Chapter Five | An Overnight Date Out of the Blue

♡♡♡

Carrying my stuff, I head back to the apartment with Sasaki.

Before unlocking my room, I take a deep breath.

“Give me just three minutes, okay? I need to clean up.”

“What? Got something you don’t want me to see?”

“…Yeah, I do.”

The moment I say that, the key vanishes from my hand, and the door swings open in an instant.

“Excuse me—!”

Sasaki grins like a mischievous kid and barges into the room on her own.

“Hey! Wait a sec!”

I desperately try to grab her clothes, but she dodges with lightning reflexes and slips inside.

Oh, I’m done for—my privacy’s toast.

I clutch my head and collapse to my knees at the entrance.

“Pfft. Probably some dirty mags, huh? Oh, is this covered book one of them?”

Sasaki, all chipper, picks up a book from the bed—wait, no—

“Sasaki! Put that book down!”

If she sees that, it’s gonna be bad—really bad.

I rush to stop her, but it’s too late.

Sasaki, who’d already entered ahead of me, had already uncovered the book.

“…Huh?”

Too late.

While I turn pale with shock, Sasaki’s cheeks flush bright red.

“What’s this?”

“It’s not what you think, Sasaki. That’s—”

“This is my gravure photobook!”

Caught off guard by her sudden intrusion, the gravure photobook of Kiraboshi Ayane—bought yesterday as a “good luck charm” (or so I told myself)—is now exposed.

Flipping through the pages showing Kiraboshi Ayane in a black bikini, lounging on a float with a tropical juice, Sasaki takes off her glasses and mask, her face turning sour.

“Why’d you buy my gravure photobook?”

“…I thought if I got Kiraboshi Ayane’s photobook before the match, it might bring some luck.”

“No way that’s true!”

“It’s not a lie!”

I snatch the photobook back from Sasaki and stash it on the bookshelf.

I never saw this coming, so I let my guard down.

“Please, Sasaki, pretend you didn’t see it—now that it’s come to this.”

“No way.”

“I didn’t buy it with any shady intentions! I just, uh, got curious, and it happened to be at the bookstore yesterday, so I kinda bought it on impulse.”

“Getting all tongue-tied like that makes it even more suspicious.”

Sasaki crosses her arms and shoots me a chilly stare.

“With the real thing right in front of you, why buy something like this?!”

“W-Well…”

“No ‘well’ excuses! Spill it!”

“S-Someone like you! A former idol, cute as hell, being so close—anyone would, uh, naturally get curious about your old photobooks from back then!”

“…Are you serious?”

Sasaki’s voice shifts to a tone laced with anger.

W-What am I even saying…? Bringing up her Kiraboshi idol days to a retired Sasaki is totally taboo.

“S-Sorry! I didn’t mean it like—”

Sasaki turns silently and heads toward the entrance.

I’ve pissed her off, haven’t I?

I thought she might storm out, but then—

“Up we go!”

Sasaki picks up my shoulder bag that was lying by the entrance and brings it back into the room.

“Here, I’m making dinner now, so wait a sec.”

She points toward the room and stands by the kitchen in the hallway.

“Y-You’re not mad?”

“I’m older than you, so… even if you’re doing weird stuff with my photobook, I won’t get mad.”

Sasaki answers coolly.

I figured she’d explode with something like, “You were looking at me like that?! That’s disgusting!” but… she’s got a surprisingly mature side.

Following her lead, I head back into the room and sit at the low table.

“Hey, Makijima.”

Sasaki’s voice calls me from the kitchen.

“Am I… cute?”

“W-Well, yeah, (national-treasure-level) I’ve never seen anyone cuter than you.”

A loud clatter comes from the kitchen, like something dropped.

“You okay, Sasaki?!”

“I-I’m fine, fine! Just slipped my hand a bit!”

“Maybe I should help out too.”

“I’m fine! You’re injured, so just sit and wait!”

Even so…

Worried, I sneak a peek into the kitchen, where Sasaki’s peeling potatoes with an oddly smug grin.

Does she really like peeling vegetable skins that much?

I don’t dare speak up—might cause another accident—so I quietly head back to the room.

“…Right, I’d better hide this stuff now.”

With Sasaki busy cooking, I figure it’s my chance to move anything I don’t want her to see (if you catch my drift). Earlier, the “Kiraboshi Ayane Gravure Photobook” on the bed took the hit and distracted her, which was lucky. But if she’d found the even more embarrassing stuff under the bed—stuff too shameful to name—I’d have gotten a punch like that time at the café.

