miyuki-san's level, me and Lina-san clearly haven't! We are getting left behind!"

"...Then why don't you do the same? As his brides, you two can do this as well, you know?"

"T-That…!"

"H-He's only got two arms, you know!"

"...I think we should all calm down."

"""Stay quiet Tatsuya/Tatsuya-kun/Tatsuya-san!"""

"..."

"This is very important to us, if one of us back down now, her position will clearly be the lowest among the wives!"

"That's right! We have to decide this no matter what!"

"We have a head start for being the first ones, so have to use this to our advantage against the wives that will be included later!"

"..."

"Didn't you just say that you weren't going to fight?", such thoughts passed through Tatsuya's head but he kept quiet about it. It didn't look like he could reason with them right now so he tried asking Miyuki by sending a glance. All he saw was her satisfied expression at being his number one while still hugging his arm(Ayako already let go to 'fight' with Lina and Mayumi) and no sign of help. Suddenly, a headache attacked him, even if he more or less expected such an outcome, it didn't make it any less stressing. In a way, they do say that 'actions speak louder than words' so it's not like the girls were seriously fighting, they were just expressing their thoughts as best as they can.

(Somehow, I really want to leave this place but I guess I can't just do that. To think it will get even worse later… I may have underestimated what a married life really is like.)

By the time Tatsuya's thoughts settled down, the talk had already progressed quite a bit. And before he realised it, Miyuki also hopped in.

"If it was just the four of us, we could take turns, two per turn."

"Yeah, but who knows how many more will come?"

"Well, there's the obvious one, Mitsui-san. Aside from her, the girls around Tatsuya-kun were always Kitayama-san, Shibata-san and Chiba-san."

"...Sometimes Shizuku is really suspicious. I know for sure that she trusts Tatsuya-sama but I can't tell if she likes him as more than a friend. As for Erika, I'm also not too sure. She likes teasing people in general but sometimes I had the feeling that she teased Tatsuya-sama more than she does to others."

"I see… Hm? Aren't you missing someone Miyuki-oneesama? Mayumi-san mentioned three people, didn't she?"

"There's no need to worry about Mizuki."

"Huhu, I guess you are right Miyuki-san."

"What? Is there something I don't know?"

"She is already into someone else. Even I, that spent just a short time on their school as a transfer student, could see it."

Tatsuya was feeling pity for Honoka right now. Her crush on him was so painfully obvious that even people who didn't had much contact with her could easily tell. Though he could also tell that Shizuku was somewhat attached to him, he couldn't really tell how she felt about him. Her mother had said that Shizuku's trust in him surpassed the realm of ordinary friends, but then again, she was really hot-blooded, unlike her daughter.

"Oh I see… So I'm the only here that never went to First High. That makes me a little sad and jealous. I already heard stories from Miyuki-oneesama but I want to hear them from the two of you as well. About what Tatsuya-san is like at school."

"What are you saying, Ayako-san? We are the ones that are jealous, you and Miyuki-san spent years together with Tatsuya-san."

"Yeah, I want to hear about Tatsuya-san when he was younger."

"Ayako-san, are you implying that I lied when I talked to you about Tatsuya-sama's feats at school?"

"Not really, while I'm sure that Tatsuya-san accomplished great things, I still question it due to how exaggerated you made it sound."

"Well, I'm sorry I can't take your side on this one Miyuki."

"...Geez, Tatsuya-sama."

"...But in the end, when it comes to stories, it has to be that, right?"

"Hm? What do you mean Mayumi-senpai?

"Tatsuya-kun, I don't mind if it's just when we are among friends, but please at least call me Mayumi-san. Hearing you call me senpai makes me feel a little distant."

"..I apologize. But you still haven't explain-"

"I guess, just as you say, Mayumi-san. It has to be that, huh?"

"Indeed, I'm also really curious about that."

"Urg… It's really embarrassing but I guess there's no choice."

Tatsuya tried to demand an explanation from Mayumi and even ignored her distraction for the most part. But then he realised that he was alone on that topic. He could somewhat guess that it was a 'girls talk' thing but as this was not his area of expertise, he couldn't even imagine the contents were. Since the girls started mingling, he barely said a thing, now that it came to this he could almost feel his presence getting as thin as a shadow.

"I'm really sorry but could you please excuse us for a bit, Tatsuya-san?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry, Tatsuya-kun. But is not something we are quite prepared to talk in front of you..."

