[Morning, Streets of Tokyo]
Sato jogs with her headphones on. She checks the time: 11:30.
"Time to head home."
She turns into a quiet path through a park.
[A bit later]
Sato opens the door and starts taking off her shoes.
"I'm home!"
No answer.
"They're not back yet…"
She grabs her phone, blasts her music, and heads into the shower.
A few minutes later, the front door opens.
"I'm back!" says a girl with blonde hair just like Sato's.
No response—just loud music from the bathroom.
"So Shiori is here."
As she removes her shoes, she notices a pair of running shoes tossed messily by the door.
She sighs. Out training again…
She tidies them up, then walks to the living room. She drops her bag on the couch and flops down, exhausted.
"What a day…" she mutters, sprawling out.
The sound of a hair dryer starts from the bathroom. It relaxes her.
"I might fall asleep right here…"
She's about to close her eyes when the dryer stops and the music volume jumps back to max, making her eyes snap open.
Sato walks into the living room, still thinking she's alone. She doesn't notice the irritated look coming from the couch.
Humming, she opens the fridge, grabs a bottle of water, closes it—then spots the girl staring at her and jumps.
"Mei! Since when are you here?"
"Since the beginning." Mei answers, baffled.
Sato lowers the music. "You finished work early today. Why?"
"The boss closed early. He had plans."
"I see."
"And you went running… even though your race is tomorrow."
Sato scratches her head, guilty. "I needed to let off some stress."
"You know you could overwork your muscles like that."
"I know… but I'm anxious."
Mei sighs. "You always do this, and you always crush your opponents."
"But this time is different… These are the Inter-High qualifiers. I'll be up against third-years basically on a pro level. I'm not."
"True… but all you have to do is run your absolute fastest and show them experience isn't everything. You're special."
Those words hit Sato hard, sending her back to that moment after Riccardo's match—the moment she told him he was special.Her cheeks heat up. So that's why he looked so shocked… I said it without thinking!
Mei notices her blush. "What's wrong? Did I make you emotional?" she teases.
Sato suddenly hugs her. "You're such a good sister…"
"I know. The best!"
"I'm going to win tomorrow!" Sato declares with sudden confidence, surprising Mei.
The front door opens again. "I'm home!" calls a woman.
The two girls hurry to the entrance.
"Welcome back, Mom!"
Their mother looks genuinely delighted. "How nice, both my daughters greeting me so happily."
Sato notices two grocery bags on the floor and picks them up. "I'll put these away."
"I'll help."
Mei reaches for one, but Sato stops her. "Even if you got off work early, you're still tired. Go rest. I've got it." She smiles.
That surprises both of them.
Sato heads to the kitchen to put the groceries away, the other two watching her.
"She's changed lately," their mother admits.
"Yeah… she was acting weird earlier too. Talking about the 100 meters used to make her anxious, but now she's handling it better."
"Maybe going to Shūdan-teki changed her mindset…" their mother suggests.
"Maybe. It is the best school for athletic talent."
In the kitchen, Sato arranges the groceries with a bright, determined look.
Tomorrow… I want Riccardo to tell me I'm special.