Boring classes on Saturday afternoon were quickly replaced by the noise of students heading home. As agreed beforehand, I, Nakamura, and Sato are currently on our way to his house to prepare for tonight's practice.
"Look, look, Sato, Hasegawa! This is the limited edition cookie that's being heavily advertised right now. My parents just won it yesterday."
"Really! Then share a bit with me later, I've never tried this kind of cookie before."
"I told you to eat your own stuff, this is for me and Sato."
"Don't be like that, Nakamura! Please!"
I immediately put on a puppy face, and seeing that, Nakamura laughed and couldn't bear to ignore me.
"Just kidding, I'll share a bit with you later, so you don't need to make that face."
Awesome! Using this face always makes Nakamura soft-hearted. The limited edition cookie must be really delicious.
While Nakamura and I were teasing each other, Sato quietly kept his head down, following us without saying anything. Could it be that he's still bothered by what happened yesterday?
To be honest, I'm not very good at breaking this kind of atmosphere, but I can't let my bro stay like this forever.
"By the way, even though you study at the same school as us, your house is quite far from school, right? Why don't you study closer to home to avoid so much commuting?"
Sato's house is about ten kilometers from school, and we has to go through two train stations to reach the area where he lives. After getting off the train, even after walking for a while, I still didn't see any signs of arriving.
"Simply put, Naga High School is the best place for studying here. The school near my house doesn't have specialized classes or a good learning environment like Naga."
"Well, with your personality, that makes sense."
"More importantly, we're almost at the supermarket near my house, what do you and Nakamura want to eat tonight?"
When we picked up Sato from class S, we had discussed that we would stop by the supermarket first to prepare some food for dinner. After all, a little snack brought from home couldn't possibly satisfy the three hungry high school students.
"Anything is fine, as long as there's something to eat, I have no objections. I'm counting on you, Sato."
"You really are something… so what about you, Nakamura?"
"Hmm… I don't really want to eat anything in particular, whatever we find at the supermarket will be fine."
"You two… really suit each other, you know?"
"We do not suit each other at all!" Nakamura and I chimed in unison.
"Alright, whatever, the supermarket is right in front of us, let's go in and buy something quickly."
Sato urged us to go in and buy things while he quickly grabbed a shopping cart and headed into the supermarket.
______________
"Let's see, potatoes, carrots, onions… that's enough, tonight we'll have curry, Hasegawa, Nakamura."
At this moment, Sato was carrying bags in one hand and checking the receipt with the other, walking slowly while telling us about the dinner plan.
Curry... huh, if possible, I hope Sato will make it a bit sweet. But since I'm a guest today, I won't ask for much. I'm quite looking forward to this guy's cooking skills.
Turning to Nakamura, she was carrying a large bag that looked like it was about to rip apart. What did she buy that was so much? Let's see.
Apples, chocolate, radishes, pickled cucumbers, bitter melon, dried fish, flour, strawberry syrup, soda… wait a minute, why do they not match at all? What is she planning to do with all that stuff?
"Hey Nakamura, how many dishes are you planning to make tonight to buy all that?"
"Not at all, tonight I'll treat you both to my family's traditional apple pie that I came up with! I guarantee you'll be amazed."
"Wait, so all that stuff… is just for making the apple pie?"
"Exactly!"
Thank you, parents, for bringing me into this world, I probably won't have the chance to come home again.
I swear even someone as inept in the kitchen as I am knows that creating an apple pie with all that stuff is a crime. What on earth is she really thinking? I can't even imagine.
It looks like tomorrow's showdown is already decided, the enemy hasn't even reached our house, and our own troops are already self-destructing.
"Hey Sato, please say something to Nakamura… or she'll kill us with that apple pie of hers. I really can't imagine the scenario once Nakamura produces her creation." I whispered to Sato.
Sato, who had been listening to our conversation, turned to look at Nakamura's pile of stuff and involuntarily shivered.
"I-I give up... I guess we shouldn't take away her confidence. Look, Nakamura seems really determined."
"So you're planning to let our side destroy itself before the enemy arrives?"
"N-no, that's not it... it should be fine. Someone has to try it first before Nakamura can confidently make it for us, right? So it should be okay…"
"Are you sure the person trying that apple pie will still be alive?"
I am truly desperate now. Oh Savior, if you really exist, there is no better time than now to save us. I swear if I survive this, I will turn over a new leaf.
"Anyway... I've arrived, Hasegawa, Nakamura. This is my home."
So lost in despair, I didn't realize we had arrived at Sato's house until now. And then I was in for another shock.
"How can this still be called a home, Sato..."
