Simply by not contending

The Obstacle Course Race began.

Nothing unexpected happened on the boys' side; they finished running, and that was that. There was a bit of trouble in the girls' race, though.

A Class C student collided with a girl from Class D on the track, and both took a nasty fall.

Crashing into someone at that speed during a race was no pleasant experience. It also served as a warning to those competing afterward.

Next came the Three-Legged Race.

Takahashi Ren and Hayato Kito made no mistakes and worked together seamlessly. From the start to the finish line, they never lost their rhythm. Their opponents in the same heat were not particularly strong either, and they easily took first place.

The morning's final event was the Cavalry Battle, a team contest like the Pole-Tipping Competition. Each class fielded four horses, with four people per group, making it eight against eight.

This time, the situation was different.

Sudo led the charge. He broke apart two of Class B's horses in succession, and a Class C horse could not withstand him either, getting forcibly toppled.

The Red Team's momentum surged. Katsuragi and Hirata seized their chance and defeated Class B's two horses as well.

Only Ryuuen's commander horse remained on the White Team. On the Red Team, Katsuragi, Hirata, and one horse from Class D were still standing.

Three against one. Everyone thought victory was assured.

But a taunt from Ryuuen provoked Sudo into charging ahead first, and he lost the one-on-one fight.

The remaining two horses also lost in the clashes that followed. Ryuuen was the last one standing.

As soon as the event ended, an argument broke out in Class D. Several Class D students surrounded Sudo and blamed him, and Sudo stormed off in a huff.

It was time for lunch.

The school announced that students could choose to eat in the Student Cafeteria or the designated areas on the field. Classrooms were off-limits, leaving only those few places available.

Boxed lunches were piled along the edge of the field, each neatly stacked. They were expensive, premium lunches ordered from outside the school.

There was only one variety, but they were free, and almost everyone had one.

Takahashi Ren, Ishida, and Toba Shigeru found a spot to sit and opened their lunches. The food was more plentiful than expected, with meat, rolled omelets, and pickles, along with tightly packed rice.

In the afternoon, the Sports Festival entered its second half.

The Selection Events began, starting with the Scavenger Hunt.

Each class entered six people, competing in multiple heats of four with no separation by gender. After all, this was not purely a test of physical ability; reactions and luck mattered more.

Before the event, the referee explained, "Some cards will specify items that are difficult to obtain. In those cases, you may request another draw, but you must wait thirty seconds at the drawing station. Also, each heat ends once the first three contestants reach the finish."

When it was time for Takahashi Ren's heat, the third, he noticed Shiina was there too.

"Takahashi," she spoke first.

"Shiina," he replied. "I didn't expect to run into you here."

"Mm." Delight showed in Shiina's eyes. "Did your class nominate you?"

"More or less," he said. "I got picked by drawing lots."

The first two heats ended quickly.

When the signal for the third heat sounded, Takahashi Ren ran out behind the people ahead of him.

He reached the drawing station, put his hand into the box, and pulled out just one slip. The paper was folded in half. He opened it and took a look.

[Someone willing to let you carry them bridal-style.]

As Takahashi Ren looked at the line, Sakayanagi's figure flashed through his mind.

She probably would not be too heavy to carry. But doing that at the Sports Festival would draw too much attention. Besides, she might not agree. Either outcome would be a hassle.

He quickly folded the slip shut and approached the referee. "Please let me draw again."

"Me too," Shiina said almost simultaneously.

The referee glanced at them and pointed to the side. "All right. You'll need to wait here for thirty seconds before drawing again."

Takahashi Ren and Shiina stood to one side.

"Looks like neither of us is very lucky," Takahashi Ren said. "Off to a bad start already."

"Mm."

Takahashi Ren drew again.

[A classmate's hair clip.]

This would work. He glanced at Shiina beside him, who had just folded her slip in half.

"Shiina, could I borrow your hair clip?" Takahashi Ren asked.

Shiina paused briefly, then understood. She took a hair clip out of her hair and handed it over.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"Did you get something suitable?" he asked.

"Not yet," she said. "Go on ahead."

"I'll go, then. See you at the finish."

Takahashi Ren turned and ran, ultimately taking second place.

