Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5612jg/65/
The 56th Koushin High School Sports Festival is now in session.
With the sun shining so brightly that one could get a black tan just by being under the sky, the sports festival opened with a declaration by a senior of the broadcasting club.
After the march and the pledge of the sports committee chairperson, we students leave the hall once.
The third-year students sit in the front opposite the tent where the committee members sit, the first-year students on the left side of the tent, and the second-year students on the opposite side of the tent.
The temperature was so high that it was tiring just to march, and I relaxed as soon as I sat down.
“Mitsui, please have a glass of water.”
“……..Thanks.”
Fuyusaki is distributing water to everyone in the class and promoting measures against heat stroke.
You wouldn’t dream of me having a weird duel behind this.
I take a sip of water and check the schedule.
The only event I’m in that is in the morning session is the obstacle run, which is the first race I’ll be competing in with Tokumatsu.
“Obstacle is next. Ken, don’t lose !”
Rikuto comes up from the side and gives me a warning.
“It’ll be your turn soon. We have to go to the entrance gate now.”
The students who will compete in the first event, the 100-meter run of the second grade, have already started to enter the gate.
Once the rest of the second graders had finished the 100-meter run, the obstacle would begin.
“Your victory will lead the first team to victory !”
“Don’t put pressure on me !”
Rikuto cheered me on. I head towards the entrance gate while receiving the reception.
When I arrived, there were already a few people waiting for me, and among them I spotted Ayaka.
“Ayaka, you’re doing an obstacle run?”
“Well, yes, I’m on the track team.”
When I talk to her, she seems to be concentrating and her voice comes back a few steps lower than usual.
“Obstacles are a bit tricky and usually difficult.”
As Ayaka says, other grades and classes also tend to elect the track and field team.
I saw a guy who was also a member of Ayaka’s bodyguard in the first year boys.
“Am I possibly in trouble?”
“Beats me. Well, you just have to do your best not to be a doofus.”
I can’t lose concentration any further, so I move a little further away and do some warm-up exercises.
After going through the whole process, I found a familiar back curled up in the corner.
“Are you nervous? Kase.”
Kase, who is in the same class as me and will be competing in the obstacle, was incessantly repeating the action of writing human characters on the palm of her hand and swallowing them.
There were no female track members in my class, and Kase had to leave after losing a rock-paper-scissors-scissors contest.
In other words, it was an abandoned competition.
“……Mitsui, you’re so good, you’re so athletic.”
“I don’t like it either. My opponent is a member of the track and field team.”
“You don’t look like you’re in a panic……”
“It’s no use being in a panic now.”
I’ve done enough training.
The other day, I was in the middle of a conversation with a friend of mine who was a teacher.
As we talked like that, a large shadow fell over me and Kase.
When I turned around, I saw Tokumatsu standing there with his arms crossed as usual.
He was a first-year student, but he looked one size bigger than the upperclassmen around him.
“I’ll give you credit for not running away. But obstacles are the sole domain of the track team.”
With that, Tokumatsu moved away from me.
“What’s with that guy? He’s so huge !”
“Well, I’ve got a lot going on.”
Meanwhile, the obstacle runners begin to enter.
We line up in a single file and run to the center of the field.
Even though it is a sports festival, the rules are firm, and the obstacle run is 80 meters for the girls and 110 meters for the boys, just like in track and field events.
The order is 2nd year, 1st year, and 3rd year, with the broadcast team announcing that the 2nd year girls will line up at the starting point first.
When the girls finished, the boys started in the same order.
The second-year girls finished in a flash, and someone who looked like a member of the sports team with good style came in first.
Then it was the first-year students’ turn.
Kase is more nervous than before and her face is pale.
As expected, I can’t bear to watch, so I gently pat Kase on the back.
“Eek ! W-what !?”
Kase screamed in surprise.
“Don’t be so nervous, it’s okay. It’s just a sports festival, right?”
“B-bu ! Everyone in the class has been practicing hard……”
“There’s no need to worry about that…”
Kase is serious, so she’s overthinking it.
I wondered for a few seconds what was going on, and then it dawned on me.
“Rukuto also said that it’s more about having fun than winning or losing.”
“R-really !”
I thought I could just mention Rikuto’s name at random, but she reacted more than I expected.
“Y-yeah ! For real !”
“I see, Tominaga kun said that……ehehe.”
He didn’t really say that, but it would have been nice if Kase had gotten better.
As I was feeling relieved, I felt a strange gaze and when I looked ahead, Ayaka was glaring at me.
“What’s with her?”
“1st year, class 1 ! Please get ready !”
“Ah ! Y-yes ! I’m coming !”
Kase stands at the starting line a little late because of talking to me.
The gym teacher sounded the pistol and they all started off at once.
Ayaka was the leader from the beginning, and she reached the goal without any difficulty.
Kase was disappointed with the result, in 2nd, but she seemed to have enjoyed the obstacle run and had a cheerful expression on her face.
“As expected.”
I praised Ayaka, who came back with a flag that read [1st place].
“Nothing. This is normal.”
“What are you mad about?”
“Huh? I’m not mad at you. Do you wanna die?”
I was silenced by the first straight cursing in a long time.
The competition went on, and finally it was my turn.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Tokumatsu and I were to start side by side.
I thought he was going to say something, but Tokumatsu was concentrating too much and didn’t even look at me.
I gave him a little tap on the cheek to get him fired up.
Since the day Makoto told me at the café, I have been thinking about it.
And I came to a conclusion.
(I honestly don’t know about Fuyusaki right now. But–)
I glanced at Tokumatsu and exclaimed in my mind.
(This guy pisses me off physiologically ! That’s why I’m going to win !)
“Now, get into position !”
After the teacher’s call, I sit back down and take my starting position.
I feel a tremendous heat coming from the side.
“Okay [Bang !]”
I started almost simultaneously with the sound of the pistol.
I thought it was a perfect start.
But as I crossed the first obstacle, I saw a large shoulder diagonally in front of me on my right.
They kept the gap and I finished in second place.
First place, of course, went to Tokumatsu.
“That’s amazing ! That’s the fastest time ever !”
Apparently, Tokumatsu had broken the Koushin High School sports record.
I received a flag with “2nd place” written on it and got in line at the finish line.
Tokumatsu, who was sitting in front of me, turned to me and said with a grin.
“Well, this is about as good as it gets.”
With that, Tokumatsu turned to face forward.
(Bastard…)
He said something that pissed me off, but to be honest, I was completely defeated.
Both his running ability and technique were a few notches above mine.
I was overconfident that even though I was in the track and field team, I could at least bite the bullet.
I was so far ahead that I could see Tokumatsu’s back as he crossed the finish line.
(This guy is more than just a mouthful ! I might be in trouble if I don’t focus a bit……)
Our duel began with my defeat.
I didn’t realize at the time that I had developed a different emotion than just being pissed off.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !