Chapter 87: The Second Tennis War — End
Totsuka Saika nervously followed Yuigahama into the room, his already fair face turning even paler.
After sweeping his gaze around the room, his eyes landed on Luke. In that instant, color suddenly returned to his face, and a tense smile bloomed there.
"L-Luke-kun…"
"Totsuka… why did you come?"
Luke hurriedly asked him in a low voice.
Why was this kid so bad at listening to advice? Had he forgotten Luke's heartfelt warning after seeing Yukinoshita's tennis skills yesterday?
Do not be deceived by Yukinoshita's heroic figure from yesterday!
"I brought him! I brought a client!"
Yuigahama proudly puffed out her chest and spoke with smug delight, like a child waiting to be praised.
"Didn't I already ask Sai-chan yesterday? Today I asked his opinion again, so I brought him here."
"Y-yes. That's right."
Totsuka gently nodded.
"Yuigahama-san…"
Yukinoshita spoke softly.
"Ah, Yukinon~ You don't need to thank me that much. This is what friends and club members should do! Working hard together to finish something is really fun~"
"…Although… being treated as a friend… I also… don't mind."
Yukinoshita awkwardly turned her head away and muttered in a small voice, a faint blush on her face.
This girl was exactly as Luke had concluded.
She had absolutely no resistance against emotional appeals.
So because of Yuigahama's words, she felt embarrassed again.
"Haa."
Yukinoshita took a deep breath and spoke to Yuigahama.
"Although I am grateful for your kindness… Yuigahama-san, you are not yet a member of the Service Club, because I have not received your club application form."
Although Yuigahama was already not much different from a member of the Service Club, Yukinoshita still insisted on every principle that ought to exist.
"Ehhhh? I'm not… Anyway, please, please let me join! I'll write as many forms as needed!"
Hearing that, Yuigahama panicked and tugged on Yukinoshita's sleeve. Her trembling eyes looked wronged as she frantically searched around.
"Pen, pen, pen… Paper, paper, paper…"
"Idiot. You should've done this earlier."
Luke helplessly took out a page from the notebook he had prepared for English. Aside from his name and class, it was completely blank.
He casually tore out a sheet and handed it to her.
Yuigahama did not argue either. She hurriedly picked up a pen and wrote stroke by stroke.
"Club… application… for… eh?"
As if remembering something, she raised her head and blinked in confusion.
After that sudden crash, she thought lightly for a moment.
Then she suddenly shook her hair, turned her gaze toward him, and asked in great confusion.
"Wait, that's not right… I already wrote one, didn't I?!"
The clubroom fell silent.
She had written one?
Now that she mentioned it…
"…Ahhhh, right, right, right! You did write one."
Luke suddenly struck his palm with his fist, finally remembering the thing he had forgotten after leaving the pet café that day.
He had forgotten to show Yuigahama's club application form to Yukinoshita.
After showing it to Hiratsuka-sensei, he had completely forgotten about it!
Because Yuigahama had acted so naturally, he had subconsciously assumed she was already a member of the Service Club.
And so, a sigh from Yukinoshita echoed through the clubroom.
Shocking!
So the idiot was actually him, not Yuigahama.
Luke quickly rummaged through his schoolbag and found Yuigahama's club application form in the inner compartment.
Yuigahama put both hands on her hips, her little fists clenched. She looked like an angry pufferfish.
Luke turned his back to avoid Yuigahama's resentful, indignant gaze.
"Yuigahama's club application form was with me. I already showed it to Hiratsuka-sensei before, so please review it, President Yukinoshita…"
He held Yuigahama's application form in defeat and handed it to Yukinoshita.
Yukinoshita looked at the application form he handed over and revealed a faint smile.
"It seems your miraculous English grades do not exist without reason."
"You are absolutely right."
He did not dare argue.
Yukinoshita then carefully reviewed Yuigahama's club application form and approved it.
Thus, Yuigahama Yui became a new member of the Yukinoshita Faction.
"Since Hiratsuka-sensei has approved it, I will approve it as well, Yuigahama-san."
Yukinoshita carefully put the application form away, then turned her gaze to Totsuka Saika.
"Totsuka-kun, please tell me your request."
Totsuka, whose name had been called, trembled all over and hurriedly said, "P-please… can you… make my tennis skills… better?"
As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Luke.
Luke pointed at Yukinoshita.
She was the one in charge here.
"I do not know how Yuigahama-san explained it to you, but the Service Club's duty is to help you improve yourself."
Yukinoshita spoke to Totsuka Saika in the same way she had once spoken to Yuigahama.
"As for whether your tennis skills can become better, that can only be decided by you."
"I-is that so…"
Totsuka Saika murmured softly, looking like he had not fully understood.
"She means she'll tell you how to improve your tennis skills, but you need to work hard yourself."
Luke explained it to Totsuka Saika.
"A plan that remains only in words will not bring any results."
"In that case…"
Totsuka Saika gently inhaled.
"I still want to try. In order to improve, I'm willing to work hard."
A very good answer.
Satisfied, Yukinoshita stared firmly at Totsuka Saika.
