In my life so far, I haven’t actively made choices in my school life.
There are various reasons, but the main one is that I don’t want to cause waves.
Besides, most of the choices in school life are really trivial when you think about them later, and if there was something truly important, I always made sure I would be chosen, so I never really worried about it.
But for the first time, I regretted doing what I thought was right.
Haa… why did I agree to participate in the borrowing race…
Not the general public image, but my personal image of the borrowing race is thoroughly negative.
You stand at the starting line, run to where the tasks are when the pistol goes off, check the task, go to the person who has what you need, borrow it or have them accompany you, and run to the finish line, it’s a very simple event.
However, for me, who had clearly witnessed last year’s disastrous scene, just participating in this event is a source of anxiety.
Who on earth puts tasks like boyfriend or girlfriend… or the person you like in there!
This event, also known as public execution, has a few unlucky people every year who end up embarrassing themselves in front of the crowd.
It’s not a problem for those who have someone in mind as a lover or such.
But…
For those who don’t have anyone, this is hell…
There’s a time limit in the borrowing race, so not choosing anything is an option, but since it’s the sports festival, there’s a certain number of people who push themselves even if they get hurt a bit.
Well, those people probably do it because everyone knows it’s a joke…
However, I’m an exception.
I’m not recognized as someone who makes jokes in front of the class… no, in the school.
If I draw such a task, I have no choice but to take it seriously.
I definitely want to avoid the time limit…
I have my pride as a class representative as well.
I have to contribute to the class somehow.
So, for me, the time limit is out.
At this point, all I can do is hope to draw a safe task…
There are only a few odd ones included, after all.
Trying to dispel my anxiety, I stood at the starting line where many others were lined up.
In the borrowing race, to save time, all participants start together in the first race.
With about 30 participants per team, it becomes an incredible number of 150 people when all five teams are combined.
This is already at the level of some marathon or ekiden…
The starting line is crowded, and it’s quite a spectacle.
It’s about to start…
The teacher in charge raises the pistol.
The start was just moments away.
〇
There are so many…
I’m barely managing not to lose sight of her.
By her I mean Hoshino Michika, the class representative of our class, a customer of our housekeeping service, and at school, a cheeky girl who plays a character completely opposite to her natural personality, known as the soothing Hoshino-san.
She’s someone I feel very grateful to today for helping with various things, including supporting the Home Economics Club’s stall.
All of Hoshino’s events are in the afternoon, and since I finished everything in the morning and had some free time, I’m watching the borrowing race she’s participating in to kill time.
This event is dangerous in many ways, and it’s very interesting and exciting to watch.
But for the participants, it’s probably hell…
That’s what I think.
I’m firmly against this crappy event, so I immediately chose to participate in the morning events, but Hoshino didn’t choose any events until the end, leaving only the selected relay, and ended up participating in the borrowing race that no one wanted to do.
Her natural self would probably hate it…
I can easily imagine her getting angry and saying, “Don’t be ridiculous! There’s no way I’d do that!”
But at school, she’s the soothing Hoshino.
She’s probably doing it to maintain her character.
This is a personal matter, so I know it’s wrong for others to say anything about it.
But I didn’t really like that spirit of self-sacrifice.
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She could be a bit more free…
I understand her struggles. Especially since I know her true personality.
Why do you cling so much to being the soothing Hoshino?
This has been a question I’ve had in my heart since I learned about her true self.
I want to just throw away these feelings since it’s about someone else, but I know too much about her now to call her just a classmate.
Besides, it would be a lie to say I’m not interested.
But this isn’t something I should ask about, nor is it something I should interfere with.
It’s painful to just watch, but I have no choice.
That’s the only way I can deal with it.
As I was lost in thought, the pistol went off.
It seems the borrowing race has started.
Umm, Hoshino is…
She’s quite far ahead… ah…
Even from a distance, I immediately noticed something was wrong.
She… collided with someone rushing ahead and fell…
Is she okay…?
Collisions due to congestion are inevitable in this kind of event, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s dangerous.
Seriously, it was a problem last year too.
What are the teachers and the executive committee thinking?
Is Hoshino injured…?
Worry for her who had fallen and anger at the organization that failed to take measures swirl within me.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem serious as she quickly got up, brushed off the sand from her gym clothes, and started running again.
Thank goodness… she’s okay.
If she had been seriously injured, it would have been terrible.
I was relieved to see nothing seemed wrong with her as far as I could tell.
Ohh… Hoshino is surprisingly fast…
It was a swift run worthy of the selected relay.
She quickly reached the task area and checked the written task.
Nn? Her expression is kind of clouded…
Did she pick up a troublesome one??
If it were something simple, she would have acted immediately.
But her steps seemed heavy, and just by looking at her, it was easy to imagine she had drawn a difficult task.
Seriously… is she going to be okay?
Her sense of responsibility is real, and she would never choose to time out.
What will she do…?
As I stared straight at Hoshino, our eyes suddenly met.
Ha?? W-Why is she looking this way??
I have no idea what’s going on.
But with a determined look on her face, she takes a deep breath and starts coming towards me.
Ehhh… w-wait a minute…?
It’s not me, right…?
Normally, I wouldn’t panic this much.
But this time is an exception.
Because her gaze doesn’t leave me as she closes the distance.
At this point, even I can understand.
Hoshino came to the black team’s cheering section and looked straight at me.
「Takumi-kun, I need you for the task. Will you come with me?」
Looking at her then, I couldn’t shake my head no.