Whispers Of What Was

V: Anxious Days Leading Up to the Tournament

April 28
Midweek, after school, I decided to take a walk to clear my head. I ended up at the local park, a quiet place I often visited to think. As I wandered along the familiar paths, lost in thought, I spotted a familiar figure sitting on one of the benches.

It was Miyu.

My heart skipped a beat. I hadn't expected to see her here. As I approached, I noticed that she wasn't alone. Sitting beside her, engaged in casual conversation, was Saki.

The sight of Saki made my stomach twist with nerves. I hadn't spoken much to her recently, but she was a childhood friend just like Miyu, and our last encounter left me with mixed feelings. I wondered if Saki knew about the tournament and, more importantly, what she thought about me now.

I hesitated for a moment before walking up to them, trying to keep my composure. "Hey," I greeted, my voice casual, but my heart raced as I met Saki's eyes, unsure of what she might say.

Saki smiled, a little too casually, as if she had been expecting me. "Oh, hey, Taro. What a coincidence." Her tone was light, but there was something in her eyes that made me feel a little uneasy.

Miyu glanced at me, her expression calm, though there was a subtle tension in the air. "We were just talking about the tournament," she said, her voice soft but steady.

I blinked. "Oh, you know about it too?" I tried to keep my tone even, but I couldn't help the flicker of anxiety that crept in.

Saki leaned back against the bench, crossing her arms with a playful smile. "Yeah, I heard about it," she said, glancing sideways at Miyu. "Rina mentioned it to me the other day. I didn't realize you were playing, Taro. Sounds like it'll be fun."

I nodded slowly, trying to process how much Saki knew. So Rina had told her. I hadn't expected Saki to find out so soon, but it made sense, given how close she was with Miyu and her family. Still, my nerves bubbled under the surface. I wasn't sure how much I could trust Saki with all of this. What if she brought up things that would make Miyu uncomfortable?

"Yeah," I replied, doing my best to keep my tone light. "It's nothing too serious, just a school tournament. I thought it'd be fun to invite a few friends."

Saki raised an eyebrow, her smile widening just a bit. "Friends, huh? Guess that means you're counting on all of us showing up?"

I hesitated for a second, glancing at Miyu. Her expression was hard to read-calm but distant, as if she was still processing everything. I didn't want to push her, especially now that she had agreed to come.

"Only if you want to," I said, trying to keep things casual. "No pressure."

Miyu finally spoke up, her voice quiet but firm. "I'll be there. It'll be nice to watch."

I smiled at her, relieved. "I'm glad," I said, meaning it more than I could express. "It means a lot."

Saki's gaze flickered between the two of us, and for a brief moment, I could feel her studying our interaction. "Well, it sounds like it'll be an interesting day," she remarked, her tone a little more neutral now. "I might come check it out too. Cheer you on."

My heart skipped again, but this time with a mix of relief and uncertainty. I wasn't sure what Saki's intentions were-whether she genuinely wanted to support me or if she had other plans in mind. Either way, the fact that she might show up could make things more complicated in an already delicate situation.

Miyu stood up, smoothing out her skirt. "I should get going," she said quietly, glancing at me. "But... I'm looking forward to the tournament. Thanks for inviting me."

I nodded. "Thanks for agreeing to come." I wanted to say more, to reassure her that everything would be okay, but I held back, not wanting to overwhelm her.