『』『』『』『』『』
The afternoon competition would be starting right about now.
After searching for a while, she finally found him sitting on a sofa in the dormitory lobby. He looked lonely, and compared ompared to earlier, he seemed much calmer.
"Sudou-kun," she called out gently.
"...Horikita."
He looked surprised. Out of everyone, he clearly hadn't expected her to be the one who came.
"Don't tell me... you came here to persuade me to go back?" Sudou asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Do I look like the type of person who would come all the way here just to persuade you?"
"...I guess not. Then why are you here? Did you just come to lecture me or something?"
"I wonder... Now that I'm actually here, I'm not sure what I should say."
"Huh?" Sudou tilted his head, confused.
She didn't understand it either. She had gone out of her way to find him, yet now that she stood in front of him, nothing came to mind. She tried to recall why she had been so determined to search for him.
But she couldn't find the answer.
At times like this, there was only one thing she could do. Say whatever came to mind first.
"You may be a bit of a problem child, but you did give it your all today, didn't you?"
Sudou hadn't acted like his usual self. That alone was surprising. For the sake of the class, he had tried to lead in his own way. He was still hot-headed, but beneath that was a clear desire to win. He had performed well in the group events. That much needed to be acknowledged.
"That said, there's still a lot you need to improve," she continued. "The fact that you're sitting here alone proves it."
"The hell does that mean?"
"If people could truly rely on you, more of our classmates would have come after you. Not just me. People who wanted to bring you back."
Sudou kicked the table in irritation.
"That's exactly the problem," Horikita continued, looking straight at him without backing down. "You try to force your way through Class D. You did it during the festival, and you're doing it again now. Even during the midterm exam. If you keep acting like that, no one will follow you."
"Tch... What's with you?" he muttered.
If it were anyone else, they might have backed off. But seeing that she didn't waver, Sudou clicked his tongue and looked away.
"Do you think looking away will solve anything? Your weakness is obvious. What happens if you don't study? What happens if you keep lashing out? You lack the foresight to think ahead."
"Ah, enough already. Come on! Just leave me alone and knock it off! Your preaching is gonna make me puke!"
"If you don't like it, then hit me," Horikita said, spreading her arms.
"Huh? What are you saying? There's no way I'd do that!"
"Because I'm a woman? I've told you before, I'm quite strong. I'd knock you down before your fist even reaches me."
That might have been a questionable claim. Still, she needed to show at least this much resolve.
"You'll fight me? Man, you really are a weird lady. Well, like you said, no one else came after me. But you did. Just you."
Ayanokouji had pushed her into this, and Kumagawa had verbally beaten it into her. Still, she didn't feel the need to tell Sudou any of that. Perhaps he was simply getting tired. His voice dropped to a low murmur, as if his anger was slowly fading away.
"I took the leader role 'cause I thought the sports festival would be easy. I've never lost to anyone from the other classes. If we did individual events again, I wouldn't lose. But in team events... if people drag you down, there's nothing you can do. We lost capture the flag and cavalry battle because of those useless guys. I couldn't stand it."
She understood his frustration. Sudou's athletic ability was exceptional, even across all year levels. But very few people could keep up with him through sheer strength and speed alone.
"Even so, you still have a certain level of responsibility. You're the leader, aren't you? I can tell just by looking at you that you hate losing when it comes to something you're good at. But is that really all there is to it?"
It wasn't just about hating defeat. He had taken on the role of leader despite struggling in team competitions. There had to be something more behind it.
Sudou-kun appeared lost in thought for a moment as he tilted his head, then replied, "Maybe... I just wanted to know what it feels like when people actually pay attention to me. To get some respect, I guess. I wanted to prove something to all the people who used to make fun of me. Pretty lame, right?"
As he admitted it, he scratched his red-dyed hair, almost as if trying to brush it off.
"So now I'm back to being alone, huh? Well, whatever. Things will just go back to how they were in middle school."
"It doesn't have to be," Horikita said.
She wasn't sure if her words would reach him.
