45 – Stubborn
I was lost in thought.
My body was in the playground, but my mind was not focused as if I had left it somewhere else. Of course I knew why.
“Hey! Are you listening!”
I looked up at the sensation of someone tapping my arm. I barely noticed because Aoi was paying attention.
“Because the manager is like this, the track and field team is not like this!”
It was in the middle of Suda gathering the members and holding discipline in the middle of the day.
“Listen up, you guys! I won’t forgive you if you get a result like this in the next tournament!”
Should I call it a monthly event? I know it happens once a month. The senior told me, but I knew what he meant. So, the upcoming events were also visible.
“Takase! Follow me when training is over!”
“……… ….”
The senior turned his head and ignored him. Her Suda turned her head around and glared at her, but she couldn’t help it, and she soon returned to her office.
After Suda goes back, her members also return to practice. I looked at them as they scattered.
“Manager.”
“Ah… Aoi-san.”
“Why? I’m blank today.”
I see.
It seems that I was in a strange state today to the extent that the same staff members were puzzled.
He took a deep breath, raised both hands, and lightly slapped his cheek.
“No. Are you okay.”
“Really~ The atmosphere is turbulent these days, but even the manager, please don’t get swept away.”
“I didn’t get swept away. Because it’s perfectly fine.”
I knew what Aoi was talking about.
The poor performance of the track and field team in the recent competition. There were many behind-the-scenes rumors about Takase-senpai, who was at the center of it all.
Because she is a popular person at this academy. Once due to the soccer club incident, and again due to poor performance in the competition. It was a perfect material for feeding students who like to tell other people’s stories. Some enthusiastically praise it, while others gossip behind it.
If you talk about Eri Takase, naturally, you also talk about the poor performance of the track and field team.
Moreover, the school newspaper was excitedly carrying such a series of events.
The troubled atmosphere Aoi was talking about was what she meant.
“No matter what others say, we just need to do well! Let’s work hard!”
With her fists clenched, Aoi strikes her fighting pose.
She clenched her fists accordingly and smiled. After giving each other her cheers, she walked away from her.
We just need to do well….
If I did not know the future, I would have such optimistic hopes.
Takase Eri’s record in the previous tournament was in the lower ranks.
And the future of this world was set for this world to break down as a track and field athlete and as an individual, with a record lower than that in this upcoming competition.
She thought she did her best to stop it.
– I don’t like you. –
I was quite shocked by the unexpected results.
If the reason she ruined her condition wasn’t even her love for me, then what on earth is it?
Is it just a lack of temperament as a player?
Or some other psychological factor?
Because I hit a wall that I couldn’t even figure out at all, so I kept thinking about it.
“Minsu~”
“…… Huh?”
When I turned my head, I saw Haruna coming down the field.
She often walked over and stood in front of me.
“Did you just start practicing?”
“Yes… yes.”
Haruna smiled and said to me.
“Then, do you want to go home together after practice?”
“It doesn’t matter to me… You’ll have to wait.”
Besides… She turned her head and glanced at Takase-senpai.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I also want to watch the track and field practice.”
“Then… Would you like to wait in front of the school gate after practice? I’ll call you later.”
She nodded her head.
Suddenly wanting to go home together…. It doesn’t matter in itself, but maybe it’s because of the mood that it looks like there’s an ulterior motive.
I don’t think Haruna will plot anything against me.
Me too, right after practice today, she had something to do right away, so she felt puzzled.
***
She thought she was used to enduring pain.
But not at all.
All I can endure is physical pain. I can never get used to this feeling that pierces my heart… She thought she would probably live with this scar for the rest of her life.
A lifetime… Is it.
Someone might laugh at me saying that the oversight is serious.
But it was everything to me.
I didn’t know that love was such a feeling.
Because I didn’t know that first love would end like this.
I couldn’t hide the pain until the end.
And finally reveal the pain.
“……… You must have come alone, right?”
