Ch 17. Real Skilled
"Hoshimi-san loses one more round, and it's a 6-0 defeat."
"Hoshimi-san, come on~ No matter what you say, you must win the next game!"
On the tennis court, the female student who volunteered as the referee waved her arms tenderly to cheer for Hoshimi.
"Hoshimi-san, come on! Even if you can't win the next game, aim to score a point!"
"Yes, Hoshimi, come on! I am optimistic about you."
The female students watching from the side also cheered for Hoshimi with a smile.
"...Well, I'll try my best."
Hoshimi waved the tennis racket and smiled, saying that he would work hard.
After he and Yukinoshita started playing tennis solo, the girls in the class seemed to have seen something interesting. They put down their rackets and gathered around to watch, and some even took the initiative to act as referees.
The female physical education teacher was also present. When the girls in the class surrounded her, she just went on her way to fish.
"Student Hoshimi, this time it's your turn to serve~ Come on~"
"OK, thanks."
After receiving the tennis ball thrown by the female classmate who was the referee, Hoshimi gave her a gentle and polite smile.
"..." The female classmate blushed, turned her head, and waved her arms, saying loudly, "The sixth round begins."
"Boom-boom--"
Hoshimi stood at the baseline and bounced the tennis ball on the court twice.
Tennis is really difficult to get started with. I thought that with experience in badminton and table tennis, I should be able to pick it up quickly.
In fact, it wasn't that simple when we started playing. The difference in strength alone was obvious.
"Boom--"
Hoshimi tossed up the tennis ball and volleyed it vigorously.
Then...
"The serve went out of bounds. Hoshimi still has another chance to serve, come on."
"Ok."
Hoshimi shrugged and spun the tennis racket twice helplessly.
The distance is a bit far. If you use too much strength, the ball will always go out of bounds, and if you use too little strength, it will always touch the net.
In the five rounds against Yukinoshita, he lost many points just by serving.
"Hoshimi-san, continue!"
"Thank you."
Hoshimi took the tennis ball, didn't think too much, and casually sent a ball over.
"Boom--"
Yukinoshita, flushed from exercise, swung her racket back and hit the tennis ball into an extremely tricky area.
"..."
Seeing the tennis ball flying towards the other boundary, Hoshimi started to run and reluctantly hit the tennis ball back.
This girl - Yukinoshita - is simply merciless. Every time she deliberately hits the ball away from him and makes him run around the corners of the court.
"Boom---"
Well, here we go again.
Hoshimi, enduring the humiliation, ran panting to the other side.
"Boom---"
"Boom---"
The tennis ball was flipping back and forth on the court. Yukinoshita looked at Hoshimi running around opposite with a flushed face, and a sadistic smile unconsciously emerged from the corner of her mouth.
That's it! This is what she wanted to see!
Finally, I can embarrass this guy for once!
She must make Hoshimi so exhausted that he can't walk today!
"Boom--"
The smiling Yukinoshita joyfully hit the ball to the bottom corner away from Hoshimi.
Pant! Pant!
This time, the panting Hoshimi failed to catch up, and the ball brushed against his racket and flew out of bounds.
"15:0"
"Hoshimi, are you okay? Do you want to take a break and continue?"
As soon as the female student who was the referee announced the score, she couldn't help asking.
"It's okay, I still have enough physical strength. I can't dampen Yukinoshita's interest."
After Hoshimi saw the sun and smiled, he brushed his hair and then wiped the sweat off the field.
"Oh... that Hoshimi-san, you're working hard..."
Hearing what Hoshimi said, the female student who was the referee had a slightly subtle expression on her face.
The other female students watching from the side looked at Yukinoshita with a bright smile on her lips, and at Hoshimi who was sweating profusely, their expressions suddenly subtly changed.
"Boom--"
Hoshimi picked up the ball, looked at Yukino opposite him, and served with a meaningful smile.
"Boom--"
"Boom--"
Another round of running started. After staying at home for a year, Hoshimi, who was not very physically strong, ran back and forth panting.
Opposite him, Yukinoshita, who was skilled, gradually couldn't hold back and began to open her mouth to pant.
