The kitchen smelled faintly of miso and grilled fish, a soft morning light spilling through the curtains as Rito stood by Mikan's side, knife in hand. The earlier awkwardness still lingered, the image of Mikan in her pajamas popping up in his head whenever he risked glancing at her. But she, as if nothing had happened, moved smoothly around the counter, humming under her breath while tending to the rice cooker.
"…Haa." Rito let out a sigh, shaking his head. She's tougher than me, really. If it were the other way around, I'd still be red as a tomato.
His hands moved almost instinctively, slicing vegetables into neat, uniform pieces. The rhythm of the knife tapping against the board felt strangely satisfying, and before he realized it, the prep was already done.
Mikan blinked, her eyes flicking from the cutting board to him. "Eh? You're… pretty good at this, Onii-chan. Didn't think you'd actually pick it up so fast."
"W-Well," Rito rubbed his neck, averting his eyes. "I'm just… trying to be useful, I guess."
The truth sat unspoken in his chest—it wasn't him, not really. The system had smoothed the motions, guided his hands, and made up for mistakes. But when he caught the faint smile tugging at Mikan's lips, that small look of surprise and approval, a bit of warmth bloomed in his chest.
They sat down together soon after, Mashiro joining them with her usual blank, dreamy expression. Breakfast passed quietly, the kind of quiet that didn't feel heavy but comfortable.
After rinsing his bowl and drying his hands, Rito straightened and glanced toward the door. "I'll head out for a bit," he said casually.
Mikan looked up from her cup of tea. "Out? Where to?"
"Just… something I need to check." He waved off her suspicion, forcing a smile. "Don't worry, I'll be back before lunch."
Before she could pry further, he slipped into his sneakers and jogged to the bus stop.
The ride out of town was smoother than he expected, the city gradually giving way to open spaces, the kind of area where the sound of bouncing tennis balls and sharp rallies wouldn't feel out of place. His hand tightened slightly around the bus handle as the stop approached.
'STC—the club where Natsu plays. Guess I really am going through with this.'
His heart drummed in his chest, not from nerves exactly, but from a strange anticipation. The tennis skills that had been "given" to him—it was one thing to feel them in theory, another to test them against reality.
As the bus doors hissed open and he stepped onto the pavement, the morning sun lit the gleaming courts ahead.
'Alright… free trial or not, let's see what this body can do.'
The yard was alive with energy. Children giggled as they tried to rally with oversized rackets, teenagers shouted encouragements to each other during practice games, and adults exchanged laughter between swings. The rhythmic thwack of balls meeting rackets echoed throughout the club, blending with the summer cicadas in the background.
Rito slowed his pace, letting the atmosphere wash over him. The smiles, the sweat, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the courts—it was pure, unfiltered enjoyment.
"…This isn't bad at all," he murmured under his breath. "Maybe playing tennis for a while really wouldn't be such a bad thing."
He followed the signs toward the indoor courts. The air shifted as he stepped inside, cooler but charged with focus. On the far side of the court, Natsu's figure darted left and right.
The coach sent balls across the net in a steady rhythm, and Natsu chased each one with flawless footwork. Her golden ponytail bounced behind her as she swung, the sharp pop of her racket cutting through the space with every return. Her expression wasn't strained but radiant, like each hit brought her joy.
Rito stopped at the edge, watching without realizing how intently his eyes had fixed on her. 'She really enjoys tennis, huh… just like in the anime. Back then, I thought it was just dramatization. But seeing her like this—she's alive in every movement.'
"Fufu."
The soft chuckle startled him. Rito blinked, glancing to the side where a middle-aged woman stood. She had kind eyes and a knowing smile, her arms folded as she, too, watched Natsu play.
"You must be a friend of Natsu-chan's?" she asked lightly, tilting her head.
Rito scratched his cheek, suddenly self-conscious. "Ah—y-yeah, sort of. She invited me here…"
The woman's smile widened, her gaze flicking between his flustered expression and the girl still rallying on the court. "I see. You were watching her very closely. It's nice, isn't it? To see someone enjoy the thing they love most."
Rito coughed into his hand, desperately trying to regain composure. 'Great. First time here and I already look like some lovestruck stalker…'
Still, as he turned his eyes back to Natsu, his lips curved in a faint smile. "Yep. She looked really happy while playing..." Rito ends up agreeing with a smile.
"That's great. You must be here for a free trial…" the middle-aged lady said brightly. Before Rito could answer, she wrapped her hand around his arm and tugged him toward the court with surprising strength.
"Eh—!? " Rito stumbled forward, nearly tripping over his own feet. She's way too enthusiastic for a coach…!
The commotion drew Natsu's attention. She paused mid-return, racket dangling at her side as her eyes lit up the moment they found him.
"Rito! " She jogged over, a wide grin plastered across her face. Beads of sweat glistened against her temples, her cheeks flushed from the exertion, but her smile was as bright as the morning sun. "So, you really came for the trial! "
Her voice carried genuine excitement, and before Rito could react, she seized his hand and gave it a firm shake, her palm warm and slightly damp from practice.
"Y-Yeah," Rito managed with a nervous laugh, trying not to notice how close she was leaning in. "Thanks for inviting me like this."
He hesitated for a moment, then added with a sheepish chuckle, "I did play tennis a bit before, so I thought—why not indulge in it for some time again? "
Good cover, he told himself quickly. Better than admitting, 'oh yeah, I have a maxed-out tennis skill set thanks to reincarnation.'
Natsu's grin only widened. "For sure! I'm certain you'll enjoy it." She pumped a fist, her energy contagious.
The coach clapped her hands, breaking the moment. "Alright, then. Rito-kun, since you're new here, let's start with warm-ups. Stretching, a few laps around the court, then some rally basics. Natsu, keep an eye on him."
"Got it! " Natsu replied enthusiastically before turning back to Rito with a teasing smirk. "Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're new, though."
Rito forced a smile, suppressing the chill running down his back. 'Right. Just warm-ups. I can't exactly steamroll a high school tennis club on my first day…'
The coach gave him the same rundown they offered every new face—basic stamina drills, stretches, and footwork exercises. It was a routine straight out of Baby Steps: jog around the court, high-knee runs, ladder steps, side-steps, shadow swings…
For most first-timers, it was exhausting. Enough to weed out the unserious right away.
"Don't worry," the coach said kindly, "just do what you can. Nobody expects you to keep up perfectly."
"Right… got it." Rito nodded, hiding a wry smile. What you don't know is… this is literally my warm-up routine now.
He set off at a steady jog, his strides smooth, his breathing calm. By the time he finished the laps, not a bead of sweat had formed on his forehead. Next came the ladder drills—fast feet through the squares. His sneakers tapped against the court in crisp rhythm, each step perfectly placed, like he'd drilled them a thousand times.
"Wha…" one of the younger players muttered, watching his flawless form.
"Beginner, huh?" another whispered. "He's not even out of breath…"
Natsu, leaning against the fence with her racket in hand, beamed proudly. "See? I told you he wasn't just anyone."
Rito, meanwhile, kept his expression neutral, trying not to stand out too much. Crap, I'm making this look way too easy. Maybe I should fake being tired? …No, too late, they're all staring already.
When he finally came to a stop, the coach blinked in surprise. "That's… impressive. Most people collapse halfway through their first day."
Rito rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish laugh. "Ahaha, guess I've just… kept up with fitness on my own."
His eyes flicked toward Natsu, who gave him a thumbs-up and a grin that nearly made his heart jump.