The evening air was cool in Nagano, filtering softly through the half-open window in Nodoka's room. She had just returned from the Individual Prefecture Qualifying Tournament, still feeling the energy from the matches linger in her body. Despite her fatigue, her thoughts were elsewhere, circling around a familiar name.

Nodoka sat on the edge of her bed, the soft creaking of the mattress barely audible. Her phone felt warm in her hand as she pressed the contact number she had memorized long ago.

The phone rang once, twice—then Saki's voice, warm and bright, answered. "Congratulations, Nodoka-chan!" Saki greeted with her usual softness, but there was a hint of excitement behind her words.

Nodoka smiled at the sound, feeling her heart skip a beat despite herself. "Congratulations to you too, Saki-san." Her reply was automatic, though her voice carried a slight tremble.

For a moment, there was a shared pause, not of awkwardness but something more tentative. They both knew what was causing it: the use of their first names. While it had been days since they'd agreed to drop the formalities, neither of them could quite get used to it.

Nodoka could almost hear the blush in Saki's voice, and she knew her own face wasn't any less pink. The sound of a distant clock ticking filled the silence, each tick amplifying the warmth blooming in her chest.

"Did you... feel nervous?" Saki asked gently, breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but Nodoka could sense the genuine curiosity behind the question.

Nodoka exhaled softly, running a hand through her hair. "A little, but I played my mahjong," she admitted.

Saki's light laughter came through the phone, bright and cheerful, a sound that made Nodoka's heart flutter. "That sounds like you."

Nodoka smiled, the familiar scent of lavender from her room calming her nerves. "And you? I heard you had a match against your sister?"

"Yeah, Onee-chan is really amazing," Saki replied, her voice brightening. "I tried to take the first place from her, but I fell short."

"What are you saying, Saki-san? You won the match." Nodoka's voice was firm, the conviction easing her earlier anxiety. "In fact, everyone was probably raving about you winning against the Inter-high champion."

"Onee-chan always wins against me in practice at Shiraitodai," Saki replied, humble.

"But you won against her this time in an official competition." Nodoka insisted, "The point gap between West Tokyo's first place and second place is really small, and you haven't lost a single match."

"Eh, how did you know that?" Saki asked, flustered.

"They were talking about it on the news. I really wish I'd seen it," Nodoka said sincerely, a hint of longing creeping into her voice.

"I wish I'd seen your match too," Saki replied, her voice softening. "I wish I could find a repeat broadcast somewhere."

Nodoka hesitated for just a second before speaking again, her voice lowering to a near whisper. "I… can't wait to see you."

The warmth in Nodoka's chest swelled as she spoke, and she could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. A cool breeze brushed against her, stirring the curtains and carrying the faint scent of pine from outside.

"Me too, Nodoka-chan," Saki replied immediately, though her voice carried the same shyness. "You… don't mind if I come to pick you up when you get here?"

Nodoka's heart raced at the thought of Saki waiting for her at the station. "I would love that, actually," she said, a bright smile spreading across her face, her nerves easing.

Saki's happiness was palpable through the phone, her excitement almost contagious. "Really? You're sure? I'll be there, I promise!"

Nodoka could hear the smile in Saki's voice, and it filled her with a sense of warmth and anticipation.

"Yes… Saki-san. I'm sure." Nodoka tenderly replied to the brunette.

Somehow another silence ensued, and the faint rustling of leaves outside added to the atmosphere, a gentle reminder of the world outside. Saki hesitantly started, "Erm… Nodoka-chan, I just want you to know…it's embarrassing really."

"It's okay, Saki-san, you can tell me." Nodoka urged Saki to continue, her heart racing at the thought of what was to come.

"I'm sorry… it's just... my sister or Awai might come with me… or both," Saki continued, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Nodoka paused a bit, trying to process what Saki just said. "When you come and pick me up? That's okay, Saki-san."

"Oh, really? I didn't want to impose or anything!" Saki exclaimed; relief evident in her tone. "They don't allow me to travel to unfamiliar places alone."

"You could never impose, Saki-san," Nodoka reassured her, warmth flooding her chest again. "And your safety comes first, so I understand."

"I really wish I could see you right now," Saki said suddenly, her voice tinged with longing. "During the individuals, I kept thinking of you. I think that's the reason why I played better than I expected.

