Tōka's Harsh Words / Comforting Amano E

Saki Miyanaga's short brown hair streamed like dancing flames, and the skirt of her Kiyosumi High School uniform billowed like a fluffy flower bud.

She was like a meteor breaking through the clouds. She sprang lightly from Kageyama Sora's arms, her little shoes scraping sharply against the ground as she rushed straight toward Haramura Nodoka.

"Haramura!" Saki Miyanaga's chest heaved, but her deep red eyes shone with astonishing brightness, as if they held all the sunshine of midsummer.

Sweat ran down her flushed cheeks, and tiny wisps of hair clung to her bangs, but none of it dimmed the vibrant energy in her eyes.

Haramura Nodoka abruptly looked up. The female reporter's question from a little while ago suddenly rang in her ears: "Haramura Nodoka, what are your thoughts?"

Now, gazing at the breathless but resolute figure before her, she finally found her answer.

The bow in her pink hair trembled with her movement. She raised her clenched fist high, the fire of determination blazing in her clear blue eyes. "I absolutely have to win!"

Her voice was clear and unwavering, as if she had poured all her affection and resolve into those words.

Saki Miyanaga opened her mouth, as though she wanted to say something more, but the match was about to start, so she could only leave reluctantly.

Her shoulders drooped slightly, and a trace of regret flickered in her eyes, but she still nodded firmly. As she backed away, her little shoes traced a reluctant arc across the ground.

Kageyama Sora stepped forward and gently laid a hand on Saki Miyanaga's trembling shoulder. His warmth passed through the fabric of her shirt. "Let's go back together and cheer Nodoka on."

His voice was calm and gentle, like ripples spreading across a still lake, soothing her restless emotions.

Tohka's Tough Words

As the setting sun dyed the corridor a honeyed orange, Kageyama Sora and Saki Miyanaga turned to leave, only to run straight into Ryumonbuchi Tohka.

The evening breeze lifted her long golden hair. Her emerald eyes gleamed coldly in the dusk, and the golden buttons on her pure white uniform caught the fading sunlight, flashing with sharp glints. The slender curve of her waist, cinched by a leather belt, made her look like an arrow poised to fly.

"Well, cousin, what's this? Playing the hero and saving the damsel?" Ryumonbuchi Tohka deliberately drew out her words, her little shoes tapping a crisp rhythm against the ground.

Her gaze moved from Saki Miyanaga's flushed cheeks to Kageyama Sora's slightly rumpled collar. A mocking curve tugged at her lips. "Running all over the place with a little girl in your arms. You sure know how to treat a lady."

Saki Miyanaga shrank back and instinctively hid behind Kageyama Sora.

Saki Miyanaga didn't know Ryumonbuchi Tohka, but for some inexplicable reason, she felt a murderous aura around the woman.

Kageyama Sora sighed helplessly and was about to explain when Tohka suddenly leaned closer. The scent of lily-of-the-valley perfume, tinged with the faintest hint of jealousy, washed over him.

She rose onto her toes and whispered in his ear, "Why don't you ever get this worked up about my matches? Why don't you cheer me on?"

Her voice trembled almost imperceptibly, but her emerald eyes lifted defiantly.

When she straightened, the cowlick at the end of her hair bobbed with the movement. Even now, as she put on an air of arrogance, she couldn't suppress the bitterness welling up inside her. She was his cousin, after all, yet now she could only watch him run around in a panic for another girl.

"Tohka..." Kageyama Sora reached out to pat her head, but she turned aside to avoid him.

Ryumonbuchi Tohka took half a step back. The setting sun stretched her shadow long across the ground.

"Cousin..." Ryumonbuchi Tohka lifted her chin, her eyelashes casting a stubborn shadow beneath her eyes. "I'm only reminding you not to fall for someone where you shouldn't..."

She suddenly stopped, bit her lip, and swallowed the rest of her unfinished sentence.

As she turned, her skirt flared with a carefree, devil-may-care air. She left the two of them with a proud yet lonely back. "Just watch. I'll make Haramura Nodoka lose so badly she won't even be able to hold on to her penguin."

