With the sports festival drawing near, Katsumi knew she had to take advantage of it somehow. After all, it's always a big event, so there was plenty of opportunity to be had. The question was, just what opportunity should she take?
Truthfully, a part of Katsumi knew it didn't matter. Kanako had outright rejected her. No matter what Katsumi did, it would have no effect on Kanako's heart. Whether she impressed with grades, took Kanako on a fancy date, or even just approached her casually, none of those actions could change the fact that Kanako had absolutely no romantic interest in Katsumi.
But, the bitter thing about long, unrequited love is that it can sit dormant for so long. Those feelings remain hidden in the heart until one day, one hopes, they get the chance to show the person they love how they feel. When put that way, it simply sounds like a tragic tale. However, when actually put into action, unrequited love can twist in unexpected ways.
Having sat on her feelings for as long as she had, Katsumi had whole-heartedly convinced herself that Kanako would be hers the moment they reunited. Now, even though she had been rejected multiple times, it was simply impossible to give up on those feelings. So, what happens when one has feelings they can't give up on, but also can't go toward the person they love?
In Katsumi's case, they began to turn into anger toward Haruna. While consciously Katsumi kept telling herself what she was doing was for Kanako, it had really become about hurting Haruna. How exactly she was going to hurt her, Katsumi wasn't sure, but she knew the Sports Festival would be the perfect time. With so many people out and about, competing in this and that, it would be perfectly reasonable for Haruna to get hurt either physically or emotionally and it not be obviously Katsumi's fault.
"There's gotta be something I can do," Katsumi thought one day in class. "Something that'll really make Endo-san look bad. Yamane-san told me Endo-san hurt her ankle, so I doubt she'll volunteer for any events. But if she doesn't do any, how am I supposed to be able to do something to her? There has to be some way to get Endo-san involved, but also prevent anyone from interfering…"
When the day of choosing who would do what event came around, Katsumi carefully watched to see who did what. She nearly raised her hand to be in the mile with Kanako, but she realized it wouldn't do her any good to beat the girl she likes. "She might end up really hating me if I did something like that," Katsumi thought.
Event after event went by, and soon enough, Katsumi noticed she hadn't volunteered for anything yet. "Damn it," she thought. "I should've been paying more attention. Now I'll probably end up in something stupid like that damn cosplay race I heard someone mention." But, just as she was thinking that, she heard those magic words.
"Who wants to do the scavenger hunt race?"
It only took Katsumi a second to understand the implications once it was explained. As soon as the teacher finished reading the rules, Katsumi's hand shot up like a rocket. This was exactly what she had been waiting for. If she got a favorable slip for the event, she could go grab Kanako. Maybe, just maybe, if she did things like that, doing her best to come off as nonchalant and gentle, it would help change her situation a little.
If she got something that wasn't so favorable, then Katsumi hoped that she'd be able to turn it around. Either that, or she could find some way to use it against Haruna. Maybe somehow force Haruna into competition. "Then again, it's not like an event like this is all that competitive for the people selected…" Katsumi thought.
Regardless, she still wanted to enter. Out of all of the options she had, the scavenger hunt race was the one that offered the best chances by far. It was irritating that Chiyo was also in it with her, but considering it wasn't an event that required any sense of teamwork, Katsumi figured she wouldn't have to worry much. "She might try to get in the way, but I bet she'll be more distracted with whatever she draws." Katsumi had already picked up on the "romantic-but-not-dating" nature of Chiyo and Michi's relationship, so she assumed that Chiyo would probably try to grab Michi in any way she could. "And while she's doing that, I'll make my move," Katsumi thought deviously.
Satisfied enough with the outcome, Katsumi sat back and watched as the few remaining details were sorted out. One person sitting next to her asked her if there was a particular reason why Katsumi so adamantly volunteered for the scavenger hunt, but all Katsumi said back was, "It's a secret~." Briefly, she wondered if the person asking was hoping Katsumi's actions had been for the class, giving them a better chance to win the whole festival. Unfortunately, Katsumi couldn't care less about stuff like that. She had one objective (well, technically more than one, depending on the circumstances), and that was her only focus.
*****
It was the day before the sports festival, and Katsumi was walking through the halls. All around her, people were rushing from place to place as they made their last-minute preparations. It wasn't nearly as hectic as the cultural festival, but there were still plenty of students hanging things up and following the instructions of the student council and festival committee.
Katsumi had no interest in any of that though. While she had competed in sports, it was really for her own satisfaction (and trying to make herself look more impressive for Kanako). When it came to events that were supposed to emphasize school spirit, Katsumi didn't care at all. She'd rather just do her own thing. In this instance, it just so happened that her desires and the sports festival lined up (or rather, she was going to take advantage of it).