"You've always fought on your own. That's what led you here. It's not just your temper. Your personality needs a lot of work too. In that sense, I can understand what you're going thro—"
"No. You don't," Sudou cut her off.
"...W-what?"
"You really don't get it, do you, Suzu... no, Horikita?"
He looked at her with a far more complicated expression. It wasn't just the frustration from earlier. There were other emotions mixed in, things he had kept buried for a long time. Despite his short temper, Sudou was far more emotional than most people realized.
But because of that constant anger, people only saw him as a reckless troublemaker. They never looked past it. They never tried to see the rest of him.
"Look, I don't give a damn about your logic," he spat, his voice rising. "You don't get it 'cause you've always been some perfect genius at the top. We're not the same. You keep telling me to fix my temper and my habits... You think I act like this on purpose? Like I'm just tryin' to piss you off? This is just who I am, okay? Someone who doesn't know a thing about me shouldn't act like my teacher. Just get the hell out of my face."
"....."
Her words hadn't reached him. If anything, they had pushed him further away.
Even though Ayanokouji had pushed her into this, it seemed she still misunderstood something important. There was something she hadn't been able to put into words.
What went wrong?
Horikita tried to think it through. Why had her words caused this reaction? Had she said something wrong?
It wasn't like she couldn't understand how he felt.
She understood...
Understood?
Did she really?
What exactly did she understand?
"You probably don't even understand the feeling that I have right now, don't you?"
"You... wanted to be left alone...."
"Hah, if you finally get it, then just leave me the hell alone. I'm done." He spat the words out, then turned his back on her and stomped toward the elevator.
Ah... that's right.
She understood nothing.
『Horikita-chan, you don't seem to understand how heartless it is to tell foolish people it's not okay to be foolish—how cruel it is to tell flawed people it's not okay to be flawed. 』
Even after being torn apart by Kumagawa's words, she still hadn't understood.
In the end, her sense of superiority had taken over again. Without thinking about right or wrong, without asking why, she spoke as if her view was the only one that mattered.
In a way, what she said could be cruel to someone like Sudou. It could even feel insulting. Because her words carried one clear meaning: She didn't see things from the perspective of the weak. She believed that if someone tried to change, if they put in effort, they would eventually get results.
But that belief itself was a misunderstanding. There are people who remain flawed no matter how much they try. For her, effort had always led to progress. Even when she lacked knowledge, she could improve with time. That had always been her reality, so it was only natural that she would think that way.
On the other hand, Sudou didn't see things from the perspective of the strong.
In his case, it was more about his place in the world. Even though he had outstanding physical ability, Sudou believed that he couldn't produce results that would satisfy either himself or anyone else.
Of course, there were areas where he could shine. In sports, his ability was undeniable. But there were also things he couldn't change.His weakness in everything else. Sudou believed that outside of his own field, he couldn't compare to anyone. Because of that, he often saw himself as inferior to most people.
Horikita doesn't understand the standing of those who are inferior, and Sudou doesn't understand the standing of those who are superior.
The two of them were seeing things from completely different ends of the spectrum.
But even so...
Horikita then reached out and grabbed his shirt, stopping him from leaving.
"What now? Didn't I tell you to leave me the hell alone? What else do you want from me?" Sudou looked at her with clear annoyance.
"And I truly, truly want to leave you alone. But if we lose you now, Class D's defeat will be certain."
"You bailed on the class too, just like me. Right? So you don't have any right to lecture me."
"...No, I suppose not."
That was why her words carried no weight.
"You're disappointed in me, right? Whatever, I'm used to it," His voice sounded weak, nothing like the usual fiery Sudou she knew. "I was born to worthless people. That's why I'm worthless too. I came here because I didn't want to end up like my parents... but I'm turning out just like them."
When she saw the emptiness in his eyes, Horikita didn't know what to say. He looked like he had already given up. He was about to return to his room, and she had to stop that somehow.
"It's incorrect to conclude that someone with worthless parents will inevitably become worthless. You can't blame others for what you are or what you'll become. I reject that idea," Horikita said.