"Talking about it in front of Tatsuya…..No way I can do it!"

"...Miyuki?"

"...My deepest apologies, Tatsuya-sama. But I also think this is something we have to talk only between girls."

"...If you say that much, actually listening to it would just make things even more awkward, right?"

"As expected of you, Tatsuya-san. You caught on fast."

"Once again, we are really sorry, Tatsuya-kun."

"It kinda feels weird to drive away our husband when we are supposed to use this meeting to get along."

"There's no helping it Lina. The reason we were chosen was also because it was already known that we got along with Tatsuya-sama. The main goal of this meeting is for the brides to meet each other."

"It's okay, I don't really mind. Do take your time and talk to your heart's content. I will be waiting outside if you need me."

Tatsuya actually felt that it was quite fortunate that things turned out this way. Getting stuck in a room with a group of beautiful girls with that atmosphere was a little too much even for him. At first he was worried but after seeing that they can agree with one another, he decided it was okay to leave them be for the moment. Tatsuya left and closed the door behind him hoping they weren't going to discuss something absurd or too serious. Little did he know, he was right and wrong. It wasn't anything world-changing so technically it was not so important, on the other hand, on a personal level it was indeed a serious subject.

"Okay, so now that it's only us, girls, let's begin."

"Indeed, let's talk about how we fell in love with Tatsuya-kun and what we like about him."

"Uhh… Just imagining Tatsuya listening to this makes me feel so embarrassed."

"Now, now. Let's focus Lina. While I understand that it's embarrassing, we have to share our stories. This is also a form of bonding. Since I'm the first wife I believe I should start. I-"

"'-have been in love with Tatsuya-sama since a long time ago and I love everything about him', right?"

"Wha-?! Why are cutting me off like that, Lina?!"

"I mean, we are talking about you Miyuki. What else are we supposed to expect?"

"That's true, Miyuki-san."

"Your friends know well Onee-sama."

"W-Why are you all just saying what you want?!"

"Then, was what you were going to say any different from what I said?"

"W-Well...Yeah! I wasn't in love with Tatsuya-sama since the beginning! I-I mean, I admit that I was always curious about him, my eyes followed him wherever he went and I was a little more conscious of him than other boys but..."

"So it's almost the same. And you didn't deny the 'love everything' part."

"Geez! I'm saying, a few years ago I acted really cold and distant towards Tatsuya-sama. Almost everybody in the clan called the 'bastard of the Yotsuba' and treated him like a failure for not being able to use magic."

"...That's unexpected."

"Ehh?! Even if he was the son of the Head?!"

"..."

"At that time everybody kept saying that it was better to not get involved with him and I blindly followed what they said but despite the way I treated him, he saved my life during the time the GAA invaded Okinawa. Only then did I understand how he felt about me and how mistaken the others were. I'm actually ashamed to say that Ayako-san realised it before me."

"There was no helping it Miyuki-san. The adults at that time were just selfish, pushing their blames and fears on Tatsuya-san and actively opposing him even when he didn't spare them a thought."

"...About that, the USNA were no different. I was really sad when the country I swore to protect started plotting assassinations against someone who never did anything to them just because they judged he was too dangerous, all by themselves. Now, that I think about it, I never apologized for all I did during my stay on Japan. I'm really sorry Miyuki."

"...On my case, it was a really different but still similar. Otou-sama wished to weaken the Yotsuba, he couldn't let go of the past and his childish grudge against the Yotsuba. I'm also really sorry about Otou-sama's actions, Miyuki-san."

"It's fine. There's no need to apologize to me. If anything, it would be better to apologize to Tatsuya-sama but he certainly does not mind it. It's all past waters."

Lina and Mayumi were relieved to hear that but they still felt bad about the problems their bosses and father brought to Tatsuya. The mood was definitely turning a little soor. So Ayako decided to change it.

"Okay, let's not get all gloomy. Now that we made it clear that Miyuki-oneesama's love is well-known to everybody, shall we move on?"

"I will be going next then. *deep breath* Since the first time I met Tatsuya-kun, I always felt he was different. At first I thought I liked him as a little brother and even started calling him by his first name right on his first week on school."

"Oh, I remember that. I was really jealous, you know? I thought that maybe something happened between you two while I wasn't looking."

