Part-2 Ch-07 Ep-02

The sports festival at our school was, in truth, far less hectic than the freshman welcome ball game tournament had been.

Back then, events had been scattered everywhere. The outdoor grounds, the gymnasium, the martial arts hall. In contrast, this time the focus was almost entirely on the performances prepared by each grade.

The role of the sports committee members was mostly limited to assisting the teachers, so the entire event proceeded smoothly without any notable trouble. Part of that was likely because we had already grown accustomed to our responsibilities as committee members.

Once the morning performances were finished, including the human pyramids and mass games put on by each grade, it was finally time for lunch.

The afternoon was supposed to bring the biggest excitement of the day: the mixed-gender relay.

Incidentally, if this were a game world, this would be the time when an event would trigger. After gradually growing closer to Godaiin-kun, Maki would be asked by him to cheer for him during the mixed relay.

Then, after the relay ended, Godaiin-kun would shyly thank her, saying something like, “I could hear Ichinose-san cheering for me, so I was able to give it everything I had.” That moment would become the catalyst that deepened their relationship even further.

Of course, that was only how things played out in the game. I had no idea whether Godaiin-kun in this world had actually told Maki, “I want you to cheer for me.”

“Hey, does Todoroki-kun have a girl he likes?”

It was just before lunch break, after the morning events had wrapped up. While working alongside him, another member of the sports committee, I was redrawing the faded white lines on the field.

Dragging the line marker filled with lime powder, it rattled loudly as I carefully traced over the old markings. As I worked, I casually asked him the question.

“…Why are you suddenly asking something like that?”

“Well, you see… um, recently, I’ve fallen for someone.”

“Wha… Besides Ichinose?!”

“Eh?”

Seeing my bewildered expression, Todoroki-kun seemed to immediately realize his mistake. His tone suddenly turned flat and bored as he said, “Oh, if it’s Ichinose, then it’s fine, I think,” while waving his hand dismissively, like he was shooing away a stray dog or cat by the roadside.

Since we had been working together on the committee and grown fairly close, his attitude toward me had become correspondingly casual.

“Todoroki-kun, you… noticed that I like Maki…?”

“Well, Nagase, you’re easy to read in some ways, but weirdly hard to read in others. Kagami has probably noticed too. That guy is even friends with those fan club people of yours.”

That was the first time I had heard anything like that. Up until now, the only member of this so-called fan club I knew was Seishuku-san.

So it really did exist.

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. I’ll keep an eye on things. I value my friends.”

“Uh, no, that’s not it. I haven’t even thought about confessing yet.”

“Why not? I think she’d say yes immediately.”

He said it so casually that I instinctively waved my hand in front of my face.

“Eh, no, no, no. We’re talking about Maki, you know?”

“Yeah? No, I mean that Ichinose who’s crazy about you. Hurry up and confess already. It’ll be fine. I’ll guarantee it.”

“No, no, no. That kind of ‘love’ is just childhood friendship, right? Besides, I need more time to sort out my feelings and prepare myself. Or rather, I’ve even been thinking that maybe graduation would be the right timing, especially if things don’t work out.”

In the game, every capture target confesses under the cherry tree on graduation day.

As I muttered my response while those thoughts crossed my mind, Todoroki-kun’s face twisted into an expression that clearly said, “Are you serious?”

“Nagase, if you keep talking leisurely about graduation and stuff, someone might snatch her away right under your nose, you know?”

With that, he jerked his chin, signaling me to look toward the other side of the field. I immediately understood what he meant.

Because over there, at the operations tent, was Godaiin-kun, once again in discussion with the teachers.

“You’re the one who brought Godaiin and Ichinose together, right, Nagase? And then after Godaiin fell for Ichinose, you finally realized your own feelings.”

“U… yes.”

“If things stay like this, you don’t know what will happen. Godaiin is a genuinely good guy. If you keep taking it easy, you might really lose Ichinose. And then you’ll realize it only after she’s gone. That you were an idiot.”

Today, Todoroki-kun, wearing a sly grin, felt unusually cruel. Because everything he said was true, I had no way to argue back.

“…I’m not talking to you anymore, Todoroki-kun,” I said, and he immediately panicked.

“W wait, I went too far. Sorry!”

Ignoring his flustered voice behind me, I left Todoroki-kun and walked off the field. Come to think of it, I never did hear his answer to whether he had someone he liked.

“Huh? Nagase-san’s bento looks kind of similar to Ichinose-san’s, doesn’t it?”

As soon as I returned to the classroom and joined the group of girls from our class, opening my lunchbox, that comment rang out.

“I made Mari’s while I was making my own.”

