The evening air hits them like a release, but the tension clings stubbornly as Kaede hustles her group down the street. None of her coworkers speak at first; the shuffle of their footsteps fills the silence.
Finally, Yuta mutters, voice low and guilty. "Sorry… I shouldn't have asked about Ryoma's next opponent. It… it all started right after that…"
Aemi shakes her head quickly, still wide-eyed. "No, it's not your fault. I'm just… shocked. I mean, we were really sitting in the same place as Ryoma's opponent? His next fight? I didn't even realize until it blew up…"
Maho throws in her own disbelief, hugging her bag tight against her chest. "And guess what. He was Kaede's classmate? They all went to the same high school?"
The three of them stop in unison, curiosity snapping into focus. Only now do they realize, that Kaede and Ryoma should have recognized Kanzaki much earlier.
