"Warm-up is over. Please take your sports equipment and form teams on your own."
After supervising the students' warm-up, the PE teacher announced the main content of the lesson. Behind the teacher, the equipment needed for the class was laid out—tennis balls and rackets.
"Yumiko, let's go."
"Tobe, the usual?"
Once given permission to dismiss, the students sought out their former partners and began one-on-one practice.
"Tch, what a hateful feeling," Hikigaya muttered unhappily.
Before Katsuragi transferred to Sobu High, the number of students in Class F had always been odd. This resulted in one student always being isolated during these types of sports. Having no friends and never having engaged in any social interaction with the class, Hikigaya was that isolated person.
After looking around twice and failing to find Katsuragi, Hikigaya returned to his old spot for tennis training. Standing before a greyish-white wall, he skillfully picked up a racket and hit the ball toward the wall, practicing by using the rebound.
It was lonely, but practical. At least it was better than standing alone on the side, watching other students play matches in pairs.
"Yo, Hikigaya. Practicing?"
Katsuragi appeared from nowhere, teasing Hikigaya as he played against the wall.
"Yeah. I tried to find you just now but you weren't around, so I just started on my own."
Hikigaya didn't stop his movements. He continued swinging the racket to hit the returning ball while replying methodically.
"What do you say? Should I stop and reluctantly team up with you?"
"No need. I didn't even grab a racket."
Walking past Hikigaya, Katsuragi found a tree with lush foliage and leaned against the trunk, lazily watching him play. Rather than enduring the stinging sun and playing tennis under the intense exposure, Katsuragi preferred to slack off.
Katsuragi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking toward Class 2-A nearby. It was a coincidence that Class 2-A and Class 2-F had their PE classes scheduled at the same time. After some consideration, the PE teacher had decided to split the students from the center of the field, effectively keeping the two classes separate.
Class 2-A was also conducting tennis training. Wearing white sportswear and the baseball cap Katsuragi had bought for her, Mahiru Shiina was currently engaged in a 3v3 match with the girls from her class.
"Looking at Class 2-A? Let me see where you're aiming..."
Getting a bit bored of playing alone, Hikigaya caught the rebounding ball and leaned over to follow Katsuragi's gaze.
"Is that... Shiina?"
Shiina had just come to the Service Club with a request yesterday, so it was impossible for Hikigaya not to recognize her. He was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Katsuragi to skip practice just to stare at a girl from the neighboring class. Were the girls in their own class not enough?
"Katsuragi, you bastard! You just walked out of the classroom with a girl after class, and now you're staring at the one from Class A. Is the grass always greener on the other side for you?"
Shifting his gaze back from Shiina, Katsuragi said grumpily, "Is it possible that Shiina is already mine?"
"Heh, you're really stubborn, Katsuragi. Why don't you just say every girl in Sobu High is yours?"
Unlike Nino who had come looking for Katsuragi earlier, Hikigaya knew a bit about Shiina's background. This "Angel" had never had any rumors about having a boyfriend. Hikigaya felt that, for once, he had the upper hand in the argument.
"Not all of them, but Shiina definitely is."
Katsuragi's tone was sincere, deliberately making a face that suggested Hikigaya should believe him. The more he acted this way, the less Hikigaya believed it. He only found Katsuragi's clumsy acting amusing.
"Prince Saika, do you need something from us?"
Katsuragi had noticed Saika Totsuka walking toward them long ago and waved to greet him.
"Katsuragi, please don't call me Prince."
Saika Totsuka walked up to the two of them, looking somewhat distressed by the nickname. When they first met, if Katsuragi hadn't noticed the protruding Adam's apple, he really would have mistaken him for a girl. As a boy, Saika had a small build and skin that was even fairer than a girl's, paired with a very cute face. It was only because this era didn't use the term "femboy" that he didn't have a nickname like "soft and sweet little guy."
"What does it matter? You're a cute Prince."
Noticing Saika's face turning a bit rosy, Katsuragi found it hilarious.
So... so cute.
Looking at Saika in that state, Hikigaya's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster. He knew Saika, but only barely. Katsuragi had helped him integrate into the class, but he only fit in with the boys. He still kept a respectful distance from the girls. Because he had originally mistaken Saika for a girl, he had never formally chatted with him.
It was only after Katsuragi mentioned it that he realized Saika was a boy. Without the "girl filter" applied, Hikigaya found Saika even cuter.
"Prince, is there something you need?"
Katsuragi looked at Saika, who was blushing from the teasing, and then at Hikigaya, who was also blushing for some reason. He felt something was off. To stop the strange thoughts in his mind, he quickly changed the subject.
Turning to business, Saika stopped being shy and looked seriously at Hikigaya. "Hikigaya, your tennis skills are quite good."
Seeing that Saika came specifically for Hikigaya, Katsuragi perceptively prepared to move to another tree to give them space.
"Katsuragi, where are you going?"
Grabbing Katsuragi as he tried to slip away, Hikigaya nodded to Saika. "Thanks for the compliment, Totsuka."
"Where? To look at the girls, obviously. Do you think I'd stay here and look at your dead fish eyes?" Katsuragi said matter-of-factly.
His words felt like a blade stabbing right into Hikigaya's heart. What's so good about girls? Compared to me...
Alright, they really are better looking than me.
Finding no way to argue, Hikigaya let go of Katsuragi's arm and allowed him to abandon him.
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