episode_0026

Mid-May, when the weather is slowly getting warmer.

Most schools have events.

“It’s an athletics competition!”

Athletic Competition.

When you think of ‘school events,’ it was one of the first events that came to mind, and the same was true for our Seonghwa High School.

Our school holds sports competitions in mid-May.

The preparation started a week ago today.

When preparing for an athletic competition, the first thing to do is select players.

‘There were 4 events, right?’

There weren’t that many events in the sports competition.

tug-of-war.

3 squares for 2 people.

Group jumping rope.

Then run.

Only these four events were official events, and in addition, there were performances by dance clubs and cheering competitions for each desired class.

“Then, can I just decide to run the 2-person triangulation?”

The entire class participated in tug-of-war and group rope jumping, so there was no need to select players.

Therefore, there were two events from which players had to be selected.

“Do we have to decide on 6 people for a 2-person triangle?”

“Because it’s relay number 3.”

There are 6 players participating in the 2-person trio.

It was a format where two people each relayed three times.

What is a little unusual is that a man and a woman must be a pair.

‘…Is this a couple’s event?’

It seemed like that feeling wasn’t there.

“Then, isn’t one pair already decided?”

“That’s right.”

With those words, the students in the class looked at me and Riya. It was a natural statement.

Are you saying that it is a foregone conclusion that Riya and I will leave?

It wasn’t a bad idea for me to go out. I wanted to try a 2-person 3 angle… but more than anything, I wanted to go out with Riya.

Because I have never competed in the same event with Riya.

But what matters is whether Riya wants to get out.

“Is it okay if I go out?”

“Yes. Good.”

Riya also nodded and expressed her approval as if it was okay. Then, there seemed to be no particular reason to refuse.

“I’m going out.”

“Then, can we just choose the remaining four?”

While saying this to the class president who was conducting the proceedings in front of him, he wrote my and Riya’s names in the 2-person triangular column.

And as soon as the names are written on the board, another person comes out and raises his hand.

“Me!”

That person was none other than Asuka.

She expressed her presence by raising her hand as if she had been waiting. He looked like he really wanted to do something with someone.

There is only one person where Asuka’s eyes reach.

“Yuwon and I will go out.”

“…with me? I never said I was going out.”

“Let’s go out!”

With those words, Asuka looks intently at Yuwon.

There were quite a few scenes like this in the original.

Asuka tells Yuwon something, and Yuwon, who hates standing out, reluctantly listens.

Actually, he doesn’t really hate it, but he just doesn’t want to come forward, so it’s ingrained in his body that he just keeps talking.

That’s why I gave in to most of Asuka’s requests.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. This much.”

Asuka’s body had recovered quite well as in the original work.

Of course, it would be impossible to run for a long time, but it was possible to walk quickly, such as a two-person triple.

After hearing Asuka’s words, Yuwon thought for a moment, then sighed and opened his mouth.

“Then it’s okay.”

“Good! Then it’s up to four people.”

The remaining two were soon decided.

There were no more people volunteering, so we had to select them by lottery, but good things are good things.

Anyway, now that we have decided on the 3 angles for 2 people, the only thing left to decide is how to continue running.

Unlike the 2-person 3-way race just now, the continuous race was an event that had to be selected.

In the case of a 2-person, 3-way race, anyone could be elected, but in the next race, you have to select someone who is good at running.

‘The flower of sports competitions.’

The importance begins with player selection.

And there were a few people in my class who were good at sports.

There were some kids who liked sports, Hoyeon was good at sports, and I…

I do a lot of running.

Of course, Kang Yu-won should be left out.

He was a friend who had nothing to do with sports.

“Sihyeon-eun. Are you going out?”

“Me?”

At that time, Riya next to me asked that question. Are you going to go for a run next?

I didn’t expect her to ask this question directly.

“Do you want me to go out?”

“…for now.”

Riya, who hesitated for a moment after saying those words, soon opened her mouth again.

“Because I want to see Sihyeon run.”

“…”

“Running at sports competitions.”

How can I not go out when I say this?

From the beginning, I had planned to leave as soon as possible, but…

Now that things are like this, there is a reason to go out. My will is full.

“A man who wants to run after himself.”

There were a total of 9 male students who raised their hands. Since we had to select 4 male students, we had to reject 5 students.

