Family, Who Gets It?

The sports day events were about to begin.

Qian Huanyue stood in the preparation area and raised a hand to tuck the loose strands by her forehead behind her ear.

Her long silver hair was tied with an orange ribbon into a neat side ponytail, exposing a stretch of fair neck.

She wore a striking yellow-and-orange athletic uniform—a bright yellow short-sleeved polo with a crisp white collar, paired with a pleated skirt of the same color that swayed lightly with her smallest movements.

Everyone competing wore the same outfit.

That was, if one ignored what she was currently doing—

"Hmm..."

Rinne lowered her head to look at the lacrosse stick in her hands. The netting at its connection had folded and torn open, leaving a sizable hole.

They really had been practicing too frequently lately. This stick had probably reached its limit.

"So it can't be used anymore?" she said softly, gently brushing a finger over the torn net. "That was even sooner than I expected."

There was a hint of regret in her voice, but more than that, calm acceptance.

"Here, Rinne."

A lacrosse stick was held out before her.

Rinne looked up and saw that Huanyue had somehow already come to stand beside her.

She extended the stick she normally used.

"I'll go check the equipment room for a spare," Huanyue said, already preparing to turn away.

"Thank you, Huanyue."

Rinne took it and gave it a simple swing to test its flexibility.

Then—

"Whoosh—buzz—"

The sound of air being torn apart.

The opponents from the neighboring class had been warming up, but they all froze at the same time.

They looked at the pink-haired girl holding the stick, then at the stick in her hand, which seemed to still be making the air tremble, and finally at