Chapter 24

In the words of Saki Miyanaga: "The tiles I could always see, I can't see them at all now, wuwuwu..."

Then, she dealt into another hand.

Kageyama Sora, who was accompanying Nodoka Haramura as she played, paused upon hearing Saki Miyanaga's words, lost in thought: So, in the world of mahjong players like this, it is possible to use one's own abilities to see the tiles in real-life matches...

Hisa Takei also noticed Kageyama Sora's momentary distraction and smiled: "Is Kageyama-kun very concerned about Miyanaga-san?"

Kageyama Sora had always felt that Hisa Takei seemed to know something.

Every sentence she said seemed to carry a hidden meaning, but he had no choice; since she hadn't laid her cards on the table, he could only endure it.

Thus, Kageyama Sora said with a smile: "Well, of course I'm concerned. Mahjong players of her type are rare, and I won't hide it from you—the reason I'm staying in Nagano Prefecture to follow the National Tournament is that I want to improve the software I've developed, so that mahjong players with abilities like Saki Miyanaga can also develop their talents in online mahjong."

Hearing Kageyama Sora say this, Mako Someya also became interested: "But that would be difficult, wouldn't it? After all, this kind of ability to perceive the outside world requires face-to-face contact to function, and the internet isolates everything; it's almost impossible to achieve."

Chapter 53: Bitten by a Poisonous Mosquito

Twilight quietly crept over the wooden window lattices of the Training Camp, casting a hazy glow over the warm yellow lights inside.

The open math workbooks scattered across the tatami mats formed a stark contrast to the mahjong table in a certain sense.

Saki Miyanaga's chestnut-colored hair swayed with her restless movements, the hem of her light blue yukata inadvertently sliding over her knees.

She stared intently at the laptop screen, her fingertips tapping frantically on the keyboard. The tiles on the virtual mahjong table seemed to transform into clawing monsters, causing her brows to knit together.

Every time she lost a match, she would pout in frustration, looking just like a hamster that had its food snatched away.

Not far away, Yuki Kataoka sat slumped on a cushion, her short brown hair tied into casual twin tails, the two Cherry Hair Accessories in her hair swaying with her movements as if they might fall at any moment.

She bit on her mechanical pencil, her cheeks puffed out, her round eyes fixed stubbornly on the math problems spread across her lap, her cute brows furrowed like two storm clouds about to break. The collar of her yukata, which matched Saki Miyanaga's in color, hung slightly open due to her restless fidgeting.

Nodoka Haramura sat upright at the mahjong table, her long pink hair draped smoothly over her shoulders like cherry blossoms in spring, the ends slightly curled, adding a touch of playfulness.

Her clear, sapphire-like eyes were now clouded with a mist of confusion, her cherry-colored lips pressed into a thin line, and her fair, slender fingers held a tile, trembling slightly.

She would occasionally lose focus, glancing over at Saki Miyanaga, who was struggling with the online mahjong. When she realized she had played the wrong tile and allowed Hisa Takei to win, her pink earlobes instantly flushed a deep crimson, like two ripe cherries.

Hisa Takei elegantly gathered her long wine-red hair, the strands shimmering with a silk-like luster under the warm yellow light.

Her eyes curved into crescents, and a cunning smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She toyed with the winning tile in her hand, her voice carrying a hint of teasing: "Could it be that you've been influenced by real-world information again!"

Nodoka Haramura hurriedly looked away, her pale cheeks instantly turning bright red, and she stammered in rebuttal: "I-it's not like that..."

Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's, yet it betrayed the panic in her heart.

Kageyama Sora smiled: "It's truly enviable. Even though Nodoka is my girlfriend, she's so focused on someone else."

The good-natured teasing made Nodoka Haramura's face turn even redder.

I don't know how much time passed before Yuki Kataoka suddenly let out a weary sigh, falling backward onto the tatami, her arm draped casually over her forehead. The collar of her yukata was completely open, exposing a large expanse of snow-white skin, and the red marks on her neck became increasingly clear.

Saki Miyanaga, having just lost another round, turned her head in frustration and happened to catch a glimpse of the red marks on Yuki Kataoka's neck.

Her eyes widened, her voice full of surprise: "Eh, was Yuki bitten by a mosquito!?"

Yuki Kataoka sat up abruptly, scrambling to pull her collar shut, her cheeks turning so red they looked like they might bleed, and even her earlobes burned crimson: "N-no, it's nothing!"

