Part-2 Ch-07 Ep-03

MAKI'S POV

It seemed that Mari was going to participate in the afternoon mixed-gender relay.

During lunch break, she suddenly stood up and spoke to Todoroki-kun. After that, she went around the classroom one by one, stopping each of the students who had originally been scheduled to run in the relay and asking them to switch places with her.

Fortunately, the substitute she found had not wanted to run in the relay in the first place, and agreed immediately with an easy “sure.”

“Thank you. That helps a lot.”

Wondering what had suddenly come over her, given how uncharacteristic that behavior was, I headed back toward the athletic grounds with a faint sense of unease.

When I had caught a glimpse of Mari’s lunch box before leaving the classroom, it had been completely empty.

“Huh? You’re not with Nagase-san?”

I turned around at the sound of a voice that felt oddly familiar. Seishuku-san was walking toward me through a cloud of dust, tilting her head slightly.

“Mari is over there…” I said, pointing toward the center of the field on the opposite side.

There, the students participating in the mixed-gender relay were lined up, preparing to divide themselves into positions from the first runner to the fourth.

“Eh? Nagase-san?”

When I told the genuinely surprised Seishuku-san about how Mari had suddenly acted strangely during lunch, she nodded for some reason and murmured, “I see,” in a tone that suggested she understood everything.

Even I did not fully grasp what was going on yet, so what exactly did she mean by “I see”?

I did think favorably of Seishuku-san, since she supported both Mari and me. Still, there were moments when I sensed an atmosphere that only she and Mari shared. To be honest, it bothered me.

“By the way, Ichinose-san, you’re going to cheer for Nagase-san, right?”

“Of course. That’s obvious.”

Because the question was so natural, I answered more sharply than I intended.

Seishuku-san responded with another nod and a quiet, “I see,” before narrowing her eyes toward the students who were beginning their relay preparations.

After placing her hand on her chin and thinking for a moment, she asked, “So, is there anyone else you’re cheering for?”

Her indirect phrasing only deepened my confusion, so she reworded the question.

“…Nagase-san looks like she’s the third runner. Ichinose-san, who are you going to cheer for?”

At the same time she asked that, I looked again at the lineup of relay members and finally understood what she was getting at.

In the third-runner position for the opposing class stood Godaiin-kun. The intent behind Seishuku-san’s question was probably closest to, “Which one will you choose?”

That roundabout way of asking irritated me.

“Obviously Mari.”

Even though I spoke without hiding my displeasure, Seishuku-san replied with “I see,” her expression visibly relaxing.

That reaction unsettled me instead.

What is going on?

After seeing how our classmates had been making a fuss earlier, I realized that I, too, had noticed it subconsciously. Seishuku-san probably believed there was something between Godaiin-kun and me.

That misunderstanding was entirely the result of my own actions.

“Then I’ll cheer for Nagase-san too.”

As she started to walk away, I hurried after her and grabbed her shoulder.

She turned around with a surprised expression, and I asked, “What kind of relationship do you have with 'Nagase-san'?”

I knew the timing was wrong, and I knew this was not the proper way to ask something like that.

I also knew it would be natural for her to wonder who I thought I was, asking such a question.

But I had always been curious.

Maybe the person Mari liked, the one she worried about so much…

Seishuku-san looked puzzled for a brief moment, then suddenly grinned and whispered, “It’s a secret relationship that I can’t tell Ichinose-san about,” pressing her index finger to her lips.

That gesture made my temper flare, and I started to say, “Wha,” but she cut me off sharply with words far more direct than before.

“And honestly, this isn’t the time to be talking about that with me. If you have time to be jealous, go cheer properly for Nagase-san.”

With that, she briskly walked away.

“I really do believe in the two of you, you know.”

I stood there dumbfounded, watching her back as she lightly waved without turning around. It seemed I had been completely toyed with. She really was an elusive person.

“What is with her… both of them going on about secrets, secrets…”

At that moment, the sharp crack of the starter pistol rang out behind me, signaling the beginning of the relay. Our class did not have anyone who could be called exceptionally athletic.

As expected, our first runner was already in fifth place out of the seven second-year classes, and the baton was passed to the second runner without any improvement.

Mari was the third runner.

Standing next to her was Godaiin-kun.

He was glancing around restlessly, as though searching for something, or someone.

If the person he was looking for was me, then guilt over having promised to cheer for him, mixed with remorse toward Mari, flickered through my chest.

Soon, one baton after another was passed to the third runners. By then, our class had fallen to sixth place.

“It’s already over. Our class is so slow,” a boy nearby groaned, clutching his head.

