Comprehensive Anime: Making Money Starting from Saki

Ryumonbuchi Toka turned her head to look at the childlike Amae Koromo, her voice softening in a rare display of gentleness: "You will meet many impressive people, many... who can play mahjong with you, Koromo."

Chapter 24: Saki Miyanaga's Request

"You will meet many impressive people, many... who can play mahjong with you, Koromo."

Mentioning the experts capable of playing mahjong with Amae Koromo, the previously arrogant Ryumonbuchi Toka's expression suddenly softened.

This sudden shift caught Kageyama Sora, who was standing nearby, off guard, and a subtle sense of wonder stirred within him.

Toka had always presented herself as someone who pursued extravagance and appeared carefree, but at this moment, it was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a completely different side of her.

Kageyama Sora pondered to himself that this girl might be far less simple than she appeared on the surface.

However, when the topic shifted to formidable enemies, Kageyama Sora fell into deep thought, his gaze distant and profound: "Formidable enemies? Perhaps we don't need to wait for the National Tournament; we might encounter strong opponents during the preliminaries."

As soon as these words were spoken, Ryumonbuchi Toka immediately turned her head, her eyes filled with curiosity as she pressed, "Are you talking about Haramura Nodoka?"

As expected, she really is concerned about Haramura Nodoka.

Kageyama Sora had never kept anything from his cousin, so he spoke frankly: "A very impressive girl has appeared by Haramura Nodoka's side... She gives me a feeling very similar to Amae Koromo."

"Similar to Koromo?"

"No way, is there really someone who can be... similar to Koromo?"

"But you can't say that for sure. Even though we haven't played against her yet, aren't there two others who are similar to Koromo?"

The members of the Mahjong Club exclaimed and discussed it among themselves, but the person in question, Amae Koromo, remained expressionless.

Ryumonbuchi Toka, however, remained silent, her expression becoming quite subtle.

As the person who understood Amae Koromo's nature best, she knew exactly what it meant to be mentioned in the same breath as her.

Furthermore, she knew her cousin Kageyama Sora was not one to speak lightly—after all, he had personally experienced the terrifying nature of Amae Koromo—so she believed his words.

Yet, this realization did not fill her with fear; instead, it instantly ignited her fighting spirit, her eyes flashing with excitement: "Oh my... things are getting interesting."

Kageyama Sora had not expected that his casual mention of Saki Miyanaga that day, without even revealing her name, would lead to this.

A few days later, Saki Miyanaga took the initiative to call him and ask for a meeting.

In truth, it was no secret that Saki Miyanaga knew Kageyama Sora's number.

When Kageyama Sora left Kiyosumi High School, he had intentionally left his contact information, telling them to reach out if they ever needed anything.

But he never imagined that the first person to reach out would be Saki Miyanaga. He had originally expected Club President Hisa Takei to come to him with some sort of plan for cooperation, as that woman was indeed very clever and full of ingenious ideas.

Thus, after school that day, Kageyama Sora met Saki Miyanaga in a private room at an elegant teahouse.

As someone from a wealthy background, Kageyama Sora naturally didn't want to meet people in free public parks like an ordinary student; he preferred quiet and comfortable environments.

The teahouse was antique and filled with the faint scent of tea. The wooden tables and chairs glowed with a warm luster, and ink paintings hung on the walls, creating a tranquil and elegant atmosphere.

Before long, the door to the private room was gently pushed open, and a young girl walked in.

She had short, ear-length brown hair that curled naturally, like lively musical notes. Her usually clear and bright brown eyes were filled with a hint of unease, and the corners of her eyes drooped slightly, making her look innocent and naive, much like a lost little deer.

"Forgive me for the intrusion," Saki Miyanaga said softly and politely before slowly sitting down across from Kageyama Sora.

Perhaps because she had just finished school, she was wearing her Kiyosumi High School sailor uniform. The blue top was crisp and neat, paired with a pleated skirt, and the red ribbon tied at the collar was particularly eye-catching, adding a touch of cuteness and playfulness to her overall look.

It was just that the hem of her skirt was a bit too short; as she sat down, a flash of pure white was inadvertently revealed.

Kageyama Sora sighed once again at the design of the Kiyosumi High School uniform. Feeling a bit awkward, he quickly averted his gaze and said, "It's fine, I don't feel intruded upon. I'm just curious why you came to find me."