Hisa Takei covered her mouth and chuckled, her wine-red hair swaying with her movements, a mischievous glint flickering in her eyes: "Perhaps. It might have been a very large, poisonous mosquito."

She glanced at Kageyama Sora intentionally or otherwise, the smile at the corners of her mouth becoming more pronounced.

"..." This was Yuki Kataoka, who had been bitten by the poisonous mosquito.

"..." This was the poisonous mosquito himself, Kageyama Sora.

After enjoying the expressions of Kageyama Sora and the shy Yuki Kataoka with apparent pleasure, Hisa Takei looked smilingly at the completely oblivious Nodoka Haramura: "However, next, let's have Nodoka Haramura play with her Penguin Plushie."

"Eh!?" Nodoka Haramura looked up abruptly, her sapphire eyes wide, her pink hair swaying gently with the motion.

Just imagining the scene made her fair cheeks flush with layers of red, like the brilliant sunset on the horizon.

Hisa Takei brushed a stray lock of hair from her ear and analyzed with a serious expression: "You are very good at online mahjong when you're at home. If you hold the Penguin Plushie, it might feel like you're sleeping at home. So, if you hold the penguin while playing mahjong, perhaps you can play just as you would at home..."

Hisa Takei made this analysis because Nodoka Haramura had specifically brought her Penguin Plushie to this training camp, stating that as long as she had this plushie, she felt as comfortable as if she were at home, no matter where she slept.

Nodoka Haramura hugged the Penguin Plushie tightly to her chest, the soft fur brushing against her cheek, making her even more bashful: "How could that be!?"

Her voice was full of resistance, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her inner turmoil.

"Anyway, let's give it a try." Hisa Takei began to adjust the game without further ado; Saki Miyanaga replaced Kageyama Sora, and Yuki Kataoka replaced Mako Someya.

Nodoka Haramura sat back down, clutching the penguin, her pink hair falling onto the penguin's snow-white fur, creating a striking color contrast.

Because of her figure, her chest pressed right against the Penguin Plushie, and the collar of her yukata hung slightly open, revealing her delicate collarbones.

Her fair cheeks flushed a intoxicating crimson, and she gently rubbed the surface of the tiles with her fingertips, her voice soft and sweet: "It's too embarrassing; I can't calm my mind at all."

Hisa Takei wore a cunning smile: "Anyway, you have to get used to it before the preliminaries."

Nodoka Haramura looked up sharply, her sapphire eyes filled with shock: "Are you saying I have to take this to the tournament!?"

Kageyama Sora put down the workbook in his hand, walked over to Nodoka Haramura, and gently patted her head: "Actually, I think it's great. Nodoka is so beautiful and so good at mahjong; having a unique persona makes it feel even more like you have a protagonist's halo."

Nodoka Haramura kept her head down, her pink hair covering most of her flushed face, the Penguin Plushie in her arms seemingly becoming her only support.

Meanwhile, the game continued, and Kageyama Sora was still helping Yuki Kataoka with her math problems.

I have to say, they were... really bad.

Kageyama Sora himself worked in software and was particularly sensitive to numbers, so he couldn't understand how Yuki Kataoka could get these high school problems wrong.

Kageyama Sora thought for a moment, then wrote down a simpler, easier-to-understand way to solve the problems next to the incorrect ones, just in case Yuki Kataoka needed to review and organize her mistakes.

At this moment, the mahjong game over there was also drawing to a close.

Without any room for doubt, it was once again Nodoka Haramura and Saki Miyanaga taking first and second place, with their scores being very close.

Yuki Kataoka collapsed onto the floor once more: "Wuwuwu, playing mahjong with you two, even in my best East Long, I can't win at all! Saki-chan keeps hitting Flower on the Tile, and Nodoka cheats with her chest! Maybe I'm just not cut out for mahjong!"

Regarding Yuki Kataoka's accusation, Nodoka Haramura retorted with a blushing face: "I did no such thing..."

Chapter 54: The So-Called Celebration Banquet

Warm yellow light cast soft halos onto the tatami mats, the crisp clacking of mahjong tiles intertwined with occasional bursts of laughter; the training camp room, which had been lively due to Yuki Kataoka's joke about Nodoka Haramura "cheating with her chest," was now filled with an incredibly relaxed atmosphere.

Nodoka Haramura's blushing cheeks, Saki Miyanaga's attempt to stifle a laugh, and Kageyama Sora's helpless yet doting shake of the head all added vivid footnotes to this joy.

However, Yuki Kataoka suddenly lowered her head, her short brown hair obscuring her expression, her tone filled with dejection: "Am I really not cut out for mahjong..."

