Chapter 3 Nostalgic Empty Classrooms and the Start of Practice
“……Oh, right. School starts today, huh.”
That’s the first thing outta my mouth when I wake up in the morning.
Summer break’s over—not just long, but packed with a ton of fun memories.
And with summer break done, what’s next? You got it—new semester.
I don’t hate school or anything. Honestly, I’m kinda pumped to see my classmates again after so long. But after all that free time… yeah, it feels just a tad annoying.
“Starting the new semester like this ain’t gonna cut it… Alright, let’s get fired up!”
I bolt upright, slapping my cheeks hard with a whack.
“…Ow.”
Meant to psych myself up, but damn, I overdid it. Hurt like hell.
Still, it woke me up good, so I dive right into getting ready for school, breakfast included.
Speaking of breakfast—ochazuke’s the way to go!
Pop some white rice in the microwave, sprinkle on the ochazuke mix, pour in some steaming hot water, and bam—you’ve got the ultimate bowl of perfection. Simple, yet stupidly delicious. Once breakfast’s done and I’m all prepped, I head out the door.
“Phew… still hot as hell out here.”
Summer break might be over, but the heat’s still lingering. Nights are bearable with just a screen door, but you still need AC to survive.
“Well, time to hit the meeting spot.”
My meetup isn’t with Arisa or Aina today—it’s with Sota and Kaito. I’ll link up with the girls tomorrow morning like usual, but since it’s been a while, I’m syncing up with the guys today.
“Hey, you’re already here… Yo!”
I wave as I get closer, and both of them spot me, raising their hands.
“Yo, Hayato!”
“Morning, man!”
Haha, it’s been forever since we’ve hung out like this.
We start walking together, and right away, the talk turns to how summer break went. Sounds like Sota and Kaito had a blast—family trips and all.
“What about you, Hayato?” Sota asks.
“Yeah, spill it! How lovey-dovey did you get with those sisters, huh?!” Kaito grins.
“You really wanna know? Alright, here’s the deal!”
No way I’m dishing on that stuff, but I spin a few tales about the happy days I spent with them, like I’m weaving some kinda story.
“Wasn’t all sunshine, though… Caught a bit of a cold and ended up being a pain in the ass.”
They’d probably chew me out for calling it a pain, but honestly? Getting taken care of felt pretty damn good.
Thinking back on it, I can’t help but grin like an idiot. Of course, Sota and Kaito don’t miss it. They grab my shoulders—hard. Like, ow hard.
“Well, well… Bet you got some real special nursing, didn’t ya?” Sota teases.
“You damn normie… Tch! I want a hot girlfriend with big boobs, too!” Kaito wails.
Oi, oi, oi!
Don’t go yelling that kinda crap on the morning commute, man!
“Man… new semester’s barely started, and it’s already a circus,” I groan.
“Your fault, dude,” Sota shoots back.
“Shouldn’t have bragged!” Kaito adds.
“You’re the ones who told me to spill!”
What a way to kick off the semester—exhausting as hell. But all three of us are grinning ear to ear, proof that our usual, everyday chaos is back in full swing. And man, does it feel good.
The conversation doesn’t let up for a second, and we keep yapping all the way to school.
“Catch ya later.”
“Yeah, later.”
“Yep.”
We split up when we hit the classroom, and I head to my seat. Arisa’s already there, parked in the desk next to mine, with Aina right beside her.
“Well, good morning, Hayato-kun,” Arisa says.
“Morning, Hayato-kun♪” Aina chimes in.
“Hey… morning, you two.”
Obvious, but it’s been since before summer break that I’ve seen them in their uniforms. And with both of them here, their friends are nearby, too, making the place lively as hell.
(Yup… definitely getting stared at.)
The looks are aimed at Arisa and Aina. I’ve seen this before, back at the summer festival, but their charm—like some kinda overwhelming pheromone vibe—is on another level now. The guys in class especially? Their eyes are glued.
(It’ll probably die down eventually… but man, gotta stay sharp.)
Nothing crazy’s gonna happen at school, but still—gotta keep my game face on.
“So… did you two do something over break?” one of their friends asks.
