It was a little while after Golden Week had ended…
On a certain day off—
Yuzuru Takasegawa stood alone near the station ticket gates.
He glanced at his wristwatch a few times, then checked his phone.
After a while—
“Yuzuru-san.”
A small, sweet voice called out.
When Yuzuru turned around, a cute girl was standing there.
Light brown hair with a soft hue, pale skin, and jade-coloured eyes.
Yuzuru’s girlfriend—and his fiancée.
Yukishiro Arisa stood before him.
“I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”
Arisa said that apologetically.
In response, Yuzuru shook his head firmly.
“No, I just got here myself.”
In truth, he had been waiting a little…
But that was just how these things went.
And besides, Yuzuru wasn’t so petty as to get upset over a ten-minute delay.
“Ah, but…”
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he muttered aloud.
Arisa tilted her head in confusion.
“…What is it?”
“I waited a tiny bit, so… I’d like you to make it up to me.”
That was what Yuzuru said.
For a moment, Arisa simply blinked.
She couldn’t quite grasp his intent.
He didn’t seem angry.
Nor was he seriously demanding an apology.
So in this case—what exactly did “make it up to me” mean?
She pondered briefly, and then her cheeks faintly flushed.
“…Understood.”
Arisa gently placed both hands on Yuzuru’s shoulders.
Then she rose slightly onto her tiptoes.
Within Yuzuru’s blue eyes, her green ones were reflected.
The girl in his gaze shyly lowered her eyes.
Then she closed them—
“Mm…”
And pressed her soft lips against his cheek.
“…Is that acceptable?”
Her eyes glistened slightly as she spoke, almost glaring at him.
Her pale skin had turned bright red.
It seemed the embarrassment had caught up with her afterwards.
“Yeah… thank you.”
Yuzuru replied, then lightly wrapped his arms around her.
And returned the kiss to her cheek.
At that, Arisa’s eyes softened, almost melting.
Yuzuru took her hand.
“Shall we go, then?”
“Yes.”
With her cheeks still faintly flushed, Arisa nodded happily.
Today’s date location was somewhere they had already visited many times.
A so-called all-in-one entertainment complex.
It was also where they had gone on their very first date, making it a place full of memories for them.
“I’ve finished changing.”
Having swapped out her stylish date outfit for something easier to move in, Arisa said this to Yuzuru.
She wore simple shorts and a T-shirt.
Her hair, unusually, was tied up in a ponytail.
“…What is it?”
“No, just thinking you look good no matter what you wear.”
Though prioritising comfort, the outfit still looked fashionable and cute.
Of course, that was only natural—since the person wearing it was cute.
“No matter how much you flatter me, you won’t get anything, you know? …So, what shall we do today?”
Brushing off his praise, Arisa said that.
Though the faint blush on her cheeks was hard to miss.
“Hmm…”
They’d already played here plenty of times.
Darts, bowling, batting cages—they’d tried it all.
“Want to play tennis again? It’s been a while.”
The first time they came here, they had played tennis together.
Remembering that, Yuzuru suggested it.
“That brings back memories… Yes, I’d like that.”
It seemed Arisa was reminiscing too.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, then nodded.
They promptly borrowed rackets and a ball, and stepped onto the tennis court.
To start, they casually rallied.
The green ball travelled back and forth between them again and again.
“So, for the match—how many games?”
“Let’s see… three. That way we’ll have a clear winner.”
“Then… should we set some kind of penalty?”
At that, Arisa gave a slightly provocative smile.
“Sounds good. …How about the winner gets to have one request granted by the loser?”
“Works for me… I’m going to win, anyway.”
Maybe I’ll have her kiss me again if I win.
Thinking that, Yuzuru struck the first serve.
From here on, even if they were a lovey-dovey couple, it was a serious match.
With the reward of “one request granted,” it was all the more so.
And the result of the first game was—
“Hmm…”
“My victory.”
Yuzuru ended up conceding the win to Arisa.
Wiping his sweat, he asked her as she beamed with delight.
“Did you get better?”
“I’ve actually been playing with Ayaka-san and the others a few times.”
Apparently, she’d been secretly training without him knowing.
He’d have to take this seriously or he’d lose.
His pride as her boyfriend was on the line.
“I’ll win the next one too.”
“That’s not happening.”
Fired up, Yuzuru went into the second match.
And the result—
Yuzuru won.
One reason was that he approached it with more focus than the first match.
The other—
“In terms of stamina and strength, I’m not going to lose.”
“Isn’t that a bit unfair?”
There was a significant difference in physical ability between men and women.
A clumsy guy might lose to an athletic girl—but fortunately, Yuzuru wasn’t bad at sports.
So the longer the match dragged on, the more it favoured him.
“I’ll win the next one too.”
“…I won’t lose.”
The third match.
Neither Yuzuru nor Arisa gave an inch—it became a fierce battle.
And in the end, the one who claimed victory was—
“I did it!”
“No… way?”
Arisa.
Yuzuru’s defeat came from letting his guard down after winning the second match.
Meanwhile, Arisa had stayed focused, which allowed her to beat him.
“Then you’ll grant my request later, right?”
“…Yeah, sure. What do you want me to do?”
At that, Arisa’s cheeks flushed slightly.
After a brief hesitation, her lips parted.
“U-um… well…”
She tried to say something—
But suddenly, as if realising something, she froze and placed a hand on her cheek.
“…What’s wrong?”
“I’ll tell you my request later.”
Wiping her sweat with a towel, Arisa said that.
All Yuzuru could do was tilt his head in confusion.
