Starting from our next homeroom period, we'd be practicing independently to prepare for the sports festival. During Class D's free period, we changed into gym clothes and made our way to the athletic grounds.
"Whoa, check it out." Ike, wearing an unpleasant expression, stared at the main school building. Several students were watching us through the windows of their classroom.
"Hey, they're from Class B, right? Guess they're already spying," mused Ike.
"Class A is checking us out, too."
If we wanted to train in such a conspicuous place, it was only natural that we'd be watched. Even if we held back, so the others wouldn't see our true skills, that would only hamper our practice and hurt us in the end.
"They started right away." Horikita had also noticed the curious stares.
For my part, I was more worried about Class C. Not a single one of them was looking at us. It was like they were saying that Class D wasn't any threat to them.
"Are you worried about Ryuuen-kun?" Horikita asked me. "Yeah, a little."
"I'm surprised that he doesn't seem to be carrying out some kind of reconnaissance. However, he did refuse to cooperate with Class B. He doesn't appear interested in any sort of strategy." Horikita shot me a look that seemed to say, I understand, before continuing. "Or so I would have thought if you hadn't warned me. Surely the other students must think they're safe, though."
She glanced at the students, who were throwing themselves into practice.
"What you mentioned earlier, about Ryuuen-kun already having a strategy? I suppose this means that his plans are already in place.
Reconnaissance isn't necessary for him." Horikita no longer appeared optimistic. On the contrary, she now looked clearly bewildered. "Anyone would want information on the other classes. They should want to know who is physically gifted, who'll participate in which contests, and so on. But him…"
That in itself proved that Ryuuen already had a secret strategy. "The important thing is not to be satisfied just with knowing that
Ryuuen has a plan," I explained. "What do you mean?"
"Normally, when someone has a secret plan in place, they do whatever it takes to ensure that their enemies don't figure it out. However, Ryuuen's not even trying to hide the fact that he's up to something. He's making it obvious by not bothering to do any reconnaissance," I said.
"It's almost like he's showing off. You know, I can't help but wonder where your powers of observation came from. But, since you've forbidden me from asking questions, I suppose I must be quiet."
What a disagreeable and Horikita-esque way of putting it. Of course, no matter how much she poked and prodded, I wouldn't budge.
"Suzune. You have a minute?" asked Sudou, startling Horikita with his late arrival. Sudou interrupting her train of thought clearly irritated her.
Something else seemed to be bothering her, too.
"I've told you numerous times. Please do not call me by my first name."
"Aw, what do you mean? Does it really bother you that much?"
"Yes. I don't want someone I'm not close to using my first name," said Horikita. As always, she went right for the heart, sparing none of Sudou's feelings. "If you continue to call me 'Suzune' after this warning, I'll have to take more direct action to make you stop."
A terrifying proposition, truly. Sudou changed the topic.
"In that case, if I get the best results out of anyone in Class D during the festival, will you let me call you by your first name?"
"Hard work is its own reward. Why should I agree to such an idiotic bet?" Horikita probably wasn't aware of Sudou's feelings for her.
"Well, it's just… Not too long ago, you saved me. That's why I want to do things properly, so we can… No, I think I'd like to be friends with you, first. This is the first step," said Sudou.
"I can't understand why you'd go out of your way to request something like that. But fine. If you produce the best results, I will allow you to use my first name. However, I won't be satisfied if you're just the best in our class.
Show me that you can be the best out of everyone in our grade," said Horikita.
She'd given Sudou an incredibly high hurdle to clear. But Sudou
showed no sign of balking. "All right! It's a deal, then. If I place first in our grade level, I'll call you by your first name," he said happily.
"However, in the event that you don't get first place, I'll forever forbid you from saying my first name. Prepare yourself," said Horikita.
"Y-yeah."
4.1
We started testing everyone's aptitude in earnest. Although Hirata's policy didn't encourage forced participation, roughly 90 percent of the class took part in the various tests. Only a few, like Kouenji and the Professor, sat them out.
"Hah…ah…phew!" Sakura finished in last place, looking as though she was about to collapse, both hands on her knees.
"Good work, Sakura. You really gave it your all." "A-Ayanokouji-kun. Ah…hah…" Sakura wheezed.
Sakura had always been rather unathletic, but recently, she'd worked hard to contribute to the class. Unfortunately, her lack of physical endurance was still a problem.
"Hey, hey! Let's go!"
Meanwhile Sudou, usually the least serious class member, worked harder than I'd ever seen. He needn't have worried. When he was in top form, Sudou was unbeatable. No student in our class could stand as his equal.
