46 – Perseverance – 2
I raised my head at Suda’s insidious whisper.
His voice continued to be heard through the earphones.
“And it got worse, right? I know it when I see it Just looking at your running form makes it impossible.”
That was the obvious cause of Eri Takase’s poor performance in previous tournaments.
If you think about it, it’s a very simple thing.
Injury sustained during battery training. The doctor advised him to rest for the time being. However, the old man did not listen to him.
I continued to train and didn’t show any signs of injury.
When asked by other members or me, he always said it was okay with that silent expression.
That’s not okay at all….
If a senior ruins a tournament due to a serious injury, the answer is simple. Just pause.
It would be foolish to hide such an injury and go ahead with activities. It’s crazy and stupid.
Yes, Eri Takase only looks mature on the outside and is just a charming existence that many people long for.
On the inside, she was an ordinary girl no different from anyone else.
I like sweet things. She holds a cute brooch and wonders if it won’t suit her. She works as hard as she can to live up to the expectations and longings pouring in. He hid the injuries he suffered during that time from everyone and did not show them.
She tries as hard as she can and eventually collapses.
I knew about Eri Takase from the beginning.
That’s what she is.
He simply understood it as a conflict between the athletics club and Masao Suda.
Eri Takase said that as long as she didn’t get interrupted by a man who couldn’t get back, she could put out excellent records. She is the ace of the athletics team and has always lived up to everyone’s expectations.
But she can’t.
Actually, she is still in a tough state, and she remains alone every day to practice to endure it.
All the situations around her, including her Masao Suda, put pressure on her.
Suda is just a simple villain who appeared in that situation. Her
It is only her existence that corrupts her as well as her villain.
Then what should I do?
How should I help Eri Takase?
That wasn’t an immediate conclusion.
But one thing was certain.
I returned to the room and waited for Eri Takase.
She was standing alone in the teacher’s room where Suda had left, agonizing like that for a long time.
Her return What should I say if I face her.
She didn’t have any words that came to mind, but I guess I’ll have to stop her first.
I want to argue why I didn’t talk about my injury or why I was doing it so hard, but I’ll cover it up.
I’m not trying to fight Eri Takase. She didn’t even have the confidence to change her personality itself.
Now, the priority is to treat the injuries. And for the time being, you should devote yourself to rest. Competitions are not important.
The door to the room was opened.
Takase-senpai opened her eyes wide when she saw me left alone, and she was surprised, but she soon lowered her head.
“…… Manager.”
Swallow your breath.
How can I convince a senior who has always been hiding his injury and not expressing it?
Nobody knew that. Even I just found out.
If you mention your injury at this moment, the seniors will surely be suspicious.
In that case, I’d rather reveal it first.
It is a regular method.
No matter how the senior looked at me, I tried to dissuade him by being honest with him now.
“I’m sorry. I just heard the story from before.”
I’m trying to help her.
That is the only intention, and as long as the senior understands….
“I will take care of Suda.”
I got all the evidence.
If the transcript of this level of blatant appeasement and intimidation is revealed, he is finished.
“Senior…….”
The only thing left is Eri Takase.
Her continued running stopped her.
“Please take a break from this tournament.”
That’s all you need to do.
***
I lifted the ankle of Takase-senpai, who was sitting in the seat. She took off her shoes and pulled down her socks.
“……… Senior.”
Her ankle injury was at a much more serious stage than before.
Her bruised and swollen ankle was lightly pressed, and the senior closed her eyes.
“I’m going to the hospital.”
“……… I will.”
“And as I said earlier….”
She put her socks and shoes back on, then pulled herself up.
She looked down at her and said her earnestly.
“Please rest for a while. I am committed to treatment.”
“……… ….”
The senior remained silent with her head bowed.
“Senior.”
“……… She has no desire to be a hero.”
After a deep silence, what the senior said was completely unexpected.
Didn’t she say
“?”
“Yes?”
“For what purpose did you come to the athletics club?”
“……… ….”
Oops.
I wonder if she’s asking about secretly eavesdropping on her conversation with Suda the other day.
Okay. Just because she’s being honest doesn’t mean she’s going to go overboard.
But her work was more important now. I wished it would pass right away, but it seemed that it was not possible.
“I have been suspicious of Masao Suda for a long time and have been investigating him. That’s all.”
“You mean the soccer team?”
Bit her lip.
“I just wanted to help seniors. I have no bad intentions at all.”
“……… ….”
It was a line that would be suspicious to anyone, but it was my sincerity.
How can you even say that you know the future?
“I thought I understood you. I thought we were members of the same team and colleagues.”
“……… ….”
“You are still hiding something from us.”
Stillness flows.
