CHIHAYA

The last few weeks of summer break trickled by in a tangle of rehabilitation visits, agonizing over my homework, and karuta club workouts.

A few days after our return from Shizuoka, Taichi called a club meeting and we discussed what elements of the Fujisaki regimen we felt would benefit our group. Hanano-san wasn't excited about even the modest weight training we proposed ("I'm a girl! I want to look like a girl, not some amazon!"), and we were dubious about our chances of gaining access to the weightlifting room, but the Empress once again amazed us with her ability to intimidate the other teachers. Somehow she used her clout to secure us a time slot twice a week.

She also would have been pleased with Desktomu's requirement. He insisted we incorporate regular academic study sessions into our weekly program. He said it was to ensure Porky and I didn't end up missing tournaments again, but actually I think it's because he just can't stand my terrible grades. I wasn't thrilled with losing any karuta practice time, but I was outvoted. And in the back of my mind a tiny little voice was nagging me about that incomplete career survey. Improving my grades could only help.

It was one week after we returned to school that the doctor finally released me to return to regular activities. As I entered the door of the clubroom that afternoon I found Kana-chan dusting our trophies.

"Kana-chaaan!" I chirped. I dropped my book bag on the table and rushed to take both her little hands in mine. Swinging our arms back and forth I trilled, "Kana- Kana- Kana-chan. It's a beautiful, wonderful day, isn't it?" I let our hands fly as I faced the glass doors.

She giggled.

Taichi and Desktomu arrived as I was stretching my back. "I am so ready to play karuta again!" I exclaimed to the room at large.

"Yay," Hanano said dryly as she followed the boys in. "Does that mean we can skip the sweating today?" she asked hopefully.

"No way!" Taichi and Desktomu chorused together. Hanano took a seat at the table, pouting.

Her perturbed look struck me as funny, and the way the boys cracked the whip so mercilessly… Soon I was chuckling and then laughing so hard and so long that I had to wipe tears away.

Porky came in then, gave me a skeptical look, and asked the others, "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing!" I said happily. "Absolutely nothing."

We did some stretches and took a run around the school complex. The summer heat still lingered, and the weeks of forced inactivity seemed to have left me with less stamina than normal. Hanano was right; sweat was pouring down my neck by the time we returned.

Finally it was time. I continued to dab at my face and neck as I knelt on the tatami before Taichi. I couldn't help grinning.

"You should see your face right now." His lips lifted in a wry grin.

Eagerly I spread the cards in front of us; beside me, Tsukuba did the same for him and Hanano.

Butterflies danced in my stomach as I finished placing my cards. I caught Taichi's eye. "Ready?"

He cast a glance at the other pairs, who nodded their agreement. With eyes on the wall clock, he announced, "Memorization starts…now."

I leaned forward over my cards, feeling just a bit off after spending so much time recently with my stance positioned to use my left hand.

"Time."

I sat back on my heels and waited for Kana-chan to begin chanting.

Sniff.

Huh? I looked up to see her wiping tears away.

She saw me looking and said, "Sorry, sorry! I'm just really happy you're back, Captain."

Her sympathy touched me deeply. "Everyone," I said quietly, leaning back on my heels. "I don't think I remembered to thank you for coming to visit me and bringing me presents and trying to cheer me up." I took in the dear faces. I bowed my head. "It…it really helped and it…meant a lot to me. Thank you!"

They smiled at me and my heart felt warm.

"All right, all right," Porky's raspy voice cut in. "So hurry up and show us what that high-powered Fujisaki coach taught you." I could tell he was covering his embarrassment.

I gave him a curt nod and looked expectantly at Kana-chan. She took a deep breath and began….

My excitement faded after only a couple cards were read. Taichi seemed a lot stronger than the last time I'd faced him. And my body felt stiff, my swing sluggish. I realized I was favoring the injured finger, pressing down with the outside of my hand or reaching for cards with my middle finger only. I tested it, pinching it here and there to see if there was any pain, but there wasn't. My body was acting on a memory.

When Taichi captured the last card remaining on his side, we both froze. I heard Porky's sharp intake of breath. Taichi sat up and placed the card atop the stack of others he'd taken. Slowly his gaze rose to seek mine.

His eyes were wide and worry shone in them. He didn't know how I'd take it.

In truth, my jaw was hanging and I felt tears beginning to prick my eyes. Quickly I bowed. "Thank you for the match," I whispered.

The room was too quiet. I stayed bowed, perspiration trickling down my temple. I heard Taichi's soft echo, "Thank you for the match."

Since the day we'd started this club, he'd never beaten me. Not once. And today he'd beaten me in my very first match back.

I laid my forehead on my arms and listened to Kana-chan continue her reading for the others. She sounded a bit shaky but carried on. Tears, hidden by my hair, slid silently from my eyes.

What is this?

How much ground have I lost?

What if I can't come back?

The sound of the other matches finishing was a buzz in the background of my whirling thoughts.