Thanks, Kiraboshi Ayane. You saved me from getting a beating from your alter ego.

After relocating the goods, I sit obediently and wait. Soon, a delicious aroma wafts from the kitchen.

First time having a girl’s home cooking, huh.

Even though Sasaki (an idol, sure) is a proper girl, I wonder if she’s good at cooking?

Come to think of it, she was trying to peel veggies with a knife earlier… Maybe I should tell her where the peeler is. If she cuts her finger with that knife, it’d be a disaster.

“Sasaki! The peeler’s hanging next to the sink!”

“Got it—!”

Hold on… it’s not just the knife. What if she burns herself on a hot pot?

“Sasaki! Don’t touch a heated pot!”

“Huh? Why would I?”

No, not done yet.

She might slip and drop the pot handle while serving.

“Sasaki! Hold the pot steady—”

“Ugh, enough already!”

An annoyed Sasaki storms out of the kitchen, ladle in hand.

“Stop worrying like an overprotective parent!”

“B-But, you know…”

“Don’t treat me like a kid!”

Sasaki rants and stomps back to the kitchen.

Right, she lives alone and can handle herself.

My overprotective streak kicked in—gotta reflect on that.

I peeked into the kitchen a few more times after that, but each time I got scolded, so I decided to wait quietly in the room.

—An hour later.

“Makijima—! It’s ready!”

Sasaki, in high spirits, starts bringing out the finished dishes one by one.

“Whoa…!”

Potato salad, potage soup, and meat sauce pasta.

The Western-style dishes look out of place on my shabby little low table.

“Looks insanely good.”

“I just whipped it up with whatever was in the fridge, so it’s not anything fancy… but since Makijima scored like you promised, I got a bit carried away.”

“So the dinner from that promise was your home cooking?”

“Yep! I’m pretty good at cooking, you know!”

Sasaki says with a shy smile, then urges, “Go on, eat!”

Everything looks delicious.

I grab a fork and start with the potato salad, then dig into the pasta.

“Delicious! Super delicious!”

“Told you!”

“I figured with someone like you, it’d be all looks and a total letdown inside.”

“Right now, I could slip and stab this fork into you, and with no one watching, it’d be fine… right?”

“S-Sorry!”

Sasaki lowers the raised fork and starts eating her pasta.

That was close. She almost turned the meat sauce redder with my blood.

“There’s more if you want seconds.”

“Sweet!”

“I made enough for about five servings each, so don’t hold back.”

“…Huh?”

Did she just say what I think she said?

Something about five servings or whatever?

Sasaki stands up and brings out a pot, a large plate, and a bowl from the kitchen.

“You’re a guy, Makijima, so you gotta eat a lot!”

A bowl brimming with potato salad, a pot nearly overflowing with potage soup, and a mountain of meat sauce pasta piled on the plate…

W-Wait, this is… way too much.

“Oh, want more pasta?”

“Uh, oh…”

Just seeing the second helping fills me up, but I tap into the iron stomach I forged in my all-boys school days and somehow manage to finish it all without leaving a bite.

♢♢♢

With me finishing every bite, Sasaki’s been looking pretty satisfied.

On the flip side, I’m suffering from overeating, counting the ceiling stains while waiting for my food to digest.

“My cooking’s so good you overate—Makijima, you’ve got a cute side too, huh?”

Sasaki’s been poking my bloated stomach nonstop.

Those nail jabs sting a bit, so I’d rather she stop, but…

“I’ll wash the dishes later. Sorry for worrying you so much today, Sasaki. I’ll call you tomorrow, so you can head home—”

As I try to get up, Sasaki grabs my shoulder.

“I’m planning to stay here tonight, though?”

“Huh?!”

I barely manage to slap a hand over my mouth to stop the shock from turning into a vomit explosion.

“W-What?! Stay over?!”

“Yeah.”

“In my room?”

“Yeah.”

She nods like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“W-Wait, is that… not okay?”

Sasaki leans back against the bed beside me, her expression shifting to a hint of loneliness.

“I’m worried about you, Makijima. If something weird happens at night, it could be bad.”

“But staying over at my place is way weirder to begin with!”

“I’d hate it more if something happened to you!”

“S-Sasaki…”

N-No way! S-Sleeping in the same room as Kiraboshi Ayane is definitely a bad idea!

I don’t want her hearing me breathe and thinking, “Gross…” or something…

…But I can’t just brush off her feelings either.

