Bitten by a Venomous Mosquito / The So-Called Victory Banquet ...

In Saki Miyanaga's words, "I used to be able to see the tiles, but now I can't see them at all. Sob..."

Then she dealt in again.

Kageyama Sora was playing mahjong with Haramura Nodoka when he heard Saki's words. He froze for a moment, then pondered, So in the world of mahjong players like her, people can use their abilities to see the tiles when they play in person...

Hisa Takei had also noticed Kageyama Sora's brief distraction. With a smile, she asked, "Kageyama, are you keeping a close eye on Miyanaga?"

Kageyama Sora had always felt that Hisa Takei knew something.

Everything she said seemed to carry a hint, but there wasn't much he could do. Since she hadn't laid her cards on the table, he could only put up with it.

So Kageyama Sora smiled and said, "Yes, of course I'm keeping a close eye on her. It's rare to find a mahjong player like her. And I won't hide it from you: the reason I've stayed in Nagano Prefecture and plan to follow the team through the National Tournament is that I want to improve the software I'm developing. I want mahjong players with abilities like Saki Miyanaga's to be able to develop their talents in online mahjong, too."

Hearing this, Mako Someya became interested as well. "But that'll be difficult, won't it? An ability to sense the outside world like that only works when you're face-to-face. The internet cuts you off from everything, so it'd be almost impossible, right?"

Chapter 53: Bitten by a Venomous Mosquito

Dusk quietly crept past the wooden window frames of the Training Camp, casting a hazy glow over the room's warm yellow lights.

Open math workbooks were scattered across the tatami, forming a striking contrast with the mahjong table.

Saki Miyanaga's chestnut hair swayed with her restless movements. The hem of her pale blue yukata brushed against her knees.

She stared at the laptop screen in front of her, her fingers tapping frantically at the keyboard. The tiles on the virtual mahjong table seemed to have transformed into snarling monsters, making her knit her brows.

Every time she lost a game, she puffed out her cheeks in frustration, like a hamster whose food had been stolen.

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

She chewed on a mechanical pencil, her cheeks puffed out as her round eyes fixed on the math problem spread across her knees. Her cute brows were tightly furrowed like two storm clouds about to burst. The collar of her yukata, in the same color scheme as Saki Miyanaga's, had loosened slightly as she fidgeted.

Haramura Nodoka sat upright at the mahjong table. Her pink hair fell smoothly over her shoulders like cherry blossoms in spring, with the ends curling slightly to add a playful touch.

Her sapphire-blue eyes, usually so clear, now seemed veiled in confusion. Her cherry-colored lips pressed into a thin line as her slender, fair fingers held a tile, trembling slightly.

Every so often, she glanced toward Saki Miyanaga, who was battling the online mahjong game, and lost focus. When she realized she had played the wrong tile and let Hisa Takei win, her pale pink earlobes instantly turned crimson, like a pair of ripe cherries.

Hisa Takei elegantly swept back her wine-red hair, which shimmered like silk in the warm yellow light.

Her eyes curved and a sly smile tugged at her lips as she toyed with the tiles she had just won with. Her voice carried a teasing lilt. "Could it be that you're distracted by what's happening in real life again?"

Haramura Nodoka hurriedly looked away. Her pale cheeks flushed bright red as she stammered, "N-no, I'm not..."

Her voice was softer than a mosquito's buzz, but it gave away her flustered state.

Kageyama Sora chuckled. "I'm jealous. Nodoka's my girlfriend, yet she's paying so much attention to someone else."

His good-natured teasing made Haramura Nodoka blush even harder.

After a while, Yuki Kataoka suddenly let out a tired sigh and fell backward onto the tatami, one arm resting carelessly across her forehead. Her yukata collar gaped open completely, exposing a large expanse of pale skin and making the red marks on her neck even more noticeable.

Saki Miyanaga had just lost another round. Annoyed, she turned around and happened to spot the red marks on Yuki Kataoka's neck.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! Did a mosquito bite you, Yuki?"

Yuki Kataoka sprang upright and hurriedly pulled her collar closed. Her cheeks turned so red they looked ready to drip blood, and even her earlobes burned. "N-no, nothing like that!"

Hisa Takei hid her smile behind her hand. Her wine-red hair swayed gently as she moved, and her eyes glittered mischievously. "Maybe. It could've been a really big, venomous mosquito."

