Chapter 66: Totsuka Saika
During the PE class the following day, Chishima Akishin didn't show up because he had business regarding his previous bonus. The school administration had just approved his application, so he had to go handle the paperwork.
He instructed Hachiman to participate with the other students and told him there was no need for Kendo practice today. Since he was a student, he had to maintain a balance between hard work and rest through normal sports activities.
Hearing that, Hachiman picked up a tennis racket. However, Zaimokuza was sick and hadn't come to school today, so he had no partner to play with.
When Atsugi-sensei, who was in his forties, announced the dismissal of the lines, Hachiman noticed his classmates immediately and automatically forming groups without so much as a glance in his direction.
He walked over to Atsugi-sensei and said, "I'm not feeling very well. May I practice against the wall by myself? I'm worried I'll just be a bother to the others."
"Hikigaya-kun, if I remember correctly, you're Chishima-sensei's student. Why aren't you practicing Kendo today?" Atsugi-sensei asked, sounding a bit confused.
"Chishima-sensei has business today. He asked me to just play tennis, so there's no Kendo practice."
"I see. Where exactly do you feel unwell? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"
"...No need, Sensei. I can play on my own. The others probably wouldn't want to pair up with me anyway."
Atsugi-sensei glanced around and realized many students were looking their way, but as soon as he looked back, they quickly averted their eyes as if they were afraid.
Because of Chishima Akishin, Hikigaya Hachiman's name had become famous at Sobu High. Almost all the teachers knew him and understood his general situation.
The difference was that while Hachiman's status used to be so low that no one wanted to be on his team, now his status was so "high" that they were intimidated and didn't dare ask him to join.
Practicing Kendo implied formidable fighting ability. Watching Akishin and Hachiman train looked more like actual combat—or rather, a life-or-death battle—which was on a completely different level than a common brawl.
Moreover, his teacher was a member of the school staff and a famous Kendo figure in Chiba Prefecture who had successfully broken Suzuki Tsuyoshi's dominance.
They didn't dare offend someone like that, let alone try to pull any pranks on Hachiman. Thus, the only way left was to ostracize him.
But this ostracization felt very weak. If Hachiman really wanted to find someone to play tennis with, even if that person didn't want to, they likely wouldn't dare refuse.
There weren't many people in the class who remained unfazed, and Hayama Hayato was one of the few who stood out.
After getting to know Hayama Hayato, Akishin had to admire this "good guy." The level of kindness Hayama achieved was truly extraordinary, especially considering he was just a student.
Now, the situation wasn't that they were ostracizing Hachiman, but rather that Hachiman was ostracizing them.
Two different vibes entirely.
Atsugi-sensei, who had been teaching for decades, certainly understood the friction between students, but he had no solution—especially since this student was Chishima Akishin's disciple.
He could only nod and say, "Alright. If you have any trouble, come talk to me."
"Thank you, Sensei."
Hachiman bowed slightly in thanks and then turned toward the boundary wall.
Since Akishin gained fame, Hachiman had felt a shift in the way people around him acted in various aspects of school life.
However, Hachiman didn't become arrogant because of it; he stayed true to his heart, just as Akishin had taught him.
What does "staying true to your heart" mean? It means your true self.
When lonely, he is Hachiman, and when in the midst of prosperity, he remains Hachiman.
This is what they call: not getting lost in the grandeur, and being able to endure in the solitude.
Upon reaching the edge of the wall, Hachiman began hitting the ball against it. The ball bounced back, and he hit it again, over and over.
Thanks to his Kendo training, both the power and precision of his strokes were very high. Even playing alone, he looked incredibly skilled.
To an outsider, Hachiman looked as if he were in a fierce rally with an invisible opponent where neither was willing to back down.
The students who had initially wanted to mock Hachiman for being alone immediately swallowed their laughter when they saw how he played. They continued their own games, occasionally making a lot of noise.
Especially Hayama's small circle—specifically Tobe Kakeru, who shouted the loudest, even giving names to every good shot.
"Whoa! Hayama, that shot just now was insane! Did the ball curve? It did, right?!"