"Wow, just like we'd expect, Sudou-kun! You always end up taking first place in our class, no matter the event. That's amazing!" said Kushida. She jumped up and down in excitement as Sudou finished running the 100- meter relay race.
"Heh, guess so. Even so, I dunno what'll happen if he runs." Sudou glared at Kouenji, who showed no interest whatsoever.
"You know, that reminds me. I've never seen Kouenji seriously run before."
Back when Kouenji had faced off against Sudou in swimming class, he'd beaten Sudou's time. His skill was obvious, but he wasn't going to budge unless he wanted to.
"But, seriously, you're amazing. Really, Sudou-kun, you're definitely the sports festival leader," said Kushida.
"Leader? Me?" Sudou repeated the word, appearing to be a little taken aback.
"Yes." Hirata, who was recording everyone's scores, apparently agreed with Kushida. "After all, the sports festival really is an athlete's time to shine. Would you mind leading our class for this?"
"I ain't really suited to be a leader or anythin'…" Sudou looked over at
Horikita for her opinion.
"You're not the type of person to speak eloquently. As a communicator, Hirata-kun is certainly the superior choice," she said. "However, based on your sprint earlier and your other athletic records, I can see Hirata-kun's point. You shine when showered with attention. Besides, brute strength will be necessary to pull our class along. I wouldn't object to you serving as leader in this."
She didn't encourage him, but she didn't reject him, either. She'd acknowledged him.
"Okay! I'll lead our class to victory," said Sudou. Perhaps being so lovestruck was foolish, but he clearly wanted to live up to Horikita's expectations.
"Don't get overconfident and sloppy, because I'll make you pay for that," warned Horikita.
She walked away and returned to practicing. Sudou blushed, clenching his fists as he watched her go.
4.2
Sudou was serious about being a leader. The next day, he began coaching the other students, starting by teaching them how to win the tug-of- war. I watched from a slight distance away.
"You're just pointlessly strainin' yourself. There's no strength at all in your pull. At this rate, you wouldn't win, even if you could," said Sudou.
He grabbed the short length of rope tightly to give us a practical demonstration. Ike and Yamauchi faced off against him. The looks on their faces suggested that they expected to win, but when the match began, Sudou pulled with an overwhelming amount of strength. A disappointingly short time later, Ike and Yamauchi fell down and sat on the ground.
"See? You ain't putting any power into it at all."
"I don't get it. Hey, Sudou, is there some kinda trick or something?" "Well, power's important, but also, don't just use your arms. Use your
hips, too," said Sudou. His manner was rough, but he gave each and every student thorough guidance.
"Hey, Sudou-kun. Can you come look at this for us? We're not doing well with our carriage for the cavalry battle."
"Sure. Wait a sec. I'll be right there."
There were more than a few unathletic students, which meant that several people asked Sudou for help. I was honestly surprised that even girls asked him for his opinion.
"Well, he seems to be taking this rather seriously."
"It's the first time that people have relied on him. Leadership might actually suit him, don't you think?" asked Horikita. "As for me, though… well, I wouldn't mind praising him, but—"
Before she could finish the thought, we heard an angry voice.
"Look, I'm tellin' you that ain't it!" Sudou kicked at the dirt, sending it flying toward Ike and Yamauchi.
"Gah! Puh…yuck! Dude, c'mon. Stop!" Horikita sighed.
Sudou's rashness was still a problem. A leader needed to be patient, like Hirata, who always employed gentle teaching methods. He was currently checking some girls' positions in the carriage formation, to make sure that they were comfortable.
"Yeah, I think this formation is great. But don't you feel a little cramped?" Hirata asked them.
"Yeah. My shoulders hurt a little, I guess."
"Let's change the positioning a bit. If you just move a few centimeters, it'll feel different."
"Oh, wow, you're right! That feels much more comfortable. Thank you, Hirata-kun."
"Hey, can you help us out, too, Hirata?" another cavalry group asked. "Why don't you help teach the girls, too?" I asked Horikita. She was
one of our top athletes; she had a lot going for her as a teacher.
"I don't want to teach them. Besides, I don't think anyone wants me to teach them, either."
With that bold statement, she started warming up by herself.
"I'm already trying my hardest to produce results for myself. How can you be so laid-back? I suppose, if you're sure you can win, that's fine," added Horikita.
"Nope, I'm not confident."
"That sounds about right. You always get average scores. You're neither fast nor slow. Your results don't stand out at all."
