The teacher let out a long, audible sigh of relief. "Thank you, Mei. Your cooperation is much appreciated."
She then turned away from Mei and glanced around the class. Several students hunched their shoulders, shrinking themselves, hoping not to get singled out.
I glanced over to the side. Luna could not have made it any more obvious that she wasn't paying attention. I don't exactly know what she was doing, but she was… picking? Flicking? Admiring? Her newly done long nails.
"Luna!"
Luna jolted, her hands falling under the table as if she were hiding them while she snapped her attention toward the front.
You basically asked for this, you know…
"Since you clearly have nothing better to do," the teacher continued in a slightly irked tone. "You wouldn't mind being one of the four people participating in the relay, would you?"
Luna tried to force a careless, nonchalant smile. "I—uhhhh."
Luna began to fiddle with the tips of her hair as she struggled to find an excuse. Instead of showing her mercy, the teacher crossed her arms and tapped her foot against the floor as she waited patiently for Luna's reply.
Luna's eyes darted around the room in a frantic search for a way out—until they landed on me.
"Please, help me!" I could practically hear her plead through our eye contact.
I clicked my tongue and turned away from her. Don't look at me like that. I can't do anything for you.
Even so, she persisted stubbornly and continued to stare at me. The longer she did, the more her lips trembled in a subtle, disheartened frown.
I closed my eyes and let out a deep, disgruntled groan. Ughhhhh, fine! Just stop staring. You owe me for this.
I sighed and raised my hand, keeping my gaze fixed on the surface of the desk. Yet, from my peripheral vision, I could clearly see the teacher's look of shock.
"Hoshino, do you want to participate?"
I put on a polite smile befitting of a student and gently nodded. "Sure. I'll do it if no one else does."
"Thank you." She turned back to the chalkboard and wrote my name. Once she finished, she faced the class once more. "Does anyone else want to–"
"I'll do it!"
Luna shot her hand into the air, a bright, innocent grin plastered on her face.
I felt my mouth fall open. You little snake! If you were going to do it anyway, why did you get me to do it for you?!
Luna's gaze flickered toward me for a split second, and she shot me a playful wink.
I see how it is. I'll remember this.
"I'll do it too."
Another person on the opposite side of the class raised her hand.
"Oh, Remi, is that okay? Aren't you also in the student council? Wouldn't that be too much for you?"
Remi shook her head, her expression absolute. "No, it's fine. I'll find a way."
"Well… if you insist. If it becomes too much, though, just let me know, okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
The teacher returned to the board and began writing all four of our names next to the relay section.
I stared at the list. On paper, we actually had a decent shot at winning. Luna plays American football, Remi may suck at basketball, but she was fast, Mei was good at everything, and I'm better than Remi at least.
The only problem was Yu's homeroom class. Aside from him, he also shared the same homeroom with the student council president. Those two could just win on their own if they really tried.
Well, we will cross that bridge when the time comes.
The teacher then moved on to the next event, pointing the ruler at the sprint section. "Okay, class, who wants to volunteer for the sprint?"
"I'll do it," Mei responded instantly, before anyone could even raise their hands—not like it was going to happen anyway.
For the male representative of the sprint, the teacher had to select at random.
"Next, long jump."
"I'll do it."
"High jump?"
"I'll do it."
"Cavalry battle?"
"I'll do it."
It was the same each time. No one would raise their hands, and Mei would be the first one to volunteer.
Eventually, the teacher stopped and walked over to Mei with a concerned expression on her face. She spoke not as a teacher, but as a person.
"Mei, are you sure? I know you're a capable student, but participating in all the events would be too much for anyone. You don't have to do this."
Mei responded with a cheery smile—the same one she always had. "No, it's okay, miss. I want to do this. I want to help the class, have fun together, and hopefully win in the process. It really isn't a problem. If it is, I'll be sure to let you know!"
Mei didn't blink or falter for a single second.
Seeing this, the teacher let out a resigned sigh and returned to the front of the class. Before she continued, she addressed Mei one more time.
"Am I to assume that you will be participating in the three-legged race too?"
"Of course!"
"...Okay. But if it ever becomes too much, just let me know."
With that, it was now time to pick the male representative. "Okay, are there any males who would like to participate with Mei?"
The teacher glanced around at the boys, but none of them moved. Just because Mei was attractive, that didn't mean everyone would suddenly want to be her partner. Furthermore, while Mei was friendly with everyone, that didn't mean she was close to them. It's weird to pair up with someone you barely even know.
This is hopeless…
I rested my chin on my palm, ignoring the thing in the corner of my eye. Please… stop looking at me like that.
In the very corner of my vision, I saw her eyes. She was facing forward, but her gaze kept flickering in my direction.
No matter how much you look, I'm not going to respond, you know.
It isn't that I hate sports day or anything. I actually liked it quite a bit. Ever since losing to Kevin, however, I found myself not in the mood to compete.
I'm… tired of losing.
That was undeniable—but so was something else.
But at the same time… am I just going to run away?
I let out a soft, bitter chuckle to myself.
...Of course not.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself.
I hate to admit it, but when it comes to things like this… I'm just like Mom.
My hand slowly raised in the air.
I don't run.
Mei's eyes widened.
The teacher, meanwhile, cleared her throat, adjusting herself. "Hoshino, will you be her partner?"
I always stubbornly run ahead.
I put on a casual smile and nodded.
"Yes, I will."
Because my pride won't allow anything else.