She cast a pointed glance at Kageyama Sora, the smile on her lips growing more pronounced.

"..." This was Yuki Kataoka, who had been bitten by a venomous mosquito.

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

After seemingly enjoying Kageyama Sora's expression and Yuki Kataoka's embarrassment, Hisa Takei smiled and turned to Haramura Nodoka, who was completely out of the loop. "Anyway, next, Haramura can play while hugging her penguin."

"Huh!?" Haramura Nodoka jerked her head up, her sapphire-blue eyes wide as saucers. Her pink hair swayed gently with the movement.

Just imagining it made her fair cheeks flush in waves, like the brilliant sunset on the horizon.

Hisa Takei tucked a stray lock behind her ear and explained seriously, "You're good at online mahjong when you're at home. If you hug your Penguin Plushie, it'll feel like you're at home, getting ready to sleep. So if you play mahjong while hugging it, maybe it'll feel like you're playing at home..."

Hisa Takei had come to this conclusion because Haramura Nodoka had brought her Penguin Plushie to the Training Camp and said that, as long as she had it with her, sleeping anywhere felt as peaceful as sleeping at home.

Haramura Nodoka hugged the Penguin Plushie to her chest. Its soft fur brushed against her cheek, making her even more embarrassed. "How could that work!?"

Her voice was full of protest, but her flushed cheeks gave away how flustered she was.

"Anyway, give it a try." Hisa Takei began rearranging the table without giving her a choice. Saki Miyanaga took Kageyama Sora's seat, and Yuki Kataoka took Mako Someya's.

Haramura Nodoka sat down again, hugging the penguin. Her pink hair draped over its snowy-white fur, creating a vivid contrast.

Because of her figure, her chest rested right against the Penguin Plushie. The collar of her yukata had come slightly loose, revealing her delicate collarbones.

Her fair cheeks were tinged with a captivating blush. She gently ran her fingertips over the tiles and said in a soft voice, "I'm so embarrassed I can't focus."

Hisa Takei smiled slyly. "Anyway, you need to get used to it before the preliminaries."

Haramura Nodoka jerked her head up, shock filling her sapphire-blue eyes. "You mean I have to take this to the tournament!?"

Kageyama Sora put down the workbook in his hands and walked over to Haramura Nodoka. He gently patted the top of her head. "Honestly, I think it's great. You're so pretty, Nodoka, and so good at mahjong. Having a distinctive image like this makes you seem even more like the protagonist."

Haramura Nodoka lowered her head, her pink hair hiding most of her flushed face. The Penguin Plushie in her arms seemed like her only source of comfort.

The game continued over there, while Kageyama Sora was still helping Yuki Kataoka with her math problems.

There was no doubt about it. She was really... bad.

Kageyama Sora worked in software and had a particular sensitivity to numbers, so he couldn't understand how Yuki Kataoka could get these high school problems wrong.

After thinking it over, Kageyama Sora wrote a simpler, easier-to-understand solution beside each incorrect answer, so Yuki Kataoka could review and correct her mistakes later.

By then, the mahjong game had reached its end.

There was no doubt about it: Haramura Nodoka and Saki Miyanaga had taken first and second place again, with scores that were extremely close.

Yuki Kataoka flopped onto the floor again. "Sob! Even playing with you two at my best, East Long, I can't win at all! Saki keeps getting Flower on the Tile, and Nodoka keeps cheating with her chest! Maybe I'm just not cut out for mahjong!"

Haramura Nodoka blushed and protested Yuki Kataoka's accusation. "I'm not..."

Chapter 54: The So-Called Victory Banquet

Warm yellow light cast a gentle glow across the tatami. The crisp clacking of mahjong tiles mingled with occasional laughter. The atmosphere in the Training Camp room had been lively, thanks to Yuki Kataoka's joke about Haramura Nodoka "cheating with her chest," and everyone was at ease.

Haramura Nodoka's flushed cheeks, Saki Miyanaga's struggle to hold back her laughter, and Kageyama Sora's helpless, affectionate shake of the head all added color to the joyful scene.

But then Yuki Kataoka suddenly lowered her head, her short brown hair hiding her expression. Her voice was full of dejection. "Am I really not cut out for mahjong...?"

