Confrontation
対決

"I will show you all what it means to be a class representative," Yuta boasted while tying the team band of class 1-A around his head. He was not bluffing because he led his team to win all the games. That was why Yuta was given a handicap for the individual games.

He won one individual game even with a handicap and did not play the rest of them as he was getting bored and his younger sister was waiting for him.

"Did you see that Haru—" Yuta beamed, running towards Haruna who had come to visit the school festival of Yosen High. "How your onii-chan sweeped up all the trophies?"

"Where is Sei onee-chan? Why didn't she participate in any game?" She asked her brother with a frown. Yuta's face fell, seeing how Haruna was not interested in him at all. "She became sick during the prep week," Yuta replied, monotonously.

"But you can see her though. She is going to perform on the stage within a few minutes." He pointed at the large podium with decorations around it. "See there—" Yuta's words trailed off when he saw that Sei was already on the stage with a guitar in her hand.

She was wearing a light pink coloured yukata with a navy blue coloured belt tied above her waist. Her shoulder lengthed hair was braided sideways and then tied into a bun with a colourful traditional hairpin.

Yashiro fixed the microphone and requested everyone's attention on their performance before Sei plucked the first string with the index finger of her right hand—the thinnest one—creating a high pitched note that managed to steal the attentions of the people Yashiro failed to get.

Her left hand hovered over the third fret with Ryo starting to sing Kokoronashi. They were all in awe including Yuta. Even though he had heard Sei play before, it still surprised him as if it was his first time. She looked completely different when she played guitar. It seemed as if it was made only for her.

The rhythmical melodies coming out of her accurately tuned guitar, bound the audience in a charm.

They finished their performance with a Japanese traditional song as was promised to Yashiro. Yuta led Haruna to the stage. "Onee-chan!" Haruna hugged Sei as soon as she came down. "Isn't it heavy?" Yuta pointed to the guitar bag which she was carrying by her shoulder.

"Why? Will you carry it instead of her?"

"Kabe senpai!" Yashiro ran towards the bulked up male who was senior to them by one year. "We were in such a pickle without you!" He complained in a whiny manner.

"We have a newbie, Tadashi senpai," Ryo muttered, glancing at Sei in the process. "That I can see," he bent down a little to get on her eye level. "Senpai," Yuta grabbed his arm to force him to straighten up. "I thought you were talking to me, at first."

Sei finally realised what was going on. The man in front of her was the founder of the band—the only senior Ryo listened to. She bowed to him, introducing herself politely. "Hello, I am Hayashi Sei—the guitarist of the band."

"Yuu-chan," Tadashi called, totally ignoring Sei. A vein popped up on Yuta's forehead, hearing the overly friendly way of calling him. "It has been such a long time. You are still pouting like the last time I saw you."

He leaned in and whispered to the annoyed, black haired male so that only he could listen to him and not the others, "Don't act so jealous, Yuta. I am not going to steal your girl or anything."

Yuta's eyes widened. What? He could not believe what he had just heard. Jealous? Who? Me? W-why? Why in the sweet hell would I be jealous? Of whom? Of what? Over whom? His eyes flickered over to Sei, who was confusedly gazing at Yashiro.

Over Sei?

"And Sei-chan." Tadashi finally returned his attention to her. "That's what I am calling you. Do you have a problem with that?" He asked before raising his hand—A smirk was plastered on his lips. "It doesn't matter either way."