The sun hung lazily, casting warm rays that danced between the canopies of the Nishi Market. Ryoma and Sakuno stood at the entrance, an excited buzz in the air that mirrored their own anticipation. They both pulled out their phones simultaneously, scanning for any messages from their friends.

"Tomo-chan and Ai-chan aren't answering," Sakuno said, frowning slightly as she dialed again, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Same here, Horio and Katsuo didn't respond either," Ryoma replied, his voice steady as he peered into the lively market beyond.

Sakuno bit her lip, glancing at the vibrant stalls filled with tantalizing street food. "Should we go in and search for them inside?"

Ryoma nodded, a small smirk flickering across his face. "Yeah."

Together, they stepped into the vibrant chaos of the Nishi Market. As they wandered deeper, combined aromas of fried tempura, grilled skewers, and sweet confections enveloped them like a warm hug. Sakuno's eyes sparkled with wonder at the array of colorful stalls.

"Should we try some?" she suggested, her steps quickening toward a booth selling golden, crispy potato tempura.

Ryoma followed closely behind, a soft smile hidden under his usual stoic demeanor. Sakuno paid for a portion, and before she could take a bite, she offered him one. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Ryoma admitted, and for a moment, time seemed to pause around them as they shared a simple joy, laughter mingling with the sounds of the market.

Next, they visited a booth selling tofu croquettes, yuba, shrimp tempura skewers, tako tamago, and chocolate croquettes, each new taste igniting their excitement further. Finally, they approached the booth famous for its soy milk matcha ice cream.

Sakuno took out her phone, her cheeks lightening with enthusiasm. "Ryoma-kun, do you want to take a picture? I'm going to send it to Grandma."

Ryoma leaned in close, trying to fit into the frame, and the warmth of his body against her back made Sakuno freeze, a rush of colors painting her cheeks. "Oi, Ryuzaki, aren't you going to take it?"

Suddenly jolted back to reality, she looked up to find their faces mere inches apart. Her heart raced as her phone almost slipped from her fingers. With reflexes sharpened by instinct, Ryoma caught the device just in time.

"What are you doing?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Sorry," she stammered, embarrassed. "Let's try again." She took the phone back, her hands trembling slightly, but this time, she managed to capture the moment. "I'm sending it to Grandma now."

Ryoma watched her. "Send one to me too."

"Oh, okay!" she replied, her heart fluttering. Once completed, she glanced around again, her curiosity piqued. "I wonder where Tomo-chan is…"

Nearby, hidden from their view, Tomoka watched their sweet interaction unfold with a teasing glimmer in her eyes. "Seriously, they should just confess to each other," she whispered with a giggle.

"Yeah, they're so swet," Ai smirked, her gaze sharp as she observed the pair. Heisuke chimed in, "You guys sure are having fun."

"Girls usually like this kind of thing, don't you know?" Horio said, leaning casually against a wall. Katsuo chuckled, agreed with Horio.

Tomoka grinned. "We should move to Jishu Shrine now. I'll tell Sakuno we're headed there."

Just then, a ping sound interrupted Sakuno's thoughts. She checked her phone to see a message from Tomo-chan, confirming plans to go to Jishu Shrine.

"Let's go there, Ryoma-kun," she said excitedly, and he nodded, guiding her back through the throngs of people until they reached the exit.

As they strolled along, a loud voice rang out. "Koshimae!!" A guy with bright red hair came dashing toward them, haloed by his exuberance.

Ryoma's expression shifted from mild surprise to recognition as the newcomer approached. "Kintaro."

"Yes, yes! You remember me!" Kintaro beamed, grabbing both of Ryoma's hands. "You came back?! I missed you!"

Sakuno stood quietly beside Ryoma, recalling that this energetic guy hailed from Osaka. Kintaro was as tall as Ryoma now, his youthful face grown more mature with time.

"Play tennis with me," Kintaro demanded, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"No thanks," Ryoma replied flatly.

Kintaro wasn't deterred. He served a ball toward Ryoma with impressive speed. In a split second, Ryoma caught the ball without a hint of concern, his deadpan expression unyielding.

"C'mon, Koshimae! I'm so bored; let's play!" Kintaro insisted.

With a sigh, Ryoma shrugged. "I can't; I didn't bring my racket."

Kintaro's face fell. "Next time then," he conceded, about to turn away when he suddenly asked, "Where are you going? Can I follow?"

Before Ryoma could answer, two other guys appeared, panting heavily. "Oi, Kin-chan, don't run off like that. We're going to lose you! Remember, this is a school trip!"