Before me now stands a mansion that blends old-world charm with modern sophistication. In front lies a courtyard so expansive that, from afar, it could be mistaken for a professional baseball stadium. At its center, a series of fountains unfurl wave upon wave of shimmering water like sapphires, flanked by walkways paved in pure red brick that resemble a red carpet laid out for celebrities. In the late-afternoon glow of a May summer day, every element seems designed to accentuate the villa's majestic splendor.
Although I thought that, my impression of this place was tinged with an inexplicable gloom. Even though it was already early evening, not a single light glowed from the house. Everything was just an endless, shadowy black that felt oddly lonely. I figured that with their comfortable wealth and such a massive home, his parents must have at least two or three servants. After all, they seemed to be very busy.
Seeing me standing there in a daze, Sato didn't bother to explain, skillfully opening the large iron gate with a fingerprint scanner and quickly leading us inside.
Nakamura was also surprised and asked.
"This is your house, Sato? Have you always lived in this mansion?"
"Well... that's true, my parents are quite well-off, so they don't hesitate to spend money on things like this."
What does "quite well-off" even mean? I bet his parents must be incredibly successful to have built a mansion like this.
We quickly entered the house after a series of electronic lock operations by Sato, indeed, rich people have the most modern security technology.
The motion-sensor lights then illuminated the entire house, and that was when I could see the interior design clearly.
The living room was designed to be cozy yet luxurious, with a set of furniture made entirely of lim wood, the latest curved TV, and two cabinets decorated with expensive bottles of wine. Next was the modern kitchen equipped with two large refrigerators, four induction cooktops, and many other devices like an oven, a range hood, and a dishwasher. It looked no different from a place for cooking competitions.
"How long are you guys planning to just stare? Go to the living room and do something so I can cook dinner."
"Ah, sorry! Let me help you, Sato. After all, It's not every day I get to experience cooking in a kitchen like this. Hasegawa, just sit and play by yourself for a bit."
"That's fine, then you can just scroll through your phone or find something to do, Hasegawa. The TV has all the latest games for you, just turn it on and play without hesitation."
Hey, you two are making me feel like a burden. And why are you letting Nakamura into the kitchen Sato? With all that stuff, you trust her more than me? Unlike how I've been worrying about you all this time. If that's the case, I won't care anymore. You guys do whatever you want. I'll take the chance to play a few games of Chronicles of Heroes then.
About half an hour later, I could smell the faint spicy aroma of curry in the air. It smelled really good, it must be delicious.
"Hasegawa! Is the game over? Come eat." Sato called out loudly.
"I'm done, I'm done! Wait for me to turn off the console and I'll be right there."
I quickly ran to the dining table, where Sato and Nakamura were already seated, and in front of me were three plates of beef curry combined with fragrant omurice, along with the soda we bought at the supermarket.
"You were too slow, Hasegawa! Sit down, I really want to try Sato's curry."
"I'm here! Let's eat, everyone! Itadakimasu!"
I scooped a large spoonful into my mouth, and immediately the mild spiciness and the aroma of cinnamon spread throughout my mouth. The beef was tender, the sauce rich, blending perfectly with the sticky rice and the creamy omurice, awakening all my taste buds. A satisfaction I hadn't felt in a long time made me unable to stop eating.
"Really top-notch, Sato! I didn't expect you could make such a masterpiece!"
"Indeed, you're really talented, Sato! It's so good that it makes me feel like I'm dining at a fancy restaurant." Nakamura praised with sparkling eyes.
"Exactly! I feel like I could down three bowls of curry right now and still not be full. If you ever decide to open a restaurant, I will definitely be your number one investor!"
It seems unexpected to receive sudden and continuous compliments from us, Sato's cheeks flushed slightly, but very quickly he regained his usual calm demeanor.
"You guys are overpraising... it's just a regular curry."
"There's no ordinary dish that tastes like this, Sato!"
Sato shyly gestured for us to eat quickly before it got cold while turning his face away; this guy really is easily embarrassed.
But why do I still feel like I've forgotten something?
"Ah, but don't eat too much, Hasegawa. I still have the dried fish apple pie baking in the oven."
"W-what apple pie... what did you say, Nakamura?"
"Dried fish apple pie, of course. Haven't you ever had it, Hasegawa?"
Did I hear that wrong? What kind of bizarre dish is dried fish apple pie? Who would want to eat that?
I broke out in a cold sweat and looked at Sato, who avoided my gaze but still signaled that "it will be fine." Fine my ass, you might be fine, but I'm not.
"Oh, the pie is done, you guys wait a moment while I take it out."
When Nakamura opened the oven, a heavy sour smell rushed straight into my nose, making me think I would faint immediately. What on earth is this dish that smells both burnt and pungent?