Her words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the room's lively mood. The air seemed to freeze, and an awkward silence spread through the room.

Kageyama Sora opened his mouth, about to comfort her, but before she could get a word out, Hisa Takei had already risen gracefully to her feet.

Her wine-red hair swayed gently as she moved. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she spoke in an almost calm voice, yet one that carried strength. "Maybe you really aren't suited for it. If you say something like that and then let yourself stagnate, maybe you really aren't suited for it."

"Huh!" Yuki Kataoka jerked her head up, her round eyes wide with disbelief.

She quickly sat up, her Cherry Hair Accessories swaying gently with the movement. Shock filled her cute face.

In her mind, Club President Hisa Takei had always been gentle and dependable. Yet now, she was agreeing with Yuki Kataoka's dejected words.

Hisa Takei's gaze grew distant, as if she had traveled back in time and was lost in her memories. "That was two years ago, when I first joined Kiyosumi High School. The school was on the verge of disbanding its Mahjong Club. When I joined, the club had only a few members who never showed up. No matter how much we advertised and recruited, everyone eventually gave up. I could've gone to Kazekoshi, but my family couldn't afford the tuition for a private high school back then... But now, with all of you in the Mahjong Club, maybe we can make it to the National Tournament."

Her voice was gentle, yet filled with quiet strength. Her gaze passed over the others and met Kageyama Sora's from across the room, conveying something only the two of them understood.

Then Hisa Takei looked away and slowly turned her gaze to each person in front of her, her eyes filled with hope. "Mako was a second-year student... If I'd given up two years ago, none of this would have happened. Sure, sometimes I get discouraged. Sometimes I feel like we don't have the right environment or resources. But as long as we don't stop and keep moving forward, step by step, we'll see a different view."

The warm yellow light fell over her, giving her a soft halo. At that moment, she seemed to shine, radiating the confidence and composure that came from weathering the storm.

Saki Miyanaga reached out without hesitation and took Yuki Kataoka's hand. Her chestnut hair swayed gently as she moved, her eyes full of encouragement. "Keep going, Yuki."

Her palm was soft but warm and strong, offering wordless support.

Haramura Nodoka gently placed her hand on top of theirs. Her pink hair fell over their joined hands, and determination shone in her sapphire-blue eyes. "Come on, let's keep going."

Kageyama Sora set down the workbook he had finished correcting and annotating. A relieved smile rose to her lips. "You got a lot more right than in yesterday's workbook. And if you keep studying according to my logic, you'll succeed sooner or later!"

Hisa Takei walked over to them and gently placed a hand on Yuki Kataoka's shoulder. Her voice was firm and kind. "Besides, you're not alone."

Her words were like the spring sun, driving away the gloom in Yuki Kataoka's heart.

The fighting spirit in Yuki Kataoka's eyes rekindled. She clenched her fist, determination filling her cute face beneath her brown hair. "Yeah! Let's do this!"

The Training Camp room was once again filled with energy and hope. The girls' determination to pursue their dreams shone like brilliant stars, lighting up the warm night.

But everyone's stamina had its limits.

After the almost feverishly enthusiastic training camp, everyone collapsed where they stood, completely worn out.

The girls in their yukata sprawled all over the place, their bodies strewn about in quite the sight...

Just then, Mako Someya stood up. Light flashed on her glasses. "It's not time to rest yet! Next up... the victory banquet!"

"Let's eat!" Yuki Kataoka's energetic shout burst through the Japanese-style room, and everyone rushed toward the low table piled high with food like animals roused from sleep.

Tempura glistened golden on its porcelain plate. Steam rose from the eel rice, carrying a sweet aroma. Sashimi shimmered temptingly in its bed of ice. The dishes made a lovely match with the cherry blossom and firefly patterns on the girls' yukata.

Kageyama Sora neatly moved a scalding teacup out of Haramura Nodoka's way, her fingertips brushing against her cool wrist.

Haramura Nodoka's pink hair fell over her shoulder. Her sapphire-blue eyes rippled, and her ears turned even redder than the plum wine in the cup.

The way she lowered her head to poke at her rice ball made Kageyama Sora chuckle. Without thinking, she placed the crab leg with the fullest portion of meat into Haramura Nodoka's bowl.

