Chapter 40

The representative for Kiyosumi High School was, naturally, Hisa Takei.

The representative for Ryumonbuchi High School was the second-year Kunihiro Hajime, someone Kageyama Sora was quite familiar with, aside from Ryumonbuchi Toka and Amae Koromo.

With her black high ponytail, green ribbon, and star stickers on her face, she looked adorable no matter how you looked at her.

After all, the first time they met, Kunihiro Hajime had joined the mahjong match in her capacity as Ryumonbuchi Toka's maid.

What was interesting this time was that Kunihiro Hajime was wearing chains on her wrists... Watching this scene on the live stream, Kageyama Sora felt a bit conflicted.

He had once asked Ryumonbuchi Toka why she made Kunihiro Hajime wear chains, and he learned that she had once been banned for cheating. Ryumonbuchi Toka hadn't looked down on her for it; she had simply placed shackles upon her.

Well... it was a bit like a mutual devotion.

The contestant for Kazekoshi Girls' High School was named Mondo Seika... her character design was average, so she was negligible.

Representing Tsuruga Academy was the third-year Kambara Satomi, who had a red bob cut and round eyes; she was also of the cat-like variety.

Kageyama Sora looked at the match scene and then at Mako Someya and Yuki Kataoka, who were sitting beside him looking incredibly calm, and felt a bit subtle.

Although Hisa Takei didn't have that extremely fierce style of play, her teammates looked at her with 100% trust, showing no signs of worry at all.

It had to be said, Hisa Takei was someone who provided a great sense of security to others...

For example... even when she intentionally dismantled her hand to put herself in a disadvantageous position, Mako Someya and Yuki Kataoka still didn't show any sign of thinking their captain was messing around.

Mako Someya even took the time to explain to Kageyama Sora, "The Club President is the type who intentionally plays a disadvantageous game at critical moments... Come to think of it, when Nodoka first joined the Mahjong Club and saw the President's match records, she was absolutely furious..."

And speaking of Haramura Nodoka...

Haramura Nodoka, who was currently sleeping, had no idea that her Penguin Plushie had already been stolen.

Yes, while she was fast asleep, the two girls who had lost to Kiyosumi High School last time—whom Kageyama Sora had described as a bunch of delinquents—had taken Haramura Nodoka's penguin.

Then... as luck would have it, they were discovered by the late-arriving Amae Koromo and the professional player Fujita.

Startled by this, the penguin fell to the ground.

Amae Koromo thought that since Haramura Nodoka was on good terms with Kageyama Sora, and Kageyama Sora was her own cousin, and most importantly, Haramura Nodoka was someone Toka cared about and was a very impressive person, she might even be able to become friends with her.

So she decided... to return the penguin to Haramura Nodoka.

And as luck would have it, those two girls who had taken the penguin realized they had gone too far and intended to return it to Haramura Nodoka and apologize.

Then... they met on a narrow path.

And so, the penguin... was torn during the struggle, as Amae Koromo assumed the others were bad people.

Amae Koromo returned to the Ryumonbuchi High School lounge crying while clutching the penguin.

Chapter 89: Amae Koromo and the Penguin

Inside the venue.

Amae Koromo, her blonde hair shining like the brilliant morning sun, was dressed in her pink uniform. The oversized red rabbit-ear hair accessories on her head swayed gently with her brisk steps, making her look exceptionally playful and cute.

She held Haramura Nodoka's Penguin Plushie carefully, her eyes filled with anticipation and joy.

With the image of the pink-haired, gentle, and sweet-natured Haramura Nodoka smiling in her mind, Amae Koromo couldn't help but imagine the surprised expression on her face when she returned the penguin later. She would surely praise her happily, and perhaps they could even become friends because of this.

If she could play with Haramura Nodoka in the future, and add Kageyama Sora to the mix—the three of them together—she didn't know how happy that would be. Just thinking about it filled her heart with joy. She was radiant, her steps became even lighter, and a brilliant smile bloomed on her lips; she didn't look at all like the Great Demon King who struck fear into the hearts of others during mahjong matches.

However, fate always seemed to love playing tricks on people.

Just as Amae Koromo was immersed in her beautiful fantasies, the two people who had previously taken the penguin suddenly appeared at the corner ahead. Seeing the penguin in Amae Koromo's hands, they rushed over to snatch it without a word.

Amae Koromo protected the penguin with all her might, shouting loudly in resistance, but how could she, alone, withstand the brute force of two people?

In the intense tug-of-war, a "rip" was heard. The belly of the Penguin Plushie was torn open, and the cotton inside spilled out like sad snow.

Seeing this, the two people turned pale with fright and fled in a hurry, leaving Amae Koromo standing there, clutching the damaged penguin, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.

Those two had indeed been scared off by the consequences, but... the penguin was ruined.

Amae Koromo ran toward the Ryumonbuchi High School lounge, sobbing. Along the way, tears kept sliding down, wetting the collar of her uniform.

In the lounge, the warm yellow light fell softly on everyone. They were sitting together, focused on analyzing the game, and the air was filled with a tense and concentrated atmosphere.