To describe it accurately, I think it resembles Sweden's fermented herring. Although I've only seen it on YouTube, I believe it's not much different from Nakamura's pie.
More importantly, do I really have to eat this?
"I'm sorry you guys, I set the timer a bit late, so the pie got a little burnt. You can pick and choose what to eat."
"I-I'm sure it's fine, you try it first Hasegawa."
Don't push all the responsibility onto someone else like that, you jerk.
"Just take a bite, Hasegawa, and then give me your feedback."
"D-do I really have to eat this?"
"So you don't want to? I worked really hard on it."
Nakamura lowered her eyes, looking a bit sad. That's unfair, Nakamura... how can I refuse when you're like this?
"O-of course not! Since you've worked hard, I have to show my appreciation. S-so... itadakimasu!"
At that moment, I knew this would be a decision I would regret.
________________
"I'm sorry, Hasegawa! I shouldn't have made you eat... it's my fault."
The result was clear, my effort to eat a few bites of that pie cost me nearly an hour in the bathroom. I felt like I had just died and come back to life.
After I was stuck in the bathroom, Nakamura finally noticed something was off and stopped Sato, who was sweating profusely, from touching the pie, that lucky bastard.
"Are you feeling better, Hasegawa? Drink some water to settle your stomach, do you need me to go buy some medicine for your stomachache?"
"I'm fine, really... just a little stomachache."
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have made you eat that terrible pie." Nakamura looked down, not daring to meet my eyes.
"I told you it's fine! It was just one failure, why do you look so down? If you can, please continue to bake for me next time, Nakamura."
After all, Nakamura put a lot of effort into that pie, I shouldn't be too harsh on her.
"Are you serious..."
"Of course! Getting to eat a pie made by the class beauty isn't an everyday thing."
I just hope next time you don't put anything weird in it...
"Then I'll do my best. Next time, I'll definitely surprise you." Nakamura blushed and replied softly.
At that moment, Sato ran out from his room, still holding a few packs of medicine to give to me.
"Are you feeling better? Anyway, take this medicine. It will help you feel more comfortable."
"Thanks, but I'm fine now! I don't need any medicine."
"Just take it. Who knows if you'll have another stomachache."
Sato forced the medicine into my hand, insisting that I drink it no matter what. But as he said, after drinking it, I felt much more comfortable.
"With Hasegawa's condition, we might have to cancel tonight's practice. I've arranged a room for you two on the second floor, so you can rest, Hasegawa, Nakamura."
"What are you talking about, Sato? I'm fine now, we can start practice right away."
"Forget it, you should rest early. We still have some time to practice tomorrow morning."
"I'm completely fine! There won't be any time to practice tomorrow morning, so let's start right now."
"But..."
"Please!"
Why does everyone worry about me so much? As long as I'm not dead, I won't stop practicing.
"Then turn on the laptop, we'll start right now. Let me go get the power strip so you two can play while you plug it in."
That's more like it! Where did your enthusiasm go? You used to be so energetic, and now you look completely unmotivated.
But whatever, once we get into the game, your spirit will naturally rise.
________________
11:30 PM.
Our practice session ended with rather disappointing results, losing more than winning, and even suffering some humiliating defeats.
It might be a bit arrogant to say this, but most of the losses today were primarily Sato's fault. Even in the matches we won, his contribution was very minimal. The ability to move and read situations that I used to admire so much, I no longer see in Sato.
"We should call it a night, I'm really sleepy." Nakamura said with a tired expression.
"It's late, isn't it? Then let's call it a night. Can you show us to the break room with Sato?"
Seemingly understanding each other, both Nakamura and I didn't mention anything about the matches tonight. We couldn't put any pressure on him.
Sato seemed to understand us as well, silently leading us to the room. The practice session ended with such a suffocating atmosphere.
At 1 AM, lying on the large bed, I couldn't stop thinking about Sato.
"Will Sato really be okay?"
If Sato continues to perform like this, our chances of winning the decisive match tomorrow are almost nonexistent. Just think about it, we haven't even finished the ranking matches, so what hope do we have against two people who have played with many teams outside?
Could it be that I made a mistake in choosing Sato?
"Haizz... what are you thinking, Hasegawa? You made plenty of mistakes too, yet you're blaming him. Don't forget that Sato had to humble himself to join your team."
"Maybe I should drink some water to calm down."
I told myself that and got up from the bed to head to the kitchen.
To avoid waking everyone up, I tried to move as quietly as possible and only dared to use my phone's flashlight to feel my way. However, just as I was about to go down the stairs, I noticed a faint light coming from the living room.
"Strange, who would be sitting in the living room at this hour?"
