Diamond No Ace: The Strongest Hitter

Chapter 25: Sawamura Gets into Trouble

"Furuhashi-san, she's really so pretty! Such a beauty! You're so lucky to have such a beautiful childhood friend! I'm really jealous."

"Exactly, I'm dying of envy!"

"Is that so? To be honest, I was also shocked today! Speaking of which, the last time I saw Fumino was three years ago!"

"No way! Sen-chan, you haven't even seen a photo?"

"Of course not, it's a bother. But she does ask for my photo from time to time. It's such a hassle; what's there to see in a photo!"

"Hassle... you're hopeless."

"Sendo, you're really hopeless, what a helpless guy!" Sawamura chimed in, even though he didn't really know what everyone was saying, he could tell they were ganging up on Sendo, so he joined in.

"You want to mess with me, huh?" Sendo grabbed Sawamura's face and began to pummel it!

"Help me, guys!"

But everyone just exchanged looks, shrugged, and collectively decided to ignore it.

"Ah!!!"

"You're really full of energy, Ei-chan!"

...

"Dinner time!"

"Sendo, let go, it's dinner time, didn't you hear? Let go!"

"Oh? I'll let you off for now!"

"Nice to touch!" Sendo thought to himself, who knows how long he had played with Sawamura's face.

"It looks delicious! (everyone except Sendo)"

"When did you learn to cook!" Sendo asked while looking at Fumino.

But Fumino's gaze started to wander.

"There's a lot you don't know!"

"Oh, Wakana made it?"

"What did you say!" Fumino suddenly reached out and grabbed both sides of Sendo's face, pulling while she spoke.

"Mmhm!"

"What did you say? I didn't hear a word!"

What goes around comes around! Sendo had completely forgotten that he learned face-pinching from Fumino.

"Sorry!"

He took Fumino's hands off his face.

He didn't notice that when he held Fumino's hands, she turned her head as if electrified and started rubbing her own face.

"Well, I just helped a little with dinner..."

"I'm starting!" Sendo completely ignored this statement; he didn't want to get pinched anymore.

"I'm starting!" Seeing Sendo begin to eat, everyone else followed suit without hesitation.

Only Sawamura watched Fumino with stars in his eyes, seemingly admiring the way she stood up to Sendo, doing something he dared not even think of!

Dinner was delicious, and everyone finished and tidied up. But when they were about to take the dishes to the kitchen, Wakana and Fumino quickly took the plates and chopsticks and said they'd wash them later.

And then they watched Sendo eat...

"Uh, don't look at me like that."

With that, he sped up and quickly finished the remaining food.

"I'm full!"

"I've prepared hot water; you guys can go wash up first. I didn't expect your house to have two large bathrooms! So luxurious!" Wakana exclaimed.

"My parents are traditional Japanese; they really love baths, and it's convenient for guests, so they built a super large bath. Wakana."

"Hmm?"

"You'll be a great wife in the future!"

Instantly, both Wakana and Fumino blushed! No one really noticed how Fumino's previously tense attitude had changed.

"What's up?" Sendo asked curiously.

"Nothing!"

"Unbelievable, Sen-chan is sometimes so naive?" A few companions exchanged glances. No one said much more, and they all rushed to the luxurious bath Wakana mentioned, although the two girls had to wash the dishes and joined a bit later.

...

"Are Wakana and Fumino still in the bath? If this were a manga, someone would suggest peeking about now, right?" Sendo joked after their bath, noticing everyone was sitting around with nothing to do.

"Huh? What's with those looks? Hey, I was just kidding! Don't take it seriously, guys!" Sendo quickly clarified when he noticed everyone—except for the oblivious Sawamura—giving him strange looks. Realizing that his friends were all basically angels, he scrambled to explain.

"Hahaha!" Everyone laughed at seeing the unusually flustered Sendo.

"Who knew Sen-chan could be this funny!"

"Huh? Huh? What are you all saying? Mina san? (everyone)" Sawamura was completely oblivious!

After a while, "Sendo! How could you think of peeking?! I totally misjudged you!!!"

Despite the delay in reaction, someone took it seriously, and that someone was loud!

"Baka! Keep your voice down!" Sendo rushed over to clamp Sawamura's mouth shut.

"Ei-chan, it's not like that!" The others hurriedly explained, a bit panicked.

Having one idiot around can be tiring sometimes.

"What are you guys talking about? Peeping?" The worst-case scenario occurred as Wakana and Fumino emerged from their bath.

"Wakana!!! Sendo said he wanted to peek at you in the bath!!!" Sawamura shouted at lightning speed.

"We're doomed!" everyone thought internally.

"Ah!" Wakana and Fumino gasped, then Wakana looked at everyone gesturing frantically, and she figured out what was going on.

"If it's him, then... it's fine," Fumino blurted out, her mind blank and completely missing all judgment filters!

"Huh?" Sendo turned his head.

"Huh?" Like a paused scene, everyone turned to look at Fumino, but she was so flustered she couldn't see or hear anymore.

"It's okay, even if you see."

"Even if you peek, you'd apologize."

"But apologizing doesn't fix it!"

"Just don't peek, okay?" Fumino said woodenly, realizing too late the implications of her earlier statements, and tried awkwardly to cover it.

"Ah! What am I even saying?"

"Omai (you). Are you a natural airhead?" Everyone looked at her, stunned by what she said. All they could think was this one phrase, except for Sawamura, naturally.

"I get it, Fumino, stop talking, please."

"That peeking thing was just a joke.

"Only this idiot took it seriously."

Sendo placed his hands on Fumino's shoulders, giving Sawamura a sidelong glance.

"I don't get it at all! What is she even talking about?" he thought, desperately trying not to freak out while deciding he would need to straighten things out with a certain someone who didn't realize he'd already caused trouble.

Finally stabilizing Fumino's mood, Wakana suggested a pillow fight to lighten the atmosphere and everyone except for Fumino, Sawamura, and Sendo blindly agreed.

Seeing not much change and reacting quickly, Sendo grabbed a pillow and threw it at Sawamura. In response, Sawamura retaliated in fury, and only then did everyone join the fray.

After an intense battle, they finally shook off the awkward atmosphere.

Later on, "Sendo, please spare me! I was wrong, I'll never do it again! Save me, everyone, quick, this guy's gone crazy!!! Ah!!!"

The desperate cries of someone who still had no idea how they'd provoked Sendo rang out for hundreds of meters.

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