82. The Sports Festival That Changed Their Fate. (End)

The object relay race began. Sakuya Sakura charged ahead, leaving the others far behind, followed closely by Yo Miyagi and several third-year boys. As for Hoshino Mori Hoshino, she was naturally at the very end. It was clear that becoming the student council president at Kamizakura High didn't require any athletic prowess—the threshold was astonishingly low, a consensus among all the students. She had boasted about making a splash before the sports festival, but in a sense, she certainly managed to attract attention.

Standing in a corner of the field, Tsukimi Jinguuji watched the figure running at the front, feeling both proud and lonely for his childhood friend, who had grown into such an extraordinary person.

In the distance, Sakuya Sakura was the first to reach the tent, drawing lots from the prepared box. She glanced at the slip, tilted her head in confusion for two seconds, then immediately dashed toward Class 2-A. The students in 2-A, upon seeing the slip, scrambled about in a flurry. The distance was too great for Jinguuji to hear their conversation, but their lively and cheerful demeanor was proof enough that Sakuya Sakura was well-loved in her class.

Suddenly, a certain girl in the field, hesitating for a few seconds, set her gaze on the boy standing in the corner. Her round eyes sparkled, and she scampered over to him.

"Senpai! Sen—pai—!"

Yo Miyagi, breathless and panting, was slightly exhausted after a day of sports festival activities despite her usual lively energy, yet her face remained joyful. "Give it to me! Quick, give it to me!" She jogged in place before him, as if stopping her legs now would drain her of any remaining strength.

"Huh?" The boy stared confusedly at the eager little animal before him.

"Ah! Senpai, you're so frustrating!" Unable to articulate her words, Yo Miyagi simply reached out and grabbed Jinguuji's necktie.

Since Jinguuji had finished his events for the day, he had already changed into his uniform before the relay to avoid awkward encounters with classmates. "Hey! You little—!"

Yo Miyagi dragged Jinguuji a couple of meters, finding him heavy and cumbersome, finally clumsily removing his necktie. "This! I'll borrow it for the race! I'll return it once it's over!"

As her voice faded away, Jinguuji unbuttoned the top of his shirt and coughed several times. He watched her departing figure in silence, vowing to give her a stern talking-to later.

The male teacher's commentary echoed constantly through the loudspeakers—who drew what, who stumbled. Thanks to this, even those wandering the campus and not paying attention could stay informed about the events.

Jinguuji looked toward the field, just as the student council president finally arrived at the tent, reaching into the box and rummaging for a good ten seconds before pulling out a slip. He realized she had no intention of winning.

Meanwhile, Sakuya Sakura had already obtained the required item from her classmates and was sprinting toward the finish line. The teacher's commentary grew increasingly fervent as the sports festival neared its end. Two agile girls raced neck-and-neck, each determined to claim first place; the entire field trembled with excitement.

Yet, in this moment, there was a girl without any competitive aura, her face carrying a gentle smile. With an air that could easily be accused of "disregarding the contest, lacking sportsmanship," she seemed more like someone out for a springtime stroll than a competitor—and yet, this girl was the student council president.

She trotted up to Jinguuji, catching her breath for a moment. "Where's your necktie?"

"Yo borrowed it."

"That's a shame," she said with regret.

"Did you draw 'necktie' as well?"

"No."

Jinguuji was puzzled.

Hoshino Mori Hoshino bent her supple waist, pressing her left palm to her pale knee, extending her right hand with her palm open before him. Her sky-blue ponytail draped over her neck, and her scent—uniquely feminine—mingled with her voice, sweet as if dipped in honey, evoking a pleasant illusion.

Like a springtime bear offering him a four-leaf clover for luck, cheerfully inviting him to play together.

"Come on, lend it to me."

There was no bear tumbling down a hill in reality, only a beautiful girl with a gentle smile.

The wind and the shouts, full of passionate youth—yet none of it concerned the boy. It was all cut off, leaving him curled in the sunlight, unable to feel any positive emotion.

Jinguuji admitted it: he deliberately avoided those things. Repeating the same routines day after day, following yesterday's patterns, he knew that if he avoided intense joy, then great sorrow would not visit him either.

But—

"Lend it to me, won't you?" she said.

"But my necktie is already—"

"It's not the necktie."

Jinguuji grew even more bewildered, unsure of what to do. It wasn't her actions that confused him, but the expectation in her eyes, something he couldn't fathom from the depths of his heart.

---

What exactly was she seeking from him? Did she want him to pay for his past actions? To atone, to feel guilt, to never forget her tearful face?

If that were the case...

No, Jinguuji knew better than anyone that Hoshino Mori Hoshino wasn't like that. A girl who told him not to trap himself in the past could never have such thoughts.

"I told you, let's enjoy the sports festival together. Jinguuji, today...

"You haven't smiled even once."

Her face drew closer and closer; Jinguuji could see the sweat drops on her bangs falling to the ground. Those clear droplets reflected a haggard and embarrassed face—was that really his own expression right now?

Moved by her gaze and voice, the boy couldn't help but ask, "Is the sports festival really that fun?

"I can't feel it, really—I can't fully understand how you feel, President."

Jinguuji didn't dislike the sports festival. If he rated it, it would be seventy-five out of a hundred, just like his everyday school life. Overall, there was no real difference.

And no difference often meant it was dispensable.

Hearing his words, Hoshino Mori Hoshino didn't answer or preach about youth; instead, she quietly spoke of something else.

"I'm not good at sports; I'm probably the slowest girl in my class. Whenever we run, I'm always the last to finish. My current goal is to be the second slowest girl in class during high school.

