CH 55

Chapter 55: I Want Cheerleading

TL: Akabane

***

We were given a break before the game. I was with Tsukasa, chatting and stretching.

"Was there anyone you were interested in? If you want to attack, I can help you."

"Hmmm. Not particularly at the moment. I mean, all the girls here are cute, so I don't think I can pick one. Hahaha."

"Hahaha! No way!"

It's fun to chat with other guys. Especially with a like-minded guy like Tsukasa. During my youthful emo time, there was a shadow approaching me. Tsukasa shrank back a little at the sight of the shadow.

"Hey, you guys. Got a minute?"

Kuzu Blue Houjou spoke to us. He seems to be smiling somewhat dismissively.

"What do you want?"

"Tokiwa. Next match, get out of my hand."

"Huh? What? You want me to cheat in the next match?"

I didn't think I would be told something like this in a mere circle tennis match. But I understand why he wanted to play.

"That's right. Lose as badly as possible. If you do that, I'll give you 100,000 yen."

"That's a lot of money. Do you really want to look good in front of Igarashi?"

For an ordinary college student, 100,000 yen is a lot of money. Not so much for me, though.

"It's worth it! There can't be two girls in this world that are that beautiful and that cute!"

"Hmmm. Well, I see what you mean."

"Well, I see your point. I'll double your reward! Hahaha!"

Kuzu Blue laughs happily. He doesn't understand anything. Even I, who was able to get married, couldn't understand Ririse Igarashi. But I do know that she is not a cheap woman who can be dropped just because she is cool enough to play tennis for fun.

"Idiot! She's too cheap! You fool! She's only 200,000 yen? No way! You only want to spend 200,000 yen to get a girl who can't exist in this world?! You're so small! Your vessel!"

Too cheap. I have memories of spending time with Igarashi in the previous world. You can't put a price on that. Even if I brought a trillion yen, I wouldn't give that memory to anyone.

"Eh? What? Then how about 300,000? No way! I know you and Igarashi are good friends. So if you can help me and Igarashi get along during the camp, I'll pay you a million dollars!"

"This isn't a money issue. This is a matter of my aesthetics. Don't think you can get that woman's love with money!"

I'm sure I'm smiling ferociously right now. In fact, I can see that Houjou is a little freaked out. His knees are shaking right now. That's why I have to crush this kind of misunderstood fool.

"Kanata! No, you can't!"

Tsukasa grabs my arm and pulls me.

"Houjou! Please forgive Kanata! He doesn't know much about you yet! I'll explain it to him! I'll explain it to him so that he'll cooperate properly!"

Tsukasa, trembling, desperately begs for Houjou's forgiveness. I've always thought these two were strange. I thought they knew each other. This reaction is definitely not a rogue one.

"Oh, right. Then you better explain it to him! I mean it! You could have saved me all this trouble if you'd explained it to him first! Damn you!"

Houjou thought this was a good excuse and left us at a quick pace, hiding his shaking knees.

"Kanata! Houjou is a bad guy! He was born into a family that owns a big company that everyone knows! If you go against him, you'll get a hell of a lot of trouble!"

"Oh, really?"

"Oh, really? You're really in trouble! I went to junior high school with him, so I know what's going on! Some people's fathers have been forced to retire because they disobeyed him! He's a real powerhouse!"

"Hmmm, great. ...Listen, Tsukasa. I'll tell you one thing. I hate scum like that. I've already decided. I'm going to make him irrevocable."

Houjou's background has been investigated. It is true that he comes from a family that owns a large company and is a rich, upper-class citizen. But I'm convinced that his power is frowned upon. Perhaps what Tsukasa just told me was just a story about their father's retirement, and he was just going around claiming he had the power to do it. No matter how senior he is, there is no way he would use his power so foolishly to cut someone's head off with a discovery for the sake of his children. The only person who would do such an insidious thing in a serious manner would be Hagiri.

"Kanata...I don't want to see you get hurt..."

Tsukasa must have been bullied by Houjou. The moment he is convinced of this, his anger rises even more.

"I'd rather not see you getting hurt by that guy..."

I pull Tsukasa's cheek.

"Ouch! I'm going to get you!"

"Tsukasa. I'm pushing for you. That's why I won't allow that guy to cloud your smile. I'll prove it to you now. I'm stronger than him. So don't worry. I'll crush Houjou during this camp. So smile. You look much cooler that way, Tsukasa."

