"Husband... husband and wife?"
Emi's face flushed with embarrassment as the words sank in. She suddenly regretted her decision to take leave and join the sports meet.
"Yes, you two! Please come over here," a smiling teacher called out. "Are you the parents of these children?"
"Kanna Mizushima," Sui replied.
"Great, please head this way," the teacher directed, calling Sui and Emi to the track on the playground. "This is the first event of the parents' competition!"
"A sports meet?" Emi let out a small sigh of relief. If it was just sports, she had nothing to worry about. Even though she couldn't replenish her holy mana at the moment, as a hero, her strength and agility far surpassed that of ordinary people.
"You two look so young! You must be the kids' older siblings, right? Are you married?"
"You make a great couple!"
Other parents on the track smiled kindly at them, offering their compliments.
"A good match?" Emi's mood soured once more. She couldn't bear the thought of people assuming she was a good match with the demon king!
"Remember, today we're acting as parents," Sui reminded her.
Emi clenched her teeth, reluctantly resigning herself to the situation.
"Now, let's begin the first event! Dads, please carry your moms and race to the finish line!" a female teacher announced cheerfully.
"Alright!" The male parents immediately picked up their partners.
Before Emi could even process what was happening, Sui lifted her into his arms.
Panic set in, and Emi struggled. "Put me down!" she demanded, her face turning bright red.
"Please, no moving around! The race is about to start!" a teacher reminded them.
Seeing no other option, Emi wrapped her arms around Sui's neck, her face burning with embarrassment, her heart racing uncontrollably.
Sui adjusted his grip, finding Emi surprisingly light—lighter than both Erina and Tohru. He glanced down at her chest and muttered, "No wonder you're so light, you're really… small."
"That's none of your business! Smaller sizes save fabric!" Emi shot back, mortified and furious.
Just then, the starting gun fired, and the race began.
"Hold on tight," Sui said, a slight smile on his face.
With a powerful push of his legs, Sui sprinted forward.
A gust of wind followed him as he dashed across the track, leaving the teachers and parents stunned. Sui, already several meters ahead, was met with shocked whispers.
"That's insanely fast!"
"How is he that quick? And he's carrying someone too!"
The other parents watched in awe as Sui effortlessly outpaced them all.
Emi, meanwhile, clung to him tightly, resting her head against his chest. She could hear his steady heartbeat, and the sensation made her face flush even more. She had never been this close to a boy before, and her heart pounded wildly.
In no time, Sui crossed the finish line first.
The other parents, panting heavily, eventually caught up, their faces showing disbelief at Sui's strength and speed.
"That was incredible! Are you an athlete?"
"I doubt even sprint champions could outrun him, and he was carrying someone too!"
The murmurs of astonishment continued.
Finally realizing where she was, Emi quickly squirmed out of Sui's arms, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her mind replayed the moment she had rested her head against his chest, causing her cheeks to burn even hotter.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sui asked, confused.
"N-nothing!" Emi stammered, quickly turning her head away.
"Alright, parents, it's time for the second event!" the teacher's voice rang out.
"Another event?" Emi suddenly felt a wave of nervousness wash over her.
"The second challenge is push-ups!" the female teacher announced with a mischievous smile. "Male parents will do 50 push-ups… on top of the female parents."
"W-what?" Emi was dumbfounded.
Sui also looked baffled. 'Why does this parents' sports meet feel more like a couple's event?' he thought to himself.
The female parents nearby were equally embarrassed, their faces reddening at the idea. The male parents, on the other hand, chuckled, reminiscing about their younger days.
"I feel like we're back in the days when we first fell in love!" one dad joked.
"Alright parents, please get ready!" the female teacher said, still smiling.
Emi was having an internal battle. She couldn't bear the thought of Sui doing push-ups on top of her—it was far too humiliating!
"There's no way out of this. Let's just get it over with," Sui said helplessly, spreading his hands.
Emi's face burned with embarrassment as she wrestled with her regrets. She had only joined the sports meet to keep an eye on the demon king and prevent him from causing any trouble. Grabbing some lunch boxes had been an added perk. But now, she found herself caught up in this humiliating parents' competition.
After a moment of hesitation, seeing that the other parents were already preparing, she finally gritted her teeth and lay down. "Just don't let your body touch mine! And do it quickly!"
"Don't worry, I'm fast," Sui replied, oblivious to the double meaning in his words, as he positioned himself over her.
At the signal, the parents began their push-ups.
Sui followed suit.
Emi squeezed her eyes shut, her face burning crimson as she silently prayed for this ordeal to end quickly.
However, a few times, Sui misjudged his strength, lowering himself too quickly, and his lips accidentally brushed against her face.
Emi's body tensed, her heart pounding faster. She could feel Sui's warm breath on her skin, and the mix of shame and frustration made her want to disappear.
At last, Sui finished the 50 push-ups, much faster than the other parents.
"So fast!"
"Wow, he's the first to finish again!"
"That guy has incredible stamina, doesn't he?"
The teachers and nearby parents were once again in awe of Sui's physical prowess.
As soon as the push-ups ended, Emi scrambled to her feet, her face still bright red. The experience had been a hundred times more mortifying than anything she had faced in battle. Never in her life had she experienced such humiliation.