Someone tried to shake my weakness by digging into that gap.
He was truly a terrible man.
“You mean who else is here besides me?”
After answering indifferently, Suda roughly stood up and approached her door. I open it up and look around. It seemed to make sure no one was listening.
“……… Tsk.”
Clicking his tongue, Suda sat down on the road.
“I can’t even see that unlucky guy. Now we can talk a little more properly.”
Are you talking about the manager?
To me now, just the vague thought of him made my heart throb.
Even during practice, I tried not to put him in sight.
I don’t know if there are members who expect a discord between the captain and the manager.
I couldn’t help it now.
“Takase. Have you thought about what I said last time?”
“……… ….”
What are you talking about?
Because I was engulfed in many moments and emotions, I no longer worried about the man in front of me.
“You… The last tournament was completely at the bottom, wasn’t it?”
“……… ….”
I had nothing more to say about the grades.
There is no meaning in saying that I will do better next time or that I will work hard.
It didn’t matter to this man.
“Think carefully. Competition results may not be that important.”
“……… Be clear about what you want to say.”
As he spat it out, his expression contorted.
He used to talk softly, referring to my falling grades, but the more my record went down, the more he started to grow stronger.
“I am saying that I can recommend any university you want! Do I have to tell you this far to understand? Aang!?”
“……… ….”
“Isn’t it difficult with your record now? Isn’t that right, Eri Takase?”
And in the end, he blatantly revealed his desire.
You’re getting tired.
Raise your head and make eye contact with him.
When our eyes met, I flinched and stepped back, but Suda soon smiled sinisterly.
“You don’t want to disappoint your followers, do you? Even the goblin kids who follow around with princes and all, and even the gossip students!”
“……… Of course, I have no intention of disappointing you.”
Then she suddenly touched something on her ankle.
It was the wooden cane that Suda always carried.
It curled up and squeezed her ankles.
Involuntarily, I shrank and stepped back.
Suda smirked and smiled as if he had expected it.
“As expected, that ankle sprain. Still not better.”
“Suda… ….”
“And it got worse, right? I know it when I see it Just looking at your running form makes it impossible.”
What he said was true.
I thought he didn’t get caught by anyone.
Although I never expressed the pain I felt throughout the run.
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As if his former coaching career was not in form, he recognized it by eyeballing it.
“So you should have rested after the field training. After hearing what I had to say….”
He got up and stood in front of me.
“It is impossible to run with that injury. It is said that the bottom ranks in this tournament are also a matter of course. Okay? You should be the ace of the prestigious athletics team.”
“……… Keugh.”
Suda passed me and stood in front of the door.
“Think carefully. If you follow my instructions, I’ll make it easier for you without the need for records.”
The door to the office opens and closes again.
I was left alone and took a deep breath.
It makes you feel at ease…….
That’s not something you or the like can do for me.
I didn’t have to say that, so I didn’t say it.
His point was correct.
The pain in my ankle gradually eroded as if it were squeezing me.
Leave the teacher’s office and head to the clubroom.
The words that Suda proudly said remain in my head and keep ringing.
Of course I didn’t want to disappoint you.
I didn’t want to show my shortcomings to those who liked or expected me.
Even the appearance of being threatened by a man who couldn’t get back.
But the person I hated the most was….
“Senior.”
When I opened the door to the room, he was there.
The manager rose from his seat and slowly stood up from his seat, removing earphones from his ears.
“……… Manager group. Why.”
“I’m sorry. I just heard the story from before.”
Either cheating… I didn’t feel like questioning how I heard it.
Looking at his serious expression, all those doubts disappeared… Only the buried pain came to mind.
“I will take care of Suda. Senior…….”
Take a deep breath and he looks straight up at me.
“Please take a break from this tournament.”
“……… What?”
Make eye contact with him.
It’s been a question I’ve had all along, but… Only then did I vaguely understand why he joined the track and field team.