Shiina returned the slip reading [Someone willing to carry you to the finish on their back. Bridal-style is also acceptable] to the box and requested another draw.

Before long, the third-place contestant crossed the line too. The heat ended.

At the finish, Takahashi Ren handed the hair clip over. "Here you go."

Shiina took it and clipped it back into her hair, her face unreadable.

"A bit of bad luck," he said.

"Mm," she replied.

"Oh, right. I finished that book I borrowed from the library last time," Takahashi Ren said.

Shiina gave a soft "Ah."

"When are you coming to the library?" she asked. "I'd like to hear your thoughts."

"Next Sunday."

"All right." A smile showed in Shiina's eyes, and her tone was much lighter than before.

They parted at the boundary between the Red and White Teams.

The next event was the mixed-gender Three-Legged Race.

Before taking the field, the two stood side by side. Once the strap was tied, Shiraishi naturally raised her hand and rested it on his shoulder. Takahashi Ren also raised his hand, supporting her from behind her shoulder.

"I want to win with you once," she said softly.

"Keep it steady," he said.

The whistle blew, and they stepped forward. Their practice still paid off, and their rhythm was steady.

Halfway through, a pair approached diagonally from behind, passing so close they nearly brushed against them.

Whether Shiraishi was pulled half a step off course or tripped by the strap, her footing faltered, and she toppled sideways.

Takahashi Ren had already gripped her arm tightly and pulled her back toward him. They still fell, but she landed on her side and did not take the full impact.

"I'm sorry," Shiraishi said.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I can still run."

Takahashi Ren stood and held out his hand. Shiraishi used it to pull herself up, and they started running again.

Everyone behind them had already passed them. They crossed the line last, in last place.

Yoshida stood right beside the finish, as though he had been waiting specifically for this moment.

"Last place, huh? Takahashi, you've dragged the class down again."

His voice was not loud, but it carried just far enough for everyone nearby to hear. "If I'd been out there, there's no way it would've gone this badly. You even tripped Shiraishi."

Takahashi Ren ignored him. He crouched and undid the strap around their legs.

His silence only angered Yoshida further. He stepped forward. "Can't you hear me? Too ashamed to answer?"

Of course Takahashi Ren knew Yoshida was targeting him, and he understood why. But he could not be bothered to argue.

Even a single reply to that sort of talk was a waste of time.

"It wasn't Takahashi's fault."

Shiraishi stepped out and stood in front of Takahashi Ren. "I was the one holding him back. He was matching my pace the whole time. We fell because I tripped, too. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

Yoshida looked as though he had been slapped. His lips moved, but no words came out.

The anger building inside him was blocked by that one statement from Shiraishi.

"Y-you... why are you defending him?" His voice sounded somewhat muffled, as though squeezed out of his throat.

"I'm not defending anyone," she said. "I'm stating the facts."

Without looking at Yoshida again, she turned to Takahashi Ren. "Takahashi, let's head back."

"Yeah."

Takahashi Ren returned to Class A's tent.

Ishida asked, "Since when did you have a grudge with Yoshida?"

"No idea." Takahashi Ren took a sip of water. "It makes no sense."

Toba Shigeru sat beside them without joining in. There was no telling what he was thinking.

Yoshida was still standing where he had been.

It was as though someone had pinned him there, his feet rooted to the ground. The gazes around him felt like fine needles stabbing into his back one after another.

Yoshida held his shoulders stiffly, clenching and unclenching his fingers at his sides. Finally, he spun around and headed toward the school building.

Toba Shigeru caught sight of him from the tent and said quietly, "He's heading toward the school building."

"Will he be all right?" Ishida frowned.

"I'm going to the restroom," Takahashi Ren said.

"Be careful," Toba Shigeru said suddenly.

Takahashi Ren glanced at him. Toba Shigeru was not grinning or joking around; he looked as though he had already guessed something. Otherwise, given his personality, he would not have added that remark at a time like this.

"Don't worry." He left the tent.

Behind him, Ishida asked Toba Shigeru, "What did you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Toba Shigeru said. "I just felt like something was off about Yoshida back there."

"And?" Ishida asked.

"And nothing. Takahashi can handle it."

Ishida nodded and asked no more.