Chapter Text
Naturally, the car becomes even livelier when Ryuji-senpai hops inside. He and Satonaka-san are already good friends, and Sumi couldn’t help but be amused by their antics.
“Honestly, I can’t believe you’re friends with this dude, Sumi-chan!” Satonaka-san says as she pulls up the handbrake and reverses the car out of the parking lot.
Ryuji-senpai is busy arranging the items at the back of the van, his body draped over the backseat with his bottom up, but he quickly whirls around in outrage. “W-what’s that supposed to mean?!”
“On second thought, it kinda makes sense,” Satonaka shrugs, casually maneuvering the wheel with one hand. “You guys both go to the same school, you’re both athletes, both around the same age...”
“Both have injuries…” Sumi dryly continues, and just like that, a heavy silence descends over the car. Realizing what she said, she clasps a hand over her mouth. “Oh, I meant it as a joke…”
Then Satonaka-san bursts out laughing, followed by Ryuji-senpai. “That’s true. And that just means you guys work pretty hard, I guess.”
Sumi turns to Ryuji-senpai with questions in her eyes. Does Satonaka-san know the darker reason behind Senpai’s injury? Senpai instead gives her a knowing smile and raises a finger to his lips, hushing her with a conspiratorial wink.
Yeah, Sumi understands. She doesn’t want to be defined by her injury either. But what she doesn’t understand is the warmth that has filled her ever since seeing Ryuji-senpai again after such a long while.
“I didn’t know you were staying here, Ryuji-senpai!” Sumi says instead. “Is this where you’ve been for the past year?” She’d barely seen Ryuji-senpai in his third year at Shujin, with her gymnastics meets and him taking up the reins as captain of the track team while spending his free time at rehabilitation facilities for his knee. Turns out this was where he’d always been.
“Yeah.” Ryuji-senpai sheepishly scratches the back of his head. “Sorry ’bout that. I also asked Renren and Ann not to tell anyone either. They visit me from time to time, so it’s not so bad.”
“Oh, I’m glad!” Sumi knows just how lonely practices and rehab can get. “Anyway, I wouldn’t hold it against you, Senpai. I was actually hesitant too about revealing my injury to Ren-senpai and the others during our graduation ceremony.”
At that, Ryuji-senpai’s face sobers a little. “Sorry about missing your graduation again. It was lousy of me. I’m gonna make it up to you and Futaba soon, I swear.”
Before Sumi can say anything, Satonaka turns to them. “It’s partly my fault. One of our trainers at the institute had an accident that day, and we had to rush him to the hospital. I asked Ryuji-kun if he could stay at the hospital while we called the guy’s family.”
“I told you already, Chie-san. Don’t sweat it! Just glad to help out.” Ryuji-senpai smiles widely. “I’m just glad nothing serious happened to Miyamoto-sensei.”
“You’re really my cute junior! I’m so proud!” Satonaka-san’s free arm reaches out behind her to blindly pinch Ryuji’s cheeks.
“Aw, geez. H-hey, eyes on the road!”
Sumi watches their interaction with a hand over her mouth, barely able to hide her smile. The remaining minutes of their journey to the institute pass just like that, as the sea disappears behind them and their tiny van makes its way up the winding mountain road.
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They reach Kamakura Sports Institute just a few minutes after noon. Although Sumi had researched the place and its facilities in the days leading up to her arrival, she isn’t prepared for the sheer scale of the whole complex, which could rival any High Performance Sports Center, even those in Tokyo.
The hub is so large that it feels like it managed to build a community around itself. After passing through tiny roads lined with sparse neighborhoods, they entered the town proper, where a small community suddenly appeared, complete with a shopping center and an elementary school. Kamakura General Hospital, meanwhile, is the only hospital in town and supposedly the best in all of Kamakura.
The whole institute is divided into eight moderately sized to large buildings: the Kamakura Institute of Sport Sciences, or KISS; the National Training Center East Wing and West Wing; the Athletes’ Village, where the dormitories are located; the Track and Field grounds; the Football Field; the Futsal Courts; the Outdoor Tennis Courts; and the Toda Boathouse. Sitting beside it is a large temple complex called Kencho-ji.
The van rounds up to the back of the Athletes’ Village, which sits on a hill where dozens of young people in tracksuits are strolling about. A group of cyclists passes by them, ringing cheerful bells as Satonaka-san waves at them.