“Your skin’s, like, insanely glowing, your hair’s all silky, and you’re giving off this… sexy vibe. And are your boobs bigger?” another chimes in.
“Yeah, totally! Spill it—what’s the deal?!” a third presses.
Uh, hello? There’s a guy—me—sitting right here.
They’re not shouting or anything, and with everyone else caught up in their own post-break reunions, this convo’s probably not being overheard. Still, it’s a bit much.
Morning homeroom’s about to start, and most of the class has shown up, so it’s getting pretty rowdy.
“Man, everyone’s hyped for the first day!” someone calls out.
“Good morning!”
“Hey, teach!”
As the teacher walks in, kids from other classes head back to their own rooms. Aina tosses a quick goodbye over her shoulder, but not before turning back with a big grin and a wave.
“Yo, teach… what happened to your hair?” someone asks.
“It’s just a buzz cut! I’m not bald yet—way too young for that!” the teacher fires back.
“My dad’s about your age, and he’s got zero hair left,” another kid says.
“Enough. Keep that kinda talk to yourself,” the teacher sighs.
The class bursts into laughter at the perfect comedy routine. I crack a smile, too, but man, I hope I never have to deal with hair problems.
“Alright, everyone. Hope you all had a fun summer break. But school’s back in session, so no slacking off, got it?”
Wonder how many kids felt that one hit home. Some flinch, others let out dramatic sighs. The teacher just gives a wry smile, like he gets it.
“Study’s important, no doubt, but our school’s got something big coming up right after summer break!”
He grabs a piece of chalk and spins to the blackboard, scrawling in huge letters: “Sports Festival”.
“Two weeks from now, it’s the sports festival! You’ll be picking events, practicing, and staying busy outside of class, so get pumped!”
A small cheer ripples through the room. Just like the ball tournament before summer, the sports festival’s a huge deal—a school-wide party.
“Sports festival… oh yeah, that’s a thing,” I mutter.
“What, you forgot?” Arisa teases.
Okay, yeah, it might’ve slipped my mind a bit.
(This year’s different from last year… It’s a sports festival with Arisa and the others.)
That thought alone makes me sure this year’s gonna leave way better memories than last time. Every moment with Arisa and Aina fills my heart with this warm, fuzzy feeling. Sure, it’s easy to say every day with them is fun, but school events like this? They’re the kind you gotta dive into with everything you’ve got.
▼▽
With the sports festival two weeks away, the class is way more focused on that than lessons. It’s one of the few big events of the year, and since it only happens once, no wonder everyone’s hyped.
“Alright, let’s decide on the events you’ll be competing in,” the class president says, standing at the front with the vice president, who’s ready to jot stuff down on the blackboard.
There’s a bunch of events, but nobody’s doing all of them—four’s probably the max per person. Picking events goes smoothly, way better than last year since everyone’s got the hang of it now.
“Borrowed item race, two-legged race, and the color relay, huh…” I muse.
Those are my events for now. Could change or add more later, but this is what I’m working with.
Our school splits each grade into three color teams for the festival. Some schools do it by class, but with just three teams, it’s probably easier to tally points. No clue if that’s the real reason, but that’s how it works here.
“Arisa, you’re doing the obstacle race, right? Other than that, we’re in the same events?” I ask.
“Fufu, I just kept raising my hand when you did, so we ended up with two together,” she replies with a smile.
Looks like Arisa’s mostly in the same events as me. That means she’ll be right there during practice, too. Wonder what Aina’s doing, though.
As I’m thinking about her, we move on to picking pairs for the two-legged race—and that’s when things get… interesting.
“It’s not set in stone, but the two-legged race is usually boy-girl pairs. So, uh… no need for some big appeal time. Just pick your partners quick,” the class president says, sounding kinda half-assed.
Appeal time? Seriously? If we don’t sort this out ourselves, they’ll probably just draw lots or something.
“…”
While some of the girls are whispering about what to do, the guys are fidgeting, glancing around. A few of those glances land on Arisa, but she doesn’t seem to notice—or care. When my eyes meet hers, they lock naturally.
“…Alright.”
After that moment, I raise my hand.
