บท 488: It's just so natural

Hayama had lost, and he also upheld his promise to buy everyone a juice on the vending machine on the side before he left without hesitation. "Then, I'll leave." He really didn't want to stay any longer since it was just so damn hard to maintain his smile in this place!

Yumiko stared at Shishio for a moment and saw him smile at her gently, causing her to blush and look away before she followed everyone to leave.

Ebina looked at Shishio thoughtfully, but she didn't say anything and just smiled and left with everyone.

The extras that followed Hayama also followed back since, without Hayama, it was impossible for them to stay, and they didn't really want to stay.

Still, Shishio must admit Yumiko was quite cute. However, he turned his gaze at Yukinoshita and asked, "What's wrong Senpai?" He felt his skin hurt when this girl kept staring at him all the time.

"Nothing." Yukinoshita showed off her rare smile.

"....." Shishio somehow felt creepy by Yukinoshita's smile and asked, "Did you have a bad impression of that girl?" He wondered whether Yukinoshita had a bad impression of Yumiko. He thought for a while and wondered whether it might have something to do with the past when Yui and Yumiko had an argument with each other.

"No, it's just she is quite similar to the girl who is trying to bully me in middle school," Yukinoshita said while trying to open the cap of her barley tea.

"....."

Shishio looked at Yukinoshita in silence and said, "Let me help you open that bottle."

"Thanks." Yukinoshita gave bottles to Shishio naturally.

"...." Shishio honestly helped Yukinoshita and even took care of her gently, especially when he heard those words from her.

"Hahaha!" Zaimokuza laughed arrogantly while chugging a cola he had gotten from Hayama. "This is the taste of the victory!"

"...."

They were all speechless by Zaimokuza's words, but they must admit the drink they won from Hayama tasted better than the one they bought themselves. Even though it was cheap and it was something they could buy every day, it tasted so much different when they got it from their blood, sweat, and tears.

It tasted so damn good!

Still, Yui was worried and asked, "Hey, Shishiron, do you think it is alright?"

"What do you mean?" Shishio asked.

"I mean, for us to enjoy this drink, is this really alright?" Yui was quite worried. After all, Hayama was the leader of her clique, and he was also Yumiko's crush. However, Shishio embarrassed Hayama without hesitation, cruelly without any mercy.

While Yui felt comfortable, she was worried something might happen to her clique.

"Oh, you don't need to worry, Yui-senpai. Hayama-senpai is a nice guy who treats us with juice when we're doing our best in training. He's a kind-hearted man who won't do a shameful thing. I believe in Hayama-senpai," Shishio said righteously as if everything had nothing to do with him before he drank the barley tea he got from Hayama.

"....." Yui.

"That's true." Yukinoshita nodded with a gentle expression and said, "He's a nice guy."

"...." Yui.

Hikigaya also nodded and said, "He's a nice guy."

"....." Yui.

Zaimokuza laughed heartily as he looked at the chest. "Hayama or something is the nicest guy I know in this school!"

"....." Yui.

Totsuka could only laugh bitterly, but he must admit it tasted nice to do something like this.

"Alright, how long are you going to rest? Then, hurry up and continue the training!" Yukinoshita reminded everyone.

"...." Totsuka, Yui, Hikigaya, and Zaimokuza.

Shishio didn't join and sat on the side.

However, Yukinoshita didn't say anything and just let him rest.

They trained for a while before they decided to return.

Under Yukinoshita's instruction, Totsuka's request was finished, and everyone could go back peacefully.

Still, when they went back, Shishio said, "Senpai, let me send you home."

Yukinoshita stared at Shishio and asked, "Where's your girlfriend?"

"They should be trying a new ice cream cafe nearby." The reason why his girlfriends weren't around him was that they went to try the new gelato cafe nearby. "More importantly, are you alright?" He was worried about this girl since she often forced herself to work even if she was weak.

Yukinoshita's skin was as pale as snow, and it was beautiful.

However, Shishio could see her skin was quite sickly now.

"I am alright. You don't need to worry," Yukinoshita said in her usual confident tone.

"...." Shishio looked at Yukinoshita and said, "Well, do you want to eat something when we go back? I'll cook you something."

Yukinoshita stared at Shishio and asked, "You're going to stay at my apartment?"

"Is that not okay?"

"I am afraid it'll be dangerous for me to stay with a scumbag like you," Yukinoshita said flatly.

"....." Shishio was lost for words, then said, "Then, let's just go back together. I am on my way to stay in my apartment."

