PLEASE HEAD OVER TO THE "Falter" REMAKE INSTEAD.
Greetings. A few words before we begin — thank you for the reviews, comments, and feedback so far.
The set-up for reviews isn't the easiest to work with or to reply with, but I read 'em all.
Hisa smiled somewhat wistfully. If she'd gone on, she might have become the middle school national champion that year, and then perhaps gotten into Kazekoshi on a scholarship. But there was no use speculating now, nor did she regret the decisions that she made at the time. The rest had been beyond her control.
They walked in silence for some while. Fukuji-san seemed much more reserved all of a sudden; perhaps she was thinking about how the qualifiers would have turned out, had she indeed entered Kazekoshi — or even any other school, for that matter. Would Mako start the mahjong club on her own? Would Yuuki and Nodoka have entered the club? Would Suga-kun bother if Nodoka weren't around? Would any of them have realised Saki was playing plus/minus zero on purpose, and would a fifth girl have joined the club? They were questions that she did not have answers to.
She held the door open for Fukuji-san as they left the school building. Letting go of the door, Hisa followed, walking at her side. It was a good thing the weather held out in the end; the evening was pleasantly warm and the setting sun cast a warm, reddish orange hue on everything it touched. The dying sunset dipped low beyond the horizon and Hisa enjoyed the picturesque beauty in a peaceful moment.
She exhaled. It was the perfect night for a summer festival.
Her idle thoughts returned to Fukuji-san. As the captain of the club, it couldn't have been easy to fend off the media or the school's criticism, or to feel the pressure for their club to win. Kazekoshi's six-year streak ended with Ryuumonbuchi's upset win the year before, and now Kiyosumi was going to the nationals in their stead. Perhaps Fukuji-san did not have to bear the brunt of it with her win in the individuals, but it seemed unlikely that someone like her would leave club members to fend for themselves.
There was little Fukuji-san could actually do, though. They were both third-years, so this year was her last too. She wouldn't be able to help Kazekoshi reach the nationals again. Had she been to the high school nationals in the team tournament before? Hisa assumed she had, at first. But Hisa realised that if Fukuji-san did go, she could only have gone in her first year.
Hisa glanced sideways at the girl in question then. The soft, violet-orange sunlight shone on her, and Hisa was momentarily captivated by the play of light in Fukuji-san's left eye. Why did she keep her other eye closed? It really was a pity. Maybe she'd open it when they played mahjong again at the training camp next week.
Mihoko turned to Hisa's direction as she caught her gaze.
"Ueno-san?"
Hisa looked off to the side slightly. "Um... it's nothing." She backtracked on her thoughts. "I was wondering whether you were a regular in your first year."
"Oh, yes," Mihoko answered demurely, "I was one by the end of the school year."
"The qualifiers are pretty early in the year though, aren't they? Did you get to play then?"
"I barely made it onto the team in time, but I did get to go. My senpai were very kind and helpful."
Well, at least that was one question answered. She was exceptional at mahjong, after all, and deserved her title as Kazekoshi's ace.
"That's good," Hisa answered absently.
Mihoko murmured her agreement while they started down the stairs. A slight pause. "And how was it for you? Your first year, I mean."
"I got by." She laughed, "I was the only one in the mahjong club that year though."
"Then you didn't play?"
"Not as much as usual, no. But I played some at my part-time." Hisa rolled her shoulders, stiff from the congress council work. "Speaking of which, how come you got to play in your first year? I thought Kazekoshi only has their second- and third-years play."
"That's not the case at all. The regulars are determined by rank, so first-years can participate in tournaments if their ranking is high enough. Bundou-san is one of those first-years."
"Bundou...?"
The name sounded a bit familiar, but...
"The girl you played."
"You mean that really tall one?" The girl looked like she was even 172 or 175 cm tall.
Mihoko nodded. "You were watching the matches on TV in the room for your team, right? Then she would've been the only Kazekoshi member whose grade year you didn't know."