"...There you go again. Just forcin' your 'correct' answers on everyone else?"
"You can think whatever you want. Think of me as useless, as someone meddling where she shouldn't. You can even see me as a villain. Just like you don't care, I don't care either," Horikita said, her voice firm. "But even if you think you're nothing, what you become depends on you alone. At the very least, you have incredible athletic ability. Your way of speaking is rough, but you still helped others during practice. That tells me you're not worthless. Right now, you're just trying to run away. If you keep doing that, then you will become worthless."
"Fine. Then just call me worthless and get it over with. Go ahead. I don't care anymore," he replied.
"So you're just going to give up because things aren't going your way?"
"....."
No matter what she said, he didn't respond. Maybe she simply couldn't reach him. Maybe she lacked the ability to understand him at all. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The afternoon competitions were about to begin. Sudou wouldn't make it back in time for the scavenger hunt.
"Go back, Horikita."
"No. Not unless I bring you with me."
"Fine. Do whatever you want."
Sudou walked toward the elevator. This time, Horikita didn't stop him.
"I'll wait here. Forever."
"...Do what you want."
She didn't take my eyes off him until the elevator doors closed.
『』『』『』『』『』
An hour had passed since Sudou left. That meant the final competition would begin any minute now.
Sitting alone in the dormitory lobby, Horikita felt helpless.
There was nothing she could do except sit on the sofa in silence. For the past hour, her gaze had been fixed on the elevator.
Even if she returned to the field and withdrew, she didn't have the points to arrange a substitute. Ryuen had already taken everything through blackmail. But that wasn't the real reason she stayed.
If Sudou came back and found her gone, he would be hurt.
Besides, even if Class D's defeat was almost certain, she still wanted to do what little she could. She believed Sudou would return.
That was all there was to it.
And then—
"Did... did you seriously wait here this whole time?"
"You came back, Sudou-kun," Horikita said calmly, as if she had expected his return.
But inside, she felt a quiet sense of relief. She was glad the elevator had cameras. It gave her time to steady herself before he arrived.
"It's already over, isn't it? The sports festival, I mean."
"It might be. But if we go back now, we may still make it in time for the final event."
"So? What's the point? We've already lost," Sudou said, looking at her.
"You're right that the outcome is bleak," she replied. "I had to withdraw because of my injury. Kouenji-kun didn't participate at all, and Kumagawa only joined one event. Then you left halfway through, Sudou-kun. Compared to the other classes, we don't stand a chance. Since you came back... can I assume you plan to return?"
"Nope. I just came to check if you were still here."
"I see. While I was waiting, I had time to think. About myself. About you. I came to a conclusion. You and I are more similar than I thought."
When she was alone and had calmed down, she had finally been able to reflect on herself. The answer had come to her clearly.
"We've got nothing in common. You and I are completely different."
His reply came immediately, without hesitation. It caught her a bit off guard.
"That's... no, you're right. We are different. Our personalities, our way of thinking, even how we live... none of it is the same, we are completely different." Horikita said, showing a faint, awkward smile she rarely let others see.
Yes, they were different. She couldn't deny that.
From the very beginning, they had stood on different ground. Their environments, their talents, everything about them was different. For someone like Horikita, who grew up in a blessed household with a clear role model, to claim she understood Sudou would be nothing but arrogance.
Just like how humans and animals could never fully understand each other, there was a fundamental gap between them.
Because of that, they could never truly understand one another without standing in each other's place.
"But that doesn't mean we have nothing in common. I believe there is at least one thing we share."
"And what is that?" Sudou asked, still unconvinced.
"It's our flaw."
"...Flaw?"
"Yes. We share a very similar flaw."
She spoke from the bottom of her heart.
"Always alone. Always isolated. That's what makes us similar... at least, that's how I see it. We're completely different, yet we still share something in common. You isolate yourself because others pushed you away. Iisolate myself because I push others away."
Rejection and alienation.
