I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The daily life the two of them share is a small miracle that belongs only to Asuna Yuuki.

"Yu-kun!"

"what happened?"

"It's nothing, I just wanted to call you."

On a sunny day in front of Chiba Station, another couple walked hand in hand toward the shopping street.

……

After the movie ended, it was almost noon.

As the crowd left the theater, Yuu Tenkuji glanced at her female companion beside her and couldn't help but sigh.

“‘Mermaids are righteous,’ ‘I bet you don’t have a harpoon in your gun’… Asuna, I didn’t expect you to like this type of movie.”

"Well, it's not really about liking it, it's just a childhood memory..."

Slightly embarrassed, Asuna scratched her cheek, as if trying to defend herself. She made cute hand gestures in the air and exclaimed urgently, "Besides, don't you think it's cool? Those uncles wielding harpoons and fighting the enemy for the sake of justice, the heroism of their sacrifices, the bravery in their desperate struggles… Haa~"

She paused for a moment, then suddenly let out a sigh of regret.

"I really want to fight them for real."

"???" Tenkuji Yu glanced at him with a strange look.

Little sister, there's something wrong with your thinking.

"Asuna, haven't you been online for too long? Are you itching to play?"

"Ah..." Asuna realized she had said the wrong thing, her fair face beneath her chestnut hair flushed slightly, and she stammered, "I...I didn't..."

She only held on for a few seconds before giving up, her shoulders drooping and her lips pouting slightly: "Okay, I do. But it's not like I have violent tendencies, okay? It's just that I kind of miss the days of stabbing and hacking away with a sword in games..."

Tenkuji Yu smiled, not teasing her, but changing the subject.

"Let's go eat."

Tenkuji Yu chose a Chinese restaurant that he and Yukinoshita Haruno had been to before and thought was quite delicious, except for the spicy dishes.

Because of the timeline resetting, there will naturally be no scenes like {the waiter looking at him with surprise, thinking to himself that this guy is a player, bringing different girls with him, and each one of them is so beautiful}.

There was no forced eating of spicy food, nor any unnecessary flirting. After having a simple lunch with Asuna, Yuu Tenkuji took her to a "Kendo Experience Hall".

Unlike ordinary kendo dojos, this one is more geared towards recreation and beginner guidance. Instead of the wooden floors typical of dojos, it features protective mats laid on marble floors.

The activities available here are not limited to traditional Kendo: one-handed swords, rapiers, rapiers, two-handed swords, meteor hammers... all kinds of wooden and plastic weapons are available, and there is even a special cosplay area where professionals will guide you on how to strike the coolest and most professional poses. A photo costs only 500 yen.

Of course, if you don't plan to take photos or learn, but simply want to experience the feeling of wielding weapons and attacking your opponent, there are also very safe "duel" activities available. Whether you want to spar with your partner or your instructor, there's no problem.

After learning the precautions from the coach, Yuu Tenkuji was holding the protective gear and preparing to put it on.

Asuna Yuuki tugged at his arm, her eyes shining with a warm, bright light like the morning sun, and asked him tentatively, "Yu-kun, did you choose this place specifically for our date because of me?"

Yuu Tenkuji thought for a moment, then said noncommittally, "If we like each other, then it's all the same whether it's for you or for myself, right?"

After quietly savoring those words, Asuna Yuuki's slightly pursed lips slowly blossomed into a bright smile.

“That makes sense, after all, we…”

She didn't finish her sentence; instead, she quietly placed a kiss on the side of her cheek.

Chapter 84 The Date (Part 2)

"So, would you two like guidance or a duel?"

After a period of sweet talk, the young man and woman in front of him finally put on their protective gear and chatted and laughed without any sense of tension.

Coach Anma forced a friendly smile and spoke, drawing their attention away from the other side and onto himself.

To be honest, he has worked here for nearly ten years and has handled no fewer than hundreds of couples. He has seen it all and is a seasoned veteran.

Even so, seeing this high school couple openly flirting in front of him, a middle-aged single coach, without a care in the world, still stirred up a sense of grief and anger, as well as sadness about his own aging.

In short, it's extremely sour.

Looking back on his high school days, as the vice-captain of the City High School Kendo Club, he was quite popular, receiving a love letter in his shoe locker on average every three months. He was truly riding high on his success...

But why have those flat, muscular abs turned into beer bellies? And why have those innocent high school girls become madams of brothels?

The dejected mood only lingered for a moment before Coach Anma quickly rallied his spirits—despite the sourness, he still had to maintain basic professional ethics; he couldn't face his customers with eyes full of jealousy and envy.

At worst, I can just go to Ginza for a drink after get off work and find a more expensive hostess to soothe my aching soul...

"Let's fight directly."

The two exchanged a glance, made a decision without thinking, and wore similar smiles on their faces.

This unanimous agreement made Coach Anma pause for a moment, then narrowed his slightly chubby eyes and said with a smile, "I understand. However, the match is somewhat dangerous, so you two need to sign a waiver first, and then before you go on the field, I will personally demonstrate to you how to fight without getting injured."

They nodded, quickly took the consent form, carefully read it from beginning to end, and then signed their names on it.

Unlike most customers I've encountered before, she seemed more cautious.

