Better to Rely on Oneself Than Others

Returning to the Class D classroom, Sakura Airi collapsed into her seat as if all the strength had been drained from her body. The rejection from Chabashira Sae had pushed her back into a state of helplessness.

"Natsukawa-kun... what should I do..." Her voice was filled with despair. "Even the teacher... even she can't help me..."

Natsukawa Sosuke placed his bag on his desk and turned to face her, his gaze deep and calm.

"Sakura-san, you heard her. The school's logic is simple: they won't waste resources before a crisis actually occurs." He stripped away the cruel reality and laid it bare before her.

"What you need to do now is ensure you have the ability to protect yourself when that crisis happens."

Sakura Airi looked up, dazed, her large eyes filled with confusion.

He leaned in slightly, meeting her gaze directly, his tone guiding and consoling. "I can't stay by your side forever, but you can build up your own safety net."

"Starting today, how about you go running with me every morning?"

Sakura Airi froze. Her body, which was completely incompatible with "exercise," instinctively wanted to resist.

"Running is to improve your physical fitness so that when you need to escape, your legs won't give out on you." Natsukawa's voice carried an encouraging rhythm. "More importantly, running on the track will help you get used to acting in front of others, reducing your sense of shame and nervousness. It's the simplest and most effective way to stop yourself from feeling so anxious in public."

He reached out and gently touched her shoulder. "This is your own battle. No one can improve your strength for you. But if you're willing, I'm happy to accompany you and provide this opportunity."

Sakura Airi looked at him, her mind quickly filtering through the pain of running on the track and the terror of being harassed by a stalker. In the end, the fear of the stalker outweighed the physical pain. She realized that this might be the only "lifeline" she could actively grasp.

She nodded gently. "Okay... I, I'm willing."

The next morning, at exactly seven o'clock.

As the first rays of morning light struggled to pierce through the thick fog in the woods outside the dormitory, Natsukawa Sosuke's door was pushed open.

Outside, Sakura Airi was already standing in the hallway, looking proper. She was more prepared than yesterday—she had changed into sneakers, and a white T-shirt was faintly visible beneath her school tracksuit. She kept her head down, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her shirt.

"Morning."

"G-good morning... Natsukawa-kun."

Natsukawa didn't say anything more; he nodded for her to follow and headed straight for the elevator.

The two walked downstairs in silence and followed the main road toward the school's dedicated sports field. The air in the campus was cold in the early morning, with only a few members of sports clubs training.

"Let's start with some simple stretches." Natsukawa stopped at the edge of the track and began to warm up. He didn't give Sakura any instructions, simply performing the movements himself.

Sakura Airi stood where she was, at a loss. She had never done such "eye-catching" movements in public. Her body began to tense up instinctively, and her eyes scanned the surroundings nervously, terrified that someone might look at her.

"Sakura-san."

While doing a side stretch, Natsukawa turned his head toward her, his voice as soft as a breeze over a lake.

"What are you doing right now?"

"I..." Sakura Airi immediately lowered her head. "I don't know..."

"You are currently afraid that the people around you will notice you." Natsukawa calmly pointed out the core of her fear. "That's why you chose to stand still, hoping to become part of the background."

He slowly straightened up, his eyes devoid of any reproach, filled only with gentle guidance. "But, Sakura-san. The more you fear being noticed, the stiffer your body becomes, and the more you stand out, making it even easier to attract attention."

"We aren't here to play hide-and-seek; we are here to adapt."

Natsukawa's tone was like that of a patient mentor, guiding her to understand her own behavioral patterns.

"You don't need to look at anyone; you only need to look at me." He turned slightly, his posture relaxed. "Follow my movements, one by one. If someone looks at you, it's only because you're exercising, which is a perfectly normal thing to do."

Sakura Airi slowly, hesitantly looked up, and in Natsukawa's calm gaze, her blue eyes found a sliver of support. She bit her lower lip and finally took the first step.

Her movements were stiff and clumsy; every bend and every stretch felt like a struggle against her own body. She didn't even dare to fully extend her limbs, fearing that a wide range of motion would draw attention.

Natsukawa waited patiently until she had barely managed to complete a few stretches.

"Alright." Natsukawa said, stepping onto the track.

"We won't run too fast; we'll go at a pace you don't find too painful. Let's aim to finish one lap first, how about that?"

"O-one lap..." Sakura Airi's voice trembled. Ever since she was a child, she had always wanted to give up halfway through every physical fitness test.

"Yes, one lap." Natsukawa's tone was not forceful in the slightest. "Don't feel pressured, Sakura-san. We aren't here to challenge your limits, but to help you get used to running."

"When you can focus your attention entirely on the track beneath your feet, on your breathing, and on your heartbeat while running, rather than on the gazes around you, you will have succeeded."

"Now, treat my back as your only focal point."

Natsukawa didn't wait for her response and took the first step. His cadence was slow, ensuring that Sakura could easily keep up.

Sakura Airi took a deep breath, steeled herself, and kept her eyes fixed on Natsukawa's upright back as she began to run.

Her strides were small, her center of gravity was unstable, and every step was a struggle.

After only half a lap, Sakura Airi's breathing became rapid and ragged; her physical disadvantage erupted instantly. Her lungs began to burn, and her legs felt as heavy as lead. She felt as if every sound around her was amplified, as if every passing student were mocking her clumsy running form.

She wanted to stop; it was an instinct carved into her bones.

Just as she began to slow down, Natsukawa's voice came from slightly ahead, calm and steady, as if he had anticipated her struggle all along.

"Sakura-san, what is your heart rate per minute right now?"

The sudden question forced Sakura Airi's brain to instantly switch from a state of avoidance to one of thought.

"I... I... don't know..."

"Now, count your breaths." Natsukawa's voice remained steady, carrying a guiding magic, "One, two, three, inhale. Four, five, exhale. Count only that."

Sakura Airi struggled to shift her focus from her lungs, which felt as if they were about to burst, to this simple number game. She began to count mechanically: inhale, inhale, inhale... exhale, exhale...

This simple method of distraction did not make her run any faster, but it provided a temporary reinforcement to her body, which was on the verge of its limit. Her body remained exhausted, but she did not stop.

When she finally finished the lap, Natsukawa stopped walking. Sakura Airi nearly collapsed onto the track, bracing her hands against her knees and gasping for air, sweat soaking her bangs.

"Very good, Sakura-san." There was a hint of faint approval in Natsukawa's voice, not overly exaggerated, but striking just the right chord in Sakura's heart, which longed for recognition.

"You didn't stop."

Sakura Airi looked up, her blue eyes blurred by sweat, filled with shock and a trace of unbelievable pride. This was the first time she had truly finished a lap using her own strength.

"Starting tomorrow, we will run two laps." Natsukawa did not give her much time to relax, setting a new goal directly; his tone was gentle, but the goal was firm.

"But for now, let's head back to the dormitory to wash up and go to school." He handed her a bottle of water.

Sakura Airi took the water and gripped it tightly. She knew that Natsukawa Sosuke was not giving her a one-time comfort, but a path for her to walk out on her own. And her reliance, too, began to slowly shift from hiding behind him to following in his footsteps.