"You know that?"
"I try hard to uncover my classmates' true abilities." She had observed me closely, even during physical education. "I'll ask you this just once, but… are you holding back, like you did with your test scores?"
"Would I do something so pointless?"
"The odds of that are about fifty-fifty to me. So, do you?" "I'm sorry to disappoint, but what you see is what you get."
"So, you're neither good nor bad. That means I shouldn't expect great results, hmm?"
"Yep, that's right."
"Then you should practice more, starting now."
"If I could improve in such a short time span, this wouldn't be a problem. Unlike studying, trying to do this all at the last minute the night before is kind of pointless." Physical ability only improved through repeated conditioning.
"Wouldn't it be a good idea to focus on events where you can improve quickly, though? For example, just learning how to grip a rope or form a carriage will increase our chances of victory."
"Maybe."
I'd tried to slack off and cut class, but Horikita had firmly boxed me in.
Well, there wasn't any getting around it. I needed to practice for the recommended-participant events I'd somehow gotten roped into.
"Hey," Horikita called out to me again as I walked away. "Hmm?"
"Every class's physical abilities will determine who wins and who loses. Right?"
"This is a sports festival. Physical abilities are key."
"Yes. Still, that kind of thinking is limited. If I focus on my own performance, I'm confident that I can produce good results, but something's been troubling me for a while. I might not be able to reach Class A just by improving my own skills," said Horikita. It was an uncharacteristically timid remark, coming from her.
"Okay. Let me ask you this. What should we do in the sports festival to produce results? To reach Class A?"
In reply to my question, Horikita just gave me a confused look. "Could it be that you'll win if you enjoy it? This is the long-awaited
sports festival, after all. Forgetting that this is a test and having fun is an option," I said, as if trying to change the topic.
"You promised me that you'd cooperate, didn't you? You said you'd help me reach Class A," said Horikita.
"That's what I'm doing, isn't it?" I spread out my hands, showing that I'd nothing to hide. "I'll participate in the festival. That's cooperating."
"Are you serious?"
"You said so yourself, didn't you? Physical ability will determine victory or defeat."
"But there are other aspects to the competition besides physical ability, too," she said.
"Okay. So, on the day of the festival, should I give the Class B and C students stomachaches and make them bow out? If I do that, we'll have a total victory. We'll win by an overwhelming margin," I said.
"Stop joking."
"Look. It sounds like you're saying that a high level of physical ability won't be enough," I said.
"So, you agree that something else is required?" she asked. "You'll learn the answer to that soon enough," I replied.
Somebody was walking toward us. "Horikita-san, you're up next for three-legged race practice."
"Okay."
Horikita left. Apparently, she was partnering with Onodera, a girl from the swimming club who was supposedly a great sprinter. I wondered how Horikita would handle it.
The five pairs of girls lined up in formation, then launched into the race. Horikita and Onodera weren't slow, but they weren't fast, either. They came in third. The worst team was Sakura and Inogashira, a most unathletic pair. They were slow as molasses.
Dissatisfied, Horikita and Onodera decided to practice the three-legged race again. That time went no better than the first.
"Those two're kinda slow, huh?" mused Sudou. "Yeah."
Finishing their second run, the pair immediately untied the cord and faced each other. "Hey, Horikita-san, can't you try to keep pace with me better?" Onodera sounded slightly annoyed.
"It's certainly true that we aren't moving in sync, but that's not my fault. You're too slow."
"What?"
"Shouldn't you strive to match the faster partner? Deliberately slowing my pace to suit yours makes no sense," said Horikita.
It seemed that my worst fears were being realized. Trying to keep pace with the speedy Horikita was no easy feat.
"Okay. How about we give it a try, Ayanokouji-kun?" asked Hirata. "Roger." I didn't have time to waste on Horikita, who was fighting
with her partner. The three-legged race was a first for me, too.
"To begin with, let's just focus on running. Then we can try and fix whatever goes wrong. Okay?"
I nodded and tied our legs together per Hirata's instructions. It was too tight for my liking, and made me feel shackled. Honestly, it was a little embarrassing to be that close to somebody. Particularly Hirata, the darling of all the Class D girls.
"Okay then. Let's take our first step," said Hirata.
I nodded, and waited for Hirata to move his leg so I could match him.
Keeping up with his rhythm, I stepped with my outer leg. "This is really uncomfortable."
"It is, isn't it? But, as you run, try matching your breathing to our movements. Okay? I'm going to start running."