Kintaro pouted, but then his stomach growled audibly. "But I want to be with Koshimae!"

Sakuno, who heard the growling, stepped forward with a plastic bag filled with their market finds. "A-ano, you can eat this if you want. We just got out of the Nishiki Market, and we bought a lot."

Kintaro's face lit up as he accepted the bag. "Thanks! Then, until we meet again, Koshimae! And nice sis too! Make sure to bring your racket next time!" he called out as the two boys pulled him away.

Ryoma shook his head, amused by Kintaro's high energy. "Such a handful," he murmured.

As they walked toward Jishu Shrine, the crowd grew denser. Ryoma felt Sakuno sway slightly, almost lost among the throng. Instinctively, he grasped her hand, pulling her closer.

"It's too crowded here," Sakuno said, blushing slightly at the contact. "I wonder where Tomo-chan and the others are."

Ryoma held her hand firmly, "We should walk like this to avoid getting separated. You always struggle with directions."

Sakuno nodded, heart racing as she followed his lead, their hands intertwined. "Do you want to make a wish?" he asked as they reached the sacred space of Okage Myojin.

"Eh, can I?" she asked tentatively.

"Why not? Since we're here, you should do what you want. You like to wish in shrines, don't you?"

Her cheeks warmed at his thoughtful words, and she beamed, "Okay! But won't you make a wish with me?"

Ryoma paused for a moment, then, eyes closed, he murmured his wish. Sakuno, enchanted by his sincerity, followed suit, her heart fluttering once more.

Afterward, as they explored the historical sites within the shrine, Ryoma noticed Sakuno's growing fatigue. "Should we head back now?" he suggested gently.

Sakuno nodded, grateful for his consideration. They left the shrine, still holding hands, when they spotted their friends near the exit. Tomoka waved enthusiastically, striding over.

"Are you both dating now?" she teased, her grin wide.

Both Ryoma and Sakuno stared at their hands, and Sakuno quickly released her grip, blushing furiously. "It's not like that! It was too crowded, so Ryoma-kun helped me."

"That's fine, that's fine!" Tomoka laughed, clearly enjoying the moment.

As their group turned toward the ryokan, Horio stretched his arms, yawning. "I'm so tired."

Katsuo chimed in, "I think everyone is tired now. Let's go back."

But as they started to walk, Ai noticed Heisuke lagging behind. "Ookami, what's wrong?" she asked curiously.

"Nothing," he mumbled, trying to brush it off.

"It's obvious you like Ryuzaki-chan," Ai pointed out playfully.

Heisuke blushed deeply, "What are you talking about?"

Ai nudged him, grinning. "So why are you letting her be with Echizen-kun?"

Heisuke hesitated. "Because she looks happiest when he's around."

Ai smirked, clearly enjoying his sentiment. "You sure are a good guy, aren't you, Ookami?"

Heisuke glared, his cheeks aflame. "Shut up." But the warmth of their banter lingered as they rejoined their friends on the walk back.

In the guys' ryokan.

The atmosphere in the ryokan was filled with a warmth that contrasted sharply with the cool evening air outside. The scent of tatami mats mingled with the faint aroma of onsen steam, creating an ambiance of tranquility that seemed to wrap around the four friends like a comforting blanket. Horio stretched himself across the futon, letting out a contented sigh. "Ah, I'm so glad to get to lay down. Finally."

Katsuo chuckled from his own bed. "Yeah, I know, right?"

At the far end of the room, Heisuke sat glued to his game console, fingers moving deftly over the buttons as he tried to escape into the pixelated world. Ryoma emerged from the bathroom, towel in hand, his damp hair still glistening. "Horio, your turn," he called, and Horio jumped up with an eagerness that underscored his need for relaxation.

As Horio disappeared into the bathroom, Ryoma turned his gaze to Heisuke, who remained in silence, intent on his game. "Why are you here?" he asked, curiosity piqued. "Don't you have your own room?"

Heisuke paused, the light from his screen illuminating his face. After a moment's hesitation, he mumbled, "Just let me be here for a while."

Katsuo sensed the tension. "Is everything okay with your classroom?"

Another long pause followed. Heisuke finally spoke, words tumbling out as if they had been trapped inside. "People scared of me. They think I'm a delinquent. They don't feel safe in their own room."

Ryoma fell silent, unsure of how to provide comfort. But Katsuo leaned forward, eyes earnest. "How about trying to warm up to them? Like you warmed up to us. We can help you."

Heisuke stopped playing momentarily, confusion flickering across his face. "What do you mean?"

"Just like we took the time to get to know you, maybe you can try with your classmates too. It might take time, but it's worth it," Katsuo encouraged, his voice steady and reassuring.

