One with long black hair, the other with long golden hair, both holding tennis rackets, looked puzzled at Kitamura Chika standing at the door.
"Uh, just taking a break. Kaori, what are you two doing at the sports warehouse?"
Recognizing them as acquaintances, Kitamura Chika relaxed slightly but still kept her guard up as she turned to the black-haired Kitamura Kaori, changing the subject to ask.
Kaori was her cousin, with slightly better tennis talent than her, currently the absolute mainstay of the tennis club, the ace player.
They were in the same class and both in the tennis club, with Kaori being so skilled. As her older sister, the pressure was immense. If their disciplinary committee activities were exposed now, she'd have no face left to show.
"Mikari and I came to get a couple of rackets. There were too many people practicing today, and the spare rackets ran out."
Kitamura Kaori was a bit puzzled about why Kitamura Chika was slacking off here but didn't press further, explaining instead.
"Let me get them for you. Kaori, you two wait here for a bit."
Kitamura Chika's heart tightened as she quickly spoke.
Though she didn't know how far things had progressed inside, given the movements she'd glimpsed earlier, if Kaori barged in recklessly, she'd definitely discover Hachiman and Asai Saki.
"No need, I'll grab them myself."
Kitamura Kaori didn't want to trouble her cousin and walked straight in.
'Oh no! We're going to be found out!'
Seeing she couldn't stop Kitamura Kaori, Kitamura Chika's heart sank, and she could only hurriedly follow.
However, to her surprise, after following Kitamura Kaori inside to get the tennis rackets and scanning the area, she couldn't find any trace of Asai Saki and Hachiman.
'Did they hide hearing our conversation?'
'But where can they hide here?'
Though the sports warehouse was packed with items, almost everything was visible at a glance. One person might manage to hide in the dim lighting, but how could two people disappear?
Kitamura Chika stared in shock at the empty sports equipment around her, seemingly unable to find the two who should've been discovered.
"Chika-nee, I'm heading out. If you're not feeling well today, I can ask for leave on your behalf for after-school practice."
Kitamura Kaori, noticing her cousin's odd behavior today, thoughtfully reminded her.
With the recent training of newcomers, the seniors had to ramp up their own training intensity to lead by example.
Cousin Chika usually had disciplinary committee duties too, so it was normal for her to feel overwhelmed balancing both.
"N-no... I'll be fine after resting a bit... I'll join the after-school training."
Kitamura Chika fully understood Kitamura Kaori's misunderstanding but had no mind to explain. She was more preoccupied with where Hachiman and the others had gone.
"Kaori, you go ahead. Since I'm tired from tennis, I'll rest here a bit longer and chat with Chika."
"Alright. If the teacher asks, I'll let them know. Thanks for keeping Chika-nee company, Mikari."
Kitamura Kaori waved and left with the tennis racket, but the golden-haired gyaru Tachibana Mikari stayed behind.
"Mikari, why are you staying?"
Watching her cousin Kitamura Kaori leave, Kitamura Chika turned to the smirking golden-haired gyaru Tachibana Mikari, her eyes full of wariness.
Tachibana Mikari, a mainstay of the girls' competitive swimming club, had a decent relationship with her, but not so close that she'd stay behind to chat just because Chika was tired.
Tachibana Mikari's personality was usually self-centered, acting only on whims. Chika worried her staying might mean she'd noticed something.
"Hehe," Tachibana Mikari wasted no time exposing the truth Kitamura Chika was trying to hide, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
During the joint P.E. class next door, she'd spotted Hachiman in the crowd at a glance.
At first, she thought he was coming to her for in-class guidance to solidify her performance, but instead, he'd approached the prim and proper disciplinary committee member Asai Saki.
In the end, Asai Saki had dragged along Kitamura Chika from the tennis club, and Mikari had kept her eyes on them until they disappeared from view.
"...I don't know what you're talking about, Mikari. It's just you and me here, no one else."
