Sports Festival (part 6)

Afternoon, Seika HS, courtyard.

After the Costume race ended with that senpai winning the prize, the rest of the Festival went smoothly, or so it should has been. While the centipede game has been won by the Swim club with a small margin, the next event would become a bloodshed...

"It's time for the Sack race to show up! This time there's no obligation on taking part into this event because of the special kind of prize this time! No matter which team win, there are only three tickets for the winner! This rule has been established after the person who gave us the proposal asked such request! The winner can choose which concert or musical performance you want take part! The Source already sent a ticket of the front row at the next concert of the UxMishi! So do your best for your idols and see them at close distance! (Takashi)

Hagimoto was announcing the start of the Sack Race where you literally have to jump towards a goal with own legs inside a sack. Well, the prize was offered by Tadao with a possible resulting chaos in mind.

UxMishi was a popular indie rock band consisted of four teenagers 'ikemen' and had many fangirls. When the girls are obsessed on something are enough scary for most of boys.

"Hey Tadao-san, are you sure about that? When Eiji showed the tickets around the participant, all of us got a chill suddenly. And those tickets are expensive too." (Takashi)

A guy with short, stiff, gray hair with two little bangs, brown eyes, oval face, sharp nose and a slender look was talking to Tadao in the tent of the medic staff. He was probably a member of P.E. committee due to the armband on his sleeve. His name was Goto Akihiro.Tadao was setting up his camera with slow movement like it was his precious treasure.

Those tickets were bought by Tadao through a 'special' channel. Normally, they couldn't be obtained without camping outside the ticket office a day before or be friendly with the manager of UxMishi.

"Don't worry. It was my intention from the beginning." Replied Tadao without turn his head. Nobody dare to interrupt him when he set up his camera. The last poor soul didn't end well.

That member of P.E. committee, Toshio, was sweating after heard Tadao's plan. He didn't want stay anymore and fled from the tent without hesitation after greeted Tadao.

"I want sleep..." (Tadao)

***

Later.

"Then, on your mark..." (Akihiro)

'Paang!'

The race began with Akihiro trembling at the sidelines. If he could, he wouldn't be involved with that race. However, his luck was really bad today and he was chosen with a roll.

17 girls and 6 guys were jumping in their own sack without delay. Apparently, most of Girls team were participating in this event, but Misaki wasn't on sight. Some times ago, she has been 'convinced' by the other girls to rest with Sakura leading them.

The race started but 4 on 5 participants fell just at start for 'unknown' reason, like they were sabotaged.

Only 6 participants, all girls, were still racing. Well, it was more likely a last standing race. Ask an average girl to jump within a sack over 150 meters was too much.

A girl with long black ponytail, a slender and a bit high figure and brown glasses was leading the race with great gap. She was Ayase, a bookworm who is usually quiet and she had confessed to Takumi time ago. A person you'd not expect to take part at such race. Actually, she was quite pretty but her glasses hid it whenever someone meet her.

Her sweat was dropping at each jump, her glasses were fogging every meter she covered, her breath became more heavy at each landing. She was getting tired more and more. In the end, when she was about twenty meter from the finish line, she fell. She cried silent tears. She could hear another participant jumping just behind her and she hadn't strength to stand up now.

'Pam, pam, pam, pam...'

The participant behind her stopped beside her and kind voice came out, "Hey, are you okay? Do you need a hand?"

Ayase startled for a moment before she felt a hand grabbing her waist and pull on her. "Eh?" When finally she stood up, a bright smile welcomed her. Careless, Sakura was holding up her hand. "Hey, let's run together?"

Before Ayase could regain her sense, she began jump together with Sakura and covered the remaining distance from the finish line. When she ended t process what happened, they had already reached the goal. "Eh?"

She looked around her just to see Sakura exult with her sack took off. "We did it, Ayase-san!" Then, Sakura headed towards the judge/member of P.E. committee.