“Once we get these items unloaded at the canteen, we’ll take you to the institute lobby for your orientation,” Satonaka-san says as she stops the van and quickly unbuckles her seatbelt. Behind them, Ryuji-senpai is already a flurry of action, jumping out of the van and opening the back door in a flash.
Sumi attempts to help, but Ryuji-senpai assures her they can handle it all while somehow managing to carry every box of supplies at once. She realizes she’d only get him into trouble if Satonaka-san saw her carrying crates of milk anyway.
While waiting for them to finish, Sumi opens her phone and checks the group chat. Trying to fight off a smile, she sends a selfie she had taken earlier of the three of them: Satonaka-san flashing a peace sign, Ryuji-senpai grinning from the backseat, and Sumi herself sharing the same smile.
Sumi: Surprise!
Sumi: *photo*
Haru: Oh my!
Futaba: OMG
Futaba: SKULL WHY DID YOU KIDNAP HER
Ren: 👍
Makoto: Oh, so you’re in the same facility as Ryuji.
Yusuke: I’m glad you were able to get there safely, Violet.
Yusuke: It’s nice to see you as well, Skull.
Haru: I’m so glad! You guys are there together, and I hope it makes things much easier for you, Sumi.
Violet: Yes!
Violet: I’m very happy that Skull-senpai is here :3
“‘The eff! My phone won't stop buzzing!” Sumi hears Ryuji exclaim from the back of the van, and she only smiles.
“Hey, so you told ’em!” are the next words he says when he climbs back into the van, his phone in hand. “Renren even sent me a direct message too. Says I should take care of you and make you feel welcome here. ‘Dude, of course I will. Ya don’t have to tell me!’” he intones aloud while typing the same words to Ren-senpai.
Sumi’s heart jumps to her throat. “Senpai can be overbearing at times,” she says lightly.
“‘Yeah, I’m so pumped she’s here too!’” Ryuji-senpai continues typing on his phone, and moments later, his newest message appears in the group chat.
“Man, I feel a bit sad for being left out.” Satonaka-san jokes as she hops inside the van and drives them to the back of a large building that serves as the center for the whole complex.
The three of them continue joking around even as they reach the main doors. There, a short-haired woman carrying an iPad and wearing a crisp dark-blue uniform immediately greets them with a pleasant smile and introduces herself as Tomoko-san.
Satonaka-san briefly pats Sumi on the shoulder. “Sumi-chan, I’m sorry, but I have to attend some classes. Let’s hang out later, okay?”
Sumi bows to Satonaka-san. “Yes, thank you so much for picking me up, Satonaka-senpai!”
“Good work, and thank you for your help again, Chie-san,” Tomoko-san says with a bow of her own.
“See ya, Cap!” Ryuji playfully salutes her. Satonaka-san just gives them a cool salute before heading outside, casually twirling the car keys around her fingers.
“We’ll officially begin your onboarding and tour later this afternoon,” Tomoko-san says as she hands Sumi a keycard with a room number attached to it. “You can put your luggage in your room for the meantime. It’s located at the Athletes’ Village.”
“I can help you get there,” Ryuji-senpai quickly volunteers before Tomoko-san can ask. “I’m free until my session this afternoon 'nyway.”
“Oh, Ryuji-senpai. I don’t want to impose—”
“It’s fine!” Ryuji-senpai insists, already helping her with her bag. “I’m already pumped from this morning’s grocery run. Better keep it going.”
After bidding Tomoko-san goodbye, Ryuji-senpai leads her to the walkway connecting the institute to the Athletes’ Village, a stroll that takes less than ten minutes.
“How’s your stay been here so far, senpai?”
Ryuji-senpai brushes the tip of his nose. “It’s been hella great. Everyone’s cool and all. You can’t help but give your best too.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, Senpai, how long will you remain here?”
“Hmm. Probably less than a year. My knee’s getting close to its near-optimum condition from before the injury, or at least that’s what my coach said. Then I’ll finally be able to take my scholarship exam and go to Keio University in Tokyo.”
“Wow,” Sumi exclaims. Keio University is a top-notch university, and its scholarship admissions for student-athletes are widely recognized as rigorous that only less than fifty students are rumored to get in each year. Ryuji-senpai is really going for it.
“Yeah, well...” Ryuji-senpai snorts, brushing the tip of jos nose again. “I want to make my ma proud, you know. And I want to catch up to that guy too.” His grin turns shark-like.
“That guy? You mean Ren-senpai?”
“Uh-huh! Someday I’ll be able to catch up to him, ya know. He did so much for us, and I guess I want to thank him by showing him I’ll become the best version of myself I can be.”