I laugh. Tsukasa also smiles a little.

"I'm wondering why.... But I feel like you can do something about it...Good luck. I'll be rooting for you."

"Oh yeah. Leave it to me."

I give a thumbs up. And then it was time for the game.

The match this time wasn't a full-fledged one, and the winner was the one who got three games first. However, there are a few unwritten rules in college students' flirtatious circle men's and women's doubles.

1. Don't hit hard at the women.

2. Don't really handle the balls hit by the girls.

3. Don't hit nasty balls to the girls.

4. Don't etc, etc.....

The point is that a man who plays stiffly, seriously and facing toward girls is not popular with the girls. And yet, even if he loses, he is not popular either, so it is almost an impossible game. In other words, the point of this game is how ・・・・・ you use the girls!

"I'm sorry, but my racquet is a bit expensive, about 300,000 dollars. But I just bought it. I don't want to damage it, so I was wondering if you could do the racket spinning for me when I decide to serve."

Houjo begins to appeal to the rich. This kind of mounting pisses me off! Don't lick at the public, you bastard.

"Fufu. I get it! Then I'll spin your racket for you! Don't worry! I won't hurt you!"

I took the racket Houjou was holding and spun it as hard as I could on the court.

"Whoa! What the hell are you doing! That's a 300,000 racket!"

Houjo yelled at me in a mature manner.

"Oh? You're the one who asked me to spin the racket, right? Don't complain in any way."

"Use your own racket!

"But I didn't specify the racket."

I'm still a guy who spends his campus life with that cryptic queen, Ayashiro X. I'm not going to let this level of sophistry and doublespeak get in the way of my life. This level of sophistry and doublespeak is a piece of cake.

"Bufuu... It's funny that you're being taken away... Kukuku."

Usui, who was standing next to me, is holding her stomach and laughing.

"Hey, hey! Let me try it too! I've never done that racket spinning thing yet! Yay!"

Igarashi put her hand on the spinning racket and added more spinning power.

"Geeaaaah! It's gouging! It's gouging!"

"How is it? I'm not awesome! It's spinning so smoothly!"

Igarashi was right, the racket is spinning in circles at a great speed even though it's very smooth.

"Pfffuahahaha! It's spinning so fast! Oh no! Tokiwa! Igarashi! Commemorative photo!"

The three of us crouched down beside the spinning racket and posed for a picture. As soon as the picture was taken, the racket fell to the ground with a thud.

"Oh, no! Ops! I didn't turn it inside out! Let's turn it one more time! Hyahahaaaa!"

"Stop it! Please! This racket! It's a limited edition! I got it through my connections! It's my treasure!"

Houjou is half in tears as he hugs the racket. Mental seriously, he's a mook. As expected of Kuzu Blue. It's going to be worth crushing.

"Then we'll get the serve."

"Do whatever you want!"

It is often said that the serve side has the advantage in tennis. Of course, I wanted to respect the rules, so I got the serve. I don't have confidence in my ability to pick up the serve of someone who has been playing club tennis for a while. So I was happy to have a better chance of winning. Then I stand on the back line. Opposite me is Houjou, who is staring at me, and Igarashi, who is holding up her racket with a carefree smile.

"Come on! Sapporo Serve!"

The name of the technique has no particular meaning. But it does. I put full power into it. That's why.

"What the hell is this speed? Damn!"

Caught off guard, Houjou managed to hit back my super-fast serve. But the bullet was a bit too small.

"Chance! Ei!"

Usui volleyed the ball with a beautiful stance. The ball flew past Igarashi, bounced in front of the back line, and hit the wire fence behind her.

"15-0!"

The referee announces the score.

"What? Fifteen points were scored all at once? Tokiwa, that's amazing!"

"No, that Igarashi. A point in tennis is counted in fifteens, thirty, forty. The score is ticked off in quarters."

Houjou is talking to Igarashi about his knowledge of tennis with a kind of smug look on his face. As a man, I understand the feeling. It's fun to talk about your knowledge with a girl. But that stupid girl hates math.

"Yeah...isn't that a pain in the ass? In our college circle, we used to count 1, 2, 3!"

"That was probably just being gentle for beginners. Haha."

"And isn't it funny that 40 is 0, 15, 30? I mean, 15-15, right? Shouldn't it be 45 next?"

That's very annoying, Igarashi! That's science harassment! I mean, it's not like you don't like math, but it's not like you don't understand it, which is annoying.