One is pushed away by others. The other one pushes others away.
Their flaws were different, yet similar at the same time.
"That's completely different—"
"No. It's more similar than you think," Horikita cut in before he could finish.
Sudou fell silent when he saw her expression. And this time, he didn't lash out. He simply listened.
"You know a little about the student council president, right?"
"Yeah. That serious guy?"
"He's my older brother."
"I figured. So what are you trying to say by bringing him up?"
Since coming to this school, this was the probably first time she was about to tell someone about her relationship with her brother. It felt unexpected. Out of everyone, she never thought Sudou would be the first to hear it.
"My relationship with him isn't good. I lack talent, so we were never close. My brother is exceptional, and he dislikes being associated with someone incompetent like me. That's why I've always tried to become someone just as capable. I put everything into it. Academics, athletics, everything. Even now, I'm still trying."
"W-wait... aren't you already good at both studying and sports?"
"From an average person's perspective, maybe. That's why I kept moving forward, chasing after him without caring about anything else. I never looked back. And when I finally did... no one was there. I had always been alone."
Horikita looked straight into Sudou's eyes.
"Do you understand now? Why I said we're similar? Our isolation comes from the same place. We both keep moving forward without thinking about others. Without understanding them. Without looking back. You ran forward with your emotion and fist without stopping. I did the same, chasing after my brother. And that's why we ended up like this. Alone, just like always."
By confronting Sudou's weakness, she had also faced her own.
"But that doesn't solve anything! Didn't you say I have to fix my personality and my habits? What are you going to do if I lose control again?"
"You're right. But what's wrong with that? There are billions of people in this world, and no one can fully understand someone else. I don't even understand myself completely, so it's fine. Even if it doesn't solve anything, that's fine too. Just like we can never truly understand each other, even with your flaws... that's okay. But I will never give up on my goal. And I won't give up on you, Sudou-kun."
Horikita reached out her hand.
"I'm not incredible. Ryuen-kun outplayed me exactly as he intended, and I haven't achieved a single result I'm satisfied with. I still want to reach Class A and earn my brother's respect. That hasn't changed. But the way I've tried to get there was wrong. I'm not alone. If I have allies, then I'm one step closer."
Sudou looked at her outstretched hand.
"Even if I'm prone to violence?"
"Like I said, we may never fully understand each other. But if you ever stray from the path that makes you who you are, I'll bring you back."
"Just a little while ago... you looked totally different. What happened in that short time?" He asked.
"I just did some self-reflection, Sudou-kun. It turns out, I'm not as 'correct' as I thought I was."
She had finally realized something.
Not everything needed to match her idea of what was right. She didn't have to force her sense of correctness onto every person or every situation.
She understood now that "correct answers" weren't the only things with value. Sometimes, a person's flaws were just as important as their strengths. In a strange, almost contradictory way, perhaps even two "wrongs" could come together and form something right.
"I'll ask you again, Sudou-kun. Lend me your strength."
"Horikita..."
"Ah. What the hell am I feelin' right now?! I don't get it, but it's like...I feel like I've finally had my eyes opened."
He stepped forward and took her hand, which had been waiting in the air all this time.
"I'll work with you, Horikita. I...I feel like someone's finally noticed me outside basketball."
As he said that, Horikita felt herself began to smile. She never experienced this before. She wondered what the intense throbbing in her chest was. she knew that it wasn't friendship, or love. It was something else.
Embarrassing as it was to admit, she had gained an ally.
Something she had always lacked.
She still had a long way to go. This step might be small, almost insignificant, but to her, it felt like the most meaningful one yet.
『』『』『』『』『』
The last event of the sports festival, the 1200-meter relay, was about to begin. Everyone, except Class D, was fired up.
"The final event, huh? I guess we'll need to choose a substitute for this one too," Hirata said, his expression a little down. Sudou was still missing, and Horikita had been forced to withdraw due to her injury.
But then—
"Huh...! Puh...! Hey, sorry to keep you waiting! What's going on?" Sudou came running in, completely out of breath, with Horikita following a few steps behind.
