Episode 78: Sports Festival Part 3

「Is that guy Takanashi?」

「I’m running in the same heat as him.」

「I’m definitely not losing to him.」

A nuisance, having even more unnecessary enemies.

But since Senpai cheered for me, I’ll at least run with everything I’ve got.

Just as it was about to be my turn, a voice called out from the cheering area near the start.

「Takanashi-kun, do your best!」

「Onii-chan, good luck!!」

That’s Todo Marina-san and Mio-chan.

They actually came…

They’re waving over here, so I wave back. The hair tied small on both sides of Mio-chan’s head is bobbing up and down.

In this bloodthirsty atmosphere full of enemies, Mio-chan’s existence was a total healer.

Todo-san is a normally cute person too.

By the way, what’s with the guys who turned around as if they were the ones being called, even though I’m the one called Onii-chan.

「!? A… an angel!?」

…What are these guys even saying?

Then, a voice called out from a short distance away too.

「Kazunari, good luck!」

Even Yokogawa came…?

That guy started calling me by my first name after that incident.

I haven’t come to trust Yokogawa enough to call him by his first name yet, but since he keeps bothering me one way or another, I can’t really be cold to him… to be honest, I’ve stopped feeling bad about it.

I raise my hand and reply with a reaction.

Starting with that, voices cheering for me began to rise.

The two classmates mixed in there are probably Natsumi-senpai’s fan club.

Are the people near Yokogawa his fan club?

「Takanashi-kun, you’ve gotta respond to Sara’s cheering!」

Natsumi-senpai came too.

Most of them don’t have direct social ties with me, and I know there’s a reason for it.

But it was unthinkable until now that all these different people would cheer for me like this.

I realized all over again that it was because of meeting Sara-senpai that this horizontal expansion happened.

Just how much have I been saved by Sara-senpai…

By the way, since the cheers from girls became overwhelmingly numerous, the hate from the guys seemed to have reached its peak…

I did my best with everything I had, but it’s not like guts can solve everything.

But for me, coming in 5th place out of 10 runners must have been a great effort.

Or rather, doing a full-power 200m with a body that doesn’t usually exercise is rough…

I’m exhausted after running, but I wanted to see Sara-senpai’s face, so the commentary booth…

「Takanashi-san, thank you for your hard work! You were amazing!」

I heard a voice right nearby.

Surprised, I looked toward the voice, and Sara-senpai had come right up to me.

She praises me with a radiant smile.

…In contrast, the murderous intent from the guys around us is also incredible.

I’m happy she came but… what about the commentary?

「Er… my apologies, Satsukawa-san has currently stepped away as she thought of an urgent matter. Until she returns, I will be alone…」

Fukasawa-senpai’s announcement echoes.

You can just「think of」an urgent matter…

No, I’ve gotta get Sara-senpai back quickly.

I lead the smiling Senpai back to the commentary booth.

I still have the scavenger hunt left, but I have to make sure to remember to warn them so the same thing doesn’t happen again.

「Students participating in the girls’ sprint, please head to the staging area…」

Fukasawa-senpai is announcing the next event. She’s talking the whole time, isn’t that difficult?

Or rather, I just noticed, but what’s happening with Fukasawa-senpai’s own events?

Once we reached our seats and caught our breath, Sara-senpai spoke to me.

「Thank you for your hard work, Takanashi-san. Your catch-up midway through was amazing. Please do your best in the next scavenger hunt too.」

「It’s thanks to your cheering, Sara-senpai.」

「Fufu… is that so? In that case, I’ll cheer you on properly for the scavenger hunt too. If you do your best… I’ll give you a reward later.」

A reward!?

If she’s giving it to me, does that mean it’s not an object?

I have no choice but to give it my all now…

「You two, I’d like you to stop flirting in the commentary booth…」

For some people, a loli-type person like the twin-tailed Fukasawa-san giving a glare with a cute face might be a reward in itself.

「Now, Minamin is also participating in an event, so I’m handing over the mic!」

It seems Fukasawa-senpai is indeed competing.

At this time, is it the 100m sprint?

By the way, Senpai is in the 200m, so she’ll be moving in a bit.

But handing over the commentary…

「Good work, everyone.」

The President returned.

He sits down, swapping places with Fukasawa-senpai.

I see, so that’s how it is.

Without appearing particularly nervous, the President began speaking into the microphone.

「From here, I will take over the commentary for Fukasawa-san. I am the Student Council President, Uesaka Daichi.」

I guess it’s a highlight that the President and Vice President are taking over tasks usually done by other broadcasting club members, even if it’s just temporary…

「Well then, Takanashi-san, I am heading off.」

The President and Sara-senpai were doing the commentary to some extent, but Senpai had to leave to compete.

「Good luck, Sara-senpai.」

「Yes.」

And so, it was just two guys left.

The President’s going to do the commentary alone, right…?

Or rather, I just realized that if Sara-senpai isn’t here, I can just go cheer for her.

「I’m going to cheer for Sara-senpai, so good luck, President.」

Just as I tried to quickly stand up to leave before he could say anything unnecessary, the President began speaking into the mic.

「Satsukawa-san is stepping away temporarily to participate in the 200m sprint. Until Fukasawa-san returns, the commentary will be brought to you by Uesaka and Takanashi-kun.」

……No, no, you’ve got to be joking.

I don’t want to do this. I absolutely don’t want to.