Atobe's Childhood Friend Is Everyone's Favorite

Jingbu's childhood friend, Mamiya Karin, is clever, resilient, warm, and bright. But ever since she transferred back, Jingbu noticed something was off about her. She kept heading to Seigaku and casually "picking up" things along the way. For instance, Tezuka, with an injured left arm, and Fuji, who was always smiling with his eyes narrowed.

Then Karin slapped a "Please Adopt" list down on his desk.

Jingbu raised an eyebrow, pretending to be dismissive. "Ah, hmm? Is my Hyotei a shelter?"

But inwardly, he thought: This year's Nationals are in the bag.

He deliberately kept her waiting for a week before preparing to say yes, but Karin told him, "They all ran away!"

Later, he spotted those familiar faces on the opposing team's roster...

Jingbu: "..."

Did someone just steal them right out from under me?

-

It all started when Karin went to Seigaku to visit her best friend, Mukahi Rin, and witnessed bullying in the tennis club and silence from the management.

She stood up for what was right and came to the rescue. Then she became "that girl" everyone in the Kanto tennis world was talking about.

After that, wherever she went, people looked at her with friendly expressions.

Tezuka invited her to "thank her," Fuji often "bumped into her" to chat, and Jingbu naturally claimed her as part of his territory.

Karin: Everyone's so friendly! Youth, oh, youth ^^

Mukahi Rin: Could it be that they're just showing off for you?

Karin: ...

I just want to enjoy my youth. I never meant to become a player!

To get some peace and quiet, Karin transferred to Rikkai with her best friend and began living her ideal life:

Hanging out with her friend, watering flowers, tutoring, chatting about novels, and listening to jokes. Life was lovely.

Until the celebration after Nationals, when Yukimura cornered her:

"Karin, we've completed the three-peat. Now it's my turn to pursue a personal victory."

Karin: ???

How did I escape the Kanto pack of wolves, only to get caught by Rikkai's master?!

As if things weren't bad enough, her phone suddenly started buzzing nonstop:

Jingbu: [Had enough fun? It's time to come home, hmm? Do you need me to come get you in person?]

Fuji: [(Shared the song "I've Waited Until the Flowers Have Withered".) Are you going to continue on to Rikkai for high school, Karin? ^_^]

Tezuka: [(Screenshot of a plane ticket.) Whether it's the pro circuit or you, I won't let my guard down.]

Shiraishi: [Karin, will you consider Shitenhoji for high school? The atmosphere here is "perfect."]

Even the one all the way over in America sent her a message: [I heard from the little guy that you're good at picking things up? Don't forget, the strongest one hasn't even made his entrance yet.]

Karin stared in shock at Yukimura's knowing smile.

Karin: Help! Bestie, come rescue me!

#So much for an ordinary high school girl# #What's wrong with the Japanese tennis world#

[Reading Guide]

A healing-sunshine heroine vs. a group of princes secretly showing off for her

The focus is youthful passion (and bloodshed), pairing undecided, firmly one-on-one, both leads' first sexual partners, happy ending

[Important] Men may leave, but best friends are forever.

[Content warning] Seigaku breakup ahead. They'll go to a stage better suited to them.

Theme: I hope you can live in a world without regrets, smiling happily is all that matters. I'll dispel every shadow for you.