The End of the Chase
Sakuya, who had seemed utterly uncatchable, finally surrendered meekly when Tae-il threatened not to show up for her next finals match. Even as she let herself get caught, she seemed to guide him right into her chest for a classic lucky pervert mishap. Rena bellowed like a whale, yelling, "What is this, some rom-com shoot?!"
"Rena, cut him some slack. It's a guy's instinct."
"Why are you, a jock girl, making excuses for him?"
"Tae-il's a guy too, right? Can't be helped..."
"It was clearly an accident, so why does it feel like everyone's treating it like he did it on purpose!?"
"S-Sakuna...!"
Sakuya's face went pale as she desperately clung to Tae-il's arm.
"All the stuff Tae-il's done to me so far... it was all just teasing, right...?"
"Rena. Should we just head back? Let's grab a taxi."
"Call an Uber?"
"Sorry..."
Only when the two got serious did Sakuya finally apologize with genuine sincerity. The group didn't leave the net cafe until a full twenty minutes later.
After walking through the city for about thirty minutes, they crossed a strange boundary line—downtown yet somehow nestled in the mountains. A building surrounded by trees and hills welcomed them. The vibe screamed traditional ryokan inn, but the architecture that caught Tae-il's eye was thoroughly modern. Maybe that's why it surprised him even more.
"Th-this is your dorm...?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
As Tae-il panicked, Sakuya grinned like it was no big deal.
"Our school's facilities are even more impressive than this place, aren't they?"
"True, but..."
From what Tae-il had heard, wealthy private schools sometimes booked entire hotels for their students during Interhigh to let them rest up. Yuuma High had contracted a massive condo-like facility—not a hotel—for optimal student conditioning. The whole thing, top to bottom. It had a vast, perfectly manicured lawn with artificial turf for ball sports practice, plus dedicated indoor gyms for volleyball, basketball, badminton, and more. There was even an onsen, gym, and pool, just as Sakuya had mentioned. A full-blown resort condo with every amenity imaginable.
"So, you're saying we're the only ones using this place right now?"
"The other teams already headed back to Tokyo."
"Nice. Feels like we rented the whole joint."
Unlike Tae-il, who felt burdened by the unexpectedly luxurious setup, Rena was totally unfazed. Sakuya added, "The next team probably won't arrive until around lunchtime."
"So we can use the facilities however we want until then?"
"Pool and gym aren't open yet, so no dice there. But the convenience store and onsen should be fine."
Sakuya strode ahead, pointing out the onsen cleaning schedule posted in the lobby. She exchanged a quick greeting with the security guard at the entrance—clearly on familiar terms—and breezed right in, with Rena following naturally. Tae-il hesitated at the door, a flicker of doubt holding him back.
"A-are we really okay going in...?"
"I said it's fine. Hurry up and come in, you idiot Tae-il."
Sakuya teased him for dithering timidly at the entrance.
"But Rena and I are total outsiders. You sure it's cool?"
"If I say it's fine, it is."
"Ugh! Jock girl, that was super annoying just now."
"What can I do? It's the truth. I'm the only one from Yuuma slated for Most Valuable Player this Interhigh, you know?"
Competing in multiple events meant she wasn't wrong—if she advanced to finals or won. The school was indeed going all-out for her, expectations sky-high. And she wasn't the only prized talent here making Yuuma sweat.
"Cocky much? Drop out in prelims already."
Rena shot Sakuya a glare, irked—not from anyone else, but the girl with direct access to the school chairman via personal line.
"Heh heh. Too bad all my events start straight in the main draw."
"School seeding privilege."
"Getting into a powerhouse school with top results is skill too."
Sakuya, like Rena a recommendation admit, puffed out her chest proudly. Rena ground her teeth at the pose emphasizing certain assets and lunged for Sakuya's shin...
"Ow!"
She missed.
"Grr! Don't dodge like a coward!"
