It started with Teruko’s voice.

Bright. Overly enthusiastic. That grating, high-pitched cheer she used when she knew—knew—everyone in the room was seconds from snapping.

“Alright, team~! Time for some group bonding~!”

No one said anything. Not because we agreed, but because we were all too stunned to believe she was serious.

Teruko, perched on a crate with a clipboard in her hands and a whistle around her neck, looked entirely too smug for someone about to ruin everyone’s day.

Behind her, Fukuchi stood like a statue, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t stopping this.

Which meant—somehow, some way—he had approved it. It was a betrayal none of us would forget.

You shifted uncomfortably where you stood on the training field, already regretting everything.

Sweat clung to your back from the warm sun, and the ground felt harder than usual, as if the universe itself resented your presence here.

“This,” Teruko announced, flourishing her clipboard like it held the secrets of the gods, “is the Hunting Dogs Team Synergy Reinforcement Circuit™!”

Tachihara visibly winced. “Did you trademark that just to torment us?”

“Yes!” she beamed. “Now—warmups! Let’s move those legs!”

Nobody moved. Not even Jōno.

Even Tetcho looked like he was contemplating violence, which was a rarity in itself. Usually, he went along with whatever we did—stiff, stoic, dependable.

But today he had the expression of a man betrayed by fate. His shoulders sagged like gravity had increased just for him.

“Let’s make it fun!” Teruko chirped. “Partner stretching! No exceptions!”

You groaned internally as she clapped her hands and everyone scattered in different directions—more to avoid her eye contact than to pick partners.

You ended up with Tachihara, who glared at you like you’d just asked him to help file paperwork on a weekend.

Across the field, Jōno and Tetcho were attempting some miserable semblance of coordination.

Tetcho was reading the list of stretches out loud with painful seriousness, while Jōno stood completely still, likely calculating how long he could fake a muscle cramp before Teruko stopped breathing down his neck.