That was her plan, and yet, the day before the festival had come and still Katsumi wasn't sure exactly what she was going to do. Given, a lot of her plan would have to hinge on what slip she drew for the scavenger hunt race, but she thought that she should've at least had an outline of what her plan was by now. "Maybe I could find the box the slips will be in and stick one that works for me to the top inside the box? Then I could just grab it… No, that probably wouldn't work. They probably won't put those slips in until the race is about to start, and it's not like I'll be able to just sneak up to it with tape and do that…"
As Katsumi got lost in thought, she suddenly felt an impact. "Oof!" the person exclaimed, toppling over and sending papers spilling everywhere. "Oh, geez…" the person, a girl, groaned. Then she looked up at Katsumi, who had managed to keep her balance. "Sorry about that!" the girl said, not really sounding all that apologetic. "I guess I wasn't really paying attention!"
"...it's fine…" Katsumi muttered, bending down to help pick up the papers. "Oh, hey, thanks!" the girl said happily. "Hey, wait a minute… Aren't you Ikehara-san?" Hearing her name, Katsumi looked at her. In no way, shape or form did she recognize the girl in front of her. "Not surprising I don't remember her," Katsumi thought. "She's pretty bland… Even more than Yamane-san."
"Ah, I guess we've never talked," the girl said. "I'm —-----" The name immediately went into Katsumi's left ear and exited through her right. She had no desire to even bother remembering the girl's name. "I'm actually a third year too," the girl continued. "But our rooms are several spaces apart. I've heard a lot about you though! Hey, is it true you're only into girls?"
Katsumi stared at her. "Is she serious?" she thought. At the moment, Katsumi had two options. She could snap at her and call her stupid for not knowing that, or… "I think I'll have a little fun." Doing something like this made her feel a little guilty considering her feelings for Kanako, but it was a bit of a bad habit she had gotten into in junior high.
Inching closer, Katsumi smirked. "And what if I am? Does that bother you?" "Huh?!" the girl exclaimed. "N-No, it doesn't bother me! People can like whoever they want, r-right? Um, Ikehara-san, aren't you g-getting a little… close?" "Am I?" Katsumi whispered coyly, her face barely six centimeters away from the girl. "Here," Katsumi said. "Your papers."
"O-Oh, um, t-thanks…" the girl sputtered, taking the bundle of papers handed to her. Piling it on top of her own stack, she scrambled to stand up. "I-I gotta go!" she said loudly, then dashed off down the hall. Watching her, Katsumi snorted, then stood up herself. After taking a moment to straighten her uniform, she sighed.
"Why can't Kana-chin react like that to me?" she thought. "It'd be so much better than being given the cold shoulder and outright rejected…" Remembering her pain, Katsumi's heart twisted more. "That damn Endo-san… if she wasn't around, I-"
But just as Katsumi's mind started heading down that track, she noticed where she was. To her left was the teachers' lounge/office. "That must've been where that girl came from…" Katsumi thought. However, the reason she had stopped her previous train of thought wasn't because of that realization. Rather, it was because she heard someone mention the event she was in.
"But, don't you think the scavenger hunt race is a little boring?"
"Huh? How is it boring? You get confessions every year."
"I don't mean that. I mean, sure, that's fun and all, but where's the actual competition? The event itself basically takes only five minutes, if that."
"Well, I guess it could be longer, but once someone finds what they're looking for, that's it, isn't it?"
"What if the people selected had to run a lap or something?"
"It's not like all people selected can run though."
"It doesn't have to be a hard race. Just enough to add a little extra."
"Hmm… I guess we can run it by the student council and committee. It might be even better to make it a surprise, to really add a kick."
"Now you're getting it!"
Eavesdropping on that conversation, Katsumi gave some thought to what the two teachers were saying. "The people selected… have to run a lap… that means…" Then, a horrible, sick smile formed on Katsumi's lips. Nearly all of her inclinations shifted. Where there was once a divide of "Wanting to impress Kanako" and "Make Haruna look bad," it all slid into "Making Haruna look bad."
Katsumi made up her mind. No matter what, she needed to pick Haruna. Regardless of what slip she drew, she had to find some way to sell her selection to the judges and make Haruna run in that race. "I'll do whatever it takes," she thought. "Endo-san has got to be in that race. With that bad ankle of hers, it'll be great~."
*****
"Come with me, Endo-san!" Katsumi exclaimed as she grabbed Haruna's wrist. At that time, she had just been standing off to the side and watching the event with Kanako, but now she suddenly found herself becoming a part of it. "What the hell Ikehara-san?!" Haruna yelled. "Let me go!" But Katsumi simply ignored Haruna's protests, dragging her all the way to the judges' table.
Handing in her slip, she stood and waited. The three judges stared at the slip, then looked back up at Katsumi and Haruna.