"Yeah, sorry. My bad. It took way longer to take a dump than I thought."
Sudou looked unusually bright, smiling as if nothing had happened. In contrast, many of the students around him shot him cold stares. He didn't react to them at all.
"Where's Kumagawa?" Sudou asked, turning to Hirata.
"I'm not sure. The last time I saw him, he was with Kushida-san," Hirata said, glancing toward her.
Sensing his gaze, Kushida immedietly answer, "I'm not sure where he went either. I tried asking about his injury from earlier, but he just told me he was fine and walked off somewhere else."
"I see... Guess I'll have to apologize to him later, then."
The first thing Sudou wanted to do after returning was find Kumagawa. After everything that had happened, it seemed he wanted to apologize. After that, he turned to face the entire class and lowered his head deeply.
"Sorry. I messed things up because I lost my temper. It's my fault Class D is about to lose."
Ayanokouji look at the current Sudou.
The Sudou from an hour ago couldn't have done that, even if it were just an act. Something must have happened between him and Horikita. As for the others, they all looked stunned. Even Hirata was surprised by his behavior, but he quickly let out a cheerful laugh.
"The heck, Ken? This isn't like you," Ike said.
"I know I screwed up after already messing things up. I want to apologize to you too, Kanji," Sudou replied.
"It's not like it's your fault I lost or anything. I'm just bad at sports. Sorry I couldn't help much."
One apology led to another. The students who had been glaring at Sudou couldn't deny that they hadn't performed as well as he had.
"If you haven't picked a substitute for the relay yet, let me run," Sudou said, looking at Hirata.
"You're the only one we'd want for this, Sudou-kun. Right, everyone?"
Many of them nodded. Both boys and girls would take part in the final 1200-meter relay, three from each. Since most lacked confidence in their speed, there was no better choice than Sudou.
"Can I ask for a substitute? I won't be able to run properly with my leg like this," Horikita said quietly.
"Are you okay with that, Horikita?" Hirata asked. "You really wanted to be in this relay."
"There's nothing I can do. In my current condition, I might not even beat Ike-kun. I'm sorry." She bowed deeply, just as Sudou had done earlier. It was rare to see her this honest.
Ryuen had crushed both her body and spirit. She had aimed for the anchor position, imagining herself running alongside her brother. But now, even as her hands trembled slightly, she accepted reality. If she forced herself to run, Class D would lose.
Hirata nodded and chose Kushida to take her place.
The lineup was Hirata, Sudou, Miyake, Maezono, Onodera, and now Kushida. There really weren't any other sprinters in Class D who stood a chance.
"Then I guess—
"Um, I apologize for the suddenness of this, but..." The voice cut Hirata off—It belonged to Miyake.
"What is it, Miyake-kun?"
"Sorry Hirata, but...would you please let me withdraw, too? To be honest, I twisted my ankle during the 200-meter dash before lunch. I thought it would get better after resting, but it still hurts" Miyake spoke while slightly dragging his right leg.
It seemed they had more victim than expected.
"In that case... we'll need another replacement from the boys."
Hirata looked around, but no one stepped forward, but no one was confident enough in their speed.
"In that case, would it be okay if I ran? I'll pay the points to enter as a substitute." From the crowd, Ayanokouji raised his hand.
"You will, Ayanokouji?" Miyake asked. "Wait... are you fast enough?"
No one really believed that he was.
"I support him. I've been watching everyone, and I think Ayanokouji will do well," Hirata said.
That was all it took to shut down dissenting voices. As he was someone who had earned the trust of his peers day in and day out, Hirata's words had considerable weight in everyone's mind.
"Still, we can't say Class D is sending out its strongest lineup. That's why we should aim to take the lead early. What do you think, Sudou-kun?" Hirata turned to him. "If you can get ahead at the start and create some distance, I'll maintain it and pass it on to the next runner."
"Well, we don't have much choice. It's the only way we can win," Sudou replied, his expression fired up once more.