"Hey, I have those tickets now that I won the race, right?" (Sakura)

"Ermmm..." Akihiro wanted search help from his senpai since he hadn't saw who was the winner due to Ayase and Sakura arrive almost at same time. But a poor junior/scapegoat stood out without knowing he was going to hurt someone. Well, all their senpai has been warned by Tadao in the case there was a 'tie'. That junior wasn't aware of Tadao's reputation so he didn't mind it at all.

"Koujo-san passed the line before you so she won the pri-." (Junior)

"Whaaaaaat!" (Sakura)

"Ugh... Some... one... help..." (Junior)

Before he could finish his sentence, that junior got his collar grabbed without warning with a unbelievable might. The culprit, Sakura, was looking at him with a dark, crazy and at all kind eyes.

Ayase's full name was Koujo Ayase, and that junior knew that because he was her classmate. His vision was quite good to be able to see who reached first the goal.

"Sakura-san! I'll give you a ticket, so please let him down!" (Ayase)

"Mh?! What happened?" (Sakura)

'''''The hell was that switch?!''''' (Members of P.E. committee who witnessed the scene)

Sakura hopped happily towards Ayase while those who witnessed what really happened were speechless. Meanwhile, Tadao was being writing on his note.

[Dumb guy x bookworm

Eichi Nishiyama, class 1-2, height 1,67 cm, weight 62 kg. Quick reflex, great speed and agility, strength slightly below the average, intelligence slightly above the average, low EQ in love. Member of the athletic club and regular customer at game centers. Got 2 rejects during his 2nd year of middle school. He's a only child. His father works at Nihon Seimei and his mother is a housewife. Thought he lives in a spoiled environment, his father more from him and run helps him relieve his stress.

Ayase Koujo, class 1-2, height 1,54 cm, weight about 53 kg. High EQ, average build, intelligence average, high rate adrenaline release. She's a bookworm but not shy at all. She has a friend in her class. She hide her interest on indie rock and being a fangirl of UxMishi. She has a older brother and Her Father is the owner and teacher of a kendo school/dojo and her mother is a lawyer. She is under pressure about learning her father's inheritance.]

In the end, Ayase requested three tickets of the next concert of UxMishi and shared one with Sakura and other one with her best friend. The rest of the Sports Festival proceeded smoothly. The girls team won the festival with Misaki's 'aid' with many boys groan soundly.

Takumi escorted Misaki to the infirmary after the principal's final speech. She pushed too much her body and she had many muscle worn out now. Even Tadao's medicine, she just pushed beyond her limit. Tadao's could imagine she wouldn't be able to move a inch tomorrow.

***

Evening, Takumi's flat.

Takumi returned to his flat only at late hour with Tadao welcomed him with a warm dinner. They started have lunch without delay. "Ehi, Takky." Out of blue, Tadao wanted start a conversation, surprising Takumi, since Tadao often told that the meals have to be eaten in absolute silence.

"Do you think I'm 'human'?" (Tadao)

"..." (Takumi)

"You know what I mean." (Tadao)

Takumi couldn't avert his gaze on Tadao after a heavy atmosphere fell in that room. He wanted say something but words couldn't come out from his mouth. Tadao's eyes already answered his incoming question. That 'young' soul in Tadao's pupils proved who asked the question. After though for a minute, Takumi replied without stuttering.

"That day... I saw with sad face. I couldn't see what you were thinking nor what did you wanted from me. We can be seen as the same kind. If I can become a person in your family with you, wouldn't you be the same, Tadao? It's only you that are you asking the wrong question, you're already accepted by me, dad, mom and Miki. Only you don't accept that." (Takumi)

The silence returned in the living room of Takumi's flat. Tadao returned to his bowl of rice with soup and finished without looking at Takumi anymore until he didn't washed clean the dishes and went out heading his flat.

"Goodnight... little brother." (Takumi)

I'm not your 'LITTLE' brother!" A voice could be heard from the hallway out of Takumi's flat. Even if Tadao was happy, he still didn't accepted to be the junior of the family.