"Pass."
"Pass."
"Pass."
"Yes!" Katsumi said, pumping her fist in the air. To outsiders, it was a bizarre sight, as Katsumi was nowhere near winning the event. In fact, she had just come in fifth (Haruna's thrashing about had slowed her down). However, this was a victory to Katsumi. She had achieved what she hoped to do: get Haruna into the surprise for this fan-favorite event.
"Did you seriously just pick me for the scavenger hunt?" Haruna asked, still very confused. In response, Katsumi looked at her with disgust. "Believe me, I didn't want to have to pick you. I'm sure touching you just gave me some sort of illness." "Then why even bother?!" Haruna shouted, but Katsumi smirked. "Why bother?" she repeated. "Oh, you're about to find out."
As it so happened, the slip that Katsumi had gotten was "Someone taller than you." An easy enough thing to find for some people, but if someone was already pretty tall, it became quite the challenge. Luckily for Katsumi, Haruna was actually taller than her by a bit, so it worked out.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Haruna glared. "You know what? Whatever. You got me over here, I fit your criteria, event done. I'm going back to Kanako." "Oh no you don't!" Katsumi declared, grabbing Haruna's upper arm. "You're staying with me. We're not done here yet." "Hah?" Haruna let out. "Like I'd stay with you. Why the hell would I-"
But just as Haruna was about to make her case, someone came on over the speakers. "Okay everybody, listen up!" the not-so-professional sounding voice said. "This year's scavenger hunt is a little different than in year's past. This time, the ones selected have to do something too!"
Some murmurs spread throughout both the crowd and those still on the field. As they wondered what was going on, the man on the mic continued. "For those of you chosen, you'll have to run one lap around the track! Whoever wins that race is the real winner of the event!"
For a moment, there was quiet as everybody processed what had been said. Then:
"A lap? No way."
"I'm too old to be running…"
"Isn't this supposed to be one of the fun events…?"
And so on. The complaints kept pouring in, getting louder and louder. Apparently, the man responsible for making this announcement didn't appreciate that, because he suddenly yelled "QUIET!" into the mic so harshly it sent out a wave of feedback. With their attention all on him again, the man went on.
"Look, no one's asking you to run an Olympic record. It's just that some of us teachers thought it might be nice to spice things up a little! Also, if you all refuse to run, the event just won't count at all toward the point total for the classes."
That was actually a big deal. As it so happened, the winner of the scavenger hunt race (or more accurately, the person who thought they had won) had just scored enough points to take the lead. Hearing that they'd just lose those points certainly went against their competitive nature. Then there was the team that had just gotten passed. Not being all that confident in their small lead, if having their selected person for the scavenger hunt race run a lap meant they could actually be the winners, then they were all for it.
Slowly, the mood of both the participants and the crowd shifted. They were all beginning to think that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Being exactly what they wanted, the ones behind the idea started high-fiving. They were celebrating their success, but just because they were happy didn't mean everybody else was. There were still those that didn't want to run, and of course, one who couldn't.
"Hey, I can't do this!" Haruna exclaimed. Then she whipped her head back to Katsumi. "You planned this, didn't you?!" she accused. "Duh," Katsumi said like it was obvious. "Why else would I drag you out here?" Haruna snorted. "Well, it was a dumb plan. Why the hell would I run? I have no reason to, not to mention that I'm physically not supposed to. Guess you really came out looking like an idiot, ha!"
Unfortunately, Haruna would be proven wrong. "I thought you'd say that," Katsumi said with a smirk. "So here's the deal. You're gonna go out there and run your hardest, while I go and stand next to Kana-chin. If you win, no harm done. But, if you lose, I'm gonna kiss Kana-chin right on the lips."
Haruna took a moment to let that sink in before letting her blood boil. "If you even dare to touch her, I'm gonna-" she began to threaten, but Katsumi put up a finger to silence her. "Oh shut it," she said. "You don't scare me. Listen, I'll play fair, okay? If you win, I really won't lay a finger on Kana-chin." "And what's to stop you from doing something anyways?" Haruna growled. Katsumi's smirk twisted into a sick grin. "Because what fun would it be if I just outright kissed Kana-chin? She's already rejected me, so she'd just end up hating me more. Buuut, if I can blame you for her unfortunate fate of having to kiss me because you failed to win a little race, it'll be oh so satisfying."
"You bitch," Haruna said through gritted teeth. "But who says I even have to compete? Our class isn't anywhere near the top, so me dropping out probably wouldn't bother-" But before Haruna could finish, she felt yet another hand latch onto her. Looking to her left, she saw it was one of the judges for the event.
"Come on, what are you still doing standing around here?!" he shouted. "We gotta get this race done so we can move onto the next thing. Everybody's already at the starting line, so hurry up!"
