And he was assigned with Hayato Hayama.
Totsuka Saika and Hikigaya Hachiman.
Ebina Hina and Yuigahama Yui.
Miura Yumiko and Saki Kawasaki.
The boys occupied one tennis court, and the girls occupied another.
Shizuka Hiratsuka stood on the boys' side, watching as Akira Fujimiya and Hayato Hayama walked forward.
Her smiling face made Akira feel that this substitute teacher was simply here to enjoy herself.
"Fujimiya-kun, let's have a serious match?" Hayato said, his tone calm but firm.
"Alright," Akira nodded, recalling what he had secretly practiced before.
Hayato took position, ready to serve.
His expression turned sharp, serious, the kind of look that carried confidence from years of playing sports. The boys and some girls around were already watching closely — If Hiratsuka-sensei hadn't been there, they would probably have cheered for Hayato already.
Boom
The tennis ball shot across the court as Hayato served.
Akira's reaction speed and athletic ability weren't much worse than Hayato's. However, in terms of experience, Hayato had the edge.
When Akira returned the ball, Hayato was already there, waiting in position.
From the very start of their rally, Hayato had taken the upper hand.
Akira seemed to be falling behind, each rally pulling him into a defensive stance.
To many, it looked like he was about to lose.
But there was no panic in his expression.
He wasn't flustered at all—he was simply waiting.
Waiting for the chance to turn things around.
On the sidelines, Hikigaya Hachiman and Totsuka Saika exchanged a glance. Where others thought Akira had no chance against Hayato, both of them felt differently.
There was a quiet confidence in Akira's stance, as though he had already secured the win.
The next moment, Saika's eyes widened.
Akira abandoned passive defense.
After returning a shot, he immediately darted to his next position, sharp and decisive.
Hayato, acting on instinct, countered right where Akira had been a second before.
SMACK!
The ball was hit against Akira's racket and was sent flying toward the farthest corner of the court—completely opposite Hayato's position.
By the time Hayato realized what had happened, it was already too late.
The tennis ball bounced a few times before Hiratsuka-sensei picked it up. She had been ready to toss it back, but noticed Akira was already walking toward the bench.
"Next group," Hiratsuka said with a helpless sigh. She had wanted to see them finish a full match.
Hayato exhaled, lowering his racket. He walked toward Akira, who was already seated. The defeat wasn't an unfair one—Akira's counter had been perfectly calculated.
Sitting beside him, Hayato gave a small smile.
"Fujimiya-kun, you're amazing. My stamina is much better than yours, so if we had gone on longer, I probably would have won. But you seized the exact moment I least expected it."
Akira glanced across the courts, watching Totsuka Saika rallying on one side and Hikigaya Hachiman watching quietly from the other.
"Since that day, she's never asked me for help again. I always feel there's some kind of distance between us now… one that I can't cross," Hayato said quietly, almost to himself.
Akira shifted his gaze to him but said nothing.
"In your eyes, Fujimiya-kun… I must look ridiculous, right?" Hayato asked, his voice low.
"It's not ridiculous. My evaluation of you has always been the same—Hayato Hayama is a good person," Akira replied calmly, turning his eyes back toward Miura Yumiko, who was now playing seriously against Saki Kawasaki.
Hayato blinked, then nodded slowly. "Thank you."
"You don't need to thank me," Akira said indifferently.
For a moment, silence hung between them. Then Hayato suddenly spoke again.
"I heard from my father… that Yukinoshita-san has been working at an animation company recently. The Yukinoshita family acquired Flash Animation Production. It seems they want Yukinoshita to develop in that field…"
"I know," Akira interrupted. "Yukinoshita-san told me herself. The animation she helped produce is mine. She'll become a director because of me." His tone carried certainty, as though clarifying that he was already aware of the intentions behind the acquisition.
"I see…" Hayato muttered.
In that instant, he understood far more than before. The Yukinoshita family hadn't bought the company just for Yukino's future—it was something bigger.
He opened his mouth to remind Akira of something, but the words stuck. He thought of his father's words and felt a wave of conflict.
Akira noticed his expression and asked calmly.
"Just say what you want to say. If you didn't want to, you wouldn't look so conflicted."
