Chapter 95: The Sudden Storm

The slip of paper passed from the first runner to the borrower—this was the crucial moment that would decide victory or defeat.

Xiao Chun Miura stood at the edge of the field.

Even though she told herself not to care, the moment Kanzaki Sou ran back, her gaze was uncontrollably drawn toward him.

Sweat dripped from the boy’s forehead, his chest heaving violently, but even so, his movement as he handed over the slip was still smooth and cool, drawing another round of screams from the first-year girls nearby.

Distracted by the noise, Xiao Chun Miura failed to notice the strange expression on Kondo Haruka’s face as she took the slip.

Kondo Haruka stood still for a full two seconds.

Kanzaki Sou seemed to sense something was off too and was just about to ask when Kondo Haruka suddenly snapped out of it with a helpless click of her tongue.

She didn’t look at Kanzaki Sou or any familiar faces in the crowd—instead, she spun around and bolted toward the opposite side of the track, where students from other grades and classes had gathered.

“Hey! Anyone from another class!?”

Kondo Haruka shouted loudly as she ran, her voice tinged with urgency and annoyance.

“Not (5) Class! Anyone but (5)!”

“Lend me a school uniform jacket! A boy’s! Hurry!”

It was only then that Xiao Chun Miura heard Kondo Haruka’s shout.

She followed with her eyes, then couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth.

This really was a very tricky task.

It was the sports festival—everyone was wearing gym uniforms or class T-shirts. Who would come to the field in a heavy uniform jacket?

Even if someone had one, most were locked in classroom cabinets or tossed in the locker room.

To randomly grab someone wearing or carrying a uniform jacket on the field was harder than climbing to the sky.

No wonder Kondo Haruka looked so miserable.

It didn’t just mean she couldn’t grab Kanzaki Sou and run directly like yesterday—unless Kanzaki Sou had a jacket with him, but he was clearly only in gym clothes.

It also meant she’d have to bow her head and ask help from strangers, maybe even rival class students.

For the proud Kondo Haruka, this must have been tough to bear.

“Anyone? (2) Class? (3) Class? Who brought a jacket?”

Kondo Haruka darted anxiously along the sidelines like a headless chicken.

On the other side—

Yui Hori unfolded her slip, her face quickly flushed with excitement; the lively light in her eyes blazed brighter than ever.

“Ha! Hahahahaha!”

She suddenly threw her head back and laughed, so boldly that even the boys nearby shrank away.

She whipped around, her gaze locking onto Xiao Chun Miura standing on the edge of the crowd, staring at Kondo Haruka in a daze.

“Xiao Chun—!!!”

Xiao Chun Miura jolted in fright, just as she turned, a blur hurtled toward her.

“Yu, Yui?!”

Before she could react, Yui Hori was already in front of her, grabbing her wrist without a word.

The grip was so strong, Xiao Chun Miura’s wrist ached.

“Come! With me!”

Without giving her a chance to refuse, Yui Hori pulled her toward the track.

“W-wait! What is it? What’s your task? Why are you pulling me?”

Xiao Chun Miura was completely confused, stumbling as she was dragged along.

“Are you borrowing something? I only have a handkerchief and tissues…”

“It’s not an object!”

Yui Hori stopped and thrust the crumpled slip right in front of Xiao Chun Miura’s eyes.

“See for yourself!”

Xiao Chun Miura looked closely.

On the slip, in bold black print, was a single clear task:

【Borrowed Item Task: A Classmate Who Wants to Cross the Finish Line Together】

“…Eh?”

Xiao Chun Miura froze.

A classmate who wants to cross the finish line together…?

“This… This task…”

“Isn’t it amazing?!”

Yui Hori was practically glowing with excitement, gripping Xiao Chun Miura’s hand like she was holding the whole world.

“Xiao Chun! This is our chance!!”

“W-what chance?”

“Of course, a chance to slap back!”

Yui Hori pointed at Kondo Haruka, still running around like a headless chicken and even starting to snap at bystanders.

Her teeth gnashed.

“Look at her! Usually so arrogant, now she’s freaking out over a stupid jacket! That’s karma!”

“And us? We drew this kind of task!”

The more Yui Hori spoke, the more worked up she became; her eyes even turned a little red.

“I remember everything Kondo Haruka did! I was so angry I couldn’t sleep last night!”

“Now, it’s our turn!”

She pulled Xiao Chun Miura closer.

“Xiao Chun, I want to cross the finish line with you! I want to run straight past that woman with you, proudly! I want her to see us take first place! I want her to know, even without Kanzaki Sou, even with her against us, people from (5) Class aren’t to be messed with!”

“I want to return the humiliation she gave you yesterday—twice over!”

Yui Hori’s voice was loud; many nearby classmates heard it.

Mio Sato and Yuzuki Yasuda nodded fiercely beside them, the same determined light in their eyes.

Xiao Chun Miura looked at Yui Hori.

At this girl, usually so easygoing, but more protective than anyone in critical moments.

At the fire in her eyes, burning for her sake.

The frozen block in her heart seemed to melt a little from that heat.

“Together… cross the finish line?”

She murmured.

Not for Kanzaki Sou.

Not for some romance strategy.

Not even for so-called survival.

But for a friend, for this stubborn pride, for the heavy bond called “friendship.”

“Yes! Together!”

Yui Hori shouted, and before Xiao Chun Miura could reply, she spun around and took off running, dragging Xiao Chun Miura with her.

“No time to hesitate! Run, Xiao Chun! Let out all your frustration!”

“Eh—! Sl-slow down—!”

Xiao Chun Miura cried out as she was yanked forward by sheer momentum.

The wind roared in her ears again.

But this time, she wasn’t alone.

The warmth on her wrist felt so real, so powerful.

Yui Hori ran fast—so fast. She was like an untiring little leopard, pulling Xiao Chun Miura with her as they flew down the red track.

“Move! Out of the way!”

Yui Hori shouted as she ran, her presence overwhelming.

Xiao Chun Miura stumbled at first, but soon, she found herself swept up in Yui Hori’s pace.

Run.

As long as I keep running, it’ll be fine.

Throw away all the troubles, all the calculations, all the fear for the future.

At this moment, she didn’t need to think about how to capture the male lead or how to deal with the female lead.

She just needed to follow the short-haired girl in front of her and keep running.

They dashed onto the track.

The scenery around them blurred, the crowd’s cheers fading into a distant backdrop.

And ahead, on the side of the track, that familiar figure grew closer and closer.

Kondo Haruka was still there.

She seemed to have finally found a boy from another class willing to lend her his jacket (he looked terrified of her), and she was now angrily urging him to take it off.

“Hurry up! Stop dawdling!”

Kondo Haruka stomped her foot and shouted, not noticing the two charging up behind her.

Kanzaki Sou stood at the center of the track not far away, watching with helpless eyes.

Now’s the time.

Light flared in Yui Hori’s eyes.

She pulled Xiao Chun Miura even faster, not slowing down for a second.

They were going to overtake Kondo Haruka.

Before she got the jacket, before she could feel triumphant—like a gust of wind, they would leave her far, far behind!