"H-Huh?" Haruna let out. "Hang on! Wait! I can't run in this! My ankle is hurt!" "Yeah, sure it is," the judge scoffed. "All you kids try to use that same excuse. Look, it's only one lap. You'll be fine. Just lightly jog or whatever and no one'll even care." "Listen to me!" Haruna cried. "I'm actually injured! I can't run!" "Sure, sure," the judge said as he pulled her along.
Katsumi watched as that whole scene unfolded. Truthfully, she had been about to be in a bind, as there wasn't really a compelling argument that could be made for Haruna to not drop out. Although, with the so-called "race of the chosen" being a surprise, Katsumi had hoped that the organizers might try to move things along and get people on the starting line before anyone else could say anything. "I'm actually not even sure if they got this dumb race approved," Katsumi thought.
Regardless, the girl had gotten a bit of luck with one of the judges coming over and whisking Haruna away. "Good luck, you brute," Katsumi thought mockingly. "Can't wait to see you crash and burn. Ah, the look on her face when I kiss Kana-chin is gonna be priceless."
*****
Standing at the line, Haruna looked around at her competition. There were about 12 people in total (a few had been given exemptions for one reason or another). Among them were people of various ages and sizes. Some of them were students of Iwanai High, but others were parents, older or younger siblings and even another teacher that Haruna didn't know well. Honestly, none of them were all that impressive.
"If I was able to run at full strength, I'd probably win…" Haruna thought as she glanced down at her ankle. "But with this stupid injury…" She thought back on what Katsumi had told her. It definitely seemed possible that Katsumi would go as far as she was saying she would. However, it also made Haruna wonder what exactly was going on. It was obvious that Katsumi hated her, but this plan almost felt more like she was trying to hurt Haruna more than actually get Kanako to fall for her. "Is she just being vindictive now?" Haruna wondered.
Kanako had certainly rejected Katsumi multiple times to this point, but Haruna had now actually heard the girl admit it herself. "If she knows that, then why even bother?" Haruna thought. "Does she hate me so much that she'd go so far as to try to get me more hurt than I already am?"
Regardless of her wonderings, Haruna was in a pretty serious situation. If she ran her hardest, she'd probably win, but it'd come at the cost of her ankle. There was a good chance the end result could even be permanent damage. If she just ran and didn't win, or refused to run at all, Katsumi would get to Kanako before Haruna could. In fact, Katsumi was already standing near Kanako. She wasn't so close as to incur Kanako's wrath, but she was definitely close enough that there was no way Haruna would beat her to Kanako. "Damn it…" Haruna muttered through her teeth.
If she just tried to chase after Kanako, what would happen? Haruna gave it some thought, but ultimately she decided against it. Most likely, Katsumi would grab Kanako and take her who-knows-where. Then Haruna would really have a problem on her hands. "Then again, will she even really stick to her word?" Haruna thought. "It's not like I have any real reason to believe her."
Katsumi could easily just do what she wanted with Kanako once Haruna wasn't looking. After all, it wasn't like anybody could stop her. The only other person that was aware was Chiyo, and she was currently being held up by Chitose in conversation. If Haruna just yelled, then maybe… "No," she thought, shaking her head. "Ikehara-san will definitely hear me, and then she might do something. I can't risk it…"
Describing her situation as frustrating felt like an understatement. Haruna felt completely powerless. "I'm dancing right in the palm of her hand, aren't I?" she thought. "Damn it! How the hell did this even happen?!"
She wanted to yell and scream, kick and lash out, but none of that would do her any good at the moment. Taking a few breaths, she did her best to compose herself. Taking a closer look, Haruna noticed two people among her competition. The first was Michi, who looked none-too-pleased to be forced into a race. The other was a person representing the class that was currently in second place overall. They definitely wanted all the points they could get, which meant that the person running for them was going to run pretty hard.
The question was, was this girl, a second year with her dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, fast? Judging by her physique, Haruna was certain she at least wasn't slow. If she knew the other sports teams better at her school, Haruna probably would've known whether or not this girl was a part of any of them. "She looks like someone who'd be on the volleyball team," Haruna observed.
Suddenly, she felt an impact on her arm, like she had been punched. "OW!" Haruna exclaimed, looking all around for the source. "What are you doing staring at other girls? Is Kana-chan not enough for you?" an angry voice accused. Looking down, Haruna spotted Michi. "That hurt, you jerk!" she yelled. "Good," Michi said with a huff. "That's what you get when you go around ogling other people." "I'm not ogling anyone!" Haruna shouted back. She wanted to say more, but at this point, Haruna figured it would probably be easier to explain the situation to Michi.
