Training harder than anyone

October is coming and the sports festival is lss than a week away, during this time I agreed to help Kiriyama train

now it's already past the time club activities end, but the girl is still running as fast as she could sweat covering her whole body

"it's the end if you overdo it and hurt yourself"

I tried warning her since she's training harder than anyone, the first to start and the last to finish.

after hearing me the girl stopped running and layed down on the ground, I handed her a bottle of water as I asked

"why are you trying so hard? I think you're already fast enough"

"No, ever if I'm fast I have to make a difference in the relay"

when it's team work, it doesn't matter if you run faster if you start much later but that still doesn't make sense

"why are you trying this hard to win?it's just an event"

Makoto is with Suzuki flirting while writing a book but Kiriyama isn't trying at all

"hey Aru, do you have something that you don't want to lose even if you die trying to protect it?"

"I had"

"past tense huh? so you understand. No matter how hard you try it's not enough"

I tried to protect everything and sacrificed myself multiple times but I couldn't save anyone I cared about. and in the end I lost myself too.

"My father is never home, since I was a child I didn't talk to him at all. but he always make sure to attend the sports festival to see me running"

she doesn't hate him for not being there but appreciate that he's doing his best.

"I want him to be proud of me, I want him to know that his daughter is doing great"

even if you don't win I'm sure he will be proud, I wanted to say it but I know that she already know that.

with firm eyes she looked at me, no matter how many times she falls she will always try harder, that's the Kiriyama Naru I know

"I understand now, but it's late now we should go home"

"Yeah, I was going home too"

***

"Hey Arucchi!"

when I stepped outside the school I heard a voice calling me, if course she's Chi-senpai

"do you need anything?"

Kiriyama glared at the senpai running toward us without hiding her hostility, I forgot since it's been a while but she's different when it comes to Makoto

Chi-senpai reached us quickly and noticed Kiriyama's glare.

"umm don't worry I'm not interested in you boyfriend"

"Huh? W-we are not! not yet!"

she's talking about me here not Makoto...saying that would mean death so let's keep it like this for now, Chi-senpai whispered in my ears suddenly

"I'm disappointed in you Arucchi"

"why?"

"you already have a cute girl and you're cheating like this"

"do you mean Watanabe? I already told you that she's not my girlfriend "

since I have to be with her during school time she joined the literature club too though she only met with Chi-senpai

"You can deceive other girls but that won't work on a man like me!"

"a man huh? you have a chest for a dude"

Kiriyama is hitting me for a while now, she really loves attention so talking without her isn't something I would continue

"leaving that aside, why are you still in school senpai? it's late"

"you're here too no?"

"Aru was helping me train for the sports festival"

"oh I see, for me I was helping Makocchi and Haru-chan writing but I felt like I'm a third wheel"

"first time?"

"WHAT ARE THEY DOING"

"they were really close I won't be surprised if they started kissing by now"

"I should have buried her again when I had the chance!"

Kiriyama already disappeared, she wasn't seeing her lately but it's still sad to lose Suzuki like this

"she's fast isn't she?"

"yeah she's the second fastest girl I know"

Chi-senpai should know how fast Hiragi-senpai senpai is so she didn't ask me who's the first

"so the one she likes is Makoto and not you, three girls like your friend how do you feel about it?"

"jealous, what else should I feel?"

the jealously is getting less the more I know the girls, it's problematic to have so many girls liking you, not that I know

"I feel the same too, they are getting close to him and leaving me behind, but still I won't take a part in this battle"

her smile isn't the usual one, she's trying to hide her sadness, her I go making things more complicated!

"Hey senp-"

"Ni-chan?"

I heard a familiar voice, my little sister is eating some ice cream while looking at me with a confused face

"is she your sister?"

"yeah.."

"Hello, my name is Chihiro, you can just call me Chi"

"S-Sawano Airi"

that's the first time I see Airi suffering to talk, it's hilarious I can't stop laughing

"I'm his senpai in the club we're going home together since it's on the same way

"Ah right, there's no way a girl this beautiful would like a disgusting piece of garbage like him"

after kicking her I started lecturing her

"don't say this about your big brother!"

I missed my chance to help Chi-senpai because of her so I'm kinda angrier than I should be

"you can't hit a girl Arucchi! that's against the code"

"I know of course I won't hit a girl! what do you think I am?"

I said it as I proceeded to fight with my little sister

"do you mean I'm not a girl?! I'll tell her about the embarrassing things you do at home!"

she won the fight using such a dirty technique! who taught her to be like this.

"let's settle it with a game!"

"do you want to come with us Chihiro-senpai?"

is she asking her to come to my house? she can't just tell a girl to go to a boy's house even if his sister is there.

"Sure"

she don't mind it all, that only means that she's interested in me! (or she doesn't consider me a male at all)

and just like that wI beat the shit out of two girls, in video games

***

the next day after classes, Kiriyama is running as usual it's became a routine before I noticed, I don't mind it though, I enjoy running too

"hey Aru, aren't you too good at this? it's make me disappointed"

"sorry because I'm perfect, do you want me to stop running?"

"no, running alone for a long time is lonely as hell"

I can understand that, I'm trying my hardest to keep my speed close to Kiriyama because if I decided to go fast she won't catch up.

"shouldn't you hang out with Makoto a little? your chances are the lowest already so it would bad if it's getting any lower"

"how much is my chance?"

"10%"

"I should work harder after the festival then!"

shr didn't question the probability at all and just declared that she's going to work harder.

"Ugh"

I didn't look her for a second and she already is on the floor, Kiriyama fall way more than she should

"ugh...my leg hurts so much.."

I used a bandage to cover the scratch on her knee, the system said that it wouldn't affect her if she rested so I said so

"resting? there's no way I would rest when the competition is so close!"

"it's meaningless if you can't participate, so let's go home for now ok?"

"can't you use healing magic or something like in games?"

"If I had this kind if abilities I wouldn't be at school"

she scared me a bit, but she isn't forcing the matter so that was a lucky guess, Kiriyama and "Lucky" huh? maybe it's her animal instincts

"you are so useless, why are you even here?"

"If not being able to heal your injuries instantly makes me useless I doubt any human would be useful for you"

just like that we finished our training early, I'll probably play some games instead.

"Hey Aru"

"hmm?"

"do you think I can win this time?"

apparently she never won even when she's trying this hard, anyone would have given up by now and used the hard work as an excuse for failing

"You will win, I guarantee it"

I didn't use the system to check in the chances because I already know that 1% and 99% are the same for this girl

"that's reassuring"

she smiled and moved forward, I now noticed how much I really love this girl, maybe not in a romantic way but she's the most important woman in my life now.