Just as Hachiman and Yui were talking, a clear and cheerful voice rang out from behind them, as sweet and crisp as the song of a nightingale.
"Yui-senpai, what a coincidence."
A beautiful girl in a green tennis uniform was walking toward them. Her radiant silver hair shimmered under the sunlight.
Perhaps she had just finished practice her face was dotted with tiny beads of sweat.
Her eyes, misty like a young deer's, were wide and glistening with an endearing gentleness, timid yet soft.
Beneath her tennis shorts peeked out a pair of black compression tights that looked like safety shorts, covering most of her pale thighs.
The skin of her legs, delicate and luminous like white jade, glistened under the sun.
Further down, her calves and ankles were perfectly proportioned. Her soft white feet were tucked neatly into white socks.
Hachiman knew this person. Her name was Saika Totsuka. Despite her beauty, her soft voice, her slender build, and even her mannerisms that could rival any girl's, there was an ironic twist.
Saika Totsuka was, without question, a boy a cute boy overflowing with "girl power."
"Ah! Saika, hey there!" Yui beamed and waved energetically, clearly delighted to run into a friend she knew.
"Hey there," Saika responded with a smile, waving back.
"Hachiman, your tennis earlier was really good."
Saika tilted her head, his damp eyes gazing directly at Hachiman.
"Ah... was it?" Hachiman, who had been secretly glancing at Saika from the corner of his eye, was caught off guard by the sudden compliment.
He scratched his cheek with his finger, his tone awkward as he tried to brush it off, though a strange red hue had crept up his face.
Still, like a man chasing clarity, Hachiman asked Saika, "But wait, aren't P.E. classes split by gender? How did you even see me play?"
"Eh? What are you talking about, Hikigaya-kun? I'm a boy, remember?"
Saika turned his head to the side, his face faintly flushed with embarrassment.
And as he spoke, he reached toward the waistband of his shorts. His smile remained innocent, but there was a strange, teasing undertone in his voice.
"If you really want proof, I can show you."
Something strange stirred inside Hachiman, as if a dangerous instinct was about to awaken. In a panic, he slapped his own cheeks in an attempt to calm down.
"So, uh... what did you want?" he asked, forcing composure.
"Well, I saw you here and wanted to ask if you'd like to join the tennis club," Saika said hopefully, eyes shining with anticipation.
"I've already joined a club," Hachiman replied. "And... my club president isn't exactly the most agreeable person. Sorry about that."
He'd almost said yes on impulse but bit his tongue and gave a half-baked excuse.
He chose to ignore the fact that Yukino now treated him with an almost unsettling obedience, fumbling together a poor excuse to dodge Saika's request.
"I see... well, okay then." Saika's expression fell slightly with disappointment.
"It's alright. You can always find me at the Service Club. I'd be happy to help you anytime."
"Really?" Saika's face lit up with joy.
"Then it's settled! See you later, Hikigaya-kun!"
Once Saika's figure had disappeared from view, Hachiman finally looked away and patted the dust off his pants from sitting on the steps.
"I'm heading back, Yuigahama."
He turned to leave after saying goodbye.
"Wait up, Hikki!" Yui called out, chasing after him.
Later, after class had ended, Hachiman slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed to the Service Club. As soon as he opened the door, he was met with Yukino's complex expression.
"What?" he asked, noticing her gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He pulled over a chair beside her, sat down, set his bag at his feet, and took out his book.
Before he could even open it, Yukino's cool voice drifted to his ear.
"I just got a call... from my sister."
Yukino hesitated slightly.
"Haruno? What did she say?" Hachiman asked without much interest, still staring at his book.
"She said... the two of us should go have dinner with her this weekend."
"Alright, let's go. I don't have anything else planned anyway."
Hachiman answered flatly, like it was no big deal.
Yukino frowned, clearly frustrated by how casually he took it. But just as she opened her mouth to say something, a knock came at the door.
She sighed, gave Hachiman one last look, then turned toward the door and said, "Come in."
The door opened in an instant, and Yui stepped inside, grinning from ear to ear.
"Yukinon, hey hey!" she greeted cheerfully.
"Oh, it's you, Yui. What brings you here?" Yukino relaxed a little, a small smile forming now that it was her best friend.
"Whoa! I'm not dreaming, right? Yukinon, did you just smile?"
The ever-dramatic Yui gasped in surprise, then turned toward Hachiman.
"Hikki, did you see that?"
Hachiman, thoroughly absorbed in his book, didn't even lift his head.
"Ugh, so cold!" Yui pouted, visibly hurt by his indifference.
"Enough fooling around. Yui, what did you come here for?" Yukino asked, massaging her temples.
"Ehehe, it's not a big deal," Yui said with a grin. "Someone asked me for help, so I brought him along."
As soon as she finished, Saika stepped out from behind the door.
The moment Hachiman noticed him, he immediately closed his book, pulled his glasses from his bag, put them on, and sat up straight like a soldier called to attention.
Yukino caught Hachiman's sudden shift in behavior and looked suspiciously at Saika. As she observed the person in front of her whose appearance matched her own in certain ways her expression darkened, and she bit down on her lip.
She leaned toward Hachiman and subtly pinched the soft flesh at his waist.
Ignoring Hachiman's grimace of pain, she turned to Saika, her voice laced with hostility.
"So... what do you need?"
Taken aback by her cold tone, Saika stammered slightly.
"I, uh... I saw Hachiman playing tennis in P.E., and he was really good, so I was hoping he could help me improve."
"P.E. class?" Yukino's grip tightened.
"Hold on. Aren't P.E. classes separated by gender? How did you two end up together?"
"I'm a boy," Saika said, clearly used to the misunderstanding but still a little embarrassed.
"Eh? A boy?" Yukino blinked, loosening her grip and averting her gaze from Hachiman's tearful expression.
"So you just want help with your tennis skills?" she asked, completely ignoring Hachiman's silent protests.
"Yeah."
"Very well. The Service Club accepts your request."
With a graceful flick of her wrist, Yukino declared their acceptance with impressive flair.