It seems everyone was deep in conversation while leaving me out of it, but since I’d stepped away from my seat at just the right moment due to a sudden need to use the restroom, I didn’t catch any of what was said. After I got back, I tried asking Ryuchi about it, and the answer I got was:
“It was about you, of course. And… a sort of oath, I suppose.”
An “oath”… meaning a “vow”… a “vow of love”… Following that flawless chain of logic, I tried asking whether joining the Sakakibara Harem might be an option, but that was turned down with a bright smile. Well, Ryuchi feels less like a character from a romcom and more like someone out of a detective story. There is such a thing as the mysterious-heroine category, though…… maybe forcing it could work……?
Anyway, the morning session ended, and it was time for the afternoon session. This is where the grand drama unfolded. It started with the three-legged race. Just as Sakakibara and Amagiri finished their setup and were about to go…
To put it briefly, Amagiri tripped and sprained her ankle. This was because the pair next to them crashed right into them.
Of course, Sakakibara, who is a total “ikemen” in both body and soul, tried his best to catch her, but the way they lost their balance must have been bad. From the impact of the collision, Amagiri lost her balance and sprained her ankle right then and there. Because of the schedule, they couldn’t restart the race, so they finished in last place. The pair that crashed into them came to apologize after the race, but I didn’t feel much sincerity from them.
And when she returned to the tent, Amagiri was subjected to curious stares. On the surface, most voices were those of concern. However, a mishap that happens when everyone is in a fun mood can change the atmosphere of the place. Amagiri, perhaps feeling an unbearable sense of regret, burst into tears.
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”
She repeated her apologies and left the area.
…This was the beginning of the drama.
Sakakibara chased after her. I, being nearby, reflexively chased after them too.
Amagiri was crying with her knees pulled to her chest in a place out of sight. Without even going to the nurse’s office, she was simply lamenting her own helplessness. It’s only natural the shock was great. Amagiri isn’t the type who’s good at sports. However, she was a dedicated hard worker. We, who practiced together, knew that. We knew how she practiced single-mindedly. We knew that she didn’t just want to rely on Sakakibara, and even though she’s bad at talking, she went to the PE teacher she’s intimidated by to ask for tips.
And we knew that the reason for her effort wasn’t just because she was in love with Sakakibara, but also because of her pure desire to be useful to everyone. Sakakibara approached Amagiri and said:
“Let’s do our best together until the end. I need your help, Amagiri.”
Without even trying to comfort her, Sakakibara chose the path of pushing through the sports festival together with Amagiri. Is he a rom-com protagonist or what? Oh wait, he is a rom-com protagonist. As expected of “my personal label.”
It wasn’t like the injured Amagiri was going to participate in the events. However, she cheered for the Red Team with a voice louder than anyone else’s. She’s the type who rarely raises her voice, yet there she was, struggling with all her might to do the one thing she could.
From that point on, Sakakibara’s momentum was terrifying. He took first place in every single event he entered. His movements were so intense they were almost ghostly, leaving everyone around him completely overwhelmed.
“It’s just a sports festival; why is he going so hard?” No doubt many people were thinking that. But Sakakibara kept giving it his all so that Amagiri’s feelings wouldn’t go to waste.
As for me, I think I said something to Amagiri after Sakakibara spoke to her, but honestly, I don’t really remember. For starters, I felt a massive amount of guilt since the whole situation felt like it started from my “Rom-Com Strategy” (lol). On top of that, the Red Team was heating up, and I was forced to push my physical abilities way past their limit. I was at maximum fatigue. I realized then and there that “Support-Spec” builds are not meant to be deployed to the front lines.
The sports festival reached a fever pitch, leading into the final event: the relay. Depending on the ranking, the point gap was small enough that either team could win.
Since I was the first runner, I went to talk to Ryuchi to calm my nerves. When I did, Ryuchi…
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
“…Even someone like you gets nervous, huh?”
….said that with eyes wide open in surprise. Just what does Ryuchi think I am, exactly? Of course nerves happen. If my opening move doesn’t go well, it could interfere with the level of excitement at the climax of the romcom event that’s sure to unfold afterward. When I explained that honestly,
“I was an idiot to think, even for a second, that you had a normal spark of sensibility… Good luck, partner.”
I debated whether I had just been insulted or encouraged, but I decided not to think too hard about it.
I took my position, and with the dry crack of the starting pistol, I took off. Honestly, I’m not that fast. And the relay is supposed to be the highlight for the fast kids. The result? Immediately after the start, I fell into dead last.
However, this is just one scene in a rom-com event. It’s the moment where the feelings of the injured girl (Amagiri) are passed along until they reach the protagonist (Sakakibara).
Deciding I couldn’t let the gap get too wide, I desperately clung to the runner in front of me and kept going. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’ve never tried harder in my life. Actually, that might be an exaggeration, but I tried really hard (relative to my usual effort).
I managed to pass the baton smoothly to the next person and promptly collapsed off the track. Honestly, even now as I write this diary, my legs are still shaking.
Whether my hard work actually paid off is uncertain, but the baton passed from me to the second runner, then the third, and by the time Sakakibara—the anchor—started running, we had moved up to second place.
Go. Sakakibara, our glorious Rom-Com Harem Protagonist. As I thought that, I burned the image of the final battle into my eyes.
And the one who crossed the finish line was… needless to say, Sakakibara. His shoelace snapped halfway through, causing him to slow down, but perhaps because of the cheers from Takashiro, Shironami, Umihara, and Amagiri, he kicked off his shoes and sprinted full tilt. He took first place brilliantly. How did he manage to hit first place while running shoeless after a mid-race slowdown? Even though it was the development I wanted, I was slightly creeped out. What is that superhuman… is he a protagonist? Oh right, he’s a protagonist (my personal label).
And so, the Red Team claimed a spectacular victory. Amagiri was bawling her eyes out, and for some reason, Sasaki was bawling too.
Sakakibara approached Amagiri and said:
“Because I knew how hard you were trying, Amagiri-san, the whole Red Team was able to push through. That’s why your cheering gave us strength. Thank you.”
He dropped that absolute killer line. No matter how many times I replay it, that’s a “she’s fallen for him” scene if I ever saw one. I gave him a massive standing ovation in my heart.
Afterwards, for some reason, Sakakibara looked over at me. Since Amagiri followed his gaze and looked at me too, I figured I was supposed to say something. I feel like I said something in the heat of the moment, but since I was just spinning words out of pure spinal reflex, I don’t really remember. I have a feeling I said something to rile up everyone around us.
Anyway, putting the details aside, the sports festival ended safely. After that, Takashiro, Shironami, Sasaki, Umihara, Amagiri, Sakakibara, myself, and Ryuchi (who followed us despite being from another school) went to a family restaurant for an after-party.
Perhaps caught up in the post-festival high, the conversation was lively. We talked about the events of the day, but surprisingly, the topic that got the most traction was my middle school days. Is my past really that interesting? It’s a mystery. Damn you, Ryuchi… All in all, it was a turbulent day.
It was a fulfilling time in many ways. Sounds like a lie, doesn’t it? But it’s reality.
If I wrote down every detail, I could go on
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