"I forgot what a sore sport you are," Taichi's arch tone broke through my fog.

"What?!" I snapped up, reflexively rising to his bait.

"Back in sixth grade…you always threw a fit whenever I won. Well," he sighed dramatically, casting a long-suffering glance at the ceiling. "I guess you could give me a forehead flick if it'll make you feel better." He leaned toward me and closed his eyes.

"Oooo, Taichi," I clenched my fists. "I ought to."

"Ayase-senpai, you wouldn't!" Hanano's dismayed voice called.

Taichi's eyes opened slowly, shooting me a challenge from beneath his thick lashes. A fire burned in my gut.

"Again!" I demanded, shoving my cards into the middle and reaching for his.

"No," Porky interrupted sternly. "It's my turn to play you."

I bit my lip. I really wanted to get even with Taichi, but here was Porky saying he was eager for a fight.

I gave him a sharp nod. I won't be beaten by this. I won't!

-0-0-0-0-

TAICHI

I breathed a sigh of relief. Nishida was keeping up a running commentary, making sure Chihaya stayed fired up.

I thought my heart might explode when I realized I'd taken that last card. I really had improved during the high school tournament and then at the Fujisaki camp, and I felt good about my own level of play. But I still shouldn't have won that match.

Chihaya wasn't playing up to her usual ability. And that shook me to my core. I could tell the others were freaking out, too. Fortunately, Chihaya was distracted and didn't notice the anxious glances stolen behind her back.

I read for the next set, keeping an eye on her situation in case I could offer any advice later. But she'd learned her own way of doing things and as far as I could tell it was a muscle memory issue. That and, more disturbingly, it looked like she was subconsciously protecting her index finger.

Halfway through her match with Nishida her core seemed to stabilize. Her finger still floated higher than it should have, but she managed to pull out a win. I only hoped he hadn't given her an edge on purpose.

Her instability continued over the next couple weeks. Her game was up and down. Her smile disappeared. More often than not she seemed to be gritting her teeth, hanging on desperately.

I wondered how long that could last before she had a total breakdown.

-0-0-0-0-

We used some of the club budget to enter the nearby Saitama tournament again. It would be Tsukuba's first tournament since making Class C, and Komano's since making Class B.

And it would be my first in the Class A division. Nishida and Chihaya and me…we would be competing against one another today.

The day was abnormally warm for late September. It was a short walk from the train station to the tournament, but I was already wiping perspiration from my brow when the impressive glass-and-concrete building came into view. I could see people of all ages entering ahead of us, and it struck me that some of these people had decades of experience on me. That didn't help my nerves.

Kana-chan's mother, Oe-san, was on hand to help us with the hakamas and provide general support. She led us down one of the corridors, looking into each room as we passed. Some had belongings piled here and there; others were occupied by people chatting or carefully reviewing their cards. "Here's one that's empty," Oe-san said, stepping into what looked like a conference room. It was similar to the one we'd used last year, back when Chihaya was the one buzzing with nerves.

There was a table in the middle of the room, and I set down the box of hakamas on it. I spotted Chihaya staring vacantly out the window as she went through the motions of fixing her ponytail.

I didn't know how to help her through this slump. I could only believe in her.

And maybe distract her…

I set my backpack on the table and withdrew a water bottle. I took a few sips as I went to join her. "I think I saw Sudo-san in one of the rooms we passed." I commented. "Do me a favor and don't take any of his bets this year." Oh crap. That sounds like I expect her to lose! "I mean," I said, thinking quickly, "Don't let him throw you off your game. Hey, is that a new Daddy Bear watch?"

"Huh?" she glanced at the item adorning her wrist. She'd worn it for the past month at least. "Not really," she said. She seemed to perk up a bit. "It's really cute, though, isn't it?" she asked, waving it in front of my face.

"Uh, yeah." I don't get the whole Daddy Bear craze, but, whatever, I'm not gonna say so right now.

Oe-san's voice cut through the chatter in the room. "Boys, I've laid out your hakamas. Come get them and go get changed. Then come straight back here so I can be sure you're wearing them correctly."

"Do we really have to wear these?" I heard Nishida whining to Kana-chan. "It's so hot today."

"Why do you ask that every time?" she said, her rebuke softened by her patient tone. "It's only proper and it's our trademark, so, yes. And besides," she said, her voice brightening as she went into full salesman mode, "these are from our new line of cotton hakamas. They're very lightweight."

Nishida only sighed and followed Komano from the room. Tsukuba and I trailed after them.

Hanano-san stuck her head out of the door, her twin ponytails swinging. "Make sure you knock when you get back," she admonished. "And wait for us to answer, don't just come crashing in." As she closed the door, I barely heard her telling the girls, "I didn't wear any interesting underwear today…." An outraged clamoring of female voices answered her.

"Amazing. That girl also plays karuta?" I recalled Arata saying.

I just chuckled and shook my head. Yes, even that girl.