Chapter 13 – The Sports Festival Begins!!

Since becoming second-years, the months flew by. Here we were, already in June.

Feeling the rapid passage of time, I found myself looking forward to the major event happening this month.

“Ren… it’s almost that season, isn’t it…?”

“Yeah… finally…”

The youth event that all students eagerly anticipate…

It was…

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“The sports festival is next week!!”

Hikari and I both loved moving our bodies. We were also in the same class last year and fought together then. Our enthusiasm for the sports festival ran deeper than most.

“I’m so excited! I’ll be doing the commentary again, so count on me!”

“Make sure it’s good commentary.”

“Hmph… leave it to me…!”

I lowered my IQ while conversing with Hikari. Being with this idiot meant I didn’t have to think, which was nice.

“Ren-san, what are you two doing…?”

“…Suzu-san, aren’t you excited about it?”

“Well, yes…”

She tilted her head, her hand resting gently against her cheek. Every movement she made was like a painting.

“…I am looking forward to it.”

“Then why does it sound like a question?”

“I am not particularly fond of athletics… However, creating another memory with Ren-san is… preferable.”

Her expression shifted completely as she gazed at me.

I was caught off guard, unsure how to respond, when Hikari suddenly pounced.

“Beep-beep! I’m the impropriety police! I detected scandalous behavior, so I’m making an arrest!”

“Hikari-san… you’re being loud.”

“Eek…!”

Her face was twisted into a smile, but her voice carried a sharp, quiet edge that cut like a blade. As expected, Hikari couldn’t stand up to Suzu-san.

“Well, anyway… let’s do our best at the sports festival!”

“Yeah!”

“Let us do our best.”

And so we each began our preparations.

Or so I thought, but then Suzu-san turned back with one more thing to say.

“Oh, Ren-san. I’ll be bringing lunch, so I’ll appreciate your support.”

“We’re so grat—” squeaks “Suzu, can you make mine too…? Please?”

My thanks were immediately drowned out by Hikari…

“…Sigh… why do I have to make yours too…? Please stop looking at me with those abandoned puppy eyes…”

“Whimper…”

…Did she just make an actual sound? This wasn’t a metaphor anymore—the beastkin inside her was definitely showing.

“…Honestly… that’s not ‘whimper.’ Sigh… I suppose I have no choice. I’ll prepare something.”

“Yes! I love you, Suzu!”

“Stop that—don’t cling to me! Ren-san, help me…!”

She looked toward me, calling for rescue.

The two of them remained locked in their usual banter for a while after that.

Eventually, Suzu-san got genuinely angry, and Hikari backed off. But she didn’t really look unhappy about it… These two actually got along pretty well, didn’t they?

Either way, Suzu-san’s cooking… that meant I had one more thing to look forward to on the day itself.

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I arrived home, ate dinner, and took a bath.

Just as the day was coming to an end, my phone vibrated.

I checked it. It was a call from Iroha.

“Hello… are you free right now?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Great… so, about the sports festival…”

She broached the topic and then asked if we could eat lunch together, and that she wanted to make a bento box for me.

“If it’s okay to eat lunch with friends… the bento…”

Suzu-san had already said she’d make one for me, so I wouldn’t need that much food anyway.

As I hesitated over what to say, I heard her voice tremble as though she’d read my mind.

“…Is my cooking… not good enough…?”

“No, I want to eat it.”

I answered immediately, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

“I’m so glad… if Ren didn’t eat it, I’d lose one of the things I was looking forward to most that day.”

Through the phone, I could picture her smiling brightly.

She confirmed again that it would be fine if my friends were there too.

So it was settled: the four of us would eat lunch together, and I’d be eating two bento boxes.

“Wait… can Iroha even cook…?”

A faint unease settled in my chest as the night deepened.

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The weather on the day was crystal clear, with celebratory fireworks echoing in the distance. It was the perfect day for a sports festival.

“Heyyy, everyone! Are you pumped up?!”

“Yeeaahhh!!”

With Iroha serving as the MC, the sports festival had begun.

The energy was like that of a live concert venue.

“…This is a sports festival, correct…?”

“Woohoo!!”

“Ren-san…?”

Ahem—excuse me. I got caught up in the excitement too.

“This is the sports festival we’ve been waiting for… let’s have fun!”

For some reason, that led into Hikari’s talk show.

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After a while…

“Announcer Committee Chair… it’s almost time…”

“…Alright everybody! Since time’s up, I’ll wrap up the talk for now. So, next up—Mixed-gender Three-Legged Race! Athletes, please get ready!”

The three-legged race featuring Suzu-san and me was beginning.

We headed to the arena to prepare.

Man, Hikari really is something. Speaking so confidently in front of such a huge crowd… I genuinely respect her.

Though I’d never tell her that to her face.

“You are very free-spirited…”

“It was like that last year too.”

“I see…”

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We arrived at the arena and bound our legs together.

The elegant fragrance of Suzu-san’s body enveloped me… the proximity made my heart race…

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

Either she sensed my nervous state or chose to ignore it, because she pressed her body closer to mine. The softness of her against me was… difficult.

“Now, take your positions… ah, no cheating, everyone! Here we go… on your mark… ready… set!”

The signal came as a gunshot, except Hikari delivered it with her voice instead. She really was free-spirited.

And thus the sports festival began, with all grades, all classes, cheering at full volume.

The runners kicked up sand as they sprinted, and our turn crept steadily closer…!