Seeing Tachibana Mikari's triumphant expression, Kitamura Chika panicked slightly but forced herself to stay calm, hoping to bluff her way through.
If even she couldn't find Hachiman and Asai Saki, how could Mikari? She must be bluffing.
"I'm not saying this to threaten you or anything. I just want to let you know that my relationship with Hikigaya is great too," Seeing Kitamura Chika misunderstand her, Tachibana Mikari rolled her eyes and turned to shout into the warehouse.
"Manager Hachiman! I want your guidance!"
"You're the manager of our girls' swimming club! Nanasaki and the others are still waiting for your training! You can't switch allegiances to the tennis club now!"
"Huh?"
Kitamura Chika stared blankly as Tachibana Mikari shouted into the empty sports warehouse. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly spotted Asai Saki's figure appear atop a vaulting horse.
Hachiman stood beside it, holding Asai Saki in his arms.
"Manager, you're biased! You saw me earlier but didn't come to me! How am I worse than Chika and the others?"
Already aware of Hachiman's prowess, Tachibana Mikari immediately rushed behind him, leaped onto his back, and planted a loud kiss on his cheek before puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Student Council President Kaede was Hachiman's childhood friend, she couldn't compete with that. The elf princess Iris's status was too high to even compare.
But Kitamura Chika was just a mainstay of the tennis club. In terms of importance within their clubs, Mikari was clearly more significant, right?
Not to mention the tennis club had both boys and girls, while the girls' swimming club was full of beautiful girls. Why would Hachiman go to the tennis club instead of theirs?
"How am I biased? Chika hasn't even received my guidance yet, while your performance has already improved so much."
Hachiman chuckled at the competitive golden-haired gyaru, giving her a light nip.
He hadn't initially expected Tachibana Mikari to be in Asai Saki's class, though it wasn't entirely surprising.
Every class and grade had members from different clubs. As he established ties with more clubs and expanded the Service Club's branches, he'd run into familiar faces from various clubs in every class.
"Chika hasn't had any yet?", Tachibana Mikari froze at his words, turning to stare at Kitamura Chika in disbelief.
She'd followed them all the way to the sports warehouse, even stood guard outside, yet hadn't gotten a taste?
For a moment, she felt a pang of sympathy for Kitamura Chika, who could only watch but not participate.
"Wait, I still don't get what's going on. Mikari, how are you so close with Hikigaya-kun?", Kitamura Chika rubbed her temples, staring bewildered at Tachibana Mikari, who clung to Hachiman like an octopus, seemingly unfazed by Asai Saki lying atop the vaulting horse.
Hachiman was a first-year, while they were second-years.
Asai Saki and she had a special relationship with him due to disciplinary committee duties, but how was Tachibana Mikari so close to him? There'd been no signs of this before.
"Didn't I tell you? The Service Club's advisor is our temporary manager for the girls' swimming club. My swimming performance improved thanks to Manager Hachiman's personal guidance."
Seeing Hachiman still busy guiding Asai Saki, Tachibana Mikari blinked and hopped down, taking matters into her own hands.
"You said it was because of a special stress-relief method that helped you improve, didn't you?"
Kitamura Chika stared at Tachibana Mikari, suddenly sensing something amiss.
"Yep! Manager Hachiman helped me relieve my training stress too! Mmm...", Tachibana Mikari declared without hesitation.
"..."
Kitamura Chika glanced at Tachibana Mikari, who was all over Hachiman, then at Asai Saki, who refused to let go of him, at a loss for words.
'This... is how your swimming performance improved?'
'I'm a disciplinary committee member! How can you say such things in front of me without blushing?'
"Chika, stop pretending to be prim. You followed them here, don't tell me you didn't know what would happen?"
After a while, the golden-haired gyaru Tachibana Mikari licked her slender, pale fingers and looked up at Kitamura Chika, who was still just watching from the side, scoffing.