"Very well, Totsuka-kun. The Service Club accepts your request. To confirm, your request is to make your tennis skills better, correct?"
"Mm, mm. Yes."
Under Yukinoshita's powerful gaze, Totsuka unconsciously straightened his back.
He looked exactly like a soldier facing his superior officer.
"Good."
Yukinoshita took out paper and a pen.
"I have learned about your situation. Technical issues can be resolved through training in the tennis club, so they are not a major problem."
"What matters most right now is improving the muscle strength you lack most."
"Muscle strength?"
Totsuka asked in confusion.
"It means training your muscles to improve your strength and endurance."
Luke continued explaining.
"Just like how Yukinoshita lost to… tied with Miura-san yesterday because she lacked endurance and strength, causing our Yukinoshita Faction to lose face."
Under Yukinoshita's terrifying gaze, he changed his wording.
Totsuka nodded.
"Mm. Then what should I do?"
"Tennis uses the quadriceps, lower-back muscles, abdominal muscles, back muscles, shoulders, wrists, and so on…"
Yukinoshita pinched her chin and thought.
"So push-ups and pull-ups should be good choices. However, pull-ups would be too much of a burden for you. For now, try doing push-ups until your arms hurt like they're going to die."
Totsuka was startled.
Sensing the terror, his body trembled involuntarily, and he looked at Luke in shock.
I told you already!
Luke shrugged helplessly.
"Don't worry. I'll have the person beside you exercise with you."
Yukinoshita comforted Totsuka.
"Hm? Why do I have to exercise too?"
Luke immediately voiced his confusion.
"Out of the four of us, I clearly have the best stamina, right?"
"Because you said something just now that made me very unhappy."
A faint smile appeared on Yukinoshita's face. To him, it looked especially terrifying.
"…This counts as school bullying, right?"
"Yes."
Yukinoshita answered without hesitation.
"After all, I also hold grudges."
Damn it. This girl actually admitted it without shame.
The sensitive Totsuka sensed something was wrong and hurriedly said, "I can do it myself…"
"Haa."
Yukinoshita let out a breath and continued speaking.
"Totsuka-kun, please do not mind it. This decision is because having a companion exercising alongside you can better help beginners persist."
"And I happen to have no confidence in physical stamina."
"So this matter…"
She glanced at Luke, then turned her face toward the window.
"Can I leave it to you?"
Her tone was as gentle as the evening sunlight spilling onto one's body.
Having never heard Yukinoshita speak in such a tone before, Luke involuntarily stared at her turned-away face.
"Mm, of course."
…
At noon.
In order to avoid Yukinoshita's sarcasm, he and Totsuka Saika arrived at the tennis court early, following the plan they had agreed on.
Yukinoshita, who had been waiting there already, saw them and began putting away her small bento box together with Yuigahama.
Yukinoshita was still wearing her uniform.
Yuigahama, however, had changed into sportswear.
Mm. She could be a cheerleader now.
"So how are we doing this?"
He asked Yukinoshita.
She did not revise the plan she had given Totsuka Saika yesterday.
"Since you are here, let us begin according to yesterday's plan, Totsuka-kun."
"P-please take care of me."
Totsuka Saika bowed politely, nervously rubbed his hands together, and moved his shoulders, preparing to do push-ups.
"Will this really work?"
Yuigahama asked Yukinoshita in confusion.
"Of course. Push-ups are a very effective form of exercise. They help train the chest muscles, triceps, and upper arms."
Yukinoshita patiently explained to her.
"These muscles can help control the direction and speed of a tennis ball."
"Then will they make you really, really… bulky?"
Yuigahama asked another confused question.
"…Of course not. Muscles do not grow in a short period of time."
Yukinoshita continued.
"And because your basal metabolic rate increases, you may even become thinner at first."
"Become thinner?!"
Yuigahama suddenly raised her head, her eyes sparkling brightly.
Not understanding why Yuigahama reacted that way, Yukinoshita confirmed with a nod.
"…Yes."
Totsuka clenched his fists with renewed energy, looking very motivated.
Yuigahama also became fired up and excitedly raised her arm.
"Th-then I'll do it too! To get thin… to get stronger!"
This girl was really bad at acting.
And so, Totsuka and Yuigahama lay down on the ground and began doing push-ups with all their might.
"How many do you think they can do?"
Luke asked Yukinoshita while interlacing his fingers behind his back and lightly lifting them upward, stretching his shoulders and arms.
According to what they had agreed on, he also had to train with Totsuka Saika.
Although Yuigahama had already replaced him, he had reduced his morning workout for the sake of exercising at noon today. So he would still participate and make up the training amount he had set for himself.
Hearing his question, Yukinoshita said calmly, "Those two can slowly improve themselves."
"However, I am more interested in how many you can do."
"Hm? Why?"
The question left his mouth before regret hit him.
He felt like he already knew Yukinoshita's answer.
"Within this club, both Yuigahama and I are not good at physical labor. However, there will always be physical tasks in the club that someone needs to handle."
Yukinoshita continued.
"So I need to understand that information."
Sure enough!
