The Handsome Boy I Saved from Getting Beaten on the Train… Turned Out to Be the “Prince” of an All-Girls School - V1 Chapter 27: Are You Two in Grade School or What?

Chapter 27: Are You Two in Grade School or What?

“So anyway, this weekend, the Wimpy Prince and I are going to settle things with a showdown.”

“…Wait, what do you mean so anyway?”

The morning after I saw off Eiji and the rest of my hometown friends,

I found myself—yet again—walking to school with Rei on one side and Rinna on the other.

Right after the bare minimum greeting,

Rinna suddenly dropped that out-of-nowhere challenge announcement.

“I’ll spare you the details, but basically, Rinna-chan and I need to settle who’s the more attractive woman, Saito. This is a battle of pride. A serious one. So Saito—this weekend, you’re coming with us to the athletic field.”

“Wait, hold on. Literally none of that made sense from beginning to end!”

“It’s okay. I’m totally going to win. Just watch me, Saito.”

No, don’t just say you’re going to win like that!

A battle of pride…

Between girls?

And why an athletic field of all places!?

None of this made any sense.

“Yesterday, after Saito ditched us both, the Wimpy Prince and I got into a bit of a fight. So yeah, we decided to settle it. Fair and square—with an athletic showdown.”

“Are you guys in elementary school or what?”

An athletic field—

Isn’t that basically just a park with jungle gyms and weird obstacle stuff?

So what…

They’re going to see who can stand the longest on top of the jungle gym without using their hands?

Or maybe who can launch themselves the farthest off the swings?

(And hey—kids reading this: don’t try that at home.)

“You’re too naive, Saito. If we picked something like ball sports, the outcome would depend on prior experience—and that wouldn’t be fair. But with an athletic field challenge, we can measure pure physical ability. After much deliberation, this is the conclusion we came to—me, being obviously superior, and even the Wimpy Prince over here, who—rotten as she may be—still passed the elite Eio Girls Middle School entrance exam.”

“Thanks for the breakdown, Rinna… Wait, why are you so into this too?”

“I never back down from a challenge. That’s just how I’m wired. So yeah, you’re coming too, Saito. As the judge.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Well, it still sounded better than getting dragged into some messy, jealousy-fueled “just the two of us” date drama.

So I agreed to tag along this weekend without putting up a fight.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Didn’t think a place like this existed so close to the city.”

It was a bright, clear Saturday.

Wearing a long-sleeve T-shirt, leggings, and shorts, I looked up through the fresh green trees and admired the wide blue sky.

We were at an outdoor athletic field—a forest park filled with rope bridges, climbing nets, and all kinds of wooden obstacle courses.

“Thanks for waiting, Saito.”

“Sorry! The girls’ changing room was super crowded.”

Just as I turned around, the girls had finished changing.

“Rei… you’re not in that gym uniform from last time? You actually dressed for serious movement today, huh.”

Today, Rei wasn’t wearing that revealing gym outfit from last time—the one with the belly-baring tank top and skin-tight yoga pants.

Instead, she was dressed more like me:

A simple T-shirt up top, leggings under a running skirt, and a pair of jogger sneakers.

A proper, sporty look.

“Obviously. This is a serious match between me and Rinna-chan. I can’t exactly be sprinting around in something that pervy-looking.”

She said that with a sharp glint in her eyes, peeking out from under her cap.

She looked like a full-on athlete about to enter a competition.

Come to think of it… didn’t she mention she used to do figure skating?

Maybe that’s why she gets so fired up about stuff like this.

…Wait.

So that outfit from last time—was on purpose!?

“Saito, you were picturing that outfit just now, weren’t you?”

“Wh—!?”

Rei suddenly called me out, and I panicked.

“You said workouts are sacred, that you don’t get distracted by stuff like that… But deep down, you were checking me out, weren’t you?”

“N-No, that’s… I mean…”

Grinning from ear to ear,

Rei had clearly caught me recalling her outfit from that day.

And yeah… I was totally thinking about it. Guilty as charged.

“Then I’ll wear it again sometime—just for you, Saito.”

“What kind of training were you two even doing that day…?”

Standing next to an obviously pleased Rei,

Rinna gave me the coldest, most judgmental side-eye I’d felt in a while.

Don’t look at me like that, Rinna.

“Oh, right—the staff mentioned that during athletics, you can hurt your hands if you grab the ropes barehanded. So it’s better to wear gloves. I picked some up while I was waiting. Here, for you two.”

To dodge the emotional bullets flying my way,

I shamelessly changed the subject and handed over the work gloves I’d bought earlier.

“Thanks, Saito! A gift from you makes me sooo happy~♪”

“O-Oh…”

Rei looked way too thrilled about it.

Seriously—it was just a basic pair of 200-yen gloves.

“Here, Saito—money.”

“You don’t have to, Rinna. It’s just gloves.”

“I’ve been saving by packing lunch, so let me handle little things like this. No need for you to act cool about it. Take it.”

“O-Okay…”

Before I could even argue,

Rinna pressed the coins into my hand.

Man… these two really are total opposites.

“Uuuh… M-Maybe I should pay for mine too… But still…”

Rei clutched the gloves to her chest like they were some kind of priceless treasure,

Her eyes darting between me and the gloves, clearly conflicted.

“What’s wrong, Rei?”

“I mean… Rinna-chan paid, and if I don’t, it feels unfair… But… this is the first gift I’ve ever gotten from you, Saito…”

“Then how about this—after we’re done with the course, you treat me to a juice or something.”

“Really!? T-Then I’ll happily keep these gloves!”

“Yeah, that works.”

Smiling like that over a pair of work gloves…

Is she really the “Prince”? Or just a regular high school girl at this point?

Well…

As long as she’s happy, I guess it doesn’t matter.

“Hehe. With these gloves—Saito’s gift—I’ve got the strength of a hundred people. Sorry, Rinna-chan, but victory’s already mine.”

Sliding the gloves on with an exaggerated pose,

Rei struck a confident look as she made her declaration.

Apparently, even putting on work gloves could look cool when a “Prince” did it.

“You’re seriously that happy over gloves? Whatever. Doesn’t matter—I’m not losing either way.”

Honestly, I couldn’t blame Rinna for her deadpan reaction.

I kind of felt the same.

“Alright, we’re all warmed up. Let’s get started. Ready… go!”

And just like that,

The battle between Rei and Rinna officially began.

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