If You're No One And You Know It... (High School DxD SI Chapter 3)

"Tsubasa, I understand that you're upset with how my meeting with Jiro went, but I assure you, the second time-"

"No. There is no 'second time', Kaichou."

The argument had went on for a while in the student council office.

"Look, I can see where I went wrong. It would be easy to modify my approach, and this time I will succeed and it will all work out." Sona said confidently.

"That's not the issue." Tsubasa pushed back. "Kaichou, my brother isn't a means to keep a perfect record, 'specially when you placed the Devil Summoning Contract there. And what was it you said, that it didn't react?"

For the first time when talking with her Peerage, Sona felt like she was on the back foot with how Tusbasa was pressuring her the whole time to drop this issue.

Sona wondered why Tsubasa felt like her presence was dominating the conversation, when she was standing while Sona was sitting down. Albeit leaning back into her chair now. Maybe it's because the subject was Tsubasa's little brother.

Momentarily the thought of her sister came to mind, being angry about something or other related to her, and Sona quickly dismissed that thought, before she fell down that rabbit hole.

"Well, yes," Sona answered back. "However the part related to a desire for a wish, was extremely high. Honestly, I thought it was odd that the want to summon part of the Contract didn't trigger. Maybe something was wrong with the spell formula, and it needs to be revised."

"Hmm, I wonder what could have happened?" Momo said taking one of the paper contracts out. "Nothing seems wrong or out of place with it."

"No, it's working fine." Tsubasa insisted. "A lot of people have a strong desire, but wish to achieve what they want themselves. You should understand that, Kaichou."

"Well, I would just help him in a way, that he would feel he achieved himself. I've done that before." Sona was starting to feel she was missing something.

Tsubasa facepalmed. Loudly.

"You know, sometimes, for all your complaining about Rias being a bit oblivious or reckless, you tend to act like her." Tsubasa sighed.

"That is absolutely not true!" Sona stood up, losing her cool demeanor for a second, before hastily coughing, and sitting back down.

Tsubaki, Sona's Queen, however seemed to pick up on what might be troubling Tsubasa.

"Tsubasa, is your brother perhaps...'stressed' about school-related work?" Tsubaki asked.

"Yes!" Tsubasa nearly shouted in relief.

The rest of the Peerage was stunned into silence. Not because someone was arguing with their King in such manner. No, Sona encouraged discussion, but because it was the usual soft-spoken, Tsubasa that was actively this disagreeable. It took a while for them to realize what the issue was, based on Tsubaki's wording, the older figuring it out quicker than the younger, although Saji was left clueless.

Sona's brow crunched at that description. This was a situation with a subtext that she wasn't picking up, due to incomplete information. She would have to gather more information before approaching Jiro, to complete the contract. Now, if only Tsubasa was more cooperating, or at least tell her what the problem was, that would easily fix things.

"So, he just needs to relax." Sona decided she wasn't going to do anything yet, as the situation with Jiro seemed like one she needed to understand better first. For now, she'll just say she had a solution, as she had an image to upkeep. "Well, I suppose he can be exempted from school a bit. Arranging for you two to go on a vacation for a bit, would be very easy to arrange." Sona said with a smile, at her generous solution. It might not be the real solution she would offer later on, but she didn't mind setting up a vacation for Tsubasa as an apology, disguised as a reward.

Tsubasa snapped as she slammed her hands on Sona's desk. The feelings inside her bubbling up, as she couldn't contain them anymore.

"You can't wish away depression, Sona! I know.I tried!"

The shout stunned the room, yet immediately made the Reincarnated Devils back off. It was a good thing the room was warded so sound and the real discussions had inside wouldn't leave, otherwise Tsubasa's shout would have been heard several rooms over.

Sona stopped thinking of how to complete her contract. Now that that focus was taken off, she was starting to line up the pieces for the big picture, and realized she seriously messed up. The contract would have to be cancelled. No one keeps a perfect record anyways, especially for Devils over a long enough period of time. It galled on her, but this was about her Peerage, and that was more important.

