188 – Match – 4 (Slightly modified in the second half)
It was a ridiculous game.
Of all the games I have played so far, this would probably be the most absurd and unforgettable memory.
To the point where I don’t even think about that.
The kids tried to beat me by pushing their playful behavior seriously.
But to me, it just felt like I was being shot with a water gun.
My clothes just get wet, but it doesn’t hurt.
Your vision is blocked for a moment, but your body can move.
Children’s prank.
Because sports are no joke.
I was sure that you couldn’t defeat me with this kind of trick.
I also had no intention of deliberately slowing down.
“Minsu!!”
“Fighting!”
When I looked up, I saw him, the last runner.
I see.
It’s finally over.
When I realized that, a strange feeling of regret arose in my heart.
Is this prank over?
Okay, what did Manager prepare? Whatever it is, I won’t look at it.
And so the final lap began.
The sound of his breathing behind my back.
It seemed to be running quite fast, and I desperately tried to close the distance.
After passing the halfway point, the goal line began to come into view.
I see, the manager just chose to run quietly.
Then this is the end.
The goal line is getting closer.
Their cheers ringing around me, my steps on the ground, and even the sound of my breathing. All noise began to block out.
I can’t hear anything.
Like this, I cross the goal line and once again swim in my own world.
A world where nothing can be seen or heard.
I’m alone again….
“Senior!!!”
A small ripple appeared on the lake in the darkness.
Something had fallen into the lake.
I slowly entered the lake and stretched out my hand.
And then I picked it up.
“Ah…… “
It was a medal.
The medal I won after winning.
The valuable result obtained after a long slump was lying in the palm of my hand.
“But why is this….”
I fell out of nowhere into a world where there was nothing.
“No way…” .”
I learned this by looking closely at the medal.
I gave it to the manager the day I left the track and field team.
Because of him, I was able to overcome my slump and win.
If you want to be with me, please keep that medal.
However, if you don’t want to do that, return the medal to me on graduation day.
I definitely said that.
Why is that medal now…? ?
At that moment, I came to my senses.
I was in the middle of running.
At that time, I unconsciously picked up the medal that came into my sight and looked at it carefully.
“aaah… !!”
“I did it!”
“You won!”
When I raised my head, I saw the back of the manager.
And in my hand is the medal I gave him.
I looked back and forth between the medal and the back of the person who had reached the goal before me.
“Ah… ….”
I had lost.
I was distracted by the medal I was holding in my hand. Even though I was in the middle of an important match, I was completely distracted by this medal.
It was definitely an outsider’s trick.
An item that has a very important meaning to me.
There was no way I could ignore that medal.
“…… Senior.”
I turned around and saw him standing in front of me.
“Ah…… Manager.”
He stretched out his hand towards me.
“Please return it.”
“Huh?”
“It’s mine.”
“……… ….”
During the game, he threw it at me, and I looked at him blankly as he asked me to return it.
“I’m afraid my senior has forgotten. On graduation day, the choice was left up to me… “How can you leave on your own like this?”
“But you…” .”
He placed his hand on my palm.
“It’s mine.”
Then he took the medal and put it in his pocket.
“Because I got it. “I don’t want to lose it.”
“……… ….”
I looked at him blankly.
“I did it!”
“Minsu, you were the most amazing!”
“I was impressed!”
At that time, they came running and surrounded Minsu and shared their joy.
I don’t want to lose it….
I burst into laughter as I looked at him, who was more self-indulgent than me.
I see. You….
He is truly such a man.
“Sister!”
“Sister, this is our victory, right?”
“Please admit it!”
This time, the children who approached me looked up and asked earnestly.
I lowered my head and scratched the back of my neck for a moment.
“…… Okay. I admit it. “I lost.”
When I raised my hands like that, they cheered.
When we turned our gaze, there was a manager looking at us.
I can’t hate him, but I can’t distance myself from him either.
I was caught up in him, but I smiled, feeling that it wasn’t all that bad.
***
When Minsu took out a medal from his pocket and threw it with all his might, and after seeing Eri Takase actually picking it up, I turned around.
I never thought it would really work.
I was the one who came up with the idea, but I never expected that there would be an item so precious that Eri Takase would lose concentration and pick it up even during the game.
Minsu already has that item.
That’s why I didn’t reveal it, but I had already given up halfway.
There is no way something like this will work.