Of course, that's not the part to worry about—just to be on the safe side, Coach Anma casually asked:

"By the way, have either of you had experience with any related sports? Like kendo, martial arts, or the like..."

The man thought for a moment, then shook his head with a hint of helplessness: "If we don't count the game, then no. I did think about going to check out the kendo club not long ago, but unfortunately I didn't have the time."

"I see... No problem, our gym offers the most comprehensive introductory kendo experience, no worse than what clubs offer. You can try it out later!"

Coach Anma patted him on the shoulder warmly, but inwardly he sneered smugly.

...Oh, so he's a hardcore gamer.

He discreetly observed the other person's physique and their fair, tender palms with few calluses. He immediately felt confident that he had won this round—how could a shut-in be so handsome and have such a beautiful girlfriend?

Professional ethics are one thing, but that doesn't stop him from playing a little trick on this enviable guy within the rules.

Coach Anma has done this many times before... Ever since he was in the kendo club, he has been used to using his strength to openly and honestly prank those juniors he didn't like, leaving them with bitterness but unable to express it.

And this time, I'm sure we'll see some interesting scenes, right?

……

For some reason, after I said that I had no experience in the relevant sport, the coach's expression and even his mindset seemed to change slightly.

Specifically, it's like the villain knowing he's bound to win and confidently launching his attack.

...That's strange, what did I do to offend him?

After giving the other person a quick once-over, Tenkuji Yu quickly looked away—the other person's aura was too weak, and he couldn't muster any interest in them whatsoever.

"As for me..." Asuna pondered for a moment, then tilted her head and said, "Our school does have fencing courses, but they only teach the basic stances and related etiquette. I'm not involved in the club, so my understanding is only superficial, I guess?"

Seemingly pleased to hear something, Coach Anma nodded, his smile growing even more amiable.

"Then I'll treat you two as beginners, okay?"

"Ah."

"Yes, please give me your guidance!"

After signing the consent form, the two were led by the coach to a large space covered with protective mats.

The air conditioning was blowing a cool breeze, and there were already quite a few people inside, shouting and waving their weapons—wooden, bamboo, and rubber foam ones—which looked rather dangerous, but most of them were laughing and joking, immersed in the thrilling and exciting sparring.

As for metal parts, even unopened ones, they won't be found in these amusement facilities, let alone used by customers.

"Well then, for you two beginners, I recommend trying out this plastic one first to get a feel for it... What kind of weapon do you want to use?"

Leading them to a shelf filled with all sorts of weapons, Coach Anma casually introduced them and nonchalantly picked up a bamboo sword.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't look at the shelf, but turned to look at Asuna Yuuki and smiled meaningfully.

"You shouldn't need to hesitate about which weapon to choose, right?"

When their eyes met, she returned his smile with a radiant, warm glow.

"Of course!"

The tacit understanding extended from the virtual world into reality.

The two walked forward side by side, each picked up a plastic weapon to test its feel, and put it back because they were both dissatisfied.

Finally, the weight of the wooden one-handed sword and the wooden rapier barely met their expectations.

"It's still a bit different from the game..." Yuuki Asuna muttered, waving her rapier a couple of times.

Yuu Tenkuji didn't have many requirements. After choosing her weapon, she said to the instructor, "A plastic one isn't very satisfying to swing. A wooden one should be fine, right?"

"Of course, it just requires more caution. After all, wood has the ability to break bones, and neither of you wants the other to get hurt, right?"

After giving a few instructions, Coach Anma handed over the goggles.

"Of course, you should avoid hitting vital areas and limbs that are not protected by protective gear. Please control the force so that you do not injure each other... I think you understand the basic safety precautions, so it is better to experience some things firsthand rather than trying them out."

Like an author who has finally finished laying the groundwork, Coach Anma smiled and, feigning sincerity, suggested to Yuu Tenkuji, "As a demonstration, guest, would you mind having a training match with me?"

"Don't worry, this is just instruction for beginners. I won't go all out against you."

But if you accidentally embarrass yourself, trip and fall, or become so scared in front of your girlfriend that you have to cower and cover your head in fear, then there's no guarantee...

Coach Anma naturally didn't say the last sentence aloud, but just chuckled to himself.

Based on his experience of doing this more than ten times, once he said the first sentence, these hot-blooded young men would take the bait.

They couldn't possibly back down in front of their girlfriends, so they relied on a few "anime special moves" they'd casually practiced, like the Flying Sword Style or the Breathing Techniques, to confidently spar with their forty-something-year-old coach... Is that a good idea? No, it's not.

Because people who do this usually end up being beaten by their own well-trained selves, leaving them no choice but to admit defeat and acknowledge their inferiority.

That's the kind of expression he wanted to see—the expression of a confident, smug guy making a fool of himself in front of others, only able to blush and make excuses.

The joy of bullying children is so simple, unpretentious, and delightful.

"If there are no problems, sir, shall we begin preparations?"

Coach Anma looked at Yuu Tenkuji with a smile, his tone revealing a hint of provocation.

His plan was very thorough; he had thought of various ways to deal with the situation and was just waiting for the boy opposite him to accept his teaching match, adding some fun to his otherwise dull coaching life.

The only thing he hadn't expected was that before Tenkuji Yu could say anything, Yuuki Asuna stepped forward and smiled at him, saying:

"Coach, can I do it?"