Shishio looked at Hayama and took a deep breath to calm himself.
What had happened in the previous chapter when he asked Yumiko for a date only happened in his imagination. It wasn't real, and he only thought about it in his mind.
While it would feel comfortable to do such a thing, it was impossible to do it, considering he had girlfriends, and for him to ask another girl for a date right in public was like a slap on their faces. He also didn't want to make the relationship between Yumiko and her friends awkward.
Also, if Shishio wanted to ruin Hayama, he could do it anytime, especially when he had controlled the forum in this school.
In other words, if Shishio wanted to, he could kill Hayama socially no matter what time it was.
As for Yumiko, Shishio admits that she was his type and she was quite cute. He didn't mind going on a date or even dating her, but if the price was all of his girlfriends, it was impossible. It was like saying that it was impossible to give up a forest for a single tree.
Also, Shishio felt it was better to invite Yumiko for a date in a low-key manner when there were only two of them. After all, it would make Yumiko feel comfortable, especially when she didn't have to draw a line with Hayama.
If Yumiko agreed to Shishio's date invitation in public, without a doubt, her relationship with Hayama would be closed, and they might become enemies.
However, when Shishio thought about Hayama's good guy personality, he didn't feel that was possible. He felt Hayama would still smile even if he knew Yumiko accepted his date invitation in public since that was how Hayama was.
A good guy without any bounds.
However, this was where Hayama lacked since a good guy wasn't enough.
A man needed determination and also a strong will which was enough to protect the people they cared about.
Somehow Shishio wouldn't be surprised if Hayama would sacrifice his wife, letting her sleep with someone as long as he could save his company or something.
Well, that person who slept with Hayama's wife was probably him.
However, Shishio didn't like to do things in a loud manner. Instead, he was quite low-key, so he said, "Then, how about you treat all of us to juice on that vending machine?"
Hayama was surprised and asked, "Is that enough?" After all, he didn't expect Shishio to only ask for juice for the people here.
"Well, that's enough, but you also shouldn't interrupt our training again after the match finishes." Shishio smiled and put his revenge plan aside. "Are you okay with that?"
"Okay." Hayama somehow sighed in relief, and he didn't know why he felt he had escaped danger. He thought for a moment and asked, "Then, how about we do a double?" Still, he felt uncomfortable when he heard how Shishio said he was interrupting the training.
"Double?" Shishio looked at Hayama with a strange expression.
"Yes, we'll be two against two. After all, you have said, you're not familiar with tennis, right? If it's a double, it shouldn't be a problem, right?" Hayama said with a gentle smile.
Shishio wondered whether this guy was a good guy to the limit that it was enough to cause him to be stupid. "So, who is your partner?"
"Well, I'll be with Yumiko." Hayama looked at Yumiko and asked, "What do you think, Yumiko?"
"Huh?" Yumiko was stunned, and she showed an uncomfortable expression as if she didn't want to mix in this situation. If it was against Hikigaya or others, she didn't care much. After all, they weren't her opponent at all. However, it was different if it was Shishio since she didn't really want him to have a bad impression of her.
Also, frankly, Yumiko was already uncomfortable with the situation and just wanted to stay out of this.
Of course, this was seen by Hayama, and his expression also showed an awkwardness since he didn't expect Yumiko would show such a reaction when he had invited her. Finally, after a moment of hesitation, he said, "...It's alright if you don't want to."
Yumiko was tangled and subconsciously looked in Shishio's direction.
Shishio only gave her a nod, which gave her relief for some reason.
"...No, it's alright," Yumiko said after a moment of hesitation.
Hayama sighed in relief when Yumiko accepted since it would be uncomfortable if he was rejected.
"Well, then who should I make a partner with now?" Shishio looked at Totsuka, Hikigaya, Zaimokuza, and Yui. He ignored Zaimokuza since, with his tubby stomach, it was impossible to help him. 'It's not like I need help, to begin with.'
"What's happening here?"
Suddenly a familiar voice sounded, and everyone was attracted by this voice.
"Yukinon!" Yui was the happiest when she saw Yukinoshita, and she quickly told what had happened from A to Z.
Hearing Yui's words, Yukinoshita frowned and looked at Hayama with a cold gaze.
Hayama could only lower his head when Yukinoshita stared at him.
Yukinoshita then looked at Shishio and said, "Shishio-kun, this match is a double, right?"
"Yes."
"Have you decided on your partner?" Yukinoshita asked.
"Not yet." Shishio wanted to make Yukinoshita his partner, but when he thought about her condition, he decided not to do it since he knew her condition wasn't good. It was also the reason why she had been sitting on the side and only gave instructions without joining the training.
"I'll be your partner," Yukinoshita said.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Yukinoshita nodded and said, "I have been trained with the "professional tennis player" after all." She made her voice louder when she mentioned the professional tennis player.
Her words were like sarcasm in Hayama's ears, but what could he do?