Yukinoshita stared at Shishio for a moment and said, "...just do whatever you want."

"Then, I'll do that." Shishio smiled.

Yukinoshita let out a sigh and said, "Wait for me to change my clothes first." Then, she hurriedly left since she was afraid for him to see her expression at this moment, and she might not realize a smile was formed on her beautiful lips.

"Okay." Shishio nodded and waited for Yukinoshita to change her clothes. However, frankly, he still wanted to see her in her tennis uniform since it was cute.

"Shishiron!"

Shishio, who read his book, turned and saw Yui was there. "What's wrong, Yui-senpai?" He wondered why this girl suddenly came to him. After all, he thought this girl had left already.

"Did you forget about our conversation before?" Yui asked with a pout.

"You were going to thank me, right?" Shishio smiled and asked, "How are you going to thank me?"

"What do you want me to do?" Yui asked excitedly.

"Anything but a food that you make by yourself," Shishio said without hesitation since Yui's food wasn't much different from a biohazard weapon.

"How cruel!" Yui cried and complained. "Even my cooking skill has become better, you know?" She pouted, feeling annoyed since Shishio didn't believe in her cooking skill.

Shishio looked at Yui and asked, "Really?"

"Er..." Yui hesitated.

Shishio let out a sigh and said, "You know, you don't need to thank me. I am just doing something that anyone will do."

"It isn't that anyone will, do you know?" Yui smiled and said, "Not everyone can do something that you do casually. It might not mean a lot to you, but everything you have done to me means a lot." It might mean something casual for him, and he might not think too much about whatever he did when he helped her. However, for her, she felt it pushed her to become a better person, and she wanted to do something to help him. Still, she knew even if she gave him food or something, she didn't think she could repay him. However, she just felt uncomfortable if she didn't do anything.

Shishio looked at Yui and asked, "But... won't you feel afraid?"

"Afraid?" Yui was confused.

"Doing something like this, staying with me and talking with me alone. If someone sees you, won't you be afraid they might misunderstand our relationship?" Shishio asked curiously.

Yui blushed and said stutteringly, "It-It's okay. I-I am not afraid!"

"...." Shishio looked at Yui and thought this girl was cute. He somehow wanted to see her mother. It wasn't that he was interested in her mother or something, but he was curious about what kind of parent had educated her until now. It definitely had nothing to do with the fact he was interested in an older woman or anything.

Believe him!

Yui took a deep breath and said, "Then, why don't you visit my house in the future? I'll prepare the best dinner for you!"

"....." Shishio.

"Okay?" Yui looked at Shishio worriedly, feeling afraid of being rejected.

Shishio looked at Yui for a moment and nodded. "Okay."

"Then, it's a promise!" Yui beamed with a smile and raised her pinky.

"It's a promise." Shishio hooked his pinky against hers.

"Let me know when you're ready. I am waiting." Yui then left with a smile.

"....."

Shishio looked at Yui for a while and just didn't know what to say.

"What's wrong? You show such an idiotic expression."

Shishio was familiar with this voice. He just shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go back. Shall we?"

"Okay." Yukinoshita nodded.

The two walked back like usual. It was something natural for them, and they had done it several times.

Still, if there was something unusual, it would be their relationship since they weren't even in a relationship, and Shishio just went to his girlfriends while being accompanied by another girl.

If it was someone else, it wouldn't be weird if this guy was dumped and even slapped.

Fortunately, with his hard work and persistence, his feelings were conveyed, and he was able to do this shameless thing without a worry.

"Say."

"Hmm?"

"Did something happen?"

Shishio looked at Yukinoshita and could see the worry in her eyes. He looked at her for a moment and let out a sigh inwardly. It was part of his bad side that he had always overthinking about many things. It not only made her worried, but he was sure his girlfriends also noticed it.

Shishio knew he had moved on, so there was no need to think too much about his past. Instead, he had to focus on the present. "Well, yeah, I am worried if the girls in the school are in love with me after that tennis match." He let out a frustrated sigh as if being handsome really troubled him.

"...."

Yukinoshita let out a long sigh and left Shishio behind.

"Senpai, don't leave me behind!"

"I don't know you. Please leave me alone!"

As usual, they started their usual bickering, but as expected, being with each other was so cozy, and they just wanted to stay like this forever.

However, Yukinoshita knew this relationship couldn't stay forever, especially when she didn't know how to handle the feeling that started to bloom in her heart.

'What do I do?'

Yukinoshita didn't know, but for now, she was going to keep everything inside without anyone knowing it until she could forget about this feeling.