She’s only staying because she cares about my condition.

It won’t turn into anything more intimate… right?

“F-Fine. If you’re that insistent.”

“I can stay?!”

“Y-Yeah.”

When I nod, Sasaki flashes her usual dazzling smile.

Why’s she so thrilled about this?

“Well then, right away…”

“What now?”

Sasaki twiddles her fingers, fidgeting.

“How about a bath?”

“A bath…?”

“Yeah. I’ll join you!”

A bath… with Sasaki?!

Suddenly, a wild fantasy plays in my mind.

The moment I step into the steamy bathroom, I feel a nail poke from behind.

I turn around, and there’s Kiraboshi Ayane.

“Hey, Makijima… how about a bath… together?”

Kiraboshi Ayane lifts her jacket in front of the bathroom, flashing a peek of her navel.

I instinctively look away.

But the sound of clothes rustling in the changing area tickles my ears.

“It’s fine now,” she calls.

I turn back at Kiraboshi’s voice, and there she is, wrapped in just a bath towel.

“Makijima…”

She runs her hand through her hair, sticks out her tongue a little, and tempts me—

“Hold up! What the hell am I thinking?!”

“Makijima?”

Yesterday’s glimpse of the Kiraboshi Ayane gravure photobook must’ve made these weird fantasies too easy to conjure…

With Sasaki staying over tonight, this is a serious problem.

“No way we’re bathing together!”

“But I hear about sudden deaths in the bath all the time, and I’m worried it might be risky for you alone.”

“No need to worry! If something’s off, I’ll yell from the bathroom. Plus, you and I bathing together—different genders, that’s a bit too much…”

“Oh, that’s fine then. I’ll do a clothed bath.”

…Huh?

“C-Clothed?”

“You know, bathing in clothes. That’s okay, right?”

Oh, right… of course she wouldn’t be naked.

“W-Wait, what? Did you think I’d bathe naked, Makijima? Hilarious!”

Was she planning to tease me with this from the start?

If so, I’ll hit back with confidence.

I grab Sasaki’s shoulders firmly, not letting go, as she chuckles.

“W-What, Makijima?! What’s with you all of a sudden?!”

“…Yeah, I did.”

“Huh?”

“I thought, since you’re the older one, Sasaki! That you’d boldly bathe naked with me, no problem! Got an issue with that?!”

Raising my voice, I lay into her, and Sasaki’s lips tremble as she yells, “Huh?!” and turns red.

“Y-You pervert, Makijima! There’s no way I’d bathe naked! You perv!”

“Whoa, what’s wrong, Sasaki? For an older sister type, you’re looking pretty flustered!”

“I’m not flustered!”

Having turned the tables and successfully teased Sasaki, I grab a towel and change of clothes from the dresser before heading to the bath.

Even with a clothed bath, I’ve got a lingering unease about sharing it with Sasaki… but if I wash up quick and get out, it should be fine, right?

“So, your ‘clothed bath’—you’re going in with those clothes?”

“Of course not! What do you think girls’ outfits are?”

“S-Sorry.”

Why am I the one getting scolded here?

“Change before the bath, so lend me some clothes that can get wet?”

This girl’s a total free spirit, isn’t she?

Left with no choice, I dig out an old high school practice uniform—top and bottom—from the back of the drawer and hand it to Sasaki.

Sniff sniff… “This smells like you, Makijima.”

“Well, yeah. I wore that practice gear for three years.”

That uniform brings back memories of those hellish three years, and I’d planned to toss it after retiring… but I never did, and even dragged it with me to Tokyo.

Wonder why, though.

“Huh? Didn’t Seijin’s uniform used to be black? The practice gear’s white?”

“Yeah, the practice stuff’s the opposite… Wait, how do you know about Seijin Academy?”

“W-Well… as the official championship manager, it’s only natural I’d know!”

“You weren’t the official manager the year we made it to the championships, though.”

“Uh, w-well, for famous schools, I went for director interviews before the prelims, so that’s how I know!”

“Oh yeah? Then what’s the name of the Seijin director you interviewed?”

“Uh, umm…”

Sasaki, stumped for an answer, kept darting her eyes around.

Figures she doesn’t know.

But then why does she know about Seijin—

“K-Ki… Kishihara! Director Kishihara, right?”

“Whoa, spot on. Nice memory.”

“W-Well? I’ve got confidence in my memory!”

Kishihara was the legendary coach who led Seijin Academy to nationals multiple times, but someone with zero high school soccer knowledge wouldn’t know that.

