Your parents had left an hour ago for their weekend trip, the last of their instructions hanging in the air like a forgotten echo. Make sure they have the spare key. Don’t let them raid the good sake. Try to stay out of their way.

From your bedroom window, you could see the Inarizaki team scattering across the backyard, a blur of black and white practice jerseys under the late afternoon sun. Drills. Sprints. The sharp, clean sound of a volleyball meeting a palm.

The front door clicked open downstairs.