Exquisitely, as if picking up a golden apple, Eri Takase picks it up and allows Minsu to suffer a come-from-behind defeat….
But Eri Takase was a weaker woman than I thought.
Looking at him as if immersed in love, Eri admitted defeat.
I feel stupid.
I can’t believe I gave up studying abroad just because of a man.
Would you give up a good opportunity and stay here just because you have precious friends and a guy you like?
I couldn’t easily tolerate either Eri Takase, who made that decision, or Minsu, who ultimately changed the ending.
It would definitely be a good thing.
That’s why I too should be happy, like them, and become a part of them.
What is this feeling that is blooming in my heart?
– It’s okay. No matter how much you hit me. –
– Because you won’t be able to stay by that child’s side for the rest of your life. –
At that time, that mocking voice came to mind.
Kotomi Yanase’s sarcastic tone.
I bit my lip.
“…… “Seoya.”
The voice of a woman who mistakenly thought she saw right through me kept ringing in her head.
“Hanseo?”
Ah.
When I looked up, there was Minsu.
“Are you listening?”
“What, what?”
“It’s a bit embarrassing to say it twice….”
Minsu scratched his cheek and said as if he were embarrassed.
It was the day after she had made a huge fuss to prevent her breakup with Eri Takase.
Eri turns her teacher’s office upside down when she suddenly announces that she will not go on the highly anticipated overseas study, when it was almost certain that she would. She was going through a lot of trouble, including being called and persuaded by her homeroom teacher, track and field advisor, and vice principal, and even her parents were called.
Nevertheless, Eri’s determination did not waver, even though the higher-ups at her school seemed to be in trouble.
But why am I walking alone with this man?
From Noble mtl dot com
I couldn’t quite remember the reason.
“I said thank you.”
Minsu said, avoiding my gaze.
“What?”
“Thank you for giving me a good idea. “Thanks to you, I was able to beat my senior.”
“……… ….”
That’s right.
It was a means taken from the story of Atalanta, which was told as a joke.
I never thought I would actually do it.
“What is that medal?”
“Ah… that is….”
Let alone the fact that it is Takase Eri’s Golden Apple. I didn’t even know why this man had it.
“Before leaving the track and field team… “I got it from my senior as a souvenir.”
“Hmm.”
“So, it is an item of memory for both me and my senior. I thought it would definitely attract attention… Even so, I think it was too much to throw it away.”
“It doesn’t matter because it worked well, right?”
An item of memories with Eri.
Well, there is such a thing.
Of course there is.
You are already the main character. It would be natural to have memories with the heroine or precious items.
“With this momentum, we can gradually build a harem. “Good.”
“What’s the way you talk…” .”
Minsu was embarrassed and followed behind me.
By the way, why is this man walking with me?
“Let’s go together, stand.”
“It’s noisy. “Don’t follow me.”
Even as I said that, Minsu Kim stood next to me and stuck out his head.
“Where else are you dissatisfied? “I don’t know if I don’t tell you.”
“You’re talking about people like they’re complainers!”
“No, that’s right…” .”
I got angry at those words and glared at Minsu.
“Besides, don’t follow me. “Do you know where it is?”
“You mean there?”
“……… ….”
Minsu looked dumbfounded for a moment and sighed softly.
“We decided to go visit the hospital together. “Mr. Yanase.”
“…… I?”
“Okay. “I asked you and you nodded.”
I wasn’t listening at all.
Perhaps while he was lost in thought, he made a rough gesture at Minsu’s suggestion.
“Why am I looking at that b*tch! “I’m not going!”
“No, after coming this far.”
“I didn’t know! “I’m not going.”
He turned around and went back.
In such a distraught mood, he didn’t even want to face that woman.
“Wait a minute… !”
The body that was about to return suddenly stopped.
When I turned his head, Minsu was holding my wrist.
“…… Even if you say that, you’re already close. “Just come with me.”
“……… ….”
I quietly looked at the captured wrist.
No matter how much I shook him, he wouldn’t let go of his hand.
“Hmph.”
I turned my head.
“If you really want to go together, why not do it yourself?”
“What?”
Minsu pulled the wrist he was holding. As a helpless woman, I had no choice but to be drawn to him.
“Is this really going to happen? .”
Although I was dumbfounded, he grabbed my wrist and slowly pulled me towards him.
I was grabbed by him and dragged, but I couldn’t resist, so I followed quietly.