“I’m thinking of pairing up with Arisa… Shinjo-san. That cool?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing. Let’s do it, Doumoto-kun.”
And just like that, Arisa and I are a team. I catch a faint sigh from somewhere—probably some guy bummed out—but no way I’m letting anyone else be her partner. Plus, the two-legged race means getting real close. No chance I’m letting some other guy do that with her. Call it possessive, but that’s how it is.
“…Wonder what Aina’s up to,” I mutter.
Arisa lets out a soft chuckle. “That girl? She probably—no, definitely—won’t do any event where she’d have to pair up with a guy.”
“Yeah? Oh, right…” I nod, remembering.
Arisa and Aina’s whole deal with hating guys comes back to me. I’m the only one allowed in their inner circle, which is… kinda extreme, honestly. They’re so sweet and flirty with me, it’s easy to forget how they are with everyone else.
“Since we’re in different classes, she’s probably gonna be jealous that I get to pair up with you,” Arisa says. “I’d better start thinking about how to smooth things over.”
“Haha, I’m flattered, but sounds like a hassle for you.”
“Fufu, just means I get to rub it in her face a bit♪”
The situation was so intense, I couldn’t help but hope they’d go easy on me.
The discussion rolled on pretty smoothly after that, and we nailed down everyone’s events for the sports festival. Starting tomorrow or maybe the day after, we’d be using gym class and after-school time for practice. For now, though, all the important stuff was settled.
“Yo, Hayato, let’s hit the bathroom,” Sota calls out.
“Got it.”
As soon as break starts, I head to the restroom with Sota. While we’re washing our hands, feeling refreshed, he suddenly speaks up, like he just remembered something.
“By the way, you really showed off back there, huh?”
“Showed off what?”
“You and Shinjo Sister picking each other for the pair.”
“Oh… yeah, well, no way I was letting Arisa team up with some other guy.”
“No dude’d wanna see that. But come on, the second you and Shinjo Sister are in the same room, it’s basically a done deal.”
“Yeah… guess so.”
Even if I hadn’t said anything, I’m pretty sure Arisa would’ve. Still, standing up like that in front of the whole class, with all those eyes on us? Felt like I’d grown a bit. Mentally, you know?
“Hey, Sota.”
“Yo?”
“I think… I’ve gotten stronger. Like, my heart or whatever.”
“Ha, no shit. Knew that already!” Sota flashes a big grin, but then he lets out an “Oh!” like something just hit him.
“What’s up?”
“Nah, just thinking. You and Shinjo Sister are all set, but even if you’re on the same color team, Aina’s in a different class. She cool with this?”
Yeah, Sota’s got the same worry I do.
“I think she’s fine, but Arisa was going on about rubbing it in her face, so… might have to play comforter later.”
“Guess you gotta step up, huh!”
“Yup.”
We keep chatting as we head back to the classroom. Right at the entrance, I spot Arisa facing our way, her hand by her mouth, rocking one hell of a smug grin. And it’s aimed right at… Aina.
“…”
“Damn, what a perfect smug face,” Sota mutters, clearly impressed. It’s a masterpiece, no question.
He gives me a quiet “Go get ‘em” and a nudge, and I head to my seat. But just as I do, Aina speaks up, like she’d been waiting for the right moment.
“Ughhh, Nee-san’s so mean! Rubbing it in just ‘cause I’m in a different class!”
“Fufufu,” Arisa chuckles.
“Seriously, that smug face is pissing me off! Ugh, I’m so sad, I need someone to cheer me up!” Aina whines.
“…”
I’m not dense enough to miss who that’s directed at. Looks like I’m in for some serious Aina pampering after school, but honestly? I’m down for it.
“Hey, listen, Hayato-kun~!” Aina calls out.
“Whoa!?”
Her voice is right in my ear. Despite all the eyes around us, she’s not just leaning in from behind—she’s resting her chin on my shoulder.
“H-Hey, hold up—”
“After lunch, can you come to an empty classroom? I’ll be waiting,” she whispers, her warm breath tickling my ear.
