For a while, Haizaki Shogo laughed freely. Aomine Daiki, standing beside him with a clearly annoyed expression, could only look at him with undisguised disdain. Finally, Haizaki Shogo straightened his posture, though the smile lingering at the corner of his mouth still hadn't completely faded.
"Were you dragged here too?" he asked casually.
"Huh? No," Aomine replied immediately. "We're on a date. Just walking around. You're the only one who got dragged along."
That choice of wording—dragged along—made Aomine sigh in annoyance. He wanted to argue, but he couldn't deny it was kind of accurate.
Seeing the two girls walk deeper toward the bamboo grove again, Haizaki Shogo nodded toward Aomine.
"Hey, over there. There's paper and pens. Go grab some for Momoi."
Aomine shrugged and did as instructed. Soon afterward, he found himself bent over slightly, serving as a makeshift writing desk for Satsuki Momoi. Once she finished writing her wish strips and shyly tied them onto the bamboo branches, the four of them finally prepared to leave.
Haizaki Shogo had originally intended to peek at what Momoi wrote, but Shimizu Rena subtly blocked him. Noticing the faint smile on Aomine's face only made Haizaki Shogo's curiosity grow even stronger.
Now I really want to know what she wrote…
He let out a soft laugh, shook his head, and abandoned the idea as he followed the girls out of the shrine.
Shimizu Rena and Satsuki Momoi, once together, seemed to react like some kind of chemical mixture. They instantly became excited, pointing everywhere and wanting to visit every stall they saw. Walking through the crowded streets, Aomine and Haizaki Shogo naturally lagged a few steps behind the girls.
They began chatting casually.
"I heard you went overseas to play during summer break?" Aomine asked.
"Yeah. Played in an exhibition match," Haizaki Shogo replied.
"Oh? Exhibition match? How were your teammates and opponents?"
"My teammates were strong. Opponents too."
"...That's just nonsense. Be more specific."
"Buy me a meal and I'll tell you."
"Tch. Forget it then."
Aomine clicked his tongue and looked away. Haizaki Shogo didn't push the conversation any further. Instead, his attention drifted to a nearby shop.
It was a store selling oil-paper umbrellas. The colorful designs reminded him of old riversides, wooden bridges, and quiet water towns drifting through memory. Without hesitation, he bought two umbrellas—one deep red with plum blossoms and the other soft pink with cherry blossoms.
He quickly returned and, under the surprised gazes of the girls, handed one to each of them.
The umbrellas opened with a soft whoosh.
Instantly, the two girls seemed even more radiant, their beauty highlighted beneath the traditional designs. Now, Shimizu Rena and Satsuki Momoi carried an almost dreamlike charm, like paintings that had stepped out of a scroll.
Haizaki Shogo returned to Aomine's side, looking satisfied.
"Well? Good taste, right?"
"...It's okay. Average," Aomine replied flatly.
Haizaki Shogo shook his head.
That "average" clearly meant something much closer to jealousy.
The four of them continued walking until they reached a riverside area. The sky had begun to darken, and the lanterns lining the streets lit up one after another, painting the entire town in warm, glowing colors.
Shimizu Rena and Satsuki Momoi each held a lotus-shaped wish lantern, their eyes shimmering as they looked toward Haizaki Shogo and Aomine.
Haizaki Shogo handed Aomine a match.
"Here."
"Tch," Aomine muttered as he took it.
SIZZ—
The match lit up in Haizaki Shogo's hand. He leaned forward and carefully lit Shimizu Rena's lantern. The soft glow gently illuminated her face like blooming petals.
"Thank you, Shogo-kun," she whispered.
Haizaki Shogo smiled faintly and gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Then she slowly released the lantern into the stream, closing her eyes for a brief moment as she silently made a wish. When she opened them again, she watched the lantern drift away, her gaze filled with quiet anticipation.
Soon, Satsuki Momoi stepped beside her. She also lit her lantern before releasing it into the water.
The two beautiful girls stood by the riverbank together, quietly watching their wishes float into the distance. The lantern light flickered softly, uncertain whether it would ever reach its destination.
Behind them, the two boys stood holding their oil-paper umbrellas, glancing around casually as though searching for something neither of them would ever admit.
A passing photographer raised his camera.
CLICK!
A perfect moment was captured.
In the photo, two girls stood by the river watching drifting wish lanterns, while two boys holding oil-paper umbrellas remained quietly behind them, silently watching over the scene.
Night deepened, and the streets became vibrant and lively, filled with laughter, music, and the festive energy of Tanabata. Before long, Haizaki Shogo and Aomine led the girls into a small family-style restaurant beside the bridge.
Inside, every guest wore festive clothing, fully immersed in the Tanabata atmosphere. After ordering, the four of them quietly watched the traditional street performances through the window.
Haizaki Shogo's gaze gradually drifted upward toward the night sky.
Legend says that on this night, magpies form a bridge across the Milky Way. A woman descends from her loom. A man leaves behind his ox. And the two meet once a year. Separated by the heavens… yet reunited for a single night.
I wonder how many children they've had by now…
He smirked faintly at his own thought.
=========
The Next Day
Sunlight filled the room.
Haizaki Shogo changed his clothes, grabbed breakfast, and left the villa early. Three days after Tanabata, he arrived at a large private training facility.
Yesterday, he had received a call from Takeuchi Daijo, asking him to come for testing. Takeuchi Daijo, the former chief instructor of Japan's National Sports Administration, was a specialist in pushing human physical limits.
Standing before him now, the elderly man was nearly 190 centimeters tall, yet despite his age, he still radiated a fierce, almost primal presence. The muscles beneath his short sleeves were visibly dense and powerful.
Without saying a word, Takeuchi circled Haizaki Shogo seven times. Then he began testing him—leg raises, kicks, arm extensions, and full-body mobility checks.
Finally, he muttered,
"...Unbelievable."
"This level of physical ability… I've never seen it in this country before. I thought the data you sent might have been exaggerated, but it seems… it was accurate."
"You're Haizaki Shogo?"
Haizaki Shogo blinked before nodding.
"That's me."
"Good," the old man said. "For the next two days, you'll undergo full-body testing. I want your current limit values."
"Understood."
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