Hayato took a deep breath.
"Fujimiya-kun, the truth is… my father has always wanted me to get closer to Yukinoshita-san."
Akira raised an eyebrow.
"Your father has good plans."
"But I only feel guilty toward Yukinoshita-san. I don't like her like that. What I want is… to be your friend. Not a fake version of myself, but a real friend," Hayato confessed.
Akira chuckled softly.
"Oh? Not a fake, huh? Then why do you like Yukinoshita Haruno?" His tone carried amusement, but his eyes were sharp.
Hayato stiffened. He hadn't expected Akira to hit that point directly. But he gathered himself again.
"My intuition tells me that you'll become a very important person. If I can be friends with you, maybe I'll grow faster too. If there's ever anything I can do to help, please tell me."
He extended his hand.
But Akira shook his head.
"Hayama, we won't be friends. We're destined to be rivals."
He stood and walked away, leaving Hayato's hand hanging.
Hayato watched Akira's back retreating, slowly lowering his hand.
The truth was, his father had given him two tasks: help Yukinoshita Yukino, and befriend Akira Fujimiya. But Hayato already knew that Yukino would never like him, not even as a friend. As for Akira…
Akira already had the attention of Mrs. Yukinoshita, the appreciation of Haruno Yukinoshita, and the affection of Yukino Yukinoshita herself. He would inevitably become tied to their family in the future.
Yet, Hayato's desire to be his friend wasn't because of strategy or obligation. It was because Akira was exceptional—truly someone worth standing beside.
But Akira saw him only as a rival.
That truth left Hayato quietly conflicted.
...
Lunch break,
The Service Club room.
Because Ebina Hina had suddenly dragged Miura Yumiko to go observe their "target," only Akira Fujimiya, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Yuigahama Yui remained for lunch.
Akira and Yui's lunches were from the convenience store, far worse than the homemade bentos Yui sometimes brought. Yukinoshita's lunch, as always, was made by herself.
That was why the three ended up eating together.
Inevitably, Akira and Yui's eyes kept drifting toward Yukino's bento. Yukino sighed softly, clearly aware of their stares.
A few minutes later, she finally looked up.
"If you want some, try it."
"Yukinon, you're so nice," Yui said cheerfully, immediately reaching for a piece of sushi.
Akira smirked, then leaned slightly forward.
"Yukino-cyan can you feed me?"
Both girls froze at his words. Even though their relationship had already been exposed, Akira's bold request was still unexpected.
Yui blinked, curious, while Yukino's face turned crimson.
Feed him? In front of Yuigahama-san? Impossible.
Even if Yui weren't there, she doubted she could ever do such a thing.
Akira noticed her fluster and let it slide.
"Yui, thank you for your help," he said casually, ending the tension. He knew Yukino would never agree to something like that so openly.
Yui giggled and picked up a piece of sushi from Yukino's lunchbox. She held it to Akira's lips.
"Here you go, Fujimiya-kun."
"Thank you, Yui," Akira said after eating it. Whether he was thanking her for feeding him or for the suggestion, it wasn't clear.
Yukino ducked her head, pretending not to hear the exchange.
Then Yui turned her bright smile on her.
"Yukino, say 'ahh.'" She held a fried pork cutlet toward Yukino's lips.
"...Thank you," Yukino murmured, accepting it despite her embarrassment.
When she looked up, Yui was grinning warmly. Suddenly Yukino realized what she had just done, and her face burned red.
"Yukino-chan, how does it taste?" Akira teased.
"Yukinon, how does it taste?" Yui repeated with a mischievous grin.
"You… you two…" Yukino stammered, half embarrassed and half angry. She shot Akira a glare and stomped lightly on his shoe beneath the table.
Akira chuckled and, without hesitation, reached under to brush against her over-the-knee socks.
Yukino nearly jolted out of her chair. She retracted her foot immediately, as though she was shocked by electricity.
And Akira? He simply slid his chair closer to her.
Yukino's eyes widened in disbelief. Did he not understand restraint—especially in front of Yuigahama-san?
But before she could protest, she glanced at Yui…
And saw Yui had already shifted closer to her side, smiling as if nothing were wrong.
...
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