Now that this was done, what had to be done was very simple.

“Then let’s go out and run.”

It’s enough to compete in real life.

Runners only had to be determined by ability.

“Teacher! Can I leave now?”

“Just don’t be loud.”

Perhaps because it was the sports festival period, the teachers were also lenient. Although the time was originally given to discuss sports competitions.

Anyway, with those words, our class went straight to the playground. The weather was neither too cold nor too hot, with a moderate temperature, so it was quite cool.

And fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any classes using the playground at this time.

As soon as they leave, students draw lines at both ends of the playground.

“Then, the male students who raised their hands earlier, please stand in the line!”

As soon as the line was created, the class leader shouted, and at the class leader’s words, the male students began to stand at the starting line.

When I also move to get to that line.

“…?”

“Sihyeon.”

Riya suddenly grabs my hand and pulls my ear towards her.

She bent down with all her strength and brought my ear to her, and she covered both sides of my ear with her hands and placed her mouth close to it.

And like a whisper. It tickles.

“Cheer up.”

With those words, Riya returned to her seat, hiding her red face.

My ears were still itching from the whispered words and the small breath that came from them.

The tickling sensation did not go away.

The feeling of Riya’s breath touching me.

‘…Definitely first place.’

Your goal is to compete?

no.

From now on, my goal was to be first place.

With that promise in mind, I stood at the starting line.

“This guy got the buff by himself.”

“Has Haryeong brought you too?”

“…Damn.”

Hoyeon, who was next to me, took a deep breath and said that, but he easily ignored me.

“Then get ready!”

It’s been a while since I ran.

To be exact, I’ve run a lot, but it’s been a long time since I ‘run’ in earnest like this.

But I don’t think I’ll lose this race.

No, I made it myself so it wouldn’t lift.

‘I will win no matter what.’

I brainwash myself with those thoughts.

Defeat does not exist.

And right after that thought.

The flag signaling the signal was lowered.

#

The outcome was decided quickly.

4 players out of 9 candidates.

I proudly placed my name in first place among the four.

‘…It was more dangerous than I thought.’

Hoyeon was faster than I thought.

He also played a lot of soccer until middle school, so it wasn’t something I couldn’t understand.

If I had lost any strength at the end, I would have been in second place.

Anyway, in terms of ranking, I was 1st, Hoyeon was 2nd, and 3rd and 4th place were guys I hadn’t talked to much yet.

“I won.”

How long has it been since you ran with all your might?

And what made my heart tremble like this!

Truly, I have never run a race with this much tension in my past or present life.

To be honest, I was even more scared than I was during the kendo promotion review.

To explain it a little more simply…

The final teamfight that determines the fate of the LoL promotion match?

That level of tremendous tension.

“Good job.”

After I entered my name in the runner section, Riya stood up and said that.

That was the reason I ran so hard.

The way Riya smiles.

“1st place, cool.”

“…Thank you.”

“Um… Well, so…”

Riya came up to me and hesitated for a moment, turning her gaze elsewhere.

The twitching and blushing seemed to be a sign that he was about to do something.

I didn’t say anything else and she waited. If Riya hesitates, there must be a reason.

“Once again… thank you for your hard work.”

And soon, Riya stretched her body forward, brought it close to mine, and wrapped her hands around me.

A hug that holds me tightly.

“….!!”

Her little face rested against my shoulder, her hair tickling my neck.

And the most important feeling of all.

The sensation of soft flesh in the solar plexus.

‘…I’ve never had anything like this before.’

Riya and I have never hugged.

It might be surprising, but it was true.

Although we have held hands, we have never hugged.

But such a sudden hug.

It was quite embarrassing, but… good. Embarrassing was embarrassing, and good was good.

I will correct what I said earlier.

This was the reason I ran so hard.

“…You envious bastard.”

“Couple hell!”

“He really has it all.”

I could hear the students around me saying that, but I couldn’t hear it.

Because something more important was under my sight and attached to my body.

‘I’m embarrassed…’

It was Riya’s idea, not Sihyeon’s.

This time too, I was impulsive and embarrassed.

I felt like my red face would be visible if I took off my body right now, but I felt even more embarrassed when I didn’t take it off.

Because of that, she couldn’t leave Sihyeon’s arms.

It was when Riya ran away, covering her face, that she fell.