"...Now that I think about it, Mayumi-san did look like she was a little too close to Tatsuya. I mean, he was the only she called by the first name among Tatsuya's friends."

"Oh… I didn't hear anything about this."

"Ahaha... Miyuki-san, please let me finish the story."

Miyuki's little comment resulted in Mayumi receiving two gazes full of suspicion. Deep down, all of them knew that each of one of them spent moments with Tatsuya that would make the others jealous. Thanks to that, they managed to calm themselves down and resume the talk.

"I can't think of a specific moment, I just fell in love with him before I realised, as time went by. I guess I just felt comfortable around him, he had so much power but didn't drown in it and didn't believed himself to be a chosen one, he could interact with me normally when other students would get flustered, I also wasn't aware that he was a member of the Ten Master Clans so I properly looked at him as man and not in professional way. I felt happy talking with him, he is one of the few that can actually play it back when I play around."

"...When you say it like that, I wasn't that different."

"So you are next, Lina-san?"

"If you don't mind."

"Do go on, Lina-san."

"I... was originally sent to Japan to observe Tatsuya and eliminate him so I had to get close to him. I-I mean, as soon as I greeted him I… I'm not sure myself but I felt something, like, my heart just started beating faster. I guess I also felt that he was different and that feeling only grew stronger over my stay in Japan. Even after I tried to kill him and had my identity exposed, Tatsuya still treated me as a friend. He spared my life and even saved me when I was in danger, not even handing me to the authorities. But if I had to think of a decisive moment, I guess it would be when he offered to help me leave the STARS and become a japanese citizen..."

"...Wait a second, Lina-san. Are you saying that THE Tatsuya-san that normally doesn't care about anything other than Miyuki-san offered you his help just like that?"

"...I also had no idea something like that happened. Would you have any idea what this means Miyuki-san?"

"...Yes, as a matter of fact, I was there when it happened. I was really jealous at that time too. Tatsuya-sama was carrying me in his arms but his eyes were looking at Lina, so unpleasant."

"W-Wait! We all have to calm down or the talk won't go on, right?! W-We can't keep Tatsuya waiting outside forever, right?!"

Lina got really desperate for a moment, but her quick thinking saved her.

"...So, basically you like Tatsuya because he relates to you?"

"W-Well, I guess that's part of the reason. I also like that part of him that tackles problems head on without delaying it."

"I guess it's part of his charm. Then, last but not least."

"Me, huh? There isn't much to talk about though. Like Miyuki-oneesama, I also grew up with Tatsuya-san. I have a rare type of magic but I couldn't use it properly, nor could anybody else in the clan, aside from Tatsuya-san. Tatsuya-san then taught me how to use it, if he hadn't done that, I would have most likely grown up as a failure of the Yotsuba for not being able to use my magic properly."

"Doing what no one can, that sounds like Tatsuya-kun alright."

"With Tatsuya it's one surprise after the other."

"Of course, it IS Tatsuya-sama, after all."

"Aside from that, it's just like it was with you, we spend time together and by the time I noticed, it just happened. Tatsuya-san was always like this, he just keeps attracting different unique people."

"Right? When I think about it, there are lots of different people around him. Even counting just inside the school."

"Still, the talk progressed more smoothly than I thought. Maybe we didn't need to exclude Tatsuya-san after all?"

"No, no. Miyuki-san and Ayako-san are more used to Tatsuya-kun than us, but I'm… no mentally ready to speak about when I started liking him in front of him."

"Me too. I'm the one who had the least contact with Tatsuya since I live in a different country. Just admitting that I like him already puts me on edge."

"But it's a good thing we all managed to open to each other, right? Rather, we should start worrying about the next wives."

"That's right. Hm? Now that I think about it, how exactly will they be decided?"

"Well, this engagement was originally planned to increase the Yotsuba's defensive power and external relationships. But by coincidence, all the girls who love Tatsuya-sama have a powerful family background. As long as they truly love him and are acquainted with us to a certain degree, they have a chance. They only need the courage and determination to step up and ask to be allowed in the plan."

"Hm… So, going by what I've seen so far, Mitsui-san and Kitayama-san are the most likely candidates."

"No, from what I've seen, Honoka is pretty much guaranteed already, isn't she? From the moment she introduced me to Tatsuya she gave of that feeling. But since I haven't met this Kitayama-san, as she went to my homeland at that time, I can't say anything about her."