Nodoka felt her heart swell at Saki's words and shyly said, "I was actually thinking that if I get in the individuals then…I'll get to spend more time with you."

A short pause happened, and Nodoka panicked inside. Why did I say that? She will think I'm weird.

Before Nodoka could spiral further, Saki's voice came through, timid and gentle. "I want that too."

The tenderness in Saki's tone wrapped around Nodoka like a warm blanket, and her face turned into another shade of pink, almost comparable to her own hair. Her chest was pounding, as if it were leaping out of her chest, a reflection of the connection growing between them.

The warmth from Saki's words lingered in the air between them. Nodoka felt her heartbeat gradually slow, settling into a gentle rhythm that mirrored the soft, peaceful atmosphere of her room.

"I'm glad we're talking like this," Saki said, her voice quieter now, as though she didn't want the moment to end.

"Me too," Nodoka replied, glancing out the window, at the dark sky, "It feels... nice."

There was a soft hum from Saki, one that made Nodoka's chest swell. "I'll get to see you again...it makes me excited"

Nodoka felt her lips curve into a gentle smile. The cool night air brushed against her skin, but it did little to cool the warmth spreading through her chest. "I feel the same way, Saki-san. I'm excited for the matches, but… I'm more excited to be with you—I mean to see you."

They both went quiet after that, not because there was nothing left to say, but because the words they had already exchanged felt weighty and profound. Nodoka could hear her own breath, slow and steady, mingling with the faint sounds of the evening outside—crickets chirping, the wind rustling the trees. It was the kind of silence that felt comforting, the kind that didn't need to be filled.

Saki's voice finally broke through the stillness, soft and gentle. "I guess it's getting late, isn't it?"

Nodoka glanced at the clock on her bedside table. "Yeah, it is." She didn't want to say goodbye. In fact, she felt an inexplicable urge to keep hearing Saki's voice, to stay connected to this moment just a little longer. "But… we can talk again soon, right?"

"Of course." Saki's response was immediate, full of warmth, but there was a slight hesitation, as if she too was clinging to these last few moments. "I'll call you again, Nodoka-chan. I promise."

Nodoka smiled at the sound of her name, but the growing ache of parting settled into her chest. "And I'll call you too." She bit her lip, pausing before adding, "Maybe even tomorrow?"

There was a brief, almost imperceptible pause on the other end. When Saki spoke again, her voice was softer, more vulnerable. "Tomorrow... I'd really like that."

Neither of them spoke for a few moments, the silence now heavy with unspoken feelings. The sounds of the night—the soft rustle of leaves outside, the ticking of the distant clock—seemed to fill the space between them, but neither reached for the disconnect button. It was as though, in that silence, they were sharing something deeper than words.

Nodoka's grip on her phone tightened. She knew she should say goodnight, knew they both needed rest. But the idea of hanging up, of severing this connection, felt almost unbearable. "Saki-san… I wish I didn't have to say goodnight."

"I know..." Saki's voice was barely a whisper now, a trace of longing lingering in each word. "Me too."

Nodoka closed her eyes, letting the cool night air brush against her skin as she struggled to find the words to say goodbye. "But we'll talk again soon, right?"

"Yes." Saki's voice was tender, almost as if she were cradling the moment, not wanting it to end. "We will."

Another beat of silence stretched between them, and Nodoka could hear her own breath, slow and steady, as if her body was trying to hold onto this feeling for as long as possible. "Goodnight, Saki-san."

"Goodnight, Nodoka-chan," Saki replied, her voice carrying a warmth that wrapped around Nodoka's heart, making the impending goodbye all the more bittersweet. "Sweet dreams."

"You too," Nodoka murmured softly, reluctant to let the final words leave her lips.

For a moment, neither of them hung up, the quiet still lingering, as though neither wanted to break the fragile connection that remained. It was Saki who finally spoke, her voice a barely audible whisper. "Until tomorrow, then…"

"Until tomorrow," Nodoka echoed, her fingers trembling slightly as she finally pressed the button to end the call.

But even as the line went dead, she didn't move. She stayed there, her phone still in her hand, staring at the dark screen, feeling the warmth of their conversation linger in the air around her. The room felt a little emptier now, quieter, but the anticipation of their next conversation filled her with a sense of comfort and longing.