The afternoon sun hung high, casting long shadows over the school's vast athletic field. The cheers and chatter of hundreds of students blended into a steady hum — the second half of the Sports Festival was about to begin.
The events from the morning had left Class D battered in both points and morale. Sudō was still absent, Horikita was injured, and the rest were struggling to fill the gaps. But the festival had to go on.
Chabashira-sensei's voice echoed through the speakers, announcing the next segment — "Recommended Participation Events" — where only the best and most capable were chosen to represent their classes. For Class D, this meant every single decision now mattered.
Kiyotaka stood silently near the tent, water bottle in hand, watching as the first event — Scavenger Hunt — was being prepared. Hirata approached him, wearing that calm, dependable smile he always had, though the exhaustion in his eyes was impossible to miss.
"Sudō's still not here," Hirata said quietly.
Kiyotaka nodded. "You'll have to make another substitution."
"Yeah…" Hirata sighed. "I'll give Ike the chance. He's eager to help."
After a quick game of rock-paper-scissors with Yamauchi, Kanji Ike won the right to represent Class D. His grin was wide, his confidence higher than his ability — but his enthusiasm, for once, was what Class D needed.
As the whistle blew, Ike bolted forward, weaving through the crowd like a man possessed. His task? "Find a teacher and bring them here."
Within minutes, Ike appeared again, dragging a confused but laughing Chabashira-sensei by the arm. The crowd erupted into cheers — Class D had won first place.
"Guess he's good for something," Kiyotaka murmured.
Hirata chuckled softly. "Sometimes passion can win over skill."
Next up was Kiyotaka himself.
When he unfolded his first instruction card, his expression didn't change, but internally, he sighed.
"Bring 10 friends."
That wasn't going to happen. He requested a change, waiting thirty seconds per the rules.
The next one was worse.
"The person you love."
A small pause. He immediately requested another change.
Finally, the third card read:
"Find a table clock."
That seemed manageable — except that, after dashing across the grounds and searching both tents and teacher areas, he couldn't find a single one.
By the time he returned, the others had already finished. He came in last.
He brushed the dirt from his hands and took a slow breath. "Predictable," he muttered.
Meanwhile, Suzune finally found Sudō sitting alone in the dormitory's lobby. His elbows rested on his knees, his eyes fixed blankly on the floor.
"Sudō."
His head jerked up, shock flashing across his face. "Horikita? What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the festival?"
"I should," she said calmly, approaching him. "But I came for you."
"Don't waste your time," he snapped, standing up. "You don't get it. I'm done with that stupid festival."
"I do get it," she replied evenly. "You're talented. You've worked harder than anyone. But that doesn't excuse walking away from your responsibilities as the team leader."
"Leader?" Sudō laughed bitterly. "Leader of what? A bunch of weaklings who can't even keep up with me? You saw what happened — they just drag me down!"
"Then maybe," she countered, "you should've tried pulling them up."
He glared at her. "You think it's that easy?!"
"I don't think anything is easy," she said softly. "But running away isn't hard either."
Sudō clenched his fists, trembling with anger. "Just shut up! You don't know what it's like!"
"Then show me," she said, stepping closer. "If you're that angry, then hit me. If that'll make you feel better, do it."
He froze.
Her voice softened, but her eyes never left his. "You said you became leader because you thought being good at sports was enough. But that's not why you're really angry, is it?"
Sudō looked away, his jaw tight. "… I just wanted to prove something. That I'm not useless. That people could respect me for once."
Suzune's tone softened. "And yet you've abandoned the very people you wanted to impress."
Silence hung heavy between them.
Then she said, "We're alike, Sudō."
He blinked. "What?"
"I've spent my life chasing my brother's shadow," she confessed. "I looked down on everyone who wasn't like me — those who didn't work hard, didn't study. I thought I was better. But the truth is, I was just lonely. Just like you."
She took a deep breath. "You carried Class D during this festival. You've done more than you realize. Don't throw that away."
Sudō's shoulders slumped. "You're really annoying, you know that?"
"Good," she said. "It means I'm getting through to you."
He turned toward the elevator. "I… I need to think."
She called after him, "If you walk away now, I'll wait here. No matter how long it takes."
He looked back, eyes narrowing. "You're insane."
"Maybe," she said with a faint smile. "But I'm not giving up on you."