"As for me, I met Kitayama-san but she was not aware of my connection with the Yotsuba and Tatsuya-san at that time, so I also don't have a good grasp of her infatuation."

"While I don't have proof, I believe Shizuku will join Honoka on this. It's just a woman's intuition but..."

"Well, Miyuki-san is the one who knows them best among us so your word carries more weight than ours. Let's just assume Mitsui-san and Kitayama-san will both join us, but will that be it? Is there no chance of someone else also joining?"

"That's a good question. I'd rather be prepared than to be surprised with the next brides. But the only I know that is also close to Tatsuya is Erika."

"Hm… Even if I'm Tatsuya-san's cousin, not going to the same school makes so much difference. I can't even tell if there are more girls close to him. Miyuki-san knows more than any of us, right?"

"Personally, there are lots of cute girls around Tatsuya-sama but I don't really feel 'danger' around them. Mizuki, Watanabe-senpai, Mibu-senpai and Eimi already have someone on their minds, Ichihara-senpai, Nakajou-senpai, Subaru, Izumi-chan and Kasumi-chan don't seem to have any particular interest. If I have to force it and expand my view of Tatsuya-sama's circle of acquaintances, leaving aside people from the Yotsuba, there's Fujibayashi-san and Ono-sensei, but I think they are a little too old for him."

"Eh? Sensei?"

"...Wait, what do you mean Ono-sensei? If I'm not mistaken, she was the counselor for Tatsuya-kun's class, wasn't she? Are you telling me that Tatsuya-kun is that much of a gigolo?"

"...Is that true, Miyuki-san?"

"No! It's just that Ono-sensei is also a disciple from Yakumo-sensei! We ended up speaking with her outside the school, that's all! I mean… he asks for her help in obtaining intel sometimes, since she good at using concealment magic."

"...Since it's Tatsuya-kun we are talking about, it feels a little suspicious."

"C-Come on! Even if it's Tatsuya, he wouldn't lay a hand on a teacher, right?!"

"...Well, unless it's for a fight, Tatsuya-san really wouldn't lay a hand on a teacher."

"Indeed, I trust Tatsuya-sama. He wouldn't do something like that."

It was indeed very fortunate that the girls had no idea that Haruka once got really close to Tatsuya, albeit by accident. If they even knew how frustrated and conscious Haruka is of Tatsuya, they would definitely get angry.

"But what about Kyouko-san? All I know is that she is acquainted with him because they both work with the military."

"That's another name I'm not familiar with. I understand how you felt Ayako-san."

"Oh, don't mind it. I'm also not familiar with her. I only know that she is a colleague from Tatsuya-san, her full name is Fujibayashi Kyouko."

"...To be honest, sometimes she likes to flirt with Tatsuya-sama, and while I get annoyed by it, I don't feel like she loves him as man. I think it's something closer to an older sister teasing her little brother."

"Once again, you it better than us, Miyuki-san. If you say so, then it must right."

"In any case, we can't say anything for certain. The best we can do is try to guess who will step forward."

"...Honestly, a part of me hopes that no one else will join, but I also feel bad. What if there's someone that wants to take part but decides against it and spends the rest of her life regretting it?"

"Well, Lina-san, in that case, we don't really have to blame ourselves. I also had to gather my resolve to reach my position, I had to risk losing things important to me, but I still persisted. While it may sound cold, if they can't resolve themselves, we don't have to feel bad for them."

"...I guess this is how it should be. If they were offered an engagement without any risk, they would just blindly jump on this ride, without the necessary determination and may end up regretting it all the same."

"As for us, we are all sure that we won't regret it. From what I've seen so far, we all had ur hardships and struggled. We all made this choice so we wouldn't ever regret it, right?"

(I thought it would never happen as his sister…)

(I thought I would have to get married to Itsuwa-kun or Juumonji-kun…)

(I thought I didn't had a chance as a magician from another country…)

(I thought Otou-sama would never let go of stubbornness…)

The four looked at each other and knew exactly what they were thinking. In the end, the order of arrival was irrelevant, they all stood as equals now. They could see a wonderful life waiting ahead… until they remembered that they left Tatsuya waiting outside all this time. They apologized and started another fight over who would feed him during dinner as an apology. Tatsuya's idea of eating by himself was not well-received and one-sidedly rejected.