During tennis class, she'd followed Manager Hikigaya to the sports warehouse, even panicking when Kitamura Kaori entered, trying to cover for them.
Now, at this point, she was suddenly playing the prude?
"Who's pretending? I was just shocked by you guys!"
Kitamura Chika, seeing Tachibana Mikari, who was crouched on the floor, still had the nerve to mock her, felt her tanned cheeks flush with anger and embarrassment.
She'd originally intended to sacrifice herself for the disciplinary committee's duties while satisfying her own desires.
But Asai Saki had made her keep watch, not letting her join in.
Now, with Tachibana Mikari, someone outside the disciplinary committee, getting involved, she was just surprised. How was she pretending?
"If you're not resisting, then join us. Since we're usually on good terms, I'll share a quick way to boost your training performance."
Seeing Kitamura Chika didn't seem to be lying, Tachibana Mikari narrowed her eyes and grinned, standing up.
"And this 'special training method' of yours is 'this'?"
Kitamura Chika pursed her lips, finding Tachibana Mikari's attempt to trick her ridiculous.
"It's not like I'm unwilling to join. If you want to fool me, at least come up with a better excuse, Mmph? Mikari, what are you doing?"
"Once you've experienced it, you'll understand. No need to argue now."
Tachibana Mikari giggled, pulling her fingers from Kitamura Chika's mouth and pushing her toward Hachiman from behind. She glanced at Asai Saki, who lay limp on the vaulting horse, her dazed eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"Saki, rest for a bit. It's our turn now."
"I... I can still go on..."
Hearing Tachibana Mikari and Kitamura Chika were about to steal her spot, Asai Saki's unfocused eyes sharpened as she tried to rise from the horse.
But after such intense stimulation in a short time, she was already exhausted, unable to straighten her back, each word leaving her panting.
"Don't push yourself. Rest properly when it's time."
Seeing Asai Saki's greedy attempt to continue, Hachiman gave her a firm smack, forcing her back down.
Though the Service Halo enhanced the physical abilities of girls who served him, and given Asai Saki's devout dedication, her physique now far surpassed ordinary people's.
However, the enhanced constitution gained from him offered no resistance against him, it only made their experiences more intense. They'd still be brought to their knees.
So far, only athletic girls who trained daily, demi-humans with racial traits, or aliens like Lala could last longer. Ordinary girls, no matter how gifted, stood no chance.
"Mmm... Master..."
Asai Saki trembled at his reprimand, collapsing back onto the horse. She turned her head to watch Hachiman with Tachibana Mikari and Kitamura Chika before him, a delirious smile spreading across her face.
'Th-this is what I crave! Being treated like a pet by my master!'
Though she longed for his affection, this desperate yearning was intoxicating too.
"Mikari, Chika, it's your turn now."
Hachiman turned to Tachibana Mikari and Kitamura Chika, stroking their slightly damp hair as he fastened shared sensation bracelets onto them, smiling.
Though no one was keeping watch now, he hadn't needed a lookout to begin with. Asai Saki had just wanted the thrill of potentially being caught while monopolizing him.
"Chika, come experience Manager Hachiman's guidance. I guarantee you'll beg for it every day afterward. But our swimming club won't lose! Don't think you can steal our manager!"
Tachibana Mikari giggled, pulling Kitamura Chika along to receive Hachiman's special guidance together.
Though she'd have loved to monopolize him like Asai Saki, with Kitamura Chika here, cutting in line or hogging him alone was impossible.
So she decided to play the senior and drag Kitamura Chika into the fun.
She was from the girls' swimming club, Kitamura Chika from the tennis club. Once Chika discovered the secret to rapid performance boosts, the tennis club might covet their manager. But at this point, she couldn't stop her.
Still, she was confident, no matter what, the tennis club could never outcompete the girls' swimming club.
Their club was full of beauties, and the captain had given Manager Hachiman free rein to come and go as he pleased, allowing him to guide them however he wished. Could the tennis club match that?
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