Chapter 034: The String of Your Amulet Isn't Very Secure! Asahina: Eh?
The mandatory events included all students, so the pace was incredibly tight.
A hundred-meter sprint would finish, followed immediately by hurdles, the two-hundred-meter, the obstacle race, and so on... It could be said that one event followed another with almost no time to catch one's breath.
The announcements over the PA system hadn't stopped since morning. Group after group of contestants crouched at the starting line, rose, sprinted, and crossed the finish line, operating as rapidly as parts of a machine.
By the time the individual events for the first-years had mostly concluded, the sunlight had moved from the east to directly overhead. Hachiman leaned against a support pillar of Class A's tent, holding a bottle of mineral water that was more than half empty. His gym uniform was soaked with patches of sweat, clinging to his body uncomfortably.
He glanced at the data.
Class A's current score ranked first among the first-years; it wasn't a massive lead, but it was enough. Shibata Souta had taken several first-place finishes, Kanzaki Ryuji consistently placed in the top three, and even Hachiman himself had managed to "pick up" a third-place finish in one of the events.
"Hikigaya-kun." Ichinose walked over, noticing Hachiman seemed a bit distracted, and reminded him, "The second-year events are next. We have about a 20-minute gap to rest."
Hachiman nodded. "I'm going over to the second-year side for a bit."
Ichinose gave him a look but didn't ask why. She simply said, "Watch the time," before turning back to tally the results.
A giant LCD screen stood in the center of the playground, but it displayed the scores for the two large groups—Red and White—competing against each other. The specific scores for each class of every grade level didn't update immediately and had a certain delay.
Therefore, if one wanted to confirm the results faster, manual legwork was required.
Hachiman stepped out of the tent, crossed the field, and headed toward the second-year area. The Red Team's tents were lined up on the east side of the playground: first-years at the front, second-years in the middle, and third-years at the back. He passed through the first-year tent area and entered the second-year territory.
The men's 110-meter hurdles were currently underway on the field.
A group of contestants was flying down the track, their hurdling motions crisp and clean. They accelerated immediately upon landing, maintaining a very fast rhythm.
Hachiman's gaze scanned the track and stopped at the innermost lane.
Nagumo Miyabi.
He was wearing a red tracksuit with "2-A" printed on the chest. His stride was large, his body leaned forward as he cleared the hurdles, and his movements were so fluid it looked as if he were running on flat ground. He was a significant distance ahead of the person in second place; as he crossed the finish line, he even slowed down, glanced back at the runners behind him, and let the corner of his mouth curl slightly.
First heat, first place. There was no suspense.
Hachiman leaned against the railing at the edge of the field, waiting. Nagumo walked back from the finish area holding a water bottle, his short golden hair damp with sweat and plastered to his forehead. He unscrewed the cap and took a drink as he walked, then noticed Hachiman by the railing.
"Yo, Hikigaya-kouhai." Nagumo's pace slowed as he walked up to Hachiman. "What brings you over here? Nothing to do on the first-year side?"
Hachiman straightened up from the railing. "Just came to see the level of the second-years."
"Oh?" Nagumo raised an eyebrow, the smile on his face deepening. "And? Did you see what you wanted?"
"I did," Hachiman said. "That was a good run."
Nagumo leaned against the railing, arms crossed over his chest, looking Hachiman up and down. "I saw you just now, too. 110-meter hurdles, third place. You need to work on your physical stamina."
Hachiman glanced at him. "Everyone has things they are good at and things they aren't."
Nagumo didn't argue. He screwed the cap back on his water bottle and set it down by the railing.
"That participation list of yours," Hachiman changed the subject, "is quite well put together."
Upon hearing this, Nagumo looked at Hachiman sharply. The smile in his eyes faded, replaced by displeasure. "Are you doubting me?" The corner of Nagumo's mouth hooked up, but he wasn't laughing. "Doubting that my results are falsified?"
Hachiman leaned against the railing, hands in his pockets. "I'm just saying your participation schedule was well-arranged."
Nagumo stared at him for two seconds. Then he straightened up, pulling his hands from his pockets and crossing them over his chest.