"But if I do that, someone else becomes the slowest—that's really sad and embarrassing—so after thinking it over, I decided it's better to be the slowest myself.

"Naturally, I'm not good at volleyball either. When the ball comes flying so fast, I can't help but close my eyes. I'm the kind of person who can't even open her eyes when holding her breath underwater."

Is that something to be proud of?

He wondered.

"But still, I never pretend to be sick to skip PE, nor would I miss my last sports festival in high school.

"After all, this is the last time in my life I get to wear my high school uniform.

"Even if I can still fit into it in the future, I won't really be an active JK anymore—just cosplay. When I think about it, it's sad, but it also fills me with motivation."

"So... for me, the sports festival is really fun—even if I'm always coming in last, I'm still incredibly happy.

"And I want to tell you, I want to tell my adorable underclassman, so you can experience my happiness.

"So, lend me...

"Your smile."

He looked at her white, delicate hand, suited for playing piano or painting, slender fingers, neatly trimmed nails.

His words seemed stuck in his throat; any verbal response felt inadequate to express his feelings.

So, all that remained was to reach out his hand in reply?

He slowly raised his hand, and just as his fingertips were about to touch hers, Hoshino Mori Hoshino's gentle smile suddenly transformed into a face of despair and tears.

Her heart-wrenching cries echoed in his ears, and Jinguuji froze instantly.

In the end, perhaps it was best not to.

The light in his eyes quietly dimmed, and he withdrew his hand—

But his hand was seized, firmly and without hesitation.

By this person before him.

In his mind, her cries and despair scattered like a pack of wolves driven away by a bonfire.

Why... why could she always smile so freely? Jinguuji didn't believe there was so much happiness in the world.

Or was it that, even in unhappy times, one should still smile?

Wouldn't that just make one a simple fool?

Jinguuji had no desire to be a fool.

Yet he couldn't call the girl before him a fool. If anyone dared claim the student council president was hopelessly foolish, Jinguuji doubted he could restrain his anger.

His emotions churned like a lake stirred by oars, unable to find peace.

"President, you're truly a mess," he sighed from the heart.

"Ah! Can I take that as a compliment?"

Jinguuji couldn't respond, feeling a heat spread through his chest, warming his face and hands.

The sound of his heartbeat was maddening—he never imagined his heart could pound so fiercely, as if someone was playing a wild tune on its keys.

Wind, shouts, passionate youth.

Like paint spilling into water, it spread unstoppably, coloring everything around him.

Dragged by the girl toward the field, he became the last to finish the object relay, basking in the surrounding voices—whether mocking or encouraging—together they ran toward the already-broken finish line.

---

As they crossed the finish line, the crowd erupted into applause, marking the end of the sports festival.

The girl, breathless, still held his hand, raising the slip with her other: [Underclassman]

Seeing the answer, the boy let out a deep sigh of relief. Just barely—just barely—he had almost been bewitched by this person.

Suddenly remembering something, Jinguuji turned to search for his childhood friend's figure. He hadn't seen her cross the line, wondering if she had won the relay.

"Huff... huff... damn! I tried so hard, yet I'm still last again! Huff... huff..."

Hoshino Mori Hoshino wiped sweat from her forehead, her chest heaving violently. Jinguuji thought it must affect her running, but saying so would be sexual harassment, and he wasn't about to invite trouble.

"It's all because of this chest! If it weren't for them, I'd definitely beat Sakuya Sakura."

The student council president blurted out such a remark; Jinguuji froze, wondering if she could read his mind.

"Pff..."

Unable to help himself, he laughed, quickly covering his mouth.

But it was too late.

"Eh? What? You think me losing is so funny?"

"I wasn't laughing."

"Liar, I heard it clearly—how could you tell such a clumsy lie?"

Jinguuji didn't want to argue further, but unexpectedly, he felt lighter than he had all day, as if all his gloom had vanished.

He took a deep breath and smiled faintly. "…Thank you, President."

"Oh? What are you thanking me for? I don't recall doing anything worthy of such gratitude—unless you tell me, I won't understand why I'm being thanked." Hoshino Mori Hoshino narrowed her eyes, her voice sly.

"President, your personality is surprisingly awful."

"I can't pretend I didn't hear that—who doesn't know the student council president is the epitome of beauty and kindness?"

"Sure, sure."

"You're just being perfunctory again."

"No, I mean it. Thank you, President. I was really happy today."

Seeing his smile, Hoshino Mori Hoshino gazed at him for a long time, then smiled gently in return.

"Looks like you aren't lying."

"You can tell?"

"Yes. If it's you, Jinguuji, I can."

"Why is that?"

She pressed her index finger to her lips, thinking carefully. "Maybe... because we're the same kind of people. We tell the same lies."

…

…

In the distance, the girl standing on the podium quietly took her medal, searching for a certain boy's figure.

Standing in first place, wearing the gold medal, feeling the blessings from all around.

For Sakuya Sakura, being watched by that boy mattered far more than the applause and cheers.

But as more classmates crowded around, she was swallowed up, lost in a forest of mist, unable to find him.

Outside the crowd, the boy and girl at the finish line looked together toward the podium.

[The champion is Sakuya Sakura from Class 2-A—congratulations!]

Hearing the announcement, Jinguuji felt genuine joy for Sakuya Sakura, believing she belonged among flowers and applause; she was born to shine so brightly and live so freely.

The student council president beside him smiled calmly at her underclassman, gently, ever so gently...

She squeezed his hand.

"Ah... I've lost again.

"As expected, I can't beat Sakuya Sakura."

(End of chapter)