Mako Someya had clearly seen what Kageyama Sora was overthinking. With a sly smile, she changed the subject. "By the way, where's Saki Miyanaga?"
Haramura Nodoka replied softly, "She was still asleep when I woke up. Please wake her before my match..."
Hearing that, Kageyama Sora immediately snapped out of his own train of thought and offered a serious suggestion. "If it's Saki Miyanaga, she might really want to watch your match."
Haramura Nodoka smiled at Kageyama Sora. "I do want her to watch my match... but getting enough rest is more important..."
Kageyama Sora ruffled Haramura Nodoka's hair. "Nodoka, you don't always have to be so well-behaved. You can be a little selfish now and then..."
As he spoke, Kageyama Sora happened to spot the stitching on Haramura Nodoka's penguin. "Huh? What happened to the penguin...?!"
Kana: The Great Demon King's Back
The midday sun poured into the lounge like honey, bathing the entire room in warm gold. The broad floor-to-ceiling windows welcomed the sunlight without reserve, its bright rays passing through the glass to illuminate every corner.
Several potted plants on the windowsill stretched out their leaves, swaying gently in the breeze as spots of light danced across them.
The spotless coffee table, made of pale wood, held neatly arranged bottles of mineral water and carefully packaged energy bars. A faint scent of lemon-scented candles drifted through the air, creating a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere.
Mako Someya lounged lazily on the cream-colored sofa. The sunlight gilded her fluffy green curls with a soft halo, like tender vines brushed by a spring breeze, their playful curves blooming atop her head.
The gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose glinted in the bright light. Behind the lenses, her amber eyes were fixed on the live broadcast on the television.
Yuki Kataoka sat full of energy on the arm of the sofa. Her orange twin tails bounced merrily with every movement, like two flickering flames that perfectly captured her liveliness.
Her round, almond-shaped eyes were wide open, the corners tilting up slightly. They sparkled in the sunlight, full of childlike innocence and curiosity.
At that moment, she propped her plump cheeks on her hands, dimples faintly pressed into them. The white streaks dyed into the ends of her hair shone especially brightly in the sun. "I have mixed feelings. Those two who stole the penguin actually came back to apologize... Maybe they aren't completely bad people after all." Her voice was clear, brimming with emotion.
Kageyama Sora leaned against the windowsill, standing tall and straight as a pine.
The sunlight picked out the sharp outline of his short, night-black hair. His sharply defined jaw looked even more striking in the bright light, as if he'd been carefully carved into a work of art.
Hearing Yuki Kataoka, he shook his head slightly, making his shirt collar shift. "They still caused trouble. If it hadn't been for that blond girl, it really would've been broken."
The sunlight slanted across him, draping his profile in a hazy golden veil.
Kageyama Sora looked around the lounge at everyone, and a faint ripple stirred in his heart.
He'd realized that every girl here was kind-hearted and inclined to see the best in people.
They were all students, and there was nothing wrong with being a little innocent at their age. Still, Kageyama Sora couldn't help worrying that they might get taken advantage of in the future.
But... remembering how Haramura Nodoka had described the person who found the penguin, he said, "I have a feeling the person who found your penguin was Amae Koromo."
"Amae Koromo? The Great Demon King, Amae Koromo?!" Yuki Kataoka and Mako Someya cried out almost simultaneously.
Yuki Kataoka sprang down from the arm of the sofa, her orange twin tails swinging wildly as strands of hair traced a brilliant arc in the air. Mako Someya quickly looked up, nearly losing her glasses as her green curls trembled. Her amber eyes were full of shock.
"Yeah... She was dressed like that, and her height matched, too." Kageyama Sora raised a hand to push back the stray hairs on his forehead. His thick eyelashes cast long, fan-shaped shadows beneath his eyes, while his high nose and shapely lips lent him an innate air of nobility, softened by the sun's gentle glow.
Haramura Nodoka tilted her head, lost in her memories. Her pink hair gleamed softly in the sunlight, falling over her shoulders.
A tender ripple appeared in her blue eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, and her lips curled into a sweet smile. "Then... she really was cute... But I forgot to ask her name... Next time I see her, I'll be sure to... ask."