Did Sasaki really interview Kishihara?

“I’ll change into this, so you go ahead and bathe first—”

“O-Okay.”

Prompted by Sasaki, I grab my clothes and head to the bathroom.

Her memory’s seriously impressive.

I can’t even remember the opposing team’s coach’s name off the top of my head… but it makes sense she got into Koto University on merit alone.

I wrap a towel around my waist and head into the bath first.

As I rinse off under the shower, Sasaki, now changed, steps in.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Sasaki appears in my oversized practice gear, looking a bit comical.

With her slim arms and legs, the sleeves and legs of my practice uniform are way too long on her.

“You sure that’s okay? What if, like, your underwear or something shows by accident?”

“Too bad for you, Makijima. I even threw on a black undershirt, so no peeking through.”

Sasaki says with a smug look.

A black undershirt…?

She totally raided my dresser without asking, didn’t she?

“Geez, Makijima, you’re making such an obvious disappointed face.”

“I’m not disappointed or anything!”

“Liar… After getting all excited over my gravure and stretching your jaw out.”

“I didn’t stretch anything!”

Sasaki grabs a body towel and says, “I’ll wash your back!” before lathering it with body soap and scrubbing my back.

“…Makijima, you’re kinda a closet perv, aren’t you?”

“What? Here I thought you’d say something else, but you’re back on that. I’ve told you a million times I didn’t buy your photobook with any shady intentions.”

“Maybe not the photobook, but… that stuff in your drawer… that’s a bit much.”

Sasaki’s hands pause, and her usually sharp tongue stumbles.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing! Forget it!”

“?”

I don’t get it, but the force of her scrubbing my back suddenly gets stronger.

“By the way… Makijima, your back’s surprisingly broad, huh?”

“Is it?”

“Yeah… Guys have backs this big, huh…”

The only sound is the drip-drip of water filling the tub.

Sasaki’s been acting weird lately.

Her voice sounds all soft and dreamy…

“…H-Hey, Sasaki. You’re not, like, just now feeling embarrassed about this situation, are you?”

“N-No way! Not embarrassed at all!”

Right. That denial screams she’s embarrassed (confirmed).

“Where’d all that ‘older sister confidence’ go?”

“Shut up! Keep it up, and I’ll scrub your back raw!”

“N-No, stop!”

“Then raise your arms, c’mon!”

“Arms? Oh…”

Following her lead, I raise my arms, and Sasaki’s hands start messing with my armpits.

Startled, I let out a little “Ngh!” sound.

“What’s wrong, Makijima?! That sounded kinda naughty just now!”

“N-No, my armpits are fine! I’ll wash them myself!”

“Oh, really?”

“My armpits, uh, they’re kinda sensitive, you know…”

“Why?”

Does she seriously not get it unless I spell it out from one to ten? This ex-pure-idol vibe is terrifying.

Well, with Sasaki, she’s got knowledge about naughty stuff (like that thing in my wallet) but is clueless about the conceptual side—talk about tricky.

“Want me to wash your hair while I’m at it?”

“I’ve got to be careful with my injury, so I’ll handle my hair too.”

“Oh, I see.”

Left with nothing to do, Sasaki sits on the tub’s edge and hums a tune.

It’s a song by Genesistars, one that was all over TV commercials about two years ago.

The melody’s pretty tricky, tough to hum without hitting a wrong note, but Sasaki nails it perfectly.

“You’re really good at singing.”

“Obviously. I was an idol—there’s no way I’d be bad.”

“Is that how it works?”

“Yeah. No matter how cute you are, if you’re tone-deaf, you can’t become the center of a 90-member group like Genesistars. Back then, I practiced singing and dancing with my body on the line. ‘Cause if I’m gonna do it, I want to be the protagonist, right?”

Hearing that, I’m struck anew by the sheer presence of Ayane Sasaki.

Kiraboshi Ayane fought through a brutal rivalry with 90 others, clinching the top spot in popularity polls and securing the unshakable center position.

“With that kind of drive, Sasaki, wouldn’t it have been better to go solo after quitting idol life?”

“Solo? Like an actress?”

“Yeah. Idols often switch to other fields after leaving a group, right? So you could’ve—”

“…So, those who switched fields—did they make it to the top in a new industry?”

Sasaki fires back with a sharp question.

“W-Well…”

“The moment I left Genesistars, Kiraboshi Ayane was done. Even if I moved to another industry, the idol me wouldn’t be there, and it’d just be a matter of time before people got bored. So, I can’t aim for the top in entertainment again.”

