Bab 82: Ch 82. Hayama and Miura vs Hoshimi and Yukinoshita
"..."
Faced with the kind gesture, Yukinoshita's first reaction was to refuse. "Yuigahama-san, thank you, but..."
"Ahem~" Hoshimi cleared his throat, interrupting Yukinoshita.
He stood up, took the lunch, and smiled nonchalantly. "Yuigahama-san, thank you. Yukino and I were just getting hungry."
"...It's nothing..." Yuigahama lowered her head, the light in her eyes dimming slightly.
Was Yukinon about to refuse just now?
"I should get going; I have to join the dodgeball game soon..." Feeling conflicted, Yuigahama suddenly felt she shouldn't stay. She turned away without saying goodbye.
"Yuigahama-san, if you have time, come cheer for Yukino and me later~"
Seeing Yuigahama's somewhat lonely back, Hoshimi called out cheerfully.
"Mm... if I have time, I will..." Yuigahama hesitated but agreed.
"Yuigahama-san, goodbye. Next time, I'll treat you to a meal."
"...Hoshimi-san, Yukinon, goodbye..."
This time, Yuigahama didn't agree, merely saying goodbye.
"Sigh~"
Watching Yuigahama leave, Hoshimi sighed.
"Why are you sighing?" Yukinoshita asked discontentedly.
She felt that Hoshimi's sigh had something to do with her.
"Nothing, let's eat. I'm really hungry." Hoshimi sat back on the bench, handing a lunch to Yukinoshita and opening his own.
Looking at the lunch in her hands, Yukinoshita frowned. "Hoshimi, why did you accept it?"
"..." Hoshimi was taken aback, turning to look at Yukinoshita with pity in his eyes.
"Yukinoshita, your emotional intelligence is negative, isn't it?"
"..." Yukinoshita stared at Hoshimi coldly. "I think we shouldn't have accepted it. Yuigahama-san spent her own money on this. Even if we took it, we should have given her money."
Hoshimi was speechless. He knew Yukinoshita's emotional intelligence was low, but he hadn't expected it to be this low.
Did this girl not realize how long Yuigahama had waited or why the lunch was still warm?
"Yukinoshita, I think you'd be best suited as a judge in the future," Hoshimi commented.
"Hm? Are you complimenting me?"
"No, I'm saying you're inhuman."
"..." Yukinoshita's gaze grew even colder.
"Eat quickly before it gets cold," Hoshimi said, picking up his chopsticks.
After giving Hoshimi a long look, Yukinoshita opened her lunch without a word. She was indeed hungry...
"Yukinoshita, let me tell you, friendships are built on reciprocity. Today you help me, tomorrow I help you. Over time, the bond deepens."
"If you always refuse others' kindness, even friends will drift away eventually."
"Sometimes, you need to show vulnerability, let people see you're not perfect, and allow them to feel superior and protective. Accept their help and return the favor later."
"That way, don't you build strong relationships?"
"You, with your emotional intelligence, are basically saying goodbye to social interactions. I don't know what your family's educational philosophy is, but it produced someone like you."
"You should stick with me from now on, observe and learn."
As he spoke, Hoshimi sneakily took tempura, sausage, and meatballs from Yukinoshita's lunch and replaced them with broccoli and greens from his own.
"Hoshimi! You jerk! Stop taking my food!"
Seeing Hoshimi about to take her omelet, Yukinoshita couldn't hold back any longer.
"Ahem~ Eating more vegetables is good for you..."
"Eat! You eat them!" Yukinoshita picked up a piece of broccoli and forced it into Hoshimi's mouth.
"Ahem~ ahem~" Caught off guard, Hoshimi choked, coughing with his hand on his chest.
Once he recovered, Hoshimi quickly popped a meatball into Yukinoshita's mouth.
"Mmm~"
Yukinoshita instinctively bit down, the meatball's juice bursting in her mouth.
Thankfully, it wasn't too hot, just a bit overwhelming.
"Ahem~ ahem~" She coughed lightly, the dark juice of the meatball around her mouth.
"Hoshimi!" she growled, grabbing the omelet to stuff it into Hoshimi's mouth.
Seeing the situation turn bad, Hoshimi scooted to the edge of the bench, putting some distance between them.
But Yukinoshita, in her fury, wasn't easy to shake off. She moved closer, trying to force the omelet into Hoshimi's mouth.
In the shade of a distant tree, Yukino's sister Haruno watched them, her heart aching slightly.
Holding her chest, her face was full of envy and jealousy.
That was her sister's feeding... something she had never experienced...
...
Meanwhile, Kotoko Iwanaga, with the help of many maids, was ready to go.
Holding her reddish-brown cane, she stepped out, full of anticipation.
Hoshimi, wait a bit longer. We'll meet soon!
...
After lunch, Hoshimi and Yukinoshita, with their clothes stained with grease, took some time to change.
When they returned to the tennis court, the mixed doubles final was about to start.
Led by the assistant referee, they went to the court to decide the serve and sides with a coin toss.
Upon arrival, seeing their opponents, Yukinoshita's expression turned cold as ice.
"Heh~ Isn't that Yukinoshita? What's the matter? Just woke up from a nap?"
The blonde girl made no effort to hide her hostility towards Yukinoshita.
Beside her, the sunny, handsome blond boy smiled wryly. "Sorry, Yumiko's a bit blunt."
Yukinoshita glanced at the boy, her face expressionless. "Hayama Hayato-san, there's no need for pointless mediation. You'd better spend your time thinking about how to lose gracefully."
"Hey! What do you mean by that? You think you're guaranteed to win?" the blonde girl, Yumiko, glared at Yukinoshita like an enraged lioness.
"Yes, I'm sure I will win, just like I easily beat you in the singles final this morning," Yukinoshita stated coldly.
"You..." Yumiko's eyebrows arched in anger, her fury evident on her face.
"Geez, Yukino, don't forget me. It should be 'we will win.'"
Hoshimi interrupted Yumiko's attack, stepping forward to hold Yukinoshita's hand, smiling brightly as he reiterated.
"You!"
"Ahem~ Enough arguing."
Yumiko wanted to retort but was interrupted by the male referee.
The referee looked at both sides, took out a coin, and said, "We'll decide the serve and sides with a coin toss. Any objections?"
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