"And that's what's going on," she said after finishing her explanation. "Are you serious?" Michi asked, wide-eyed. "I didn't think Ikehara-san was that crazy…" "Well apparently she is," Haruna said, crossing her arms. "I'm pretty sure she's just trying to hurt me more than anything, but she still obviously wants Kanako too."
Michi was silent. Based on previous interactions, Haruna assumed Michi was trying to figure out what to think of the situation. She was always the one going around saying that she didn't approve of girl-girl relationships, so it made sense she wouldn't know what to say. But, when she finally did open her mouth, her answer surprised Haruna.
"You have to win," she said plainly. "W-What?" Haruna sputtered. Michi looked up at her with a composed but also serious expression. "You have to win," she repeated. "No matter what." "Are you crazy?!" Haruna yelled. "I can't! If I run hard, my ankle will-" "What's more important?" Michi asked, cutting her off. "Your ankle, or protecting Kana-chan?"
When she put it that way, it was hard for Haruna to protest. It wasn't as if she had any grand plans that would require a 100 percent ankle (though she also didn't want to develop a limp before she became a legal adult either). And if sacrificing her ankle meant protecting Kanako…
"Alright…" she said quietly. "I'll win." "Although, I'm sure Kana-chan will be furious when she finds out you got hurt for her sake," Michi added. "Why did you have to say that…" Haruna sighed, now dreading an impending lecture from an angry Kanako.
For now, she decided to put that aside. "All I can do right now is focus on this race," she thought. Her attention turned again to the girl who'd be her biggest threat. "...With the way I am now, I doubt I'll beat her," Haruna thought. But, even knowing that, she resolved herself to run as hard as she could.
"Get on the line already Endo-san!" a teacher yelled. Brought back to the moment at hand, Haruna saw that everybody was actually ready and waiting on her. "We've been calling your name! Hurry up!" "Sorry!" Haruna said back, quickly getting into position.
With all competitors now ready to go, the starter briefly went over the rules. "Alright, uh, it's pretty simple I guess," he said. "One lap, whoever finishes first wins the event." Then he raised his hand. "Ready…" With a quick, downward motion and an exclamation of "Go!" everyone took off.
Within her first few strides, Haruna could already feel her ankle beginning to get irritated. "That's not good," she thought as she continued to run. While that was bad news, the good news seemed to be that only a few people had actually planned on really trying. Among the people actually running were Haruna, the girl she was worried about, a kid who was bound to fall behind by the halfway point, and a first-year boy who looked like he was trying to put on a good show even though he was probably terrible at running. As for Michi, she was lightly jogging, showing no intention of going for the win at all.
"It's basically just me and this girl," Haruna thought as they came down the front straightaway. "And so far, I'm actually keeping up with her." That held true too as they got into the first turn. "Maybe I really can do this!" Haruna told herself, starting to believe that maybe she had a chance. After all, already the competition was down to her, the other girl and the first-year boy who was already breathing quite heavily.
But then, Haruna felt a sudden sting in her ankle. "Ouch!" she let slip as her feet continued to pound against the track. In an effort to ignore it, she gritted her teeth together tightly. "I just have to make it around the track," she told herself.
Haruna kept running, coming out of the second turn and onto the back straightaway. At this point, she was still keeping close with the other girl, who had pulled a few feet ahead of her. Of course, seeing her that close, Haruna's competitive instincts flared, and she began subconsciously pushing herself harder.
As expected, the throbbing pain in her ankle continued to get worse. With each violent step that collided against the pavement, the bone creaked a little more each time. Haruna managed to pull even with the girl, but she was also reaching her limit. "It hurts," Haruna thought. "It hurts so damn much!" Really, the pain was to the point that tears were starting to form on the corners of her eyes. "I forgot how serious of an injury this was before… ah damn it! Come on, I need to hurry!"
Unfortunately, no matter how much one begs and pleads with their body, there's only so far that willpower can take you. The body has a true, maximum limit, and once it's reached, no amount of urging will get it to continue. And Haruna, pushing her damaged ankle as hard as she could, was about to find that out the agonizingly hard way.
CRACK!
The sound was so loud that the girl running next to Haruna turned and stopped, staring at her in shock. As for Haruna herself, her eyes immediately went wide. She ground her teeth together as hard as she could to not let out a scream of pain, but there was nothing she could do about her balance. Having lost all strength in her ankle, she tumbled to the ground, roughly rolling several times before coming to a stop. She had made it halfway between the third and fourth turns.
Haruna's hands grabbed her ankle as tears began to stream down her face. Whether they were from pain or the fact that she had lost, it was hard to say, but she had a feeling it was probably for both. "Why…" she thought weakly. "Why couldn't I… make it…?" As best she could, she looked at the crowd. She was too far away to tell what was being said, but Haruna was pretty sure she could see Kanako yelling at Katsumi before tearing herself away. Then Kanako started running, setting a straight course toward Haruna.