"It was just a lucky slice. Sorry, that was my mistake."
"Seriously? Isn't a slice basically a [Magic Ball]? Awesome, Hayama, you're the best!"
Hachiman ignored them and continued hitting his ball in silence. He thought about how he had always spent his days like this, then reflexively began analyzing his actions from a moment ago, finally drawing a conclusion:
'Perfect. This is the [Same Team as the One You Like] strategy I've learned from long years of life experience. Using the dual excuses of [Not Feeling Well] and [Worried About Being a Bother] doesn't just create a synergistic effect—the most important thing is that it subtly shows a lack of enthusiasm. Although I don't need it anymore, I can teach it to Zaimokuza. He'll definitely be grateful.'
True, this was the old Hachiman lifestyle. Even though things had changed, Hachiman was still Hachiman; his essence remained the same.
Hachiman didn't notice that on the other side of the tennis court, a pair of eyes was watching him play tennis in a different way.
...
During lunch break, Hachiman sat in his usual spot to eat his lunch box. Since Akishin had to have lunch with Hiratsuka-sensei, he was alone again.
'Damn it. As soon as Hiratsuka-sensei shows up, he just ignores his student. What kind of teacher is that!'
Hachiman ate his lunch while watching the members of the girls' tennis club using their noon break for independent practice. From his seat, he could see the entire tennis court clearly.
He also saw the wall where he had played earlier, which was now covered in marks from the impact of the tennis balls.
Feeling the soft sea breeze, basking in the warm but not-too-intense sunlight, and listening to the rhythmic thud of tennis balls and the whistling wind, Hachiman couldn't resist a wave of drowsiness.
So comfortable!
After finishing his lunch, Hikigaya propped his face up with one hand. His single "antenna" hair swayed in the wind with an expression that almost seemed to be apologizing. This was one of those rare moments every day where he felt he could truly enjoy his time.
"Huh, isn't this Hikigaya-kun?"
A familiar voice came from behind. Hachiman turned around to see Yuigahama Yui standing there, holding down her skirt as it fluttered in the wind.
Her hair was in its usual pink "Dango" style, and she had taken off her blazer, leaving only her crisp white shirt.
The red ribbon on her ample chest moved gently in the breeze, paired with her red-white-black school skirt that was intentionally shortened, and a pair of clean, white, long legs...
Hachiman had to admit, Yuigahama Yui was very cute.
Yui asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"
Hachiman replied, "I usually eat here."
"Why? Eating in the classroom would be fine too, right?"
"..."
Hachiman didn't answer. Instead, he asked back, "By the way, what are you doing here?" Speaking of which, the only person in class who still treated him normally was Yuigahama Yui.
"Um, actually, I was playing a game with Yukinon, and I lost horribly." Even though she was talking about losing, Yui looked very happy.
She walked over to Hachiman's side and sat down, hugging her knees. "You could say this is the punishment for that game."
Hikigaya commented cynically, "Is talking to me considered a punishment?"
"No, no... it's not like that." Yui hurried to wave her hands and explain. "It's just that the loser has to go buy drinks."
"At first, Yukinon was just like, 'Go buy your own drink,'" Yui mimicked Yukino's way of speaking. "'What's the fun in satisfying a petty desire for power through such actions!' She said that and didn't want to bet, haha."
"That sounds exactly like her."
"Right! But when I said, 'I guess I'm just not confident,' she fell for it instantly. When Yukinon won the bet, she secretly made a victory sign with her fingers... it was so cute, hehe~"
"That also sounds exactly like her."
"Even though I've played with others plenty of times before, this is the first time I've felt that a game's punishment was actually quite fun."
"Others?" Hikigaya's tone soured slightly. "You mean that exclusive inner circle of yours."
"What's that? It sounds uncomfortable. Do you hate it?"
"Of course I hate anything that exists outside of that circle. Anyway..." Hikigaya smirked. "I enjoy seeing friction within exclusive circles, because I'm not a part of them."
Hachiman was still Hachiman, with his own brand of dark humor. For some reason, Hachiman also realized that in this school, there were finally people he was starting to understand.