Amae Koromo slammed the door open and ran in, crying, her voice thick with nasal congestion and sobs: "Toka... the penguin... wuwuwuwu!"

Ryumonbuchi Toka turned her head at the sound. Her blue eyes immediately recognized the plushie in Amae Koromo's hands: "Isn't this Haramura Nodoka's penguin?"

There was a hint of surprise in her tone; she naturally knew everything about her rival's belongings.

Amae Koromo cried even harder, her shoulders shaking incessantly: "The penguin passed away, wuwuwuwu!"

She looked so heartbroken, as if she had lost her most precious treasure.

However, this little problem was no match for the young lady, Ryumonbuchi Toka.

With a firm look in her eyes, she snapped her fingers and immediately called for her Universal Butler.

The butler was dressed in a neat uniform, his face kind, his eyes revealing composure and competence.

Upon learning the situation, he calmly took out a needle and thread from his portable toolbox.

His hands seemed to be endowed with magical power, moving through the damaged fabric with skillful and elegant motions.

Under his masterful, almost supernatural sewing skills, the once-ruined penguin gradually returned to its original form.

Amae Koromo stopped crying, her eyes sparkling with pleasant surprise. "Wow, you actually restored the penguin to its original state! You brought the penguin back from the Underworld."

Watching Amae Koromo cheer with excitement, the butler remained very humble, smiling gently as he said, "The stitching might still feel a bit different to the touch..."

But at this moment, Amae Koromo was already filled with joy and didn't care about these subtle differences at all; she couldn't wait to return the intact penguin to Haramura Nodoka...

Regarding this, Ryumonbuchi Toka looked puzzled: "If you want to find Haramura Nodoka, just call that scumbag cousin Kageyama Sora. He definitely knows where she is. Why waste time like this... and even have an accident."

To this, Inoue Jun, who was the most boyish of them all, understood Amae Koromo's feelings better: "She probably doesn't want to rely on a man, but wants to make friends on her own... She has always felt that we only became friends with her because of you... What a silly sentiment."

Just then, Kageyama Sora sneezed for no reason, unaware of who was thinking about him.

However... he wouldn't let it get to him; he was already used to it.

At this moment, they were still watching Hisa Takei's match, and because of her performance, they were having... a rather heated discussion?

While watching Hisa Takei's match, Mako Someya recounted a very interesting incident that once happened between Hisa Takei and Haramura Nodoka.

It was said that at the time, after Haramura Nodoka looked at Hisa Takei's hand records, she got angry because Hisa Takei had intentionally played herself into a disadvantageous position before making a comeback.

Hisa Takei's answer at the time was: "I don't know why, but every time I'm in a critical moment, even if I take the initiative and wait for good tiles, I can never win. Instead, when I'm forced into a passive position, I actually get the feeling that I'm going to win."

It seemed like an explanation, but after hearing it, Haramura Nodoka became even angrier: "That's an illusion! If you treat temporary random deviations as bad luck or something, it will only shackle your mind."

Hearing this, Kageyama Sora couldn't help but sigh: "Nodoka has always been a person with firm principles who knows exactly what she wants. These things wouldn't shake her at all... It's just..."

"Just what?" Yuki Kataoka tilted her head, very curious.

Kageyama Sora couldn't help but complain: "I feel that in your circle, pursuing science is actually unscientific... There are just too many of these mysterious and unfathomable things..."

Mako Someya couldn't help but laugh out loud: "At the time, the club president said that there are many kinds of people in this world. There are those like Haramura Nodoka who don't rely on luck at all, but improve their win rate through countless matches; there are those who consider the flow of the tiles... and there are even monsters who rely on superpowers to win consecutively in incredible ways... And Haramura Nodoka said firmly... that such supernatural phenomena are impossible."

Kageyama Sora's expression was very subtle: "Before I came here, I also believed that superpowers and the supernatural didn't exist, but... let alone those with ordinary abilities, I've already met several with terrifying ones..."

Kageyama Sora thought to himself, who knew that when he first played mahjong with Amae Koromo after coming here, the feeling of being ruthlessly controlled made him feel so... shocked and fascinated.

If he weren't a mahjong player himself and didn't have any obsession with the game, he might have become someone who couldn't play mahjong at all.

And at this moment, the match was still ongoing.

Hisa Takei was indeed the type of person who was very good at playing from behind; her unexpected style of play left everyone confused, and she won tiles because of it.

Chapter 90 Milk and Bananas

"Nodoka... Haramura Nodoka..." The crisp call echoed through the corridors of the competition venue. Colorful tournament posters were plastered on both sides of the hallway, and the lights cast a bright yet slightly cold glow. From time to time, contestants and staff hurried past, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

Haramura Nodoka, who was still trying hard to find her penguin, turned around instinctively after hearing the girl's shout.

What came into view was a girl who looked like she had stepped out of a fairy tale.

She had long, golden hair as bright as sunshine, draped softly over her shoulders. A long, red rabbit-ear headband sat atop her head, the ears swaying gently as she ran, looking incredibly cute.