With that, the lineup was decided.
Sudou would run first. Hirata, who was also fast, would go second. After that, the three girls, including Kushida, would take their turns.
And finally, Ayanokouji would run last.
It seemed Class D was placing more trust in him than expected, giving him the anchor position. They were counting on him to make up for lost time from the earlier runners.
"We're leaving it all to you, Sudou-kun!" Hirata shouted.
Kushida and the others cheered as well. Sudou stepped into his lane, his expression sharp with focus. Class D had the innermost lane, giving the first-years a slight advantage, while the third-year Class A stood at the outermost lane.
Class D no longer had any chance of winning the festival overall. Still, a victory here might mean something later. At least, that was what everyone believed. Cheers rose from their side, louder than before.
The moment the signal sounded, Sudou exploded forward.
There was no hesitation in his movement. His start was the fastest Ayanokouji had seen so far. With a single powerful stride, he surged ahead, overtaking eleven runners almost instantly. His speed was overwhelming.
"Whoa!" the racers shouted.
"Dude, he's so fast!"
Even Shibata, standing beside Ayanokouji, couldn't help but speak in awe.
Sudou used that momentum to widen the gap even further. By the time he reached the handoff, he had built a lead of nearly fifteen meters.
"It's up to you, Hirata!"
Excitement spread through Class D.
Sudou passed the baton to the next runner, Hirata. As someone who excelled in both academics and athletics, his form was steady and clean. One by one, the other runners tried to close the gap, but none of them could. The lead remained as the baton moved to the third runner, Onodera.
This was where things began to change.
For a girl, Onodera was fast. But the runners behind her were starting to catch up. A second-year from Class A overtook her mid-run.
Then another passed her.
And another.
By the time she handed the baton to the fourth runner, Maezono, their lead had almost disappeared. The upperclassmen were truly strong.
"Looks like victory is ours this time, President Horikita. I would've liked to run against you directly, if possible." Nagumo let out a light laugh as the second-year Class A runner approached him.
There was already a wide gap between him and the third-year runner behind. If their abilities were even close, there was no chance for second place to catch up.
"Looks like we'll win in overall points too. I guess this marks the start of a new era."
"Do you really intend to change this school?" Manabu looked at him.
"You're too bound by tradition, President. You're strict, but in the end, you're soft. Your rules protect too many people. They prevent expulsions. All I'm going to do is turn this place into a true meritocracy."
He stepped forward as he spoke, preparing to receive the baton.
Moments later, Nagumo took it cleanly. Almost at the same time, Shibata received his.
"All right! Nice! Leave the rest to me!"
With determination in his eyes, Shibata sprinted after Nagumo.
For a brief moment, Ayanokouji's gaze met that of Horikita's brother. There was something in his expression.
"To think you're the anchor," he said, looking at Ayanokouji.
"I'm just filling in for someone who got injured. Your sister was supposed to run here."
"I see... It sounds like her injury is worse than I thought. Is she alright?"
"Are you worried about her?" Ayanokouji found it hard to believe. Someone who could strike his own sister didn't seem like the type to worry.
If Horikita heard that, she would probably be happy.
"More or less. I heard what happened from Kumagawa."
"Kumagawa, huh..."
At the mention of that name, Ayanokouji felt a faint sense of discomfort. He didn't know if it truly applied here, but for once, he didn't want to see Kumagawa Misogi's face any more than he had to. He didn't even want to waste the mental processes required to imagine his face right now
"You don't look very excited. Did something happen?" Manabu asked.
"I'm not interested in the sports festival."
"Then why are you even participating in this event?"
Without any intention of answering, Ayanokouji looked straight into Manabu's eyes.
"....Would you be interested to learn what kind of person I am?"
"What?"
They should have been preparing to run. However, just as expected, Manabu stopped.
This was unlike how he would usually act, but Ayanokouji needed at least this much.
"If you'd like, I'll race against you seriously," Ayanokouji added.