This sentence was like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing the liveliness in the room; the air seemed to solidify, leaving only an awkward silence spreading.

Kageyama Sora opened his mouth, just about to offer comfort, but before he could speak, Hisa Takei had already stood up gracefully.

Her wine-red long hair swayed gently with her movements, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, saying in a tone that was nearly calm yet carried weight: "Perhaps you really aren't cut out for it. If you say things like that and then stagnate because of it, maybe you really aren't."

"Eh!" Yuki Kataoka jerked her head up, her round eyes wide, as if she couldn't believe her ears.

She quickly sat up, her Cherry Hair Accessory swaying gently with the movement, her cute face full of shock.

In her impression, the club president Hisa Takei had always been gentle and reliable, yet at this moment, the other party was actually agreeing with her dejected remark.

Hisa Takei's gaze became distant, as if traversing time and falling into memories: "That was two years ago, when I had just joined Kiyosumi High School, and the school was facing the dissolution of the club. When I joined, the Mahjong Club only had a few ghost members, and no matter how we advertised or recruited, everyone eventually gave up. Although I could have just gone to Kazekoshi, my family didn't have the money for a private high school back then... But now, with you all in the Mahjong Club, we might even be able to go to the National Tournament."

Her voice was soft, yet contained firm strength; her gaze passed over the others and met Kageyama Sora's in the distance, conveying something only the two of them understood.

Afterward, Hisa Takei withdrew her gaze and slowly scanned everyone in front of her, her eyes full of expectation: "Second-year Mako... all of you now, if I had resigned myself to fate two years ago, there wouldn't be today... Although one might occasionally feel discouraged or feel that the environment and conditions are poor, as long as you don't stop and keep moving forward step by step, you will definitely see a different scenery."

The warm yellow light spilled onto her, gilding her with a soft halo; at this moment, she seemed to radiate a dazzling light, the confidence and composure settled after weathering the storms.

Saki Miyanaga held Yuki Kataoka's hand without hesitation, her chestnut hair swaying gently with the movement, her eyes full of encouragement: "Do your best, Yuki."

Her palms were soft yet warm and firm, conveying silent support.

Nodoka Haramura also gently placed her hand on top, her long pink hair falling over their interlaced hands, her sapphire-like eyes flashing with determination: "Come on, let's continue."

Kageyama Sora put down the workbook he had finished grading and annotating, a gratified smile tugging at the corners of his mouth: "The accuracy rate is much higher than yesterday's book. And if you follow my logic for tutoring, you'll succeed sooner or later!"

Hisa Takei walked to the group, reached out, and gently placed a hand on Yuki Kataoka's shoulder, her tone firm yet gentle: "Besides, you aren't alone, you know."

This sentence was like the warm sun of spring, dispelling the gloom in Yuki Kataoka's heart.

Fighting spirit reignited in Yuki Kataoka's eyes; she clenched her fists, her cute face beneath the brown hair full of determination: "Yeah, I'll do my best!"

The training camp room was once again filled with vitality and hope; the girls' determination to strive for their dreams was like brilliant starlight, illuminating this cozy night.

However, everyone's mental state was still limited.

After the nearly fanatical and passionate training camp, everyone collapsed on the spot, exhausted.

The girls in their yukatas were lying everywhere—what a sight of beautiful bodies strewn about...?

Just then, Mako Someya stood up, her glasses reflecting the light: "It's not time to rest yet; next up is... the celebration banquet!"

"Itadakimasu!!!!!!!!" Yuki Kataoka's energetic shout exploded in the Japanese-style room, and everyone pounced on the low table filled with delicacies like awakened little beasts.

Tempura shimmered with golden oil on porcelain plates, the steam from the eel rice carried a sweet fragrance, and the sashimi revealed an alluring luster amidst the ice mist, contrasting beautifully with the cherry blossom and firefly patterns on the girls' yukatas.

Kageyama Sora nimbly moved a scalding teacup away for Nodoka Haramura, his fingertips inadvertently brushing her slightly cool wrist.

Nodoka Haramura's long pink hair fell over her shoulders, ripples appearing in her sapphire eyes, and the tips of her ears were even more crimson than the plum wine in the bowl.

The way she lowered her head to poke at her rice ball made Kageyama Sora chuckle, and he casually placed the plumpest crab leg into her bowl.

This scene was caught by Yuki Kataoka, and her action of biting into a skewer suddenly became forceful; her cheeks puffed up like an angry pufferfish, and her brown hair trembled slightly with her vigorous chewing.