"That's right," Hisa murmured thoughtfully. "I thought she was older than that because of her height. But I remember thinking she was rather nervous."
"It was her first time playing at a large event like that."
"No wonder. And the games are broadcast on TV too." Add that to how she kept winning big hands on the first-year's discards... "Anyone would get nervous."
"Even you?" Mihoko asked with a smile.
"Haha, of course."
"You're right that anyone would be nervous, but you still come across as very confident."
"Ah... not at all."
"You should've seen yourself during the centrefield match."
Well, she did slam her winning tiles onto the mahjong table, but that seemed more indicative of her manners rather than confidence. And it didn't seem like that was what Fukuji-san referred to.
"I think you're much more calm and collected, if anything."
"I'm hardly like that."
"For one, you didn't play into my hand even once," Hisa pointed out. A small spark of competitiveness flared in her briefly before it died down. It would be a nice challenge to see if she could trick Fukuji-san with her tactics in mahjong.
"Middle school nationals," Mihoko reminded her.
"Right... but that doesn't count."
"It doesn't?" she asked curiously.
"Nope."
"Why?"
Hisa waved it off with a grin. "It just doesn't. Don't sweat the little details."
"All right, if you insist."
Hisa playfully offered, "And I do."
The cicadas chirped loudly, filling the warm silence that lay between them as they continued down the road. Fukuji-san was someone easy to be around and to talk with; maybe it was due to their shared passion for mahjong. The fact they both headed and remained so involved in their respective mahjong clubs in their third-year seemed to speak volumes, at least.
They were about halfway from the clubroom now.
"Have you always played the way you do?" Mihoko inquired.
"Not at all. Actually, I used to lose a lot until I started playing this way." It seemed so long ago since she first started.
"Well... I have trouble imagine you losing."
"Hey hey, all of us have to start somewhere."
Fukuji-san gave a subdued smile.
"How old were you? Maybe your opponents were too strong for you."
"Oh, no doubt," Hisa remarked wryly. "I was pulverised by my kid sister."
"That really puts a dent into my age theory."
"I guess it does, huh? But," Hisa continued thoughtfully, "you could say I play the way I do because of her, so I'm not sure whether I should be thankful or not."
"Your sister sounds very intriguing."
"I assure you I'm infinitely more interesting than her."
"Oh, I wonder about that."
"Aha. So you know how to joke too. You're very serious, Fukuji-san."
"But who said I was joking?"
"Oh, that's mean. You'll shred what's left of the confidence you thought I had," Hisa grinned, enjoying the pleasant banter.
"Then I guess I should stop," Mihoko smiled.
"But you don't have to be serious all the time. We're the same age."
"You're right," Mihoko acceded. "I think I was just a bit too nervous before."
Hisa felt somewhat surprised by the comment. So even Fukuji-san was on the shy side when it came to interacting with people. Even when she seemed so at ease and was often at the centre of attention, being Kazekoshi's Captain.
They came up to the stairs leading up to the old school building, where a low iron bar blocked the way.
"We're almost there. We just have to go up the stairs and walk a bit further," Hisa said as held onto the bar and stepped over it.
"Is it really okay for me to come with you?"
Mihoko was referring to the 'Authorised Personnel Only Beyond This Point' sign that hung across the bar.
"Sure thing. We cross it all the time."
"Ah." Mihoko followed suit and stepped over the bar. She looked toward the building. "Is it still in use?"
"Outside of the mahjong club? Not really." Hisa started up the stairs. "I've heard the school ran into some trouble with negotiations and that it's come to a standstill. We've been using it as a clubroom for as long as I've been here."
"Then you were here all by yourself in this building?"
"Well, I managed to convince a couple of classmates to come by a few times back then, but no one stayed." Hisa looked onward. "We couldn't even really play with just two or three people."
Most people who liked mahjong enough to join a club for it would've gone to Kazekoshi, Hisa thought idly.
"Ah, I see. So that's why you played at your part-time."
