The next day, Akaya spoke to the group again.
"Um, Renji and I were thinking about how we should divide the cranes. If we did it evenly, it'd be...uh..."
"142.8571428571429. Rounded to whole numbers, that's 142 for each of us and 6 extras." Renji supplied.
"Right. That. Anyway...I think I should make more than you, sempai. I have more life to give, since I'm younger." The room filled with chatter and yelling, until Sanada himself yelled.
They fell silent in the wake of the loud 'tarundoru'.
"We can divide them evenly, and I'll make the extras." Sanada spoke firmly. Everyone immediately began arguing.
"But, Fukubuchou, you guys have been so tired since we started this. Marui almost lost to a second year yesterday!" Akaya looked close to tears. Marui looked at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with anyone.
"We're the regulars, we're supposed to be the best. And you're my sempai, you should be the best of the best. But right now you're not. You can't be. You're giving all your energy to the cranes! And I...I can't play my best if you can't, sempai. I need you." He fell silent, looking at his shoes.
"Akaya..." Marui got up and threw his arms around the baby of the team. Niou and Jackal followed, and soon they were all hugging him. From somewhere in the middle of the pile of yellow, a small sniffle was heard. Sanada, on the edge of the group hug, spoke softly.
"We can set a maximum number of cranes to make every day, so we won't be so tired. Would that be better?" Akaya nodded before realizing Sanada couldn't see him.
"Mmhmm."
"Good." He held on a moment longer before letting go. "Don't forget that we're going to visit Seiichi on Friday. And I don't want anyone to tell him we're making the cranes. It'd only worry him."