When Makoto found Hayato, the latter was hanging out with friends looking at game cartridges.
Taking the chance while greeting everyone, he glanced around and found that among Hayato's friends today, there was only one from their class.
"You have quite a wide circle of friends," Makoto commented.
Hayato smiled and explained, "I wasn't planning to come out today, but my friends wanted to play games online together, so I came along to keep them company."
Makoto sized up this warm and handsome guy: "You're a popular guy and also a skilled gamer?"
Hayato was clearly good at keeping conversations going, and lowered his voice: "What do you think about the 'Lance' series?"
Makoto was surprised: "Too old."
"Then how about the 'Rhapsody' series?"
"Wait, you know that too?"
After a brief exchange, Makoto and Hayato reached an agreement.
Calling them kindred spirits might not be exactly right, but Hayato could get along with anyone at school.
Even if he wasn't into these games, he would probably take the time to learn about them.
Only this way could he remain everyone's Hayato.
"You just finished club activities, right? I also just left the soccer club not long ago," Hayato casually asked.
Makoto nodded.
Hayato said, "No wonder you only came to find me now. If you'd come earlier, we could've gone to look at game cartridges together."
Makoto: "No choice, I went to the Sakura party this morning."
If other guys heard this, they'd either tease him with a smile or turn to their friends laughing.
But Hayato stared blankly at Makoto: "Why didn't you invite me to the Sakura party?"
He kept the mood light by "dragging himself down," maintaining a pleasant atmosphere.
Makoto laughed: "How come it feels like you can respond to any topic?"
"No way, there are many things I'm not good at too," Hayato waved his hand.
After chatting casually, Makoto brought up the main topic.
"An extra role? If you don't mind that I've never acted before, I can come help anytime."
Hayato agreed without hesitation.
To him, helping friends was the right thing to do.
Especially since it was Makoto, someone he cared about.
He even offered some ideas: "Your short film roles probably aren't all the same age, right? If you need actors of different ages, I can ask my family to help find extras."
As he spoke, he showed a rare excited expression:
"Honestly, this is the first time I've heard of high school students making short films. If you can complete it smoothly, I think your club will become famous at school."
"Whether or not we get famous doesn't matter. Our club is just for everyone to practice," Makoto said.
Hayato didn't ask what kind of practice he meant.
At that moment, Makoto saw the classmates who had finished picking out their items walking over.
He quickly said: "Cooperate with me later, and don't ask questions if you don't understand."
"Huh?"
Hayato didn't understand.
"Fushimi, what are you guys talking about?" The classmates who had bought game cartridges came over to ask.
Makoto hesitated, then said, "I'm talking about a big secret with Hayama, but I'm conflicted about whether to tell you."
A big secret?
Several male classmates instantly perked up: "What kind of secret?"
Makoto continued hesitating, then seemed to make a decision: "It's about the principal… never mind, since you're Hayama's friends, I guess it's okay to tell you."
Then he emphasized, "Don't tell anyone else."
"No problem!" they quickly promised.
Hayato looked confused.
Because Makoto had warned him earlier, and now he could guess the other was probably acting.
Most importantly, Makoto wasn't close to these classmates.
In this case, when Fushimi said "Don't tell anyone," it actually meant they would definitely spread the word.
So, was Fushimi trying to use these classmates to spread some news?
Hayato thought.
Makoto mysteriously shared the story of the principal participating in a marathon years ago, deliberately blurring the principal's ranking, only saying the other participants were all national-level experts and that the principal had achieved a good placement.
Everyone, including Hayato, looked surprised.
Makoto repeated: "I've never told this secret to anyone before, so you must keep it confidential."
"Don't worry, our lips are sealed."
"But I really didn't expect the principal, looking chubby now, to have been a national-level marathon runner back then."
"Yeah, I couldn't tell at all. If this gets out, I bet everyone will think like us… Oh sorry, Fushimi, I'm just giving an example, I'll keep it a secret."
After successfully spreading the news, Makoto took out his phone and showed the information of the runners who had competed with the principal.
Back then, these runners were not famous, but now many have achieved results.
Under Makoto's explanation, everyone was amazed again.
A group of boys gathered together; aside from fooling around and talking about politics online, the thing that most caught their attention was gossip about people they knew.
If it was gossip about the principal, their leader, they would be even more interested.
But that alone wasn't enough.
To get all the students' attention, this news had to appear online.
Everyone would see the principal's news online, then discuss it with friends at school, making the spread truly rapid.
When Makoto parted with Hayato, the latter curiously asked, "Were you deliberately spreading the news just now?"
"Yes," Makoto didn't hide it.
Hayato nodded knowingly: "I'll help too, but what's your goal in doing this?"
"Remember last time you said someone at school was spreading rumors about me and Kasumigaoka Utaha?"
"I get it — using rumors to fight rumors, that really is a clever method."
Monday arrived.
The rumor that started from Makoto gradually spread throughout the entire school.
Only that as it spread, in everyone's mouth it became: Our principal once stood at the top of marathon running, he ruled that track.
Besides Hayato helping spread the news, the classmates who bought game cartridges couldn't keep it in, and eventually told their friends: "I'm telling you a secret, but don't tell anyone else."
By noon, some people had seen the urgent video Makoto had made.
With online and friend circulation, the news immediately went viral.
At lunch, Utaha heard from friends, "Did you hear? Our principal apparently used to participate in national-level marathons."
Someone nearby corrected, "No, I heard it was a world-class competition."
"Should be at least Asian-level."
Utaha watched her classmates argue and suddenly thought of someone.
Was he really that efficient?
Utaha suddenly wanted to meet him.
The better he performed, the more it proved her own good judgment.
Besides, she really wants to maintain this friendly relationship with Makoto.
Keep it going, keep paying attention.
Her thought translated would be: I will always support you, forever.
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