"Eh? So cold~"
Raising her eyebrows slightly, her left hand propped her cheek against her thigh. Haruno looked at Masuzu with keen interest. "Didn't we have such a fun chat already? Is that still not enough to be friends?"
"Rather than a chat, wasn't it more like you came to dig information out of me? I don't think that kind of thing builds friendship."
Masuzu bit her lip slightly. She suppressed the fear rising in her heart under those deep, piercing eyes. Smiling politely, she kept her distance.
"Forget the past. Yuu was well taken care of by you yesterday, Haruno-san. I'm really sorry you had to get caught up in our little fight."
"No worries, no worries~" Haruno smiled and waved her hand. Her tone was cheerful and gentle. "Besides, Shimogamo Shrine was really fun. The sacred tree for matchmaking, love fortunes, and all that—it'd be even more fun if I went with a guy and a girl! If anything, I should thank you for giving me this chance."
"Oh, is that so." Her eyebrow twitched. Anger replaced her fear. Masuzu smiled with quivering lips. "Good to know. My boyfriend shouldn't be too rude. For example, refusing to pray or get a fortune with you. He's very loyal. He always keeps his distance from other women for my sake."
"Exactly! When I accidentally bumped into him, he did seem a bit reluctant. Such a good boy~"
"Accidentally? A bit?... Oh, is this the new generation's green joke? Senpai, are you sure you're not automatically editing your memories because you're too sad?"
"Sad? I wouldn't be sad over something so small~ So many fun things happened yesterday. Want me to tell you one by one? Like walking down the romantic red maple path. I remember every scene so clearly. My memory can't be wrong."
"Hmph… Being able to date someone else's boyfriend so gleefully. You're truly worthy of being a mature college student. At least I couldn't do something like that."
"You're mad? Calm down, calm down~ I wouldn't steal a little kid's boyfriend. That's too boring. Unless you really don't want him, I might reluctantly take him."
"Don't worry. Yuu and I are bound by inseparable fate. There's no room for an older woman to meddle."
"Wow, such a sharp tongue. Just like Yukino-chan when she's mad~"
Haruno kept smiling, friendly and kind like the big sister next door.
But anyone could tell she wasn't serious at all. She was just having fun, teasing like she was playing with a small animal.
In contrast, Masuzu's expression grew darker. Her hands on her knees unconsciously clenched. Like a silver Persian cat arching its back, she was on high alert, ready to face Haruno.
Yukino, caught between them, somehow felt extremely displeased by this scene.
(Is this what it's like when my sister toys with me?)
(Their levels of composure are so obvious… She's a monster even she can't defeat. No wonder Natsukawa-san is getting dragged along.)
(But…)
(They didn't just run into each other on the street—they went sightseeing at Shimogamo Shrine together?)
She frowned slightly. The thought crossed her mind that her sister had lied to her, and she hadn't noticed. A wave of frustration surged, making her unconsciously bite her soft lip. Her discomfort toward someone deepened.
But before she could fully process her feelings, she felt her sleeve being tugged. Yukino adjusted her expression and turned. Yuigahama looked like a small hamster caught between two snakes, cautiously glancing left and right.
"Yukinon, what do we do… The atmosphere feels so dangerous right now. Haruno-san and Natsukawa-san aren't going to fight…"
At this moment, it was just an undercurrent hidden beneath a calm surface. If Yuu happened to show up in front of them, would it trigger a massive wave of war?!
Yuigahama was worried about that. Though she didn't know when Yuu got so close to Haruno, she had to defuse the situation. At the very least, she couldn't let them keep arguing like this…
"Let him deal with it himself after the match. After all, all these problems started with him. It has nothing to do with us. No need to be an exhausting, unappreciated mediator."
Yukino spoke with a cold expression and an unfriendly tone.
She glanced at Haruno beside her, her eyes showing dissatisfaction. "If you want to chat, go chat outside. Don't disturb me watching the match."
Yuigahama quickly reacted, looking down at the match below. She said cheerfully, "Look, the vice-captain's match is over! Yuu-kun's finally up!"
As soon as she spoke, Masuzu stopped caring about sparring with the cat burglar. She quickly looked down, activating her phone's recording mode. She aimed the camera at the man in a face guard slowly walking to the match area. She wouldn't miss any critical moment.
Though it was hard to see from this angle, the writing on the (tare) below his waist indeed read Tenkuji.
Haruno shrugged indifferently. She also looked at the match area where the captain's match was about to begin.
Under their gazes, the two figures in face guards, their faces obscured, crouched and bowed with their bamboo swords. As soon as the referee signaled the start, the participant from Toyodai Himeji High stood up half a beat faster. His feet hopped lightly in place. The tip of his sword moved up and down.
"Hah—!"
Then, with a sudden loud shout, without much probing, just three seconds after the start, the bamboo sword in his hand swiftly slashed toward the Sobu High participant.
It was an incredibly fast overhead strike, over in the blink of an eye.
To the spectators in the stands, they couldn't even see what happened. The confrontation was already over.
The two bamboo swords and armored figures crossed briefly. After a crisp collision sound, one stepped forward a few steps, standing casually. The other stood in place, holding his bamboo sword high as if unaware of what had happened.
"Men! Ippon ari!"
One referee and two assistants raised their flags. They also added a point on the scoreboard for Sobu High's captain—if he scored one more point, the match would end immediately.
In the stands and below, the crowd watching area number five fell silent for a moment. Then, as if just realizing, they gave resounding applause to the participant who scored, slowly returning to his ready position.
"One more point, and he'll win. Yuu-kun's amazing, go for it!" Yuigahama clapped vigorously, her face flushed with excitement. She was so thrilled her three buns bounced.
"Of course. All the stalemates before were just a prelude. A true hero has to appear at the most critical moment!"