As she spoke, a faint blush spread across her face, as if she could already picture the lovely scene of their next meeting.
For some reason, even though it was perfectly ordinary—
Even though it was a lovely image of two friendly rivals meeting outside the competition, Kageyama Sora inexplicably felt as if his home life were about to go up in flames.
Just then, the commentator's excited voice came from the television, and Haramura Nodoka looked up at the screen.
On the leaderboard, Kiyosumi High School was narrowly in first place, with Tsuruga Academy, Kazekoshi Girls' High School, and Ryumonbuchi High School close behind. The difference in points was tiny.
Sunlight fell across the screen through the window, making even the numbers seem to shimmer with tension.
Haramura Nodoka looked surprised and puzzled. "The scores of the four schools are really close..."
"It's all thanks to the Club President!" Yuki Kataoka rushed excitedly to the screen, her orange twin tails almost brushing the television. Her eyes curved into crescents as she grinned, showing two adorable little fangs. Her face beamed with pride.
"The Club President?" Haramura Nodoka had been asleep the whole time, so she naturally had no idea how tense things had gotten.
Mako Someya, who'd been involved herself, stepped forward to explain. "The Club President made back all the points I lost because I wasn't good enough."
Haramura Nodoka sighed with admiration. "As expected of the Club President."
As the match progressed, Hisa Takei claimed first place in the Center Battle by an overwhelming margin, with Ryumonbuchi High School's Kunihiro Hajime close behind.
Tsuruga Academy came in third, while the highly anticipated Kazekoshi Girls' High School unexpectedly fell to fourth.
Kageyama Sora lowered his head and looked over the names on his phone's player list, his brows creasing.
As for Kazekoshi Girls' High School, apart from captain Fukuji Mihoko and Ikeda Kana—the girl who'd threatened him in the warehouse before he'd turned the tables on her—it seemed they really didn't have any other standout players. And Ikeda Kana still had to face Saki Miyanaga and Amae Koromo.
No wonder Kazekoshi Girls' High School's coach, Kubo Takako, was always so irritable...
They did seem like a lost cause.
Though that wasn't quite fair. Maybe they'd do just fine against ordinary opponents, but... this tournament was full of monsters.
Seeing Kageyama Sora fall silent, Haramura Nodoka looked at him curiously. "What's wrong?"
Her voice was full of concern, and the sunlight lent it a warm glow.
"I was thinking about Kazekoshi Girls' High School..." Kageyama Sora answered without thinking, honestly saying what was on his mind.
"Kazekoshi Girls' High School?" Yuki Kataoka bounced over, the ends of her orange hair brushing Kageyama Sora's arm. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes. "Sora, don't tell me you have a girlfriend at Kazekoshi Girls' High School, too..."
As a girl who'd only recently slept with Kageyama Sora, it was reasonable for her to wonder.
But she wasn't accusing him. Yuki Kataoka was teasing him, instead.
She arched a mischievous brow, the corner of her mouth curling into a wicked smile as her twin tails swayed merrily.
Yuki Kataoka was only joking, but Kageyama Sora still jolted. He'd been juggling his relationships for so long—was he finally about to get caught?
The Interrogation of Yuki Kataoka
"I was thinking about Kazekoshi Girls' High School."
"Kazekoshi Girls' High School?" Yuki Kataoka bounced over, the ends of her orange hair brushing Kageyama Sora's arm. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes. "Sora, don't tell me you have a girlfriend at Kazekoshi Girls' High School, too..."
It wasn't exactly that he had a girlfriend, but he really was close with Fukuji Mihoko...
Still, Fukuji Mihoko wanted to keep their relationship secret, so it wasn't a big deal, right?
But the guilty feeling he'd had back when Yuki Kataoka and Fukuji Mihoko played in the same group somehow came rushing back.
And this time, Yuki Kataoka immediately noticed.
"Ah! I guessed right?" Yuki Kataoka darted closer to Kageyama Sora like a nimble little squirrel. Her warm breath brushed his reddening ear.