As the elevator doors closed, Suzune sank into a chair. Her ankle ached, but her heart felt lighter.
Back on the field, Class D suffered another loss — this time in the Four-Way Tug of War. With Sudō and Horikita both absent, Hirata had to make even more substitutions, draining his Private Points to keep the team afloat.
Kiyotaka approached him between events. "You've spent more than half your points already."
Hirata wiped sweat from his brow. "It's fine. If I don't, we'll lose even faster."
Kushida chimed in with her ever-sunny voice, "If it helps, I'll use my points too! I'll join the next event — the Mixed Gender Three-Legged Race!"
Kiyotaka nodded. "I'll participate as Sudō's replacement then."
Hirata looked relieved. "Thank you, Ayanokōji-kun."
As the two of them tied the ropes around their legs, Kushida hummed lightly, her smile as bright as ever.
Kiyotaka's tone, however, was casual but sharp. "By the way, Kushida-san… I saw you take a photo of the participation list the other day."
Her hands froze mid-knot. "…Oh?"
"You were careful. But not careful enough."
Her expression didn't change. The same friendly smile, though her eyes glittered. "So, you're saying you think I'm the one who leaked it to Ryūen?"
"I don't think," he said quietly. "I'm certain."
Kushida chuckled softly. "And yet, Class C can't win just by having our list. Isn't that too convenient of a conclusion?"
Kiyotaka met her gaze evenly. "I knew the list was leaked. That's why I didn't bother countering it. There's no point when the traitor's inside Class D."
Her smile faded for the first time. "…You're clever, Ayanokōji-kun. But you can't prove anything."
"I could ask Chabashira-sensei who checked the list after submission," he said.
Kushida laughed — soft, melodic, but with an edge like glass. "Go ahead. Even if you do, you won't have proof that I sent it. I'm careful."
"Then why do it?" Kiyotaka asked. "Why risk your own class for Ryūen's benefit?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, though the smile returned. "Because I want to see Suzune Horikita gone. Expelled."
Kiyotaka tilted his head. "That's quite the obsession."
"She ruined everything for me once," Kushida said, her tone suddenly venomous beneath the sweetness. "After she's gone, I'll rebuild this class. I'll be the one everyone loves, the one who leads Class D to Class A. But now…" She looked at him darkly. "You've joined my list too."
Kiyotaka said nothing, his expression unreadable.
As the whistle blew to signal the start of the race, she smiled again — bright, cheerful, like none of that conversation had ever happened.
Back at the dorms, the sun had begun to sink. Suzune sat in silence, her ankle throbbing with every passing minute. Nearly an hour had gone by.
She didn't move.
Then, the elevator chimed.
Sudō stepped out, rubbing the back of his neck. When he saw her still there, his eyes widened. "You… actually waited."
"I told you I would."
He hesitated. "You're an idiot. It's already too late to go back."
"It's never too late," she said softly. "Not for people like us."
He looked at her for a long moment. "…You really think we're alike?"
She nodded. "I spent years trying to be perfect in my brother's eyes. But today, I realized I'm pathetic too — and that's okay. Because it means I can still grow."
Sudō sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're… different now. Your words… they hit harder."
"Because they're honest," she said. "So please, Sudō. Lend me your strength. One last time."
There was a long silence — then he finally nodded.
"Fine. Let's go show them what Class D can do."
For the first time that day, Suzune smiled. A small, genuine smile — not of pride, but of relief. "Thank you… comrade."
Elsewhere, far from the tension and turmoil, I was still lying beneath the same camphor tree, head resting comfortably on Ibuki's lap.
The afternoon wind was gentle now, and the noise of the festival had dimmed to background murmurs.
"You know," I murmured, eyes half-closed, "this whole sports festival feels like a waste of time."
Ibuki glanced down at me. "What do you mean?"
"No matter how hard the first-years fight, they can't beat the second- or third-years," I said lazily. "It's just a game where the outcome's already written. We'll end up losing points either way."
She looked away toward the field. "Maybe… but that's not the point."
"Oh?"
"It's not about winning or losing," she said quietly. "It's about showing what we can do — even when the odds are stacked against us."
I smirked. "That sounds like something Ichinose would say."
Ibuki snorted. "Shut up."
I chuckled softly, closing my eyes again. The distant sound of cheers rose once more — and for just a moment, I wondered if Horikita and Sudō were back on the field, fighting for something I didn't yet understand.