"Haha~"
Hiratsuka Shizuka was so angry she laughed, watching Tanaka Masao's performance.
She felt deeply humiliated.
Sensing the almost palpable anger emanating from Hiratsuka Shizuka, Yukinoshita Yukino silently retreated a few steps.
Tanaka Masao, who was wailing on the ground, also noticed the strange atmosphere at this moment.
He stopped wailing and looked up.
He saw Hiratsuka Shizuka with a smile on her face, and Yukinoshita Yukino, who had stepped back half a pace, looking at him with sympathy.
After two and a half seconds of thought, Tanaka Masao revealed a terrifying smile.
"Hello."
······
Tanaka Masao walked home, looking at Yukinoshita Yukino ahead, and complained.
"Xuezhixia Classmate, how could you just stand by and watch me be abused by Hiratsuka-sensei?"
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced back at Tanaka Masao, completely calm.
"Isn't that what you brought upon yourself? Your acting was so clumsy, anyone would think it was mockery."
"I… I wasn't acting at all. It's just that my reaction time is a bit slower than others."
Tanaka Masao's eyes darted around as he retorted.
Well, thinking back, his behavior did seem a bit like mockery.
And Hiratsuka Shizuka hadn't really done anything to him; on the contrary, she had even taught him a few moves.
"Forget it, I'm magnanimous, so I'll forgive you and Hiratsuka-sensei."
"Magnanimous? I think Tanaka-kin, you should say you have a big appetite instead."
Yukinoshita Yukino said with a sharp tongue. At this point, they also arrived at the intersection where they would part ways.
"Tanaka-kin, don't forget to go for a morning run at school tomorrow."
"I know. See you tomorrow, Xuezhixia Classmate."
Tanaka Masao waved his hand, yawned, and walked towards his home.
Today, he was thoroughly exhausted by Yukinoshita Yukino and Hiratsuka Shizuka; he needed to rest early.
Behind Tanaka Masao, Yukinoshita Yukino murmured to herself.
"See you tomorrow, huh?"
She didn't know how long it had been since she had said such words to anyone else.
"Although Tanaka-kin seems quite bad in all aspects, but…"
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Tanaka Masao's back, recalling their brief interactions over the past two days.
Although he was a bit fat and not very good-looking, he was polite when interacting and knew how to maintain distance, never deliberately trying to get close.
Thinking of this, Yukinoshita Yukino revealed a faint smile.
"He's someone I can reluctantly get along with."
Then she also turned and went home, but her steps were much lighter, as if she had gained a little more interest in going to school.
…
The next day, under Yukinoshita Yukino's supervision, Tanaka Masao completed his morning run.
Today's morning run results were even worse than yesterday's.
Because of several days of training, Tanaka Masao's muscles were incredibly sore.
Yukinoshita Yukino's explanation for this was that he could reduce the intensity, but he couldn't stop; he just needed to get through this period.
It was good to be able to reduce the intensity a bit, and in his current state, he couldn't increase the intensity even if he wanted to.
After a quick wipe-down of the sweat on his body, Tanaka Masao returned to his classroom.
He slumped onto his desk like a puddle of mud, waiting for class to start.
[I'm so tired, will I fall asleep during class later?]
As Tanaka Masao thought these things, his consciousness was already a bit hazy, and his eyelids were growing heavier.
Just as his consciousness was blurring, he suddenly felt some movement in front of him.
Tanaka Masao lifted his eyelids and looked forward; his brain instantly cleared.
Kawasaki Saki had arrived at her seat at some point.
She didn't sit down directly as usual, but instead looked down at Tanaka Masao from above.
Kawasaki Saki's eyes were cold, as if she was looking at a dead man. After two and a half seconds of staring at Tanaka Masao, she snorted coldly and sat down in her seat.
Looking at Kawasaki Saki's back, Tanaka Masao couldn't help but swallow.
[Kawasaki must have found out that what happened in PE class yesterday was my plan.
That look just now, I feel like she wants to kill me.
Sigh, how come everyone can figure out that I did it?
How should I handle this?]
…
Just as Tanaka Masao thought, after Kawasaki Saki went home yesterday, she indeed found something suspicious.
Upon closer thought, it could only be Tanaka Masao messing around.
She was definitely angry; playing a tennis match with Yukinoshita Yukino had also tired her out.
But honestly, for Kawasaki Saki, being able to play against Yukinoshita Yukino in PE class was more interesting than hitting the ball against a wall by herself.
She just couldn't understand why Tanaka Masao would do such a thing.
Was it to use her to deal with Yukinoshita Yukino?
But it didn't seem like it.
With complicated feelings, Kawasaki Saki saw Tanaka Masao slumped on his desk this morning and gave him a few extra glances.
However, these casual glances had a significant impact on Tanaka Masao.
…
Throughout the entire morning, both Kawasaki Saki and Tanaka Masao were somewhat uneasy.
Kawasaki Saki felt Tanaka Masao watching her from behind, not knowing what he wanted to do.
Tanaka Masao looked at Kawasaki Saki's back, also not knowing what she would do.
…
However, Kawasaki Saki was not a weak person; she wouldn't bottle up something like this.
So, during lunch break, she threw a note to Tanaka Masao.
Tanaka Masao opened the note, which read:
[After lunch, come find me on the rooftop.]
Heh, if he didn't know the whole story, Tanaka Masao would have really thought she was confessing.
Sighing helplessly, he decided to go take a look after lunch.
He took out his phone and sent a message to Yukinoshita Yukino, saying he had something to do today and wouldn't be eating lunch at the Service Club.
That's right, after two days of interaction, he had successfully obtained Yukinoshita Yukino's contact information.
After all, it was a long-term request, and having contact information would be more convenient.
…
Tanaka Masao sat at his seat, eating lunch.
After about ten minutes, Kawasaki Saki finished her lunch, packed up, and left the classroom.
As she passed Tanaka Masao's desk, she gave him a look, signaling him to follow.
Once Kawasaki Saki left the classroom, Tanaka Masao got up and followed her.
…
The school rooftop, a magical place.
It seems to be an indispensable part of any school.
Whether it's skipping class, confessions, heart-to-heart talks, fights, or even… *cough*, everything happens here.
Kawasaki Saki, who had already arrived, looked at Tanaka Masao, who had followed her, and spoke.
"Tell me, why did you instigate me to have a tennis match with Yukinoshita yesterday?"
"Um…"
Tanaka Masao hesitated for a moment, attempting to answer.
"What if I told you I saw you playing alone and felt you were lonely, so I specifically found you a companion? Would you believe me?"
Hearing this, Kawasaki Saki was first stunned, then reacted, her eyes narrowing slightly, her tone cold.
"Do you think I'd believe your nonsense?"
Seeing this, Tanaka Masao could only tell the truth.
"Alright, actually, it's because you refused to play with me, which annoyed me a bit, so I specifically found you an opponent."
Kawasaki Saki frowned upon hearing this; she hadn't expected such a reason.
After a few seconds of silence, she coldly uttered a single word.
"Childish."
With that, she turned and left without looking back.
Although she had played a tennis match with Yukinoshita Yukino, Kawasaki Saki didn't mind; in fact, she was somewhat happy.
Yukinoshita Yukino's excellence was well-known, and the fact that she could hold her own against her made Kawasaki Saki quite pleased. She could even say:
[Yukinoshita Yukino is nothing special after all.]
…
Looking at Kawasaki Saki's retreating figure, Tanaka Masao was a bit bewildered.
[She just left? Why didn't she get revenge or punish me?]
Not being punished and not paying a price, Tanaka Masao suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.