I returned to my seat and sat across from her.
I couldn’t come up with anything to refute. I couldn’t help but sigh and said.
“So… Do you still doubt my sincerity?”
I don’t care. Even if Eri Takase misunderstands and doubts me.
I found out about her injury. I also got the evidence.
I just need to tell Sayoko-senpai about her injuries. Even accusing Suda.
“Did you stop trusting me?”
So even if my senior hates me….
It doesn’t matter…… Although not.
That’s right, it will hurt your heart quite a bit.
She can only prevent her from collapsing while the senior is overdoing it.
“…… It can’t be.”
The senior said with a smile.
“You…… It’s already in my heart. I don’t know if you leave on your own, but it’s impossible for me to drive you out.”
Ugh….
That person utters such lines naturally without blinking an eye.
Even because of its looks and atmosphere, even those cheesy lines make listeners flutter.
That was why she was called her prince.
Even though she was told that she didn’t like her directly, she couldn’t help being agitated.
“Manager-kun… you are a mysterious person always catch my attention Who the hell are you, what are you thinking, what are you doing? It always makes me care.”
So don’t say that to a guy you don’t even like.
With my head lowered, I silently endured, listening to her words that seemed to be seducing me.
“So you are trying to help me now. Just like Sayoko.”
From noble mtl dot com
Drinking a can of coffee, the senior said happily.
At least you didn’t misunderstand me negatively.
Although I was so relieved.
On the one hand, impatience arose.
“And just like every day.”
Is that why you want to listen to me?
Unable to understand the senior’s intentions, her heart became impatient.
“…… You are right. My injuries are serious. I got caught, so I had no choice but to… I have no choice but to focus on treatment.”
“Senior… then.”
I was relieved to hear that.
When I got up from my seat to go to the hospital with my seniors right now….
“But not now.”
I stopped at that resolute refusal.
“Yes? Then… ….”
“I have no intention of giving up on this competition.”
The senior who took her bag stood up from her seat.
“Manager-kun. Until then, please keep quiet about this injury. It is my request.”
“……… ….”
That’s right, I didn’t think that Eri Takase would be able to change the person himself at this moment.
It was only natural that I couldn’t understand such a senior’s stubbornness.
“Why? Are you saying that we should just watch the senior collapsing after overdoing it?”
“Who said you would collapse?”
The senior’s eyes narrow.
The relaxed atmosphere instantly tightened.
When I saw the expression on the face of the senior who looked like he was going to eat me right there, I shrugged her shoulders.
“I am not overdoing it. We are aiming for the top spot in this competition as well.”
“Senpai, can’t that be possible… !”
“You talk as if you know the future. You.”
Ugh….
I bit my lip.
I couldn’t say a word in such a fierce atmosphere.
Because she had a force that was incomparable to Sakina and Suda.
“………… Whoa.”
Then she gave her a small smile.
“I’m sorry, manager. I’m not particularly angry right now.”
If the senior made up her mind and showed her anger, I would be too scared to say anything.
I let out a deep breath when her smile eased the atmosphere a little.
“I told you at the battery training ground, right? I will show you a great side.”
That’s… It was the promise I had made the day before my senior was injured.
I will win a medal in the competition.
A declaration made confidently to me, who said I was a fan of hers.
“I’m going to win a medal. I want to show you a good side by doing my job.”
Because that couldn’t have happened.
I’ve been forgetting about it all along.
“Let me keep that promise.”
She smiled brightly, showing her grin.
Leave me stiff, my senior left the club.
You’re saying you’re not going to give up the tournament because of just that?
Only with me at the battery training ground… Because of that promise alone?
Anyway… I couldn’t understand her at all, so I let her go without even replying to her.
The expectant stares, pressure, or pride of those who admire her. Nothing… Because of the promise you made to me?
“……… What are you talking about?”
I thought I understood about Eri Takase.
She sat down in her seat again, drowning in the mire.
“……… ….”
The senior’s stubbornness was something that could not be explained by any emotions.
No, there is just one thing.
But that person….
– I don’t like you. –
After you cut it off like that.
She sighed.
Just as I mistakenly thought that Eri Takase understood me, I thought I knew her all along.
However, that was also my mistake.
We misunderstood each other all the way from start to finish.
Where will the end of that mixed relationship take me and her… I didn’t know now.
“Ah… ….”
I felt a vibration in my pocket.
That was a phone call from Haruna.
Come to think of it, we decided to go to school together.
I’ll wait until practice is over, she said. As if you have something to say.
You kept me waiting.
I took out her cell phone and answered the call.
As if she didn’t know anything about the difference between me and my senior, her voice was infinitely bright.
That’s right, she couldn’t help but know.