"Let's go!" Amae Koromo's voice brimmed with irrepressible excitement. The wind lifted her golden hair, sending it streaming through the air.
Kageyama Sora's hand paused on the throttle. Amid the engine's roar, he could clearly feel the warmth behind him and the slight tremble of Amae Koromo's fingertips—not from fear, but from barely contained excitement.
I really overthought it when I worried that picking Amae Koromo up on a motorcycle would be inconvenient because she was wearing a skirt, Kageyama Sora thought.
The motorcycle shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, its tires screeching against the pavement.
Rather than being frightened, Amae Koromo threw her head back and laughed. The wind tore her laughter to shreds and scattered it across the rushing scenery.
She let go with one hand and reached recklessly toward the sky, as if she meant to grab the passing clouds. "This is amazing! Go faster, Sora!"
The ridiculous line inexplicably reminded Kageyama Sora of that night, when Amae Koromo had been on the verge of giving out but had still urged him to go faster. Faster.
Kageyama Sora watched Amae Koromo's lively expression in the rearview mirror and found the corners of his mouth lifting.
He twisted the throttle harder. The motorcycle leaned at a dangerous angle through the bend, but Amae Koromo only hugged him tighter, her scorching breath burning through his clothes against his skin.
The girl's excited screams mingled with the roar of the engine, echoing along the empty road and startling several birds from the trees by the roadside.
"See that red sports car up ahead?" Amae Koromo suddenly whispered against his ear. Her warm breath made Kageyama Sora's neck burn. "Pass it!"
Before he could answer, Amae Koromo patted his side, as if throwing down a challenge.
Kageyama Sora's gaze sharpened. The motorcycle surged forward, streaking past the sports car like a black bolt of lightning. All that remained was Amae Koromo's bell-like laughter and the surprised blare of the driver's horn.
By the time Kageyama Sora and Amae Koromo reached the venue, his speeding had gotten them there with time to spare. Ryumonbuchi High School wouldn't be forced to forfeit for failing to field a full team.
The circular LED screen beneath the gymnasium dome suddenly blazed with dazzling white light, casting a sacred glow over Amae Koromo's golden hair.
Ryumonbuchi Tohka stood at the edge of the venue with her arms folded. Her ahoge swayed as she stamped her foot. "Koromo! You nearly got us disqualified!"
"Tohka is still so unkind," Amae Koromo said, blinking her wide, dewy eyes as she approached. A few tiny flower petals clung to the hem of her pink skirt. "But thanks to Sora bringing me, I didn't miss it after all."
She deliberately drew out the last words as she affectionately took Kageyama Sora's arm, leaning against him like a lazy cat.
Amae Koromo knew what had happened between Ryumonbuchi Tohka and Kageyama Sora later on, which was why she was deliberately trying to rile her up.
Inoue Jun pressed a hand to her forehead. Her metal tie clip reflected the lights with a cold gleam. "Five alarm clocks couldn't wake you. Next time, we should get Kageyama to use his motorcycle engine as your alarm."
Before she had finished speaking, Kunihiro Hajime had already sidled up to Kageyama Sora. "Having a cousin really does come in handy at a critical moment."
The star stickers on her face trembled slightly with her smile, and her eyes were full of teasing.
The tips of Kageyama Sora's ears reddened. He was just about to explain when Amae Koromo suddenly rose onto her toes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Sora's the best!"
The gesture instantly stirred up a commotion at the venue. One professional player who knew Amae Koromo in particular stared wide-eyed, seeing her act so sweet and bashful.
Seeing Amae Koromo like this, Ryumonbuchi Tohka knew she shouldn't be angry and had no reason to be, yet her ahoge still quivered with irritation. There was nothing she could do about Amae Koromo, though. "The match is about to start. No lovey-dovey stuff!"
She sounded fierce, but her eyes kept drifting toward Kageyama Sora—the person who could get Amae Koromo to listen.
She and Amae Koromo had once been close, too, but for reasons of Amae Koromo's own, there had always been a barrier between them. With Kageyama Sora, though, that barrier simply didn't exist.
With things at Ryumonbuchi High School temporarily settled, Kageyama Sora planned to go check on Haramura Nodoka and the others from Kiyosumi High School.