The overwhelming softness pressing against my back feels like she’s showing off to the whole room. And as if that wasn’t enough, Aina pushes her chest even closer, like she’s trying to draw every last bit of attention.
“Aina, next class is about to start,” Arisa cuts in.
“‘Kay~!”
I can’t let anyone notice… but at this point, I don’t even care. That conflicting mess of feelings gets shut down by Arisa’s single comment. Aina pulls away, sticks out her tongue playfully at me and Arisa, and waves.
“See ya~!”
As Aina heads back to her classroom, a heavy silence lingers, broken only by Arisa’s loud sigh. The next teacher walks in right after, so I sit down, and Arisa lets out a soft, amused giggle.
“I don’t know what she whispered to you, but take care of Aina, okay?”
“No problem there… but damn, that was one hell of a smug face you had.”
“Caught me at the perfect moment, didn’t you? Well, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Fair enough.”
“Yup.”
Aina’s not mad or sulking or anything, but she was probably a little miffed to get that close to me in front of everyone and set up a lunch meetup.
Lunchtime comes quick. After scarfing down my food, I head to the empty classroom, and Aina’s already there.
“Hayato-kun~♪” she calls out.
“Whoa!”
I catch her as she throws herself into my arms. Stroking her head, I glance around the empty classroom—same as it was before summer break.
“New semester’s barely started, and we’re already back in here,” I say.
“We’ll probably be back here a lot more, too. But forget that—cheer me up, Hayato-kun♪” she says, pulling me down into a chair.
She plops into the seat next to mine, pressing her shoulder right up against me as she keeps talking.
“I’m not, like, super jealous about the two-legged race or anything. But I did wanna pair up with you, Hayato-kun.”
“Yeah, different classes and all. Two-legged race is about the only pair event, too.”
“Yup. Can’t be helped.”
“…”
“What’s wrong?” Aina tilts her head as I go quiet.
Yeah, it’s true that since the two-legged race pairs are picked within the same class, I couldn’t team up with Aina. There are exceptions sometimes, but… what if, say, Aina and Arisa were in the same class? What would’ve happened then?
“Just, like, hypothetically,” I start.
“Hm?”
“If you were in the same class as me… what would’ve happened?”
“Huh? I’d totally volunteer to pair with you!”
“Yeah, I figured. But Arisa’s there, too, right?”
“What? Easy—we’d just have to settle it like women.”
She says it like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Settling it like women sounds kinda intense, and I can’t help but shudder at the thought of them actually duking it out. But thinking about it… maybe it’s a good thing they’re in different classes?
“Anyway, it’s done now, right? Besides, we’ve got this moment alone together,” Aina says, leaning into me.
Her cheeks flush, her eyes glisten, and she’s giving off this seductive, almost succubus-like vibe as she slowly unbuttons her blouse.
“Let’s do something exciting♪”
“Man… ever since we crossed that line, you’ve gotten way more forward.”
“Hmm? I don’t think I’ve changed that much, but yeah, I definitely want you even more now. That’s not wrong, right?”
“…”
“What, don’t like a naughty girl like me?” she teases.
“Love it… Kinda embarrassing to say, but you and Arisa are the only ones I’d ever say this to.”
“Ehehe♪” Aina giggles, clearly happy but not quite satisfied.
Just hanging out together is fun enough, but unbuttoning her blouse like that? It’s her signal she wants something spicier.
“Wanna kiss?” I ask.
“Yup.”
It starts soft, just lips touching, but it doesn’t take long to get deeper. The kind of intense, tongue-swirling kiss we’re sharing isn’t exactly school-appropriate… though in a dark, empty classroom like this, maybe it’s not that unusual?
“Touch my boobs, too?”
“Already am.”
Sorry, Aina, I’m way ahead of you.
Even through her uniform, the overwhelming softness is unreal, but the stiff feel of her bra makes me want more. Her body trembles under my hands, and the sweet little moans she lets out drive me absolutely wild.
“Your kisses… your hands on my boobs… it feels so good, Hayato-kun…♡”
“No clue how it feels for you, but just getting to touch you like this is pretty damn amazing.”
“I can’t speak for everyone, but for me and Nee-san, just you touching us feels incredible. It’s like… happiness just overflows.”