*****
When Katsumi came to grab the person she was looking for, Kanako had been certain it was going to be her. "Of course Ikehara-san would use this event to try something with me," she had thought with exasperation. Really, she was very tired of having to deal with Katsumi and her constant attempts to woo her. "Does being flat-out rejected just not register with her?" Kanako had wondered.
So, when Katsumi grabbed not Kanako, but Haruna instead, Kanako was stunned. It took her longer than it should of for her to realize what was happening, and by the time she did, Katsumi was already running off with Haruna.
"Ikehara-san! Ikehara-saaaan!" Kanako yelled after her, but it was no use. They were too far away and the crowd noise was too loud for Kanako to be heard. "What is she thinking?" Kanako asked, but no one was around to answer her question. Jasmine, Mayu and Itsuki were somewhere else, Hinami was busy getting ready for her cosplay race, and Chiyo and Michi were also involved in the scavenger hunt race, so they couldn't do much either. It was up to Kanako alone to figure out just what Katsumi was trying to do.
A part of her wanted to just jump into the fray, pull Haruna away from Katsumi and run off, but Kanako also didn't want to make a scene. "Plus, if I do something like that, it might be viewed as interfering with the race, and then my class could get punished too," she thought. But just standing there watching was agonizing. It would've been fine if it was just Katsumi picking Haruna for whatever slip she drew and then that was that, but Kanako had a feeling the girl had something else up her sleeve.
Sure enough, when the announcement came for the selected participants to run a one-lap race, Kanako's heart nearly stopped. "A race?" she thought. "But Haruna can't run!" Immediately, Kanako made up her mind, but as soon as she tried to go out onto the track to stop her, a teacher got in her way. As it so happened, it was one of the teachers who seemed to be in charge of organizing this surprise twist.
"Whoa, where do you think you're going?" he asked, holding out his arm to stop Kanako. "M-My girlfriend!" Kanako cried. "Haruna Endo! She can't run!" "Just relax," the teacher said in a somewhat chiding tone. "No!" Kanako shouted back. "She's hurt! Haruna can't run!" "Hey, it's not like she's got to do a full sprint or anything," the teacher said, apparently more concerned with making sure the surprise twist went off without a hitch rather than student safety. "Even if she is a little banged up, she can just jog and it'll all be good."
Kanako's jaw practically hit the floor. Was he serious? Was this teacher actually telling her that it was fine that her permanently injured girlfriend run in a race? And with Katsumi involved, Kanako was sure there was no way Haruna was going to be able to take it easy. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed the pieces were coming together.
"She knows…" Kanako thought. "Ikehara-san knows about Haruna's ankle… Then that means…!" Kanako figured it out. Katsumi was definitely trying to make sure Haruna got hurt. She wanted to find Katsumi immediately and yell at her, but somehow, the girl was nowhere to be found. For some reason, Kanako felt like she was nearby, but with the crowd around her, Katsumi seemed to be doing a good job of blending in. "I guess I'll just search through everyone," she thought, but just as she made up her mind, Kanako heard the signal given.
"Go!"
Her eyes quickly went to the race. Most of the people involved were hardly running, as expected, but among the few trying their best… "Haruna…" Kanako uttered. Somehow, she knew Katsumi had put her up to it. Somehow, Katsumi had convinced Haruna to run harder than she should. There was no way Haruna would agree otherwise. But what exactly could it be that convinced her. "I bet it involves me," Kanako thought. "Why else would Haruna listen to Ikehara-san?"
Kanako wanted to confront all parties involved, but for now, all she could do was watch as her anger rose. She watched as Haruna continued to push herself more than she should've, and kept watching as it seemed like Haruna might have a chance to win. "Even if she does win, I won't be happy," Kanako thought. From where she was, she couldn't see the face of her girlfriend grimacing in pain.
But when Haruna went down, tumbling across the track and gripping her ankle, everything in Kanako froze. She got flashbacks to that fateful winter day when Haruna had first gotten injured. The pain Haruna had been in. The fear Kanako had felt for her. The worry that she had had when they were at the hospital. All of those feelings came flooding back, and before she knew it, they forced Kanako to move.
Unfortunately, she couldn't move fast enough. Before she got more than a step in, Katsumi grabbed her. "Too bad about Endo-san, huh?" she said mockingly. "But a deal's a deal." "What deal?! Let go of me!" Kanako shouted. "Endo-san made a deal with me. Win, and it's all good. Lose, and I get to kiss you," Katsumi said, sounding sickeningly pleased. "GO TO HELL!" Kanako screamed before tearing her arm away from her captor.
