Necessary contact

Chapter 37: Practice

Before the Sports Festival officially began, there was plenty to prepare besides deciding who would compete.

They were made to rehearse lining up for the entrance and the procedures for entering and leaving events over and over. Most of their PE time became free activity time, allowing students to practice whichever events they wanted to enter.

"I borrowed these."

During one PE class, Katsuragi obtained two grip strength meters from the PE teacher.

Class A's strategy was simple: choose people based on ability, giving priority to those with greater strength. It was not a complicated approach, but it was practical.

Only two events required strength-the tug-of-war that everyone participated in, and the Four-Way Tug-of-War, which used selected participants.

As its name suggested, the Four-Way Tug-of-War involved pulling in four directions at once. Each class sent four people, making sixteen in total, who pulled toward their own side from four corners.

"Take turns," Katsuragi said. "Measure your dominant hand's grip strength and tell me the number. I'll record it. Yahiko, give me a hand."

The students lined up to take their measurements one by one. Most of the boys scored between forty and fifty, and Takahashi Ren measured forty-six kilograms. Slightly above average, but nothing outstanding.

Hayato Kito measured sixty kilograms, the highest in the class.

Going by that ranking, he probably would not have to participate in the Four-Way Tug-of-War.

Once all the boys had finished, the meters were passed to the girls. Katsuragi recorded the data beside them, occasionally checking a few things with Yahiko.

"Ishida, how come you only got forty-one? All that time at the gym hasn't done you much good. I barely work out, and I got forty-three."

Toba Shigeru sidled up to Ishida and nudged him with his elbow.

"I've only been training for less than a month. Working out doesn't give you results overnight."

Ishida shot back, "Just you wait. Give me a little more time, and I'll be able to squeeze you like a little chick."

Toba Shigeru immediately shrank back, hugging his arms and trembling theatrically. "Oh no, I'm so scared. Spare me, Lord Ishida."

Ishida glanced at him. "Get lost."

Afterward, Katsuragi also obtained the students' usual hundred-meter times from the PE teacher and used those as the baseline rather than retesting everyone individually.

Anyone who disagreed could speak to him privately and take another test.

Next came the selection of participants for the Scavenger Hunt.

Katsuragi had Yahiko bring over a cardboard box containing folded slips of paper. Everyone drew one, and anyone who drew a slip with the number one on it would participate in the Scavenger Hunt.

Takahashi Ren could not say whether it counted as good luck or bad-he drew one.

"Why did it have to be me..." a student who did not want to compete grumbled quietly.

"You're so lucky-" someone else said, looking envious.

Takahashi Ren looked at the slip in his hand. Since he had drawn it, there was nothing he could do.

With that, Katsuragi had confirmed the participants for every event. With few pairs in the class having signed up, Takahashi Ren and Shiraishi were selected outright for the mixed-gender Three-Legged Race.

Of course, this was only a provisional roster. It would probably be adjusted later based on how practice went or information about the other classes.

Before PE ended, Katsuragi announced that independent practice would begin during their next class meeting.

During the break, everyone changed into their sportswear and arrived at the field in twos and threes.

"Look over there," Totsuka suddenly said.

"Those are Class B students, right? They're quick. They're already here to scout us out."

"Class C is watching us too."

Takahashi Ren followed their gazes. Several Class B students were poking their heads out of classroom windows, while Class C students stood at the edge of the field, making a show of stretching as their eyes occasionally flicked over.

Having other classes observe their abilities before the Sports Festival was unavoidable. Practicing somewhere like the field, it would have been harder not to be seen.

As long as their entry list did not leak, there was no harm in letting them watch.

Katsuragi told them to ignore the other classes' gazes and start practicing their respective events.

This sort of last-minute, short-term training had limited effects on physical ability, but an event like the Three-Legged Race was about coordination. Each additional practice made them a little more familiar with it.

Takahashi Ren looked around and found Hayato Kito. He was standing in an open area at the edge of the field, looking down as he loosened his ankles, with no one near him.

Takahashi Ren found Hayato Kito at the edge of the field. He was standing in an open area, looking down as he loosened his ankles, with no one near him.

"Let's start practicing, Kito." Takahashi Ren walked over.

"Yeah," Hayato Kito replied.

They stood side by side and tied their adjacent legs together. Takahashi Ren was not used to being this close to someone he did not know very well, but there was nothing he could do except try to get used to it.

"Let's walk a few steps first," he said.

He waited for Kito to move, then stepped in time with him. The first step went fine, but their rhythm went off on the second.

Kito had a long stride and was not slow, either. If he forced himself to keep up, he would have to jog after him. Their bound legs were tugged, and both of them swayed before regaining their balance.

"Let's try again."

He said, "When I say one, move the tied leg. On two, move the other one."

This time, he counted the beat first, and they walked to a rhythm of "one, two." Kito deliberately shortened his stride and slowed down as well.

After walking back and forth a few times, Takahashi Ren gradually got the feel of it. Kito was also deliberately adjusting to him.

Ultimately, in a three-legged race, what mattered was not who accommodated whom, but whether both were willing to accommodate each other.

"Keep going. Let's go a little faster this time," Takahashi Ren said.

Kito did not reply, but his feet were already keeping pace.

After practicing for a while, Kito undid the leg strap, nodded to him, and turned to rest off to the side.

Takahashi Ren also loosened the strap and moved his leg around where he stood, working out the stiffness from being tied.

At some point, Shiraishi had come to stand beside the track. She held a leg strap and was waiting for him with a smile.

Takahashi Ren walked over and crouched to tie the strap around their adjacent legs. His movements were quick as he fastened it.

Once he stood up, Shiraishi raised her hand on her own and rested it lightly on his shoulder.

"This makes it easier to stay steady," she said.

Takahashi Ren murmured an acknowledgment without looking at her, trying to focus his attention on practice.

There was still half a fist's width between them, but he was acutely aware of the hand on his shoulder. Occasionally, her fingertips tightened slightly as they adjusted their footing. When the wind blew, a few strands of her hair inevitably brushed his forearm.

If Kito had been accommodating him during their practice, this time it was his turn to accommodate Shiraishi.

But their progress was noticeably slower than before. Shiraishi seemed even more nervous than he was?

She kept moving the wrong foot, and her rhythm was halting. The more she rushed, the more muddled she became.

"Sorry, I'm so clumsy," she said.

"It's fine. Don't try to go fast yet," Takahashi Ren said. "Find the beat."

"Okay."

They tried a few more times before things gradually began to go smoothly. Shiraishi kept her head lowered, quietly counting, "One, two," while Takahashi Ren matched her steps and kept their pace very slow.

Then their rhythm gradually quickened.

Suddenly, Shiraishi tripped, her body tilting as she was about to fall forward.

Takahashi Ren reacted quickly, catching her wrist with one hand and gently supporting her from behind her waist with the other, bringing her back upright.

The moment Shiraishi regained her balance, he had already let go and stepped back a little.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Thank you." Shiraishi straightened up and smoothed her slightly disheveled hair.

"Be careful," he said.

"But I have you here, don't I? You'll help me." Shiraishi lifted her head and smiled at him.

Takahashi Ren did not respond, as though he had not heard. He crouched down and lowered his head to check the leg strap.

After a while, he stood up and said, "Let's keep practicing."

Nearby, Yoshida had seen the whole thing, his face turning green. He gritted his teeth, wrenched his gaze away, and turned to stride off.

Only after walking several steps away did he mutter, "It's fine. It's just some contact necessary for the event..."