“I’m sure Senpai would appreciate that.” She pauses for a moment. “It’s the same for me as well. I don’t want to go back to my weak self that relied on him or on my sister.”
“Hey..." Ryuji-senpai suddenly turns to her. “How about we swear on it, then?”
“Huh?”
“That after spending time here, we achieve our own dreams. Whatever it is we want. Let’s make our future selves proud, not just Renren or even our folks and friends.” Then he spits into his hand and holds it out to her. “Whaddaya say?”
Sumi looks him in the eye and spits into her own hand. Senpai’s eyes widen slightly in surprise, probably thinking she wouldn’t take him seriously, but Sumi’s not one to back away from promises like this, and she clasps Ryuji-senpai’s palm before he can react. “Yeah. Let’s!”
They clasp each other’s hands firmly before breaking apart at the same time, slightly grimacing at the spit pact they’d just made. A few students passing by give them baffled looks, and understandably so.
“Uh, do you have any tissue? This is kinda gross!”
With a barely suppressed smile, Sumi hands him the tissue from her jacket pocket, the same one she had used earlier to wipe jagariko crumbs from her fingers during the train ride.
Eventually, Ryuji-senpai leads her to the hallway leading to the Athletes’ Village, an eight-story dormitory with more than four hundred rooms or so. Though some rooms are shared among several dormers, the southern annex contains regular single rooms usually reserved for athlete-scholars or those undergoing rehabilitation.
Sumi’s room is located on the fifth floor in the women’s wing. It is small and compact, bare but impeccably clean. A bed is pushed against the cream-colored wall, made with plain sheets and a dark-blue comforter. Beside it is a bedside table with a small fan and lamp. Across from the bed is a narrow study table with two drawers and an office chair. There is also a long wardrobe with a couple of hangers inside. Above it is a small air conditioner, though Sumi doubts she’ll use it, especially since the room has wide windows that gives her a breathtaking view of the mountainside. Beyond that is the sea, glittering in the distance beneath the late-spring sun.
After helping her with her things, Ryuji-senpai takes her to one of the main canteens for lunch. The moment they enter the doorway, they are greeted by the lively noise of chatter and laughter, the sporadic clattering of trays, and the delectable smell of meat stew, fried onions, and grilled chicken. At that, Sumi’s stomach grumbles, reminding her she hadn't had lunch yet and she subtly wets her lips with her tongue.
The canteen takes up almost the entire floor, filled with clusters of tables and chairs as sunlight streams through the wide-open windows carrying the scent of salt from the sea. Athletes line up with trays at the long counter displaying today’s menu, but before receiving their food, Sumi notices they hand slips of paper to the kitchen staff. It takes her a moment to realize these must contain their dietary requirements, and the staff selects meals from various food groups accordingly. It’s simply remarkable.
“Hey, lemme introduce you to someone,” Ryuji-senpai says, gesturing for her to follow him to the back of the canteen. Inside, some of the kitchen staff are casually chatting over tea after having just served lunch for the day. The moment Ryuji-senpai opens the door, all of them brighten.
“Sakamoto! What are you doing here?”
“Have you already eaten, Ryu-kun?”
“Hey, everyone!” Instead, he gestures toward Sumi. “Uh, this is Yoshizawa Sumire. She’s one of the newest residents and a kick-ass gymnast!”
After a cacophony of greetings, which Sumi returns with a hasty bow, Ryuji-senpai continues, “Where’s Spade-san?”
“Out back smoking. You know how he is.”
At the same instant, a deep voice interrupts them, followed by the sound of a door shutting. “Hey, you kids aren’t allowed in here.”
Sumi turns to see a tall, gaunt man wearing dark shades, with wild blond hair carelessly tucked beneath a red bandana. One ear is pierced, while an unlit cigarette rests above the other. The man must be in his late forties, but she can tell he must have been quite striking in his youth, with his high brow, narrow nose, and strong chin.
The man strides across the kitchen and gives Ryuji a warm hug accompanied by a slap on the back. “No sessions today, Sakamoto?”
“This morning? Nah. I just came here to introduce a friend.” Ryuji-senpai wraps an arm around the older man's shoulder. “This is Yoshizawa Sumire. She used to be my junior back at Shujin. Sumi, this is the head chef of Kamakura Sports Institute and a former Olympic gymnast. Ichimaya Tohru’s his name, but around here we call him Spade-san.”
Sumi’s eyes widen in disbelief. “You’re Ichimaya Tohru?!”