Now free, she sprinted toward the girl she loved. "HARUNA!" she screamed. "HARUNA!" Kanako reached her in seconds, kneeling down next to her. Seeing Haruna's tear-streaked face, Kanako wanted to cry as well. "Haruna!" she called, holding the girl's face to look at her. "Kana…ko," Haruna said through the pain. "S-Sorry…" "Y-You're in for a long lecture once you're not in so much p-pain," Kanako said shakily.
Soon enough, the health committee personnel came rushing over and they began tending to Haruna's ankle. At the same time, a very unwanted guest appeared as well. "C'mon, isn't this too much fuss?" Katsumi said heartlessly. "She probably just stepped wrong. What a klutz."
Kanako was stunned. Was it really possible for someone to be this awful? That was the only thing she could think as she stood up to face Katsumi. "This is your fault," she growled. "My fault?" Katsumi said, acting surprised. "I never said that Endo-san had to push herself so hard she got hurt. That's on her." "You're the one that made her race!" Kanako shouted, starting to draw the attention of people nearby. "What was that about some deal?! That you were going to kiss me if she lost?! Why would I ever want to kiss you?! You're evil! You're sick! I hate you!"
Admittedly, this was a stronger reaction than Katsumi had been expecting. She knew Kanako was probably going to be upset, but having not known the true severity of Haruna's injury and the problems it had caused both her and Kanako, Katsumi was faltering with her words. "Hey, Kana-chin, I-"
"Shut up!" Kanako immediately yelled back. "This! Is! Your! Fault! If Haruna can't walk right anymore, what are you going to do then, huh?! Will you take responsibility?! Will you?! No, of course you won't! You're just a heartless bitch who only cares about getting what you want even if that means hurting people!!!"
To say Kanako was livid was a vast understatement. Honestly, there probably wasn't a word in the dictionary to truly describe the depth of her rage in that moment. Her blood was boiling so high she felt like the inside of a volcano. Her mind was racing so fast that she could hardly process what words it was putting out of her mouth.
"Whoa, whoa! Kana-chan, breathe girl, breathe!" Chiyo suddenly said. She had grabbed ahold of Kanako, who without realizing it, had been getting closer and closer to Katsumi. "I know this is bad, but you gotta stop for a sec, 'kay?"
Hearing Chiyo's voice, Kanako listened and looked around. To her surprise, a crowd had gathered, all of them staring at the scene unfolding before their eyes. The health committee had finished tending to Haruna as best they could and were prepping to take her to the nurse's office. Presumably, she would then be taken to the hospital once her parents arrived.
Seeing all of this, Kanako let out an "A-Ah…" Quickly, she gave an apologetic bow to those around her, then followed after the health committee. Left out on the track was the now-dispersing crowd, Katsumi, and a very angry Chiyo.
"Do you have any shame?" she asked pointedly. "That's rich, coming from you," Katsumi scoffed. "The slut of Iwanai is really going to lecture me about shame?" "You just got someone hurt, and for what?" Chiyo said, brushing off Katsumi's retort. "To get a girl to look at you who has told you over and over again she's not interested?" "I don't give a damn what you think," Katsumi spat. "Stay out of my business." "My best friend is my business, stupid!" Chiyo yelled. Then she got closer so that she could speak in a whisper.
"I've known plenty of girls like you," she said in a low voice. "I know exactly how ya think, and I know just how far you'll go. So do us both a favor and stop already. Otherwise, we're both gonna end up doing something we regret."
Before Katsumi could get in another word, Chiyo walked off, heading in the same direction as Haruna was taken. "What do you know, you dumb bimbo?" Katsumi muttered angrily. "Like you know anything about me."
*****
Once Haruna's pain had been taken down to a more manageable level and the health committee members went back to the field, the nurse's room became the most agonizing place in the school for Haruna.
"Honestly, what's with you?" Kanako said. "Why on earth did you even agree to something like that? Did you really think that winning a race would make me happy? You knew you'd just get injured again, so why even do that? Do you think I want to see you hurt or something? I'm not some sadist! I care more about your well-being than some stupid deal you made with Ikehara-san! And what was with that anyways?! A kiss?! Did you actually believe I'd let that girl get anywhere near my lips! They're for you and you only, you know! I can't believe you actually let her bait you like that! You should really know better!"
"Um…"
"Yeah, I totes agree with Kana-chan," Chiyo said, standing next to a sitting Kanako. "What were you thinkin' girl? Even if ya did win, did ya really think Ikehara-san would play fair? I bet she would've tried to twist the situation to her advantage no matter what the result was. And if you were really so worried about it, why didn't ya just yell for me? I probably coulda helped, y'know? I wish you'd rely on me more in times like these."
