Wasn't That Going to Disappoint You?

"Really?!"

Hokubu Genkoma was so excited she almost sprang up from the bench, both for Anmokume's sake and at the prospect of a new role for herself:

"You mean I can... can help coach Little Anemon as an assistant?"

"'Observe, learn, and assist with record-keeping.'"

Yasui Makoto smiled as he corrected her, his eyes warm and a little indulgent. "And only under my full guidance and supervision. You have to check with me before every step."

"Mm-hmm! No problem! Observing, learning, and helping with the records is great too!"

Hokubu Genkoma nodded vigorously, her face breaking into a radiant smile. Her earlier little bout of unhappiness had long since vanished:

"Then it's a promise! I'll study hard!"

A few days later, with the festive New Year atmosphere not yet completely faded, a spacious van cruised smoothly along the highway to Nagoya.

Their destination was Yasui Makoto's family home in Tokoname, a city in the southern part of Nagoya, near Chita Bay.

It wasn't a bustling urban district, but a quiet town known for its traditional ceramics industry, with many old streets still retaining their original character.

This group outing had all started with Hokubu Genkoma's suggestion at the family dinner.

At first, Yasui Makoto was a little surprised by the sudden proposal for a "group visit to his family home," but soon enough, out of habit, he began weighing it up.

Generally speaking, there wasn't much training to do after the New Year, and the races they were considering weren't until March. Most of their other affairs had been taken care of around the turn of the year, so it really was a good time for a relaxing activity.

After half a year of working together, the team had built up a good deal of trust and understanding. With