Sunday dawned bright and sunny.
Early in the morning, Haizaki Shogo woke up and headed to the park for training—warm-ups, shadow boxing, spear techniques, stretching… before jogging back home. With the national tournament just around the corner, Shogo hadn't visited the sparring gym for two weeks, afraid of sustaining even a minor injury.
So he trained alone at home, making sure to complete his daily routine.
By the time he finished, it was already noon. Sitting at the table across from his mother—headscarf tied and apron on—Shogo smiled.
"Mom, I'm ready to eat!"
"Go ahead, eat up!"
He devoured three large shrimp tempura and a plate of omelet rice, then slung his sports bag over his shoulder and left the house.
At the downtown meeting spot, Shogo stood at a bus stop, idly counting the stations on the sign—first forward, then backward—over and over again until he lost track.
Then, a sultry voice with a hint of scorn rang out.
"You pervert! Get in the car!"
Shogo turned and saw Coach Miyazaki, long black hair cascading down her back, shooting him a teasing look as she sat behind the wheel. Shimizu Rena giggled beside her in the passenger seat.
What the hell?
Even long-haired, strict Miyazaki was coming along?
Ignoring the disapproving stares of nearby onlookers, Shogo jumped into the car, slammed the door, and with a whoosh, they were off.
In the car, Rena spoke softly to Shogo in the backseat, her tone equal parts explanation and apology:
"Shogo-kun, I trained with Miyazaki-sensei this morning, then we had lunch together. So we're going to the hot springs together too. We're both tired, and Miyazaki-sensei even offered to drive us there."
"Not bad, not bad. Your humble servant even has a personal driver—this treatment is excellent."
Shogo's response made Rena giggle. Meanwhile, Miyazaki slammed the brakes, sending Shogo's head smack into the front seat.
"Whoa!"
Shogo realized more and more that Miyazaki-sensei was not someone to provoke. He could only smile awkwardly and let it slide.
At the hot springs, since Shogo had chosen the location, the plan was originally a private outing with Rena.
Now, with strict Miyazaki along, he had to suppress some… unfocused thoughts.
After changing, showering, and rinsing off, Shogo donned a thin yukata and approached the high-end outdoor bath he had reserved.
The semi-open-air onsen was nearly half the size of a tennis court, the natural hot water steaming invitingly. The bottom was covered in smooth river stones. Seeing the entrance was clear, Shogo removed his yukata and stepped into the water.
Surrounded by the warmth, he couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
Feeling relaxed, Shogo hummed a little tune, waiting for the two beauties to join him.
Soon, Rena and Miyazaki entered, also in thin yukatas. Miyazaki glared at him with almond-shaped eyes, so Shogo turned away to give them space.
"Shogo-kun, that's fine!"
Within a minute, shy giggles from Rena and a soft hum from Miyazaki reached his ears.
"What were you humming just now, Shogo-kun?"
"It's a tune passed down from my great-grandfather."
Splash!
Catching the implied warning in his words, Miyazaki attacked with water instead of a sword. Shogo barely avoided swallowing a mouthful while Rena laughed uncontrollably.
Well, words can hurt, but hands can too. Shogo retaliated, splashing water at both of them indiscriminately.
Amid screams, laughter, and gasps, the three began an all-out water battle.
After a while, the warmth of the onsen and the exertion wore them out. They leaned against the edge, chatting casually.
"You pervert, I heard you're heading to the national tournament?"
"Yeah, roughly. Whether we make it depends on my teammates' performance today."
Mentioning the tournament made both Shogo and Rena a little distracted. Miyazaki wisely stayed silent.
Eventually, no one wanted to stay in the water any longer. Remembering last time, Miyazaki had Shogo turn around while she and Rena got up quickly and dressed.
Listening to the rustle of clothing behind him, Shogo's imagination ran wild.
By the time he snapped back, the two were gone. Ah, revenge for making them call me 'big brother' last time. Didn't even notify me.
Dressing and heading to the public area, Shogo found Rena and Miyazaki had already ordered the inn's secret delicacies.
Sitting cross-legged, Shogo nibbled his food quietly, glancing at the two women. They knelt properly, ate small bites, and smiled subtly, clearly enjoying some playful revenge.
People are strange, he thought. He didn't care much for etiquette personally, yet he admired and respected those who did.
Both of them gave him a very good impression in every detail.
After the meal, the three drove home comfortably and in good spirits.
Back at home, Shogo received a call from Sasaki of Fukuda.
"Hello, this is Haizaki Shogo."
"Hi! Shogo-kun, it's Sasaki."
"Everything went smoothly?"
"Our teammates and seniors worked hard. We narrowly won."
"Good. You didn't disappoint. Let's keep it up together!"
"Yes, Shogo-kun!"
Before going to bed, receiving this good news lifted Shogo's spirits.
He stripped, swam for an hour until exhausted, then showered and climbed into bed, a faint smile on his lips as he drifted off to sleep.