Episode 67 – Sports Festival Day

The day of the sports festival finally arrived.

I wake up and get dressed, conflicted about why I have to wear my school uniform even though it’s weekend. I usually do some stretching during this time, but on the day of the sports festival, I arrive at school earlier than on days when we have regular classes. That’s why I’m a little stiff.

“……Sigh.”

I don’t know what to say, it’s depressing. I’ve always been a short sleeper and don’t need that much sleep. But even I feel sleepy these days. It’s all because of the ringing in my ears that echoes in my brain. The pace of the ringing in my ears has been increasing, and I hope it will go down to zero during the sports festival.

“I wonder if….my sister is awake already.”

If I listen carefully, I can hear rustling noises coming from the first floor. I don’t know what on earth she’s doing, but she’s been working hard since morning. This is practically the end of her work as a student council, so maybe that’s why she’s so fired up.

“Come to think of it, she hasn’t been coming into my room lately.”

Just a year or so ago, she would open the door without knocking and greet me in the morning or take me out to eat, but in the last six months, that kind of thing has stopped happening anymore. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a sense of guilt because I’ve broken her heart by talking too much and showing off my home-cooked meals that surpassed my step sister’s.

“……Is she gone?”

I left the room and went downstairs as soon as I didn’t hear any noise from downstairs. My mother had already left for work and I was the only one left in the house. On the living room table was a piece of toast for breakfast and an unfamiliar object.

“……This is.”

It was a lunch box, no matter how I looked at it. I lifted it up in wonder, and a piece of paper fluttered down from underneath. It seems to have been stuck to the bottom of the lunch box.

[I prepared your lunch box. If you don’t want it, you can leave it.]

The words were written in my step sister’s handwriting. Until now, she had cooked breakfast and dinner, but she had never made a lunch box. Simply because it was a hassle and it was easier to buy it at a convenience store. But today was the first time she made me lunch. What kind of crazy situation is this?

“…….It says here that I can leave it, but if I really leave it, she’ll kill me.”

I have to take this with me because it’s going to cause even more complaints in the house. Well, let’s consider it a land mine and handle it with care. It’s too much trouble to even buy lunch in the first place.

“And the breakfast toast… it’s more elaborate than usual.”

Normally, the toast is simply spread with margarine, but today, it was cooked in a way that takes a lot of time and effort, with a fried egg on top and cheese. Moreover, a simple French salad was served on the side. I wondered how long my step sister had been awake.

“I’ll take it gratefully.”

I put my hands together and began to eat. When she first started cooking for me, she often cooked with a lot of energy, but recently she has started to follow the amounts carefully and cook with care. Probably, in addition to making it every day, she probably studied a lot about cooking. Maybe she’s even a better cook than I am.

“……Thank you for the meal.”

I’ve been talking to my step sister for a while now, and I’ve learned to greet her properly. I used to just let greetings slide, but I’ve really changed in the last two years.

“Now, let’s go to school.”

After all, no matter how hard I try, I can’t be motivated, but it’s better than taking a day off and getting a lot of unwanted criticism. Besides, if I think about going to see my step sister’s last brave figure who’s yelling in front of me, I feel a little better.

I put my lunch into the tote bag containing my change of clothes and leave the house. I usually use a backpack, but since I don’t have class today, I’m wearing lighter clothes than usual. However, I still feel uncomfortable without the weight of my textbooks on my back.

“But what about my class?”

There are many athletic students in the class, led by Kisaragi and Hayama, and there is also a dark horse like Yukihana. As long as they can manage to counter Shinkai’s measures, it will be easy for them to outperform the grade level. In other words, they will shift to a showdown with the other grades.

(I think my step sister’s class won last year.)

My step sister’s class won the sports festival last year after outclassing the third graders. As I recall, a male student in my step sister’s class did very well.

(I believe his name is…..Miura Haruto?)

Miura Haruto. He is one of the most athletic boys in my step sister’s class and is the vice student council president of this school along with Shinkai. In addition, he is also the vice president of the soccer club, and is Hayama’s senior in the club activities. He is so famous that even I, a person who doesn’t usually socialize with others, can know about him. In fact, he is probably more famous than my step sister, who is the student council president

By the way, I don’t know the details either, but it seems that my step sister is extremely popular at school. However, I don’t know if it’s true or not, because I heard that she turned down all the confessions she received.

Miura Haruto and Shiina Haruka. These two are the two biggest names in the third grade, and are overwhelmingly popular regardless of whether they are of the opposite or same sex. My step sister’s class will surely rise to the top of the third grade class at the sports festival.

(……I don’t want to fight them)

I hope that Kisaragi and the others will have someone like a rival and defeat them successfully. Then there will be no last minute struggle. Or, rather, should I stand in their way?

“……”

Looking around, I see a few students who, like me, seem to have trouble going to school on days off. But that was just a small part of the story, and most of the students were looking forward to the upcoming sports festival.

“Good morning, Senpai !”

I heard a bright and cheerful greeting from behind me. I was getting called out by the troublesome person.

“You always seem to be in good spirits, Nanase.”

“The sports festival hasn’t even started yet, so why are you looking exhausted? Look, get more excited !”

At first I tried to ignore her because I thought I might stand out, but since few students were looking at me, I decided to take her up on it. The fact that she has stopped her once prominent entertainment activities and is concentrating on her studies has probably helped people get used to the existence of Nanase Natsume.

“What event are you going to compete in, Senpai?”

“Pole topple.”

“Oh, pole topple, huh ! That sounds like an intense event you chose.”

No, it wasn’t that I chose it, but rather I was forced to move. Well, there’s no point in explaining it to her.

“So, what class are you competing with, Senpai?”

“Class 2 in the first year.”

“Isn’t it my class !? That means……”

Nanase was surprised when I told her I had a class to fight in pole topple. Well, I knew about it, so I wasn’t surprised, but Nanase’s behavior after that was a little strange. Something like a subtle or bitter look on her face…….

“Um, Senpai. Please don’t do anything reckless. Like, come forward boldly or something like that.”

“Do I look like I would do such a thing?”

“No, I can’t see it this time, but I think it would be very dangerous. Well, there’s a crazy, stupid, rabid dog….Hisui.”

“What’s that?”

I can’t get the point at all, but anyway, it’s dangerous, so I guess she wants to tell me not to be unreasonable. Even if you don’t say that, it’s probably fine because it doesn’t change the fact that I’m completely unmotivated. I can protect myself.

“For now, let’s do our best together ! !”

Saying that, Nanase rushed to school ahead of me. It seems that she is also on the side of having fun. Considering her personality, it’s only natural.

No, it’s not only Nanase. Kisaragi, Shinkai, Yukihana, and even my step sister are trying to enjoy this sports festival. And I, who am completely chill.

[I’m going to go out with a bang !]

“Shut up.”

Well, I’ll be on the sidelines until the end. I’m not going to show my ability until the end, and I have no plans to do so. If you want to have fun, please enjoy yourself at a distance from me. And don’t try to drag me into it.

And so, the sports festival finally begins……