Suzune Horikita stared at the short message on her terminal screen, her brows furrowing slightly.
[I want to participate in the relay race too.]
Just that one sentence. No explanation, no superfluous embellishment.
"That guy, actually taking the initiative to want to join the relay race? How rare," she muttered to herself, her fingers tapping on the screen to reply:
[Reason?]
A few seconds later, Ayanokoji's reply arrived:
[No special reason. Just want to participate.]
Horikita looked at this reply, her brows knitting even tighter. No special reason? Coming from Kiyotaka Ayanokoji's mouth, that in itself was the most special reason.
She had known Ayanokoji for a semester now. During this time, her impression of him had always been that of a "transparent person" who forever stood on the edge of the crowd, forever unconcerned with matters that didn't involve him. Only in occasional incidents would Ayanokoji get involved.
Why?
Horikita recalled her conversation with Ayanokoji earlier today. At that time, she had simply mentioned in passing, "I plan to invite Subaru to the relay race." Ayanokoji hadn't shown any reaction; he just nodded and then changed the subject.
She thought the matter had passed. But now, it clearly hadn't.
"...Is it because of Natsuki Subaru?" she asked herself softly.
Ayanokoji's attitude toward Subaru had always been somewhat subtle. Not hostile, not close, but something more complex—interest? Curiosity? Or something else?
She remembered that after the Uninhabited Island Exam, Ayanokoji had asked her some questions about Subaru. Those questions were very detailed, detailed to the point of being abnormal. At the time, she hadn't paid much attention, thinking it was just ordinary observation. But looking at it now, perhaps not.
Perhaps Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had been watching Subaru all along. In a way she couldn't understand.
[Which leg do you want to run?] she replied.
[Any is fine. Just arrange it.]
[There will be a physical fitness test later, we'll talk then.]
[Mn.]
The conversation ended.
Horikita put down her terminal and lay back on the bed. The sky outside the window had already turned dark. The entire campus was immersed in silence, with only the occasional chirping of insects reminding one of the tail end of summer.
She closed her eyes, but her mind couldn't calm down. Subaru's changes. Ayanokoji's initiative. Kikyo Kushida's silence. Arisu Sakayanagi's schemes. And the Sports Festival—that upcoming stage filled with variables.
All of these were like a tangled mess, interweaving in her mind. She needed to clear her thoughts.
First, Subaru. He had changed. This was already certain. Not a change in ability, but something more internal. He no longer kept people a thousand miles away like before, no longer responded to everything with "it doesn't matter." He agreed to participate in the relay race, he said "that reason is very real"—these were not things the old Subaru would say or do.
Why? Was it because of that silver-haired girl? Or was it because of something else? Horikita didn't know. But she knew that for the class, this change might be a good thing. At least, the current Subaru was no longer that completely unpredictable "ticking time bomb."
Secondly, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji. His sudden request to participate in the relay race was too abnormal. Given his personality, he should have been observing silently in the corner as usual, waiting for others to make arrangements. But he didn't. He took the initiative.
Why? Was it because of Subaru? Or was it because he was also changing? Horikita recalled those empty eyes of Ayanokoji. Beneath that emptiness, something seemed to be slowly awakening. She couldn't say clearly what it was, but she could feel it.
Then, Kikyo Kushida. She was too quiet. A whole summer vacation without a single move. This was too abnormal for Kushida. Given her personality, after being exposed in public like that, she wouldn't just let it go. She was waiting, brewing, looking for the most suitable opportunity. And the Sports Festival was that most suitable stage.
Many people, wandering eyes, fierce competition; in the chaos, anything could happen. If Kushida wanted to do something during the Sports Festival—Horikita gritted her teeth. She had to keep a close eye on her.
Finally, Arisu Sakayanagi. Although Horikita didn't have much contact with Sakayanagi, she had a certain understanding of her. After Kohei Katsuragi's failure, Sakayanagi had almost completely controlled Class A. That girl, exquisite as a doll, always wore a calm smile, always impenetrable.
