The tension in the air was subtle, like a storm brewing behind the clouds.
Friday—the day the exam results would drop. The line between freedom and extra classes.
After that… summer vacation would begin.
But today wasn't about rest. Not yet.
Once again, the Horizon basketball team gathered in their home court—dust motes swirling in the shafts of afternoon light, the faint squeak of sneakers on the polished floor echoing in the stillness.
At the front stood Sayaka stood in her PE uniform, marker in hand, in front of a dusty blackboard.
She turned, locking eyes with Dirga for a second.
That look—sharp and unreadable—made something twist in his chest.
She knew. Somehow, she always knew.
"Okay, listen up. This summer—it's not just vacation. It's war."
She wrote on the board in bold strokes:
2009 National Tournament