Finally, lagging behind the others, the baton was passed to Mari. Godaiin-kun had already begun running. At that point, everyone believed our class would remain in sixth or finish dead last.

The moment Mari received the baton, I shouted, “Mari, do your best!”

As soon as the baton settled into her hand, she dashed forward at full speed, accelerating smoothly and closing the distance between herself and the runners ahead.

“Hey… isn’t Nagase-san really fast?”

“Yeah… I don’t think I’ve ever seen her run this seriously before.”

Right before our eyes, Mari overtook one runner.

Cheers and murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd. By then, even I realized it.

“…Mari is really serious.”

Normally, Mari did not put much effort into anything.

If she truly set her mind to something, she could accomplish almost anything, yet she would shrug it off with, “I don’t really want to be the best at anything,” deliberately holding herself back.

That tendency was especially noticeable in competitive situations. She lacked any obvious fighting spirit. She really could do anything, if she wanted to.

In the past, whether it was sports or academics, Mari was always the one who learned first and then taught me. But the moment I caught up, she would lose interest.

That was exactly why, when Mari did become serious and flipped that internal switch, her entire presence changed.

“Wow… that’s cool…”

A female classmate murmured softly.

The instant I heard those words, a dull pain flared in my chest, like a scab being torn away.

Mari overtook another runner, then another. With only a short distance remaining until the handoff, the gap between her and Godaiin-kun ahead had shrunk to almost nothing.

By then, the cheers had grown louder, and for some reason, everyone was cheering for both the one chasing and the one being chased.

Why is she trying this hard?

I shifted my gaze back and forth between Mari and Godaiin-kun, a faint hope rising within me, only to be immediately smothered by the thought, no way.

Even so, I felt I had to watch until the very end.

It was almost there.

Mari was about to catch up.

Just a little more.

Just a little more.

Godaiin-kun was fast too, desperately driving his legs forward. Only a short stretch remained before the baton would be passed to the anchor runner.

Then, right in front of me, the distance between them vanished. The moment they were running side by side.

“Matsuri! Go!”

I screamed at the top of my lungs, so loudly that my ears rang. For a split second, it felt like Mari smiled. Right after overtaking four people, including Godaiin-kun, Mari passed the baton to the fourth runner.

Even though the final result had not yet been decided, the field erupted in thunderous cheers.

“Haa… haa… haa… ouch…”

“Mari!”

After finishing her leg, Mari collapsed into a crouch, her hands braced against the ground as her shoulders rose and fell violently. Even though the relay was still ongoing, I ran straight to her side. I rubbed her trembling back and called out, “Are you okay?”

She looked barely able to sit upright, her body swaying unsteadily.

“I’ll take her to the infirmary. She asked me in advance to carry her if she overdid it and ended up like this.”

From above, Todoroki-kun appeared, having rushed over from somewhere. He reached out and checked Mari’s pulse at her neck.

Even though he was just checking her pulse, seeing him touch Mari’s skin stirred a dark, burning emotion deep in my chest.

Even now.

“Ichinose, sorry, but could you step aside?”

“…Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Leave it to me.”

“No, that’s not it, Todoroki-kun. Sorry for the timing, but I’ll take Mari.”

Todoroki-kun looked at me silently for a moment.

“Mari, just stay still for a bit, okay?”

As I spoke, I slid my arms under her back and knees and slowly lifted her. Yeah, this was fine. I could even run while carrying her like this.

“Sorry, Todoroki-kun. I’ll take Mari.”

“Ichinose.”

“Sorry.”

When I said that, Todoroki-kun scratched his cheek.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I know you’re really strong, so I’m not worried about that. The nurse is at the medical tent right now. I’ll go call them. You take Nagase to the infirmary first. I’ll catch up.”

“…Got it. Thanks.”

The moment I replied, we both started running.

As I glanced sideways at Todoroki-kun’s back heading toward the tent, I thought that he really was a good guy. Truly cool. That was probably why Mari relied on him, I thought vaguely.

Even though she never relied on me at all.

Feeling jealous of a friend even in a moment like this made me realize how ugly my thoughts were.

Still. Rely on me sometimes too, okay?

It feels empty when I am always the only one reaching out. I clenched my teeth and tightened my hold on Mari.

Her breathing gradually calmed, though her consciousness remained hazy, and she clutched my gym clothes tightly.

When Mari wakes up, I will tell her.

I will tell her to choose me.

As I carried my reckless childhood friend in my arms, I once again realized that feelings do not reach others unless they are clearly put into words.