Yui Nagase Declares Her Retirement. Ichika Mats... May 2026

Yui looked at the shoes in her hands. "Every second. Especially the moments I shared with you."

After the conference, Ichika found Yui alone in the athlete's lounge, unlacing her training shoes for the last time. Yui Nagase declares her retirement. Ichika Mats...

Ichika Matsumoto, watching from the backstage monitor, felt her chest tighten. For ten years, Yui had been her benchmark—the silent storm she chased but never quite caught. Their rivalry was not born of animosity, but of mutual awe. Yui looked at the shoes in her hands

"I have decided to retire from professional competition," Yui said, her voice steady. "My body and heart have given everything they could. Now, it's time to listen to them." watching from the backstage monitor

"You never told me you were hurting," Ichika said, sitting beside her.