FFD 25

Late at night, Hayama lounged in the living room, phone in hand, engrossed in a series of shogi records. The Earl Grey tea on the table had long lost its warmth, yet he absentmindedly poured himself another cup.

Suddenly, a familiar ringtone pierced the air, breaking his concentration. "Beep beep!" his phone chimed, signaling an incoming message.

"Hayama-dono, the poster is ready," Sanae's message appeared on his screen, accompanied by a pending picture,

Eagerly, he downloaded the picture, revealing a striking image of himself donning a pristine white soccer jersey, standing confidently at the center of the field, a soccer ball obediently resting at his feet. A content smile graced his face as his eyes bore a hint of superiority, radiating his confidence.

Beside him, a row of ten teammates stood, each striking a unique pose. There was nothing flashy about their appearance, yet they emitted an air of boldness and defiance. Their style and confidence spoke volumes, even without any embellishments. Each person's posture oozed arrogance and rebelliousness.

Hayama glanced upstairs at the roof, completely blown away by the poster. It far surpassed his expectations and left him utterly stunned! He always knew Eriri had a knack for drawing, but he never imagined she could create something so mind-blowingly awesome.

What's more, as he examined the poster closely, he discovered a lot of intricate details. The jersey's folds were meticulously captured, the soccer shoes had intricate stud patterns, the soccer ball underfoot had a realistic deformation, and even the tiny dewdrops on the grass were meticulously depicted. It was downright unbelievable that Eriri managed to create such a complex and jaw-dropping poster in just one day.

"Hayama is seriously relentless. I thought I was tough on Eriri, but he took it to a whole new level! Be prepared, because Eriri will definitely try to squeeze you dry from now on!" Sayuri strolled out of her room, sporting a meaningful smile.

"Please don't make such suggestive comments." he shared the picture with the soccer club group and made his way upstairs.

The room was silent, not a single sound breaking the stillness. He softly pushed the door open, only to find the two girls fast asleep, their heads resting on the table.

Hayama glanced around the room, which had undergone a complete makeover. Previously, it was a bit untidy but still relatively neat. Now, it looked like a dumping ground. He couldn't wrap his head around how Eriri managed to create such a high-quality poster in such a chaotic workspace.

Carefully tucking Eriri under the blanket, he noticed traces of curry on her body. His eyes twitched at the thought of Sanae force-feeding Eriri, picturing the pitiful scene.

Silently covering Eriri with the blanket, he then lifted Sanae. Compared to Eriri, Sanae had a more adorable sleeping face, although her posture was slightly messy.

He tried to gently place her onto the bed, but she clung onto his neck with both hands, refusing to let go. She made these weird sounds like "Zaba zaba" from her mouth, whether she was dreaming about food or some crazy spell, he couldn't figure out.

Feeling kinda helpless, he gently ruffled her head, calming her down, and finally managed to settle her onto the bed. A sweet smile, filled with a cozy warmth, still lingered on her lips. Seeing her like that, a smile naturally spread across Hayama's face.

"Hey, it's getting late. Is Hayama heading home? Perhaps you've got a date lined up for tomorrow?"

"I'm actually an early riser. Staying here might disrupt Aunt Sayuri's beauty sleep," he replied, a hint of guilt in his voice.

"You're being cheeky with your words. I'm not at an age where I need beauty sleep," she responded, shaking her head as she made her way to the door.

"Take care, Aunt Sayuri! See you later!"

...

April 30th, at the Shopping Center...

The agreed meeting time was 9 a.m., and Hayama arrived ten minutes ahead, only to find Kato already waiting at the entrance of the shopping center.

"Kato, why did you get here so early?" he jogged up to her side.

"Oh, my dad works nearby, so I thought I'd come early!" Kato looked up at him with a carefree expression.

"Working during Golden Week?" he chuckled awkwardly.

A subtle fragrance of a young girl wafted into his nose, making him realize they were standing a little too close. He immediately lowered his gaze, landing on Kato's rising and falling chest.

Today, the girl appeared exceptionally beautiful. Her white sundress gave off a friendly girl-next-door vibe, and the casually woven bow on her chest added a touch of playfulness. The snug white stockings she wore accentuated the perfect contours of her legs.

"I can't help but feel like Hayama's gaze is a little lewd today," Kato's voice remained calm, but it caused Hayama to instinctively take a step back.

"Sorry, sorry. You look so different today that I almost didn't recognize you," he sheepishly scratched his head and apologized.

"If you put it like that, it could hurt my feelings. After all, you're one of the few people who can truly recognize me."

"That's not what I meant..."

"I simply made a bit more effort with my outfit. I do enjoy reading fashion magazines, after all," she paused briefly. "But it's not as exaggerated as you described, Hayama. Although today, my father almost forgot about me when he left."

He once again took a good look at Kato. Despite her stylish outfit today, there was still a sense of a weak presence, and he couldn't help but feel a strange sensation in his heart.

Inside the shopping center,

Kato led the way, with Hayama trailing closely behind. The smooth thighs and the pristine white knee-high stockings harmonized effortlessly, capturing his attention time and again.

Suddenly, she turned around and looked at Hayama, who quickly shifted his gaze to the ceiling.

"Hayama, I don't think you need to keep your distance like that!" she stepped closer to his side. "This is the appropriate distance for shopping with a girl."

He could feel his cheeks warming up. This was the same distance they had when they first met.

Despite considering himself someone with strong self-control, he found it challenging today to avert his eyes, which unintentionally wandered to places that were somewhat impolite.

"This shopping center just opened this month. It brings together many new fashion brands. I've been wanting to come and see it for a while now."

It was still early, and the shopping center wasn't packed yet. The two of them strolled leisurely through the mall without feeling tired. Every now and then, she shared some fashion knowledge with him in a relaxed tone, but he could tell she was secretly excited.

"Kato, you know so much. You remember all these brands."

"Well, I am a girl, so I naturally take an interest in these things," she paused and gazed at him. "On the other hand, your style is a bit plain, which surprises me."

"Or rather, you could say my style is outdated."

"Outdated? That's one way to put it! You know, high school boys with good looks usually dress better than girls."

"Can I take that as Kato praising me for being handsome?"

"Well, Hayama, you always have such a unique way of thinking,"

...

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