She was as dangerous as Subaru, perhaps even more so—because Subaru's danger was exposed, while Sakayanagi's danger was hidden beneath that elegant skin. Cooperating with such a person, one had to be on guard at all times. Couldn't be too strong, couldn't be too weak; couldn't let her feel threatened, nor let her feel one was valueless. This balance point was too hard to find.
"Phew..."
Horikita let out a long breath. She opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling.
Two more days. In two days, the Sports Festival would begin. Those brewing undercurrents, those unfolding duels, those unknown variables—would all surface on that day. And she would stand on the edge of the field, watching everything happen. And do her best to make everything develop in a direction favorable to the class.
The insect chirping outside the window gradually subsided. The night deepened. Horikita finally closed her eyes, and this time, drowsiness began to slowly well up. On the edge of fading consciousness, she suddenly remembered the sentence Subaru had said.
"That reason, is more real than most people's reasons."
Real. She had always thought that in this school full of disguise and calculation, reality was the least valuable thing. But now she discovered, perhaps not. Perhaps reality was the most precious thing.
Just like the person Natsuki Subaru. Although cold, although alienated, although always impenetrable... But he was real. That was enough.
After the morning classes ended, Sae Chabashira notified the whole class to head to the gymnasium for a physical fitness test.
"The project allocation for the Sports Festival needs to reference everyone's physical data." She stood on the podium, her tone as cold as usual. "Every event must have participants. Rather than scrambling when the time comes, it's better to prepare in advance. The test results will be sent to each of your terminals; choose suitable events based on your own data."
A wave of discussion arose in the classroom.
"Physical fitness test? What are we testing?"
"Probably grip strength, long jump, sprints, those things?"
"We're done for, my athletics are the worst..."
"What are you afraid of, anyway, we have Sudo and the others to prop us up."
Subaru stood up and walked out with the crowd. Just as he exited the classroom door, a rush of footsteps came from behind.
"Subaru-kun."
It was Hiyori Shiina. She trotted to catch up, her cheeks slightly flushed from the exercise. Today she was wearing a gym uniform, her silver-white long hair tied into a ponytail, revealing the fair nape of her neck. Those thin-rimmed glasses were still perched on the bridge of her nose, making her look a bit more energetic than usual.
"Are you guys doing the fitness test too?" she asked.
"Mn."
"Us too." Hiyori curved her eyes slightly. "The whole grade is testing this afternoon. But the classes are separated; we, Class B, are in another hall."
She paused, lowering her voice. "I heard Ichinose-san attaches great importance to this test, saying she wants to formulate the most reasonable project allocation plan based on the data. Sakayanagi-san seems to have participated too, but her health isn't good, so she probably won't personally take the field."
Subaru nodded.
Honami Ichinose. That person who was always warm, always united, always believing that "if everyone works hard together, we can succeed." In the Uninhabited Island Exam, cracks had appeared in her "white." He didn't know if, after this month, those cracks had healed or deepened.
"What about you, Subaru-kun?" Hiyori asked. "What event do you want to participate in?"
"Relay race. The last leg."
Hiyori's eyes widened slightly. "The last leg? That's a lot of pressure, isn't it?"
"It's okay."
"True," she curved her eyes slightly. "If it's Subaru-kun, there will definitely be no problem."
The two walked to the stairway, and Hiyori stopped. "I'm going this way." She pointed in another direction. "Contact you after the test?"
"Mn."
"Good luck, Subaru-kun."
She waved her hand and turned to leave. Her ponytail sketched an arc in the air, quickly disappearing around the corridor corner. Subaru stood in place, looking in that direction. After a few seconds, he withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.
The next day.
The gymnasium was bustling with noise. The first-year students were gathered inside. Each class had applied to the school for temporary use of the gymnasium for the physical test. After consideration, the school administration decided to let the first-year students conduct the test together. The second-year students would come after the first years were finished.
"Alright, quiet down."
Chabashira clapped her hands. "The test items include grip strength, standing long jump, side-to-side jumps, sit-ups, seated forward bend, and the fifty-meter dash. You will organize the flow yourselves, but it must be completed within forty minutes."