“Yeah? Guess it’s the same for me—touching you makes me happy, too.”
Then I wanna make her overflow with even more of that happiness. I undo more of her blouse buttons, revealing today’s ridiculously sexy bra. Thanks to them, I’ve learned a thing or two about bra types—and how to take them off. I gently unhook the front clasp.
The bra, which had been working overtime to hold everything in, gives way, and her huge breasts bounce free with a jiggle.
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“…Man, they’ve got some serious weight,” I say.
“Mm…♡ Yup. These big boobs? They’re packed full of love for you, Hayato-kun.”
“Packed, huh? They’re way too soft for that.”
“Eek♪”
My hands can’t stop moving, kneading her breasts. No matter how much I touch or squeeze, it’s never enough—but my hands just won’t quit.
“Like I said at the summer festival, it makes me so happy that you don’t hold back anymore,” Aina says. “You’re so into my body, so obsessed—it’s the best.”
“Damn right I’m obsessed.”
“Thanks♪ But you know, the way you still keep yourself in check in a place like this? It’s kinda hot. It shows how much you really care about us.”
Right now, the vibe’s undeniably steamy. But that warm feeling swelling in my chest? It’s because Aina—and Arisa, too—say things that make me so damn happy. They really get me, don’t they?
“More kisses?” she asks.
“As many as you want.”
I keep my hands moving on her chest and dive back into kissing her. I’m still no expert at this stuff, but we’ve got our own way of doing things. What I want to do lines up with what they want, and that’s what makes it feel so damn good.
“What’s next class again?”
“Math.”
“Ugh, lame.”
“Hey, wanna hang out after school?”
“Hell yeah, let’s go!”
Even the chatter drifting in from the hallway sends a thrill down my spine.
Doing something we shouldn’t in a place like school… sneaking around and making out with Aina like this just cranks up the sense of forbidden excitement.
“Hey, Hayato-kun,” Aina murmurs.
“Yeah?”
“What’d happen… if we got caught?”
“If everyone found out about us? Eh, wouldn’t be the end of the world. But it’s school, so we’d probably get chewed out big time.”
“Yeah… and it’d cause trouble for Mom, too. Gotta keep the limiter on!”
Pretty sure our limiters are already off, but I don’t say that out loud. This mix of blissful happiness and the frustration of not crossing that final line—it’s teasing both me and Aina in the best way possible.
“Not bad, this teasing feeling, huh?” she says.
“Yeah… and the whole ‘school’ thing makes it even… you know?” I grin.
“Oh, definitely,” she replies with a sly smile, slipping her bra back on and buttoning up her shirt.
Her chest, practically bursting at the seams, gets covered up again, but it looks like one wrong move could send those buttons flying like Saki-na-san’s did that one time.
As we’re about to head back, I remember something I forgot to ask.
“Oh, by the way, Aina, what events are you in?”
Right, her sports festival lineup.
“Big ball roll, obstacle race, and the color relay,” she says.
“Huh… you and Arisa are both in the obstacle race.”
“Yup! So you better cheer for both of us♪”
“Count on it.”
“And… when we get home, we’re gonna get super lovey-dovey, right?”
“Hell yeah.”
With that, we head back to the classroom. It’s cutting it close to the end of lunch, but the teacher hasn’t shown up yet. Everyone’s at their seats, but the room’s buzzing with chatter.
“Good work,” Arisa says as I slide into my seat.
“Thanks.”
She scoots her chair a bit closer, sniffs the air, and lets out a soft chuckle. “You’re absolutely covered in Aina’s scent, aren’t you?”
“Guess so,” I admit.
“Well, now I’m feeling a bit left out. Looks like I’ll need some attention after school, too.”
“I’ll do my best… I’ll give it everything I’ve got, body and soul.”
And true to my word, I spent plenty of time pampering both Arisa and Aina after school. No question about that.
▼▽
Starting the day after the opening ceremony, preparations for the sports festival kicked into high gear. Beyond practicing for events, there’s a ton of other stuff to prep, but that’s handled by the committee members, so I’m not needed there. Still, if anyone asks for help, I’m ready to jump in—no hesitation.