"...sorry…" Haruna managed to say after being thoroughly lectured by her girlfriend and best friend. Hearing that, Chiyo sighed, but then smiled. "I'm just glad the nurse doesn't think it's as serious as it sounded. Still, ya better make sure ya get checked out properly, okay?" "I will," Haruna said. "Good. Then, I'm gonna go find Mi-chan and Jas-chin and tell 'em what's goin' on," Chiyo said, going to leave. However, before she did, Kanako stopped her.
"Chiyo, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you step in earlier?" she asked. "Ah…" Chiyo let out, scratching the back of her head. "Well, at first I was distracted by Mi-chan. Then I got pulled away by my big sis. Then, by the time I realized what was goin' on, I tried to jump in and stop it, but some stupid teach got in my way and wouldn't keep his eyes off me. It was like they were determined to make sure no one got in the way of their stupid race, y'know?"
"Well, I'm sure the school won't let that happen again after what happened to Haruna," Kanako said. "Yeah, probs not," Chiyo agreed. "I'll see ya later, you two. Don't get too hot and heavy in here!" Then the gal took off. "Did she really have to add that last part?" Haruna asked. "That's just how she is," Kanako said with a small laugh.
Her good mood quickly faded. "Haruna…" she said softly. "Look, I know, okay?" Haruna said, not wanting to get lectured more. "I really messed up. I shouldn't have agreed to anything Ikehara-san said, no matter what. I'm really sorry."
"I'm glad you understand that, but that's not what I was going to say," Kanako said. "Huh?" Haruna let out. Kanako brought her hand up and cupped Haruna's cheek. "I was really worried," she said quietly. "I got all these flashbacks to when you got injured while snowboarding. All those feelings came back too, and I just…" "Is that why you were so harsh with Ikehara-san?" Haruna asked. Kanako averted her eyes. "S-She put you in danger… I'm not just going to ignore that." "You called her a heartless bitch," Haruna pointed out. "D-Did I really?" Kanako asked, a little wide-eyed. Haruna sighed. "You really need to be more aware of how brutal you can be when you're angry."
Not too long after that, Haruna's parents showed up, plenty worried. They checked Haruna over first themselves, then went and talked to who they needed to talk to in order to take Haruna out of school. They were going to take Haruna to the hospital, and Kanako tried to get them to take her with them, but they both refused, saying that she needed to stay in school. However, they insisted that once they got back home, she could come visit Haruna all she wanted.
Kanako watched as Haruna was carried to the car on the wait of her parents' shoulders. When they had asked what had happened, Kanako and Haruna told them a story they had made up beforehand. They didn't really want to get parents involved. If that happened, then Haruna's parents would probably go to Katsumi's parents, and then the situation would really get serious. In some ways, that could possibly be a good thing, but Kanako had a feeling it wouldn't turn out well. "Ikehara-san is seen as a good kid to those who don't know the side of her that I know," she thought. "I doubt her parents would believe us." So, it was decided it was just better if things stayed between the students.
Though, that did bring up the question of what exactly needed to be done about Katsumi. "Things can't keep going like this," Kanako thought. "She just keeps escalating. I'm afraid of what she'll try next." But, not knowing what would happen, all Kanako could do was guess.
"There's no use thinking about it right now," she decided. "I'll just go cheer on Hinami-chan." And so, Kanako headed back out to the field, where she spotted Hinami running as best she could while wearing a massively poofy dress from a beloved children's movie.
*****
"Unbelievable," Katsumi thought bitterly. She was currently hiding out in one of the bathrooms in the school, staring into the mirror. "Unbelievable, unbelievable, unbelievable!" She just couldn't believe it. Well, she could, but she didn't want to. Getting rejected was one thing, but…
"She actually tried pinning everything on me about Endo-san," Katsumi thought. "I mean, I guess she isn't wrong, but how does she know that there isn't another side to the story?! She didn't even give me a chance to speak! Kana-chin immediately took Endo-san's side and didn't even doubt her for a second! It's always Endo-san, Endo-san, Endo-san! Ugh, what is it with that stupid girl?! I just don't get it! It's so completely unfair!"
Further and further Katsumi spiraled. She had truly reached her breaking point. Even injuring Haruna wasn't enough to satisfy her after seeing Kanako's reaction. "Endo-san has completely brainwashed Kana-chin, and I bet she's just soooo proud of herself for making a girl be oh-so in love with her. Bleh, it makes me sick! How dare you, Endo-san! How dare you take what I wanted for so long! How dare you create an environment where I stand absolutely no chance!"
Katsumi's mind twisted more. And more. And more. It was to the point that if she could've seen herself from the outside, she would've been disturbed by the way she was thinking. Unfortunately, it was impossible to do such a thing, and Katsumi fell upon her final, worst plan.
"Well guess what Endo-san? If I can't have Kana-chin… then neither can you."
End of Chapter Nineteen.