Welcome to Paradise of Freedom

"Kiyotaka~ I'm tired, I want to sleep..."

"Not taking a bath?"

"Mm... I'll do it after I wake up..."

As she spoke, Horikita slowly drifted off to sleep, a satisfied smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Seeing this, Kiyotaka kissed her forehead, pulled the covers over them, and held her as he too fell asleep.

The next morning, Horikita was roused by the glaring sunlight.

She looked at Kiyotaka sleeping soundly beside her, and recalling the madness of the previous day, her face flushed crimson. She tiptoed out of bed and slipped into the bathroom to wash up.

When she emerged wrapped in a towel, she found Kiyotaka already sitting on the sofa.

"You're awake?"

"Mm, the moment you got out of bed, I woke up."

"Oh..."

Guilt-ridden, Horikita dared not say much, afraid that one wrong word might trigger another battle. Though the battle was wonderful, her current soreness and swelling told her not to provoke Kiyotaka.

Seeing this, Kiyotaka understood her little thoughts perfectly. He didn't press further and instead brought up business.

"It's the weekend today. How about I call Kikyo and go check out the other classes' situations?"

Horikita looked at him with confusion and asked.

"Going with you is fine, but why do you have to call her too?"

"Because she knows more. Or do you think you, someone not good with people, can clearly recall everyone's names and circumstances?"

Horikita pouted, then nodded, saying nothing more. After all, what Kiyotaka said was true.

And she wasn't asking because she disliked Kikyo—after spending so much time together, their old petty conflicts had long been resolved. In fact, because of Kiyotaka, they even kept in touch privately.

She just wanted to monopolize Kiyotaka's time. It was merely a girl's little whim, nothing more.

Soon, Kiyotaka contacted Kikyo, who naturally agreed happily. They tidied up briefly, and Horikita planned to go back and change clothes. They agreed to meet at the dormitory entrance.

Chapter 67: Nagumo Miyabi and the Match Roster

"Sorry, sorry, am I late?"

Kikyo came running over and, seeing only Kiyotaka standing at the entrance, asked apologetically.

Today, Kikyo wore a simple, comfortable white T-shirt paired with ultra-short denim hot pants that tightly hugged her thighs.

As Kikyo bent over to apologize, the neckline faintly revealed the white underwear beneath and a hint of pale skin, dazzling to the eyes.

"It's fine. Someone's even later than you."

Kiyotaka said calmly, looking at the figure gradually appearing in the distance.

Following Kiyotaka's gaze, Kikyo spotted someone in a light blue floral dress, a large straw hat covering most of her face. Though unclear, the cold aura unmistakably belonged to Horikita.

"What, you got a problem?"

Though Kiyotaka spoke very softly, Horikita's ears were exceptionally sharp, and she immediately shot back.

"Alright, alright, let's hurry. Today should be the Soccer Club's practice match; we'll miss it if we're late."

Kikyo stuck out her tongue to change the subject and took Horikita's hand.

Horikita snorted coldly and walked ahead with Kikyo, leaving Kiyotaka alone. He shrugged and leisurely followed behind them toward the field.

When they arrived at the field, quite a few students had already gathered to watch, and the match on the soccer field had already begun.

"Oh, it's already started."

With a thud, the ball curved beautifully toward the goal. The goalkeeper showed impressive agility, punching the ball back.

The match seemed to mix students from all three grades. Hirata was among them, but most were unfamiliar faces.

"Reconnaissance Club activity, gathering intel on other classes' students—it feels thrilling, like being a spy. My heart's been pounding nonstop."

"It's not that dramatic. We're just killing time watching a match."

"Anyway, getting intel is for the best. You never know when it might come in handy."

As they chatted, a corner kick was taken on the field, and a scramble ensued. Hirata won the ball but, tightly guarded, didn't force an attack. Instead, he cleverly curved a pass to another player's feet—a Class B student Kiyotaka had seen a few times. At the perfect moment, the student volleyed the ball beautifully into the goal.

"So Shibata's in the Soccer Club."

Kiyotaka asked casually.

"Mm, Hirata often praises him, says he's better than himself. They're pretty close."

Kikyo had this information at her fingertips; the moment Kiyotaka asked, she laid it all out.

The match restarted, and Shibata won the ball again, weaving through the opponent's territory at a fierce speed.

"That's quite a pace."

Kiyotaka estimated roughly—purely in terms of speed, Shibata had surpassed Hirata. It seemed Hirata wasn't just being modest.

"Ah, they're playing. Full of energy today, how wonderful!"

A tall, blond-haired boy in a club uniform stood on the stairs beside them, his face carrying a warm smile that Kiyotaka found almost dazzling.

"Good morning, Nagumo-senpai."

Kikyo seemed to know him and offered a polite greeting out of courtesy, while Horikita's posture stiffened slightly at the name.

Because Nagumo Miyabi was the next Student Council president candidate, a man of considerable ability.

"Oh? If it isn't little Kikyo. Out on a date with a boy on a holiday? Not bad, not bad..."

"Ahaha, no, not at all. We just came to have a look around."

"Take your time. Our club members don't know how to go easy, so I think it's quite reliable for evaluating combat strength."

Nagumo seemed to see through their intentions, waved at them, and headed to gather on the field.

Nagumo's arrival instantly changed the atmosphere of Hirata's team, making them look as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

"Can you hold both a Student Council position and a club at our school?"