"You say some interesting things. Did I misjudge you? I thought you hated standing out or getting involved. You seemed like the type to just watch things play out. Why change that now?" he asked.
"I wonder..."
Ayanokouji himself didn't understand why he made that decision. He couldn't even put it into words. But right now, he felt the need to do something. Even if it was irrational. Even if it was something he would normally avoid.
Thinking back, this might have been the first time he acted without any clear benefit for himself, whether in the short term or the long term.
Showing his true ability.
Maybe it was pointless.
But since he had already said it, he couldn't take it back.
Ayanokouji then added, "But if you give up your chance at second place in order to race me, I'll accept your challenge. It's not often that a first-year and a third-year get to compete like this, is it?"
"Interesting...."
He didn't seem as though he was going to move at all. His team's fifth runner passed him the baton, looking perplexed, but the older Horikita took it and stood completely still. "You did well. Great work," he said.
"Uh, thanks. Hah..."
The third-year student left in a mild state of shock.
Everyone in the audience noticed the strange scene. One after another, runners passed Class A, yet Horikita remained where he stood. Soon, Kushida approached Ayanokouji at full speed. She would reach him in seconds.
"I'll say one thing before we start."
"What?" Horikita's brother asked.
As they got ready, Ayanokouji spoke.
"Run as fast as you can."
The only way to deal with what he was feeling was to give everything to something, just so he wouldn't have to think about Kumagawa.
When he received the baton from Kushida, Ayanokouji ran.
He ran with everything he had.
He had never run seriously in his life. Not until now. It was completely different from the times he ran in that cold, enclosed room. It was still early October, but the wind felt sharp against his skin. He didn't care about overtaking the runner in front of him. All that mattered was the man beside him.
Just win.
Don't think about anything.
To get rid of this unfamiliar feeling, just win.
Win and beat him.
Just like always.
『』『』『』『』『』
『Oh... Isn't he amazing, that Ayano-whatever-his-name-is Koji-kun? To think he's been hiding his abilities to that extent. I have no choice but to accept my defeat. Don't you think so?』
"It's Ayanokouji-kun... but putting that aside, what exactly are you doing here, Kumagawa-kun? Surely you're aware that you aren't exactly a welcome guest in this place."
Just as she said, many people in the room looked at Kumagawa in a way that could only be described as unfriendly. However, it meant nothing to him. Just as he had done with the entire second year before, he treated the malicious gazes here the same way, letting them pass over him as if he didn't notice at all.
『Good grief, what happened to our precious bond as fellow students? Did that Ayano-whatever-his-name-is Koji-kun charm you that much, Sakayanagi-chan? 』
"Fufu, could you not say something so unpleasant, Kumagawa-kun? It feels like my pride as a human is being insulted."
『Ahaha, don't be shy about it. What would you do if I ended up not being able to live without you?』
"What is that supposed to mean? That's just disgusting..."
She ended up calling him disgusting.
『But what's with that expression, Sakayanagi-chan? Did you really get captivated just from watching him run? 』
Hearing that, Sakayanagi looked at him.
"No, more importantly, what are you really doing here, Kumagawa-kun? Did you come all the way here just to mock my condition?"
『Don't be so cold. Even if I look like this, do you really think I'm the type of person who would mock someone for that? 』
Sakayanagi paused. Perhaps she had gone a bit too far.
Maybe it was his presence. There was something about him that made people uneasy. Even she, who usually carried herself with calm elegance, found it hard to remain unaffected around him.
『But to answer your question, it's because I was called here by the wind. 』
"...."
What was he even saying?
Was he trying to sound cool?
Honestly, just his presence here was already a lot for Sakayanagi to deal with. And Kumagawa saying something that made no sense at all didn't make it any easier.
Sakayanagi then glanced around her surroundings.
The students of Class C had given them some distance, making sure no one could overhear their conversation. Part of it was her own instruction, since she was wary of Kumagawa. But at the same time, most of them simply didn't want to get involved with him, so they willingly kept their distance.
"In any case, your class situation doesn't look too good, does it?"