Spade-san removes his shades, and a thick strand of dirty blond hair falls over his face. He winks at her and takes her outstretched hand to his lips while Ryuji-senpai rolls his eyes. “Bonjour, mademoiselle.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Ichimaya-san,” Sumi replies, struggling to hide her excitement. “My sister and I were big fans.”
“Heh, I still got it!” Spade-san gives a thumbs-up to his staff, who only shake their heads while some of them groan.
“Dude, she’s only like that because you were a gymnast like her.” Ryuji-senpai jokingly punches Spade-san’s shoulder.
“Oh?” Spade-san’s dark eyes peer at her. “You’re a gymnast too? Since when did you start?”
“Rhythmic gymnastics,” Sumi specifies. “My sister and I began training when we were in first grade.”
“Amazing.” Spade-san turns to Ryuji-senpai knowingly. “You naughty dog. You’ve got more game than I thought.”
“Wha—! You have the wrong idea, man!” Ryuji-senpai sputters loudly, his cheeks instantly turning red.
Spade-san ignores him and focuses his attention back on Sumi. “Well, welcome to the Kamakura Sports Institute. As you know, I’m not a gymnast anymore, but I can still share some tips for the mat. And if you need help dealing with your coaches...”
“Spade-san sometimes works as a part-time coach,” Ryuji-senpai says. “He might act like that, but I’ve known him long enough to know he’s a real one.” He adds the last part in a quieter voice loaded with meaning.
Not like Kamoshida. Certainly not like Maruki. Sumi nods in understanding.
“I just had an idea!” Spade-san claps his hands loudly. “As a welcome meal to a fellow gymnast, I’ll whip up something good for you, Yoshizawa-san. What’s your favorite comfort food?”
Sumi looks at Ryuji-senpai questioningly, and Senpai only gives her a reassuring nod. Well, for someone like her with a big appetite, she has too many favorite foods, but the first thing that comes to mind is the kind of dish her mother would always cook before a big tournament. It’s a recipe she still hasn’t quite perfected herself.
“Fried mackerel tatsuta-style.”
“A fine choice,” Spade-san agrees. “I’ll try to find some ingredients for tonight’s dinner. Bring Sakamoto with you, but don’t tell anyone. The other students will no doubt bully me into making their favorite meals until next month.” He winks at Sumi again before she and Ryuji-senpai abscond from the kitchen.
“See? I told ya this place is nice.” Ryuji-senpai says this while leading her back into the dining area teeming with people. He hands her a tray for their lunch. “You’re gonna have a great time here. I’m sure of it!”
“Yeah.” Sumi momentarily forgets the reason she’s here in the first place. She almost forgets about the injury too. “I can see that now. But of course, even if it isn’t, I’m still going to have a great time now that you’re here, Senpai!”
“Heck, stop fibbing.” He gently nudges her shoulder. “But I’m glad you’re here too. Not glad that you’re injured though. Fuck, sorry. That’s not what I meant—”
“Senpai,” Sumi cuts him off with a laugh. “I get it.”
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Coach Hiraguchi calls her as soon as she walks back into her room after lunch. She had just sent an email to her parents informing them of her arrival before picking up the call.
“Hello, Sumi. Is this a good time to talk?”
“Yes, Coach. I just had lunch,” she says, sitting at the edge of her bed.
“How do you find the facility so far?”
“It’s wonderful.” Sumi smiles as she places a small picture of herself and Kasumi beside her bed, near the small lamp. “I was picked up by Satonaka-san, and I’m already meeting new people. A senpai from Shujin is also staying here, to my surprise.”
“Hmm... That’s good to know.” Coach sounds pleased. “And have you met your physical therapist yet?”
Coach Okazaki Miwa. She and Coach Hiraguchi were former teammates and close friends. It isn’t hard to imagine that she might be just as strict as Coach Hiraguchi herself. “I’m going to have my onboarding this afternoon. Maybe I’ll finally meet her then.”
“Miwa’s schedule is always full, and she’s the most in-demand specialist in her field right now, but I made her promise she’d take care of you.”
“Oh, Coach. You didn’t have to do that...!”
“Shhh, Sumi. You want to get well quickly, don’t you?” The warmth leaves Coach Hiraguchi’s voice, replaced by steel.
“Yes.”
“You want to represent Japan in the Olympics someday, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then focus on that goal. Just let me pull the right strings in the background to support you. At any rate, Miwa had already expressed interest in your case, so it’s a moot point to argue about it now.”