“For now, let’s focus on this,” I mutter.
It’s after school, post-homeroom, and we’re out on the school grounds. Students and teachers from all grades are scattered around, everyone in gym clothes. Yup, all the kids here are practicing for their events, with the teachers keeping an eye on things.
“Let’s do this, Hayato!” Kaito calls out.
“Hell yeah!”
I answer his shout, and he comes running at a decent clip. When he gets close enough, he spins around and takes off, and I wait for his signal again.
“Here!”
The second I hear it, I sprint, stretching my hand back. Something’s supposed to land in my grip, but it just brushes my fingers before clattering to the ground with a clunk.
“Shit… my bad, Kaito.”
“Nah, it’s all good. We’re just getting started.”
“Thanks. Alright, my turn.”
I pick up the dropped baton and run toward Aina, who’s waiting up ahead. Just like I did, she’s facing me, and when I get close, she starts running.
“Here!”
“Yup!”
Her hand’s out, ready, as she calls back. My vision’s bouncing like crazy from running, but I carefully place the baton in her hand. Unlike my fumble, she grabs it smoothly, dashes the short distance left, then stops and jogs back to me.
“Nice! That timing was perfect, right?” she says.
“Well, it’s you and me, so yeah,” I grin.
“Totally♪”
We exchange smiles and a high-five. Still, even if Aina and I are in sync, I’m not thrilled about screwing up with Kaito earlier, so we decide to run it again.
Why am I practicing with Aina, who’s in a different class? Simple: this is the order we’ll be running in for the actual relay. Just like I locked in my two-legged race pair with Arisa on the spot, the relay order was decided by student input. And somehow, I ended up passing to Aina, so here we are practicing together.
…Though, honestly, it feels like this order was set in stone from the start.
“Your spot in the relay’s already locked in, Hayato-kun~! I made sure of it!”
That’s probably Aina’s sheer determination at work. After losing out to Arisa on the two-legged race, she must’ve wanted to at least practice and run with me in the relay. Whatever strings she pulled, I’m just happy she wants to be with me that bad.
Grinning to myself like an idiot, I keep practicing with both of them.
“Not bad, huh?” Kaito says.
“Totally nailed it♪” Aina adds.
“We’ve still got time, so let’s run it a few more times,” Kaito suggests.
“Sounds good.”
“Yup!”
Kaito heads off to practice for the cavalry battle, waving as he jogs away.
“Guy’s got energy,” Aina remarks.
“That’s Kaito for ya,” I say.
We’ve both got more practice lined up. Aina’s got the big ball roll, and I’m teaming up with Arisa for the two-legged race.
“Man, though…” Aina starts.
“Hm?”
“It’s so hot.”
“No kidding. Freaking scorching.”
It’s still September—basically summer. Moving around outside like this, you’re gonna sweat buckets. Skip hydration, and you’re passing out, no question. Not that anyone’s dumb enough to skip water, but still, gotta stay on top of it.
“Phew… need some air,” Aina says, fanning her chest.
I catch a glimpse of her cleavage and—yup—another sexy bra. But I’m not even fazed anymore. That’s growth, right?
(Progress is wild… I’m actually chill about this now.)
Even so, my eyes are glued to her chest. Aina notices, smirks, and steps closer, practically shoving her assets in my face.
“Naughty Hayato-kun♡”
“Wanna talk about naughty?” I shoot back.
“Go for it! ‘Cause that’s just how I am with you♪” she says, tilting her head cutely.
I clutch my chest. I knew this, but her adorable antics hit me so hard it almost hurts. No idea what I’m even saying, but it’s her fault for being too damn cute.
“You’re too cute… Goddamn it, Aina, you’re too cute!”
“Ehehe~♪”
She totally knew I’d say that, too.
“Got a ‘cute’ from Hayato-kun♪ Now I’m ready to go all out!” she cheers.
“It’s not just your attitude—everything you say is cute, too.”
“Eek♪ I love you, Hayato-kun♪”
She spreads her arms, about to hug me, but stops herself. The more she holds back, the more that desire seems to build, and she puffs out her cheeks in the most adorable pout.
