We split up to get dressed, got ready, and gathered at the rendezvous point.
I, Kushida, Ryuuen and Kitou moved to the lift.
We decided to board the two-person lift with a combination of me and Ryuuen, and then Kushida and Kitou.
Because we decided that there would be less trouble this way.
Just in case, I sent Kushida and Kitou first, and boarded after a few others.
In doing so, I also intended to avoid clashes on the lift.
"Can't you get along a little better with Kitou?"
"That's impossible. If Kitou was the one asking, then that would be a different story." Staring at the snowy mountains, Ryuuen replied so.
"There's no chance, huh? Well, it's no use in that case, but this is a good chance. Kitou seemed to have gained some trust from Sakayanagi as well. I thought you would have the idea to use this as an opportunity. Depending on the case, you could even make him an
ally."
Ryuuen sitting beside me thinks that this school trip is mainly about gathering information, but that's not a mistake.
In fact, it can be seen that Sakayanagi is doing similar things.
"Kitou doesn't look completely human, but it seems like he's very loyal, at least. Besides, Sakayanagi was on the alert when he formed a group with me. She must have been worried for what we'd talk about."
"That's quite realistic, huh."
I didn't have much contact with Kitou, and I still don't know anything about him.
However, despite the attitude of thoroughly disliking Ryuuen, there is a strong sense of willingness to protect Class A together with Sakayanagi.
And I've never heard of any problematic behaviour from Kitou alone.
If I carelessly tried to negotiate to bring him into my side, he will think that I am asking him to reveal information.
"Besides, the talent I needed from the A-class was just Katsuragi. Both Kitou and Hashimoto were good soldiers, but not enough to add to my handpieces. It's out of proportion to the risk."
It seemed like that was the reason why he continued to be hostile without friendly contact with Kitou. Even after evaluating Kitou, he seemed to recognize Katsuragi in a different way. The lift arrived, and we landed on the advanced course.
Kitou, who had been waiting for us, called Ryuuen to the starting point.
It seems that they won't do anything lukewarm like slowly enjoying the course first...
"Hey, give the signal."
Ryuuen gave Kushida such an instruction and ordered her to start the countdown.
"Both of you, be careful skiing."
Kushida raised her hand and started counting down the start.
They open up a few meters between each other and prepare to slide out.
Who will be the winner?
"Start!"
The moment Kushida put her hand down, they both got off to a good start almost simultaneously.
"Let's go after them, too."
"Eh, are you sure? I'm not sure I can catch up, but..."
"Then come slowly after me."
After saying that, Kushida and I also started skiing a few seconds later.
Ryuuen and Kitou were on the move as they battled their way back and forth.
They're skiing down at high speed in beautiful arcs to the right and left.
My technique, which was still incomplete yesterday, began to be elevated by getting a role model before my eyes.
A long advanced course will allow me to learn deeper and more closely.
Apart from that, the battle between Ryuuen and Kitou was still the same.
I thought one of them would surpass the other soon, but it's pretty equal.
As far as I can see, there is no big difference in skill, and their desire to win is the same. Even after the middle of the course, it didn't look to be settling.
As the race was coming to an end, the distance between the two were gradually getting closer.
An unexpected accident?
I have a bad feeling about this.
If this situation continued, there was a risk of collision due to overlap in their positioning in the skiing course. No, this is not an accident or such for both sides.
They should consider this a dangerous sign of the opponent winning by tackling.
I copied their movements and learned from their technique as I accelerated.
"Die, Kitou!"
"Piss off, Ryuuen!"
After hearing them, suddenly, I forced my body into the slight gap between them.
The two scattered in a panic due to the sudden entrance of a third party.
Both sides were staring at me, but I succeeded in forcing them to keep their distance. I finished the advanced course, and Ryuuen and Kitou stopped slightly behind me.
Ryuen, and Kitou who was in front of him, quickly turned around and approached me walking.
"Why did you get in the way?"
Kitou, in an angry tone of voice, came at me with such force that it seemed as if he was about to grab me.
"I decided it was dangerous. Things got too intense and you were trying to win by doing something improper."
"No matter in what form, a match is a match. Ryuuen knew that too."
"It doesn't matter if the other person understands or not. I can't call that a skiing match." After saying his grievances, Kitou glanced at Ryueen and skiied away.
I could feel that they were not going to have one more match.
At that time, Kushida also skiied down and arrived.
"The three of you were too fast, but Ayanokouji-kun, I didn't expect that..!"
While stepping on the snow, Ryuen approached me with an unhappy face.
"You don't look like a fucking beginner. Were you pretending?"
"Pretend? No, it's the first time I skied yesterday. "
But Ryuen didn't believe me, spitting in the air, he headed for the lift.
For the time being, it's good to have peace of mind.
Probably.
"I understand that he's angry, your skiing was amazing. You were like the protagonist of a manga that would do everything perfectly with talent, even if you didn't try. Ryuuen said it too, but is it really the second day since you started?" Unfortunately, I am not the hero of such a manga.
In the years I've lived, countless experiences have accumulated in my body.
Even if it is the first time skiing itself, sports in general are shallow and broadly connected by lines.
I just connected them together, connected the verbal and visual information, and tried sliding.
"Can't you believe it?"
"That's not it. But if I hadn't seen the move that got Amasawa, I might not have believed it."
At that time, even if for a moment, I showed Kushida the battle between White Room students.
Did that doubt and apprehension make my progress on these skis more truthful?
"Amazing."
I am once again praised, but I somehow can't accept it.
"That is not true."
"This again?"
She thinks I am just being humble, but I can't help that.
However, Ryuen's and Kushida's skiing was that of experts, and was truly a model for me to follow.
They may not have accumulated a vast amount of experience like I have.
In that sense, they have much more sense than I do.
"Let's go to the lift, too. I'm out of trouble, and I want to enjoy skiing."
"Yeah, that's right. It might be a hard time for those who can't ski, though."
I suppose that is true for any activity. It would be nice if everyone could enjoy it even if they were bad at it, but that's not the case.
Whether it's video games or sports, it's often not fun for those who aren't good at them.