"But you're right at "that," right?" Shishio whispered since he knew Yukinoshita had menstruation.
Yukinoshita blushed and lightly hit his arm. "Shut your mouth!"
"Yes, yes. But don't force yourself, alright?" Shishio said worriedly.
"I know." Yukinoshita hummed while nodding.
Yumiko didn't know, but she felt so uncomfortable at that moment.
With everything having been decided, whether it was Shishio or Hayama, they only took the racket. However, Yumiko and Yukinoshita were different since they changed into tennis uniforms first.
"It suits you well." Shishio nodded and thought he might ask his girlfriend to cosplay as a tennis player.
"I don't wear this so I can receive your praise." Yukinoshita sighed, but she blushed. "Also, Yuigama-san has forced me to wear this."
"But it's cute, Yukinon!" Yui said with a smile while glancing at Shishio several times since she had a feeling he was about to say something outrageous before.
While Shishio's group was amiable and they were friendly to each other, Hayama's group was quite awkward, especially when Yumiko had been silent for a while, clearly showing her disinterest in this game.
That should have been the case before.
However, when Yumiko saw Yukinoshita, somehow, her competitive spirit was burning, and she had decided to beat them up.
Hayama was grateful for this situation, and he thought they would be able to win. After all, he still wanted to regain the face he had lost before.
On the other hand, Totsuka looked at Hikigaya and Zaimokuza, who seemed calm in this match, so he couldn't help but ask, "Hikigaya-kun, Zaimokuza-kun, you two are so calm? Are you not worried?"
"No." 2x
Hikigaya and Zaimokuza felt it was just a stupid thing to worry about Shishio. Still, even if they wanted to see Shishio beaten, they also didn't like to see Hayama win. After all, not only was Hayama coming to trouble them, but this guy was also a riajuu!
'Massacre him, Shishio!' 2x
Hikigaya and Zaimokuzza thought inwardly. They, without a doubt, were going to support Shishio, but they were too shy to do so, so they only stood on the side, watching the match with solemn expressions.
The match between the four quickly started, and Totsuka became the referee.
Shishio and Yukinoshita would be against Hayama and Yumiko.
Totsuka sat on the referee seat and said, "And begin!"
Yumiko started first and used all of her power to hit the ball at Yukinohista.
However, what Yukinoshita said was true since she had trained under a professional tennis player in the past, and she could return Yumiko's serve easily.
Hayama returned the ball to Shishio with all of his might.
The ball moved fast, but Shishio returned it with ease and added some tricks to it.
Under his control, the ball hit on the strange spot where it was the perfect place for either Yumiko or Hayama to hit.
On the double, each had duty on the place where they should hit the ball.
Still, each partner had their own style, and they had an experience.
However, Yumiko and Hayama didn't have that. They only put either right or front as their duty, so when this ball hit the ground, they started to move before they crashed into each other.
"What?!"
"Ahh!"
Yumiko was almost thrown if it wasn't because Hayama's reflex was good, and he quickly stopped.
"Are you alright, Yumiko?" Hayama quickly asked since he didn't expect to hit Yumiko so suddenly.
"I-I am okay..." If it wasn't because Yumiko had feelings for Hayama, she might have to scold Hayama without hesitation.
"I am sorry..." Hayama apologized and talked about how they should set up their strategy again.
On the other hand, Yukinoshita looked at Shishio silently, thinking this guy might do this deliberately. While Shishio's way of hitting the ball was quite amateurish, and his ball had the element of coincidence, she felt this bastard did it deliberately. However, instead of hating it, she only smiled.
Hayama and Yumiko also started over, and they still started to hit the ball first, considering how the game worked.
However, this time, it was Hayama who hit the ball, and he hit the ball right in Shishio's direction with all of his might!
The ball was moving so fast, and some people couldn't follow the ball.
However, deliberately like a coincidence, Shishio hit the ball back, and it hit Hayama's crotch!
"Ouch!"
All the men in this area covered their crotch since they felt like they could feel Hayama's pain.
However, some people wanted to laugh, especially Hikigaya and Zaimokuza wanted to laugh so hard.
"I'm sorry, are you okay? I didn't do that deliberately," Shishio apologized and said worriedly.
"....." Yukinoshita only stared at Shishio in silence.
"I-I am alright..." Hayama said those words with some struggle, but even so, he still maintained his smile, even if it was quite forced.
Yumiko was also quite troubled since she felt quite strange asking whether Hayama was alright.
"Can you continue, Hayama-kun?" Totsuka asked worriedly.
"I..." Hayama struggled for a moment before he took a deep breath and said, "Let's continue."
Everyone was in awe.
However...
Lost.
Hayama and Yumiko lost through without being able to score a single point to the pair of Yukinoshita and Shishio.
Yukinoshita looked at Shishio and said, "You're so bad." However, if someone looked closely, they would see a smile on her beautiful face.
Shishio only smiled and didn't say much, but he felt so comfortable now.