"Sorry but I have no sister"
Onee - chan... Do you relly mean that?
I woke up and immediately sat up. That dream again... It's been years since Teru onee - sama said those cruel words to me and still, it haunts my very being. To have the person you trust and love treat you like a stranger is always a painful thing. That's why I'm working hard to reach the Nationals, to see her again and hopefully, bring our family back together again.
"Ara? Are you already awake Miyanaga - san?" Nodoka asked sleepily from my side, it looks like she was just starting to rouse herself. She sat up and tried to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Shall we go and try out the hot spring now?"
"MmHmm. Let's go Haramura - san. Should we wake up Yuuki - chan?"
"No, just let her sleep a little bit longer."
With that, we got up, took care of our futons and made our way to the outdoor hotsprings. The place Buchou booked for our 4 Schools Joint Training Camp was massive. It had to be, to support the 4 teams that made it to the finals of the prefecture consisting of: Ryuumonbuchi, Kazekoshi, Tsuruga and of course Kiyosumi. Just thinking about the finals made me smile, not only did we manage to secure our place in the Nationals but I also got to face a strong opponent. It makes my heart race.
While the battle against Koromo cha - san was grueling, to me it was also a step closer into getting back my love for mahjong. Plus, I have to be ready to face strong adversaries if I were to ever reach my Onee - sama and her school: Shiraitodai. They are the reigning champions of Mahjong for two years now and getting to them would be no walk in the park.
"Miyanaga - san, we're here. Look!"
"Uwaahhh! It looks so beautiful in the morning..." and it did. Due to the early morning sun, the hotspring looked like it was sparkling. We quickly took off our clothes and made our way to the water. The warm water and the cool early morning air was just right.
"Beautiful isn't it?"
"Uwaah! Kajiki - san, you were here?"
"Yeah, we may have spent a liitle too long in the hotspring."
Well, it did look like it. Her face is flushed - wait... Did she say... It seems Haramura - san also noticed the pronoun as well.
"We? Wh-"
"I'm here too, desu~"
"Touyoko -san! I didn't notice you there!"
"It's fine desu~ As long as Senpai notices me desu~"
Toyouko - san then proceeded to hug Kajiki - san's arm. Haramura - san and I just looked at each other awkwardly. We continued to enjoy the peace with Tsuruga's general (Kajiki Yumi) and vice captain (Toyouko Momoko). They were some of the peole we faced in the finals, also trying to reach the Nationals. Like us, they came from a no - name school and only made it to the finals this year.
Soon we were joined by our Buchou (club president) Takei Hisa, the mastermind behind our lineup and the person who managed to make me play to win. She is cunning, unpredictable and a kind president to everyone. Even though she can gel a little bit mischevious from time to time.
Next to join us were Ikeda Kana and Fukuji Mihoko, Kazekoshi's general and Captain respectively. Both were formidable opponents in Mahjong, weirdly, whenever Kazekoshi's general get excited, these strange cat ears pops up from her hair. I get the strange urge to touch them to see if they were real but that would probably be rude.
"Saki! Nonoka!" Koromo - chan, I mean Koromo - san came towards us, dragging her cousin and Ryuumonbuchi's president Ryuumonbuchi Touka with her. Amongst all of our opponents, they were the toughest to beat. Owing to the fact that they are a National team and they have a monster class player in their midst: Amae Koromo. Considered to be the MVP of the last year's Inter High, facing
Koromo - chan felt a lot like facing Onee - sama, the pressure they both exude would make most players weak kneed.
Well, it seems like each team has a member in this hotspring this morning. Of course, the conversation immediately went to Mahjong.
"If you think you guys are prepared to go to the Nationals, then you're mistaken desu wa~" Ryuuminbuchi - san declared. "You asked us to join this training camp to prepare for the opponents that are to come in the Nationals right? While, it is a good strategy, nothing could really prepare you for that stage. The Nationals are full of monsters. Even with Koromo on our side, we never made it past the quarter finals desu wa~. But, there is someone even scarier, Miyanaga Teru of Shiraitodai. She led her team to the top, two years in a row now."
At the sound of my Onee - sama's name, I flinched. Haramura - san looked at me worriedly and it seems she isn't the only one who noticed.
"I had my doubts but... Saki, could you be...?" Buchou trailed off, as if she was unsure whether she was crossing the line or not. Before I could answer, Fukuji - san placed her own input.
"Eh? But I thought Miyanaga Teru - san had no sisters? I remember asking a reporter about it since I was curious and she said that during an interview in Tokyo, she managed to chance upon Miyanaga - san in a hallway and asked her if she and Kiyosumi's Miyanaga Saki are related. Miyanaga Teru stopped biefly and answered 'No' before going on her way. I thought that it was just coincidence..."
Pain bloomed in my chest. To be treated like a stranger is one thing but to be disowned publicly is another thing. There was this unknown feeling that keeps scratching up my insides. I had to get out of there. "Ahaha... Uh... I'm not feeling well... Please excuse me." I stood up but kept my head bowed down and made my way out of there.
"Miyanaga - san! Wait!" Haramura - san called after me but I was too consumed by this unknown feeling inside me to notice or care.
I eventually made my way towards a bench somewhere outside. I continued to stare blankly at the ground as the unknown feeling continued to mess with my insides. It was quite painful but it was not really regestering in my brain. That's when I started feeling like something was trying to come out of me, forcing it's way up my throat.
"Miyanaga - san! What's happening to you?!"
Haramura - san tried to hold me but by then, I was already coughing violently and writhing in pain to really appreciate it. After a few more coughing fits a bloody Yellow Chrysanthemum came out. Slighted Love.
After that, I told Haramura - san about everything. How I tried numerous times to reach out to my Onee - sama, risking getting kidnapped and lost in Tokyo, only to end up rejected by her. How her cold and unforgiving gaze was not like the Onee - sama I remember.
I ended up crying on Haramura - san that day. I made her promise not to tell anyone about this. At least, not until I've managed to talk to my sister.
I Swear I'll make things right again Onee - chan! Even if I have to die for it!