Chapter 240 – Before the Sports Festival (2)

Since they would only install the backboard the day before the sports festival, we could only see them from behind the scene for now.

In the blue team's backboard work area, aside from the backboard team, there were third year representatives, a teacher who acted as the supervisor, and some students from other teams who came to see the backboard.

"So, what do you think, everyone? My job was designing the sketch and helping out here and there. It turned out quite good, didn't it?"

"Is this a dragon? Yuuchin, you could make something like this too?"

"…I knew it, you are amazing, Yuu."

By combining a large amount of paletes, it formed a large dragon with blue scales. As stated, the one who designed it was Amami-san. Despite knowing what the sketch looked like and seeing the work-in-progress multiple times, I was still amazed after seeing the end result.

The quality was consistent throughout the piece even though the scale was gigantic. There were some rough parts if you were to take a closer look at it, but it wasn't that noticeable.

I shared the same opinion as Umi and Nitta-san. This piece was amazing.

"What do you think, Maki-kun? We cut some corners here and there, but those parts aren't noticeable, right?"

"Mhm. I can't even tell that you cut corners."

The students from other teams were secretly taking pictures of our backboard. They looked impatient, probably because they saw how quickly our team managed to finish our backboards and how amazing the quality was.

"You did a good job, Yuu. Even though we didn't help you."

"Hehehe… Thank you, Umi. …Well, Maki-kun gave me some advice, so that isn't entirely correct."

"No, no. I was just being preachy. It was your hard work that got you this far, Amami-san."

Naturally, I told Umi everything that happened that day. When she heard everything, she immediately offered to help Amami-san.

'I wanna see how far I can get on my own!'

That was what Amami-san told her. So, in the end, we just ended up watching her from afar until they finished.

In the past, Amami-san often relied on Umi for everything. The fact that she managed to lead a number of people and worked alongside them to finish this project without Umi's help was a sign that she had started to become more mature.

She was already talented in both sports and arts, now she gained leadership skills. Soon enough, we'd be the one getting help from her instead of the other way around.

Amami-san was truly an amazing girl.

"Alright! Now that I'm free from this, time to focus on practicing for the relays! Lately, I've been sitting here all the time, so I'm itching to move my body around!"

"Ah, good one, we'll help you with that. We won't be in the relays, but if it's just passing the baton around, we could help with that, right? …What are you two doing?"

"…Rep, please ward those two hot-blooded idiots off. One of them is your girlfriend and the other one is your best friend, right? You could ward them off for me, right?"

"That's impossible. Sorry."

It was like during the class match, those two turned into hot-blooded idiots when it came to such things and I was completely at their mercy.

The practice time would end in an hour or so. Hang in there, my legs, my whole body, also Nitta-san as well.

Since she finished her work faster than scheduled, Amami-san had a lot of energy left. She took the lead and led the three of us to the yard to practice.

During the preparation period for the festival, Amami-san's presence became widely known to the whole school. Not only our fellow team members, students from other teams were also openly staring at her.

Whenever this happens, I'd always hear people talking about her. Sometimes, they'd talk about Umi or Nitta-san, but they'd never say anything about me.

…However, I felt more gazes that were sent to Umi and I this time.

'Could it be?…'

'Mhm, that's the guy…'

'Just like what they said…'

"Hm?"

At first, I didn't know they were talking about me, so I just went to the yard without caring.

We headed toward the edge of the yard, the place where Umi and I usually practiced. When we arrived, I still felt their gazes on me.

"…Rep, the other students' reaction toward you seems to be different than usual. Did you do something?"

After confirming that we were the only ones in the vicinity, Nitta-san whispered that to me.

I thought I was just being too sensitive again, but it seemed like the rest of our group also felt the same way as me.

"Uh no? I just did the same thing as I usually did. Did you do something, Umi?"

"Same as you. But, I heard something about shuraba and stuff, it's been a while since I heard that kind of talk going on…"

"Ahaha… Probably because Maki-kun is the only boy here. If Nozomu-kun is also here, they wouldn't say things like that, maybe."

From the perspective of the people who didn't know about our relationship, I was merely a dull boy who was surrounded by three beauties. Amami-san's words might be true.

But still, when someone pointed it out loud, it felt off, huh?

Amami-san, Umi and me.

"…Let's just start practicing. Who cares about that kind of insignificant gossip. It'll die down soon enough."

"Right. I mean, it's just Rep forming a harem, what's wrong with that?"

"Everything, Nitta-san. Everything."

The only person that was romantically involved with me was Umi and the rest of the girls were my friends. Of course there was a case like Nozomu one-sidedly liking Amami-san, but that was an open secret. Calling our group my harem specifically would be a terrible accusation to all of us.

"What are you even saying, Ninacchi?! …Whatever, let's just start running! We'll forget everything when we run!"

I'd probably run out of stamina first, but what Amami-san said wasn't wrong.

Although I felt concerned about the rumor that was currently spreading, I felt more concerned about the upcoming sports festival.

I didn't want this groundless rumor ruining the efforts we had been putting in so far. Especially when this would be our last sports festival before we graduated. If we wanted to look into the rumor, we could do so after the festival.

Regardless of the outcome, as long as we could make this festival memorable, it would be enough. That was our groups' goal.

…And so, we went to practice with the high-spirited Amami-san.

"…Uh, Amami, Maehara, can I talk to you two? …Well, the other two could tag along, I guess."

"Eh? Nagisa-chan?"

Just as we finished the first round of practice, an unexpected person approached us.

A certain tanned skin, foul-mouthed gyaru who normally wouldn't have anything to do with us, Arae-san.

…I had a bad feeling about her approaching us all of a sudden.