Could it be a ghost? Nonsense, as a materialist, I wouldn't believe it even if you paid me. Curious, I hid behind the wall to see what was happening.
"Wait, isn't that Sato?"
Sato was sitting alone in the dark living room, the only light coming from the laptop screen, just enough to illuminate his face. He was intently staring at the laptop screen while his hands were continuously moving, one hand on the mouse and the other typing.
Could it be that he's playing Chronicles of Heroes?
Thud.
Damn, I was so focused on watching him that I forgot I was holding my phone.
Sato turned his face toward the sound, unable to help but let out a scream, quickly stepping back a few paces while his body trembled uncontrollably.
"Calm down, it's me, Hasegawa. No need to be that scared."
Only when Sato recognized me did he gradually calm down. He acted like I was a thief or a ghost.
"W-what... are you doing at this hour, Hasegawa? You scared the hell out of me."
"I was just going to the kitchen to get something to drink. What about you? What are you doing?"
"Uh... just like you, I couldn't sleep, so I went to get some water. I'm about to head back to bed."
Who goes to get water while dragging their laptop along? If you're going to lie, at least come up with a reasonable excuse.
"First, I think you should finish your match. You're in the middle of a Chronicles of Heroes, right?"
Seeing that he couldn't hide it from me anymore, Sato quietly said "uhm" and turned back to the unfinished game.
I moved closer and sat down next to Sato, silently observing his match. Throughout the game, we both remained silent, not saying a word to each other.
It wasn't until the match ended that I finally spoke to break the silence.
"Do you want to chat a bit?"
"You got something wanna ask me?"
"A lot, but let's save it for later. I just want to know, are you really okay?"
"I'm still me, just fine."
"No one is normal sitting alone playing games in the living room at midnight."
"As if you've never stayed up late playing games before."
After some back-and-forth banter, Sato suddenly became serious, looking at me with a determined gaze and said.
"Listen, if... just if. If tomorrow I continue to be the main reason for our defeat, preventing you from completing the lineup and participating in the summer tournament, then at that time, please find another member to replace me."
"Don't talk nonsense at this hour, I don't have time to listen to your nonsense."
"I'm serious. If because of me you can't achieve your dream, then I won't be able to forgive myself."
"Anyway, one day, you'll regret inviting me to the team, Hasegawa."
If that scenario happens, would I regret it?
"Regret... I don't know, maybe yes, maybe no. When emotions overwhelm reason, I might not be able to help but say hurtful things to you."
"Right... indeed..."
"However, as a team member, no matter what, I will never abandon you. If we make mistakes, we'll fix them together. If we fall, we'll get back up from where we fell. If we can't participate in the summer tournament, there's still the winter tournament, and if we can't participate this year, there's always next year."
"But... isn't next year the 12th grade? At that time, we will have to prepare for the university entrance exam as well."
"So what? We can study for the exam and participate in the competition at the same time. Youth only comes once, sometimes we have to be a little 'crazy.' And I've already told you. The person who goes jungle for the team, if it's not you, then I don't need anyone else. Not being able to participate in the summer competition might make me regret, but abandoning you will definitely make me regret even more."
"So don't always take all the responsibility on yourself like that. You act like I and Nakamura have never handled mistakes, sometimes even more than you do."
"Sharing joy and facing hardship together. That's the true meaning of the two words 'teammate', right? Unless you abandon us, there will never be a situation where we leave you behind, Sato."
Sato, perhaps having suppressed too much, at this moment could no longer hold back and started to cry. He sobbed, trying to say each word.
"I-I'm sorry... for not considering your feelings. Actually, when you invited me to join the team, I was very happy. I can be myself when I'm with you and Nakamura. I-It's just... I'm afraid I'll be a burden to the whole team."
"I-It's just... I'm afraid if I don't perform well, I won't be able to accompany you anymore. Because after all, we are just strangers who got to know each other through the game."
"You're overthinking it. Besides being teammates, we are also friends. Don't underestimate friendship through the game like that!"
I have always thought that Sato was a cold and silent person in real life. But it turns out he is still himself, still the friend who used to argue with me in games when we didn't know each other, and is an introspective person who cares about his friends.
"Actually, I've been wondering since the first day we met, why are you always so insecure, Sato? I mean, you are almost perfect from family background to appearance, achievements. You could easily make friends if you wanted to."
"Why... are you always so lonely and gloomy?"
Seemingly trying to adjust his emotions, Sato was silent for a long time. I patiently waited, and then after a while, he spoke up.
"This will be a long story. Even so, do you still want to hear it?"
I nodded firmly, and then Sato slowly began to tell about his past, about what had happened in his life.