A loud *clash* echoed as the wooden swords met, and then the two figures separated once more.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, which showed that it was already past four o'clock, Hachiman looked at the girl across from him and said, "Let's call it a day for today, Saeko. I should head back."
Saeko, however, was reluctant to let him go. "Hachiman, how about practicing a bit more? You can eat dinner here and then go back."
She didn't want him to waste his talent, knowing that once he returned home, he probably wouldn't practice kendo by himself. So she hoped he'd practice a bit longer at her place.
But Hachiman shook his head. "I'd better not. I have a little sister at home."
He had been out all day, and he didn't know how Komachi was doing alone at home.
"I see," Saeko replied, somewhat disappointed. She knew there was no convincing him to stay today.
Seeing the disappointment on her face, Hachiman understood her concern about him not practicing enough and tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, Saeko. I understand your concerns."
"How about this? If I have time every Saturday, I'll come here to practice. What do you think? Are you okay with that?"
"Of course, I'd welcome that," Saeko replied, her eyes gleaming with newfound enthusiasm.
"Alright, it's a deal then. If I'm free next Saturday, I'll come over."
Seeing her agreement, Hachiman felt relieved. In his opinion, Saeko's kendo dojo was an excellent place to practice. It had ample space, and there were no disturbances. Plus, having someone like Saeko around was a pleasant sight.
"Well, I look forward to having you over next week," the girl said with a smile. However, she remembered something else.
"Oh, Hachiman, at the end of July, there's a kendo competition called the Kendo Inter-High School Championship . Do you want to participate?"
"Kendo Inter-High School Championship?" Hachiman's gaze flickered; he had heard of this competition before. It was one of the most prestigious and well-known high school kendo competitions.
If he recalled correctly, someone from his club had mentioned that Saeko had won the women's division of this competition last year.
"That's right, the Kendo Inter-High School Championship. Last year, our school won the women's division because of me"
"However, the men's division lacked strong players, and we only made it to the quarter-finals before being eliminated," Saeko explained.
"If you participate this year, Hachiman, I believe the men's division championship will be within our school's grasp."
Hachiman nodded in understanding, but he still had a question. "Was our school's men's division really that weak? I thought Vice-Captain Fujita was quite skilled."
"Indeed, Vice-Captain Fujita is talented," Saeko acknowledged. "But in the Kendo Inter-High School Championship, it's a single-elimination format. If you lose, you're out, and the winners continue. While Fujita's skills are admirable, the grueling nature of the tournament took its toll, and he eventually succumbed to exhaustion."
"But with you joining us this year, I have no doubt we can secure the championship," she added, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Hachiman hesitated for a moment. Participating in a kendo competition during summer break when he could be catching up on anime or playing games felt like a missed opportunity. However, he couldn't ignore the eager look in Saeko's eyes.
"Alright," he finally agreed. "If I don't have any important commitments at the time, I'll participate. It's just for about a week, right? I can take a break from my usual activities as a way to repay you for teaching me the Busujima-ryu Technique."
Saeko's expression brightened with gratitude. She appreciated Hachiman's willingness to join the team and saw it as a chance for their school's men's division to shine.
"That's great! Thank you, Hachiman," Saeko said with excitement, hugging him tightly. As the daughter of a kendo family, her passion for kendo was undeniable. She wished for her kendo club to achieve great success.
Last year, they had won the women's division championship, but the men's division had fallen short, reaching only the quarter-finals due to their lack of strength. This left her with a lingering sense of regret.
However, this year was different. With Hachiman agreeing to participate, she believed the men's division could secure the championship without a doubt. Her excitement was palpable.
Hachiman found himself somewhat stunned by Saeko's sudden embrace. He was familiar with the sensation of her soft touch, but this intimate contact took him by surprise.
Due to the practice, he had worked up some heat, so his upper body was almost bare under the half-removed kendo uniform. At this moment, he could distinctly feel the soft and delicate sensation of Saeko's chest through her not-so-thick kendo uniform.
Wait, she wasn't wearing a bra?!
He wasn't sure if Saeko had removed it during a shower or if she wasn't wearing one at all. The unexpected sensation was quite stimulating, and he felt a surge of heat rushing to his face and other areas.
He's concerned about his ability to control himself.
To avoid any awkward situations, he quickly spoke up.
"Ahem, Saeko."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Hachiman. I got carried away."
Compared to younger girls, Saeko personality was undoubtedly more mature. She had only blushed slightly and gently pushed Hachiman away, taking a couple of steps back before bowing slightly to apologize.
"Oh, it's... it's okay."
Seeing this scene, Hachiman couldn't help but feel somewhat awkward.
It seems like I took advantage of the situation earlier.
"Hachiman, after practicing for the whole afternoon, you must have worked up quite a sweat. Would you like to take a shower before heading back?"
Listening to her suggestion, Hachiman did indeed feel uncomfortable with the stickiness on his body. Moreover, it was only a little past four o'clock, so taking a shower was a good idea.
"Sure, thanks, Saeko. Could you show me to the bathroom?"
"Not a problem at all. Please follow me, Hachiman." Saeko smiled slightly and turned to lead the way.
Following behind her, they soon arrived at the same bathroom where she had showered earlier.
"This is it, please go ahead," Saeko said.
"Alright, thank you, Saeko." Hachiman expressed his gratitude, then opened the bathroom door and stepped inside.
As she watched him enter the bathroom, Saeko's eyes briefly flickered with an enigmatic expression. Without saying a word, she turned and left the area.