It was not going to be a fine morning. Not very soon for a certain girl with unnatural purple hair.
Though it wasn't her natural colour as a byproduct of being physically and emotionally abused by a certain fallen clan's magecraft, she'd grown accustomed to it. The boy was glad it didn't bring his sister much pain anymore. Barely reminded her of the trauma she'd endure. It's been like that for years.
All that will change once news of who just enrolled in his class reaches Sakura's ear…
Seeing two beautiful blondes who both flew in from Finland had every one of Homurahara's students talking. But what was most peculiar to one particular lad was the girl who introduced herself with the name 'Tohsaka'. And while not one of the normal classmates had batted an eye at the name, a teen with messy cobalt blue hair had to stop himself from staring at the trio sitting just across the far end of the room. His was the furthest seat from Shirou, but by sheer coincidence, it was also the furthest out of sight of the two new girls. And he preferred they didn't notice, especially the one who looked to be Japanese despite the blonde hair. It was likely a dye.
He didn't need to look again. She already introduced herself to the class and hers was a face he couldn't not see in his sisters sometimes. Call it brotherly instinct or maybe it's just something that comes naturally to being a family she complicitly trusted. He was certain this change was going to be an unwelcome one.
Which was why Matou Shinji could only sigh as he already knew things would take an ugly turn once another person will learn about Tohsaka's return.
***
'Ah… today is such a good day.' Thought a girl as she merrily skipped down the hall. Being a first year, no one paid her excitability any mind and she didn't heed any onlookers either. Some of her classmates were too busy discussing new transfers or something. She didn't care. Not when today was the day she prepared a special bento box for her dear senpai. 'Ah, such a wonderful day.'
The sun was out. The breeze had been very soothing all day from her open window. All the signs of a wonderful day to come were here, as they always have been when her mind was on that special someone.
To be on cloud nine was often rare for one Matou Sakura. Normally, no matter how bright the day was, she'd act calm, and composed, being the older sibling to her brother despite the age difference. Considering Shinji was sometimes really crappy when it came to his flirting or jokes, Sakura was downright disappointed he couldn't be as cool and mature as some of their friends. Or rather, one specifically…
Just thinking about having lunch with him and his adoring praises about her cooking sent a flutter of butterflies soaring in her stomach. Enough so that the usually calm demeanour of hers had been replaced by humming with a cheery smile.
'I can't wait! We promised to share this one. It's my best masterpiece!'
Yes. She was really enjoying the high life of a teenager right now. Getting good grades, whipping her doofus brother into shape, taking care of home life, and studying diligently in the art of alchemy under her adoptive parent's guidance. But most importantly of all, she was trying her best at love too.
She wouldn't say she was stalling or dallying about. Every move she made was calculated. Every day she spent agonizing about tomorrow's time spent was genuine. The number of times she went to his home to learn more about his tastes and particular favourites and the time she spent inviting him to their home just to see if he'd accept the things she liked as well couldn't be counted in just one hand. They weren't technically childhood friends, but Sakura didn't know if she could live a day without him in her thoughts.
Staring out the window of the first-year classroom hallway, she looked to the clouds and smiled when the morning sunshine was as excitedly blinding as her happy mood. 'It's a good omen. No rain or cloud in sight. And no one to bother us while we eat together on the rooftop.'
She would fist pump her small victories, but that was unlike her. Instead, she just continued to hop up the steps to the second-year classrooms' floor two steps at a time, bento box in one hand while the other slid up the rails.
There was no taking it slow for she had an objective to accomplish today. It was the same as any other day: getting even closer to a special someone. And nothing was going to ruin it for her.
Except for Shinji, probably. Her brother was always around to mess stuff up one way or another, but if he dared ruin the moment, he knew he'd be punished when they got home. Reducing his dinner may be unfair, but that's what he'll get for consuming time she could be spending on her beloved senpai. A shame family couldn't be punished more severely, but she was magnanimous enough to tolerate her sleazy brother when he wronged the girls of the other classes.
Besides, Shinji knew better than to purposely stand in her path. He was supportive in his own way, albeit reluctant at times. It was how he showed his familial love for her. Love… How a word could mean so many things in so many different ways…
Ah, to be in love… The feeling wasn't as fleeting as some movies and soap operas claimed. While it did warrant a sense of caution, there was nothing to fear when her love inspired her to explore her interests, expand her skillset and appreciate her self-worth. More so when the person she was interested in very much appreciated their bond.
With him, she felt warm. She felt alive. It was a sharp contrast to the hollow shell she was nearly a decade ago. A decade… How time flies… She could still recall her uncle as he saved her with the help of a dark-haired hero and his red-haired demon lady partner. She could also still recall the time spent in recovery, of finally being free and getting used to a normal life…
But what she remembered most of all was that day, in the snow. When she first met him… … It still brought a flush to her cheeks whenever she thought about it.