"Hikigaya-kouhai," Nagumo's voice lowered slightly, "the things I said at the opening ceremony were for real."
Hachiman looked at him.
"I believe this Sports Festival is the beginning of a new era." Nagumo's gaze fell on the distant track. "Not because the rules changed, and not because there are more points, but because this time, it's a moment where all three grades can compete. You first-years are fighting, we second-years are fighting, and the third-years are fighting too. No one is giving up, and no one is slacking off." He paused.
"I've already made an appointment with President Horikita. For the 1200-meter relay, we will both run the final leg."
Hachiman's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"If you're willing," Nagumo turned his head to look at him, "you can also switch to the final leg. When the time comes, you'll see exactly how far behind us you'll be left."
His tone carried a sense of arrogant confidence. He was the class representative of 2-A, someone who had climbed up from Class B, and the Vice President of the Student Council. His stamina, speed, and explosive power were all top-tier.
He hoped to clash with Horikita Manabu on this stage.
Naturally, if he could easily defeat Hikigaya Hachiman, that would also be quite satisfying for him.
After all, when it came to schemes and strategies, he had been suppressed quite heavily. However, he had observed Hikigaya; the boy's physical ability could only be described as above average, nowhere near his own elite level. Therefore, this round would be his total victory.
However, Nagumo Miyabi was only mentioning it because he knew Hachiman would likely not agree. After all, stepping onto the field just to lose to them wasn't exactly a face-saving move. So, Nagumo expected the junior to refuse.
But Hachiman simply looked at him and remained silent for two seconds.
"If you arrange it that way," Hachiman said, "you will definitely lose."
Nagumo's smile froze on his face.
"What do you mean?"
Hachiman straightened up from the railing, hands still in his pockets.
"I came here for the common interest of the Red Team." Hachiman's voice was very calm. "So, I suggest you don't run the last leg. Run the second leg. And tell President Horikita to run the second leg as well."
Nagumo's brow furrowed. "Why?"
"Because this year's first-year class is more excellent than previous ones." Hachiman looked at him. "If you put yourself on the final leg, you will lose."
Nagumo's smile vanished completely.
"Are you saying," Nagumo's voice sounded a bit dry, "that I would lose to a first-year?"
Hachiman didn't deny it. "Class D has arranged a monster for the final leg."
Nagumo's frown deepened. "Koenji? I'm aware of that guy."
"No." Hachiman shook his head. "It's Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
Nagumo fell silent.
Even though they were in different grades, he knew that name. The person who made Class A and Class C suffer simultaneously during the deserted island exam, and the person who pinned Ryuen Kakeru to the ground and beat him on the cruise ship.
Of course, this was extra information he had obtained while investigating Hachiman.
Admittedly, Hikigaya-kouhai was very annoying and quite terrifying—Nagumo already knew that.
As for Ayanokouji from Class D, although he knew of him, he had never taken the person to heart. Class D was too pathetic; no matter how strong a single player was, they couldn't carry forty anchors dragging them down. But if that person was placed on the final leg, and if he really ran faster than everyone else—
"You think," Nagumo's voice dropped, "he can outrun me?"
Hachiman looked at him. "Have you seen his true strength?"
Nagumo opened his mouth to say something but ultimately didn't speak. He certainly hadn't seen it. He only knew Ayanokouji could win a fight against Ryuen, but running and fighting were two different things. He wasn't sure. And "not sure" was exactly what Hachiman wanted him to feel.
"Run the second leg," Hachiman said. "You and President Horikita both run the second leg. Then leave the final leg to someone else."
Nagumo was silent for a long time.
His mind was racing. He thought: if he really ran the second leg, who would be left for the final leg? Who else in 2-A was fast? Who in 3-A was fast? He didn't know. But he knew that Hikigaya-kouhai was not the type of person to say such things for no reason. Every word he spoke had a reason, and every suggestion had a calculation behind it.
Moreover, Nagumo knew that Hachiman wasn't the type to care about saving Nagumo's face. Therefore, was having him and Horikita-senpai avoid the final leg one of the plans to ensure the Red Team's victory?
But.
Why?
