'No matter the hardship, I never run. That's my ninja way. And no matter the prize, I always fight for it. That, too, is my ninja way.'
Thus, Masao resolved to try one more time.
"Yukinoshita," he urged, "just think of the reward for first place. You get to actually touch a panda!"
At the mention of the prize, the internal scales within Yukinoshita's heart wavered, tipping slightly in his favor.
"I'm only doing this for your own good," he added quickly. "I have no other motives."
Hearing this, the scales in Yukinoshita's heart not only tipped back but swung even further in the opposite direction.
"I don't believe you, Masao-kun. Not for a second."
His scheme so transparently exposed, Masao could only offer a sheepish grin.
"Just a little? A very, very little one?"
"While I find this entire endeavor highly improbable, abandoning a challenge without attempting it is contrary to my nature."
Yukinoshita released a sigh of resignation.
"Very well. I will attempt it."
In that moment, she found herself thinking that being the one carried by Masao might have been the less humiliating option.
While Masao's team steeled their resolve, the other pair—Shinomiya Kaguya and Fujiwara Chika—had opted for Shinomiya to be the one lifting.
Both pairs were a classic case of a small horse trying to pull a heavy cart.
But it was painfully clear which pair had drawn the shorter straw.
Fujiwara Chika, successfully hoisted in Kaguya's arms, looked over at Masao with a triumphant sparkle in her eyes. "It looks like this round is mine, Masao-kun!"
"Don't count us out so fast," Masao retorted, his voice strained but confident. "I have my complete faith in Yukinoshita."
Yukinoshita, internally: 'Please don't. My confidence in this situation regarding you, is precisely zero.'
A staff member gave the signal, and the contest began. The rules were simple: There were five minutes on the clock, and a continuous one-minute hold was needed to win. A timer stood by each pair, stopwatch in hand.
Yukinoshita pinched her chin, her brow furrowed in concentration as she slowly circled Masao once, then twice.
"Yukinoshita-san, anytime now!" Masao prompted, his excitement barely contained. "I'm getting—ahem, I mean, the clock is ticking!"
"I am assessing the optimal approach to lift you. But from every angle, Masao-kun, you present a significant... challenge."
Seeing no way out, Yukinoshita shook her head and prepared for the inevitable.
"Fine. Don't move a muscle."
"I'll be a statue."
Masao raised his arms and bent his knees slightly, offering himself up as the most cooperative burden possible.
Stealing her nerves, Yukinoshita stepped forward. She slid one arm under his armpit and the other behind his knees. With a deep breath, she gathered every ounce of her strength and heaved.
To the astonishment of everyone watching—Masao included—his feet actually left the ground.
The sensation of being airborne made Masao blurt out, "Whoa! Yukinoshita, you're incredible! So strong! You're the pinnacle of womanhood! The very essence of feminine power!"
Hearing this, Yukinoshita desperately wished she had a free hand to muzzle him. But every fiber of her being was focused on the monumental task of not collapsing.
Naturally, their duo was the main event. Other teams—men lifting men, women lifting women, or even men lifting women—paled in comparison to the spectacle of this slender, beautiful girl attempting to lift a sturdy boy.
"Is that guy the luckiest man alive or what? A girl like that is carrying him?"
"I'd be happy just to carry her books...and he gets this?"
"Seriously, though, she's actually got him off the ground! She's stronger than she looks!"
On the other side, Fujiwara Chika, comfortably settled in Kaguya's hold, gasped.
"Yukinoshita-san is amazing! She really lifted him!"
"Of course she did!" Masao wheezed from his position. "Who do you think she is? She's the most—"
It was at that exact moment, as Masao was about to sing her praises, that he felt the world drop out from under him. Along with the sudden tug of gravity, there was an additional shove.
THUD.
Masao's well-cushioned posterior met the floor with a solid, resonant impact.
"Oof! Ow-ow-ow~!"
He groaned, rubbing his sore tailbone as he looked up at Yukinoshita with a pained and accusatory expression. "Yukinoshita... you added some extra force to that drop, didn't you?"
Yukinoshita staggered a step before catching her balance, her face flushed and her breath coming in sharp pants.
At his accusation, her eyes darted away for a fraction of a second before she met his gaze with impeccable calm.
"Don't be absurd. I simply reached my physical limit."
She would never, ever admit that after straining every muscle to lift him, his cheerful commentary had grated on her just enough to add a little... push to his return to the floor.
Masao climbed to his feet. Since he hadn't been lifted very high, the fall was more shocking than painful.
"Shall we try again, Yukinoshita?"
This time, her refusal was immediate. "No. Further attempts would be futile."
"Alright. Fair enough."
Masao didn't push it. He'd gotten his memorable moment; to ask for more would be pushing his luck.
'Being held by Yukinoshita was... nice. A shame I was too preoccupied with not dying to properly appreciate it.'
They informed the staff they were withdrawing.
"The first team has conceded!" the staff member announced. "Their final time was eight seconds! Let's give them a round of applause for winning our commemorative panda keychains!"
He handed over two adorable, plush panda keychains.
Accepting hers, Yukinoshita felt a small smile touch her lips. It wasn't the grand prize, but it was a charming consolation.
'This wasn't a complete loss. It would have been enjoyable, if not for the traumatic experience of princess-carrying Masao-kun.'
Fujiwara, who had been ready to gloat over Masao's defeat, saw the cute keychains and her competitive spirit instantly vanished.
"Aww, how nice! Those panda charms are adorable! I want one too! Hey, Kaguya-chan, let's just quit and get ours!"
Shinomiya Kaguya, who had been pouring her entire soul into lifting Chika, felt her eye twitch. A wave of exhaustion washed over her.
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