Sakura couldn't imagine a day she wasn't in love. But then again, it's been a long time since she fell for him. She'd never let him go, no matter what.
"Shirou! This school is so amazing! It's just like the shows I've seen on TV! Does it have sakura blossoms too? Please, tell me they do!"
"Ergh! E-Edelfelt-san… please. Calm down. You don't have to hold on to me so tightly!"
Which was why Sakura's jolly cheer came to a screeching halt as her feet skidded against the tiled floor. Dashing to the cover of a nearby support pillar of the stairwell, her eyes grew wide and her brows furrowed with curious fury.
Just this morning, Matou Sakura was having a pleasant day. Then, everything changed when she spotted an Unidentified Blonde Wench attack—no, wrapped her ridiculously obscene chest around her darling senpai's arm as her drill-curled hair fluttered about like tentacles.
In all truthfulness, it wasn't a scene straight from an R-rated film and more a stranger from afar unhesitatingly clinging to a dear friend of hers, but Sakura was seeing red. She was staring at the redheaded teen's troubled expression, but what mostly caught her glare of murderous daggers was the woman manhandling her man—her friend—right now!
"Nonsense!" the blonde said, snapping her fan out and seemingly preying on Emiya Shirou's embarrassment as she politely—read forcefully—hooked his arm in hers. "Miss Fujimura-sensei requested you to be my guide today. I shall see that you are a gentleman of your word and escort me."
"Y-you don't have to cling so closely though—" he tried to pull away, but she was like a hawk with how her talons seemed to rub his biceps eagerly—read lustfully—as she held him in place and whispered into his ear, yet audibly for all to hear.
"Please, Shirou, call me Luvia."
"Um… I don't know—Mmph?!" The fan shut his lips up. Perplexed and flushing, Shirou was at the sultry woman's mercy.
"Come on… say it for me. Pretty please?" she slowed her speech, but there was a certain intimacy in the air as she mouthed the syllables. "Lu-vi-ah?"
'Who the heck is this woman?!' Some of the details noted above may be exaggerated due to Sakura's vision, but it didn't matter. She was already planning to stomp up there, pry her senpai out of the pickle he found himself in, and save him from that thing's advances. Of course, not necessarily as harsh as she wanted it to pan out. She may have wanted to slap and hiss the woman for hanging on to Shirou like that, but she was a responsible and composed woman. She would sort out this mess and get to the bottom of that bimbo's identity and relationship with Shirou. Sakura, wearing the most pristine yet terrifying smile, walked out to resolve this dilemma threatening her lunch date.
Or at least, she would've been able to if not for a set of familiar hands pulling her back into the hiding spot by her shoulders. "Hey! What the hell, Shinji?!"
"Whew… thank god I caught you…" Her brother was sweating, but she wasn't paying attention to him or the relief in his voice. "Sakura, come with me for a second. We need to talk."
"I'm not in the mood, brother." She tried to shake his grip, but there was something about today wherein Shinji didn't immediately acquiesce to her demands. Coupled with the scene from earlier, his change in behaviour irked her somewhat. "Shinji, let go!"
"I can't do that. Please. Just a quick talk—" She tried to unceremoniously pull away with a punch to his gut, but for the first time in a while, he blocked her retaliation. "Sakura, I'm asking you as your brother to please listen to me for one second—!"
"THERE YOU ARE, LUVIA! I told you not to leave me alone! And stop clinging! You're bothering Emiya-kun enough as it is with your big mouth."
Another female voice broke the tentative silence. It wasn't one she should've recognized, yet, there was a familiarity in its timber. Slowly, Sakura pushed her brother away to lean an eye over the corner. There, she saw another blonde… But this one was… different.
"Dammit…"
Sakura's attention was stuck on the newcomer that came to pry the hussy off of her senpai that she ignored Shinji's cursing entirely. 'Who—?'
"Why must you be so uptight, Rin?" The vixen still clinging to Shirou whined despite looking as composed and arrogant as can be. "We've not gone that far off and yet you're already lost? My, has returning home already dulled your sense of direction?"
"I can tell right from the left just fine, drill for brains. It's our guide I'm worried about!" The second blonde quickly pulled her apparent friend away from Shirou and stood between them while offering an apologetic bow. "Sorry about that. This idiot's been excited to come here that apparently, she lost a couple—to half a million—of her brain cells. I'll wrangle her in before she causes more trouble."
"N-no worries. She's from abroad so perhaps she just needs to get used to the customs around here. Ahah… Ahahah…" Shirou, ever the optimistic and loveable kind-hearted fool, was quick to forgive and took the apology in stride with a chuckle. "And don't worry about me, Tohsaka-san. I can manage."
"Well… I'm glad you're open-minded." The girl sighed. But the way she did, the way she smiled, and the glint of her eyes was all too familiar for Sakura.
"Nee…. san…" So familiar that she couldn't help but blurt out…