Since it had been decided they would play tennis in the afternoon, after finishing their meal and resting for a short while, Kasumigaoka Touji and Kato Megumi took a cab to the tennis court. The court had been booked in advance for one hour, from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.
By the time they arrived, it was already close to 1:30. There weren't many people around at this time—most had probably gone for lunch—and quite a few courts were empty. The owner of the tennis facility was quite accommodating, allowing Kasumigaoka Touji and Kato Megumi to head straight onto their reserved court.
Kasumigaoka Touji didn't stand on ceremony. He thanked the owner, and then he and Kato Megumi made their way to their assigned court.
"Touji-kun, please go easy on me~." Kato Megumi, holding a rented racket, walked lightly to the opposite side of the court.
"You too," Kasumigaoka Touji replied, his gaze following her. Once she was in position, he announced, "Then… I'll serve!"
He tossed the bright yellow tennis ball high into the air and struck it cleanly with his racket. When playing with his girlfriend, he naturally wouldn't use his full strength. Although he hadn't formally tested it, Kasumigaoka Touji felt his serve speed should have exceeded 200 kilometers per hour by now—it had already reached the level of a top-tier professional player!
With a sharp thwack, the ball transformed into a blur, shooting toward Kato Megumi.
Kato Megumi's eyes tracked the ball intently. She instinctively took two steps back, raised her racket, and just managed to make contact, sending a weak return.
Seeing this, Kasumigaoka Touji dialed back his power even further.
The two immediately fell into a steady back-and-forth rally.
Gradually, fine beads of sweat began to appear on Kato Megumi's smooth forehead. Her white canvas shoes padded softly against the rubberized court surface as she moved—sometimes jumping, sometimes sidestepping. Her asymmetrical black skirt swayed with each motion, showcasing the youthful vitality of the girl!
This drew the attention of a few older and younger men who had just entered the facility, their gazes lingering on her for more than a few glances.
...
"No… I can't, I'm exhausted! Touji-kun, I need to rest!"
With another thwack, the bright yellow tennis ball bounced near the girl's feet. Kato Megumi turned and picked it up, but this time she didn't prepare to serve. Instead, she wiped the sweat from her brow, waved at Kasumigaoka Touji, and panted, calling for a break.
"Okay."
Seeing her breathing heavily, her forehead and nose glistening with perspiration, Kasumigaoka Touji estimated she was genuinely worn out. He walked over to a nearby vending machine and bought a bottle of mineral water.
"Megumi, come hydrate." Kasumigaoka Touji thoughtfully unscrewed the bottle cap before handing it to the girl, who was using her handkerchief to dab her sweat and fanning the collar of her shirt with her fingers in an attempt to cool down.
"Arigato!"
Kato Megumi accepted the water with a word of thanks. She naturally had no objection to Kasumigaoka Touji buying only one bottle—she shot a glance at his handsome, composed face and sighed, "Touji-kun's stamina is truly impressive!"
To her slight embarrassment, her undergarments were now slightly damp with sweat, yet his face showed not a single bead of moisture, and he wasn't even breathing hard… His stamina was unscientifically, unnervingly good!
Kasumigaoka Touji made a playful bicep-flexing gesture toward Kato Megumi, who was taking small sips of water, and declared proudly, "Of course! My stamina has always been excellent, ever since I was a kid!"
"Actually, Megumi's stamina is quite good too. We just played continuously for half an hour." Tennis is a physically demanding sport, and sustaining play for thirty minutes straight is no small feat.
"Do you want to continue for a bit later?" Kasumigaoka Touji asked Kato Megumi.
"Hmm…" Kato Megumi, still holding the water bottle, tilted her head in thought. "Let's play a little longer."
It was only two o'clock now; stopping entirely would feel like a waste. Besides, she had a feeling that Kasumigaoka Touji hadn't really broken a sweat yet…
"Okay."
Kasumigaoka Touji agreed and took the water bottle back from Kato Megumi. He took a few gulps himself, and once Kato Megumi had recovered somewhat, they began their second round.
This time, Kato Megumi lasted a little under twenty minutes. Their rented court time was almost up anyway, so those last few minutes didn't matter.
Kasumigaoka Touji and Kato Megumi returned the tennis balls and rackets to the owner, collected their deposit, and then left the tennis facility.
······
Outside, the sun was bright and the breeze gentle.
After walking a few paces side by side, Kasumigaoka Touji gave a light cough and looked at Kato Megumi with an expectant expression. "Megumi, how about we go to a hotel next to take a shower?"
"After all, you've sweated quite a bit. Having your clothes stick to you must be pretty uncomfortable, right?"
"A shower?" Kato Megumi's heart gave a little jump. She wasn't a naive little girl. She glanced sideways at Kasumigaoka Touji, her eyes flickering slightly as she said, "I didn't bring a change of clothes."
"Then I'll go with you to buy a set first? Or I could just go buy a set for you? There are places selling women's clothing nearby." Kasumigaoka Touji looked around. This area was quite bustling, part of the city center—a commercial district with no shortage of clothing stores.
"Just a shower? Wouldn't getting a room be a bit of a waste?" Kato Megumi raised a hand and, with a very feminine gesture, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate profile. Her sparkling eyes darted a secret glance toward Kasumigaoka Touji.
Her rosy cheeks still carried the healthy flush from their exercise, making her look exceptionally charming. Even though she had perspired, her body still carried a faint, pleasant fragrance. Kasumigaoka Touji inhaled her delicate scent and said softly to her, "I also want to do some… couple things with Megumi…"
"——!"
Her large, dark eyes widened suddenly. Then, like a startled fawn, Kato Megumi averted her gaze, leaving Kasumigaoka Touji looking at the back of her head. After two or three seconds, she slowly turned back and whispered, "I see…"
"Then… let's go!"
Stealing another glance at Kasumigaoka Touji, Kato Megumi looked straight ahead down the street and extended a fair, delicate hand toward him, a silent request for him to hold it.
Kasumigaoka Touji's heart leaped with joy at the sight, beating a little faster. He immediately took her small hand in his…