Rena trembled in fury and charged again. But the lobby was spacious, full of places to evade. Sakuya's nimble footwork dodged the kick; Rena's small foot sliced empty air repeatedly.
Sakuya smirked at her flailing opponent.
"Legs are a athlete's lifeline, Rena."
"None of your business!?"
"Sigh. This is why I call you a kid, Rena."
Tired of dodging, Sakuya grabbed Rena from behind and scooped her up like a child.
"Hey! Let go! That's cheating!?"
"Just calm down in my arms a bit..."
Sakuya turned to Tae-il, effortlessly cradling the kicking, squirming Rena.
"Convenience store's that way. Let's go."
"Uh, uh-huh..."
Tae-il wore a troubled expression, silently apologizing to the chairman in his mind before stepping into the lobby.
Indeed. In just one day, Sakuya had mastered handling top-tier human relations pro Rena.
As they walked the quiet hallway, Sakuya asked, "Tae-il, you know how to cook?"
"A little?"
Tae-il tilted his head at the random question. Why bring up cooking when they were just buying convenience store food?
The answer came quick.
"Whoa."
Tae-il let out an awed exclamation at the spectacle unfolding before him. Sakuya grinned, having anticipated his reaction.
"Impressive, right?"
"This isn't a convenience store—it's basically a full mart!"
Tae-il's eyes widened; he'd expected school shop level or basic dorm amenities.
"Tons of instant foods here. Public lounge has cooking setups too."
"That's why you asked. I can handle instant stuff no problem."
Tae-il doubted cooking skill even mattered for instant meals, but whatever.
"Great! Then let's split the work."
Sakuya looked thrilled for some reason, so he just went with it.
"Why am I left out?"
Rena, feeling excluded while still in Sakuya's arms, crossed her arms and pouted at them.
"Ahaha. Rena, you cook?"
"No."
"Figured, so I didn't ask."
"..."
Humiliated, Rena hung her head, trembling.
"Plus, all the cookware's up high. Too tall for you to even use the microwave."
"Urk...!"
"Maybe there's a step stool somewhere for you?"
"Eh, too much hassle to look."
"Fine, jock girl! I'll find it myself—it's unfair!"
Rena huffed, wriggled free, and dashed into the mart ahead of them. She scanned behind shelves and corners for a stool, ignoring the food displays.
Tae-il silently watched, then glanced at Sakuya.
"..."
"Ah, haha?"
Sakuya shrugged with a wry smile.
"Sigh. Let's pick our food. Here's a basket."
"No price limit?"
"Doubt it."
Tae-il was impressed. With unlimited budget in a place like this, her seniors sticking to cup ramen to protect conditioning was admirable.
"Heard the guys' volleyball team got busted sneaking snacks and caught hell."
"Figures."
"Senior dating one said they even had booze..."
"Deserved it."
No wonder the fridges looked sparse—probably cleared out liquor to prevent repeats for the students' sake. Not that they'd drink anyway.
Tae-il grabbed spicy Korean-style ramen packets—rare find—and toppings. Sakuya, not super hungry, eyed non-food items.
Like this.
"Tae-il! Wanna try this on?"
"Huh? Clothes?"
Sakuya thrust a white shirt with printed text at him. The mart doubled as a souvenir shop, selling shirts and local merch.
"Your shirt's soaked in sweat, super sticky. And it stinks."
"Fair, but..."
Tae-il eyed the text with a weird look.
お前はまだグンマを知らない!
You still don't know Gunma!
The familiar line made his eye twitch.
"Not your vibe? How 'bout this?"
When he didn't react much, Sakuya pulled another.
未知の地、群馬.
The Unknown Land, Gunma.
Tae-il gaped that such Gunma-dissing merch sold openly here.
"Sakuya, just checking..."
"Yeah? What?"
"You got some grudge against Gunma or...?"
"Nah, not at all."
Sakuya shelved it and grabbed another.
