The first performance after lunch was the sixth-graders' "Masa Koi Dance."
"It's a modernized version of the folk song about a woman who fell in love with a fisherman named Masa and wishes for him to return her feelings," they explained. This performance had become a staple at our school's sports festival, with an added contemporary dance twist.
"Ha~! Dokkoisho, dokkoisho! Masa-san, Masa-san!" I actually really like the chants in this dance.
And naturally, at the center stage in front of the main tent and guest seating stood none other than "Hiroshi-sama." To his left was Kouta-kun. Together, these handsome boys formed a dream team of sorts.
Wait, wasn't there supposed to be a third handsome guy? Oh, right—today's sports festival brought in outside people. Naturally, there were girls from other schools too. Now, none of the girls at our school would ever act out, thanks to Hiroshi-kun's presence, but the same couldn't be said for those from other schools.
I had a consultation with the principal and, well... thanks to my mother's makeup magic (more like a full-blown transformation), he's participating in a spot where he won't stand out. My mom has this amazing ability to make him blend in, yet still recognizable—it's uncanny. Kimura-kun tried to join his family for lunch and wasn't recognized until he spoke! Yet he still looked exactly like himself. How does she do it?
The Masa Koi Dance was a huge success. Rumor has it someone from the PR department of Osen Academy was raving, saying, "If you put this on DVD, it'll sell! We should definitely adopt this next year!" (source: insider talk). There were even tears and roaring applause from our school's parents, so it must've been true.
Next up was the big event: "The Sixth-Grade Relay Race."
This is where I made my bold move.
"Listen up, everyone.
These past six years with you all have been amazing. Thank you so much.
But the reason it's been so great is because you've all put your heart and soul into everything you've done.
I bet Hiroshi-sama thinks the same way. After all, he said during the tug-of-war earlier, 'Wow, you guys are strong! I've gotta step up too!'" (I nailed the Hiroshi impression there).
Think about it. How much has Hiroshi-sama helped us these past six years? We need to give back.
And tell me, are you really okay with this? (I lower my voice dramatically, drawing them in).
This relay is the climax of the sports festival. If the other team wins, they'll celebrate with high-fives and cheer in victory.
But if we win… Hiroshi-sama will surely congratulate us, too, even if we're the opposing team. He might even exchange hugs or swap jerseys, like they do at the World Cup.
Do you want to give them the fruit, or will you take it for yourselves?
Which will it be?!
Victory is within our grasp! Let's gooooo!!"
"YEEEAAAAHHH!!"
Our hearts united. We only had one goal: victory.
But why is Kouta-kun looking at me with that deadpan stare like I'm some kind of con artist? Hey, I'm not a bad guy! I swear!
The relay ended, and now we're packing up the tents. All the sixth-grade boys are folding up the tents for the main and guest areas. These tents are heavier than I expected.
These days, some tents use aluminum frames to make them lighter, but ours are old-school iron-pipe frames. They've been in use for so long that they're starting to rust. I guess that's just how it is for public schools, huh? I bet Osen Academy's tents are way fancier—rumor has it they're swimming in funds. The economic gap between public and private schools... sniff I'm not jealous at all! (teary-eyed)
But man, that final relay race was something else.
When Hiroshi-sama said, "Everyone's fired up! Let's aim for victory, too!" it awakened the rival team's girls into full beast mode.
It was a clash of my buff (envy and desire) and Hiroshi-sama's buff (joy and inspiration).
The first half of the race was neck-and-neck. The girls from both teams ran with all their pride on the line, not giving an inch.
The race shifted when the boys got the baton.
Our team, gunning for the downfall of Hiroshi-kun, gave it our all. But the boys on the rival team, our spies, ran like their lives depended on it (probably out of sheer terror of the girls). Slowly, they pulled ahead.
At one point, they were ahead by three body lengths, but Kouta-kun and I managed to close the gap with an intense surge. We handed the baton to our ace, "Secret Weapon Kimura-kun," with a two-length lead.
Honestly, I thought we had it in the bag.
But… Hiroshi-sama is on another level.
Kimura-kun was insanely fast. So fast that the scouts from Osen Academy even said, "We'd love him on our track team—if only it weren't for his face." If he hadn't been in disguise, they definitely would've recruited him.
But somehow, Hiroshi-kun caught up. I'd never seen him try so hard, with such a serious expression. It was rare—a real once-in-a-lifetime sight. He's always so calm and collected, relying on his natural talent to coast through everything.
The crowd went wild, the stands were on their feet!
If Kimura-kun hadn't slipped with just 5 meters left, he probably would've won.
After the race, Kimura-kun bowed to everyone and said, "I couldn't live up to your expectations. I'm sorry."
But no one blamed him.