To his surprise, however, Haramura Nodoka's aura felt strange... It wasn't fear or anything like that. It carried a dangerous edge.
Kageyama Sora couldn't help worrying. It was good that Haramura Nodoka was fired up, but there was still something about her that made him uneasy.
"Was something wrong, Nodoka?" Under Kageyama Sora's worried gaze, Haramura Nodoka hadn't had a chance to say anything before the others from Kiyosumi High School began chattering over one another to tell him what had just happened.
Apparently, their opponents in the first round had learned they would be facing Kiyosumi High School and had mocked them behind their backs.
They'd said Kiyosumi High School wasn't any good. They'd called Haramura Nodoka's desire to win the national championship, expressed in an interview, the arrogance of a reckless novice. They'd also sneered that she had no redeeming qualities besides her large breasts, and that was the only reason the reporters paid attention to her. In short, they hadn't taken Kiyosumi High School seriously and hadn't had a single good thing to say about them.
Proud and serious about mahjong, Haramura Nodoka couldn't accept that.
After Kageyama Sora heard the whole story, Saki Miyanaga walked over to Haramura Nodoka with a worried look. "Haramura-san... It's okay. In the match, we'll—"
Before Saki Miyanaga could finish, Haramura Nodoka cut her off decisively. "Good luck in the first round."
As she spoke, the first match was about to begin.
The first player up was the lead-off hitter, Yuki Kataoka.
Yuki Kataoka, who had just been sticking up for Haramura Nodoka, instantly perked up and gave herself a thumbs-up. "It's time for the star to make her entrance!"
Seeing how energetic Yuki Kataoka was, everyone from Kiyosumi High School began cheering her on. "Good luck, Yuki!"
"Leave it to me!" Yuki Kataoka said, then suddenly looked at Kageyama Sora. "If I win, will I get a reward, Kageyama?"
Before Kageyama Sora could answer, Mako Someya was already teasing her. "Winning is only natural. Why should you get a reward?"
Yuki Kataoka instantly crumbled, as if her little scheme had been exposed. "Don't stop me from scoring myself a perk!"
Kageyama Sora smiled. "I'll grant you one wish. Good luck, Yuki."
"Let's go!"
With that, Yuki Kataoka bounced off energetically while the others headed toward the lounge.
As it happened, the person who had mocked Haramura Nodoka was one of Yuki's opponents this round.
The Prefectural Preliminaries Officially Begin
"The Prefectural Preliminaries, team competition, first round—begin."
The fluorescent lights beneath the gymnasium dome suddenly blazed to life before the match, illuminating the massive electronic scoreboard suspended in midair.
The instant the announcer's mechanical voice fell silent, the clattering of mahjong tiles surged over the stands like a wave, mixed with overlapping cheers.
"The battle has finally begun!" The male commentator gripped his microphone so tightly his knuckles turned white. The veins in his neck throbbed with the roar of the crowd. "The first dealer is Kiyosumi High School's first-year player—Yuki Kataoka!"
At the dark green mahjong table, Yuki Kataoka stuffed the last bite of her Mexican wrap into her mouth, her bulging cheeks making her look like a squirrel sneaking a nut.
As her fingertips brushed the wall of tiles, her nails scraped across their matte surfaces with a faint rasp. Only then did the three players opposite her realize that the energetic girl with short twin tails was staring at them with a predator's gleam in her eyes.
"A first-year student? Can she keep up with me, the fastest player around?" The punk-haired player who had mocked Haramura Nodoka not long ago spun a tile between his fingers with a sneer—but five minutes later, he was completely frozen.
Yuki Kataoka pushed out tiles so quickly that they stirred the air. Her blue skirt swished with each movement, and her white-stockinged legs swung back and forth, looking quite cute.
As Kiyosumi High School's score began climbing wildly on the electronic screen, sweat had plastered the punk-haired player's bangs to his forehead, and his fingers trembled as he gripped his tiles.
In the lounge, Hisa Takei rested her chin on her folded hands, her wine-red hair falling over her shoulders.
Watching Yuki dominate the table, she smiled in admiration. "When Yuki's in this kind of form, even I'd have a hard time stopping her."
"Huh? Is she really that good!?" Mako Someya sat bolt upright, her round glasses flashing with a blinding glare. She didn't even notice when the loose-leaf notebook slid off her lap.