Before Sona could ask more, Tsubaki stepped up, as this was something, that well, she would at least know how to ask around.

"Is that an official diagnosis?" Sona's Queen asked.

Tusbasa sighed, the winds taken out of her, as she just spoke up straight about the issue.

"'Officially', no. Our doctor recommended that he simply relax and take more walks for physical exercise, or find a hobby and study at something 'more his level' so he doesn't 'stress' himself." Tsubasa said, holding back a sneer.

Tsubaki winced in sympathy. "I'm guessing your parents didn't approve."

"No," Tsubasa gritted her teeth and sighed. "They were...hopeful he could enter the same high school as me, or they might feel disappointed."

"They threatened to kick him out?" Sona asked.

"No, mom and dad, they wouldn't have done that." Tsubasa shook her head. "But the expectation and their disappointment alone were threat enough."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sona walked around her desk to stand in front of her Rook, with nothing between them.

"It would have been a bother." A pained smile came to Tsubasa's face. "And you don't talk about those."

Sona felt struck back. She wanted to ask what Tsubasa meant, but felt a hand from Tsubaki, and at a glance back, saw her Queen shook her head. It was something for Tsubaki and Sona to discuss alone later.

"You said you tried 'wishing it away', what did you mean?" Sona asked to move the topic along.

"You know how my parent are hypnotized to accept me, being a Devil but not talk about it to anyone that doesn't know?" Sona nodded. "I thought 'what if one of them made a wish for Jiro to be better?', after trying that, the price looked too high for them or I to pay."

"It couldn't have been more than '30 years' or '10 billion yen' for wanting to lose weight. " Ruruko spoke up.

"Woah, that's a lot." Saji noted, but went quiet again, given the current subject.

"It was only that?" Tsubasa said back, before scoffing.

"It was more when you directly asked to fix the issue?" Sona asked.

"...I asked your sister the first time I met her," Tsubasa didn't deflect, so much as not bothering to answer. "And she said usually in cases like my brother, anything the client thinks is a direct solution, would be costly, but anything they don't care about, would be normal. And again it all prices depends on their potential." The last part was one of the first lessons Sona told her Peerage about any of the bigger wishes their clients might have, and how to let them down to a more reasonable wish.

"You talked to my sister?" Sona asked in surprise. Serafall never mentioned that. Either her airheaded sister was being sensible...or she forgot about the whole exchange later on.

"Yes," Tsubasa answered. "Ultimately either, we go with medication, which my parents wouldn't allow. As well, 'their son doesn't need it'." Tsubasa actually sneered here. "Or as Lady Serafall recommended,

"I find a Mind Arts Specialist." She sighed. "Except beyond being rare and expensive, it would have to be someone they trust, or the spell work will easily be undone, as the subject would just constantly pick mentally at the spell, and crash it down." She finished with a sense of finality to her words. "That's why...I'd appreciate it if you leave this alone, Kaichou. A Wish Contract isn't gonna fix this. I don't know what will, but I'd hoped Jiro would pick a hobby or make friends here at Kuoh, but I can't force those either, so it wouldn't work."

"He has friends." Saji piped up, making the group look at him. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he hangs out with Akihiro and Teruo."

"That would be Kouji Akihiro and Akira Teruo, correct?" Tsubaki instantly looked up and recognized the names of the aforementioned students.

"If I recall, Kouji is part of a basketball club, a rising star even." Sona was back at her seat, feeling a bit more comfortable to work with information she has. "And Akira was part of the computer club for a while. Hara, the club president really complained about him leaving soon after joining." She said recalling that incident with the Computer Club President crying about losing a once a millennia genius. "They hang out with Eri Taiyou, correct?" It was something Sona distinctively remembers, because Eri had been someone she really wanted to try recruiting at some point, but she never seemed to have the chance to meet the girl alone.

"Yeah," Saji said, as he thought for a moment. "I think I also heard that Eri had asked out Tsubasa-senpai's brother yesterday."