『Ahaha, it's a complete mess. I wouldn't be surprised if we lose. 』He said it with a smile, as if there was no tension at all in admitting it.
"That's too bad."
『Did you have anything to do with it, Sakayanagi-chan? 』
"...Hmm? What do you mean?"
『Well, I don't really understand all that "behind-the-scenes" stuff, but I was wondering if you've got some kind of deal with Ryuen-chan? 』
"..."
It didn't sound like it, but it was uncomfortably close to an accusation.
From Sakayanagi's perspective, it wasn't strange for him to suspect her. Given the current state of things, anyone would think of it. But being questioned like that by Kumagawa still felt unpleasant in a different way.
"No. I don't."
『Okay! 』
And just like that, Kumagawa accepted her answer without hesitation, as if he had been expecting it from the beginning.
"But why are you asking that, Kumagawa-kun? From what I know, you're not the type to care about your own class."
He wasn't even the type to care about others in the first place. So him asking something like that made Sakayanagi a little cautious.
『Ahaha, you don't need to look at me like that. And you don't need to find meaning in my words. I just like doing and saying things that are completely pointless. 』
"..."
Normally, Sakayanagi wouldn't believe a statement like that.
But for some reason, she could accept it without doubt.
『Ah, look at that. The relay race already ended. 』
"...It seems so."
『Too bad. That Ayanokouji-kun or whatever his name is lost. 』
"I wonder."
From what she could see, Horikita Manabu had managed to win his personal race against Ayanokouji.
The match had been extremely close. Ayanokouji would likely have taken it if not for a student tripping right in front of him near the finish line. That sudden incident forced a brief slowdown, and even though he recovered instantly, that small gap decided the outcome.
Seeing that the race had ended, Sakayanagi stood up.
"Masumi-san."
"...What is it?"
From somewhere nearby, Masumi Kamuro approached and stopped in front of her.
『Hmm? If it isn't Betrayer-chan. How are you doing?』
Hearing that, Kamuro's expression soured immediately, "Can you stop calling me that? It's getting annoying."
『What are you saying, Kamuro-chan? Because of you, my reputation has hit rock bottom. If you don't let me grope your chest, I won't feel any better. 』
"Die."
『Hahaha. 』
He laughed.
Both Kamuro and Sakayanagi looked at him with complicated expressions, somewhere between disgust and disbelief.
The 'thing' called Kumagawa was becoming more and more incomprehensible.
『Ah, go on. Don't mind me, Sakayanagi-chan. You called Kamuro-chan for something, right? You don't need to worry about me. I won't judge you.』As he said that, Kumagawa casually sat down in the seat Sakayanagi had just vacated.
Seeing his shameless behavior, Sakayanagi let out a soft sigh.
There was no controlling him. Nor was there any way to predict what he would do next.
"Anyway, Masumi-san. Can I ask for your help with something?"
She then gave her instructions. Even though she phrased it as a request, it clearly sounded like an order. Kamuro, already used to this dynamic, could only nod before leaving to carry it out.
"Now then, Kumagawa-kun," Sakayanagi said. "Since it seems you didn't have anything important to discuss with me, I suppose I can take my leave. You may remain here if you wish. I'm sure you can endure the hostile gazes on your own."
『Don't worry, Sakayanagi-chan. Even if you said nothing, I'll still do things my own way. 』
What an infuriatingly condescending answer.
"In that case, farewell, Kumagawa-kun."
Without waiting for a reply, Sakayanagi turned and walked away. She left him behind in the Class C tent, surrounded by hostile stares.
『Good grief. What a boring personality. 』
Now alone, Kumagawa stood up from his seat.
『Should I go as well...? 』
He considered it for a moment, as if there had ever been another option.
『Haaah... whatever happened to the kind Anshin'in-san I used to know? 』
With that, Kumagawa slowly walked away from the Class C tent.
『END』
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Here you go peasants, another chapter.
By the way, the next chapter is probably the last one for volume 5.
Of course I'm not going to dissapear like always... right?
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]