“Yes...” After a beat, Sumi stares at the photo of herself and Kasumi. They had been eating celebratory ice cream then, when Kasumi clinched gold once again while Sumi managed to secure bronze. “Thank you so much, Coach!”
“You’re going to be alright.” Coach continues, her voice brightening once more. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”
After bidding her coach goodbye, Sumi is left alone with her thoughts. Kasumi’s smile in the photograph stares back at her, frozen in time as though trapped beneath ice. Still, Sumi remembers how happy they both were back then, how their parents took them to Destinyland the very same day, how Kasumi excitedly dragged her from ride to ride even as the insidious roots of envy had already begun creeping into Sumi’s heart. Her injured foot, slightly throbbing now that the painkiller is wearing off, serves as a reminder of how bitter and ungrateful she was when Kasumi was still alive.
She has no idea how long she spends sitting there, pondering the uncertainty of the next several weeks, until she hears a knock on the door. It is Tomoko-san, bowing politely with an iPad in hand and an unmistakable air of professionalism around her.
“Hello, Yoshizawa-san. Are you ready for your onboarding and tour? Let’s begin at the Institute of Sports Science, shall we?”
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“The Kamakura Sports Institute was built after the war and was originally founded by a Buddhist priest studying at Kencho-ji to rehabilitate soldiers who returned with life-altering injuries. Over time, the government and various private organizations raised funds to develop it into a separate institution dedicated to training future Olympians and Paralympians while also expanding the KISS program into a center for sports science and sports medicine research. Kamakura Hospital was later constructed as well, specializing in sports medicine and the rehabilitation of young athletes.”
Tomoko-san leads her into a small room serving as a mini-museum depicting the history of the institute, filled with black-and-white photographs and relics of different sports memorabilia. At the center of the room is a map highlighting the entire complex, showing the buildings, stadiums, Athletes’ Village, and hospital located just across the street.
Afterward, Tomoko-san takes her through the Institute facilities, which include a high-performance gym complete with an indoor climbing wall, a wind tunnel laboratory for Winter Olympic skiers, a radiology room, a core-training gym, the Human Performance Lab, the Biochemistry Lab, the Track and Field Lab, and the Athlete Rehabilitation Room. The latter interests Sumi the most, as she suspects she’ll be spending much of her time there, and the facility certainly doesn’t seem to lack equipment. The room itself is already half-filled with young athletes stretching, wheelchairs and walkers stacked neatly against the walls, while physical therapists and nurses move busily about. Sumi wonders if Coach Miwa is among them.
Their next stop is the Training Center, which is divided into two wings. The east wing is a massive complex that houses wrestling areas, a boxing gym, judo halls, weightlifting rooms, and basketball and volleyball courts.
At the next area, Tomoko-san suddenly turns to her with a bright smile and opens a pair of massive doors. Inside lies the artistic gymnastics area, filled with rows upon rows of gymnastic mats beneath towering ceilings designed to accommodate jumps and twirls on bars and rings. Thick blue and red spring floors cover much of the room, divided into designated zones for each apparatus. Overhead lights shine brightly and evenly, allowing athletes and coaches to clearly track every movement. The entire area carries the familiar scent of chalk, foam, and leather, filled with the usual cacophony of hollow thumps from gymnasts landing on mats, the squeak of feet sprinting down the vault runway, and coaches repeating drills followed by either triumphant cheers for perfect routines or groans after spectacular falls.
Sumi breathes in the familiar environment, unable to suppress the huge smile spreading across her face. Her feet itch to step onto the mat and perform the routines she had only been practicing in her mind.
“Yoshizawa-san,” Tomoko-san gently nudges her. “I think we should continue the tour.”
“Ah, yes. Sorry, I got carried away.”
“I understand,” Tomoko-san says. “I know how excited you must be to return to the mat again.”
“You have no idea.”
After one last lingering look at the gym, Sumi follows Tomoko-san for the rest of the tour. The next stop is the western wing, which has the badminton courts, indoor tennis courts, fencing hall, archery range, shooting range, table tennis area, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool with ten lanes. A sports arena used for various Paralympic sports occupies floors two through four.
Toward the tail end of their tour, Tomoko-san leads her to the track and field area, where a dozen runners are already preparing for sprint practice. Sumi spots Ryuji-senpai’s dirty blond hair among the crowd, his track shirt drenched with sweat as he listens attentively to an elderly gentleman standing with one hand on his hip. For some reason, there is something more confident about Ryuji-senpai’s stance now, as though his back is straighter and he no longer carries that lanky awkwardness in his usual gait. Sumi’s gaze lingers on him until Tomoko-san calls for her attention so they can continue toward Kamakura Hospital.
