The aura of the Childhood Friend was as forceful as her words.
Kondo Haruka came here with the mindset to assert her territory and mock Xiao Chun Miura while she was at it.
In her eyes, this timid girl who could only rely on playing the victim to gain Kanzaki Sou’s sympathy, was just someone too cowardly to face things head-on and could only sneak around behind her to get close to Kanzaki Sou… An insignificant person, not worth fearing.
She never expected that in a private confrontation like this, the other party could still show such a strong attitude.
“…Kondo-san.”
After a moment of silence, Xiao Chun Miura looked up at Kondo Haruka, who was still standing tall and imposing across from her.
“I… Maybe, just like you said, I used some sort of trick to convince Kanzaki-san to team up with me.”
“Hmph, as long as you know–“
“But then, by your logic, did you also sign up for the Borrowed Item Relay with Kanzaki-san?”
Xiao Chun Miura cut off Kondo Haruka, continuing to say what she wanted without giving her any more room for arrogance.
“That’s right! So what?”
“I see. I didn’t know that.”
Xiao Chun Miura shook her head.
“Ah? –…”
“Kanzaki-san never mentioned signing up for the Borrowed Item Relay with you, Kondo-san.”
“—This is the first time I’ve heard that he would be partnered with both of us in the competition.”
Seeing Kondo Haruka’s inexplicably confused expression caused by her words, Xiao Chun Miura remained calm as water.
This was a lie.
Of course, Xiao Chun Miura knew Kondo Haruka was teaming up with Kanzaki Sou for the Borrowed Item Relay. After all, she had accidentally overheard it at the time.
Kanzaki Sou indeed hadn’t told Xiao Chun Miura about participating with Kondo Haruka…
That was the truth.
But the rest was made up.
Right now, Xiao Chun Miura just wanted to say it like this.
Kanzaki Sou hadn’t told Xiao Chun Miura that he’d be competing in the Borrowed Item Relay with Kondo Haruka—she wanted to say this on purpose.
“What did you say–“
“I’ve practiced with Kanzaki-san for a long time, and he always seemed busy… We had to squeeze in time to train together.”
“If he’s that busy, I doubt Kanzaki-san had time to practice any other events.”
Xiao Chun Miura narrowed her eyes slightly, a trace of provocation mixed into her tone—so faint, but still clear.
Kondo Haruka’s eyebrows instantly furrowed.
“What do you mean by that, Xiao Chun Miura?!”
“Nothing. I just think you must be strong enough, Kondo-san, so you don’t have to worry or do any extra training—unlike me, who’s not good at sports and can only practice more at the last minute.”
“Even so, I probably couldn’t beat someone as strong as you in the Borrowed Item Relay, Kondo-san.”
In front of everyone, it was obvious who was the more outstanding one.
“Kondo-san, someone as amazing as you, no matter how hard I try last minute, I could never win against you.”
“There’s just no way, whether it’s the competition—or anything else.”
Though Xiao Chun Miura’s words sounded like praise and were true, Kondo Haruka did not respond.
She frowned, mulling over the words, feeling like Xiao Chun Miura was mocking her.
But which part?
From what angle?
Kondo Haruka couldn’t figure it out right away.
“Of course, Kondo-san.”
“What I just said only makes sense if, as you said, I really did ‘use some trick.'”
“If it’s not about competing, then it was just a coincidence that both of us ended up in the same event with Kanzaki-san.”
Xiao Chun Miura changed her tone, becoming more forceful.
“But, Kondo-san.”
“If I didn’t know you and Kanzaki-san signed up for the same event as me, why did you come over to say these things to me?”
“Wh-!”
Kondo Haruka’s eyes widened.
She felt like the conversation wasn’t going the way it should.
—The atmosphere wasn’t supposed to be like this; wasn’t Xiao Chun Miura supposed to shrink back after her declaration and let her leave with satisfaction?
Why was she being so assertive now?
She wasn’t even speaking in her usual hesitant way!
“I invited Kanzaki-san to the Borrowed Item Relay by sending an official message through my Personal Account on LIME.”
“—If you think using a Personal Account for formal contact counts as some sort of trick, then fine, I don’t care.”
“…But in my opinion, Kanzaki-san has the freedom to choose who to message privately through LIME.”
“—Kondo-san, I’m going back.”
Remaining calm the whole time, Xiao Chun Miura finally said this indifferently, picked up her clothes, and walked out from under the shade, vanishing from Kondo Haruka’s sight in an instant.
Only the red-haired girl was left standing there, stunned.
What Xiao Chun Miura said made too much sense.
—But the other party was her rival, so she couldn’t admit it.
“..What the heck.”
The Childhood Friend, who had come to show off, found herself completely shut down and felt the fire in her heart die down.
After Xiao Chun Miura left, she rounded a corner and crouched down.
She’d said too much… words she wasn’t used to saying.
“What are you thinking, Xiao Chun!”
Hori Yui’s voice snapped Xiao Chun Miura out of her thoughts.
“Ah~? Nothing…”
“….”
“You looked so absorbed just staring at Kanzaki-san~”
Hori Yui grinned.
“I said I wasn’t looking at him!”
“If you weren’t looking at him, then were you staring at Kondo Haruka? Who would believe that?”
Yuzuki Yasuda chimed in from the side.
“But—”
Hori Yui’s expression turned mischievous again, and she winked at Xiao Chun Miura.
“Even if you were looking at Kondo Haruka, it makes sense.”
“She’s your biggest rival, after all!”
Hori Yui circled around to Xiao Chun Miura’s other side and grabbed her chair.
“It’s okay, Xiao Chun! She can only be arrogant for now!”
“That’s right! When the competition starts, let’s show her who the real ‘partner’ is!”
Yuzuki Yasuda pumped her fist, as if she herself were about to compete.
Hearing her friends cheer her on half-jokingly and half-seriously, Xiao Chun Miura felt her gloom lighten.
She smiled helplessly.
“You guys… You make it sound like some kind of grand showdown.”
“Isn’t it a showdown?”
Hori Yui declared righteously.
“A battlefield of love!”
“Fuu~…..”
Sitting quietly by, Mio Sato just sighed, holding her forehead as she listened to the girls’ youthful conversation.
“Sigh, romance.”
“…It’s blind!”