...It's too early to come to that conclusion.
The team that's currently in second place at our table are members of the St. Tina's Girls' School Mahjong Club, and Ai seems to be deliberately trying to lower their points. If Ai wants to knock out a more troublesome opponent in advance and let a weaker team advance at the same time... I guess that's a reasonable tactic to win the competition, right?
What conclusion?
Oh... Nana, when did you get back?
I just got back and happened to see you frowning while deep in thought. What's up?
...I'm thinking about where we should go to have a good meal if we win today.
It might not be good to count your chickens before they hatch.
Didn't you tell me that our luck is unstoppable today...?
Forget it. I haven't known Ai for that long, and it isn't polite to make malicious guesses about others.
On this day, our luck manages to carry us until the very end, and we win the competition.
After the competition, Ai and her classmates want to go shopping, so Nana Shiraishi and I decide to go to Éternité to try a new coffee blend.
(sobbing) I don't wanna accept...
Hmm? Isn't that...
Before leaving the mall, I see our semi-final's opponent standing next to a fountain nearby. The girl wiping her tears among them is the Jyanshi who moved before Ai, the player Ai was targeting earlier.
Although I didn't play against her, I subconsciously avert my gaze from her.
...Although this is a recreational competition, the feeling of losing isn't nice. It's normal to feel uncomfortable when you see other people crying at times like this.
But we won fairly, so you don't need to pretend that you didn't see her. Isn't it the responsibility of the winner to face up to the tears of the loser?
Fairly...
After hearing Nana Shiraishi say this, I recall my earlier suspicion about Ai's unfair playing, which gives me mixed feelings...
Oh, you're frowning again. What are you thinking about?
Don't tell me you're thinking about dinner again this time. The same trick won't work on me twice!
I'll tell you then, but it's just a guess.
I tell Nana Shiraishi about Ai's strange behavior in the semi-finals. Of course, I also remind her there's a possible tactical reason for her actions.
After a moment of silence, Nana Shiraishi says "I understand" and ends the topic, then we go to the café as planned...
Mmm, the new blend is nice. The intense caffeine hit gives me a sleepless night and... the feeling of being listless on the next day.
I accidentally encounter Ai while shopping a few days later and raise my hand to greet her. However, she makes an unhappy expression when she sees me.
No one asked you to meddle in my affairs...
She says this when we walk past each other. A little concerned, I call Nana Shiraishi, who tells me she had asked Ai whether she wasn't playing fairly after watching the recording of the match. Apparently they had a dispute over this.
So she really did go easy on the little boy. Although it's not right for her to do something like that... I'm still sorry about making things unpleasant between you two.
Nonsense. Whatever her reason, she should play matches fairly, so you don't need to apologize to me.
But if you feel bad about it, I don't mind if you treat me to dinner to make up for it.
We'll do that. Where are y...
Before I can finish my sentence, a finger pokes my face stealthily.
I turn around and see Nana Shiraishi smiling at me.
