Chapter 29

He took a look and saw it was a matter regarding the company. With a slightly apologetic tone, he said, "I need to take this call. You two head back first; after all, it'll be Xiao Hehe's turn soon."

The distance from the second floor to the first wasn't very far, so there was naturally no need to worry about getting lost for no reason—most importantly, with Haramura Nodoka there, she wouldn't let Saki Miyanaga go astray.

Just like that, Haramura Nodoka and Saki Miyanaga walked back side by side.

Recalling the subtle ambiguity between the three of them, Saki Miyanaga felt a delicate sense of shyness and took the initiative to break the subtle atmosphere: "Come to think of it, is it really okay not to cheer for the Club President?"

To this, Haramura Nodoka's attitude was calmer than Saki Miyanaga's: "Don't worry. Although the Club President's personality is a bit casual, she has never done anything that would lead to a disaster."

During their conversation, neither of them noticed a girl passing by who caught sight of them: "They are... from Kiyosumi High School."

The girl had long, beautiful jet-black hair tied into a very high ponytail, adorned with a green ribbon hair accessory. Her cute doll-like face was set with blue eyes that resembled deep lakes, clear yet filled with spirit and intelligence. Her eyes were large with long lashes; when she blinked, they looked like two small fans gently fluttering.

And this girl was none other than Kunihiro Hajime from Ryumonbuchi High School.

Hearing Kunihiro Hajime's words, the only person from Ryumonbuchi High School who looked somewhat masculine, Inoue Jun, suddenly perked up, stood up, and shouted: "Hey, you two over there."

Saki Miyanaga and Haramura Nodoka, who had been chatting, stopped in their tracks and turned around, looking puzzled.

However, because Inoue Jun's attitude wasn't exactly polite, both of them were quite guarded.

At this moment, Kunihiro Hajime looked at Saki Miyanaga: "Are you Haramura Nodoka?"

When Saki Miyanaga and the others had brushed past each other earlier, she had brought with her a sense of oppression similar to that of Amae Koromo. Although Ryumonbuchi Toka had dismissed it at the time, they found it hard to imagine that Kiyosumi High School had two experts, so they still assumed Saki Miyanaga was Haramura Nodoka.

Saki Miyanaga was stunned for a moment: "I..."

Just as she was about to explain, Haramura Nodoka stepped forward and blocked Saki Miyanaga: "I am Haramura Nodoka."

Inoue Jun and Kunihiro Hajime were instantly stunned.

It wasn't because of the assertive attitude Haramura Nodoka displayed, but rather because the sense of oppression similar to Amae Koromo that they had initially felt from Saki Miyanaga was vanishing.

As for Haramura Nodoka, who was known for her data-driven style, she gave them no impression of any peculiar pressure, other than being busty and pretty.

This made Inoue Jun wonder in her heart: Why would Ryumonbuchi Toka care about someone like this...

However, thoughts aside, she was still very concerned about the sense of oppression Saki Miyanaga had brought when they brushed past each other.

Thus, Inoue Jun looked at Saki Miyanaga: "Then, who are you... Are you the interesting player in Kiyosumi High School that Kageyama Sora mentioned?"

Saki Miyanaga was taken aback: "Eh, did Kageyama-kun say that about me..."

And just as both sides wanted to continue the conversation...

A familiar broadcast sound rang out: "The central match of Table E has concluded."

Saki Miyanaga quickly said: "It seems the Club President is finished. It's your turn next, Haramura Nodoka-san..."

Since that was the case, further probing was unnecessary. Haramura Nodoka said her goodbyes and left with Saki Miyanaga.

Watching the backs of Haramura Nodoka and Saki Miyanaga as they walked away side by side, Inoue Jun's slender fingers unconsciously rubbed her phone, the metal edge pressing pale marks into her fingertips.

Kunihiro Hajime lowered her eyes to stare at the tips of her shoes. The chill of the plastic floor was creeping up the soles of her feet, as if to freeze the eerie silence of the moment.

"So, who exactly was that short-haired girl..." Inoue Jun suddenly spoke, her voice trailing off with a sharpness like shattering glass.