Yui raised her hand to brush back her wind-blown hair. Her expression was different from when she was in class with Miura and the others; she looked more natural now.
She looked at Hachiman and said, "But isn't Hikigaya-kun also forming his own circle when he talks with Yukinon? I sometimes feel like I can't quite join in. Especially since your teacher is Chishima-sensei, and your Kendo skills aren't bad either. No one in school dares to bully you."
"Yukinoshita doesn't count; that's a matter of coercion. And this has nothing to do with who my teacher is."
"Huh?"
As they were talking, a student... a boy in a green track suit, slightly shorter than a girl, holding a tennis racket and sporting beautiful white hair, approached while wiping away sweat.
Hachiman had known Totsuka Saika for a long time, but their level of communication was very low, almost non-existent.
The thing he remembered most was the day Chishima Akishin arrived, when they had briefly chatted about the new teacher.
"It's Saika-chan." Yui stood up and waved. "Yoo-hoo~"
"Yoo-hoo~"
Totsuka Saika nodded, then glanced at Hachiman and asked, "What are Yuigahama-san and Hikigaya-kun doing here?"
"Nothing much."
Yui looked at the tennis racket in Totsuka's arms and asked, "Is Saika practicing?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Practicing during club activities, and still practicing during lunch break. If I recall, Saika also chose tennis for PE class, right? That sounds exhausting."
"No, I do it because I love it."
Totsuka looked at Hachiman and asked, "Speaking of which, your tennis game is really good, Hikigaya-kun. Will you be playing again later?"
Yui asked in confusion, "Really?"
Totsuka nodded and said, "Yes, his positioning is excellent."
It seemed this was the first time Hachiman had ever been praised by a classmate. He scratched his head with a bit of embarrassment and said, "Geez, that's embarrassing, hahaha... As for tennis, there might not be many chances since I have to study Kendo with Chishima-sensei."
"Is that so?"
Totsuka looked a bit disappointed.
Seeing Totsuka Saika like that, Hikigaya Hachiman almost wavered. He really didn't want to see that disappointed face.
Only through a massive feat of willpower did he manage to avert his gaze.
"Ah, um... sorry, was there something you wanted to say?"
"Um... actually, there is something. But since Hikigaya-kun has to practice Kendo, I'd feel bad bothering you."
"It's fine. Actually, I only practice Kendo during PE class. Other times I'm free. For example, I have time during lunch and after school."
Hachiman gave the explanation reflexively. After explaining, he suddenly realized—wait, what's wrong with me?
"Really? Hikigaya-kun, thank you... So, here's the thing. Do you know about the state of our tennis club? ...We're very weak, and we have very few members. After the third-years retire, we'll be even weaker."
"I see."
"Because of that..." Totsuka gripped his small hands together nervously. "If Hikigaya-kun is interested, would you like to join the tennis club? Hikigaya-kun is so talented... Besides, it seems you haven't joined the Kendo club yet, right?"
"Wait, wait, wait..." Yui, who was watching, suddenly stood up and waved her hands in a panic. "Hikigaya-kun is a member of our Service Club. He already has a club, so he can't join the tennis club."
"...I see. I'm sorry."
"That's true, I can't, Totsuka-kun!" Hachiman recalled the combined threats from Chishima Akishin and Hiratsuka Shizuka. His body immediately shivered, and even the "Totsuka Effect" vanished. "I've already joined the Service Club and I can't leave anytime soon. It looks like you'll have to find someone else."
"..."
Totsuka eventually left, leaving a sense of guilt in Hikigaya Hachiman's heart.
Why did Totsuka Saika have to be that cute!!!
"Hikigaya-kun, you're a member of our Service Club, so you're not allowed to join other clubs."
Yuigahama Yui puffed out her cheeks, giving a warning that was meant to be fierce but was actually just sweet, and then she went off to buy drinks.
Hikigaya sat in his spot for a few seconds, then stood up and brushed off his pants. He went under the large tree at their usual spot by the building to do fifty push-ups.
—Hachiman's daily training routine.
...
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