""What!?""

Tsubasa wasn't the only one shocked.

I wonder if it's gonna be cold today or not. Maybe a light jacket that I can tie around my waist if it gets hot? Yeah, that sounds good.

"Soooo...you're going out." Tsubasa said inquisitively. Almost hovering over me.

"Yes, that's...why I'm wearing going out clothes." I said back slowly, wondering where she's going with this.

"Right, right." Tsubasa nodded to herself. "So, going out with a...friend?"

"...Yes?" Tsubasa is being weird.

"A...male friend?" Tsubasa was being suspicious.

...Fuck. God damn the fucking high school rumor mill.

"No." I sighed. "But she's..." What's Eri to me? What's our relationship? "Friend. So I'm just gonna dress normal."

"Hmm, maybe you should change that jacket for a suit jacket?" Tsubasa offered.

"No, why?" I squinted my eye at her.

"You know, you should always look good when going out."

"I look fine." I didn't care if I sounded whiny.

"Come on, I'll get you a suit jacket."

"No, really, it's fine." I tried to insist but it felt like a losing battle.

I didn't want a suit jacket, you can't tie that around your waist. Also it might make it seem like I'm trying too much.

I didn't even know if this was a date. No, I'm sure it's not. Eri said she wanted my help with something, it could just as easily be asking me to buy a gift for Akira or Kouji.

Not sure why she would come to me for that, but sure.

"Hmm, how about getting a suit shirt instead of a T-shirt?" Tsubasa said, after inspecting me with the suit jacket on my causal wear.

"No, I don't have any that fit, and I'm not wearing a whole suit instead." I sighed with annoyance.

"O-Oh...wait, when are you suppose to meet up? I have a friend I can get a shirt for you quick." Tsubasa said.

"About 15 minutes, meaning enough time for me to get there, and no this is just meeting a friend. If I dress too good it would look creepy." I turned, put on my shoes and walked out. "Bye!"

"Jiro, wait!"

I closed the door behind me. Tsubasa didn't open it. Or maybe she did I didn't see, as I got around the corner and out of sight of my house entrance.

There was a sense of vindication in just rushing forward and doing what I wanted for once, rather than what others pushed on me.

And immediately afterwards there was the guilt at being an ass to Tsubasa, when she's trying to help. Then I remembered that she was pushing me to look nice for a date, when this wasn't one, and why is she now involved with my life.

I let out a breath through my teeth, as anger and guilt kept rolling around in my stomach. Great fucking start to this already confusing day.

Why did Eri ask me out?

No! Ask me to meet her to help her out?

Fuck, why couldn't she have said straight what she wanted? Did I want this to be a date?

No, no! Stop thinking about this. Stop thinking of this as a date. It's just two friends hanging out. Two friends who never hung out, because I avoided said "friend" whenever I got the chance.

Can I have Eri as a girlfriend? I would mess things up wouldn't it? Don't either Kouji or Akira like her?

Wait, this is a stupid line of thought! She doesn't like me. She tolerates me, like I do her, that's all. Besides, I can't be anyone's boyfriend right now, I'm a fucking mess.

I sighed again in frustration as I reached the mall entrance and waited.

I got a message on my cellphone.

"Huh?" It was from Akira.

Akira - "Hey, Eri is a bit of an airhead, so if she does something insensitive she doesn't intentionally mean harm. So please don't be mad at her, okay?"

I blinked at that a few times.

Jiro - "Okay."

What else is there to say?

A few minutes later I spotted Eri in the crowd, and she spotted me and came over.

"Hey! Found you!" She said cheerfully.

"Um, yeah, s'up." Wow, I sounded weak. "Sooo..." How do I say for her to get on with it? Or would that sound rude? Wait, did I screw up by saying 'so'?

"Yeah, I wanted to ask for..." Eri then trailed off as she looked around for a second.

What? Why is she looking around? Are there cameras?

"Say, Jiro!"

"Yes?"

"Let's go to the theme park!"

"O...kay?"