Having already guessed the answer in his heart, Luke glanced sideways at Yukinoshita's hair, dark as the night curtain.
Once again, he felt that President Yukinoshita's heart might be just like her hair.
Black.
"Huff… huff… ngh—!"
"Ugh… ah…! Mmmgh!"
When his gaze returned to Yuigahama Yui and Totsuka Saika, both of them were already holding their breath so hard that their faces had turned red.
Their expressions were somewhat twisted, and their trembling arms were resisting gravity as they tried to support their weak bodies.
Speaking of which, while he and Yukinoshita had been talking, had either of them successfully completed one proper push-up?
"Ngh—!"
Yuigahama held her breath, commanding her arms to support her body with the resolve of someone saving the world.
Unfortunately, just as he had evaluated before, Yuigahama's combat power was basically zero.
So—
Thud.
In the blink of an eye, after all that effort, Yuigahama deflated and collapsed onto the ground. She lifted her face in confusion, as if she had not expected this result.
"Haha!"
Luke could not hold back his laughter when he saw Yuigahama's expression. He hurriedly covered his mouth and looked to the side.
Yuigahama doing push-ups looked like a little duckling that had just learned to walk, clumsily flapping its wings only to accidentally fall flat on all fours.
She lay directly on the ground without even the strength to struggle, leaving only a face full of blank confusion.
"Hey!"
Yuigahama cried out angrily.
"Cough, cough."
Luke coughed twice to suppress his laughter and turned his head back, only to see Yuigahama's indignant face, and…
Yukinoshita, who had turned her back to Yuigahama and raised her face slightly.
Her shoulders trembled faintly, and both fists were clenched tightly at her sides.
Without making a sound, he walked in front of Yukinoshita and saw the corners of her mouth rise before being unconsciously pressed down by their owner.
He directly asked, "What are you doing?"
"Yukinon!"
Yuigahama, who had also noticed Yukinoshita's state, shouted.
"Cough, cough. I-I'm sorry."
After being caught losing composure, Yukinoshita also suppressed her smile. She turned away to avoid Yuigahama's gaze and looked at him instead.
Yukinoshita returned to her usual tone and spoke as if giving an order.
"Since your warm-up is over, go do push-ups with Totsuka-kun."
"Oh."
And so, under Yuigahama's gaze, he walked beside Totsuka, who was still struggling, and prepared to do push-ups.
"Good luck."
Very soon, under his encouragement, Totsuka Saika also became unable to rise again. He showed the same expression as Yuigahama, weakly lying on the ground while lifting his head.
These two were truly weaker than the other.
"If you have no strength left, you can stop there."
While also doing push-ups, he said that to Totsuka.
At the same time, his vision was covered by someone's shadow. He raised his gaze slightly and saw slender calves wrapped in black stockings.
Yukinoshita had walked in front of him.
"Your posture is not standard enough. Training like this will reduce the effect, so please raise your waist a little more."
She corrected his posture.
"Then start over with the proper form. I will watch you from here."
"Is that so?"
Although his view only held Yukinoshita's legs and the ground, and he could not see Yukinoshita's face, his body somehow felt like needles were pricking his back.
"I can do it myself. Can you move away?"
Yukinoshita's confused voice came from above him.
"Why? Are you trying to slack off?"
"Yukino, if I look up from here, I'll see your underwear," Luke warned.
"Hehe. Is that so?"
Yukinoshita's emotionless voice came from above his head.
Heh. Was this girl looking down on him?
He would let Yukinoshita know that a great man born between heaven and earth could not remain beneath another forever!
Still, just in case, he asked, "President Yukinoshita, have you ever thrown anyone into Tokyo Bay to drown?"
"What are you talking about? Of course I haven't."
Good.
Move forward with resolve!
Luke prepared to raise his head.
"However, I recently learned a more direct move."
"Hm? What move?"
He kept his gaze fixed on the ground.
Vaguely, he heard a faint laugh from Yukinoshita.
"Rocket Racket."
As Yukinoshita spoke, a tennis racket dropped into view in front of him.
Alright. This resolve ended here.
He lowered his head.
President Yukinoshita's learning ability really was strong.
"Although a tennis racket is not an electric fly swatter, as long as it hits, it can still kill insects."
Insects?
Mm, she definitely was not talking about him.
After all, what kind of insect could do push-ups?
And so, following Yukinoshita's instructions, he began doing push-ups again.
"Haa."
Yukinoshita gently inhaled and withdrew her earlier tone, sounding a little more solemn.
"Although having you accompany Totsuka-kun in doing push-ups was my request…"
"I still hope that neither you nor Totsuka-kun will simply go through the motions."
"Because a perfunctory attitude will only produce perfunctory results."
"If you are going to do something, then work hard to do it as well as you can…"
"I believe only by maintaining that kind of attitude can you improve yourself better."
Hearing those words, Totsuka hurriedly replied, "I-I'll do my best."
Luke decisively adjusted his posture and began doing push-ups properly, using the standard form to improve his strength.
For the sake of one day overthrowing Yukinoshita and achieving gekokujou!
…
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