Just as they enter the double doors leading into the hospital, a small girl with auburn hair suddenly darts out, nearly bumping into Sumi. A bedraggled nurse follows close behind, calling after her. “Ayu-chan, wait!”
Tomoko-san catches the girl who struggles wildly in her arms. “Whoa there. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to stay here!” the girl named Ayu cries, struggling against Tomoko-san’s hold. “I wanna go home!”
“It’s going to be okay, Ayu-chan.” The nurse finally catches up and gives Tomoko-san a grateful smile. “I’m sorry. She was just admitted for further observation, and she isn’t too keen on staying in the hospital, you see.”
“I see.” Tomoko-san slowly loosens her hold on Ayu-chan. “Hey, Ayu-chan. My name is Tomoko-san, and this is Yoshizawa-san. You have nothing to be scared of.”
Ayu stubbornly shakes her head. “I don’t want to stay here.” The nurse gently steadies her despite her weak protests.
“Ayu-chan...” Sumi crouches down closer to the girl. “My name is Sumi. Like you, this is my first day here.”
Ayu hesitates, eyeing Sumi suspiciously, and Sumi takes it as encouragement to continue.
“I miss home too,” she says softly. “I already miss my mom, dad, and grandma. But I got hurt, you see, and I want to get better soon so I won’t make them worry.”
Ayu remains unconvinced, gazing up at Sumi with eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“What do you miss the most about home, Ayu-chan?” Sumi asks gently.
“My mommy,” Ayu whispers, her lips trembling.
At that moment, a woman finally catches up to them, panting heavily. “Ayu, thank goodness!” She turns toward the nurse. “Thank you for catching her, and I’m so sorry she’s being such a handful.”
Both the nurse and Tomoko-san reassure the woman, who turns out to be Ayu-chan’s mother. Ayu immediately buries herself in her mother’s arms, stubbornly refusing to let go.
In a moment of inspiration, Sumi remembers her encounter with Spade-san earlier. While Tomoko-san and the nurse converse quietly, she turns toward Ayu-chan’s mother. “Excuse me, um...”
Ayu’s mother bows politely. “Hirose. My name is Kaede Hirose. This is Ayu.”
“Nice to meet you, Hirose-san. My name is Yoshizawa Sumire, and I recently graduated from high school. I’m also new here. This may sound intrusive, but may I ask what Ayu-chan’s favorite meal is?”
Hirose-san looks confused for a moment, so Sumi quickly continues. “I thought by cooking her favorite meal, it might help her feel more comfortable in her first night here.”
At that, the mother brightens. She looks at the nurse and the nurse just nods encouragingly. “I see. Ayu loves pork and daikon, don’t you, Ayu-chan? But really, you don’t have to go through all that trouble...”
Pork and daikon. Sumi notes with amusement that the little girl has excellent taste in food at such a young age. “It’s perfectly alright! I like daikon too.” She turns toward the nurse and Tomoko-san. “Hirose-san, would it be alright if I cooked pork and daikon for Ayu-chan tomorrow night? I thought it might help her feel more at home here.”
Tomoko-san looks at her curiously. “Are you sure, Yoshizawa-san?”
Sumi nods eagerly. “I love cooking, and I’d love to make something for Ayu-chan. Whenever my sister and I competed far from home, my mother would prepare bentos filled with our favorite foods so we could feel more comfortable in a new place and focus on our matches.”
“Well...” Hirose-san still looks hesitant for a moment. “If it won’t be too much trouble, Yoshizawa-san... thank you. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Thank you!” Sumi bows.
“Hear that, Ayu-chan?” Tomoko-san says cheerfully. “Sumi-neechan is going to make your favorite pork and daikon for you!”
Ayu still refuses to look at them in the eyes. Her mother smiles at them before bidding them goodbye.
Once the nurse, mother, and daughter leave, Tomoko-san turns to Sumi. “Thank you for your help, Yoshizawa-san! But don’t feel pressured, alright?”
“It’s perfectly fine. I’d love to cook for Ayu-chan,” Sumi says with a smile. “I’ll bring the meal tomorrow night so you can have it delivered to her room.”
“I’m sure she’ll love it,” Tomoko-san says as she leads the way back to the Institute. “Now, let’s go. It’s time for you to meet Coach Okazaki Miwa.”