A Case in Which My House Is a Gathering Place for Girls

“Haa… haa, haa… I was so close.”

I look up to the sky and reflect on my own lack of skill. I still ended up like this even though this path was much easier to run on than the unpaved mountain trails. If my grandfather had seen me, I would have been scolded.

“Well, I managed to win the race, so I’ll count that as a victory.”

“Good job, Jinpei-kun.”

Kanna came to me with a gentle smile with words of appreciation, as I was catching my breath and feeling pleased about beating Wada.

“That was so close! I was really on edge while thinking you might actually break the record”

“Guess the national record isn’t just for show. As you can see, I’m tired. A real hero would deliver results in moments like these, but I guess I’m not cut out for that.”

“No, that’s not true! I think Jinpei-kun is already someone’s hero!”

That kind of support was both heartening and a little bittersweet. But why was Kanna’s face slightly flushed as she said it?

“Thank you, Kanna. I’m glad you said that even if you’re just saying that to be nice.”

“It’s not just saying it! Jinpei-kun has always been my─”

“Those who have finished measuring should move to the gym as soon as possible! Physical fitness testing isn’t over yet!”

Misuta-sensei’s voice echoed across the field before Kanna could finish her sentence. Honestly, I was three steps away from being completely spent and wanted to either head back to the classroom or lie down here in a starfish position. Of course, if I did, I’d probably get kicked, so I restrained myself.

“Haa… I guess we have no choice. Jinpei-kun, shall we head to the gym?”

“Shall we? By the way, I can’t see Sasazuki-san around. Where did she go?”

“Sasazuki-san has already gone to the gym where the vending machine is located and she said she wants to drink juice as soon as Jinpei-kun starts running.”

Kanna let out a small laugh as she started walking. Sasazuki was a peculiar one, like a free-spirited cat you couldn’t quite pin down. Not that I disliked her, though.

“…Huh?”

As we chatted casually and walked along, I noticed Asakura standing at the edge of the field. She had claimed it wasn’t her forte, but she still comfortably finished as the top girl. Her skill was impressive. However, after finishing her run, she seemed to be paying close attention to her leg.

“…Jinpei-kun really got some nerve looking away during our conversation. Are you that curious about Asakura-san?”

“No, I just thought something seemed off about her. There’s nothing shady going on in my head, alright?”

“Then focus on our conversation! Or I’ll get upset! Do you want that?”

Kanna’s scolding forced me to stop thinking. I don’t know what my childhood friend will do if she gets upset.

“Let’s head to the gym! I expect to see you standing tall and proud in the second half!”

“…Give me a break.”

I silently screamed in my mind that my body was wrecked. I followed Kanna toward the gym. Just before leaving, I tried to glance at Asakura one more time, but she was already gone.

＊＊＊＊＊

The long morning classes finally came to an end after completing the remaining fitness tests in the gym without any issues.

“Ugh… I lost to Itsuki in everything…”

Wada trudged out of the gym, shoulders slumped in defeat. As I debated whether I should say something to him, Kanna whispered to me.

“I think it’s better to leave it alone because words of kindness to the loser can be taken as an insult for the other person.”

So I watched Wada’s despondent figure fade into the distance without saying a word. He’d probably use this as motivation to improve. Or maybe not. Who knows.

“Shall we go back too? If we dawdle, we’ll lose our lunch break.”

Classmates gradually filed out of the gym and were grumbling about being exhausted or planning to nap during the afternoon classes. Just as Kanna said, if we didn’t join the flow and quickly return to the classroom, we’d end up sitting through the rest of the lessons on an empty stomach.

Sasazuki had already disappeared as soon as she finished her tests, without even waiting for the dismissal order. She was nowhere to be found.

As much as I wanted to head back with Kanna, there was something that kept nagging at me.

It was about Asakura Nao and the condition of her leg. During the horizontal jumps, it didn’t look like she was slacking off, but it felt like she was hesitating to go all out. If it was just my imagination, then great. But if she was actually injured and hiding it from others, that would be a serious problem.

“…I’m sorry, Kanna. You should go back first. I just remembered something I need to do!”

“Where are you going, Jinpei-kun!?”

I ignored Kanna’s bewildered voice and looked for Asakura. She had already left the gym, but I caught a glimpse of her walking toward the athletic field in the opposite direction of the classroom. If I had to guess her destination, the most likely place would be—

“…Found her!”

“What, Itsuki?”

I managed to catch up to Asakura faster than expected, thanks to sprinting. Beyond here was the track and field club’s equipment room. If she was looking for a quiet place away from the bustling lunch crowd, options like the equipment room, the gym storage, or the chemistry prep room were typical choices.

“What’s wrong with you? What do you want from me?”

“I don’t mean to ask you anything, but I have one question. Asakura, are you injured in your leg?”