Now that she mentions it, that does make sense.

There are plenty of ex-idols who struggle after retiring from groups, trying their hand at acting or other talents outside the idol world.

Getting back to the top of the industry like I did as an idol… maybe it’s impossible.

“The Kiraboshi Ayane of Genesistars died two years ago when I retired. So that gravure photobook Makijima bought—it feels like a memorial portrait to me now.”

Sasaki turns around, reaching toward her reflection in the tub, rippling the water’s surface.

“H-Hey, don’t say stuff like that. Every time I look at your gravure, I’ll just think of it as a memorial!”

“But it’s true. Besides, I think retiring from showbiz was the right move.”

“Because you got your freedom? Oh, wait—let me guess, it’s the all-you-can-eat pancakes, right?”

“N-No… Well, pancakes are a factor, but it’s because I found a new goal!”

“A new… goal?”

“Yeah, something new to aim for the top in. Though? Makijima, you probably wouldn’t get it at all!”

With that, Sasaki grabs a washbasin, scoops up bathwater, and splashes it on me while I’m washing.

“H-Hey! What’s that for?!”

“I was wondering how long you’d take. You’ll catch a cold if you don’t soak soon!”

“O-Oh…”

Despite the heavy talk just moments ago, Sasaki’s suddenly back to her chipper self.

Her new goal’s got me a little curious, though.

I rinse off the remaining suds, holding my towel around my waist to keep it from slipping, and step into the tub.

Sasaki’s been perched on the tub’s edge, dipping just her feet in, silently watching me.

“D-Do you really need to stare that hard?”

“I’m worried. It’d be trouble if you suddenly passed out.”

But it seems more like she’s bored, as she starts kicking her feet playfully.

Looks like she’s tired of singing too—she’s clearly bored out of her mind.

I usually love a long soak, but with that head injury, I’ll keep it short today.

“Alright, I’m warmed up, so I’ll get out soon—”

“Hey, Makijima. Can I get in too?”

“O-Oh, I was just about to get out, so feel free to take your time after me—”

Before I finish, Sasaki plops into the tub in a squat without a word.

Her entry sends water spilling over, and her clothes float up a bit.

The white practice gear turns slightly see-through, revealing the black undershirt I usually wear underneath.

“It’s fine being together, right?”

The two of us squat in the tub, locking eyes.

I can’t tell if it’s just the heat of the bath or my nerves about this situation, but weird sweat’s pouring out of me.

“Y-You know, bathing together like this… it kinda feels like we’re doing something naughty, huh?”

You’re the one who started this, damn it!

Sasaki keeps staring at me, her face flushed.

Suddenly deciding to stay over, suggesting a bath together… something’s definitely off with Sasaki today.

“Hey, aren’t you acting a bit strange today?”

“Strange how?”

“You’re, like, way too close… I appreciate you coming over because you were worried, but then suddenly saying you’ll stay over, and now bathing together…”

“…”

Sasaki sinks her upper lip into the water, blowing bubbles while fixing her gaze on me.

“Hey, say something!”

Bloop bloop

“This is getting ridiculous.”

As I clutch my head in confusion, Sasaki forms a water gun with her hands and blasts my face.

I have no clue what she’s up to, and it’s driving me nuts, so I just take her attack without fighting back.

“Makijima, you’re no fun—fight back! Come on, do it!”

Sasaki wiggles her index finger, taunting me.

Irritated, I stand up, splashing tub water everywhere as I fling it at her.

“Oh, you’re on!”

Not to be outdone, Sasaki stands too, and we start splashing each other in the cramped tub.

It’s a pointless battle, but for some reason, it was kinda fun.

“Ugh, now the bathwater’s all gone!”

“What are you even trying to do?”

Sasaki’s soaked from head to toe, her hair and clothes dripping wet.

The drenched outfit clings to her, highlighting her delicate figure even more.

The gravure photos were nice, but seeing her live like this… n-no, staring too long is bad—my lower half’s reacting.

I hunch over and climb out of the tub.

“I’m getting out now.”

“Aw, no! Let’s refill it and go for round two!”

“Are you a kid or what?!”

I slide open the bath door, and a slightly chilly breeze wafts in.

“Can I take a shower?”

“Go ahead, but I don’t have any women’s shampoo or conditioner.”

“No worries, no worries! …Matching scents could be fun too.”

“Hm? What’s up? Should I go buy some now?”

“Nah, it’s not that! More like, could you lend me some loungewear too?”

