[SS: Starting today is the registration period, Miura-san.]
During lunch break, when this message arrived on LIME, Koharu Miura happened to be reading in the Library.
After seeing Kanzaki Sou’s message, Koharu Miura thought for a moment, then sent a reply.
Not long after, Kanzaki Sou appeared near the Library’s back entrance in response to her message.
“Miura-san, good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon, Kanzaki-san.”
It was as if Kanzaki Sou had found Koharu Miura at a glance. He greeted her from afar, walking over with a smile.
When he stood in front of Koharu Miura, his face was just as she remembered, with the same gentle smile as always.
Even though they’d spent their Academy days in separate classes and hadn’t seen each other for a few days, meeting again in the shaded area behind the Library didn’t feel awkward at all.
Kanzaki Sou had always been that gentle by nature; as long as Koharu Miura stayed calm, there was never any problem with the atmosphere between them.
When she sent the message and asked Kanzaki Sou to come to the Library, Koharu Miura had already composed herself.
Participating was her way of struggling for a chance at survival, so she had to do it herself.
Koharu Miura herself wasn’t sure if participating together with Kanzaki Sou during the Sports Day would change anything.
Since her last conversation with the System, a strange Brain Fog had clouded her mind, making it hard to recall the Sports Day events in the game.
Because of that, she didn’t know what happened between Kanzaki Sou, the game’s male protagonist, and Kondo Haruka, the female lead, during Sports Day.
But what she was sure of was that if she did nothing during Sports Day, there was no way she’d ever reach her own “Good Ending”.
The last time she checked Kanzaki Sou’s favorability towards Kondo Haruka, the number had mysteriously dropped to 35, much lower than the previous score in the 40s.
Still, Koharu Miura couldn’t feel happy about it.
Because, just as she remembered, the System had also said—
No matter what happened between Kanzaki Sou and Kondo Haruka before, or how much the favorability changed—
[After Sports Day, it always skyrockets to a ridiculous degree.]
She couldn’t just let things proceed smoothly for them—
At least, she couldn’t be a bystander.
She had to get involved herself.
“Miura-san, before we go find Sakura-sensei, can I ask you something? I’m a bit curious.”
After greeting her, Kanzaki Sou smiled and naturally brought up the topic.
“What is it, Kanzaki-san?”
“Did you ever think about teaming up with your classmates?”
“If you just wanted to try participating in Sports Day, there are fun group events in the class too, right?”
“So why did you think to partner with me?”
Kanzaki Sou’s voice was gentle, with not a hint of accusation.
Still, Koharu Miura tensed for just a moment.
But it was only for a moment.
“Haa… so that’s it.”
***
Koharu Miura took a slow, deep breath.
— I’ll tell the truth here.
I’ve already lied to Kanzaki Sou about so many things.
And on top of that, I accidentally overheard the conversation between Kanzaki Sou and his childhood friend.
So I still have to keep hiding things from him.
For Koharu Miura, this string of deceptions was something she thought she’d already prepared for and accepted.
But.
Maybe because so many days had passed with nothing else to do, the growing anxiety and unease in her heart made her want desperately to “do something”.
When she saw Kanzaki Sou and heard his question—
Koharu Miura hoped, hoped that she “wouldn’t have to keep lying” anymore.
At the very least, she didn’t want everything she did here to be an empty illusion.
Perhaps this world wasn’t real, and her friends were relationships that only existed within it.
But, maybe because the world was an unreal dream, and her friends were not flesh and blood but data, that made her want to say the truth even more.
If she wanted to speak honestly, shouldn’t she be allowed the freedom to do so?
If she couldn’t even have that much freedom, for someone like her who still had time left but would eventually have to leave, it was just too cruel.
She took a deep breath and met his gaze head-on.
“Because—”
[Another view — Kanzaki Sou’s perspective]
{Seiki Academy Library}
[Koharu Miura]: Because
[Koharu Miura]: Because Sports Day is very important to me.
Miura-san’s voice trembled a little.
But I could tell she was doing her best to keep it steady and sincere.