Although her technical superiority saved her from unnecessary running, after six consecutive rounds, she was almost unable to support her already weakened physical strength.
Now she can still persist, all driven by the desire for revenge in her heart.
She must make Hoshimi so exhausted that he can't walk! Let Hoshimi embarrass himself in public!
Let others know that Hoshimi was defeated by a weak woman!
"Boom--"
"Boom--"
The ball kept going back and forth.
Seeing Hoshimi panting and sweating profusely, the girls on the sidelines couldn't help whispering.
"Hoshimi-san really worked hard. He obviously isn't good at tennis, but he's persevering to make Yukinoshita happy."
"Yeah~ It's true~ On the other hand, Yukinoshita-san is a little... um~ How should I put it, Yukinoshita-san is a bit much, always only caring about her own happiness..."
"No, I don't think it's that simple. Look at the smile on the corner of Yukinoshita's mouth, doesn't it mean something else? It's kind of refreshing to get revenge... and a bit joyful?"
"It seems so, huh. So, what's the situation now?"
"Hehehe~ I know," said the busty girl whom Hoshimi and Yukinoshita had met ambiguously in the morning. "In my opinion, Yukinoshita-san might have that kind of interest. You know, gaining pleasure from delivering punishment."
"And as for the revenge motive, it must be because Hoshimi-san made Yukinoshita uncomfortable last night that she wants to get even."
"Hey hey~ Do you think my analysis is correct?"
"Oh~ It seems so~"
The girls who heard these remarks suddenly realized it. After glancing ambiguously at the two, they stood on the sidelines and talked quietly with smiles.
"Well, can anyone tell me what that interest is?"
"Oh, you're so cute~ Let me tell you..."
The rare pure girl blushed instantly after hearing the explanation from her friend.
Shyly, she glanced at Yukinoshita, never expecting that Yukinoshita, who was like a "Flower of the high mountains" in her mind, would have such a side. What a surprise...
Additionally, Yukinoshita's boyfriend also made her a little concerned. How did this man capture Yukinoshita's heart?
Obviously, Yukinoshita-san was so cold in the past that people dared not approach her easily...
But now, it's surprising.
So curious!
The pure girl stared flickeringly at Hoshimi with her big watery eyes.
"30:0"
"40:0"
"Yukinoshita-san won this round, and the final score was 6:0. So, overall Yukinoshita-san won!"
"Huh~"
After hearing the referee's announcement of the final result, Yukinoshita straightened her tired body, brushed her hair, raised her thin white neck covered in thin sweat, and looked at Hoshimi, who was bent over and panting, with sarcasm in her eyes.
Hoshimi! This time I won!
The news that you can't even beat a woman will spread throughout the school, and then the whole school will know that the new transfer student is an out-and-out weakling!
After playing a whole set of tennis with a woman, I didn't even get a point!
Let's see how arrogant you'll be in the future!
The revenge plan was successful, and Yukinoshita, in a good mood, took the racket and prepared to go to the side to drink water and rest.
But when she turned around and saw the students watching with ambiguous and curious eyes, Yukinoshita suddenly realized something was wrong.
Why is the situation different from what she thought?
"Hoshimi-san, wipe off your sweat."
"Hoshimi-san, drink some water."
"Hoshimi-san, can you tell me something about you and Yukinoshita-san? I... I won't talk about it with anyone else..."
"Don't surround yourself; let Hoshimi-san sit aside and rest."
"Yes, yes, Hoshimi-san, let's go and sit over there."
Seeing Hoshimi surrounded by a group of girls, Yukinoshita's face turned livid.
She squeezed the tennis racket tightly, trying to figure out where she had made a mistake and how it had evolved into the current situation.
Suddenly, Yukinoshita seemed to notice something. She looked up at Hoshimi, who was surrounded by girls.
She imitated the movement of Hoshimi's lips opening and closing and barely deduced what Hoshimi had said.
"Yukinoshita, it looks like I'm the one with the better skills. Heh~"
After analyzing the meaning of the moving lips, Yukinoshita's face became more and more gloomy.