Nodding in agreement, Masuzu kept recording. She stared at him through the camera with a smile—though she couldn't see his face at all. She could only identify him by the (tare) below his waist and his position.
"So fast. I didn't even see it clearly, but the result's already out." Unlike their excitement, Haruno rubbed her chin, speaking with slight regret. "Though I didn't think he'd lose, isn't he winning too easily? This is a national championship."
"The skill gap is too big." Yukino said in her usual tone.
"Hmm~?" Shifting her gaze, her lips curled mischievously like a Cheshire cat. Just as Haruno was about to tease her sister, the signal for the second round sounded below, forcing her to refocus.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After losing a point as if slaughtered, the Toyodai Himeji participant could only change tactics. He no longer attacked proactively with confidence. Instead, he kept his distance from the Sobu High participant, constantly moving his feet and shifting his sword tip to probe. He randomly targeted four areas: head guard, body guard, hand guard, and thrust.
His opponent seemed calm and steady, undisturbed by the provocations. He simply kept his sword tip forward. His feet seemed to step forward and back slowly in a certain rhythm, waiting leisurely for his opponent to attack first.
With only one minute left, the Toyodai Himeji participant, without warning, abandoned his probing stance. He suddenly slashed diagonally toward his opponent's hand guard.
"Haah!"
His echoing shout was answered by his sword missing, instead getting hit on the side of his body.
"…D-DOU! Ippon ari! Match over!"
As the participant who stepped back lightly, his posture always stable, looked their way, the three referees snapped out of their daze. They raised their flags and declared Sobu High's victory.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Clapping vigorously, Yuigahama blinked in confusion. "It's over? Though it lasted longer than the first, something feels off. I didn't understand it at all…"
"The second time was just as much a slaughter. But this time, his opponent made the mistake." Masuzu said, saving her recording. She shrugged indifferently. "Maybe he was scared of Yuu. His shout was loud, but his courage was small, so he's truly a loser."
"No, it's not that simple."
Asuna shook her head. Still looking at the participants bowing and leaving the area below, she said seriously, "Himeji High's footwork was flawless. His intent to attack was well-hidden. After probing so long, even if he couldn't fight up close and gain an edge, he shouldn't have missed…"
She pressed her moist lips together, tucking her brown hair behind her ear. With slight disbelief, she continued:
"So, the most likely explanation is that the Sobu High participant did something to make him misjudge the target, casually guiding his own sword forward to hit the body guard effortlessly."
"Ultimately, the key to victory was his terrifying reaction speed and attack… That's the fastest level I've ever seen."
After Asuna's explanation, everyone who was initially confused understood. Even Yuigahama grasped about 70%, letting out an admiring "Oohh~."
"In short, Yuu's amazing… But it's impressive you could see their fight so clearly."
Asuna looked at them and smiled humbly. "As a participant, this kind of observation skill is a must."
"…"
After her words, no one responded. Silence lingered for a few seconds.
"Who are you!?"
Masuzu and Yuigahama shouted in shock simultaneously, staring at the brown-haired girl who'd suddenly appeared behind them.
"Eh? M-Me?"
Realizing her rudeness, Asuna's face flushed. She awkwardly scratched her cheek, then smiled and nodded to everyone.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Yuuki Asuna. I heard you talking about the match in area number five, so I couldn't help sharing my observations… I'm really sorry for butting in!"
"I don't mind. Thanks for explaining…" Seeing her beautiful, refined face, Yuigahama tilted her head slightly, feeling like she'd seen that face somewhere.
Masuzu wasn't too interested in her. She quickly lowered her head, looking back at her phone, sending a message to Yuu, who'd returned to the rest area.
As for Haruno, after a moment of surprise, she greeted Asuna enthusiastically:
"Wow, isn't this Kouichirou's little sister? What a coincidence to meet here~"
"Haruno-san, hello. My brother is very grateful for your help at school."
Placing her hands on her knees and bowing gracefully, Asuna gave a wry smile. "I'm here to compete. Honestly, I'm more surprised to meet you two here."
"I didn't help much." Haruno replied casually, with a sincere wave. "I came to find friends and check on my sister. I just happened to come watch the match with them."
"Really?" Asuna tilted her head, looking at Yukino with slight doubt.
Yukino nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yukinoshita Yukino. I came to Kyoto for club business to watch the match. The two here are from the same school."
Facing the calm but polite response, Asuna still smiled gently. She glanced at Yuigahama and Masuzu, then looked back at Yukino.
"Are you all in the kendo club?"
"No." Yukino had no intention of explaining too much to an outsider. She said lightly, "We're members of the Volunteer Club. We came to help the kendo club win the championship as outside supporters."
"Outside supporters? Win the championship?" Asuna frowned, thinking for a few seconds. She pointed to the now-empty area number five, as if realizing something. "So the captain… his name is Tenkuji Yuu. Is he also a member of your club?"
Hearing that, Yuigahama and Masuzu couldn't help but stare at her in surprise. Even Yukino unconsciously raised an eyebrow.
Only Haruno maintained her mysterious smile, her fox-like eyes darting between the four girls.
"You know him?" Perhaps because she'd been teased so much earlier, Masuzu asked with a slightly rude tone.
"Eh… Know him or not know him? Isn't it obvious?" Realizing what the silver-haired girl was actually worried about, Asuna gave another wry smile.
"His (tare) says Tenkuji. Plus, you were calling him Yuu or Yuu-kun. Anyone could guess his name… Relax, I'm not his fan or a stalker."
Yuigahama and Masuzu exchanged glances. Their faces flushed with embarrassment over the suspicions that had arisen in their hearts.
"Y-Yeah, true."
"Sorry, my tone was too harsh."