Kunihiro Hajime loosened her school uniform tie, her voice subtle: "What was it that we actually felt?"

She recalled the feeling of brushing past Saki Miyanaga earlier, that feeling so similar to Amae Koromo; it was truly hard not to care.

The cold light of the vending machine swallowed their figures.

Amidst the crisp clinking of coins being inserted, Kunihiro Hajime looked at the canned coffee that had rolled out of the dispenser and suddenly spoke: "Come to think of it, it's Haramura Nodoka's match next... Should we go watch?"

"As for Haramura Nodoka, forget it." Taking out the soda she had just bought, Inoue Jun's attitude was very dismissive: "Honestly, I've seen her middle school match records; she makes many mistakes. To be frank, I think she's quite bad. Maybe it really is just because of those big breasts that Toka cares about her so much..."

Kunihiro Hajime pressed the coffee can against her flushed cheek, condensation sliding through her fingers.

But as someone who had more contact with Ryumonbuchi Toka, Kunihiro Hajime's thoughts were clearly not so superficial: "At the time, Toka said that Haramura Nodoka was very likely the 'Xiao Hehe' from online mahjong, and because of Kageyama Sora, the producer, it was confirmed that Haramura Nodoka is indeed Xiao Hehe... But it's very strange... Xiao Hehe makes almost zero mistakes, yet Haramura Nodoka makes many."

She grabbed a few strands of her hair and rubbed them irritably, the ends tangling into messy knots. "What 'freshness only comes when we meet in person'? Does he really think this is playing house?"

On this point, Kunihiro Hajime rarely expressed the same attitude as Inoue Jun: "He said there would only be freshness when they met, I don't understand him, and Ryumonbuchi Toka is still biased toward him..."

Meanwhile, cheers erupted from the other side of the gymnasium.

Takei Hisa shook her wine-red short hair, her six-game winning streak flashing glaringly on the electronic screen.

She reached out and draped her arm over Haramura Nodoka's shoulder, the warmth of her palm seeping through the cotton school uniform: "Please finish the battle faster than I did."

Although the opponents looked quite ordinary, this was, after all, Haramura Nodoka's first high school match.

At this moment, rapid footsteps approached from afar.

Kageyama Sora also ran back in a hurry. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he revealed a brilliant smile: "Almost didn't make it... Xiao Hehe, good luck."

The Penguin Plushie in Haramura Nodoka's arms was squeezed slightly out of shape. A sharp glint, identical to the one she had during online matches, ignited in the girl's eyes: "Yes, I will definitely not let everyone down."

The setting sun gilded her back, her skirt fluttering as if she were a Valkyrie about to step onto the battlefield.

Interestingly, as Haramura Nodoka headed to her match, everyone was surprised to find that the audience seats, which hadn't been very crowded, had suddenly filled up.

Yuki Kataoka said with a hint of confusion: "Eh, it seems like the people..."

Saki Miyanaga chimed in as well: "That's right... they all just suddenly came in."

Hisa Takei smiled, "Everyone is staring at Nodoka Haramura..."

Kageyama Sora followed everyone's gaze and was shocked to find that the gymnasium was basically already full.

And in the spot where his eyes landed...

Kageyama Sora was surprised to discover a familiar silhouette. Waterfall-like golden hair cascaded to her waist, and her white silk dress rippled in the breeze from the central air conditioning. Her face, which should have been gentle and graceful, was completely hidden behind dark sunglasses, revealing only a pearl necklace peeking out near her jawline.

On a mobile tea table equipped with casters, bone china tea sets refracted cold light, and emerald-colored Longjing tea sent wisps of white mist curling from the rim of the cup.

On a three-tiered silver dessert stand, macarons and wagashi were arranged in an interspersed pattern, the sugar frosting glowing with a pearlescent luster in the twilight. Butler Ogira, wearing white gloves, was gently stirring black tea with a silver spoon. The crisp sound of porcelain clinking was exceptionally clear in the silence, like some kind of unspoken signal.

Who else could it be but Ryumonbuchi Toka?

But why on earth was she wearing sunglasses?