“Catch you later. Gotta head to Arisa.”
“See ya~!”
I jog over to Arisa, who’s already holding the rope for our two-legged race, raising a hand to greet me.
“We’re both sweating buckets, huh?” I say.
“Not even running that hard, but this heat’s a real enemy,” she replies.
Like Aina, Arisa’s drenched in sweat. Her gym clothes cling to her skin in places, and the enticing sight steals my attention whether I like it or not.
“Shall we get started?” she asks.
“Yeah.”
I take the rope from her, and we tie our legs together. Gotta make sure it’s tight enough not to come loose but gentle enough not to hurt her.
“Fufu, you can tie it as tight as you want. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind being bound up tight by you,” she says with a grin.
Arisa’s not even hiding her slight M side anymore, huh? Imagining some S&M play with me, she sways her hips with a soft smile. I finish tying the rope, chuckling wryly.
“All set.”
“Thank you.”
Now we’re stuck moving as one unless we untie the rope. Some might find that restrictive, but between me and Arisa? No such thing.
“Feel cramped?” I ask.
“Not at all. I’m thrilled, actually.”
See? She’s beaming, genuinely happy.
“Let’s take it slow, okay? It’s a rare chance to be this close to you in front of everyone, all nice and legal.”
“Guess we can’t help it, huh?”
“Can’t help it♪”
Arisa loops her arm around my shoulder, pressing her body right up against mine. Sure, the two-legged race involves being close, but she’s taking it to another level—rubbing against me like she’s putting on a show. It almost looks like she’s hugging me. Lucky for us, the race practice gives us a solid excuse.
“Alright, let’s try running,” I say.
“Got it.”
The key to the two-legged race is syncing your rhythm. Doesn’t matter how fast you are—if you’re not in tune, you’ll trip. Last year, a few pairs wiped out hard, scraping knees and elbows.
“…Huh?”
“…Oh?”
We’re both worried about tripping if we’re off sync. But the moment we start walking, we tilt our heads in unison, like something’s off. Arisa looks just as puzzled.
“…”
“…”
Not a word between us. We lock eyes, face forward, and take a step. Then another. And without a single call, we break into a run.
(What the…? It’s weirdly perfect. No hesitation at all.)
It’s almost uncanny how smooth it feels. No hint of stumbling, even as we pick up speed. We cover about fifty meters like it’s nothing and come to a stop.
“Are we… kinda amazing?” I say.
“We’re incredible. No hesitation at all,” Arisa agrees.
We can’t help but hype ourselves up—it’s that good. We run back and forth a few more times, and not once do we lose balance or break rhythm.
“Hey, Arisa.”
“Yes?”
“Do we even need to practice?”
“We do.”
Her sharp glare shuts me down. Okay, fair, even if we’re this in sync, saying we don’t need practice is a bit—
“We get to be this close together. Sure, it’s thrilling that we’re so perfectly matched, but when practice ends, we have to part, don’t we?” she says, turning away with a pout.
Got it. I didn’t quite read her right there. But even her sulking is cute, and it doesn’t feel like a hassle at all.
“Sorry, Arisa. I was a bit dense.”
“No… I’m sorry, too,” she says, turning back to face me. “Right after I said it, I realized how high-maintenance I must sound.”
“Haha, don’t worry. I don’t think you’re high-maintenance. Just cute.”
“Really?”
“Really. Alright, let’s keep practicing.”
“Yes!”
From then on, I poured everything into practicing with Arisa.
After-school practice isn’t mandatory, and with club activities going on, it usually only lasts about an hour. The reason’s simple: we don’t want to get in the way of the sports teams using the field.
“Phew, good work, Arisa,” I say, wiping sweat.
“Yes, great job, Hayato-kun,” she replies.
After about ten minutes, most of the others start wrapping up, so Arisa and I finish a bit early and plop down in the shade of a tree. We kept things light, but running side by side with her the whole time left us drenched in sweat. Still, the satisfaction outweighs any worries about smell or sticky skin.
“We’ll probably have a few more practice sessions, but we’re totally fine,” I say.