Perhaps she had already prepared her words on the way here, as Saki Miyanaga spoke quite fluently: "Because this matter involves Haramura Nodoka, and... I thought you might be close, so I came to find you."

"Close..." Kageyama Sora paused, his expression slightly subtle. "While we are indeed on good terms, given your personality, you should have chosen to talk to her directly instead of coming to me."

Of course, Kageyama Sora thought to himself, it wasn't just "on good terms"—it was at the level of physical intimacy.

A look of sadness appeared on Saki Miyanaga's slightly airheaded face: "She isn't very willing to communicate with me."

This surprised Kageyama Sora quite a bit.

Previously, when Haramura Nodoka had messaged him about Saki Miyanaga joining the Mahjong Club, her words had been full of joy.

How could things be as Saki Miyanaga described, with her unwilling to communicate? This piqued Kageyama Sora's curiosity even further, and he raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Why don't you tell me what happened?"

And when Saki Miyanaga recounted what had happened today, Kageyama Sora instantly understood why Haramura Nodoka was angry.

Looking at Saki Miyanaga's sad and genuinely naive expression, he felt quite helpless: "You mean that today, while you were playing mahjong in the Mahjong Club, Yuki Kataoka was about to win, and even though you knew it, you let her win just to make her happy, right?"

"Yes..." Saki Miyanaga bit her lower lip, looking dejected. "That hand was very big and difficult to build. Yuki would definitely be happy if she could win, and if she couldn't, she would surely be very disappointed."

Kageyama Sora felt a bit helpless regarding Saki Miyanaga's actions: "So you intentionally chose to deal into her hand so that Yuki Kataoka could win."

"Yes..." Saki Miyanaga nodded. "Then Haramura Nodoka got very angry and said she wouldn't play anymore, and she told me that if I continued to play mahjong like that, she would make me quit the Mahjong Club."

Kageyama Sora was slightly surprised. Although he knew that such behavior from Saki Miyanaga was essentially dancing on Haramura Nodoka's landmines, he truly hadn't expected Haramura Nodoka to be so furious and to frame the matter so severely.

However...

Kageyama Sora looked at the restless Saki Miyanaga and poured her a cup of tea: "The reason Haramura Nodoka is angry is the same as last time: she believes you are insulting the mahjong she loves."

Chapter 25: I Will Enter the National Tournament

The air in the teahouse seemed to be entangled by invisible threads, becoming stagnant and almost heavy.

Twilight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled light and shadow diagonally across the wooden tea table. The tea, which had been sending up wisps of fragrant steam, now seemed weighed down, lingering around the two of them and adding a sense of oppression.

Kageyama Sora rested his elbows on the tea table, fingers interlaced against his chin. His gaze pierced through the swirling steam, taking in the sight of Saki Miyanaga, who sat with her head bowed in unease.

"Haramura Nodoka may look gentle, but she is actually a very serious person." He tapped his fingertips against the table, the rhythm gradually quickening. "Every hand you intentionally threw away was, in her eyes, a trampling of the competitive spirit of mahjong, like splashing dirty water on the trophy she treasures most."

Saki Miyanaga's fingers, which had been twisting the hem of her sailor uniform skirt, tightened abruptly, leaving wrinkles in the ribbon. "I didn't think that much about it. I just felt that Yuki... really wanted to win."

Realizing that Saki Miyanaga still hadn't grasped his meaning, Kageyama Sora softened his tone. "Although I'm not very familiar with Yuki Kataoka either, from our two encounters, I can tell she isn't the fragile type. You could even call her an optimist. She isn't the kind of person to get upset just because a hand she worked hard on didn't result in a win."

Saki Miyanaga looked up in astonishment, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, ready to fall. "I, I just didn't want Yuki to be sad..."

"For Haramura Nodoka, mahjong isn't child's play!" Kageyama Sora grabbed the teapot and poured the tea heavily, splashing it over the rim of the cup. "Haramura Nodoka loves mahjong; her passion for the competition is almost stubborn. She craves victory and loves fair and just play. Your behavior of throwing hands is too much for her to accept. You are someone who... doesn't exactly love mahjong, yet you can easily control the board to beat her, and then you intentionally deal into others just to keep Yuki from being sad. These actions are impossible for Haramura Nodoka to accept."