Kageyama Sora walked over, puzzled, and heard Ryumonbuchi Toka laughing happily to herself, "Hehehe, it was the right choice to come early and grab a seat... Surely no one will discover my perfect disguise."

As she spoke, Ryumonbuchi Toka took the afternoon tea handed to her by butler Ogira.

Kageyama Sora couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard Ryumonbuchi Toka's pride in her disguise...

Ryumonbuchi Toka was furious when she heard Kageyama Sora's slightly mocking voice, and just as she was about to say something...

She heard the girl in the seat behind her say with some confusion, "Who is this person? Making such a big scene."

And the girl beside her quickly replied, "Oh, it's Ryumonbuchi Toka..."

...A perfect slap in the face to Ryumonbuchi Toka's claim that her disguise was also perfect.

Kageyama Sora casually picked up a dessert and sat down beside Ryumonbuchi Toka, "Now do you see why I was laughing? Just wearing a pair of sunglasses—can that even count as a disguise?"

Stung once again, Ryumonbuchi Toka felt she couldn't save face.

Her ahoge twitched, "Hmph, mind your own business."

Seeing that Ryumonbuchi Toka was genuinely annoyed and unable to back down, Kageyama Sora said, "Actually, my point is, coming to watch Nodoka Haramura's match isn't something shameful. Why the disguise? Are you that afraid of being known... Do you care about Nodoka that much?"

Ryumonbuchi Toka, who was already feeling dissatisfied due to her failed disguise, completely bristled at the mention of "Nodoka," "You are not allowed to call her so intimately!"

And just then, Nodoka Haramura appeared on the screen at the right moment.

The moment they saw Nodoka Haramura, the audience, who had been relatively well-behaved, instantly became excited:

"Look, it's Nodoka Haramura!"

"It's last year's middle school champion, Nodoka Haramura!"

Every word and sentence was praise for Nodoka Haramura, which made Ryumonbuchi Toka subtly uncomfortable, "Damn it, what terrible popularity! She's even better at stealing the spotlight than me, it's truly unforgivable!"

Kageyama Sora watched Ryumonbuchi Toka with jealousy written all over her face and let out a subtle laugh, "Why care so much? It's not like it's the first time you've known she's popular..."

Ryumonbuchi Toka huffed, "Knowing it behind her back and knowing it to her face are two different things."

It had to be said, Ryumonbuchi Toka looked truly cute like this.

Kageyama Sora couldn't help but reach out and ruffle the top of her hair, "Actually, there's no need for you to care about these things at all. You're great yourself... Besides, Nodoka Haramura isn't the type to care about popularity anyway."

In an instant, Ryumonbuchi Toka blushed slightly. The feeling of being comforted and the content of the comfort clashed in her mind, leaving only a dry sentence in the end, "Exactly, that's what makes her even more annoying!"

Chapter 66: The Shy Ryumonbuchi Toka

The match hadn't started yet. Kageyama Sora sat beside Ryumonbuchi Toka, watching her flushed face, and thought she was incredibly cute.

At this moment, the soft sensation of her hair still lingered on Kageyama Sora's fingertips. Seeing Ryumonbuchi Toka's earlobes turning red while she stubbornly tried to act fierce, he suddenly felt the urge to tease her.

He picked up a cherry-blossom-shaped wagashi from the dessert stand and waved it in front of her, "Flying into a rage out of shame doesn't suit a young lady of the Ryumonbuchi family. If Koromo saw you peeking like this, who knows what she would say about you."

"Who's flying into a rage! Don't you go spouting nonsense!" Ryumonbuchi Toka reached out to snatch it, but Kageyama Sora dodged it nimbly.

When she tilted her face up, pouting, her sunglasses slid down halfway, revealing the signature tear mole at the corner of her eye, which glowed with a pearlescent luster in the twilight.

Butler Ogira coughed lightly and looked away without a trace.

He couldn't help but feel that his young lady's flirtatious behavior was... well.

Just then, Kageyama Sora leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her reddened earlobe, "Keep making a scene and you'll blow your cover, young lady."

This sentence left Ryumonbuchi Toka frozen in place. The air between them suddenly heated up, and even the steam rising from the tea table took on an ambiguous hue.