Blushing slightly, Heisuke considered Katsuo's suggestion. "That's fine," he finally replied.

"You can always come to us. Aren't we friends?" Katsuo said, and before Heisuke could respond, Horio returned from his bath, towels draped over his shoulder, a grin plastered across his face.

"Oh, you're back! How was your date with your girlfriend?" Horio teased Kachiro as he entered the room, still flushed from his earlier escapades.

Kachiro's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. "Yeah, it's all good. We went to a lot of places together," he replied, too shy to elaborate.

"Must be nice," Katsuo chimed in, a knowing smile on his face. "You both stay far away too; today you must be happy to meet each other."

"Yep," Kachiro replied, his grin growing. He placed his bag on the desk and glanced at Horio. "By the way, since when are you dating? You never told us."

Kachiro smiled awkwardly. "Well, I met her last year, but we've been officially dating for six months now. At first, we weren't sure, what with Tokyo and Osaka being so far apart, but we decided to give it a try."

Watching from the side, Ryoma sipped water, taking in the camaraderie among his friends. "So nice. I wish I had one as well," Horio sighed wistfully.

"What about you, Katsuo?" Horio pressed, turning the spotlight.

Katsuo blushed. "Eh, me? I don't know. I'm not really thinking about dating yet. I want to focus on myself and my family after graduation."

"Good for you," Horio replied, then turned his attention to Ryoma. "Echizen, won't you try dating as well?"

Ryoma's frown deepened. "Where is this coming from?"

Horio remembered Tomoka asking him to hit some sense into Ryoma regarding Sakuno. "What do you think of Ryuzaki?" he asked pointedly.

Everyone turned to Ryoma, their expressions expectant.

"I don't understand what you're trying to say," Ryoma replied, caught off-guard.

"Don't you like her?" Horio pressed, determination flooding his voice.

Ryoma fell quiet, thoughts racing. What was this sudden line of questioning about? He wrapped himself in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Heisuke now turned his attention away from his game. "The heck! I didn't know the tennis prodigy and the smartest one in school could be so dense about things like this," he finally remarked, frustration evident in his tone.

Ryoma cast his gaze down, avoiding eye contact. "I don't know what you guys are trying to say, but dating isn't for me right now."

"Why?" Horio asked, incredulous.

"Because I'm going back to the US right after graduation," Ryoma stated bluntly, his voice heavy with finality.

"Is that really your only reason?" Heisuke challenged, unable to contain himself any longer.

Katsuo intervened, putting a hand on Heisuke's shoulder to ease the tension.

"Yeah look, Kachiro is fine with a long-distance relationship," Horio said.

"For Kachiro, Tokyo and Osaka are still in one country. What do you think about the US and Japan?" Ryoma countered, his expression unyielding.

But Heisuke, now visibly frustrated, stood up. "You know what? I thought you could put that aside. I'm disappointed right now. I have to tell you: I like Ryuzaki. It's a mistake to let her be with you."

The room fell into stunned silence. Ryoma's eyes widened in shock as Heisuke stormed out, leaving the atmosphere heavy with unspoken words. Things had taken an unexpected turn.

"Well, that escalated quickly," Horio murmured awkwardly, trying to break the tension. "I'll go talk to Ookami."

As he left, Kachiro looked at Ryoma, concern etched on his face. "Are you okay?"

Ryoma remained quiet, staring at the mirror, lost in thought. "I'm not bothered," he finally said, though it was clear that wasn't true.

Katsuo exchanged worried glances with Kachiro as Horio stepped outside, calling out to Heisuke. "Oi, Ookami!"

"What do you want?" Heisuke responded tersely.

"I'm sorry for bringing that up first," Horio said, his voice softening.

"That's fine," Heisuke snapped back. "Now I know how much his feelings toward Ryuzaki."

Horio sighed. "Let's go back."

"You go back first. I'm going to my room," Heisuke replied curtly.

"Okay," Horio said, his heart heavy.

Later that evening, as the others drifted into sleep, Ryoma sat alone in the dim light of the room. He pulled out his phone, opening the gallery to find a selfie of himself and Sakuno taken at the Nishiki Market earlier. A bittersweet smile formed on his lips as he stared at her bright, cheerful expression.

With a sigh, he placed the phone back on the desk, lost in contemplation. Perhaps love was more complex than he had imagined, and the distance he had created in his mind was just a barrier he needed to cross. In the quiet of the ryokan, surrounded by friends, he pondered the weight of unspoken feelings and the possibilities that lay ahead, wondering if he might dare to confront them.