Kageyama Sora felt helpless and was just about to say something.

Ryumonbuchi Tohka had already entered the arena. Pointing at Haramura Nodoka, she announced, "The match to decide who's the true idol is about to begin..."

And just as Kageyama Sora had said earlier, Haramura Nodoka hadn't paid the slightest attention to Ryumonbuchi Tohka's words.

Ryumonbuchi Tohka was furious at being ignored. She was about to say something more, but the only large-framed girl from Kazekoshi Girls' High School shoved her aside, nearly making her fall.

Watching this, Kageyama Sora couldn't help laughing. That was just how the young lady was—always charging around with a fierce attitude and being funny.

And so, the Vice-Captain Battle began.

During the commentary, the passionate male announcer had only been speaking for a short while when he heard the lazy voice of the professional player Fujita beside him. "What a shame... this year's tournament."

"Huh?" The male announcer didn't immediately understand what Fujita meant.

The formidable woman lazily explained, "This year's tournament relies too much on luck. On top of that, there are fewer matches, which makes it even more susceptible to chance."

The male announcer nodded along with her argument, then raised a question of his own. "But students can't play two thousand matches a year like professional players, can they?"

Fujita watched the players on the field, all of them trying their best to defend, and spoke thoughtfully. "Last year's rules were unbelievably dull, but this year's rules are like a system that picks one out of ten thousand. The players competing now have all been tempered by real-world experience. It's a shame to decide the winner with just two hanchan."

Listening to Fujita's commentary, Kageyama Sora also looked thoughtful. "I think I understand what she means."

"Huh?" Saki Miyanaga, walking with Kageyama Sora toward the waiting room, was still lost in the memory of Haramura Nodoka telling her to cheer her on. She hadn't quite understood.

Kageyama Sora assumed she hadn't grasped it, so he explained as simply as he could. "Haramura Nodoka and Ryumonbuchi Tohka are both classic data-driven players. They don't rely on luck; they rely on their brains and the numbers. You can't tell how good they are without playing thousands of matches... But the tournament time is limited... The ones who can stand out so quickly are monsters among monsters."

"Monsters..." Saki Miyanaga repeated the word, and for some reason her older sister's face appeared in her mind.

But Kageyama Sora said, "Like you, for instance. And... my other cousin."

"Your other cousin?" Saki Miyanaga looked puzzled, not quite understanding.

Kageyama Sora checked the time. "Yeah... I'm going to see her now."

Saki Miyanaga's eyes widened. "W-won't you come back?"

Kageyama Sora ruffled the top of Saki Miyanaga's head. "I'll cheer you on during your match, but right now I need to go make it up to a girl."

Saki Miyanaga was easily satisfied. "Okay. Be careful on your way."

After leaving, Kageyama Sora hurried toward Ryumonbuchi's waiting room. As he went, he couldn't help reflecting that he was like some kind of playboy, constantly moving between different girls and comforting one after another.

Seriously... They were all his wings now.

Meanwhile, the match naturally continued.

The data-driven style wasn't flashy. Everyone played carefully and steadily, favoring defense.

It was completely different from the flashy styles seen earlier.

The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed as Kageyama Sora hurried down the corridor through the crisscrossing crowd, his shoes tapping a steady rhythm against the tiles.

He glanced at his watch. The setting sun streamed slantwise through the window at the end of the corridor, stretching his shadow far behind him.

Thinking of Amae Koromo, he couldn't help quickening his pace. A helpless yet indulgent feeling stirred in his heart. "I wonder if she'll sulk."

He pushed open the door to Ryumonbuchi High School's waiting room, and cool air carrying a faint jasmine scent washed over him.

Everyone was there except Ryumonbuchi Tohka.

When she saw Kageyama Sora, Kunihiro Hajime even greeted him cheerfully. "The hero's back!"

She was obviously teasing him about the scene of him carrying Saki Miyanaga to meet Haramura Nodoka.

He'd acted on impulse at the time. Thinking about it now, he was still a little embarrassed.

