A Long-Awaited Wish

"Check...? No, why, Dad..."

Nino blinked in surprise, her eyes suddenly locking onto Shinichi's face, and her voice raised, "You did it?!"

"Yes, I am the culprit."

As if a shadowy figure in a Conan episode confessing, Shinichi continued with a deep voice despite the absence of any special BGM, "To make your hard work seen by your father, Ebata-san and I planned this event together..."

"Asada-kun, please be mindful of what you're saying." Ebata, who smiled calmly off-screen, reluctantly interrupted.

Although it was generally true, when the other party said it, Ebata always felt as if he had become an accomplice in a criminal case, damaging his image as a kind-hearted parent.

"Okay, I was just joking." Shinichi shrugged, no longer joking, and stared at Nino seriously.

"Nino, you told me this morning..."

Before Shinichi finished speaking, Nino rushed in and covered his mouth, her face turning red, and she clenched her teeth.

"Don't say it!"

Shinichi had no tongue to attack her soft hand, so he obediently closed his mouth.

Suddenly, a cold voice sounded between the two of them.

"What shouldn't you say?"

"Nothing! It's not something you need to worry about!"

Under Shinichi's half-smiling gaze, Nino stepped back two steps, wiped her palms on her clothes, and looked at her father on the screen.

"D-Dad..."

As if it were karma, before she could finish her words, Nino was interrupted by the loudspeaker on the field.

"Next is the relay race competition for the second year. Please proceed to the track to prepare the contestants from each class."

"..."

"...Well then, that's your competition, Nino."

As usual, those inhumane words broke the silence. Nino involuntarily replied.

"That's right."

(But I won't compete seriously...) This thought crossed her mind.

"Good luck."

Just by saying this word, the end of the phone fell silent again, seemingly not saying anything more.

Nino opened her mouth in disbelief; it took her a long time to react, and she answered slowly.

"I, I know..."

She stared at Shinichi with confusion.

"Because they're quintuplets, it's okay to use Yotsuba's speed, right?"

Shinichi cheered for her with a serious expression on his face, "Please, it's up to you to save Class A in the second year!"

Fumino's voice sounded faintly behind her, "Your Asada-san is from Class B, right..."

Shinichi kept smiling and covered his ears.

"I-I'll stay here. If Miku has other work, I can take care of Yotsuba on her behalf."

"If Fumino stays here, I'll stay too." Rizu said.

"Okay, let's watch together, the three of us."

Itsuki and Ichika both had the same opinion. As family members, they rarely saw Nino running seriously, so they were looking forward to it.

Once the candidates were determined, Shinichi and the others left the medical service station and gathered at the best viewing spot next to the field. They, along with other parents, eagerly anticipated the upcoming competition on the field.

When the starting pistol sounded, Itsuki suddenly spoke softly:

"Asada-kun, thank you."

Shinichi almost missed his voice and asked in confusion:

"Why are you suddenly thanking me?"

"Don't you think I should thank you?" Itsuki tilted her head slightly and looked at him with a gentle smile.

"Nino as well, and Yotsuba too. You're always thinking about my family. I should thank you properly."

"...That's what I wanted to do."

Shinichi avoided that warm gaze, acting as if it were normal.

"I didn't do it to be nosy, and I didn't do it to get thanks from anyone..."

"Isn't it nice for everyone to enjoy this sports festival?"

"Is that all?" Maruo said suddenly.

"That's all." Shinichi replied casually, whether he believed it or not.

There was silence on the phone again; the other party seemed to be focused on watching the match and too lazy to talk.

"Right, this is Asada-kun's style~"

Itsuki looked happy.

Although the tone of her voice sounded admiring, Shinichi always felt that she was teasing him maliciously.

How dare a vice president act so arrogantly?

If this were an office where only two people were present, how should Itsuki be taught a lesson?

Shinichi's mind was filled with hidden dirt.

Nino wasn't the last, nor was she the first.

She was the most inconspicuous in the middle. As mentioned before, she was there just to add numbers. As long as she didn't run too slowly, it wouldn't affect the results.

"Originally, I wanted to run leisurely and rest quickly after running, but I didn't expect it to turn out like this..."

While doing warm-up exercises, she grumbled with complaint, but the corner of her mouth curved slightly.

That fool really surprised people.

Nino straightened her body and raised her head.

Suddenly, the current world became very vast.

She could see the contestants passing the relay baton in a whirlwind, and she could also see parents cheering, shouting, and recording videos by the playground.

"Really, what makes me so nervous?"

With a self-mocking joke, Nino slowly stood on the field and waited behind the relay start line after handing over to a classmate across the playground.

It was just a competitive game. She couldn't decide the outcome on her own. It wasn't a big deal.

She clearly wanted to console herself in this way, but a different kind of joy overwhelmed her. Her emotions couldn't stop it at all. Hope, joy, happiness, and peace of mind all mixed into one in her heart.

As if this competition was crucial to her, and she wanted to perform with all her might, uncontrollable tension seized her body and made her muscles stiff.