Saki Miyanaga's fingers tightened around her teacup, her gaze shifting between Kageyama Sora and Nodoka Haramura, before finally looking at Nodoka Haramura with a smile full of blessings and gentleness.

Hisa Takei leaned against the door frame, her wine-red hair scattered casually, a playful arc at the corners of her lips as she took in the subtle emotions of everyone.

She swirled the plum wine in her hand, the amber liquid leaving winding trails on the glass: "This is youth..."

Kageyama Sora knew she was taking a jab at him and couldn't help but retort: "You're only a year older than me, yet you act like some old scholar."

"Look! The fireworks are starting!" Mako Someya suddenly pointed out the window and exclaimed.

Everyone stood up and flocked to the veranda; the first firework exploded in the night sky, silver-purple light raining down like falling stars, illuminating Nodoka Haramura's upturned profile.

Kageyama Sora reached out on impulse to brush a petal from her eyelashes; the moment his fingertips lingered, their gazes met, and the surrounding clamor turned into silence.

Yuki Kataoka bit her lower lip and quietly moved closer to Saki Miyanaga.

"Saki-chan, do you think tonight's fireworks..."

Her voice came to an abrupt halt—Kageyama Sora had somehow taken off his jacket and draped it over Nodoka Haramura's shoulders, her pink hair and the black fabric intertwined like an ambiguous painting.

Saki Miyanaga managed a forced smile, but her cold palms quietly covered Yuki Kataoka's clenched fist; the two girls' figures appeared somewhat lonely amidst the flickering of the fireworks.

Hisa Takei leaned against the pillar, watching this youthful palpitation surge under the fireworks. She took a small sip of plum wine and whispered: "It's nice to be young..."

The fireworks in the distance grew brighter, stretching and shrinking the silhouettes of the girls; the unspoken thoughts in their hearts all transformed into light that was fleeting yet magnificent in the night sky.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the swirling steam seemed to rise from the girls' laughter and cheers.

Yuki Kataoka shook the brown bangs hanging over her forehead and suddenly clapped her hands, her cherry hair accessory dancing merrily with the movement: "Let's go to the hot springs next! We aren't bringing Kageyama Sora this time; hot springs are for being completely open with each other!"

She blinked her round eyes, her cheeks flushed with the effects of the alcohol, looking just like a ripe apple.

Upon hearing this, Kageyama Sora merely offered a faint smile, his fingertips rubbing the edge of his phone: "I happen to have some data to process, so you all have fun."

And just like that, the Kiyosumi High School girls' Mahjong Club went off to the hot springs.

The steam from the hot spring pool blurred the glass windows. The moment Nodoka Haramura rose from the water, her long pink hair hung down like seaweed, and water droplets meandered down her fair back, refracting tiny glimmers of light in the warm glow.

Saki Miyanaga gazed at that slender and well-proportioned figure, her short chestnut hair swaying gently.

Saki Miyanaga couldn't help but stare in a daze; Nodoka Haramura was truly well-endowed, and so beautiful...

She gripped the wooden railing by the pool tightly, a sour feeling welling up in her heart: With a girlfriend like Nodoka Haramura, how could Kageyama Sora possibly like her?

"I'm getting out too!" Yuki Kataoka broke through the water with a splash, the droplets falling from her hair tips creating ripples on the surface of the pool.

As she hurriedly wrapped herself in a bath towel, the red mark on her neck was exposed right before Saki Miyanaga's eyes.

"Yuki really got bitten by mosquitoes so many times..." Saki Miyanaga muttered to herself, her fingertips unconsciously brushing over her own empty wrist.

At the same time, Kageyama Sora, who was focused on typing on his keyboard, suddenly felt his shoulders tremble and sneezed, his fingertips hovering in mid-air.

The blue light of the computer screen reflected in his puzzled eyes, unaware that at this very moment by the hot spring pool, a burning gaze was following the trajectory of a shooting star.

"Look! A shooting star!" Saki Miyanaga stumbled as she rushed out of the changing room, the sash of her yukata hanging loosely at her waist.

She waved her arms, pointing at the night sky, water droplets still clinging to the tips of her hair: "Such a big one, dragging a long tail behind it!"

The moonlight gilded the excitement in her eyes with a silver edge, causing her to completely forget the sorrow and melancholy she had felt just moments before.

Nodoka Haramura and Yuki Kataoka exchanged a glance; the former's earlobes quickly flushed crimson, while the latter had already impatiently pulled off her bath towel: "Quick! Let's go make a wish!"