"Tsumo, Rinshan Kaihou… 24,000 all," Saki's voice was soft yet clear, reaching the ears of the three other players.
The match ended so suddenly and decisively that Nodoka couldn't even process the probability of someone completing a hand from the dead wall after declaring a kan. It was like being doused in cold water—so shocking that she barely registered the chill.
"Good game," Nodoka murmured in disbelief, echoed by the other players who had also lost. She stared at the winning hand in disbelief, realizing she had been outplayed. She never would have discarded that 8-sou tile if it hadn't been for Saki's previous discard. She couldn't complete her own hand because the 5-pin tile she needed was in Saki's hand.
Nodoka had always believed that even in a game heavily influenced by luck, logic could guide her decisions. But this... The odds of Saki holding all the 5-pin tiles? One in a hundred? Or less? This was the first time Nodoka had faced such an opponent. Saki didn't win consecutively but somehow, in the last three rounds, Nodoka and the others found themselves playing to her tune and machinations.
Nodoka was jolted from her thoughts by the same gentle voice that had just announced her defeat. "Good game…" Miyanaga Saki, the representative of West Tokyo in the individual match and a two-time Inter-Middle champion said.
Nodoka wasn't a sore loser, but for some reason, she couldn't accept this loss—not when the victor seemed indifferent to her own win.
"You don't seem happy about your victory, Miyanaga-san," Nodoka said coolly, ignoring the other two players who had already left the table.
Saki's reddish-brown eyes narrowed as she smiled at Nodoka, but there was a sadness behind that smile. "Is that so?" she laughed softly. "I can't help it… Mah-jong… I can't enjoy it anymore," she murmured in a solemn voice. To Nodoka, it sounded as though Saki was on the verge of tears, grieving the loss of her enjoyment in the game. Miyanaga Saki might have won today, but Nodoka felt that she was the one who was truly hurting. How could someone keep playing, winning even, but not find any joy in it?
"Miyanaga-san, I lost today but it is true that I enjoyed our game. I sincerely had a good game no matter how baffling, illogical, or improbable that win of yours was." Nodoka took a deep breath and followed determinedly with, "Next time, I won't lose to you."
"I'm looking forward to it," Miyanaga Saki softly smiled, albeit sad and it did not reach her eyes it is a beautiful smile.
Nodoka didn't know how long she stood there watching Saki's retreating figure until a reporter asked her for an interview.
At the Miyanaga Household
Their mother was on another business trip and wouldn't be back for weeks. The house may be bigger than the one in Nagano, but its familial feeling and warmth. Their mother's busy schedule didn't help to fill the void that was left by the death of their father in a car accident. Thankfully, things were still the same between Saki and her sister; they remained close, even though both had grown somewhat distant from their mother.
Their mother did not neglect her children, but raising two daughters alone was difficult, so Teru and Saki were often left to care for themselves. The sisters tried their best not to burden their mother, keeping themselves busy with their favourite family game and earning scholarships at good schools with mah-jong programs. However, at some point, they began to be feared by their opponents, earning the title of "National Class Monsters." They weren't concerned about what the media or other players called them, but ever since they made their national debut…
"It's not like you to play like that, Saki…" Her sister's voice pulled Saki from her thoughts.
Saki sighed, rubbing her wet brown hair with a towel as she approached her sister. Teru was browsing a magazine and was looking for a specific type of shampoo. "I thought I should observe them for a bit. Haramura-san's playstyle feels a little odd. You'd do the same thing too, Onee-chan."
Teru narrowed her eyes. "Why revert to plus minus zero? I've seen her game record… It's nothing special. She made a lot of mistakes in her play, and I'm sure you noticed she has no sense of flow."
Saki nodded. "I can tell… She probably plays online mah-jong a lot. Her play is logical, accurate, and she only chooses the most likely route to win."
"A playstyle that's useless against us… She plays like a robot," Teru remarked sternly, plugging in the hairdryer and waiting for Saki to sit beside her. "Haramura Nodoka didn't seem to be particularly strong."
"And…" Teru trailed off. "Awai is a much better challenge than Haramura Nodoka." Saki had to agree that Awai was stronger than Nodoka, but who knows? Maybe that would change in the future.
Next Year, Spring
Miyanaga Teru and Miyanaga Saki: The Birth of Shiraitodai's Double Aces
"The article about your sworn rival and her sister," Takei Hisa, the club president, said with amusement. "As expected… She joined Shiraitodai, just like her sister Miyanaga Teru. This year will be especially tough with the two of them on the same team…"
Nodoka narrowed her eyes at the photograph of the Miyanaga sisters in their spring uniforms. Teru held an i-pin tile between her fingers, and beside her, Saki mirrored her pose. Both of them were wearing charming smiles, though Saki's was softer. "Champion sisters…"