Kimura-kun, you gave it your all.
I saw you crying your heart out behind the school building afterward. And being comforted by Saijou-san, no less.
So, is this what they call "protagonist's plot armor"? Is Hiroshi-kun the protagonist of this world?
Nah, that can't be it. But still, I wish I could've beaten him at least once. sigh
The sports festival is over, and the school is slowly returning to normal. How's everyone doing?
It's me, by the way.
The weather in this world follows the seasons of my past life, and right now it's the rainy season. The constant rain is really a mood-killer.
I'm so glad the sports festival ended before the rainy season started. If the timing had been off, it could've been postponed, postponed again, and then canceled. There's nothing you can do about the weather.
In my past life, there was an anime movie called "Weathering with Y**," where the power to control the weather was a god-like ability. The strategist Zhuge Liang prayed for favorable winds at the Battle of Red Cliffs, and the enemy fleet was incinerated while caught off guard. I read that in a manga, but, just to be clear, Liang didn't actually control the weather. He just gathered local intel and outsmarted the enemy. Mind control over people is scarier than controlling the elements.
By the way, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms exists in this world, too, though it's wildly different. Apparently, Zhuge Liang is a beautiful woman, and Zhang Fei is a burly guy. But the Red Cliffs story is more or less the same. Kouta-kun even said, "Wow, you're surprisingly knowledgeable," but on the inside, I was sweating bullets.
Speaking of historical figures, remember how gender-swapped warlords were all the rage in my past life? Here, that's a real thing. Not all of them, but enough of the famous ones have swapped genders that it's hilarious. The one that cracked me up the most was Ono no Imoko. In my past life, I joked, "Imoko's totally an old dude," but here, she's a gorgeous middle-aged lady. I couldn't stop laughing in history class, and I accidentally made Mihoko-sensei mad. No one else got why I found it so funny, and that's pretty sad. laughs
Lunchtime, and it's raining outside. The girls are studying in the classroom, so all the boys are gathering in the gym.
You'd think we'd just stay put quietly in the classroom, right? Nope, not happening! (smug)
Apparently, all the running around we've been doing has made the boys in our school into some of the most fit in the country. Some of our guys have enough raw potential that Osen Academy's sports program could recruit them. Kimura-kun's performance at the sports festival caught their scouts' attention, but unfortunately, he didn't meet their standards for recruitment (they confirmed his identity using a photo—too bad he was still in disguise).
Osen Academy's guys are top-tier in looks. Their school's brand is all about prestige, and they don't compromise. Still, there are exceptions—rumor has it there are some "not-so-stellar" guys in the lower-tier classes (though by this world's standards, they'd be considered upper-middle class back home).
It's basically like saying, "If you want to be elite, you better rank high. If not, well... you get the idea." From high school, it's all about university entrance rates, so I understand why they push so hard.
Ah, the harsh reality of adulthood…
Private Osen Academy—its shadows run deep.
The rain won't stop.
I actually don't mind watching the raindrops fall from the roof of the covered walkway, though.
Right now, I'm hanging out by the steps near the gym entrance, chatting with my best friend. (feeling smug)
By the way, Kouta-kun, what are your plans for summer vacation? Last year, you went on a luxury trip abroad, right? (rubbing hands together)
Oh? You've got a trial enrollment at Osen Academy?
They have trial enrollments? Isn't that something you'd handle after you're already accepted?
They're doing a photoshoot for next year's incoming class? A professional photographer's coming to take pictures of everyone for the pamphlet?
Wow, sounds like a hassle… (totally not my problem)
So, the middle school has four classes per grade, and the high school has six regular classes plus one sports class, for a total of seven?
They're taking photos of the entire middle school incoming class and the internal high school progression group? Only Class A from the upper grades? Ah, so it's just the new middle school students and the internal progression high schoolers.
What? The external high school students are referred to as "sacrifices" and are looked down upon by the internal students?
Whoa, that's dark. Seriously, how do they even manage to get people to enroll?
Even with all that, the brand power and perks of Osen Academy are so great that it remains hugely popular. Interesting. (genuinely intrigued)
But, Kouta-kun, how do you know so much? I mean, I get that you're an incoming student, but you seem a little too informed.
Ah, I see. The academy's management team has visited your house multiple times and filled you in on everything. They're really serious about sharing information with families since students sometimes back out due to anxiety.
What's the phrase for this again?
Ah, right—"Taking the good with the bad."
Thanks, Kouta-kun. I feel like I've learned a lot more about the intricacies of private schools like Osen Academy.
Well, if things get tough, let me know anytime. I'll be here to listen. (giving him a look full of compassion)
"Smack!"
Wh-what are you doing?! "There's just something about you that ticks me off!" How unfair!