Volume 3 - CH 15

It was the day of the marathon.

The marathon did not start at the school, but at a track and field stadium a little further away.

From there, the course was to run along the river, around the perimeter, and then back to the track.

Early in the morning, Yuzuru, along with Arisa, Soichiro, Ayaka, and others were laying out leisure sheets on the grass at the outer edge of the stadium and chatting away.　

“I heard that the girls run first, then the boys.”

It was Ayaka who said this in a bright voice.

She was good at sports, so the marathon would not be too tough for her.

“It’s supposed to be over in the morning, so it’s practically half a day today!　Why don’t we go out and play afterward?”

Chiharu said in a cheerful voice.

She, too, was not averse to exercise, so she didn’t seem to find the marathon too distressing.

“You can play all you want, but not me… Let me rest.”

Soichiro said with a sigh.

He was sandwiched between Ayaka and Chiharu, and they were pestering him to play with them.

Some of the boys were giving Soichiro a vindictive look.

But Yuzuru, a childhood friend, knew that it took a lot of energy and stamina to play with Ayaka and Chiharu, who were both very excited.

So he did not feel so envious.

In fact, he felt sorry for him.

That being said, it does reaffirm that this two-timing guy is a scumbag.

“Seven kilometers is not an insignificant distance and you should rest your body, don’t you think? …I suppose that’s the intention behind not having classes in the afternoon.”

Arisa said with a wry smile.

Then Soichiro reproached both Ayaka and Chiharu, “Look, Yukishiro-san says so too”.

” Speaking of resting, Arisa. …Is your body okay?”

Yuzuru asked Arisa.

It has already been more than a week since her cold was completely cured.

So, her physical condition should not be bad at all.

However, whether or not she was in condition to run long distances was a different story.

Her physical strength must be a little low.

“Yes, I feel fine. … Thanks to Yuzuru-san.”

Arisa blushed slightly and said.

Yuzuru remembered the time when he nursed her.

Arisa’s white bareback …was very glossy.

“I, I see …I’m glad to hear that.”

A little bit of awkwardness flowed between Yuzuru and Arisa.

‘Oh, something must have happened’ 

The others gave them warm glances thinking that.

“Mo, more than me…Tenka-san… Will you be okay?”

Arisa diverted the topic by sacrificing Tenka.

And the complexion of Tenka, who was made the scapegoat …was not very good.

“Are you okay?”

“… Physically, well, I’m fine.”

Tenka answered Hijiri’s question.

Then she sighed.

“I’m in a terrible mood… I have a favor to ask you all if that’s okay?”

When Yuzuru and the others nodded, Tenka said.

“Please… don’t cheer for me. I don’t want you to welcome me or applaud me at the finishing line.”

Speaking of which, there was a culture of applauding the last-place finisher, Yuzuru remembered.

What was the reason for that? Yuzuru wondered as he tilted his head.

For a person who was the last one to finish, it would make them stand out even more, so it would be a humiliation.

Although Yuzuru had never been a victim, he could somehow imagine what it must be like.

Since Yuzuru can imagine it, other ordinary people can also imagine it.

However, of course, some people dare to clap to humiliate… but not all of them.

(…Well, maybe the reason people cheer for the last person is that otherwise, it would seem like they are being kind of heartless.)

It’s a little awkward to greet the last person in line without saying a word because you feel sorry for them.

Therefore, they might clap their hands in comfort.

Aside from the person being greeted, it makes the person greeting the other person feel better.

“Shall I cheer you up over the loudspeaker?”

“I don’t really mind, but I’ll curse you, okay?”

Tenka glared at Hijiri, who was making fun of her.

She’s the heiress of a religious organization, so her curse could really work.

“‘By the way, Yuzuru. Do you remember your promise properly?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot?”

When he was asked by Soichiro and Hijiri… Yuzuru tilted his head.

He remembered that he had promised to give a massage with Arisa afterward, but he did not remember promising to give a massage with Soichiro and Hijiri, which would be very unpleasant.

“Ah… about the meal”

But then Yuzuru immediately remembered.

The person who came in last in the marathon among them was supposed to buy the two winners a meal.

“Of course I remember. I’m looking forward to it.”

Yuzuru was also confident in his physical strength.

As long as he was going to compete, he had no intention of losing.

He also wanted to win the game and spend time with Arisa in a comfortable and refreshed mood.

So he will definitely win.

“Ho~…”

“Now you said it”

However, it seems that Soichiro and Hijiri also have no intention of losing.

Tenka sighed slightly exaggeratedly as the three of them exchanged sparks with eyes…

“Great, sounds like a lot of fun… I wonder if there’s some kind of trick to make it easier for me?”

Chiharu replied to Tenka’s musings.

“I do breathing like ‘hehefu’, you know. It kind of makes me feel better.” (TN: hehefu is part of the Lamaze breathing technique used during childbirth. You can google it)

“…That’s for childbirth, isn’t it? Does it have any effect?”

Whether the Lamaze method is useful for endurance running is a bit of a question.

Chiharu cowered at Arisa’s doubts.

“Who knows? But if it makes childbirth easier, wouldn’t it be enough for an endurance run?”

“Chiharu-san… I will believe you, okay?”

Tenka wanted to believe the unreliable words of Chiharu.

Though Yuzuru thought she better not …Chiharu confidently flexed her large breasts and then stuck out her thumb.

“Please feel comfortable as you are in a big boat. I’m a human deity, you know?” (TN: I had given an explanation for that idiom before.)

“Like saying God, Buddha, and Chiharu-sama, right.”

Ayaka chuckled and said.　

At least Ayaka had no intention of believing what the ‘God Chiharu’ was saying.

And while that was going on, the signal to assemble was given.

Each class would gather and do preparatory exercises as a whole, and then …… the exercise would begin, dividing into men and women.

Yuzuru and Arisa walked up to their classmates, side by side.　　

… It wasn’t unnatural for Yuzuru and Arisa, who had been with Ayaka and the others earlier, to walk together to their classmates.

Of course, those around them could see that their relationship was growing…

This was an important “preparation” for both of them.

“… Yuzuru-san.”

“What’s up?”

“You remember what comes after, don’t you?”

After this,

That is after the marathon was over.

Yuzuru nodded vigorously.

“Of course… So let’s both do our best”

“… Yes.”

They both smiled in unison.