But this wasn't the time to be embarrassed.

Kageyama Sora saw Amae Koromo curled up in the corner of the sofa. Her long golden hair spilled loosely down her back like cascading sunlight.

She wore a pink uniform, white thigh-high stockings, and her signature oversized red rabbit ears.

Perhaps because she hadn't put her shoes on in the waiting room, all she did when she heard the door open was turn her head slightly and glance at Kageyama Sora with icy blue eyes. Then she turned back to the score sheet in her hands, deliberately flipping the pages with a loud rustle.

Comforting Amae Koromo

"The hero's back!" Kunihiro Hajime sat on the sofa in the waiting room, her black ponytail swaying lightly with her teasing words. The green bow in her hair bounced playfully.

The star stickers on her face sparkled under the lights. A knowing smile tugged at her lips as her slender fingers twirled a pen. "Carrying a little girl and running all over the place—Kageyama, that was quite a move."

Kageyama Sora's ears reddened. He cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Kunihiro Hajime, don't tease me."

Kunihiro Hajime chuckled. "You were right in front of me then, going, 'Wow!' I was totally impressed. I even imagined that if I were that girl, I'd definitely fall for you!"

But Kageyama Sora ignored the teasing.

His gaze drifted back toward Amae Koromo. The girl had curled herself into an even smaller ball. Her pink uniform skirt was crumpled in her fists, and her oversized red rabbit ears drooped limply over her shoulders like two deflated balloons.

She looked so pitiful.

Inoue Jun, the only tomboy among them and something of a flirt herself, sat on the leather sofa and took an elegant sip of tea. A glint of amusement flashed in her eyes. "Kageyama sure is busy, going from one girl to another. I wonder who the real one is."

Inoue Jun drew out the last words, clearly marveling that Kageyama Sora was even better than she was at managing his time—and without getting caught.

Sawamura Tomoki adjusted her glasses. "According to the data, men like that don't have a real one. Everyone's one of his wings."

Kageyama Sora ignored the teasing, walked over to Amae Koromo, and crouched beside her. His warm breath brushed her flushed ear. "Koromo, are you angry? Did I cross a line and upset you?"

He reached for her hand, but Amae Koromo jerked it away.

"Don't touch me!" Amae Koromo sulked and covered her face with the score sheet, hiding her grievance. "You don't care about me at all! First you never come see me, and then you run around carrying someone else. You... you're a big bully!"

Her voice grew quieter and quieter, the end of it barely concealing a sob.

Kageyama Sora froze, not expecting Amae Koromo to react so strongly.

After all, she'd never cared about what he did with anyone else before. Kageyama Sora had always thought that was what made Koromo so different, so he really hadn't expected her to sulk over something like this.

Kunihiro Hajime quietly came over and lowered her voice in Kageyama Sora's ear. "Ever since you carried Saki Miyanaga over there, Koromo's been sulking. She didn't even eat her favorite strawberry cake, and I think she's a little upset about giving Haramura Nodoka the penguin, too..." She winked at Kageyama Sora. "Better hurry up and comfort her!"

Kageyama Sora sighed, then simply sat down beside Amae Koromo and gently put an arm around her shoulders.

Amae Koromo struggled a couple of times, but in the end she couldn't resist the familiar warmth and gradually relaxed against him. She still turned her face away, refusing to look at him.

"I'm sorry, Koromo." Kageyama Sora lowered his head and kissed the top of her hair. The sweet scent of strawberries mingled with jasmine around him. "I was only worried Haramura Nodoka would feel down if she couldn't see Saki Miyanaga before the match. I was in a hurry and acted without thinking. See? I came straight back to you."

Amae Koromo snorted. "Then why did it take you so long to come? I thought..."

She suddenly stopped. Her eyelashes fluttered, and the face hidden behind the pages turned red.

"You thought I'd forgotten you?" Kageyama Sora chuckled. His fingers gently raised her chin, making her meet his misty, icy blue eyes. "How could I? You're all I can think about. I just knew you'd be late, so I didn't come right away... I kept wondering if you'd be hungry, or bored, or..." He deliberately drew out his words. "Maybe secretly crying?"