"Eh? Well, I'm a humanities guy, so I guess I'm not good at math. Haha... Ahahaha."

"I'm not good at math either!"

"Well, anyway! That's how it's supposed to be!"

"Hmm. I don't understand..."

Houjou succumbed to Igarashi's stuffing and cut off the conversation. That's why that woman is too much for a guy like you.

"Hey! Igarashi! I'm going to serve, so get in position!"

"Ah, yes!"

Igarashi got into a receiving position. This is where the unwritten rule of Tenniser comes into effect. When a man serves to a girl.

"Huh! Hakodate serve!"

The name has no particular meaning. But it's not the same as the all-out serve I mentioned earlier. Anyway, the trick is to just swing the racket in a cool way. The point is to hit a ball that is sloppy, even though it is a sloppy ball.

"Hmm? What a flutter! Hey there!"

Igarashi hit back toward me with a forehand. We boys are expected to hit serves that even beginner girls can hit back. It is frowned upon the day you hit it with all your might, and the next day you are shunned by everyone. That is the darkness of the university called Tennis club.

"Oh, no!"

I hit Igarashi's ball back toward her again. Naturally, even a beginner could hit this ball. But I had already laid the groundwork for victory.

"Ah! This is the one we practiced with! Tokiwa! Take it, take it!"

Igarashi raises a frighteningly brave voice. Her backhand swing was so beautiful. The spectators, mostly boys, let out a woozy sigh. And then the ball flew toward me with tremendous speed. It went straight over my head, even over the wire fence behind the back line, and went out beautifully.

"30-0!"

Igarashi is smiling brightly. Must have felt good to have the ball fly so quickly! I was watching her backhand swing the other day and thought. I was sure she was going to make a mess.

"Igarashi, reflect!"

"Huh? Oh, it's a home run... can't I get one point?"

She begged me cutely while sticking out her tongue. But no! Punishment!

"Yeah! Come on! Run diamonds! Hahahaha!"

"Kyah! Forgive me, hahaha!"

Igarashi runs around the four corners of her own court with a smile on her face and one hand raised. The spectators are laughing and cheering, happily watching Igarashi's winning run.

"...Hah...they say she's cute even when she fail...they always do that..."

Usui muttered in a dark voice. I could clearly see a hint of irritation in her eyes. They're from the same high school, so maybe they have something in common.

And the game went smoothly, thanks to my wits and Igarashi's stupid play. Our team won.

"Ah, we lost! You two are so strong! But I had a lot of fun! Thank you, Houjou. It was a lot of fun!"

Igarashi said words of thanks to Houjou. Houjou nodded, his cheeks turning a little red. You're in love with her, aren't you? But that feeling is not good. Tsukasa came over to me as I was sitting on the bench taking a break after getting out of the court.

"You really won. And that racket spinning! I feel bad for Houjou, but I'm sorry, my heart felt so refreshed!"

Tsukasa sits down next to me. With a kind smile on his face.

"Hey. Kanata, are you a hero? Is it okay if I think so?"

"...No, I'm not. I'm not a hero. But I'm on your side, and I'm your friend."

"I see. Thanks. It was nice to meet you. I have a game too. I've got to go!"

"Oh! Good luck! I'm rooting for you!"

Tsukasa entered the court, humming a tune. Igarashi came to my side at the same time.

"Hey, Tokiwa. Congratulations on your win!"

"You're dressed like that..."

She was wearing a cheerleading outfit instead of the tennis outfit she was wearing earlier.

"Do you like it?"

"It's cute. Very cute."

"Yeah. Thanks. I thought it would be nice to have it once in a while."

"About what?"

"Hmm. Cheering up others for yourself?"

"Cheering for others?"

"Yes. But today is special. I'll cheer for Tokiwa for myself!"

I didn't really understand what she meant. But in my previous world, she never cheered for me, so I was very happy.

"Go, go, go! A-ge-tin! Go, go, go! A-ge-tin!"

Even though Igarashi was so cute, shaking her pompoms and flipping her hips! Why the agetin!

"Oh, no! No agetin! No agetin!"

"A-ge-tin, fo! A-ge-tin, fo!"

But perhaps the cheering had an effect, because I won the following matches one after another, and to my surprise, I won the championship. Seeing Houjou's frustrated face and Igarashi's smile made me feel happy from the bottom of my heart.