"Yeah, I worked at a mahjong parlour and did odds and ends around the place. I filled in sometimes if they had a player short."
"It might be a bit late to ask this, but Kiyosumi allows its students to work part-time?"
"Not... exactly." Not having followed the school regulations wasn't really the issue; working in a smoky mahjong parlour when she was fifteen was the bigger problem. According to her mother, anyway. "In any case, as you can expect, most of the customers were older men. So I was a bit of a novelty for a while. They called me 'ojou-chan' and all that."
"And I'm sure they taught you to choose better waits when you won."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence. And they did, until I kept winning. But it died down pretty quickly. A couple of strong female players go there often, so it was mostly just due to my age. One of the regulars at the parlour is even a pro. You know her too — Fujita-pro."
"You mean Fujita Yasuko?"
"Yup. The one and only. Small world, isn't it?"
"Yes... it's a small world."
"Fujita probably just goes there because of the food though," Hisa muttered. "Their pork cutlet bowls are cheap and quite decent."
Mihoko laughed. "Ueno-san, you're making Fujita-pro sound like a glutton."
"But she is!" Hisa protested. "I made the mistake of treating her to a snack once. Three bowls. She called three huge bowls a snack."
Mihoko looked at Hisa mirthfully.
"And she knew I was saving up for a mahjong table too," Hisa grumped.
"You seem to get along with her well," Mihoko observed.
"Yeah. Even though she's a few years older, we were the closest in age there, and she found me interesting. Apparently she liked the fact I had an attitude." Hisa wrinkled her nose.
"I can sort of imagine Ueno-san like that."
"Whose side are you on anyway?"
"Would you believe me if I said yours?"
"That's a good question." Hisa paused mock thoughtfully as she considered it. "I'll believe you if you transfer to Kiyosumi and enter our club."
"No sooner said than done, buchou."
Hisa laughed. "If you did that, it would mean Kiyosumi students dominated the Kanagawa prefectural qualifiers."
"And it's all due to the club president, brilliant strategist of Kiyosumi High."
"Oh, I like the sound of that." Hisa pushed the door to the clubroom open and flipped on the lights. "And here we are."
Hisa watched Mihoko's reaction. It seemed like she wasn't expecting a Western-styled clubroom.
"That was my first reaction too. Come in. Feel free to sit anywhere."
Mihoko approached the mahjong table and touched its side.
"Is this the one you saved up for?"
"Yup. My boss was offering me a used one for cheaper, but I wanted to get a new one no matter what."
"Do you still work there?"
"No, I quit after I saved up enough for the table. I have exams and everything to worry about too." Hisa looked over to the side of the clubroom. "It probably isn't too hot for tea... Do you drink English tea, Fukuji-san?"
"That won't be necessary, you don't have to go to the trouble..."
"It's no problem. I'm a bit thirsty anyway. Is Earl Grey okay?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Hisa plugged in the kettle and took out two cups and saucers.
"Do you want something to eat? I got Suga-kun to buy some snacks for the clubroom when he ran some errands for me."
"Oh, no, I'm fine."
"You sure? I've got a little bit of everything right now. Some of the snacks are for the training camp, but we're keeping them here for the moment."
Mihoko sat down at the mahjong table. "Then maybe some strawberry Pocky please, if you have it."
"I like your choice. You have good taste." Hisa rummaged through the bags of snacks. "I like strawberry Pocky too. Though it's a toss-up between that and vanilla ice Tohato Caramel Corn for me."
Mihoko watched Hisa. "Do you eat Pocky any particular way? I like to eat the coating first."
"I either eat it normally or the way they do it in the commercials." Hisa pulled out a box of Pocky from the bag.
"Really?"
"Yeah. They edit the commercials to get the movements right, so it's hard to master. I haven't done it in a while, but I perfected it with my sister." Hisa tugged the cardboard tab open as she walked over to the mahjong table. "Later we managed to do the little dance from one of the commercials too. We liked to do it after melodramatically singing the jingle," she reminisced.
