The school day had finally come to an end. The orange glow of the setting sun painted the hallways in long, dramatic shadows.
"Hey! Let’s go find Kiyoshi-kun!" Shiori said, her energy finally returning.
"Yeah! Let’s move!" Ryuuto cheered.
Shiori turned to the girl standing silently beside them. "Sazanami-sama? Don't you want to come with us?"
Meiyu’s face was a mask of tension. "I’m sorry... but I have to go home."
Reikou stood nearby, watching her. He didn't try to stop her or make a joke. He saw the silence in her eyes the weight of a world she didn't choose. Meiyu didn't just walk away she ran. She ran toward a place she didn't feel she belonged, just to hide the emotions that were bubbling to the surface.
"Hey, Reikou-san," Ryuuto whispered as they watched her disappear. "What happened in the library? Did she mention any more rules?"
"Actually... she did," Reikou said, his voice unusually calm. "But she already broke her own rule. She had a rule to 'never smile too much,' but she realized that sometimes, smiling is the only thing that's necessary."
"Oh..." Shiori whispered. "So, how will you guess her rules now that she knows your plan?"
Reikou smirked, but it wasn't his usual cocky look. "I don't want to know her rules anymore. She has boundaries, not just because of her family, but to protect her heart. Today, she saved me from legal trouble knowing it would cause her problems at home. I finally understand the weight of being in that spotlight... and I don't want to add to her burden."
Shiori and Ryuuto stared at him. For the first time, they didn't see a "Donkey-faced" idiot they saw a boy with a truly kind soul.
Naturally, Reikou couldn't handle the sincere atmosphere for long. He twisted his face into a terrifying, snarling grimace. "WHAT ARE YOU TWO STARING AT?! YOU WANT A PIECE OF THIS?!"
"EEEK! SORRY! LET'S GO FIND KIYOSHI!"
In the stadium garden, the evening was peaceful. Butterflies danced between the flowers as the sun dipped below the horizon.
"So... you lost, huh?" Yueko whispered.
"Hmm... yeah," Kiyoshi replied, staring at his shoes.
"What's your next move?"
"Nothing. It's over. My dad... the team... it’s all over."
"Kiyoshi-kun," Yueko said softly. He looked up, and she caught his gaze. "Listen. Everything happens for a reason. If you lost, there must be something good hidden in that defeat."
"What good is there in failing?" Kiyoshi asked, confused.
"When you win, everyone wants to be your friend," Yueko explained with a faint smile. "But when you lose, only those who truly care stay by your side. That’s when you see reality. That's when you see who your real team is."
Kiyoshi froze. The words echoed in his mind, sounding exactly like the wisdom his mother used to share.
"Look who's coming," Yueko said, pointing toward the path.
"YO! KIYOSHI-SANNN!" Ryuuto’s voice boomed through the garden.
Kiyoshi watched as Ryuuto, Reikou, and Shiori sprinted toward him. Before he could say a word, Ryuuto hooked an arm around his neck from the left, and Reikou grabbed him from the right.
"Congratulations, buddy!" Reikou and Shiori chirped.
"Congratulations?!" Kiyoshi stammered. "Did you miss the part where we got crushed?!"
"Who said you lost?" Reikou whispered.
"You were the only one who scored. You fought until the last second."
Shiori stepped forward, handing him a small, decorated pastry box. "This is for the Man of the Match. That's you."
Kiyoshi felt a lump form in his throat. He had prepared himself for a lecture from his father and the cold silence of his teammates. He thought he was done. But looking at the smiling, ridiculous faces of his friends, he realized he wasn't alone.."Thank youuuuuu!" Kiyoshi roared, pulling Ryuuto and Reikou into a bone-crushing hug. He flashed his signature, creepy, toothy smile but this time, it was full of genuine joy.
"Ngggg! Too tight! Can't breathe!" Ryuuto and Reikou groaned.
Kiyoshi looked over at Yueko. She was leaning back slightly, her eyes closed in a warm, gentle smile. In that moment, he didn't just see a classmate he saw the same light his mother had left him with.
As the stars began to peek through the twilight, the group walked home together, their laughter filling the quiet streets.
On paper, no one had won. Kiyoshi lost his match. Reikou failed to uncover Meiyu’s rules. Meiyu had to break her own protocols. They had all failed their "missions," yet every single one of them was smiling.
This was the victory of bonds. Their friendship was a shield that turned defeat into a celebration. In a world of rules and scores, they had found something that didn't need a number to be perfect.
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