Chapter 53: Sports Festival
Translator: Soafp
“…It’s so hot, isn’t it?”
While it wasn’t scorching hot, I couldn’t stand the considerable heat. After summer vacation ended and the new school term began, the sports festival kicked off as the first event.
The high school I attend is fairly large, with a significant number of students. So the number of tents set up on the field was staggering, and there were also quite a few parents present. Well, I experienced this last year as a second-year student, but even without that, the sheer volume… Ah, the cheers are so loud.
“Hahaha, Towa, you’re participating, huh?”
“Shu… Oh, thanks.”
Under the red tent, Shu and I were assigned to the red group among the three colors this year. Basically, in elementary school and middle school, I was in the same color as Shu last year. I don’t know what kind of luck that is, but it really feels like Shu and I are almost always together.
Seeing me affected by the heat, Shu chuckled and handed me a sports drink from the sky, which I eagerly drank, gulping it down to quench my thirsty throat.
“…Puhaa!”
On such a hot day, nothing beats a cold drink.
“You drank it so well.”
“Well, yeah. And it’s not even noon yet… Can’t it end soon?”
In any school, the sports festival is generally a one-day event. I’m already tired, though not completely worn out, but it’s only been about two hours since it started. It’s a major event where all the grades participate, and it’s quite exciting and fun, but it’s tiring, after all.
“The third graders are graduating this year… Well, it’s the duty of the underclassmen to support them.”
“That’s true.”
The third-year students will graduate next year, and their paths will diverge as they go to university or start working. That’s why they want to enjoy this event to the fullest as one of the last opportunities to let loose as students. Currently, they are doing the classic bread-eating contest. It’s a competition for the third-year students… and I must say, their enthusiasm for the competition feels different.
“Good luck, senpai!!”
“Uooooooooo!!”
“Just a bit more! No, a bit more!!”
“Yay! Keep running just like that!”
It’s really lively, as I expected.
I was surprised to see that even high school students do the bread-eating contest. But watching it, it’s not only exciting, but it’s also quite intense, and as a spectator, I find it really enjoyable.
There are people who could reach the bread, while others keep trying and failing repeatedly… And there’s a senior girl who seems on the verge of tears because she’s too short. Isn’t that pitiful?
“What do you think about that?”
“…It’s pretty sad”
I genuinely wanted to help the senior girl who was desperately jumping but couldn’t reach. However, someone who seemed to be her father suddenly appeared and rushed to her. The man lifted her up and brought her to a position where she could reach the bread, and thanks to that, she was able to grab it.
“Thanks, Dad!”
“Yeah!”
Oh, so it was her father after all.
Although an outsider had clearly intervened, everyone in the venue clapped for the parent and child, seemingly touched by their interaction. The father, with a slightly embarrassed smile, bowed… Ah, as soon as he turned around, the mother’s face turned bright red. She probably gave him a smack.
“Well, if his daughter were in such a predicament…”
“Her mother probably understands, too…”
The events continued, and it seemed like Shu was eagerly waiting for someone. Iori stood at the starting line. Although he didn’t seem particularly interested just a moment ago, it was amusing to see him slightly lean forward when he spotted Iori. Iori must have noticed Shu too, as she gave him a cute wink.
“Let’s move forward a bit and cheer for her.”
“Yeah.”
We made our way through the crowd of students and moved to the front.
Then, with a loud sound, the bread was released, and Iori and the others started running. As they reached the spot where the bread was suspended, I noticed that Iori was struggling quite a bit. Height wasn’t an issue, but she couldn’t quite reach it, so she jumped a little, but couldn’t bite it successfully.
“Go, Iori! You can do it!”
“Uoooooooooooooooooooo!!”
“Incredibleeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”
“Is there some kind of earthquake going on just over there!?”
Now, as she was jumping around like that… So, how to say it? Iori’s chest was bouncing incredibly, I mean, really shaking. Iori’s size could probably be called the biggest in the school, and when you have something that big hanging down, it’s bound to happen.
As a high school boy, I can understand why a girl would be concerned about such a thing, but I shouldn’t say it too loudly. There are girls of the same color behind me looking at us like we’re trash. Damn it, I’m not like Shu, who genuinely cheers for the girls…
“…Oh.”
“…”
Well, Shu was also looking at her normally.
Iori continued to swing that deadly weapon without being able to bite it successfully, but surprisingly, even the other participants seemed distracted by it, and they couldn’t bite it properly. I thought Iori might be a schemer, but she seems genuinely frustrated that things aren’t going well.
“…Well, though, that’s amazing.”
And not just the boys, but even the girls’ eyes were fixated on that magnificent presence… Just as I was staring like that, I felt a poke on my cheek and reflexively turned my gaze towards it.
“What are you so earnestly watching, Towa-kun?”
Ayana, who was by my side, asked, giving off a slight pressure.
It’s not strange for Ayana to be by my side since she’s also of the same color as me. She wasn’t here earlier because she was helping the other girls and the organizers. Now, what could I say to be forgiven when she finds out that I’ve been openly ogling other girls’ chests?
Well, it turns out I was worrying for nothing.
“Well, I guess it can’t be helped. I find myself looking too”
Saying that, Ayana laughed and looked at struggling Iori… Oh, it looks like she finally got it. It took quite a while, and considering she was the first to reach the goal, it makes me wonder just how absorbed everyone was in watching her. Oh, right, despite being in different grades, Iori and I are both red.
“I thought it was an amazing spectacle, but I have Ayana as my girlfriend, so I shouldn’t be that captivated”
“I know. I know that Towa-kun is helplessly infatuated with me!”
Pouting her lips and then smiling cutely. I still think it’s adorable. If it weren’t for this unbearable heat, I would be hugging her. But in this scorching weather, neither Ayana nor I felt like clinging to each other.
“Ah, Ayana, you are back.”
“Yes, I saw the two of you being completely captivated by bre*sts. “
“Well, that’s….”
Indeed, if Iori was to find out that he was so captivated by her, she would probably be delighted. Her attitude is quite obvious, and yet it seems that he’s still unaware of it, displaying a certain level of obliviousness… I wonder if it’ll be alright and he won’t end up with an irrevocable situation where Iori takes matters into her own hands.
“I think Shu-kun would be better suited for someone who would lead him by the hand? Shu-kun isn’t the type to pull someone along.”
“You’re being straightforward”
“Well, we are childhood friends after all”
“…I see”
The events leading up to the end of summer vacation seemed to have worked in their favor, as Ayana and Shu were now able to exchange light banter and their relationship had been somewhat restored. Watching this scene, Shu couldn’t help but feel incredibly happy. Despite everything they had been through, they were still connected, and I could sense that deeply.
“Oh, it’s our turn now. Let’s go, Towa-kun!”
“Good luck, both of you!”
“Yeah!”
Next up was the two-person three-legged obstacle relay, with me and Ayana participating.
When I watched this event, I couldn’t help but think, am I the only one who thinks it would be better to separate the two-person three-legged race from the obstacle race?