Her almond-shaped eyes were wide, and mischief sparkled in them. Her orange twin tails nearly brushed Kageyama Sora's cheeks. "Come on, spill it. Have you been secretly dating a pretty older girl at Kazekoshi? Especially that blond captain. She's so gentle and beautiful—totally your type!"
Was this an animal's instinct or something?!
Yuki had actually guessed right!
And just as Kageyama Sora froze in shock, she suddenly poked him in the side.
Kageyama Sora shuddered all over and reflexively leaned backward, banging the back of his head against the windowsill.
"Ow!" Sunlight fractured into gold flecks on his eyelashes. He wrinkled his high nose and pressed his lips into a thin line. "D-don't make things up! You little troublemaker!"
He reached for Yuki Kataoka's misbehaving hand, but she deftly dodged him. In the scuffle, their fingertips brushed by accident, then quickly parted. A string of tiny sparks seemed to crackle in the air between them.
Yuki Kataoka had been about to ask if Kageyama Sora was hurt, but now she was too embarrassed to offer any comfort.
Seeing the commotion, Haramura Nodoka quickly rose from the sofa, her pink hair swaying gently. Her blue eyes were full of concern.
She hurried over between the two of them. Her chest brushed against Kageyama Sora as she placed a soft hand on Yuki Kataoka's raised arm. Her voice was gentle, with a hint of exasperation. "Yuki, don't tease him. Sora doesn't seem like the sort of person who'd do that."
Her voice was like snowmelt on a spring day, bringing a sense of comfort.
And the softest parts of her were particularly soft, leaving Kageyama Sora a little tipsy.
Besides... Haramura Nodoka's words only made him feel guiltier. Sorry, but he was exactly that sort of person.
Yuki Kataoka didn't really suspect him of anything. She just thought teasing Kageyama Sora was fun, and she wouldn't let it go. Using Haramura Nodoka's attempt to break them up as an excuse, she draped herself halfway over her, still pointing at Kageyama Sora. Her round face clearly said, "I'm not done asking yet." "Nodoka, you're way too easy to fool! Look at how he reacted just now. He's definitely hiding something! Let me interrogate him!"
She drew out her words on purpose, wriggling around in Haramura Nodoka's arms. Haramura Nodoka could only let go, and then Yuki Kataoka promptly latched on to Kageyama Sora again.
Haramura Nodoka had to pull Yuki Kataoka back once more, and so the cycle continued.
Mako Someya leaned lazily against the back of the sofa. Her green curls fell casually over her shoulders, and her amber eyes watched the commotion with amusement as the corner of her mouth curled into a playful smile.
She slowly took off her gold-rimmed glasses and carefully wiped the lenses with a velvet cloth. Then she said unhurriedly, "I have to ask—are you all trying to turn the lounge into an interrogation room? It's a shame the Club President isn't here. She loves this kind of melodramatic mess."
As soon as she finished speaking, she chuckled. Perhaps she thought that turning the place into an interrogation room wouldn't be so bad, and that everyone really was full of energy.
Kageyama Sora watched the chaos helplessly. His pride wouldn't let him join in, but with so many people around, he couldn't very well solve the problem with force. So he could only let the blush spread from his ears down his neck to his collarbone.
He took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound calm. "I was only analyzing the match. Kazekoshi's players..."
Before he could finish, Yuki Kataoka suddenly broke free of Haramura Nodoka's grip and pounced on him again. This time, she poked him directly in the ribs with both hands.
"Ah!" Caught off guard, Kageyama Sora curled up, his lower back crashing hard against the flowerpot on the windowsill.
The ceramic pot rocked with a crisp clatter, and a few tender green leaves drifted down, landing right in Yuki Kataoka's bouncing hair.
Seeing Kageyama Sora's disheveled, flustered appearance, she couldn't help laughing until she doubled over. Two deep dimples appeared in her round cheeks. "And you still say you weren't! Would analyzing a match make you blush like that?"
Haramura Nodoka hurried to steady Kageyama Sora before he could fall. Her cool fingertips touched his burning skin, and her own cheeks warmed in turn.
She gave the still-laughing Yuki Kataoka a gentle glare, though her tone remained tender. "Yuki, stop picking on Sora. Let's just watch the match."
As she spoke, her gaze accidentally fell on the collar Yuki Kataoka had messed up, and she hurriedly looked away.
Even though he was her boyfriend, it didn't seem appropriate to look lovestruck in front of everyone.
That little thought only made Haramura Nodoka feel more embarrassed.
Mako Someya put her glasses back on, rested her chin in her hand, and teased them with amused interest. "Haramura Nodoka's sticking up for Sora. So having a boyfriend means forgetting your best friend, huh? Do you really have to make it so obvious?"
Her lazy, teasing voice drifted softly through the lounge.
Haramura Nodoka's ears turned bright red. Like a startled little rabbit, she shrank back onto the sofa, her pink hair hiding her flushed face.
Yuki Kataoka still wasn't ready to let it go. She rose onto her toes and leaned close to Kageyama Sora's ear, her breath sweet as an orchid. "If you hide something from me again, you'll be sorry."
Afterward, she mischievously pinched Kageyama Sora's waist, then bounced back to the sofa and picked up a bottle of mineral water. She tipped her head back to drink as droplets slid from the corner of her mouth, catching the sunlight like crystals.
Kageyama Sora leaned against the windowsill and watched everyone laughing and fooling around. His heartbeat took a long time to settle.
Just then, the announcement declared that Haramura Nodoka's match was about to begin.
Haramura Nodoka stood up with the penguin in her arms. Looking at the mahjong table on the television, she spoke softly. "Now it's time for me to go to that place."
Kageyama Sora thought for a moment, then came over. "Let me walk you there..."
Haramura Nodoka wasn't the sort of person who liked to trouble others, so she immediately said, "It's all right..."
"No..." Kageyama Sora had already come to her side. "Let me walk you there, Nodoka... Then, when the time is right, I'll go wake Saki Miyanaga..."
Tohka's Sarcastic Remarks
The summer sun scorched the earth. Sunlight flowed like melted honey down the lounge's floor-to-ceiling windows.
Cicadas' cries, wrapped in waves of heat, struck the glass before being broken into tiny particles by the cool mist from the air conditioner.
The mint on the windowsill trembled gently in the breeze. Drops of water on its leaves refracted rainbows, making the whole lounge seem like a dream.
Just then, the announcement echoed through the empty hallway. Haramura Nodoka's match was about to begin.
The tiles gleamed a cool white beneath the fluorescent lights. Haramura Nodoka's fingers tightened slightly around the Penguin Plushie.
She looked through the television at the mahjong table where the match was taking place. Her eyelashes cast butterfly-wing shadows beneath her eyes as she said softly, "Now it's time for me to go to that place."
Her voice was as light as a dandelion seed drifting on the wind. Her fingers unconsciously stroked the Penguin Plushie's soft fur.
Sunlight slanted in through the window at the end of the hall, gilding her profile with a soft glow. The red ribbons decorating her twin tails flickered in and out of the light.
Kageyama Sora came over. His hand hanging by his side clenched into a fist, then relaxed. His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke hoarsely, his eyes resting on the red ribbon swaying atop Haramura Nodoka's head. "Let me walk you there..."
When Haramura Nodoka turned around, her hair brushed her flushed cheeks, and her pale blue pleated skirt spun into a gentle curve.
She shook her head slightly, her voice soft. "It's all right. I can go on my own..."
Before she could finish, Kageyama Sora's resolute gaze stopped her.
"No." Kageyama Sora stepped half a pace closer, his warm breath brushing her hair. His long fingers nearly touched the strands falling by her face, but curled inward at the last moment. His gaze was tender and unwavering. "Let me walk you there, Nodoka... Then, when the time is right, I'll go wake Saki Miyanaga..."
Haramura Nodoka bit her lip, a ripple passing through her blue eyes.
Looking down at the Penguin Plushie in her arms, her ears turned pink as cherry blossoms. Her eyelashes fluttered, and a gentle smile curved her lips. "I really want Saki to watch my match, but... she stayed up practicing so late last night. She should sleep a little longer."
"But..." Kageyama Sora gazed at her flushed profile, his throat tightening. "If she doesn't get to see you shine on the court, she might be sad."
Before you continue