The harshness of his words brought a sense of clarity to Saki Miyanaga.

The tea room fell into a dead silence, broken only by Saki Miyanaga's stifled sobs.

Seeing Saki Miyanaga suddenly burst into tears startled Kageyama Sora, forcing him to soften his tone once more. "For someone like Haramura Nodoka, she would rather be shattered to pieces on the path to victory than trade her integrity for a hollow honor."

"What, what should I do?" She looked up at Kageyama Sora abruptly, her eyes filled with unshed tears, her cheeks flushed, and her skirt slightly crumpled. She was in a state of extreme tension.

"Go apologize. Go and properly tell Haramura Nodoka about your change of heart. Tell her that from now on, you won't throw hands just because you're afraid of hurting your opponent, but will instead respect the game and strive to win." Kageyama Sora placed the warm teacup into her palm. "What Haramura Nodoka has always looked forward to isn't the concession of the weak, but an opponent who can ignite her fighting spirit."

Twilight climbed onto Saki Miyanaga's shoulders through the carved window. As she gazed at the tea leaves floating in her cup, she finally revealed a look of relief.

When her fingertips touched the cold mahjong tiles again, perhaps she would understand that true kindness is never about intentional concession, but about fighting fairly from a position of equality.

Seeing that Saki Miyanaga had finally figured it out, and remembering that he hadn't seen Haramura Nodoka for a few days himself, he said, "I'll go with you."

When Kageyama Sora and Saki Miyanaga arrived at Kiyosumi High School, it was just as the Mahjong Club activities were ending.

Under Kageyama Sora's encouraging gaze, Saki Miyanaga chased after her. "Haramura Nodoka! I, I have something to tell you."

Haramura Nodoka was clearly still angry and kept walking forward, not intending to pay her any mind.

But fortunately, Saki Miyanaga was the type with a resilient personality; once she decided on something, she wouldn't be swayed by a little bit of rejection.

So, while chasing after Haramura Nodoka, she called out, "What I wanted to say is, it's really great to have joined the Mahjong Club, and I'm really happy to play mahjong with you, Haramura Nodoka."

Twilight bathed the campus in a hazy orange-pink glow. Haramura Nodoka walked briskly, stepping on the mottled tree shadows cast by the setting sun, her pink hair tips catching fine glimmers in the evening breeze.

She stopped abruptly, her long pink hair tracing a brilliant arc in the air as she turned, looking like cherry blossoms unfolding in the wind.

"I told you before, if you keep playing the way you are now, I really am not happy," she said, her breathing slightly rapid, her eyes burning with unwillingness and grievance. "Please, let me... be happy too!"

The moment the words left her lips, Haramura Nodoka realized how blunt she had been. A deep crimson flooded her cheeks. Like a young deer caught in a secret, she hurriedly looked away, even the tips of her ears turning an unnatural shade of red.

Inadvertently catching the gaze of Kageyama Sora, who was standing behind Saki Miyanaga, Haramura Nodoka felt even more embarrassed and annoyed.

She lowered her lashes, her fingers unconsciously twisting the strap of her school bag, surprised herself by how she had exposed her deepest, most vulnerable expectations without reservation.

Saki Miyanaga was stunned by this sudden honesty. The evening breeze brushed against the stray hairs by her ears, but it couldn't disperse the growing light of determination in her eyes.

"I already know where the problem lies!" She took a step forward, her voice trembling slightly with excitement. Taking a deep breath, the words she had rehearsed on the way poured out like a tide: "I went to see Kageyama-kun... I told him what happened today. I've reflected on it seriously. I shouldn't have intentionally avoided winning big hands or intentionally dealt into others just to make everyone happy. Although I didn't have any malice at the time, I understand now that in your eyes, my actions were like a lack of respect for mahjong and for Yuki."

Haramura Nodoka opened her eyes wide in surprise, her lashes fluttering, her pink lips pressed into a thin line.

She looked at Saki Miyanaga's flushed cheeks and sincere eyes, and complex emotions welled up in her heart—surprise, relief, and a trace of expectation that was hard to detect.

"I, I will definitely give it my all next time!" Saki Miyanaga clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, though she didn't notice.

She stared straight at Haramura Nodoka, her gaze filled with the resolve of burning her bridges. "I want you to see that I can be like you, giving everything for victory!"