The girl wore a pink sailor uniform with delicate and sweet white lace at the collar. White knee-high socks encased her slender legs, making her look playful and lively.

She was clutching a penguin plushie tightly to her chest, and at this moment, the plushie swayed gently with her movements.

Perhaps because she was too excited, the girl slipped while running and took a tumble on the flat ground.

She let out a cry of surprise, and the penguin in her arms flew out, tracing an arc in the air before rolling and landing in front of Haramura Nodoka.

Haramura Nodoka was born with great beauty, her pink hair shimmering with a soft luster under the corridor lights, as if stained by the evening glow.

Those deep blue eyes were clear and bright, like a deep lake, hiding endless gentleness and vitality.

She bent down subconsciously to pick up the penguin and said softly, "Ade Penguin..."

Her voice was gentle, carrying a hint of pleasant surprise.

Amae Koromo quickly scrambled up from the ground. She was short, and her petite figure looked even cuter set against the oversized sailor uniform.

Her round face was filled with an excited smile, and her eyes were sparkling with joy: "You must be Haramura Nodoka! I heard your chest is huge, so I guessed it was you!"

Her words were straightforward and carried a touch of innocence, making people unable to help but smile.

"Um, about that penguin..." Just as Amae Koromo was about to explain, she was interrupted by Haramura Nodoka's slightly excited voice: "It's been stitched up!"

Haramura Nodoka's pink hair was gently brushed by the occasional breeze in the corridor. She held the penguin with a face full of joy, the curve of her mouth as beautiful as a crescent moon: "The two people who stole the penguin just now came over to apologize to me. They said it was torn apart while they were fighting over it with another girl. Now... it's stitched very beautifully!"

"Right!" Amae Koromo looked proud, as if she had shared in the glory, her little head held high. "It was Toka's butler who stitched it!"

Actually, Haramura Nodoka didn't understand at first.

Just as Kageyama Sora had said before, Ryumonbuchi Toka really cared about Haramura Nodoka, but Haramura Nodoka truly didn't know of her existence.

So for a moment, her beautiful blue eyes were full of confusion, and a bewildered look appeared on her face.

But as a kind and polite little girl, she still smiled gently, revealing two cute fangs, and said to Amae Koromo: "Regardless, thank you for bringing it back..."

Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze.

"Great!" Encouraged, Amae Koromo beamed, her cheeks slightly flushed. She gathered her courage, intending to make her declaration of friendship: "Um... Haramura Nodoka..."

"What is it?" Haramura Nodoka was slightly puzzled by Amae Koromo's hesitation. She tilted her head, her pink hair swaying along with her, looking very cute.

And just as Amae Koromo wanted to speak, the broadcast sounded at the perfect moment:

[The second half of the center match is about to begin--]

This meant that Haramura Nodoka's match would also be starting very soon.

Faint cheers from the audience seemed to drift in from outside the venue, further intensifying the tense atmosphere.

There was no time for further pleasantries, and Haramura Nodoka said hurriedly, "I'm sorry, I have to leave now! Thank you so much!"

Her eyes held a mix of apology and anxiety. After speaking, she rushed toward the Kiyosumi High School lounge, her pink hair fluttering behind her as she quickly vanished around the corner of the hallway.

Left behind, Amae Koromo felt a touch of loneliness. She looked in the direction Haramura Nodoka had departed, bit her lip gently, and whispered, "I didn't even get to... tell her my name..."

Her voice was filled with regret, and her long golden hair seemed to dim slightly under the lights, as if it, too, could feel her current mood.

However, the very next second, she strangely perked up again: "But it really is huge... that kid Kageyama Sora is getting a good deal."

Meanwhile, the Kageyama Sora in question happened to sneeze, drawing worried looks from the others: "Did you catch a cold!?"

Kageyama Sora shook his head: "I'm not that fragile."

As the words left his lips, Haramura Nodoka pushed open the Gate of Opening and walked in: "I'm back!"

Seeing Haramura Nodoka, Kataoka Yuki stood up with her usual high-spirited energy: "Welcome back!"

Kageyama Sora also made room for Haramura Nodoka: "Did you get some good rest?"

Haramura Nodoka smiled with exceptional gentleness: "Yes, I slept very well."

Just then, Mako Someya took a banana from the side and handed it to Haramura Nodoka: "Nodoka, here's a banana for you."

"Eh?" Haramura Nodoka took the banana with a puzzled look: "What is this exactly..."

Kataoka Yuki took a carton of milk from the side and handed it to her: "The club president ordered it, there's milk too!"

Mako Someya added at the perfect moment: "The club president said that eating bananas and dairy products together can stimulate the brain, and she told me to make sure you eat them."

Watching Haramura Nodoka with a milk carton in one hand and a banana in the other...

"Although that's technically true, is it just me being dirty-minded for thinking these two things paired together look like...!?"--At this moment, Kageyama Sora fell into a state of self-reproach for his own lack of purity.

However, the more he tried to forget the image, the more he found himself recalling a certain rainy night.

How Haramura Nodoka had said she also wanted to take the initiative for once, and then knelt down in front of him...