My Childhood Friend Is Dangerously Sexy and Cute - 22

Chapter 22: Apparently, a Sports Festival Is Coming Up

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Several days had passed since Golden Week ended. Our high school was about to get noisy for a while. That was because we were entering the preparation period for the sports festival scheduled in a few weeks. During that time, students practiced together as one, both during lunch breaks and after school.

I felt like I had heard that they held it at this time so even the third-years could enjoy it before entering exam season. I wasn’t sure if that was actually true, though. Anyway, the end of Golden Week marked the beginning of that period.

“Sports festival, huh…”

“Hiro-san isn’t very enthusiastic about it every year, are you?”

“I’m not really good at sports, after all.”

On top of that, as someone who went straight home after school, I was always lacking exercise no matter where or when. A sports festival was basically a stage for the athletic club members to shine. Someone like me, who couldn’t do sports and didn’t have friends, could only do my best to stay out of the way in a corner.

By the way, Yuki was good at sports. You could even say she was better than most athletic club members. Just having Yuki on a team during the sports festival would probably make people happy. The stat difference between me and my childhood friend was insane.

“I think it’ll be fun as long as I’m with you, Hiro-san.”

“You can say that after we end up on the same team.”

“I’m sure we will. We are even in the same class.”

Yuki replied with full confidence, wearing a smug grin. That felt like a flag, honestly. But then again, there were only two teams in the sports festival: the Red Team and the White Team. Compared to classes, the chances of ending up together were much higher.

While I was thinking that, a cheerful brown-haired girl came over.

“Gooood morning! Fujisaki-san! Asama-kun!”

“Morning.”

“Good morning, Hoshino-san.”

After Golden Week, Kaho Hoshino had completely returned to her usual self. If anything, she seemed even more energetic than before.

“You’re pretty hyped this morning.”

“Of course! They’re putting up the team assignments for the sports festival soon!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Oh, look, here they come!”

As Hoshino said that, what looked like members of the organizing committee posted a sheet of paper on the blackboard.

“I’m gonna go check!”

Hoshino got swept up in the crowd of classmates gathering around the board. Neither Yuki nor I had the courage to jump into that, so we waited quietly. After a while, Hoshino came back, looking excited.

“I saw it!”

“How was it?”

“Umm, so—Asama-kun and I are on the White Team! And Fujisaki-san is on the Red Team!”

Ah…

“Fujisaki-san’s the only one in a different team. That’s too bad.”

“Separated…? Just me… on the Red Team… Different from Hiro-san…”

This was bad. Yuki’s mental state was starting to look seriously concerning.

“Y-Yuki-san?”

That’s what you get for making that smug face… 

Or rather, maybe you used up all your luck just getting into the same class as me.

“I’m skipping the sports festival. There’s no point in participating if I’m not with Hiro-san.”

“Eh!? Fujisaki-san!?”

“Hey, Yuki, that’s a bit much…”

Skipping a school event like that would definitely worry her family. And besides, her dad practically risked his life taking photos of his daughter! No, seriously. And the biggest problem was the drop in team strength if Yuki didn’t participate. There were individual events in the sports festival too. If someone as athletic as Yuki didn’t compete, it would be a huge loss. Some people might even resent her for not participating. I didn’t want that to happen.

“Yuki-sama! I’m also on the Red Team! Let’s do our best together!”

“Ugh…”

“Such a disgusted face!?”

Yuki’s eyes died even more. Her expression died too. Why did you have to show up at the worst possible timing, Isogai… There was no one here who’d be happy to have you on the same team as them.

“Yuki. Yuki-san. Then let’s do this.”

“Hiro-san?”

“A competition.”

“A competition?”

“Yeah. The person on the winning team in the sports festival gets to make the loser grant them one request. Anything.”

“Anything…”

Good. She took the bait.

“What do you think?”

“I’ll do it.”

“Sounds fun! Can I join too?”

“Of course.”

“Yuki-sama! We, your guard squad, will definitely lead you to victory!”

“Please don’t do anything unnecessary.”

“So harsh!?”

“And also, Hiro-san.”

“Yeah?”

“If I win, be prepared for my request.”

Yuki smiled, looking genuinely happy.

Eh… What was she going to make me do…? Did I mess up…? This was scary… I shouldn’t have said “anything” so carelessly. Now I couldn’t afford to lose.

“H-Hoshino? Are you confident in your athletic ability…?”

“Hm? Yeah! I am! I’m not in a sports club, but I won’t lose to other girls that easily!”

“I won’t lose to Fujisaki-san either!” she added, pumping herself up.

“Alright, Hoshino. I’m counting on you. My victory depends on you.”

“Why!? Asama-kun, you should do your best too!”

“I’m the second. The coach. The supporter.”

Sorry, but I was powerless in a sports festival… So I had no choice but to rely on someone else. If Hoshino could beat Yuki in one of the second-year girls’ events, that would contribute to our victory. Wait. Under these conditions, wasn’t this basically leaving everything up to luck and other people?

“Well, anyway, let’s do our best together as fellow White Team members!”

“Yeah!”

I raised my right hand high, matching Hoshino’s energy. Maybe I should try a little too. I didn’t want to lose to Isogai and his guard squad. Let’s show what a going-home club member could really do.

Looking over at the Red Team side, Yuki was writing something at high speed and handing it to Isogai.

“Red Team piggies, please train your bodies with this menu starting today until the sports festival.”

“Understood!—Wait, 1000 push-ups, sit-ups, and squats each!? That’s impossible, Yuki-sama!!”

“Do it. Also, White Team piggies, please do your utmost to stir internal conflict and carry out sabotage operations.”

“Th-That might damage our reputation a bit too much…”

Yuki was way too serious about this… Maybe I should start training too. Not 1000 reps, though. That was impossible. Still, I didn’t want to lose to the guard squad.

And so, the curtain rose on the sports festival preparation period. A second-year high school student, the protagonist of the world. Was this what you called youth? However, it also meant that with me and Yuki on different teams, the time the two of us spent together would start to decrease…

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