A second three-legged race partner

After school, Takahashi Ren first stopped by the faculty office to report back on the task Mr. Mashima had entrusted to him.

The investigation into Miss Akiyama ended there. The matter was finally settled for the time being.

Leaving the school building, he headed toward the Light Music Club's room. Intermittent guitar notes drifted out through the door.

He pushed the door open. Kato Rin and Kobayashi were sitting together with their guitars, chatting as they played. Seeing him come in, they raised their hands in greeting.

"Hey, Takahashi." Yamada greeted him too.

"Hello, everyone." Takahashi Ren greeted his upperclassmen, his gaze landing on Kobayashi off to the side.

She had just put down her sheet music. Seeing Takahashi Ren look her way, she hurried to her feet and gave a small bow. "Good afternoon, Takahashi."

"Good afternoon, Kobayashi," Takahashi Ren replied.

Ishikawa Saku sat behind the drum kit, idly twirling a drumstick now and then. Seeing him arrive, he gave his usual nod of acknowledgment by way of greeting.

After practicing for a while, everyone stopped for a break, and the conversation turned to the sports festival three weeks away.

"To think we're doing it with the lower years this year. That's a first for us too." Yamada leaned back in his chair, sounding a little intrigued by the novelty.

"Wasn't the sports festival like this before?" Takahashi Ren asked.

"No." Kato Rin shook her head. "Each year used to compete separately. This is our first time working with the lower years too. I imagine it's the same for the third-years."

"But we've had special exams involving similar cooperation across years before," Yamada added.

"You went to the Uninhabited Island over summer break, didn't you?"

Kato Rin looked at Takahashi Ren. "The school took us somewhere too, but both the location and the tasks were different. At this school, the exam content has never been the same across all the years."

Takahashi Ren murmured his acknowledgment. He had sensed that a long time ago.

"The all-years joint relay is the only event this time where upperclassmen and lowerclassmen compete together," Kobayashi said. "Are any of you taking part?"

"I'm not," Kato Rin said. "I'm slow. My class wouldn't pick me."

"Yamada got picked, though, didn't you?" She looked at Yamada. "He's fast."

"Yeah. With great power comes great responsibility," Yamada said, folding his arms.

"What about you, Ishikawa?" Kobayashi asked next.

"No." Ishikawa Saku didn't even look up, merely squeezing the single word out of his throat.

"Are you running, Takahashi?" Yamada asked.

"Me?" Takahashi Ren said. "I'm not that fast either."

At noon, just as Takahashi Ren pulled back his chair and was about to stand, Shiraishi stopped him.

"Takahashi, could I have a moment?"

"What is it?"

"If it works for you, could we have lunch together in the cafeteria today?"

The invitation came rather suddenly. Before Takahashi Ren could answer, Yoshida, who was nearby, had already turned around and hurried over.

"Takahashi, let's go eat together."

Yoshida normally never even spoke to Takahashi Ren, but now he sounded as familiar as an old friend. Though he was addressing Takahashi Ren, his eyes kept drifting toward Shiraishi.

Shiraishi narrowed her eyes slightly. She had noticed too.

"If you don't mind, shall we have Yoshida join us?" Takahashi Ren asked.

"Sure. It's nothing important anyway." Shiraishi smiled. "Then I'll invite Nishikawa too. The more, the merrier."

Takahashi Ren was just about to call Ishida and Toba Shigeru over as well when Toba Shigeru came over on his own.

He draped a hand over Yoshida's shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Yoshida glanced toward the classroom door, hesitated for a while, then left with Toba Shigeru.

Before leaving, Toba Shigeru looked back and winked at Takahashi Ren.

The meaning was clear: That's all I can do for you. Good luck.

Takahashi Ren wanted to tell him that he really had the wrong idea.

He turned his gaze to Ai Morishita. "Would you like to come too, Morishita?"

"No thanks, no need, no, thanks."

Without even looking up, Ai Morishita declined with characteristic decisiveness, then stood and left the classroom.

He went to the cafeteria with Shiraishi and Nishikawa, and they found empty seats.

After they had eaten for a while, Nishikawa suddenly spoke. "Takahashi, have you picked a partner for the mixed-gender three-legged race in the nominated events?"

"No," Takahashi Ren said. "I'm not planning to participate either."

"I see." Nishikawa glanced at Shiraishi. "Actually, Shiraishi wants to enter that event, so she wanted to invite you to team up."

Takahashi Ren paused.

Shiraishi looked up and said earnestly, "That's right."

First Kito, and now Shiraishi. Takahashi Ren had no idea when he had become such a popular choice for the three-legged race.

"Even if we want to enter, we'd have to see how well we work together," he said. "It's a nominated event, so the class has to approve in the end."

"We can practice more," Shiraishi said. "As long as you're willing."

It hadn't been long since the incident with Toba Shigeru, and now there was this business of teaming up.

He knew perfectly well that Shiraishi had another purpose behind trying to get close to him.

But what would happen if he refused? She would probably just try again another way. Rather than have her approach him again and again, he might as well agree for now and see what she actually wanted to do.

"Sure," Takahashi Ren said.

That afternoon, Toba Shigeru sidled up and asked conspiratorially, "How was lunch with Shiraishi?"

Takahashi Ren said, "She invited me to enter the mixed-gender three-legged race with her."

"That's great!" Toba Shigeru said. "Asuka Shiraishi is our class's hidden goddess. Who knows how many people in class want a chance to get close to her but never get one."

Growing more excited as he spoke, he clapped a hand onto Takahashi Ren's shoulder.

"And now she's actually approached you herself? Did you save the world in your past life? Your luck with girls is off the charts. If it were me, I'd trade ten years of my life for that."

"She certainly is pretty," Takahashi Ren said evenly.

If her invitation were sincere...

"Speaking of which, how did you get Yoshida out of the way today?" Takahashi Ren asked.

Toba Shigeru raised his eyebrows, unable to hide his smugness.

"First, I asked Ishida to wait for me at the door. Then I told Yoshida that Ishida was waiting for him at the classroom door and had something urgent to discuss."

"Then I gave Ishida a look," Toba Shigeru recalled. "Ishida caught on too. The first thing he said was that he wanted to borrow Yoshida's Japanese notes."

"Yoshida gave him the notes and was about to leave, but Ishida flipped through them and kept him there with question after question, from page one all the way to page three."

"Only after you were well out of sight did Ishida let him go," Toba Shigeru said with a laugh. "He even added, 'Thanks. I'll treat you to a drink sometime.'"

"You're full of sneaky ideas," Takahashi Ren said.

"I was just the strategist at most this time. Ishida was the one leading the charge." Toba Shigeru waved a hand, though his chin had already lifted.

"...Thanks." Takahashi Ren paused. "But you really have the wrong idea. It's not what you think."

Toba Shigeru chuckled. "Don't worry, I get it. The result's the same anyway."

Takahashi Ren had no idea what Toba Shigeru thought he understood, but judging by his expression, it clearly wasn't what Takahashi Ren had meant.