Kageyama Sora watched the opponents at the table lose hand after hand. Their ashen faces and trembling fingertips bore no resemblance to the mahjong powerhouses he remembered meeting.
They looked as if they'd been beaten out of their souls.
That made Kageyama Sora realize something: though mahjong was extremely popular in this world, not every high school player had the same monstrous abilities as the people he'd met.
Most players, it seemed, were at a normal level. He'd just happened to meet an extraordinary number of genius monsters.
"Yuki's opponents look like they're having a rough time..." He absently stroked Haramura Nodoka's head, suddenly realizing that outside this circle full of geniuses, most high schoolers were still at an ordinary level.
Saki Miyanaga propped her chin on her hand, her peach-blossom eyes curving like crescents. "Come to think of it, that was the one who was talking behind Haramura-san's back..."
She drew out the final words, making it hard to tell whether she was teasing or simply stating a fact.
Kageyama Sora lowered his gaze to Haramura Nodoka's reddened ear and chuckled. "Well, that's what they get."
Yuki Kataoka, still in her Kiyosumi High School uniform, bounced off the court. The ahoge on top of her head bobbed along, and her skirt fluttered as she went, full of energy and enthusiasm.
"In that case, it's my turn to go up." Mako Someya briskly shut her notebook and stood. Although she wore the same Kiyosumi High School uniform, her skirt was longer, and the hem stirred and settled in the air-conditioning.
Hisa Takei lifted her chin, her eyes reflecting Mako Someya's figure. "No need to play defensively. Widen the lead."
"That was my plan anyway." Mako Someya pushed up her glasses. The metal frames flashed coldly as she smiled with confidence.
Watching Mako Someya's back, Kageyama Sora suddenly realized that he knew pretty much everything about the five members of Kiyosumi High School except for her.
Perhaps it was because this second-year senior was so composed that he'd actually spent the least time with her. "This match is a good chance to see what she's like..."
"You're curious about Mako!?" Hisa Takei suddenly leaned close, her hair brushing Kageyama Sora's ear, her eyes glinting with a certain suggestive amusement.
Since Hisa Takei knew about Kageyama Sora's relationships with the other girls, he naturally took her teasing the wrong way.
"Yeah... But not the way you're thinking." Kageyama Sora felt as if he'd been given some strange label and turned his face away. "It's just that I don't know her very well."
Hisa Takei let out a low laugh, her eyes curving beautifully. "Hehe. Mako will be happy to hear you say that."
Just as Kageyama Sora was about to ask what she was hinting at, Mako Someya had taken her seat and started playing.
Unlike Yuki Kataoka's good tile luck, Mako Someya's hand was poor this time. None of her tiles went together.
Kageyama Sora couldn't help worrying about her naturally bad draw. "This looks dangerous."
But Hisa Takei, who knew Mako Someya better than anyone, folded her arms and smiled with confidence. "Mako's been playing mahjong for years. She's not the sort who can be beaten easily."
As she spoke, she turned to the young man beside her, a hidden expectation in her eyes. "This is a perfect chance for you to see what she can do. Do you think a teammate I care about is just some vase held up by seniority?"
"That's exactly what I thought..." Kageyama Sora said, making it clear he hadn't meant to question Mako Someya. "Of course I believe that someone you care about didn't get here just by putting in the years... That's why I'm so curious."
Perhaps Kageyama Sora's expression was unusually earnest as he said it. Whatever the reason, it embarrassed Hisa Takei, who was rather shrewd in her own way, making her cheeks and ears turn red.
Just then, Mako Someya took off her glasses. She had dark red eyes, yet they were unexpectedly gentle.
A confident smile played on her lips. Clearly, a poor draw wasn't enough to affect her.
Then, as if she'd broken some kind of seal, Mako Someya began winning hand after hand, racking up big scores.
Her fierce play was completely at odds with her usual understated style.
Only after the round ended did Mako Someya put her glasses back on and resume her modest air. By then, her opponents had nearly been beaten out of their souls.
Kageyama Sora smiled and said with genuine admiration, "Kiyosumi High School really doesn't keep anyone around who can't pull their weight..."
At last, it was Hisa Takei's turn to compete.