"Oh, this one's funny. What about it, Tae-il?"
ネパールじゃない!
Not Nepal!
Tae-il, exhausted, mustered a weak smile.
"Gunma's not even a memory anymore..."
"Ahaha. Fun, right?"
"Koreans and Japanese must have wildly different senses of humor..."
Tae-il added prepped green onions to his basket, clueless where the appeal was.
"I'm done. You, Sakuya?"
"Ramen for you? I'll take this."
Sakuya peeked in his basket and grabbed frozen karaage from the freezer.
"Rena likes karaage."
"Cool."
"Inari's too much hassle to make. This'll do."
"Fryer in the lounge?"
"Air fryer."
They looped the mart to double-check, then headed to the public lounge.
"You're late!"
Rena yelled from atop some mystery stool, basket brimming with snacks, cheese, sausages.
"You got a ton."
"Duh. Opportunities like this don't come often."
This was her first time snacking like this at dawn with friends—thrilling and novel.
"Gotta enjoy it while I can."
Not Iris-level life-ending, but adulthood would busy her more.
Postponing exhibitions on a whim works 'cause I'm still a kid.
Her father's breakwater shield and her minor status—waning privileges. Adulthood meant diving into adult entanglements.
Iris can dream, at least...
Rena couldn't even that. Too much owed to the Arisugawas to abandon it all.
"C'mon, let's eat! Time is money!"
"More precious than gold."
Tae-il shrugged, gathering Rena's basket too.
"Sausages too?"
"You like 'em."
"Inari, karaage, sausages. No pattern to your faves."
"So what? They're tasty."
"All bento staples. You wouldn't get it, Tae-il."
"Mom never packed me one."
Yu Hana was too busy—even for sports days or picnics, just cash. Ayane's help spared him triangle onigiri isolation.
Sakuya wiped fake tears.
"That's kinda sad..."
Rena panicked.
"Wait! Mood was great, why's my food prefs tanking it!?"
"Huh. Maybe it's your fault, Rena?"
"Hey!"
"Ahaha!"
"Stop teasing the kid and boil water."
Tae-il grabbed a pot from the shelf, halting Sakuya's fun.
"Add toppings and powder when it boils?"
"Noodles too, then call me."
Sakuya headed to the induction burner. Tae-il knelt, pulling sausages—the only thing needing prep—from Rena's haul.
"Rena, ever used a knife?"
"Home ec class a few times..."
"Wanna score some sausages together? Like squid."
"Squid-style?"
"Yep."
Rena perked up, nodding. They joined Sakuya at the counter, grabbing a cutting board.
"Sakuya, hand me that?"
"Which?"
"Pink-handled kitchen knife."
"This?"
Her reach easily hit the high shelf for kid-proof storage.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"..."
Remember: Sakuya held the knife now. Tae-il valued his life, gritting his teeth to stifle laughter.
Jaw aches...
He snatched the normal knife before she noticed, turning to hand it to Rena—then swapped for the toy-like one. Her beaming face froze.
"Th-this one...?"
Too childish; she recoiled.
"Lightest. Fits your hand perfect."
"Nngh."
Rena eyed it dubiously. Tae-il overlaid his hand.
"C'mon, let's slice. I'll hold your hand."
"Uh, uhh?"
"Hey! Focus. Cut your finger otherwise?"
"I-I'm focused!?"
Sakuya smirked at the dad-daughter vibe.
What, am I mom then?
Not bad, even imaginary; she hummed.
* * *
Korean ramen with green onions and egg, karaage, sausages, cheese, snacks, drinks. Too lavish for "skipped dinner, early breakfast" midnight munchies.
Tae-il wondered if they'd finish it, but...
"Haaah. So full!"
Sakuya sprawled on the sofa, rubbing her bulging belly. All worries for naught.
"Sakuya, how do you eat like that and stay thin?"
"Exercise?"
"Jock answer."
"Jealous?"
