Chapter 21: Wanting to Go to the Amusement Park

With the weight on his mind finally lifted, Ryosuke slept soundly that night, free of nightmares. He didn’t dream at all.

“Wake up!”

Still deep in sleep, Ryosuke was startled awake by loud pounding on the door. He struggled to open his eyes, but the blanket held him firmly in place, as if it had taken him hostage.

He thrashed around for a bit, then flopped back down with a soft thump, drifting hazily back into his dream.

Outside, Washijō had been knocking for a long while. Hearing no movement at all, he grew irritated and slammed the door twice more.

He kept at it stubbornly. Thankfully, Ryosuke still had a sliver of awareness left. Dragging himself up with heavy eyelids, half-dead, he finally went to open the door.

What greeted him was Coach Washijō’s deeply furrowed face. Ryosuke jolted, and all the sleepiness vanished in an instant.

He cleared his throat twice and gave an embarrassed smile. “I’ll get up right now…”

Washijō shot him a sideways glare. “Move it. We’re running ten kilometers this morning. From now on, it’s this time every day. Otherwise, you won’t even have the stamina to play three full sets. Embarrassing.”

As Ryosuke went back to his room to get dressed, his heart thumped uneasily. Ten kilometers first thing in the morning—his legs were going to snap. Definitely.

He shed tears of regret in his heart.

With no way to argue against Coach Washijō’s authority, he could only head out obediently to run.

He put on his knee pads and warmed up seriously, determined to finish before breakfast. Today’s breakfast included Grandma’s tamagoyaki and miso soup.

If he came back too late, there’d be nothing left for him.

While the hazy sun and the fading moon still shared the same sky, Ryosuke breathed in the morning air tinged with the scent of soil, running lap after lap around the small town.

By the time the sun had fully risen, he finally finished, drenched in sweat.

Washijō’s wife looked at him with clear disdain and sent him off to shower before bringing out a generous breakfast.

Coach Washijō and Ryosuke both held their bowls, glaring at each other. The moment the tamagoyaki appeared, they exchanged a glance and launched into the Washijō household tradition—the Tamagoyaki Battle.

Washijō’s wife shook her head at her husband. He was getting more and more ridiculous.

After breakfast, Ryosuke sprawled on his bed, playing games on his phone.

Just as he was getting into it, a call came in. Distracted, he watched as the low-health boss landed one final hit and KO’d the character he was controlling.

He cried out in frustration and answered the call.

“Hello? Goshiki… Oh… when? …Alright.”

A friend had called to invite Ryosuke and Yunohama to go to the haunted house at the amusement park. Soon they’d be heading to training camp, and after that would be IH. Once that started, training would get intense, and there’d be no chance to go out and have fun.

Ryosuke hugged his cat plushie, its soft fur pressed against him as his bangs drooped over it. He closed his eyes, thinking.

A haunted house… no matter how he thought about it, it sounded terrifying. But he really wanted to go.

He kneaded the plushie restlessly, squashing the poor cat out of shape. In the end, Ryosuke made up his mind—he’d go.

He could also buy some new knee pads and sports gear on the way back.

Since moving to Miyagi, he hadn’t really explored the area properly. Today would be a good chance to look around.

He sprang up excitedly from the bed, sending the cat plushie flying.

Scooping it back up, he padded barefoot over to the wardrobe.

“What should I wear… It doesn’t seem too cold today, but I don’t know what to put on.”

Muttering to himself, he practically buried his entire body in the wardrobe.

“This one’s too thick, I’ll get hot. This one’s too thin…”

He picked up a blue jacket. “This looks kind of old. That color’s too ugly… Should I wear an outer layer? But wearing a jacket is such a hassle…”

Ryosuke scratched his head irritably. His tsundere-cat tendencies were on full display when it came to choosing clothes—picky and easily annoyed.

In the end, he decided to ask Washijō’s wife for help. He wandered around the house but couldn’t find her anywhere.

Turning to look out the window, he saw her just as expected, watering the flowers in the small garden.

He hurried over in a few quick steps, naturally clinging to her arm and dragging out his voice as he whined, “Grandmaaa, I want to go out and play, but I don’t have anything to wear~”

Having raised him for so many years, Washijō’s wife knew Ryosuke inside out. Unlike his shy appearance suggested, he loved bright, flashy colors and was extremely picky.

She set down the watering can and walked with him at an easy pace. “Last time you came back, Washijō bought you a hoodie. It looked really nice—a very pretty bright red.”

Ryosuke’s eyes lit up instantly, sparkling with anticipation.

Washijō’s wife went to her room and brought out a bright red hoodie. The fabric had been specially sewn by a skilled craftsman.

It was very soft—not too thick, but not thin either.

Ryosuke fell for it at first sight. As soon as he took it, he dashed back to his room and changed.

Washijō’s wife watched him with satisfaction. Though her husband was sharp-tongued, he was always attentive when it came to Ryosuke.

The red hoodie set off Ryosuke’s snow-white skin beautifully, making him impossible to ignore. He radiated youthful energy, eye-catching like a young poplar tree.

Just standing there, he reminded people of vividly blooming kapok flowers—bright, energetic, and full of life.

His jet-black hair contrasted sharply with the red hoodie, and the exposed skin was a cool, pale white, creating a striking visual impact.

Dressed in his favorite clothes, Ryosuke immediately got ready to head out and meet Tsutomu Goshiki.

Before he left, Washijō’s wife reminded him to bring back a bottle of shōchū in the evening—one with a very strong kick.

The well-behaved Ryosuke cheerfully slung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed his volleyball and sneakers, and headed out.

Don’t ask why he was bringing a volleyball and shoes to an amusement park. As a volleyball player, Ryosuke firmly believed his friends would be bringing theirs too.

They could always stop by the school to practice later. Filled with excitement and anticipation, he made his way energetically to the bookstore near the school where they were meeting.

By the time Ryosuke arrived, Tsutomu Goshiki and Yunohama were already waiting for him.