“Do I really have to stand here and cheer my heart out?”
Before heading to the item borrowing race, Tateyama begged me one last time not to move from this spot.
Well, I guess it’s human nature to want to run away even more when told something like that, but since I’m already exhausted, I didn’t want to create any more trouble.
“Too hot…”
Today wasn’t particularly warm, but it was the sports day, and people were hyped up everywhere.
The heat from all the excitement was intense.
Guess I should be thankful that Tateyama chose a spot that’s not crowded, huh?
If possible, I wanted to rest under a shady tent, but those places were overflowing with people, making it impossible to relax, and it might even feel hotter there.
“Ugh…”
I should’ve just stayed in the classroom. They wouldn’t have turned on the A/C anyway, but even if they didn’t turn it on, it probably wouldn’t have been this hot.
Lost in regret and despair, a peep sounded, announcing the start of the item borrowing race.
“Woooaah!!!”
Just when it was already hot, the noise intensified to a level that felt like my eardrums would burst.
As my earlier regrets grew stronger, I calmed myself since Tateyama had gone through so much trouble asking me to cheer.
She probably didn’t expect me to cheer that much anyway.
Just keeping my eyes on her would probably be enough for her.
“Run, Tateyama-senpai!”
“Haru-chan! You’re so cool!!!”
“Tateyama, do your best! I’m watching!!!”
All around, cheers erupted, and Tateyama’s name was called out quite frequently.
Well, considering Tateyama is at the top of the school caste, it makes sense.
Hardly anyone probably knows my name, but Tateyama is impressive.
…No, it’s probably because of last year’s cheering squad incident, so most of the first-years would know about her.
Suddenly, I wanted to go home….
But the fact that it wasn’t even lunchtime yet really made me despair.
“Sigh…”
“Kaya-chi!”
“Eek?!”
As I sighed quietly while staring at the ground, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist.
Looking up, I saw a beaming Tateyama.
“Hey, hey, hey?! Um…?!”
“Let’s run, Kaya-chi! I don’t want to be last!”
Couldn’t you at least explain what’s going on?!
★
The item borrowing race.
As the name implies, it’s a race where participants must fetch specific items presented during the race.
Unlike a regular race that requires you to stay on the track until you reach the finish line, you won’t be recognized as having finished unless you present the specified item, so there’s no definite track to follow.
And even though it’s called an “item borrowing race,” the items that can be specified aren’t just objects; they can also include classmates or juniors.
Of course, what Tateyama was aiming for wasn’t an object either.
“Friends and classmates… Who else is there?”
Since I had a vague idea of what Miyauchi had in mind, it was clear Tateyama aimed for things that could get her to drag Kaya along.
“Ah, haah…”
Finally, we reached the box filled with the specified items.
Tateyama steadied her racing heart and silently hoped that nothing ordinary would come out.
Although it wasn’t like she felt entirely guilt-free about dragging along Kaya, who didn’t particularly enjoy these events.
‘Yeah. It’s Kaya-chi’s fault!’
Tateyama stifled that guilt, pretending it was a payback from earlier.
“Haah!”
Even though it was indeed a fun event, she couldn’t stay there for too long since it was a team-based competition after all.
“Run, Tateyama-senpai!”
“Haru-chan! You’re so cool!!!”
“Tateyama, do your best! I’m watching!!!”
With all those cheers pouring in, her urgency grew stronger.
“Ugh…! This is it!”
Tateyama reached into the box and felt around inside before pulling out the paper with no hesitation.
It was probably just ordinary paper made of the same material, but it felt significant.
Her instincts told her.
This was the ‘winning ticket.’
And what was written on the unfolded paper was:
[Classmate sitting next to you]
Just as her instincts suggested, the correct answer was there.
“I did it!”
Overjoyed by finding what she wanted, Tateyama jumped up and smiled brightly.
Then she energetically started running toward the place where she had told Kaya to stay.
Immediately, everyone’s eyes were fixed on her.
‘Are they expecting me to ask for something?’
In those gazes was a sense of anticipation.
An opportunity to get close to someone from the so-called ‘top tier of the school caste’… or a chance to show off their friendship.
Tateyama completely understood that fact.
‘Sorry, guys!’
That’s why she silently apologized in her heart.
It was an apology for not being able to meet their expectations, but more than that, it felt like she was selfishly fulfilling her own desires during a race where they all had to come together.
‘But this is way faster than hunting for those random items!’
Of course, she didn’t forget to make excuses in her mind.