"You synchronised the dancing?"
"Yup. We practised in front of a mirror." Hisa sat down and ripped the plastic open. She held out the Pocky. "Here."
"Thank you." Mihoko took one.
"If you want to try eating it the way they do in ads, all you have to do is bite and snap it off. But making it look smooth is the hard part." Hisa took a Pocky out. She popped it into her mouth and snapped the rest off with a flourish.
Mihoko tried to do the same, but her movements weren't very smooth. "I don't think I can do it."
"Nonsense," Hisa said as she wagged the remaining bit of Pocky at Mihoko. "You just need to practise. And it's a great excuse to eat more Pocky. The trick is to focus on the flourish. The Pocky will break off itself if you do that."
"Ah, okay." Mihoko reached for another one and tried again.
"That was much better," Hisa praised. She popped the rest of the stick in her mouth. "Your homework is to perfect this by next weekend."
"Next weekend?"
"We'll see each other then. So you can show me." Hisa turned and saw the kettle steaming. She placed the Pocky down and stood. "Be right back."
Hisa unplugged the kettle and reached for the box of Earl Grey. She took out a packet and ripped it open.
"Isn't it a bit embarrassing...?"
"But you just did it," Hisa laughed. She dangled the tea bag in the teapot and poured in the boiling water.
"That was different though."
"Are you worried others will see? I won't make you do it in front of all four school teams, if that's what you were thinking." Hisa put the lid on to let the tea steep for a few minutes. "And we'll be providing the snacks, so you don't have to worry about bringing it." Hisa turned to face Mihoko, and leaned back on her elbows against the counter.
"... I'll think about it."
"Sure." Hisa absently toyed with the ripped tea packet between her fingers. "By the way, do you think it's possible you could bring a mahjong table to the training camp? As you can see, we only have one here."
"And we'll be needing five in total."
"Yup. That's how it is."
"Would you like us to bring four? I think we could manage that."
"No, it's okay. I asked Tsuruga and Ryuumonbuchi to bring theirs, and they agreed already. Ryuumonbuchi-san volunteered to bring two."
"Oh, I see."
"But thanks for the offer. It would be disastrous if over twenty people had to wait their turn at one mahjong table."
Mihoko looked at Hisa curiously. "How many people are participating?"
"Twenty-one."
"Would the twenty-first person be the Suga-san you mentioned just now?"
"No, not him. He doesn't get to go. I've prepared a special guest, but if you want to know who it is you'll have to wait and see." Hisa turned back to the tea and started pouring two cups out. "I think it would be best to leave it as a surprise."
"But I think I can guess who it is."
"Oh?" Hisa took the tea bag and placed it on a separate saucer for reuse later.
"Since it's a training camp, the special guest has to have something to do with mahjong, of course."
"Go on." Hisa held onto the two saucers, balancing the two cups of tea as she slowly walked back over to Mihoko.
"The schools you've invited are all national-level or nearly there, so the guest wouldn't be just anybody."
"Uh huh."
"Who better to invite than a pro?" Mihoko concluded.
Hisa held out one cup. "Here."
"Ah, thank you." Mihoko took the saucer and steadied the cup.
Hisa placed hers onto one of the stands by the mahjong table and sat down herself. "And what makes you so sure I only know one pro?"
Mihoko gingerly took a sip of the hot tea before setting it down. "You might know more than one pro, but surely you'd ask someone who you're on good terms with and who lives around here."
"Mm, a very good point." Hisa took the box of Pocky and pulled one out. She leaned closer and held it out. "Here's the prize for your superb deductions. Say 'ah'."
"Eh...?"
Hisa slid the Pocky into the surprised Mihoko's half-opened mouth.
Mihoko clicked her jaw shut and bit it. She held the rest of the biscuit stick in her hand. "Ah. Um, thanks. For the prize."
Hisa picked up her cup and took a sip.