“Absolutely. It’s so smooth—like I can tell exactly how you’re going to move, Hayato-kun. It’s practically telepathy♪” she says with a grin.
“Yeah, for real.”
At one point, Arisa stepped away to chat with her friends, who said we were too in sync—so much so that they couldn’t help but stare.
“No, seriously, it was like art or something!”
“You two had this old-married-couple vibe going on.”
Embarrassing as it was to hear, they were blown away. When they mentioned the “old married couple” thing, Arisa tried so hard to hide her face, looking down, but I was right next to her and could see her cheeks practically melting with a huge smile.
“Oh, by the way,” she says suddenly.
“What’s up?”
“Your grandparents are coming to the sports festival, right?”
“Yup.”
I nod at her words. It’s not a big deal, but ever since middle school, Grandpa and Grandma have shown up to every event like the sports festival without fail. This year’s no different—they called a while back to confirm they’d be there.
“We talked to them on the phone before, but it’ll be the first time meeting in person. Aina and I—and Mom, too—are really looking forward to it,” Arisa says.
“That makes me happy to hear. Grandpa and Grandma are excited to meet you guys, too.”
We’ve spent so much time together, but somehow they’ve never actually met face-to-face. I’ve sent them photos, but this’ll be the first real meeting. Can’t wait to see how it goes.
“Though, honestly, Mom’s probably more hyped about it than Aina or me,” Arisa adds.
“Hyped?”
“‘Hayato-kun’s like a son to me, so leave it to me from here on out!’ I can totally see her saying something like that.”
“…Yeah, I can picture it.”
The image pops into my head clear as day, and the thought of Saki-na-san saying that to my grandparents fills me with warmth. “Saki-na-san talks to them on the phone a lot, and she probably says stuff like that already… Ugh, saying it out loud makes me kinda embarrassed.”
“Fufu, but that’s what makes it great—for you and for us,” Arisa says.
“Yeah.”
“Exactly.”
Somewhere in the middle of our talk, Arisa’s hand finds mine, unnoticed until now. I squeeze back, and as we lock eyes, a scream-like shout jolts my eardrums.
“Hey, you two! Move!”
Arisa and I both blink, startled, and turn toward the voice.
“…Huh?”
“…What?”
We both let out dumbstruck noises. Why? Because a massive ball is rolling straight at us.
Caught off guard, we freeze, too slow to react. No way we’re dodging in time.
“Arisa!”
“Eek!?”
Only one thing to do—I pull her into my arms to shield her. The ball slams into my back with a heavy thud as I hold her tight. It rolls off, and a senior girl comes running over, bowing her head.
“Sorry! You guys okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I say.
“We’re fine,” Arisa adds.
We assure her we’re okay, and she lets out a relieved sigh, apologizes again, and goes to retrieve the ball.
“Man… that was a hell of a shock,” I say.
“No kidding. For a second, I thought we’d stumbled into a movie,” Arisa replies.
If this was a movie, that’d be an iron ball, and we’d be flattened.
“Hayato-kun! Arisa-nee, you okay?” Aina calls, rushing over.
“Yup,” I answer.
“I’m fine,” Arisa says.
She must’ve seen the whole thing. When we confirm we’re alright, Aina visibly relaxes and throws her arms around Arisa in a tight hug.
“Aina, what…?” Arisa starts.
“Come on, it’s fine! It’s getting a bit chilly, and we’re sisters—sweat smells don’t bother us, right?” Aina teases.
“That’s the issue!?” Arisa retorts.
“That’s exactly the issue!” Aina fires back.
Arisa looks exasperated, while Aina’s all smiles. Their expressions couldn’t be more different, but why does their banter always feel so… sexy? The only answer I can come up with is that they’re just that hot, but I can’t stop overthinking it.
“Still… this year’s sports festival is gonna be way more fun than last year,” I say.
With the culture festival coming up after, I’m ready to soak up every moment of these events with them.
“Hayato-kun, ready to head back?” Aina calls.
“Let’s go,” Arisa adds.
“Yeah.”
I don’t even need to psych myself up—it’s a given these’ll be unforgettable memories.
And that’s reason enough to feel good about it.
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