When she spotted Kaya with her head bowed down at the promised spot, Tateyama grabbed her wrist without hesitation.
“Kaya-chi!”
“Eek?!”
“Hey, hey, hey?! Um…?!”
“Let’s run, Kaya-chi! I don’t want to be last!”
Even while confused, Kaya was quietly being dragged along.
“It feels nice running together, Kaya-chi!”
“I, I don’t like it…!”
“Pfft!”
Seeing that, Tateyama couldn’t help but smile widely as she internally cheered.
‘Success in revenge!’
And together they officially claimed first place in the item borrowing race.
★
“Haah, haah, haah…”
Sitting down, I took a moment to slowly catch my breath after all that unexpected running.
It was already tough and hot enough, and I hadn’t anticipated running this much.
I generally dislike exercising, but running especially…
It’s not really about stamina or anything.
Well, maybe before I had stamina issues, but now that I’ve been consistently dancing, my stamina is quite solid.
The problem was just with running itself.
Running can be quite challenging in numerous ways for a girl’s body, you know?
But even so, it seemed like Tateyama was hurting more than I was when she ran….
“Sorry, Kaya-chi. I said it was okay not to participate in the races, but I ended up making you run.”
I didn’t think she looked tired at all—maybe it wasn’t just my imagination.
Tateyama really is amazing, huh….
“Well… um, it couldn’t be helped, right?”
When I mentioned something about how if the classmate sitting next to me was someone else, I would have told Tateyama there should be one more, but since I had no idea where they were, I couldn’t argue back.
…But seriously, how could the specified item come out like this perfectly?
Thinking back to how she intentionally kept close to me, and the fact she told me to stay in a place where I could be easily found…
Could it be that Tateyama had aimed for this situation from the beginning?
That thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Could she have manipulated the specified items?
“Tateyama… d-did you plan this situation from the start…?”
“…Hehe. What do you think?”
“Ugh…”
“Pfft! There’s no way, Kaya-chi! I can’t choose the specified items.”
“Right….”
Yeah. It’s already happened, and besides, we won first place, so there shouldn’t be any problem?
Honestly, I was trying to suspect Tateyama even though I knew it was impossible.
I felt a bit bad about it…
★
…Thinking about it, after lunch.
So, after Tateyama’s cheering duties ended, wouldn’t it be alright to hang out together?
That thought suddenly struck me.
There wasn’t any particular reason; it was just a pure, coldly logical conclusion.
Tateyama’s race had already concluded in the item borrowing segment, followed by the three-legged race and the obstacle course, all occurring in the morning.
In other words, there was hardly any time to hang out in the morning.
Especially since the three-legged race started right after the item borrowing one.
So I proposed to Tateyama that with their busy schedule, we might as well hang out during lunchtime.
I said I’d rest in the classroom.
While I initially thought I wanted to relax alone until her cheering duties were completely over, I quickly dismissed it since I figured there was no way she would agree.
Anyway, thankfully, Tateyama readily granted me my wish to rest.
She probably felt generous after seeing how exhausted I was from suddenly having to run.
Could Tateyama possibly be an angel?
Yeah. She must definitely be an angel.
At least she’d be a way better angel than Koga!
[Huh?!]
I thought I heard that voice, but surely that’s just my imagination.
If it were real, Koga would be a real superhuman.
“Ugh…”
On my way to the classroom, my ragged breath had calmed down.
But the sensation of my chest tightening still lingered.
Even worse, it felt like I was sweating under my chest more than before, making it incredibly uncomfortable.
I just want to lay down on my desk and rest….
That’s what I concluded, just as I was about to step into the school.
“Hello, Kayanoh-senpai! We’re from the mass media club!”
“Would it be possible to conduct an interview for about 30 minutes?”
“We want to create a ‘Ice Princess Special’ as a souvenir for the sports day!”
Three unfamiliar first-years… No, they were probably second-years with pale green ribbons, blocked my way.
M-Mass media club?
And what’s this special feature?
“Um, that… like…”
“Ah! If I startled you, I’m so sorry!”
“N-no, um, that… um…”
“Is it okay for us to take that as a yes?”
As they said this, the girl on the left beamed a bright smile.
No. Not at all okay.
With a smile that bright, I lacked the confidence to decline coldly.
So ultimately, without any reply, I chose to flee.
“Senpai?!”
But naturally, the underclassmen followed right behind me as if it was expected.
Why?!
You should have understood that I was refusing if I ran away like this!
Of course, I had no confidence to say that to them.
Help me, Tateyama!
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