Part-1 Ch-02 Ep-04

“Game set! Winner: First-Year Class A, Matsumoto!”

The referee’s voice echoed across the court. It was an empty proclamation that confirmed my defeat.

“Haah… I lost…”

“Good work! Here, a towel.”

The moment the match ended, Maki came running straight toward me. I said “thanks” and held out my hand.

She gently wrapped the towel around my extended hand and carefully wiped the sweat from my face and neck.

It looked exactly like a devoted girlfriend tending to her sweaty boyfriend, and it made my back feel oddly ticklish.

“…Isn’t this a little too overprotective?”

“Is it? I think this much is totally normal for childhood friends.”

She tossed back her answer so casually that I had no comeback. Wait, are childhood friends in this world always like this?

I had no idea, but since I didn’t dislike it, I allowed myself to be pampered. It was still a little embarrassing, though.

“Still, you really lacked fighting spirit, didn’t you? You lost in no time.”

That was rather blunt.

I’m basically terrible at any sport where I have to go head-to-head with someone.

“I’m not good at beating someone else or anything like that…”

“It’s sports, so that’s normal. You’re not lacking athletic ability, yet you’re such a complete wimp. Wimp.”

You little—! I thought, but swallowed it down.

After all, mentally speaking, I’m the older sister here compared to Maki-chan.

If things kept going like this, she would continue calling me a wimp forever, so I smoothly changed the subject.

“Anyway, it’s so hot, isn’t it?”

“…Well, yeah. The sun’s really strong, but at least there’s a breeze. Even if moving around makes you hot, it’s still better than nothing.”

Looks like the topic change worked.

I replied, “Yeah, true,” as we headed toward the waiting tent in search of shade.

We were getting close to the tent, and just when I thought, Great, I can finally cool down, the strongest gust of wind of the day suddenly blew.

In an instant, the tent in front of us creaked loudly.

I froze in surprise, and a sharp snap—like metal fittings breaking—rang out.

“Huh?”

Right after that, the tent warped even more violently and began collapsing straight toward our heads.

“Eeeeek!?”

It must have been assembled too loosely. The wind had knocked the tent over.

It seemed to fall in excruciating slow motion, but there was no time to run.

“Mari!”

“…!”

If things continued as they were, both of us would be crushed beneath it.

The instant I understood that, I grabbed the arm Maki had stretched toward me.

I pulled her with all my strength and crouched right where I was, shielding her body with mine.

I will absolutely protect her.

That unwavering resolve I had held since we were very young surged through me in that moment.

Crash. A loud impact rang overhead, followed by the clattering sound of the tent legs hitting the ground one after another.

But no impact struck my body.

Huh? I wondered, and when I opened my eyes, Tōtōriki-kun was standing there, holding up the collapsed tent as if guarding us.

“Are you two okay!?”

Ah… yes, this… this is definitely an event…

No, but first I need to thank him…

I was so overwhelmed I could hardly speak.

My heart was pounding so intensely I could feel the blood rushing through my body.

Even the hand pressing down on Maki’s body was trembling.

Nagase Mari was currently running on pure adrenaline.

“Um, Todoroki-kun… thank y—”

Just as I finally managed to form words and tried to call out to him,

“Todoroki… you…” a familiar voice sounded right beside us.

I looked and saw the seniors who had been badmouthing him behind the gym earlier.

They must have fallen back in shock, because they were sitting on the ground.

In the end, he hadn’t only saved us.

He had saved them as well.