On the rubber track, Ichinose's delicate body was half-squatting, a red belt binding their legs together. He stood up and leaned against Hikigaya for support.
"Alright. The game is about to start. Hikigaya, hurry up and put your arm around my shoulders."
Looking at the prepared opponents around them, Ichinose urged with a cheerful smile.
"Oh."
The corners of Hikigaya's mouth twitched into a faint smile. He stretched out his right hand and naturally placed it on Ichinose's shoulder. After all the training they had gone through, he had grown used to the skin-to-skin contact with Ichinose.
A woman! It's not such a big deal once you get used to it. Besides, this was for the competition—nothing more. No room for misunderstanding.
It was only autumn, but the weather still felt a bit hot. Yet, Ichinose's body was cool and comfortable. The soft sensation under his palm, the faint fragrance from Ichinose's body, and the attention from the audience were all too overwhelming.
Hikigaya's face turned red.
No, no. It's still too embarrassing. The audience's laser-like gazes were killing him.
"Hikigaya, you're so gentle. It's an official competition, you know. You don't have to be so careful. You can press down harder."
Ichinose looked straight ahead and spoke softly. Hikigaya's hand only rested on her shoulder, like he wanted to pull away at any moment.
"It's unnecessary. It's just a competition, and this is enough."
Hikigaya refocused, just as Tubashi Sae held up the flare gun, covered her ear, and pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
As the gunshot echoed, Hikigaya and Ichinose moved simultaneously, raising their legs and running forward. Hikigaya carefully kept up with Ichinose's pace, ensuring their steps remained synchronized.
Although they were two people running with three legs, it felt like they were moving as one. Their speed was almost the same as if they were running solo.
Soon, the competitors around them were left far behind, and they crossed the finish line with an overwhelming lead.
"Phew… We did it, Hikigaya-kun! We're the champions!"
Ichinose beamed with joy, her chest heaving slightly from the effort as she raised her hands for a celebratory high-five.
"Oh…"
Hikigaya awkwardly withdrew his hand from her shoulder, turning his gaze away as he sheepishly tapped her palm.
"Hehe."
Ichinose smiled with satisfaction, squatting down to untie the belt binding their legs.
"The gap between the white and red groups is pretty big this time. Winning overall might be hard, but as first graders, there's still hope."
Thanks to internal conflicts in Class A, Ryuuen's scheming, and the unity of Class B, the white group held a significant advantage in the first-year division. However, in the senior years, Class B and Class C were utterly dominated by Commander Horikita Manabu and Huko Nan Yunya, making victory nearly impossible.
"So, Hikigaya-kun, will you come to the next sports festival?"
Ichinose asked with a bright smile after untying the belt and standing up.
"No, I'm not going."
"Nope, I've already made up my mind. Even if you just sit by and eat, the celebration party has to be attended by everyone in the class."
Ichinose stared at him intently, her smile unwavering. It was clear she wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.
Hikigaya sighed. "I didn't expect you to be so insistent, Ichinose…"
She didn't deny it. "Other people wouldn't get this treatment. But for you, Hikigaya, I think a little pushiness works better."
"Fine. But this time, I really can't go. I have something to do after school today."
"What is it?"
"Uh… Private matters."
Hikigaya hesitated. It wasn't something he needed to explain to Ichinose, after all.
"This has nothing to do with Class B?" Ichinose tilted her head thoughtfully. "Is it more important than spending time with everyone in the class?"
"Uh… I guess… maybe?"
"I see…"
A triumphant smile appeared on Ichinose's lips. "Then it's not unrelated to Class B. I want to see what's so important. I'll go with you after school!"
"Hey! Isn't that a bit too pushy?"
"Yup."
Ichinose nodded with zero hesitation. "You don't have particularly close friends, so it shouldn't be difficult to talk about, right?"
"Fair point… I was hired by Chairman Horikita to keep an eye on his sister after school. He's paying me 150,000 personal points to make sure she doesn't get bullied."
"Horikita Manabu's sister… That would be Suzune Horikita, right? Hikigaya-kun, you're amazing."
"It's not really a big deal. Just a paid errand to keep an eye on her."
"I see. But you know what? The celebration party can be postponed until tomorrow. Hikigaya-kun, you're free then, right?"
"Huh? Why change it just for me?"
"Because you're part of Class B. And from now on, all members have to attend the celebration parties!"
"Ugh…"
Hikigaya couldn't hide his frustration.
"If you don't show up, the party won't start. Is that okay with you?"
"Fine, fine. I'll go. But if I ruin the mood, don't blame me."
"No way. Everyone will be happy if you come!" Ichinose's carefree laughter was pure and genuine.
The two walked side by side back to the Class B camp.
They wouldn't be participating in the upcoming 1,200-meter relay—thankfully, that was for the sports experts.
"Welcome back!"
"Honami-chan, Hikigaya-kun, good work!"
Chihiro Shirami handed Ichinose a bottle of mineral water and passed one to Hikigaya as well.
Looking at the mineral water in his hand, Hikigaya felt a slight warmth in his chest.
Someone actually handed him water. In middle school, he never would've dreamed of this.
"Thank you…"
He nodded softly, then turned to leave.
"Hikigaya."
Ichinose immediately grabbed his wrist. "Shibata and the others are about to start the relay. Let's cheer them on!"
"Uh… I guess that's fair."
Hikigaya followed her reluctantly, feeling a little embarrassed but not entirely opposed to the idea.
He glanced toward the field, where the fierce battle between the upperclassmen was about to unfold. But his gaze inevitably landed on Ayanokouji, whose presence gave him a weird sense of unease.
A lone wolf disguised as something else. But why?
Hikigaya didn't know. But he was certain of one thing—staying away from Ayanokouji was the smart move.
___________________________________
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31