Ayumi appeared on the field as evening approached and it began to get a little dark.
He was using a crutch in his right hand, and it looked a little painful.
"What's wrong, Katsuragi? Do you need something here?"
I heard a voice that sounded somewhat irritated.
Well, considering Ayumi's circumstances, it's understandable.
"And on top of that, there was a summons letter attached to it, what kind of sarcasm is this!?"
There's no way I'd be happy to receive something like this!
What I prepared was a basket full of various fruits.
This is definitely not something to send to someone who has had to give up on competing due to injury, although it might be appropriate for someone who is competing tomorrow.
But that's precisely why I sent this. Because...
"Eat this and do your best in tomorrow's competition, gulp."
Someone threw fruit at my face. How incredibly inconsiderate of them to throw something in the middle of someone's lines!!
"Look at these feet and say that! Do you really think you can compete in a tournament?!"
"I think so."
I answered without hesitation.
"Because I'm not injured."
"What?!"
"I won't get hurt just from falling over a hurdle."
"You've never even run before! Think about your speed!!"
Certainly, if Ayumi is going at full speed, it would be dangerous.
Apparently, he often bumps into walls in his daily life.
But...
"I don't think we were going that fast at that time."
Because you weren't running at full speed."
"W-how did you know? How did you think that? Th-that's just..."
"I hadn't tied my hair up."
"!!"
"Whenever you were serious, you always tied your hair up, right?"
"Did you perhaps intend to fall from the start?"
See? Tying your hair up was an important step, right?
I was really grateful that this part alone was so well-done. reality
Having heard my words, Ayumi seemed to accept her fate, slowly placing her bandaged left leg on the ground and dropping her crutches.
We were listening to their conversation from the school rooftop.
Katsuragi-kun has a microphone made of feather material in his pocket, so we can hear his voice too.
"I knew it."
"Huh? Did the princess notice?"
"Yeah. There was something odd about Ayumi's expression when she was being carried away on the stretcher."
I didn't realize it at the time, but after noticing that I didn't have the hair clip that Katsuragi-kun had mentioned, I took another look and then I understood.
"She's acting like she's in pain."
"You know things like that too? As expected of a princess!"
"Haha..."
As an idol, I also do acting work.
My coach , being the coach he is, would use videos of my performances to sternly point out my flaws, so it seems I was able to develop a sense of what it meant to act strict.
Ayumi's monologue continues, explaining why she deliberately injured herself.
"...This is for the best. Now the seniors can participate in the tournament."
My seniors were right. I just happened to run in front of the coach and became a player.
But no matter how much I practiced, I couldn't get a good time at all.
Someone like me shouldn't even be in the competition.
Why can't I run anymore? I've been practicing so much!
"...It's fine now. If I participate in the competition and come in last, it's all over."
"If you ran your hardest, then that's good enough, isn't it?"
If we're talking about rankings, you've already taken first place. In my heart, anyway."
Well, Katsuragi-kun, I don't think you should say that line, do you?
"You idiot! What kind of creepy thing are you saying?! It's all your fault for making weird noises! You're such a fool!!"
Ayumi chases after Katsuragi, throwing fruit she brought as a get-well gift at him.
I wonder if it's really okay... Can I really trust you?
After a bit of chasing each other, Ayumi stopped running. She seemed to be looking at the bottom of the basket that had contained the fruit.
"Elsie, can you zoom in on the bottom of the basket?"
"Leave it to me!"
Upon closer inspection, a brand new pair of spiked shoes was found inside the basket.
It was designed to be found when the fruit was removed.
Wait, did you actually plan to get yelled at and have fruit thrown at you?!
"...Will you come?"
Will you come and support me again tomorrow?
"Uh, yeah..."
"...thank you"
And then Ayumi said to Katsuragi-kun...
We kissed.
Immediately afterward, something emerges from inside Ayumi.
That thick, hazy thing must be a runaway soul.
"Thank you, Keima-kun."
"The rest is my job!"
"Princess, I'll put up a soundproof barrier and an anti-spirit barrier over the grounds and the entire rooftop, so please sing to your heart's content!"
"I understand!!"
After confirming that Elsie had erected the barrier, I sang my own song.
But...
"It's not working at all!?"
"Huh? What does that mean...?"
"...Could it be that the volume is too low?"
While it might be possible in a small room, it's difficult to project sound in such a large space using only the human voice.
Damn, I should have prepared a makeshift live performance kit on the rooftop!
"Um, um... Ah! I remember now!"
"what!?"
"This is it! It's a magic microphone specially made by the department head!"
With this, I can make sounds resonate inside my barrier!
"...How could I have forgotten about something so important until now!?"
"I'm so sorry!"
So, anyway, with this you'll be fine !I can sing
"Test, test! Okay, perfect!"
Now it's time to sing!!
My singing voice resonates within the barrier.
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
The runaway soul seems to be suffering.
I try to escape immediately, but I'm repelled by the barrier. Is this the effect of an anti-spirit barrier?
I continued singing. And then...
"Guoooooooooooooooooo..."
The runaway soul has vanished.