Hachiman's POV
"Hah!" Rudolf exhaled, a sharp, focused sound.
"You're making your move? Then so am I!" C.B. chirped, her competitive fire instantly ignited.
The two of them were in peak condition. For C.B., you could even say she was more than ready for her debut this November. Rudolf isn't scheduled to debut until next year, but her performance levels are already high enough that she wouldn't look out of place if she stepped onto the track today. It's exactly what you'd expect from two girls said to possess the same tier of genius. I'm already looking forward to their debut matches after we get back from France.
Meanwhile, the focus of my attention, Rice Shower, has been in the thick of her "final push" since the start of August. That said, she's on a completely different training menu from the other two. As for what that entails…
"Thirty-four… thirty-five… thirty-six… thirty-seven…"
She was single-mindedly hammering her legs. Right now, I have her doing narrow-stance squats. Because her feet are pressed together, she has to keep her inner thighs constantly engaged. If she loses focus for even a second, her muscles will snap—well, figuratively—and she won't be able to maintain a continuous rhythm.
On top of that, I have her on a circuit-style routine: 30 burpees → 50 high-knees → 30 mountain climbers → five 20-meter shuttle run intervals → 50 jumps with the rope → bunny hops → and finally, a full-tilt dash to finish.
She's just started her second set. To her credit, Rice's pace is impressive. Between her usual morning runs and her sheer discipline, her core muscular endurance is likely higher than anyone else's.
The circuit requires her to move to different markers for each station. Currently, she's doing squats in front of me, but once she's done, she'll run to the next marker for the burpees, then run back for the high-knees. Speed is important, of course, but it's meaningless without proper form. So far, Rice is managing to balance both perfectly, so I've got no complaints.
"Phew! Running with Rudolf really is the best," C.B. said, a bright smile on her face. "You're actually worth trying to overtake."
"I feel the same," Rudolf replied, her voice steady. "You provide me with excellent stimulation. How about it? One more lap?"
"Sounds great. Let's do it."
"I hate to pour cold water on your fire," I interjected, "but make this the last one, alright? It's almost time to cool down."
"Oh? In that case, we'd better get started quickly," Rudolf said, turning her sharp gaze toward me. "Brother, make sure you're watching us closely."
"Obviously," I muttered. "I don't need to be told."
— Several dozen minutes later —
"Uuu… My legs really feel like lead, Big Brother…" Rice groaned softly.
"You pushed through all the way to the cool-down, so you did great. After this, we'll do one more set, and then you'll join C.B. and Rudolf's training."
Rudolf looked concerned. "But Brother, Rice Shower just finished an incredibly high-intensity session. Is it really wise to have her run alongside us now?"
"That's exactly why I'm doing it," I explained. "The tracks Rice has run on so far are nothing like Longchamp. She needs to get used to running under heavy fatigue to simulate the demands of the actual course in France."
"I see…" C.B. nodded, catching on. "They say the turf in Europe is 'heavy' and power-intensive. So, this is about training her to handle the final stretch of the race, right?"
"Spot on. Good deduction."
"Yes!" C.B. gave a playful thumbs-up.
It's hard to make a perfect judgment without having stood on the Longchamp turf myself, but this is the best simulation we can manage. In moments like these, I really wish Japan had a few tracks with European-style grass.
"Still," Rudolf mused, "resting on the grass like this makes it feel as though we've come on a picnic. Your honey-soaked lemons and the cod onigiri only add to the atmosphere, Brother."
"You're right," Rice agreed, relaxing slightly. "It's very peaceful."
"Hey, don't get too comfortable. This is just a mid-session break," I warned. "We still have work to do. Don't you dare fall asleep."
"You say that, Brother," Rudolf said, glancing sideways, "but one of us already looks like they're in the danger zone."
"But it's not even that hot today…" C.B. groaned, her body going limp as she sprawled out. "And Hachiman's cooking is so good… I can't help getting sleepy…"
She really is a girl of extremes—either totally on or totally off.
"Anyway, ten minutes after you finish eating, we start the final push. Don't sleep. If you do, someone's going to wake you up with a physical jolt. Specifically, Rudolf will."
"Me?" Rudolf blinked.
"Obviously. It's not like I can do it. You want me to be the guy who hits a girl or pokes around her ears to wake her up? Think of the lawsuits."
"T-That's true…" Rice stammered, looking slightly pale. "I definitely wouldn't want that if it were me…"
"Exactly. So for now, just rest your legs. Just don't drift off. You hear me, C.B.?"
"I'll try my beeeest…" C.B. mumbled.
"…She's definitely going to drift off, isn't she?"
"Leave her to me when the time comes," Rudolf promised.
"Yeah. I'm counting on you."
In the end, C.B. did fall asleep, Rudolf woke her up, and we resumed training. Once we finished the remaining sets, we started the trek back to the dorms. However…
"Heh. Well, at least the day ended with a laugh," I teased. "To think a bird flying in front of your face would be enough to make your legs give out."
"Uuu… I'm sorry, Big Brother," Rice whispered, her face red.
"It's fine. Anyone would be startled by that."
"But… having you carry me on your back like this… I feel so bad about it…"
"Don't let it get to you. Just stay quiet and let me carry you. Besides, if you keep complaining, who knows what a certain jealous person might say?"
"Hey! That's not fair!" C.B. complained from behind us.
"The girl who spent her break napping doesn't get a say," I shot back. "Look, we're almost there."
"Brother," Rudolf said as we approached the building, "once we reach the dorms, I'll take over looking after Rice."
"Yeah. Thanks."
It was a very "Rice-like" ending to the day.
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