After some time, a teacher entered the hall. The noise slowly settled as the students noticed him. He spoke in a clear, firm voice.
"Everyone, please listen carefully. Your matches are the most important part of this festival. Do your best so that everything runs smoothly. I wish you all the best."
He paused for a moment and then added, "If you want, you can practice by playing against each other right now. Otherwise, you can come directly at the time of the games. The choice is yours. Best of luck once again."
With those words, the teacher left the hall.
After that, the students began to react in different ways. Some quickly formed pairs and started competing with each other. A few went outside, while others stood where they were, thinking about what they should do next. Arashi was also among those who were unsure, quietly thinking to himself.
When Arashi looked around, he noticed that almost everyone already had someone to compete with. Seeing that, he thought there was no point in staying.
"Everyone is already busy," he said to himself. "I'll just go outside and watch Satoru and Takumi's match."
He started heading toward the exit, but just then, Ichinose called out to him.
"Arashi."
He turned back to look at her. Ichinose asked, "Where are you going?"
For a moment, Arashi wondered why she was asking, but he answered calmly, "My friends have a match, so I'm going to watch them."
She nodded slightly and then said, "If you come back after a while, let's have a match too. Just a friendly game."
Arashi hesitated for a second. "Umm… okay," he replied.
He told her that he would come back after watching the match and then they could play. Ichinose simply smiled and said, "Okay."
After that, Arashi went to watch the match. As he opened the door and was about to go inside, he saw Hina.
"Arashi, come here," Hina said. "Let's go upstairs and watch the match from there. The view will be much better."
Miyu, Ayane, and Mizuki were also with her. Arashi nodded and went along with them.
The moment he stepped inside, loud voices echoed through the hall.
"Come on, you can do it!"
"We're gonna win!"
The cheers filled the air.
As Arashi looked ahead, he saw that Satoru's match had already started. His team was playing volleyball and was clearly in the lead. On the other side of the hall, Takumi's match had also begun.
Miyu spoke up, "Let's sit in the center. From there, we'll be able to see both games."
Everyone agreed, and they went and took their seats in the middle.
Satoru's match was going really well. His team was ahead in volleyball, leading with 18 points, while the opposing team was at 11. Their coordination was sharp, and the difference in momentum was clear.
On the other hand, Takumi was struggling. His basketball match was intense, with both teams fighting hard. Neither side was willing to give up, and the competition was fierce. The score was completely tied — 24 to 24 — making the tension on the court even heavier.
After that, everyone began cheering loudly.
Miyu cupped her hands and shouted for Satoru, "Satoru, you can win!"
The moment he heard her voice, something surged inside him. It was as if a sudden wave of energy rushed through his body. He jumped high and struck the volleyball with full force, scoring another point for his team.
The girls immediately erupted into cheers for him.
Watching this, Arashi spoke quietly, almost to himself. "Satoru is just like before… always the center of attention. All the girls go crazy over him."
He continued thinking, "He looks good, plays really well, and even his grades are strong. Even now, he's just as popular as he used to be."
Soon after, Hina turned her attention to the other side and cheered for Takumi.
"Takumi, you can do this! Believe in yourself!"
When Takumi heard her voice and noticed her, his focus sharpened. A new energy filled him as well. He took control of the ball and pushed forward, dribbling past his opponents one after another. His body reacted on its own, moving smoothly without hesitation.
From a distance, he shot the ball — and it went straight into the basket, pushing his team ahead by another point.
This time, the crowd shifted, and cheers rose for Takumi as well.
Arashi observed quietly and thought, "And on the other side is Takumi. Everyone's favorite at school. Great at sports, above average in looks, and even his grades are above average."
The matches moved toward their final moments, and the tension inside the hall reached its peak.
Satoru's volleyball match ended first. With confident plays and strong teamwork, his team secured the final point. The scoreboard lit up clearly — 25 to 17. Satoru's team had won decisively.
Cheers echoed from all directions. Miyu stood up without thinking, clapping loudly.
"Satoru, that was amazing!" she called out.
Satoru looked up toward the seats and met her eyes. A confident smile appeared on his face — not loud or flashy, but warm. For a brief moment, the noise around them faded. Miyu smiled back, her heart racing, proud and happy just seeing him stand there victorious.
Soon after, everyone's attention shifted to the basketball court.
Takumi's match was still locked in a fierce battle. Both teams pushed their limits until the very last seconds. Then, with one final play, Takumi's team scored.
The buzzer rang.
The scoreboard stopped at 51 to 50.
Takumi's team had won — by just one point.
The hall erupted.
Hina let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and smiled brightly. "You really did it," she said softly.
Takumi turned toward her. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. The exhaustion on his face slowly eased, replaced by relief and quiet happiness.
"Thanks," he said, his voice low. "I heard you."
Hina's cheeks warmed slightly, and she nodded. The cheers continued around them, but between the two of them, everything felt calm and still.
From his seat, Arashi watched both scenes unfold — Satoru standing confidently beside Miyu, and Takumi sharing a quiet, meaningful moment with Hina.
As the noise of victory filled the hall, the festival had only just begun — but for now, this moment was enough.