[Koharu Miura]: My health isn’t good
….. I’ve never participated in these kinds of activities before.
[Koharu Miura]: I wanted to try.
[Koharu Miura]: Try to change, even if just a little.
—Because even as she trembled and hesitated, she still spoke each word, each phrase, exactly as she wanted to.
[Koharu Miura]: Since I came to a new school, I wanted to try participating, instead of just being a bystander like before.
[Koharu Miura]: But, I’m not good at sports. I’m scared that someone like me, a half-hearted participant, would only drag my partner down.
[Koharu Miura]: If it’s a group event, I’d be even more worried about affecting everyone’s results.
[Koharu Miura]: Even if everyone says it’s okay, I know.
[Koharu Miura]: There will definitely be classmates who care about the results, who would lose the place or achievement they wanted because of my mistakes.
[Koharu Miura]: —I don’t want that to happen.
Her voice grew softer.
But I could still hear her clearly, and though Miura-san’s volume had dropped, her words flowed even more smoothly.
[Koharu Miura]: When you mentioned fun events, Kanzaki-san, I was interested.
[Koharu Miura]: Later, I looked up the details myself. The rules are simple and interesting, not just competitive sports.
[Koharu Miura]:
I felt that even someone like me could participate.
[Koharu Miura]: And since they’re fun events, the results and rankings aren’t as important—anything below bronze, silver, or gold is just ignored.
At this point, she lifted her head, her eyes filled with hope and passion.
[Koharu Miura]: —I felt that if it was like this, I’d have the courage to invite a friend to join me.
[Koharu Miura]: As long as the results aren’t important, then even if I hold things back a little, it’s okay, right?
[Koharu Miura]: So, um, Kanzaki-san!
[Koharu Miura]:
You were the first person at this school who was willing to listen to me calmly.
[Koharu Miura]: You’re reliable and kind.
[Koharu Miura]: That’s why, even though I know this request is selfish and a burden—
[Koharu Miura]: You’re the only person I could gather the courage to ask.
I watched her hands gripping the hem of her clothes, as if drawing all her courage from them. I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt.
So, even though I knew what she would say next, I couldn’t stop her.
[Koharu Miura]: —Only you.
[Kanzaki Sou]:
[Koharu Miura]:
[Koharu Miura]: I said this before, but… if you feel troubled, please just refuse.
[Koharu Miura]: I can completely understand.
[Koharu Miura]: But since you replied to me, and now you’ve listened to my reason—
[Koharu Miura]: I… can I take it to mean
[Koharu Miura]: That you… agreed to team up with me…?
Her voice was still trembling.
Just as it had when we started talking, just as it was the first time we spoke in the Library.
Miura-san always seemed timid about everything.
Compared to naturally outgoing people, someone like her was like a small bird constantly protecting its wings; if treated harshly, her fragile feathers would break.
No one is obliged to protect every such person.
But seeing her like that, I couldn’t refuse.
–Because even though she feared many things, she entrusted her courage to me.
While I wondered why Miura-san sent me the invitation, I spent a long time thinking about her reasons.
“If it’s because of this or that, then I’d rather not.”
Such thoughts had crossed my mind many times.
I didn’t reply to her message right away.
I didn’t want to give the impression that I was some conveniently helpful guy who anyone could depend on, without confirming their true feelings first.
Having gone through such things in the past, I was even more cautious now.
Giving people that impression was irresponsible to those who truly needed help and only enabled those who didn’t.
—And it drained me, too.
I always tried to treat everyone kindly, but I knew I wasn’t the kind of “good person” you could ask anything of at any time.
So, I didn’t want Miura-san to see me that way, and that’s why I didn’t reply to her immediately.
But now, I know.
I’ve confirmed the answer I wanted.
If that’s the case, then it’s fine.
[Kanzaki Sou]: Yes, Miura-san. You didn’t misunderstand.
[Kanzaki Sou]: I want to team up with you.
I stopped doubting and accepted her invitation.
[Koharu Miura]:
……..–!
The joy on the girl’s face at that moment made me feel happy for her, too.