Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093083511177921/episodes/16818093085130406858
Then the afternoon session started and it was time for our scavenger hunt.
Apparently, according to the story, there were a few special items to borrow from the usual ones, and a number of the people who started before me were unable to bring their items and had to restart the race.
When I was looking at such a scene as if it were someone else’s problem, the teacher said, ‘Yes, the next person!’ The teacher instructed us to come to the starting line, so we didn’t pursue it too deeply.
‘“Hikaru, let’s do our best for each other.”
I responded in a different way to Ryuki, who was in the starting position with me next to me, ‘Ou’’, and regulated my breathing.
“Take your position.”
The teacher raises the pistol to the sky.
My heart beats faster with tension.
“Ready—”
Each movement seems to be in slow motion, giving the illusion of an athlete entering the zone, but this is undeniably due to extreme tension.
–Pang!
The pistol trigger is pulled and the runners start in unison with a dry clang.
In this school scavenger hunt, a table is set up halfway round the track, where envelopes are placed for the runners.
The envelopes contain a piece of paper with a subject to borrow, so the runners take the paper and dive under the tape to the finish line, which is a typical scavenger hunt.
Some of my rivals run at breakneck speed, while others go lightly.
The boy in the red group running at breakneck speed is probably a baseball player.
In contrast, running in the same position as me is Ryuki.
Thankfully, there are extreme athletes, so I don’t stand out and come to the table aiming for the middle of the field.
When I arrive at the table, two envelopes have already been taken, and I take an envelope at random from the remaining four.
“–Phew. ……. —Okay!”
The moment I pick up the envelope, I cut the seal with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
On the paper I took out from inside, I saw a subject written in crumpled letters.
“Someone you’ve had your picture taken with’”
For a moment, my thoughts stopped.
What is this subject?
In a normal scavenger hunt, there should be a lot of things like ‘hats’ or ‘glasses’, but at least it should be someone more obvious, like a teacher.
“Someone who has taken pictures before…”
I quickly search through my past memories in my head.
Is there anyone here who has ever taken a photograph?
Is there anyone like that at this school right now, as I’m in the shadows?
Ryuki immediately comes to mind and I turn to look at him, but he is already running towards the goal with others.
Haha, he’s got a big face, doesn’t he?
Sakune-chan told to keep it a secret that she’s coming, so if I take her there, she’ll find out.
“Someone……”
She was running earlier, wasn’t she?
She had already finished the borrowing competition and headed to the place where the finishers gathered.
And from among them, I spotted Hina.
A man is talking and next to him, Hina looks like she is talking about something with her head down.
I can’t hear what they are talking about, but I don’t care about that, I just step in between the two
“Hina.”
I can’t control my voice as I call out to her and my voice goes up and down.
The boy and Hina notice my voice, but without a moment’s pause, I squeeze Hina’s left hand.
“I’m gonna borrow you”
“–Eh ……. Eh ……?’”
I pulled Hina’s hand and ran off without saying a word.
I can feel her surprise and confusion through my hand, but I don’t have time to worry about that right now.
“Eh, Hikaru, what is…”
“I’ll explain later.”
Interrupting her attempt to say something, I speed up even more.
The distance to the goal is not so great, but this feels surprisingly long.
I can see all eyes around us.
They must be wondering what’s going on, but all I can think about is reaching the finish line with Hina.
While we were running, Hina’s hand held mine tightly.
I’m a little sweaty, but for some reason that felt strangely comforting.
‘”Almost there, keep going!”
I said to her, out of breath.
Hina nodded silently and followed me.
Soon the finish line came into view and we cut the tape with great vigour, and at that moment, cheers erupted.
“Goal, congratulations on your second place!”
The teacher calls out to us with a smile.
I immediately let go of Hina’s hand and took a deep breath.
My heart is still pounding in my chest, but maybe that’s not just because of the exercise.
“Hikaru… what does this mean?”
Hina looks up at me in confusion.
“Oh, sorry. The subject was ‘people I’ve taken photos with’, but there was only Hina. People I’ve taken pictures with.”
“Eh, I see….”
Hina looks a little surprised, I smile a little awkwardly and scratch my head.
“I see… I’m glad I was helpful. But I was surprised when you suddenly pulled my hand away.”
“I’m sorry, but thank you so much.”
Saying that, I thanked her once more.
Hina smiled shyly and said nothing more.
But I could see that her cheeks had turned a little red.
We stood there in silence for a while, and then Hina said, as if in a whisper.
‘…… I misunderstood you on the way here, I look like an idiot”
“Eh?”
“It’s nothing! So it was not a ‘like’ subject!”
When I asked her back because I couldn’t hear her over the cheers of the people around me, she said, puffed up like that.
“I’ll tell you later”
“…..T-thanks.”
When I replied that, Hina’s face turned bright red and she answered that.
The scavenger hunt came to an end in that way.
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