"Who... who was crying?" Amae Koromo shoved him away. Her oversized red rabbit ears wobbled with the motion. "Don't flatter yourself!"

But her reddened eyes and trembling lips gave her away completely.

Kunihiro Hajime chimed in at just the right moment. "Aww, Koromo's embarrassed. Kageyama, hurry up and comfort her!" She rested her chin in her hands, looking as if she were enjoying a show. "If you don't, Koromo might not want you anymore! What if she runs off with someone else?"

Kageyama Sora pulled Amae Koromo into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Koromo would never..."

He gently stroked her waterfall of golden hair. "When the match is over, I'll take you to eat strawberry cake, play the claw machines, and do anything else you want. All right?"

Amae Koromo's fingers clutched the hem of his shirt. Her voice was muffled. "Then don't ignore me again. I used to think I didn't care when you were so close with other girls. I even thought it would be nice if we could all hang out together, but I still felt a little sad... I can't believe I ended up feeling something like jealousy..."

"That isn't jealousy. It's possessiveness, and it's my fault..." Kageyama Sora kissed her forehead, his heart aching slightly. "My Koromo is the cutest. I was thoughtless and didn't handle things properly. I won't do it again."

Watching the two of them being all lovey-dovey, Inoue Jun rolled her eyes. "All right, all right. Stop showing off in front of me."

She stood up and lazily looked over at her two other teammates. "Let's go check on the match."

Kunihiro Hajime playfully winked at Kageyama Sora. "Make the most of your chance!"

With that, the others left the two of them some space.

The waiting room door slowly closed, leaving only Kageyama Sora and Amae Koromo.

The setting sun streamed through the blinds, weaving golden squares across the floor.

Amae Koromo finally lifted her head. Her icy blue eyes sparkled, though her lips were still stubbornly pursed. "Then you have to keep your word. Otherwise... otherwise I really won't talk to you!"

Now that they were alone, a lot of things were much easier.

Kageyama Sora lowered his head and kissed her slightly upturned lips, pouring all his feelings into the gentle kiss.

Amae Koromo was startled at first, then closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss, which tasted of sweet strawberries.

Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun reddened the horizon, as if lending a romantic hue to this sweet moment.

Inside the waiting room, Kageyama Sora and Amae Koromo's silhouettes gradually merged, bathed in the warm glow as they shared a tenderness and affection that belonged only to them.

After Amae Koromo had been comforted, Kageyama Sora also learned from her that part of the reason she'd been so upset was that she'd wanted to make friends with Haramura Nodoka when she gave her the penguin.

But she hadn't had the chance, and she was sad she hadn't gotten to tell Haramura Nodoka her name.

Kageyama Sora hurriedly said, "Haramura Nodoka mentioned it when she went back. She was in such a rush that she regretted not asking your name, too..."

Tohka's Excitement

"Haramura Nodoka mentioned it when she went back. She was in such a rush that she regretted not asking your name, too..."

As soon as Amae Koromo heard that, she immediately perked up. "Really!? Then Koromo will wait for Haramura Nodoka to come and ask my name!"

The girl who had been so upset just moments ago was suddenly excited again.

That left Kageyama Sora feeling a little helpless. Was Haramura Nodoka somehow more popular than he was?

At least one thing was clear: his wings wouldn't get tangled. (Important point.)

Perhaps because she knew the time was about right, the other members of Ryumonbuchi High School returned. Seeing how sweetly Kageyama Sora and Amae Koromo were getting along, they didn't continue gossiping and instead discussed the match.

Watching the players on the screen, Kunihiro Hajime couldn't help remarking, "Tohka's really worked hard this time. She studied the score sheets of high-ranked players and top S-class professionals online, and she dug deep into different styles of play whenever she ran into them. She even commissioned the research institute to collect a huge amount of statistics on score sheets, then played against all kinds of experts online. And now, her toughest opponent is right across from her... How could Tohka lose...?"