Yukino and Suzune looked at each other. A spark seemed to flash between their eyes, as if the other were an enemy.
"Fujiwara-kun, I used to play tennis often and I'm fairly confident in my skills. Even though this is just a campus match, I want to say that I will win the championship this time."
Manabu gently adjusted his glasses, his tone full of confidence.
"Oh? Is that so? Then Horikita, let me see your strength. Don't just talk big."
Toru bounced the tennis ball with one hand as he slowly walked to the service line, his gaze sharp.
This time, he planned to get serious.
Yukino stepped up beside Toru and whispered, "Same strategy as before. I'll take the front court, you handle the back court."
"But this is a best-of-three final. My stamina probably won't last. You need to move more and switch positions with me at any time."
Toru smiled. "So you're getting serious?"
"I am. I have to win."
Yukino took a deep breath.
"Are you that angry at Horikita Suzune?"
"It has nothing to do with her. I just don't want to lose."
"Good. In that regard, I'm the same. I don't want to lose either."
Toru raised his left hand, and Yukino slapped it firmly.
On the sidelines, students from Tokyo University who loved watching excitement pointed toward the court.
"That Horikita guy is holding back a lot of frustration. He really wants to win against Fujiwara this time."
"Haha, last time in the club he got completely crushed by Fujiwara. Anyone would want revenge. If it were you, wouldn't you want to get back at him?"
The Tokyo University students nodded silently.
Of course they would.
As Tokyo University students, admiring Toru did not mean they lacked competitive spirit.
As the top young elites of Japan, how could they accept defeat so easily?
"Anyone want to bet with me? Fujiwara or Horikita?"
"What's the stake?"
"A big meal, ten thousand yen per person."
"Damn, that much? Fine, I'm in. I bet on Horikita."
"You're betting on Horikita?"
"Technically they're evenly matched, but Fujiwara has taken all the spotlight. Look at those JKs, they look ready to throw themselves at him. I can't accept that."
"Haha, then I'll bet on Fujiwara. Go Fujiwara, take down Horikita Manabu for me. I'm counting on you for a good meal."
The referee blew the whistle.
Toru slightly bent forward, assuming a standard serving posture.
He bounced the ball hard with his left hand a few times, took a deep breath, then tossed it high.
Manabu, have you seen Prince of Tennis? Today, I'll show you what killing tennis really is.
Toru leaped, his body curving like a drawn bow. Power surged from his legs through his waist, flowing into his arm.
Boom!
The racket smashed into the ball.
The tennis ball spun violently, like a compressed spring released, blasting forward like an electromagnetic cannon straight toward Manabu.
Manabu's eyes widened in horror as the dark blur shot past him.
The wind pressure tore at the hair by his temples.
The ball slammed into the court behind him, bounced once more, then crashed into the wire fence.
It spun violently against the fence, white smoke rising from the friction.
Manabu swallowed hard and slowly looked back. A small crater was clearly visible where the ball had landed.
Is this guy trying to kill someone?
He had never believed tennis could kill, but in that moment, he was sure that if he had been hit, he would have died.
After a brief silence, the JK girls from Sobu High erupted into cheers.
"Ohhh!! Fujiwara-sama! Fujiwara-sama! Fujiwara-sama!"
Their synchronized chanting was like a concert encore.
Even some girls from Advanced Nurturing High School joined in excitedly.
Manabu picked up the ball with trembling hands and said quietly, "Referee, this tennis ball is broken."
The referee stared blankly for a moment before reacting and quickly having it replaced.
Toru glanced at his racket and raised his hand. "Referee, my racket is broken too."
While waiting for a replacement, he looked at Yukino. "The quality of this racket isn't great."
Yukino pressed her lips together. "That's not the racket's problem, it's yours. Could you be a little gentler?"
"You prefer gentle, not rough?"
"You, what are you talking about!"
Yukino's face instantly turned red.
"What did I say? You're the one overthinking."
She turned her head away.
As a Japanese girl, even someone as aloof as her had secretly watched those kinds of videos.
For a moment, she wondered if this guy really was… No, no, what am I thinking?
Once the equipment was replaced, the match resumed.
But Manabu was completely deflated. His fighting spirit vanished. When facing Toru's shots, he instinctively dodged, not daring to return them.
"Fujiwara and Yukinoshita, 30 to 0!"
"40 to 0!"
"Fujiwara and Yukinoshita win the game!"
Suzune shouted angrily, "What are you doing? Why are you dodging every ball?"
Manabu replied calmly, "I can't take those shots. I don't want today to become my death anniversary next year. How about you try returning one?"
"You're telling your sister to face that kind of killing tennis?!"
Suzune couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Her brother's sacred image shattered completely.
Faintly, it felt as though someone else had taken his place in her heart.
Seeing Suzune turn away in anger, Manabu felt relieved.
She dared to get angry at him. That was a good sign.
It meant she was changing, no longer living by his shadow, starting to live for herself.
For that, he had to thank Toru.
Even if it meant shattering the godlike image he once held in her heart.
"This is insane. Is that guy even human?"
Ryuen muttered as he watched.
If I had that kind of strength, who would dare mess with me?
Iroha excitedly grabbed the arm of the girl beside her. "Did you see that? Fujiwara-sama is way too handsome."
"Iroha, calm down. We saw it."
That girl was just as excited.
Iroha sighed inwardly. How was she supposed to get close to a senpai like him? There was no opportunity at all.
Outside the crowd, Arisu sat quietly on a bench, her cane resting beside her.
Her view was blocked by the crowd, but she could roughly imagine what was happening.
She recalled what Toru had told her earlier, asking her to meet him at the Sobu High sports storage room after the match.
Why there? What did he want?
Her mind drifted to certain adult anime she had seen, making her both flustered and oddly excited.
The second game was just as one-sided.
Toru turned the doubles match into a one-man show.
Yukino had prepared herself for an exhausting final.
Instead, she only needed to stroll around while Toru casually crushed the opposition.
The referee announced their victory.
Amid the cheers, Yukino glanced at Suzune.
"What are you so smug about? This has nothing to do with you."
Suzune muttered unhappily.
A school sports festival awarded no medals, only honor.
"Fujiwara-sama, can we take a photo with you?"
"So handsome, Fujiwara-sama. Can I go out with you?"
"Where did you crawl out from? With that face?"
"You're the ugly one!"
"Hey, don't pull my hair!"
Toru finally escaped the crowd using the excuse that he needed to rest.
He headed straight to the now-empty sports storage room.
But it wasn't completely empty.
Yukino, still in her sportswear, was inside, organizing equipment.
She was startled when Toru appeared.
"What are you doing here?"
"You broke the racket. I need to record it."
She lowered her eyes, carefully storing the broken racket and neatly writing it down.
Her fingers were slender, her handwriting elegant.
After finishing, she stood up. "Let's go. There's nothing else here."
As she passed by, Toru suddenly grabbed her wrist and pressed her against the wall.
"What are you doing?!"
Her voice was sharp, but her heart trembled.
She panicked as his lips drew closer, mixed with a strange sense of excitement.
Still, she clenched her teeth. "My sister likes you."
"I know."
"Then why are you treating me like this?"
"Her feelings are her own. I don't have to like her back."
"I'm warning you, I'm not that kind of easy woman."
Her heartbeat raced.
"Yukino, you've always chased after your sister. Don't you want her to chase after you one day?"
Before she could think, their lips met.
Her first kiss, shy and trembling.
The next instant, Yukino's eyes widened.
One of Toru's hands had slipped inside the waistband of her sports shorts.
Outside the storage room, Arisu stood frozen, witnessing everything.
(To be continued.)