“Loungewear, huh? I’ll bring some later. For now, wring out what you’re wearing and toss it in the wash.”

“Got it!”

The door closes, and the sound of the shower starts.

I wipe myself down nearby, change into my tracksuit, and head back to the room.

After the bath, I sip some natural water at a leisurely pace.

“Man, Sasaki calls herself the older sister type, but her actions are so childish…”

As I drink, I check my phone and see an email from the coach…

Wait, the coach?! Crap! I need to reply ASAP, right?

“Starting tomorrow, you’re suspended from the team for a week.”

S-Suspended…?

“With the concussion and all, but you’ve been overtraining—pushing your body and mind too hard. Take a break. That’s it.”

The message carries both the coach’s sternness and kindness.

A whole week without practice…

Since high school, I’ve never had a full week off.

It’s frustrating, but there’s no choice.

Overtraining’s been a concern for a while, and the coach probably saw this as a good chance to enforce it.

I reply with, “Understood.”

“Alright, gotta find some loungewear for Sasaki.”

I rummage through the wardrobe, picking out a smaller T-shirt, a tracksuit top, and soccer shorts—nothing in her size, but the best I can do—and leave them by the bathroom.

As I tidy up the scattered clothes while opening the dresser—

…Hm?

I feel a weird vibe pulling out the second of the three drawers.

“That’s odd…”

I pick up a Blu-ray disc (that thing) from inside.

Before dinner, I’m sure I hid all those items at the bottom of each drawer.

Yet, in the second drawer, the Blu-ray’s wedged between clothes, not at the bottom.

“I definitely hid it at the bottom… Wait a sec.”

I check the clothes above and below it.

They’re—black undershirts.

“What the—?!”

I collapse to my knees.

No way… Did Sasaki see that?

This can’t be real… Tell me it’s a lie.

“Makijima~! Thanks for the clothes!”

“…”

Sasaki walks back in, wearing the oversized tracksuit and white soccer shorts.

♡♡♡

Sasaki wipes her short chestnut hair with a towel, sniffing the clothes again.

“Yup, smells like Makijima.”

“Hey, Sasaki. Forget that—did you see it?”

“See… what? Oh.”

Her face freezes.

She glances at the Blu-ray in my hand, wiping sweat from her forehead with the towel.

“…You saw it.”

“N-No! I didn’t see Heart-Pounding Deserted Island Tag with Older Women!”

“So you did see it!”

☆☆

“You’re a guy, Makijima. But… Heart-Pounding Deserted Island Tag with Older Women? That title’s kinda… super creepy, don’t you think?”

Sasaki, blushing as usual, hits me with a direct attack.

Not just kinda—it’s creepy enough to deserve contempt!

Someone, please, end me.

“But, you know! I don’t think it’s bad at all that you’re into older women. You should keep collecting stuff like this—”

“Sorry! Need some fresh air!”

“Makijima?! You don’t have to take it that hard!”

Leaving a worried Sasaki behind, I step outside, letting the night breeze cool my overheated body.

“Ugh… Sasaki totally thinks I’m a creep deep down.”

As I sulk, staring from the apartment hallway toward the courtyard, a curly-haired sleaze pops out of the elevator next door.

“Yo, Makijima! Lookin’ lively, huh?”

“Azaki, you jerk. What’re you doing here this late?”

“Came to deliver your mixer reward. Check it—tomorrow’s Tokyo Frontier’s third match, right?”

Azaki hands me two SS-seat tickets.

“The cleats’ll come next week. I’ll give ‘em to you at practice.”

With that, he waves and turns to leave.

“Hey, Azaki…!”

“What? SS seats not good enough?”

“No, it’s just… I got banned from practice for a week. So, next week—”

“Got it. I’ll give ‘em to you the week after.”

“‘Got it’? You’re kinda cold, man.”

Azaki comes back, clapping my shoulder.

“…Just rest for now. You’re my precious partner. To shine together on the A-team, you gotta recover, got it?”

In an uncharacteristically cool tone, Azaki says, “Later,” and hops back into the elevator.

With Azaki… together…

“I’m going for it. The A-team.”

A concussion keeping me from practice, scoring a goal but still struggling, Sasaki finding out my weird tastes, all this unfair crap piling up.

“Welcome back, Makijima. Head cooled off?”

I return to the room and hold out the tickets to Sasaki.

“Sasaki, wanna go out tomorrow?”

“Huh?”

Resting for a week—it’s what I need to step up to the next level.