After speaking, she stepped aside.
Horikita and Hirata took on the organizational task for this session.
"Let's begin. Grip strength first."
The students successively walked to queue in front of the grip strength meter. Subaru stood at the back of the line, his gaze sweeping carelessly over the surroundings.
Ken Sudo stood at the very front, eager to try. He moved his wrists, his face written full of confidence.
"Make way, make way, let me go first!" He squeezed to the grip meter and grabbed the handle. "Let me show you what true power is!"
"Sudo, take it easy, don't break the equipment," Kanji Ike heckled from the side.
"Cut the crap!"
Sudo took a deep breath and squeezed hard. The numbers on the grip meter jumped rapidly, finally stopping at a staggering figure.
"81 kilograms."
The teacher in charge of recording pushed up his glasses. "Quite good data."
"Wow! 81!"
Kanji Ike exclaimed in surprise, "Sudo, you're too fierce!"
"Haha, what is this!" Sudo lifted his chin proudly. "I haven't even used my full strength yet!"
The surrounding boys let out sounds of admiration. A few girls also cast surprised glances.
"Next."
Students went up to test one by one. Most people's data hovered between 40 and 50, with occasionally a few reaching 60, which was already a quite good result.
"Next, Natsuki Subaru."
Subaru walked forward.
Sudo stood aside, arms crossed, looking at him with a face full of anticipation. Ken Sudo felt somewhat curious about Subaru's grip strength, and a little bit of competitiveness rose in his heart. He was definitely inferior to Subaru in every other aspect. Even someone with a personality as explosive as Ken Sudo harbored a trace of fear toward Subaru in his heart.
Subaru didn't respond. He reached out and held the handle of the grip meter. His movements were very light, very casual, as if he were just completing an insignificant task.
However, in Subaru's heart, he imagined the grip strength device as something else. For example... someone's neck.
Then—
Force.
The numbers on the grip meter began to jump.
40.
50.
60.
70.
80.
Still jumping.
The expression on Sudo's face gradually became serious. This guy... what is with this strength?
85. 90. 95.
100.
The number stopped at 102.
The gymnasium went quiet for an instant.
"How much?"
Kanji Ike craned his neck to see the number clearly. "102? Did I see that right? 102?!"
"You're kidding, right?" another boy leaned in. "Is this grip meter broken?"
The teacher in charge of recording also froze for a moment, looked down to check the instrument, then looked up, gazing at Subaru with somewhat complex eyes.
"The instrument is fine. 102 kilograms."
Now, even Sudo was stunned. He opened his mouth wide, looked at the grip meter, then at Subaru, then at the grip meter again, then at Subaru again.
"You... are you even human?"
Subaru released the handle and turned to leave.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
Sudo grabbed his shoulder. "How did you do that? You don't look that buff. Where does this strength come from?"
Subaru turned his head sideways and glanced at him. That glance was very plain, without any emotion. But Sudo inexplicably felt a chill on his back and subconsciously let go of his hand.
"...Practice."
Subaru left these two words behind and walked toward the next test item.
He had exercised with his father since childhood, so his grip strength was amazing. Subaru's grip strength could even crush the wrists of the Tonchinkan trio back then. What's more...
Subaru had already crushed one throat after another.
Sudo stood in place, scratching his head. "Practice? What kind of practice can produce a grip strength of 102?"
Kanji Ike leaned over and lowered his voice. "Don't forget, that time on the uninhabited island... he seemed to have taken down Ryuen's group all by himself."
Although the then-Class C—now Class D—claimed they injured themselves, everyone knew clearly that Subaru had definitely done something.
Sudo was silent for a few seconds. Then, he suddenly grinned. "Fine, anyway, he's in our class."
He clapped his hands. "With such a monster here, the Sports Festival is in the bag!"
The surrounding boys nodded one after another, but their eyes all held a trace of awe.
Only Suzune Horikita stood not far away, quietly watching all of this. Her gaze landed on Subaru's retreating figure.
____
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