Hirata picked up his pace slightly, and I copied him. Really, my run was only at about power-walking speed.
"Yeah, that's it. That's it! You've got it!"
Being complimented really did make things easier. As I got used to three-legged running, I realized that it was surprisingly simple. If both partners understood each other and maintained a similar pace, everything got smoother.
Hirata and I ran a small lap, came back, and untied the cord. Loud, high-pitched cheers could be heard from the girls. "So fast! Just like we'd expect from you, Hirata-kun!"
"It's really, really easy with Ayanokouji-kun as my partner. Let's all practice and do our best during the festival, okay?"
Yeah, he really was supportive. He'd just finished his own practice, and now he was heading off to give other students advice again. Just another day in the life of Hirata, a truly superior man.
4.3
It was mid-September, and the sports festival was less than two weeks away. Sudou remained steadfast and practiced tirelessly. Tempering his spirit day in and day out with basketball had made him tenacious. Some students among us were holding back and cutting corners, but Sudou always gave everything he had.
Of course, Hirata hadn't forgotten about our relationship with Class A. He periodically held meetings with Katsuragi during which they discussed how best to compete. Class D, normally just an inch away from disaster, was doing almost too well.
Looking at the big picture, I saw two remaining issues at hand.
First, Horikita Suzune. She could become an invaluable asset to the class, but she wasn't quite there yet. No matter how many times Horikita changed partners, they always ended up fighting and dissolving the partnership. Eventually, Horikita decided to compete paired with the girl who best matched her speed, but even that had fallen apart. Now she just spent her time silently alone.
"Do you have a minute?" I asked.
"What?" Perhaps because of stress, she seemed even pricklier than
usual.
"I think it'd do you some good to compromise a little more," I said. I'd
watched her practice, but had seen no sign of improvement. Horikita's overly forceful nature was getting in the way.
"Many people have told me that," she said, rubbing her forehead. "I won't compromise, because I'm trying to get the best time. Isn't that a good thing?"
"So, you have no intention of yielding?"
"That's right. I don't intend to accommodate someone else's slowness."
"But, because of that, no one wants to practice with you."
"If I'm expected to yield, my partner must put in the effort first. I can't work with someone who refuses to even try to improve," she replied.
"Stick your foot out." "What are you getting at?"
"Partner with me for the three-legged race."
"Why should I?"
"There's a mixed-gender three-legged race. Can't we determine how compatible we are as partners?"
"So, you think you can keep pace with me? You'll only drag me down."
"According to your theory, my speed isn't the issue, only my effort." "Fine. I'll tie us together."
Horikita crouched and tied the cord around our legs, as if telling me not to touch her. Everyone nearby was focused on practicing, and no one paid attention to us. Even Sudou, who'd probably get angry if he saw this, was too busy with other people.
"Well then, let's go!"
At the beginning, I mirrored Horikita. However, as we picked up speed, I started going at my own pace.
"H-hey!"
Despite Horikita's panic, I mercilessly went faster. She did everything she could to keep up with me, but her stamina and strength couldn't match mine.
asked.
"You said that keeping up with your partner isn't difficult, right?" I
"That's… I know!"
She was obstinate. I decided to shift gears. In the three-legged race,
speed alone wasn't enough. The important thing was to find a tempo that suited both partners, then find your best stride.
"Tch!"
Eventually, Horikita had to admit defeat. I grabbed her as she stumbled, then came to a stop. She breathed raggedly.
"This wasn't about fast or slow. Your practices went wrong because you didn't look at your partner," I told her. Without saying another word, I untied the cord around our legs. "The important thing is to work with your partner. How about letting them take the lead?"
"I…"
"Think about it."
Horikita's athleticism meant that she needed to discern her partner's ability level and then work with it.
I didn't know whether she would learn and mature. That was up to her. Kushida Kikyou was the second problem. She was something of a
supporting character—working backstage, but never taking the spotlight. Although Hirata and Karuizawa often outshone Kushida, most of our classmates liked her, which gave her a level of influence even those other two didn't have. In addition to Kushida's exceptional communication skills, she was both academically and physically gifted, and had been blessed with an incredible figure. In a sense, her assignment to Class D in the first place was quite the mystery.
However, I knew about the darkness within her. Not too long after starting school, I caught her angrily ranting to herself on a secluded rooftop. And, although I didn't yet know why, it was a fact that Kushida hated Horikita.
But both Horikita and Kushida were vital to Class D's improvement. Therefore, the only way to resolve the issue was to have them confront one another.