Episode 62 – Something That Can’t be Given Up

“Are you feeling good today?”

“Yeah, because unlike the other day, we won !”

A few days had passed since the dinner with my step father, and the last practice of pole topple was set up. Perhaps many of the students had learned how to get around in the practice the other day, but this time we were able to win against a class of the same grade. Hayama’s improved command ability was probably one of the reasons for the victory, as he created an environment where everyone could move easily.

Familiarity is an unbelievably powerful force in competition. If we can maintain this motivation, we may be able to win at least two games in the main event.

The sports festival is scheduled to be held this Saturday, and it’s now just three days before the event. Perhaps because of this, the whole school seems to be in a fidgety atmosphere. The student council and the sports committee seemed to be quite busy.

“Oh, Shiina kun ! Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Hayama?”

I was about to leave after practice when Hayama approached me. It seemed that he had something to discuss with me about the pole-topple.

“Shiina kun, I know I asked you to play defense, but I think there might be a little more room than I thought, so I’d like you to play on the offensive side. Of course, if it’s okay with Shiina kun.”

“……Why me?”

“Shiina kun, the other day you played a great soccer game, and I’m sure you have good physical abilities that you just don’t show off.”

Speaking of which, I did that. At that time, all I had to do was deceive the boys in my class, but Hayama, who was in the soccer club, still had doubts. No, from the way he says it, he seems to be convinced. He was convinced that I was cutting corners in pole topple and P.E.

(……Offense, huh. Either way, it’s a pain in the ass.)

The defense is trying to stay in place to protect their team’s pole. But when it comes to offense, I have to think and act on my own. Even though I have Hayama’s instructions, I don’t want to move aggressively.

–This sports festival, if my prediction is correct, that person will also…..

“How about it, Shiina kun?”

Hayama talks to me in a tone as if he is convinced that I will take on the job. But I don’t want to participate in the competition in the first place.

Well, for now, I’ll just have to talk about the compromise plan I just came up with.

‘Then, how about this? I’ll start out on the defensive side, and if there’s room, I’ll join the offensive side in the middle of the game. That way, the game will be balanced, right?”

“Switching between offense and defense. That’s a good idea. It would be fun to do that.”

“You’ll give the instructions, Hayama. And don’t just use me. Make sure you use the other students as well.”

“Got it ! I’ll talk to the others.”

Then Hayama went to the remaining members of the Pole topple. He seems to really want to win. Kisaragi, Hayama, and Yukihana. Our class will revolve around this group.

Kisaragi is currently the leader of both the obstacle race and the relay, so she has a lot of responsibility. Yukihana has also been assigned as the leader of the ball throw, but she doesn’t seem to be that focused on winning. This difference in atmosphere will probably have an impact on the day of the event.

(But still, the actual event is on a Saturday. (And it seems that there is no substitute holiday either.)

I know it’s a little late for me to say this, but I feel bad about the fact that the sports festival will be held on a weekend. I wish they would have at least held it on a weekday or had a make-up holiday. It seems that this school has not been able to cover this kind of thing. Well, I can’t help but think that they are the same as ever.

“……Ah.”

At the entrance to the school building from the schoolyard. You will see two people there. The first is my step sister, who is the student council president, and the other is the student council vice president, Shinkai. There was an arch at the entrance to the school building that was supposed to be decorated on the day of the event. They were probably making final checks on the arch.

I hid behind the shoe box and waited for them to disappear. Somehow, I didn’t want to face them right now. As I did so, I heard them talking.

“After the sports festival, I won’t be able to see Haruka senpai in the student council room.”

“I’m retiring, I guess so. But you can always contact me and we can meet anytime. Until I graduate.”

“I’m still sad to see you go. I’ve been holding Haruka senpai’s for a long time.”

“That’s not true. Sakura, you’ve helped me many times. In fact, you have more judgment and ability to take action than I do, Sakura.”

Once the sports festival is over, the third year student council member will disband. The election campaign for the student council will begin immediately after the sports festival ends, and until then, the student council must be run by current student members other than third-year students.The leader during that period will definitely be Shinkai.

“Come to think of it, Sakura, you said something that made me happy. Like I was amazing or something.”

“I-I was just a little too excited at that time. But I still believe those words to be true.”

“Fufu I hope so.”

Hee, so Shinkai joined the student council because she admired my step sister. It’s like some kind of fate. After longing for me and being disappointed, she went under the wing of my step sister. However, she herself wouldn’t know such a thing.

“Come to think of it, I wanted to ask Haruka senpai something.”

“Oh, what is it?”

“Haruka senpai joined the student council using the same scout system as me, right?

And you started in the middle of the first semester of the second year.”

Speaking of which, that’s what happened. My step sister suddenly declared that she would be the student council president, and a few months later she made it happen.

There are not many people in any school who join the student council as a sophomore and become the student council president within a few months. In fact, it is said that when she first joined the student council, my step sister was quite a different person from the others.

“Did you have a purpose in mind?”

“Oh, are you trying to say that I became student council president for selfish reasons?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant !”

My step sister smiles as she teases Shinkai. Unlike the smile at the dinner party, it’s a smile full of affection. I never thought my step sister could make a face like that.

“Fufufu, correct.”

After a few beats, to her surprise, my step sister affirms what she said. Shinkai’s eyes widened in surprise, but I felt an equal or greater shock. I had no idea that she was campaigning so desperately for such a reason.

“W-what exactly is the reason !?”

“I can’t tell you, and it’s useless to ask. Because I don’t think I’m going to be able to accomplish that goal.”

“?”

“Well, if I had to say, it would be for my own good.”

My step sister answered Shinkai’s question in a vague way. Can’t accomplish it anymore. What in the world was my step sister trying to do by becoming the student council president? At the very least, I thought she wouldn’t do it for selfish reasons, so it’s rare that my brain can’t keep up with the process.

“Wait, please tell me, Haruka senpai !”

“I won’t tell you.”

Saying that, my step sister and Shinkai left the arch and walked down the corridor. After that, Shinkai follows in a hurry. After confirming that I could no longer hear their footsteps, I stood at the spot where they had just been. I stare at the arch in front of me and think about my step sister.

I don’t know everything about her, and vice versa. What in the world is my step sister trying to do……

“Well, it’s just that she has something that she can’t give up on. Yeah, that’s all.”

What did my step sister want to accomplish by becoming student council president? But it probably has nothing to do with me in 90% of cases, and even if it was something that could harm me, my step sister said she couldn’t make it happen anymore. If I believe her words, there’s no reason for me to go into the matter.

There are only a few days left until the sports festival. Should I concentrate on this event first? Rumor has it that some of this year’s first-year students have extraordinary physical abilities. Even third-years are still active in most of the club activities, and they probably have more experience and potential than us.

And I’m going to fight against them and lose naturally, without standing out. I don’t even think about contributing to the class. All I care about is how easy and irrelevant I can make my life. That is the one thing I will not compromise on.

And so, little by little, the sports festival approaches.