Could it be that there were still variables within the first-year class? For instance, in a plan where Hachiman could manipulate the second-year Classes A, C, and D to secure a Red Team victory, could there still be changes?
So that was why Hikigaya-kouhai made a special trip over here.
Thinking of this.
"I understand," Nagumo finally said.
He leaned back against the railing, putting his hands back into his pockets.
Hachiman looked at him and said nothing more. He turned, preparing to leave.
"Hikigaya." Nagumo's voice came from behind him.
Hachiman stopped walking but did not look back.
"You said just now that the first-years are more excellent than previous years." Nagumo spoke a bit slower than usual. "You were talking about yourself, too, weren't you?"
Hachiman was silent for a second. "Maybe so."
He continued walking, leaving the second-year area. Nagumo's voice came from behind him again, but he could no longer make out what was being said.
However, Hachiman didn't go directly back to the first-year tent. He walked toward the other side of the field; the second-year girls' 100-meter dash was about to begin. He hadn't come specifically to watch, he was just passing by. But as he passed, his pace slowed.
He remembered a person from the original work.
Kiryuin Fuuka.
Year 2, Original Class A. The successor of the Kiryuin family. She wasn't a main heroine, but her presence was very strong. Not because of how powerful she was, but because she was too free. So free she didn't seem like the young lady of a financial conglomerate; so free that even Nagumo Miyabi couldn't do anything about her. Her significance in this school was essentially: "I won't participate in your games, but I'll watch you play."
Hachiman stopped by the finish area of the second-year girls' 100-meter dash and leaned against the railing.
The contestants for the first heat were already in position on the track, and the second heat was warming up in the preparation area. His gaze scanned the girls in red tracksuits and then stopped on someone in the preparation area.
She had long orange hair with a sunflower-shaped clip pinned in it.
This was Asahina Nazuna from Year 2, Class A. Nagumo Miyabi's childhood friend.
She was wearing a red tracksuit and was rotating her ankles. Although Nagumo had arranged the participation lists for Classes A, C, and D to basically guarantee the rankings, she still looked like she was taking it quite seriously.
A plot point from the original work surfaced in Hachiman's mind.
Asahina Nazuna, Nagumo's childhood friend and classmate. However, she was dissatisfied with Nagumo's flirtatious behavior, so she didn't view the multi-talented and powerful Nagumo as a potential future partner. Instead, she had a good impression of Ayanokouji, had helped him, and had even leaked information to him.
However, that wasn't necessarily a good thing, because Ayanokouji was not a safe person to be involved with. Once involved, one would become his pawn, liable to be discarded at any moment.
In other words, once this Asahina-senpai became involved with Ayanokouji—though it hadn't been written in the original yet—Hachiman didn't think it would lead to anything good.
And the reason she got involved with Ayanokouji was that Ayanokouji picked up her amulet.
She was very superstitious and believed in fate. Therefore, she felt a sense of goodwill toward Ayanokouji for finding her amulet.
An amulet worn around the neck usually falls off because the string isn't secure.
Thinking this.
Hachiman stared at the red string around her neck. A small golden charm hung from the string, glinting slightly in the sunlight. The amulet was still there.
Hachiman thought for a moment, straightened up from the railing, and walked toward the preparation area.
"Asahina-senpai," he spoke.
Asahina Nazuna looked up at him. Her gaze lingered on his face for a second, then her eyebrows twitched slightly.
"You're... the first-year, Hikigaya-kun?" Her tone held a hint of surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Passing by," Hachiman said. "I saw Senpai warming up and came over to say hello."
Asahina looked at him, the corner of her mouth curling slightly. "You really are different from Miyabi. He never comes over to say hello while I'm warming up."
Is that so.
So, are you actually feeling that Nagumo doesn't care for you enough? Or are you already expressing your disapproval of Nagumo?
Hachiman didn't follow up on that. His gaze landed on the red string around her neck.
"Senpai's amulet," Hachiman said, "the string doesn't look very secure."
Eh?
Hearing this, Asahina-senpai blanked for a moment and hurriedly looked down at the amulet on her neck. The red string held a small golden plate; the knot was tied tightly, but the string itself was indeed a bit old, with frayed edges.
It really was a bit insecure.
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