She rolled her shoulders and grinned brightly. "It's finally my turn. I've been waiting for this—the first team competition of my third year in high school..."
Then, as if she'd just remembered something, Hisa Takei looked at Kageyama Sora. "Sorry for the trouble, but take Haramura Nodoka and Saki Miyanaga to the café on the second floor to grab a bite. Eating bananas with dairy products can activate the brain..."
A Date for Three
As they walked down the corridor, a blast of air-conditioned chill, carrying the faint smell of disinfectant, washed over them.
Kageyama Sora led the way, occasionally glancing back at the two walking side by side. Saki Miyanaga's fingers absently tugged at her uniform skirt, and her hair fell over her reddened ear. Haramura Nodoka looked calmer. Her white-socked ankles swayed gently as she walked, her shoes making a faint tapping sound.
Sunlight filled the second-floor café's floor-to-ceiling windows, and patches of light floated over the wooden tables and chairs with the dust motes.
The mahjong match was still being broadcast live on the screen. Hisa Takei wasn't giving anyone cause for concern—she kept winning hand after hand.
"I knew there was no need to worry about her..." Haramura Nodoka said with a faint smile. "The club president is always so dependable."
Kageyama Sora watched the screen and chuckled. "I thought she was the sort to play the fool and then reveal her true strength. I didn't expect her to play so aggressively."
Hearing him say that, Saki Miyanaga thought for a moment. "Actually, I heard the club president talking with Mako-senpai. They said there was no need to hold back in the first match..."
Kageyama Sora ordered three glasses of cold milk and a serving of banana pancakes. He watched as the server set the dessert, drizzled with caramel sauce, between the two girls.
"Go on, try some. I hear sweets help ease nerves." Before he had finished speaking, Haramura Nodoka had already reached over and torn off a piece of pancake. She didn't even notice the cream at the corner of her mouth.
Saki Miyanaga lowered her head and stirred her glass. The straw broke through the foam with a soft sound. She stole a glance at Kageyama Sora across from her and saw him focused on wiping the cream from Haramura Nodoka's mouth with a napkin. As his fingertips brushed the girl's soft skin, both their breathing paused for an instant.
The sight made Saki Miyanaga's throat tighten. She quickly lowered her head and took a big gulp of milk, but the cold liquid did nothing to cool her burning cheeks.
Saki Miyanaga couldn't shake the feeling that Haramura Nodoka and Kageyama Sora were always so in sync, their closeness and affection coming so naturally.
Haramura Nodoka had agreed to let her join them, but somehow, Saki Miyanaga still felt there was something missing...
As if a net still stood between them.
"Saki's ears are getting red," Haramura Nodoka said, suddenly leaning closer. Her warm breath brushed Saki Miyanaga's reddened ear.
That only made Saki Miyanaga's face turn redder, leaving her flustered and at a loss.
Haramura Nodoka gave her a mischievous wink and held a cream-covered piece of banana to her mouth. "Open up—eat this and you won't be shy anymore."
Saki Miyanaga instinctively bit down on the fruit. The sweet, fresh taste mingled with the cream on her tongue, but from the corner of her eye she saw Kageyama Sora smiling with his chin in his hand, his eyes filled with warmth.
Suddenly, a flock of white pigeons flew past the window, their flapping wings breaking the silence.
Kageyama Sora stood and opened the window. A cool breeze carried the distant commotion of the sports field inside. When he turned back, he caught Saki Miyanaga's gaze darting away in a fluster. Haramura Nodoka had somehow moved to his side, her hair brushing the back of his hand. "The cherry blossoms over there are drifting down, just like the day the three of us first met..."
The girl pointed outside, the little bell on her hair tie swaying gently.
Kageyama Sora followed her gaze. Pink and white petals landed in Haramura Nodoka's pink hair, then were swept by the wind across Saki Miyanaga's trembling eyelashes before settling on her shoulder.
Kageyama Sora turned and, as if acting on a whim, reached out to brush the petal from Saki Miyanaga's shoulder. When his fingertips touched her soft hair, he heard the girl draw a quick, sharp breath.
Saki Miyanaga suddenly felt that the net between them had disappeared.
At that very moment, Kageyama Sora's phone rang.
Before you continue