Chapter 20
Kyoto A University, Kendo Club.
Shione sat on the long bench, her gaze riveted to the two figures clashing in the center of the hall.
The sharp crack of bamboo swords—*kata-kata-kata*—echoed around her.
She didn't understand kendo, yet she could see the match was a one-sided affair. The fighter wearing the white ribbon moved with ruthless speed; every step was grounded yet fluid.
Shione couldn't track the path of the shinai; she only caught flashes of after-images in the air.
"n!"
The white fighter's shinai slamd into the red fighter's head with such force the bamboo bent and the opponent collapsed. The victor didn't relax—she sprang back like a startled hare.
Zanshin.
Shione rembered Seiya explaining it: after striking a vital point, you withdraw instantly to avoid a last-ditch counterattack. He'd called it the embodint of "give everything, stay consistent to the end." The rest of the rules had slipped her mind.
After the two fighters bowed, the one in white unfastened her helt. A vivid, flushed face erged—proud and striking.
She shook her head, and a cascade of black hair spilled through the air like a waterfall, the oval of her face gleaming under the lights.
Shione's heart gave a heavy thump. Even she had to admit that Saori—her first love's ex—was astonishingly beautiful.
Back when Shione had started dating Seiya, she'd barely exchanged a word with Saori. At the ti Seiya had seed devoted, and Shione had felt no need to pry.
Now she thought: I was such a fool. A kendo beauty with charm to rival my own—why would he ever let her go unless the fault was unforgivable?
Shiratori Seiya... what on earth did you do?
Helt in one hand and shinai in the other, Saori spoke briefly with the coach, glanced around, and finally locked eyes with Shione. She strode over.
Shione rose quickly; in an instant Saori stood before her.
Saori wore tabi on her feet and, though barefoot, was almost the sa height as Shione in sneakers.
Shione opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught when she t Saori's gaze—clear, pure, bright, like black pearls dropped into a lake veiled in snow.
"Hojo Shione?"
The crisp voice snapped Shione awake. She gave a small smile. "Yeah. Sorry for dropping in uninvited—do you have a minute to talk?"
Saori tilted her head and looked past her, as if searching for soone. Not finding him, disappointnt flickered across her eyes. When she looked back, she asked softly, "Is Seiya all right?"
Shione's fingers curled into her palm, nails biting skin.
Still hung up on him, huh...
Wearing a smile that didn't reach her eyes, Shione probed, "Seiya? Probably in Tokyo on a date with his girlfriend."
"Eh?"
Saori's surprise was imdiate; ripples disturbed the quiet surface of her gaze.
"You two broke up?"
"......"
The stab ca again. Shione bit her lip, face crumpling. After a long mont she sighed. "Yeah. Dumped, sa as you."
With Seiya absent, Shione dropped the act. She wanted Saori to feel the sting too.
But Saori answered calmly, "I didn't break up with Seiya."
"...What?"
Shione's expression soured. "What do you an, you didn't?"
"I an we're still together. There's no 'aning' beyond that."
"Wait here a mont." Saori turned and walked toward the changing room.
Shione stood frozen, emotions flashing like storm clouds.
If they never broke up... then while he was dating ...
Does that make the other woman?
He was sharing his love while we were together?
Maybe I really should lock you away, Seiya-kun.
A hollow ache opened in her chest; resentnt seeped out like slow poison.
When Saori reappeared in track pants and a hoodie, Shione collected herself. "What did you an, you didn't break up?"
Saori looked at her as though she were dense. "Don't singers have to pass Japanese class?"
She blinked, genuinely curious.
Shione swallowed her irritation. "When Seiya and I were dating, was he still seeing you? Did he ever tell you it was over?"
"He did. I just didn't accept it."
Saori sat beside her, pulled a small plastic bag from her pocket, and unwrapped two rice balls wrapped in nori. About to bite into one, she paused and offered the other to Shione. "Want one?"
"......"
Looking into Saori's guileless eyes, Shione realized the girl hadn't been taunting her—she was just... wired differently. A total airhead?
If refusing to accept a breakup ans it never happened, then technically I'm still with Seiya too... What kind of moral victory is that?
Shione waved the rice ball away and pressed on. "After he 'broke up' with you, did you two still et often?"
Seeing the refusal, Saori tucked the rice ball back, glanced at Shione's chest, and muttered, "How do they get so big without eating?"
She looked down at her own, a flicker of sorrow crossing her clear eyes, then bit angrily into her rice ball. A few mouthfuls and it was gone. She licked her lips. "He used to co cheer at my matches—barely missed one. Since university, though, hardly ever. Haven't seen him in ages..."
Her voice dipped; she took another fierce bite.
Listening to the dejection in Saori's tone, Shione felt a twinge of sympathy—then the details clicked.
"You said he cheered for your matches—in high school?"
"Mm."
"First year?"
"Mm."
"Second year?"
"Mm."
Saori responded like a doll, moving only when prompted. Anyone would think the author was padding word count.
The sympathy vanished. That bastard kept stringing his ex along while dating —cheering for her tournants behind my back...
Once I get Seiya back, we're settling this.
While Shione was plotting, Saori finished her first rice ball and licked her lips.
"It'll all be better next month—next month I'm heading back to Tokyo and I'll finally see Seiya."
"...?"
Shione's eyelid twitched. "Aren't you enrolled in Kyoto?"
"Of course not. Seiya's in Tokyo; I can't see him if I stay in Kyoto."
Saori gave her the sort of look you give a slow child.
"I only tagged along with Coach to give so pointers at Kyoto A University. I'll be back in a couple of days, and then I'll see Seiya."
A smile slipped across Saori's face at the thought, her eyes bright again. She lowered her head and took two quick bites of her rice ball.
Shione felt an irrational stab of jealousy, but sothing about Saori's story didn't add up. She pressed, "So when you're in Tokyo, he'll actually et you? You two are still in touch?"
"Not really."
Saori shook her head, swallowed the last of her rice ball, folded the plastic wrapper, and t Shione's gaze.
"Have you heard of the Assassin?"
"Huh? What do you an?"
Shione frowned, uneasy.
"I'm going to protect Seiya for the rest of my life, so I can't just show myself everywhere. Otherwise the danger can't be eliminated."
Saori sighed at Shione's blank look. "You're hopeless. Are all singers this dense?"
"......"
What did any of that have to do with assassins?
Following her rule of never arguing with the delusional, Shione swallowed her irritation and asked the final question.
"What exactly did Seiya say when he broke up with you?"
......
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