As he verified the information with me, he also probed the cards I held, both openly and in secret. Though I was the one being targeted, I felt no resentment. Instead, a fierce fighting spirit welled up inside me.
I see. So everything before had been an act. He was actually furious, wasn't he? That was why he'd made that move—to catch me off guard!
Yes, that was it. The thrill of battling another "genius," and the joy of defeating him and making him submit... That was the kind of contest I loved!
But the outcome of that day's final match had still come as a bit of a surprise. We'd ended in a draw. Yet instead of feeling any hostility or competitive spirit toward me, he'd praised what I'd done. He'd even told me to enjoy school life, despite this school being nowhere near as lovely as it seemed.
He'd chopped me on the head with the edge of his hand. I'd never experienced anything like it before. Because of my condition, I'd always been treated like a porcelain doll. Even my father had never hit me like that.
His advice was something I'd never heard before, either. Because of my condition, my father's words had always revolved around prayers for my "safety" and "good health." He'd never told me to enjoy anything.
That showed my father trusted me and believed in my abilities, so I wasn't sad that he'd never said such a thing to me. But still, it would have been better if he had...
So I froze. My cheeks flushed.
My eyes grew damp. Suddenly, I wanted to cry. Because... because I hadn't chosen to have heart disease...
I wanted to go to school like an ordinary person, make friends like an ordinary person, run and