Just as the atmosphere between the two was heating up.

At the same time, the mahjong game on the field was about to begin.

Because Nodoka Haramura was carrying a Penguin Plushie, she caught everyone's attention and was even stopped by security.

A cute beautiful girl, a legendary mahjong expert, a busty superstar being watched by everyone while holding a Penguin Plushie—it was certainly something that made people curious.

It seemed that they thought she was... strange?

Or perhaps it was some kind of persona?

Ryumonbuchi Toka, on the side, suddenly went crazy, "Damn that Nodoka Haramura, is this just to be even more eye-catching! Should I bring some iconic item too? But will people say I'm copying her? Damn it!"

Although Kageyama Sora really wanted to explain that this was just to help Nodoka Haramura regulate her state.

In Hisa Takei's words, holding the penguin gave Nodoka Haramura a sense of security, allowing her to enter her state better.

But feeling that it might be seen as a backstab, he held his tongue and just kindly reminded her, "Toka, you're being overly conspicuous."

After the security check confirmed the Penguin Plushie was problem-free, Haramura Nodoka sat upright at the mahjong table. Her previously fluttering skirt now hung still, like a sharp blade returned to its scabbard.

It had to be said, having two players who looked like delinquents with ill intentions facing off against Haramura Nodoka was... truly a little worrying.

At that moment, as the background music played during the broadcast introduction of her superior record, the match officially began.

Her fingertips brushed over the textures of the tiles, and the sharpness in her eyes was identical to that of Hisa Takei—it was the resolve of someone who viewed the game as a battlefield.

"It's starting," Hisa Takei said, narrowing her eyes as her gaze swept over her opponents' slightly trembling fingertips.

Saki Miyanaga and Yuki Kataoka were squeezed into the crowd. The electronic screen in the arena magnified Haramura Nodoka's profile; the shadows cast by the girl's eyelashes beneath her eyes could not conceal the surging fighting spirit in her gaze.

The first round proceeded in unusual silence. Haramura Nodoka barely spoke, and she even moved a little slower when drawing her tiles.

This caused some confusion; why was the start so slow?

But before anyone could figure it out, she began to accelerate, playing her tiles without needing a moment of thought.

Others might not have noticed anything, but Ryumonbuchi Toka immediately spotted the clue: "She has already decided what to discard the moment she draws the tile... Her calculation ability exceeds my imagination."

Haramura Nodoka was unaware of the discussion surrounding her. Her Penguin Plushie lay quietly on her lap, as if it, too, were holding its breath and watching intently.

When Haramura Nodoka ended the first round with a beautiful winning hand, the audience first fell into a breathless silence, followed by a tidal wave of cheers.

Amidst the rising and falling exclamations, Kageyama Sora keenly caught the rustle of fabric beside him—Ryumonbuchi Toka was unconsciously gripping her skirt, her fingertips turning white, yet she still stubbornly lifted her chin: "It's just luck..."

"Is it really just luck?" Kageyama Sora raised an eyebrow, leaning in with a half-smile.

He caught a glimpse of a suspicious blush creeping up the girl's earlobes, her eyelashes trembling uneasily behind her teacup, and continued: "Well, I just think her hand patterns seem more stable than they were in middle school, closer to the state of that Xiao Hehe from online mahjong. I wonder what happened to make her change so much... It's as if... she's broken out of her cocoon to become a butterfly..."

Ryumonbuchi Toka turned her head sharply to look at Kageyama Sora: "Was it that training camp!?"

"Hmm, you could interpret it as her having special training and getting stronger during the camp," Kageyama Sora said, deliberately drawing out his tone to observe the girl's suddenly tense shoulders.

Ryumonbuchi Toka slammed her teacup down, the porcelain clinking sharply against the saucer: "Did you help her with special training?" Her questioning tone carried an urgency she hadn't even realized herself.

Kageyama Sora chuckled, raising a hand to steady the teacup that had nearly tipped over: "It was their club president, Hisa Takei."

He looked toward Hisa Takei in the audience, a rare glimmer of admiration appearing in his eyes, "That woman has a talent for precisely excavating the potential of every member."