At this point, Kageyama Sora felt the atmosphere between the two was just right, so he walked over and cheerfully pulled them both into a hug. "It really is about giving it your all. If you don't give it your all, you won't be able to make it to the National Tournament."

Haramura Nodoka stiffened at the sudden intimate gesture, and then the blush crawled up her cheeks again, making her speech stutter. "Yes... if we can't enter the National Tournament, I will be very, very sad..."

In that instant, many images flashed through Saki Miyanaga's mind.

They all culminated in a firm resolve: "I, I want to enter the National Tournament, and... be there with Haramura Nodoka and everyone else."

Chapter 26: May I Stay the Night?

As the sun set behind the mountains, at a dessert shop near Kiyosumi High School.

Kageyama Sora ordered some desserts and milk tea, placing them on the table. He sat next to Haramura Nodoka, while Saki Miyanaga sat across from them.

The girl was wearing her Kiyosumi High School uniform skirt, and just sitting there, she exuded a sense of youthful vitality.

As for the two who had been throwing a tantrum... or rather, the two girls who were learning to get along, they seemed to have grown significantly closer after that heart-to-heart.

Acting as a peacemaker, Kageyama Sora appropriately brought up his own questions for Saki Miyanaga: "Miyanaga-san, you must be very good at mahjong. You mentioned before that playing with your family is troublesome whether you win or lose. Personally, I think it's better not to keep things bottled up inside; it's better to communicate in time. Since they are family, they will surely be understanding."

Kageyama Sora's words were perfectly reasonable, and Haramura Nodoka nodded in agreement.

Just like her own family—although her father had to work in Tokyo and had to leave, and she had a disagreement with him because she couldn't bear to part with her friends.

But once she voiced her thoughts, her father didn't force her, choosing instead to let the outcome depend on whether she could enter the National Tournament and win, rather than completely ignoring his daughter's wishes.

However... Saki Miyanaga's family situation was even more complicated than Kageyama Sora and Haramura Nodoka had imagined.

Through Saki Miyanaga's seemingly understated account, they finally learned about her situation.

The setting sun shone through the window onto Haramura Nodoka's beautiful face, adding a touch of bewilderment to her flushed features. "Is that so? Your mother and sister are in Tokyo."

"Yes. Although they aren't divorced yet, they are living apart." Saki Miyanaga stirred the latte art in her coffee cup, her bangs obscuring her eyes, making it impossible to read her emotions. "I once went to see them alone, but I didn't hear a single word from my sister... She must still be angry with me..."

Regarding such family conflicts, neither Kageyama Sora nor Haramura Nodoka could find anything to say.

After all, Haramura Nodoka had a father who respected her.

As for Kageyama Sora, he had always been alone, quietly making money, quietly chasing fame and fortune, and had never felt any longing for such familial ties.

Saki Miyanaga, as if completely opening her heart, suddenly raised her head: "But, if it's because of mahjong, if it's through mahjong, I feel like I can talk to my sister again."

Haramura Nodoka was stunned: "Talk through mahjong? Will your sister also appear at the National Tournament?"

Saki Miyanaga nodded: "Mm... I suppose the reports said so too, she is also a favorite to win."

Kageyama Sora actually knew about this matter.

Ever since he discovered that Saki Miyanaga's mahjong ability was peculiar, he had immediately had his assistant investigate her.

Although he hadn't found any achievements Saki Miyanaga had made in mahjong competitions, she did have an incredible sister in terms of family relations.

And this was something he hadn't had the chance to tell Haramura Nodoka yet.

However, Haramura Nodoka seemed to have realized it too: "Could it be... Miyanaga..."

Saki Miyanaga nodded: "Mm, her name is... Teru."

"I've heard of her, the double champion of last year's cup and the spring tournament... Miyanaga Teru."

It wasn't just a matter of having heard of her; one could say that everyone in their age group had heard of this existence who was like a Demon King.

A girl with short purplish-red hair and red eyes, a third-year student at Shiraitodai High School.

She was also one of the three people evaluated as "children loved by the tiles," having won the championship twice in a row in the high school league and the spring tournament, and could be called the number one high school mahjong player.

In a sense, her fame could be considered even more terrifying than that of Amae Koromo.

With this realization, Haramura Nodoka's feelings immediately... became complicated: "You have quite a history yourself..."