The way she said it so casually showed no trace of the shyness she had displayed earlier that morning. I wished I had recorded it or taken a photo of her expression back then.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“As expected of childhood friends. That’s love, love.”

“To be able to make something like this so easily, Ichinose-san really is impressive.”

While Maki smiled awkwardly and said it was not that big of a deal, I put a piece of dashimaki tamago into my mouth. The fluffy texture and gentle, well-balanced dashi flavor spread across my tongue.

“It’s delicious.”

When I said that honestly, “…Yeah, good,” Maki murmured quietly, almost as if speaking to herself. She looked slightly relieved, or at least that was how it seemed to me.

There was no way she could have made this so easily. I knew she was quick with her hands, but cooking does not become effortless overnight.

I knew she only started cooking after entering high school.

I knew it did not go well at first.

I knew she always woke up early on weekends and holidays to come over to my house.

I knew how grateful I should be that she went out of her way to make this bento for me, even though she was not my parent.

Maki had always been my top priority. And thinking back on it now, Maki had always cherished me too.

Somehow, it felt like the relationship we had now was already enough.

Even if the type of affection was different, the fact that we cherished each other probably would not change in the future.

Maybe I was already satisfied.

Yes. Somehow, this felt better than confessing and risking the destruction of what we already had.

As I thought about all of this while savoring the bento, that was when it happened.

“By the way, Ichinose-san, what’s really going on with the student council president?”

“Eh? What, what? Love talk?”

“No way!”

Triggered by that one question, the volume of the classroom shot up as everyone joined in.

Eh?

I snapped my head up and looked at Maki. Our eyes met, and Maki hurriedly said, “Eh, it’s not like that!”

“It’s not.”

The second time she said it, her voice carried even more genuine panic, and I felt like it was directed at me.

“But earlier, when you two were talking, it seemed like such a nice atmosphere. Something like, ‘Since I’m running in the mixed relay later, I’d be happy if you cheered for me.’”

It felt as though I had been struck hard on the head. All the blood drained from my face at once, and the classroom, which had felt stuffy and warm moments ago, suddenly felt cold.

“Ah, well, he did say that, but since he’s in another class…”

“Eh? You’re not cheering?”

“Well, um, since he asked, I do plan to cheer a little, just when Godaiin-kun is running…”

Maki answered hesitantly, glancing at me now and then as she spoke. For some reason, I could not bring myself to keep watching her like that and turned my eyes away.

“Godaiin-kun, huh. He’s the student council president, and even though he seems delicate, he’s reliable and popular. I might actually approve of dating him.”

Kind words, spoken without malice, floated around the table. I pretended not to care and mechanically continued bringing food to my mouth. No matter what I picked up with my chopsticks, nothing had any taste.

“I’m not thinking of dating Godaiin-kun or anything. This conversation is jumping too far ahead…”

When she said that, I stole a glance at Maki.

Unusually, her eyebrows were drawn into a troubled shape, and she wore a confused, strained smile.

My ears rang.

“And then you’ll realize it after losing her. That you were an idiot.” Todoroki-kun’s words from earlier stabbed into my chest again. What was that about being satisfied with the current relationship?

“I have someone I like now.”

That was a line I had heard countless times from classmates since elementary school. But now, inside my head, it replayed in Maki’s voice.

“I have someone I like.”

I imagined Maki, looking slightly more mature, speaking in a calmer, grown-up tone, smiling happily at me.

No.

Maki would never say something like that.

She does not talk about romance.

She does not fixate on one person.

And yet, the image that surfaced in my mind refused to disappear.

Because I had that dream this morning.

Because everyone suddenly brought up Godaiin-kun.

Because Maki did not clearly refuse his request.

I had always been by Maki’s side. Maki had always been my priority. And surely, I was Maki’s first priority too.

“I’ll introduce you to Mari.”

The imaginary Maki said.

At that moment, it became clear.

The person standing beside her was not me.

Even though I had always believed I was her number one.

And yet.

In the end, the one who would stand next to her would be…

“No…”

I pushed my chair back with a loud scrape and stood up.

“Huh? Nagase-san?”

“Eh, Mari, what’s wrong?”

The surprised gazes of my classmates and Maki all gathered on me as I stood there, frozen. Without answering anyone’s confused questions, I quickly made my way to Todoroki-kun’s desk.

“Todoroki-kun, sorry. I need to talk to you about the afternoon duty assignments,” I said.

He stared at me blankly. “…Didn’t you say earlier that you weren’t talking to me anymore…?”

“I changed my mind.”

He muttered, “Girls’ feelings are complicated…” under his breath and let me go ahead.

After finishing my discussion with Todoroki-kun, I went around and spoke to each of the students scheduled to run in the mixed relay, one by one.

All the while, Maki watched my movements with a puzzled expression.