Sakuya's eyes glinted mischievously at Rena's jab, hand drifting to her chest.
"Or maybe it all went here...?"
"Pfft!"
Tae-il, soothing overeating with cola, sprayed it everywhere.
Sakuya winced, cola-showered from the head.
"Ugh, what? Now I'm soaked 'cause of you, Tae-il..."
"Cough! Cough! Sakuya, you... cough!"
"Eww, hair's sticky too."
She shook cola from her strands. Rena, beside Tae-il and unscathed, mocked her.
"Serves you right, dumb jock."
Sakuya glared.
"You, Rena?"
"Huh? Eek! Get off, idiot! Kyaa!"
Pretending fury, Sakuya pounced—cola-drenched.
"G-get away, Shin! Kyaa!"
The U-shaped sofa trapped center-seated Rena.
"Wha—?"
Tae-il stood blankly, too slow. Rena was already pinned.
"Ahaha! Where ya goin'!"
"Kyaa! It's sticky, you idiot! Move your hand!"
"Hand's off now?"
"Kyaa!"
Hand away, now face-rubbing. With cola-sticky one.
"Mmph! What kinda girl does this!?"
"Me?"
"Uwaa..."
Tae-il backed away, sighing in dismay at the instant disaster.
Clack.
The sharp heel click made him flinch. Sakuya and Rena froze mid-play, staring at him.
Blank-faced like horror ghosts, they exchanged glances.
"Hey, jock."
"Same page, Rena—no words needed."
"Uh, guys...?"
Bad vibes. Tae-il spun and bolted.
"Grab him!" Rena yelled.
Sakuya vaulted the sofa backrest acrobatically, pursuing.
"Ahaha! Tae-il, roles reversed this time?"
"Uwaaak!"
Overwhelming physical gap. Tae-il's desperate struggle lasted under a minute.
Sakuya pinned him down, rubbing her face on his like with Rena.
"Pffft. Less sticky after Rena, huh?"
"Then let me go..."
"Nope. Gotta be fair. Rena, toss cola!"
"Cola? For what?"
Rena lobbed Tae-il's half-full bottle. Sakuya caught it midair, grinning, shaking vigorously. Bubbles surged like waves; Tae-il panicked.
"H-hey... guys!?"
"Now it's fair, right?"
Too late to escape; Sakuya held firm.
And right in his face—
Pshhh!
Cola fountain erupted.
"Ahahaha!"
"Even if we're showering soon, seriously..."
Drenched again, Sakuya laughed hysterically, nuzzling his neck. Each floor-slap splashed cola, staining their clothes brown.
Rena approached, tsking, squatting.
Chin in hand, she shook her head at the cola-shower duo.
"Jeez, total kids. Right, Shin?"
"Yeah..."
Tae-il nodded weakly, resistance spent.
Lick.
As he sulked, Sakuya licked cola off her hand.
"Huh. Tastes like cola even on skin."
"'Cause it is cola, not soda."
"Ahaha. Want Sakuya-flavored cola, Tae-il?"
"No th—mmph!?"
Sakuya pressed her finger to his lips. Sticky-sweet cola scent seeped in; his face flushed.
"Ah. Kinda embarrassing now..."
Her ears reddened post-act.
"H-hey, jock! You've been all over Shin—ease up!"
Rena butted in.
Clack.
Clear heels echoed louder, approaching. With only them in the lounge, it rang crystal.
Staff alerted by noise? Gotta apologize, clean cola mess.
Tae-il looked up first.
"Sorry! We—"
"Shin-jjang?"
Crunch.
Tae-il, mid-apology.
Sakuya, atop him.
Rena, scolding her.
All froze like Earth in an ice age.
Literally. The world stopped.
Maybe someone wished it would.
"Heh?"
But alas. Time-stop was godly power, beyond human reach.
Amber eyes dulled, light fading.
"Heeeeeh?"
Tae-il desperately wanted to stop thinking.