Kiyotaka asked Kikyo.

"There doesn't seem to be a rule against it, but I think he's already retired from the club. Even so, he's still among the best, so he participates in activities like this to give guidance."

As they spoke, Nagumo swapped in with one of the players on the field. When the match restarted, the entire focus instantly shifted to Nagumo. Hirata challenged him for the ball.

But the technique that had shone so brightly just moments ago now seemed as clumsy as a newborn baby's in front of Nagumo, who elegantly dodged and overtook him.

Shibata stepped in to cover at the right moment, but under Nagumo's series of feints, he was shaken into revealing an opening and was immediately surpassed.

Hirata and Shibata were already among the more capable standouts, yet compared to Nagumo, they seemed far from his level.

Nagumo charged forward alone, lifted his foot from mid-to-long range, and fired a powerful shot. The ball traced a terrifying arc before smashing into the net at an extremely sharp angle.

"The next Student Council president candidate isn't just for show."

Kiyotaka couldn't help but remark.

"...I won't deny his athletic instincts."

Horikita muttered grudgingly, lacking her usual candor.

After they watched the training for a while, the match ended. The players began their own rest periods, and Nagumo called Hirata over to talk to him, apparently telling him that they were watching. Before long, Hirata approached them.

"Good morning, you three. It's rare to see you all here."

Shibata, who had been watching them from a distance, also ran over and joined them, forming an odd five-person group.

"Good morning, Kikyo~ And... I remember you're Ayanokoji and Horikita, right? Surrounded by two beauties—enviable. You're not on a date, are you?"

Shibata, familiar as ever, teased them.

"No, that's not it."

Kiyotaka replied flatly. He had only met Shibata once or twice, yet he was surprised the other remembered his name.

"Is there something going on today? This combination really is unusual."

Hirata smiled, helping to ease the situation.

"We came to see if any other classes have outstanding individuals worth noting."

Kiyotaka answered honestly, since there was nothing to hide.

"So, did you make sure to highlight me, the agile Shibata, in your notes?"

Shibata immediately jogged in place, showing off his speed without any intention of hiding his abilities.

This cheerfulness—was it because he belonged to Ichinose's Class B, or was it just his nature?

"Shibata-kun is as fast as the rumors say. Ayanokoji-kun and I were both stunned."

Kikyo didn't hold back her praise, and Shibata rubbed his nose sheepishly.

"Shibata-kun really is impressive. I wouldn't want to be in the same group as him for the Sports Festival."

Hirata added with a smile.

"Oh, Hirata, even if you say that, I won't let my guard down. Don't think I don't know your strength. Hey, Ayanokoji, what about you?"

"Mm... I've been a member of the Go-Home Club since I was a kid, so you should know."

"Fair enough... Haha."

Shibata crossed his arms and laughed.

Time passed quietly amid the busy training, and soon only one week remained until the Sports Festival.

Class D had to complete their participation roster and submit it to their homeroom teacher, Chabashira, by the end of today.

Hirata stood at the podium, while Kikyo faced the blackboard, chalk in hand, ready to fill in the names.

"Next, we'll proceed with the competition in this order. Mm... For the last event, the 1200-meter relay, I'll decide on Sudo-kun for the final leg."

"A very reasonable arrangement. Sudo's speed is excellent."

Hirata's proposal received nods of agreement from the class. Even Kiyotaka admired how Hirata had managed, in such a short time, to come up with a lineup that balanced ability with respect for individual preferences.

Only Horikita, sitting next to Kiyotaka, wore a dissatisfied expression as she stared at the blackboard.

After finishing the discussion smoothly, Horikita immediately left her seat and headed straight in Sudo's direction.

"What's up?"

Sudo looked at Horikita standing in front of him, both nervous and confused.

"There's something I'd like to say. Can you come with me?"

"Huh? Oh, sure."

"And Hirata, could I borrow a moment of your time too?"

Horikita called out to Sudo and Hirata, then walked toward the back of the classroom.

"Regarding the twelve-hundred-meter relay race, there's something I want to discuss. Sudo, could you let me take the last leg?"

Hearing Horikita's proposal, Sudo was quite puzzled.

"Usually, the fastest runner takes the last leg. Horikita, are you saying you don't trust me?"

Given the physical differences between boys and girls, even if Horikita might dominate among the girls, she probably couldn't even beat Hirata among the boys. So naturally, having Sudo, who was faster than Hirata, handle the last leg was the safest bet. Even Sudo couldn't accept this.

Horikita explained calmly and gently, which was rare for her.

"No, that's not it. I'm well aware of your abilities from practice. The reason I'm suggesting this is because you're also good at explosive starts, right? If so, you can shake off the opponents right from the first leg, putting pressure on them while also securing the inside lane for Class D. That's stated in the rules."

"But..."

Kiyotaka had been quietly listening the whole time. While Horikita had a point—applying pressure early and securing a favorable lane was a good strategy—she was overlooking one crucial thing: none of the other runners had Sudo's ability. Watching their opponents slowly catch up to them would also be a significant source of pressure.

Chapter 68: Airi's Cheer, Kiyotaka's Motivation

The two were locked in a dispute over this issue, and it was clear they wouldn't reach a conclusion anytime soon.

Kiyotaka subtly shot a glance at Kikyo, who was not far away. Kikyo immediately caught on and stepped in, pretending to be curious as she joined the conversation.