Yuki Kataoka happened to notice. Her bite into her grilled skewer suddenly grew more forceful, and her cheeks puffed up like an indignant pufferfish. Her brown hair trembled as she chewed.

Saki Miyanaga's fingers tightened around her teacup. Her eyes wandered between Kageyama Sora and Haramura Nodoka, but in the end, she looked at Haramura Nodoka with a gentle, supportive smile.

Hisa Takei leaned against the doorframe, her wine-red hair falling loosely around her. A playful curve tugged at her lips as she took in everyone's subtle emotions.

She swirled the plum wine in her hand, the amber liquid tracing a winding line along the glass. "That's youth for you..."

Kageyama Sora knew she was making a dig at her and couldn't help retorting, "You're only a year older than me, yet you're acting like some old scholar."

"Look! The fireworks are starting!" Mako Someya suddenly cried, pointing out the window.

Everyone got up and crowded under the eaves. The first firework exploded in the night sky, silver-violet light raining down like falling stars and illuminating Haramura Nodoka's upturned profile.

As if in a trance, Kageyama Sora reached out and brushed a petal from Haramura Nodoka's eyelashes. Their eyes met as her fingertips lingered, and all the noise around them seemed to fade into silence.

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

"Saki, what do you think of tonight's fireworks..."

Her voice trailed off. At some point, Kageyama Sora had taken off her jacket and draped it over Haramura Nodoka's shoulders. The pink strands of her hair tangled with the black fabric, like an intimate painting.

Saki Miyanaga managed a strained smile, but her palm was cold as she quietly laid it over Yuki Kataoka's clenched fist. The two girls' silhouettes looked a little lonely as the fireworks flickered overhead.

Hisa Takei leaned against a pillar on the veranda, watching youthful emotions surge beneath the fireworks. She took a small sip of plum wine and murmured, "It's nice to be young..."

The fireworks in the distance grew brighter, stretching and shrinking the girls' silhouettes. The thoughts they had left unspoken became dazzling lights in the night sky, gone in the blink of an eye.

Chapter 55: Confessions Beneath the Shooting Stars

After the meal, a hazy warmth seemed to rise from the girls' laughter and chatter.

Yuki Kataoka flicked her brown bangs and suddenly clapped her hands. Her Cherry Hair Accessory bounced with the movement. "Let's go to the hot springs next! Kageyama Sora isn't coming this time. Going to the hot springs means being completely honest with each other!"

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

Kageyama Sora simply smiled faintly at that, her fingers rubbing the edge of her phone. "I happen to have some data to process. You girls have fun."

And so, the girls of Kiyosumi High School's Mahjong Club went to the hot springs.

Steam from the hot spring blurred the glass windows. As Haramura Nodoka rose from the water, her pink hair fell like seaweed. Droplets trickled down her fair back, refracting tiny glimmers in the warm light.

Saki Miyanaga gazed at her graceful figure, her short chestnut hair swaying gently.

Saki Miyanaga couldn't help staring. Haramura Nodoka really was so voluptuous and beautiful...

She gripped the wooden railing around the pool, a sour feeling rising in her heart. How could Kageyama Sora like me when she has a girlfriend like Haramura Nodoka?

"I'm getting out, too!" Yuki Kataoka burst from the water with a splash, droplets falling from her hair and making ripples on the surface.

As she hurriedly wrapped herself in a towel, the red mark on her neck happened to come into view for Saki Miyanaga.

"Yuki really did get bitten by a lot of mosquitoes..." Saki Miyanaga murmured, her fingers unconsciously tracing her empty wrist.

At the same time, Kageyama Sora was focused on typing when her shoulders suddenly trembled. Her fingers froze in midair as she sneezed.

Blue light from the computer screen reflected in her puzzled eyes, but she had no idea that a burning gaze was following the shooting star's path from beside the hot spring.

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

She waved an arm toward the night sky, the tips of her hair still wet with droplets. "That one's so big, and it has a long tail!"

Moonlight edged the excitement in her eyes with silver. She had completely forgotten her earlier sadness.

Haramura Nodoka and Yuki Kataoka exchanged a glance. Haramura Nodoka's earlobes quickly turned red, while Yuki Kataoka had already started pulling off her towel. "Quick! Let's go make another wish!"