I Must Not Lose

Yotsuba stood on the edge of the track; after greeting the other contestants, she began warming up.

Having undergone extensive training, it became a reflex for her muscles. At this moment, she relinquished control of her body, focusing entirely on observing the running posture of each contestant, watching them move forward like horses.

"The fastest is... xxx seconds. If this level is used universally, her speed is about 70%..."

Muttering mocking comments, Yotsuba leaped from the ground and started regulating her breath, preparing herself fully to secure the first position with minimal effort and the most stable running method.

It wasn't necessary to be the first, but being too aggressive would worry everyone and waste Shinichi's warmth.

So, for the first time in the competition, Yotsuba engaged her brain.

Until now, she had exerted herself to the fullest, leaving no room for her opponents or herself to divert attention, fully utilizing her physical strength.

Due to the physical factor this time, if she ran at full strength, she might not endure until the last leg of the team relay competition. Yotsuba chose to devise the best plan to overcome this difficulty.

For Yotsuba, not known for clear thinking, it was relatively easy to run until she collapsed.

"If it doesn't work, just run slower at the front and speed up later!"

Yotsuba clenched her fists to console herself.

She believed she could run faster than others, but she wasn't sure if she could complete the distance unscathed.

Moreover...

As she thought about this, a sharp pain came from her lower abdomen.

Yotsuba didn't bother to observe other contestants; she frowned and focused all her attention on fighting the pain in her body.

"Hiss..."

If possible, Yotsuba would love to lie in a warm bed and get enough rest instead of standing on the cold, vast field, ready to push her body to the limit.

She was still lying to Shinichi.

Fortunately, as long as she didn't have to speak, her acting ability could rival Ichika's. So, from lunch until now, no one noticed that the pain in her body was gradually increasing, and no one realized that her determination was already trembling. Several times she considered quitting the competition and going home to rest.

"But, I must not fail to achieve success—!"

Yotsuba suppressed the surging pain.

After wiping the cold sweat from her forehead and taking a short breath, Yotsuba held her weak knees and couldn't help but force a bitter smile.

"Oh my... I didn't expect menstrual cramps to be this terrible..."

If she didn't violate all the fatigue taboos, like consuming cold drinks, exposing herself to cold wind, carrying heavy objects, and engaging in strenuous exercise, she usually felt nothing during her menstrual cycle.

And now, due to carelessness, coercion, and neglecting her body, Yotsuba exhausted herself on this cold morning. It was extraordinary to be able to run as much as she wanted without feeling the weight on her hands and feet.

"This won't work... I'll finish this run with all my strength first and then go to the health center for a short break to be ready for the team relay competition."

After making the decision, the pain in her body seemed to slightly subside, and Yotsuba took this opportunity to move her arms and legs.

"The next step is the final 200-meter run. All runners, please get ready behind the starting line."

Soon, the announcement sounded, and Yotsuba stepped onto the starting line with her opponents at a steady pace.

"Huft..."

She took a long breath, closed her eyes slightly, and tightened the red rabbit ear hairband on her head.

When she opened her eyes again, all disturbing thoughts had vanished. Only the finish line ahead remained in her sight.

"All contestants are in position, ready—"

Yotsuba bowed and firmly planted her fingers into the ground.

As the pistol sounded, she could clearly feel the strong wind blowing around her.

The joyous feeling left behind emerged as she ran effortlessly, making it seem like she was gliding swiftly.

With no one beside her, she gradually pulled away from the other competitors and rushed ahead.

"Excellent!"

Yotsuba calmed herself and planned to maintain a constant speed, reaching the finish line firmly and easily.

It was clear that only the last stretch remained, and as she ran, Yotsuba's smile stiffened and became slightly distorted.

"Ouch... It hurts... I'm going to die..."

Her regularly swinging arms couldn't resist pressing against her lower abdomen, but there was no warmth and comfort brought by her natural touch at all, even starting to affect her balance.

"My body... Wait, wait..."

Biting her lip hard, Yotsuba tried to endure the pain like before, but her steps slowed, and her whole body felt weak.

She forgot which leg stepped forward first.

"Ah..."

Yotsuba's eyes suddenly turned black, and her consciousness fell to the ground while her spirit soared high into the sky.

At that moment, she seemed to see herself lying on the track.

But the next moment, she also heard the rustling of the wind accompanied by footsteps getting closer, and that movement would overtake her anytime.

"No!"

Yotsuba's eyes widened suddenly, and the distance between the finish line and herself became clear.

She no longer cared about the pain caused by the rampage, continuing to move forward, what remained.

However, little by little, she and the contestants who managed to catch up were able to pull back.

"I must not lose... I must not lose..."

Yotsuba bit her lip, but she didn't feel much pain, just a slight rustling sensation spreading in her mouth.

In addition to the fast footsteps, it seemed like there was another sound in her head.

"Yotsuba, the red team trusts you!"

"Everyone is looking forward to your performance!"

"Let them see the strength of Shuchi'in Academy's trump card!"

"Besides, she also brought a water bottle. Why didn't she partner with the athletic team members?"

"One thing to say, no matter how good her physical fitness is, she cannot reverse the situation in the team competition. There's no need to treat her as a big demon."

Yotsuba is special, extraordinary, and highly anticipated.

If everyone has high expectations of her, she will respond to everyone's expectations.

If the red team is looked down upon by others, she will lead the red team to victory.

It's always very simple. She just wants to do what she can.

Because no one can replace her, and because she is the only one in the school who can bear this responsibility, it's only natural for her to step forward.

This is something that only Yotsuba can do, so her victory must be dedicated to everyone.

"I must not lose!"

On the final step, she lifted her chest and hit the white line at the finish line hard.

A loud whistle sounded accompanied by enthusiastic cheers.

However, as the first-place winner of the 200-meter race, Yotsuba no longer felt the excitement at this moment.

She could hardly breathe, staggering a few steps, but had no strength to stop. Finally, she gave up and let her body roll to the ground like a piece of cloth.

"Fumino, hold me!"

Before she could react, a familiar voice stopped her in front of her in a panic. Yotsuba couldn't brake at all, so she collided with her. Her face got caught in a pair of plump and elastic "cushions." and she fell diagonally.

"Pfft! Oh my, my breasts got flattened..."

The other party whined.

"N-Nino, are you okay... If you're okay, I want to say, I can't bear the burden of two people..."

Yotsuba lifted her head and looked into Nino's eyes with an expression that turned uncomfortable.

"Nino, Fumino, why..."

Nino clenched her teeth, and words escaped from between her lips.

"Initially, I wanted to capture beautiful moments for my idiot sister, but I didn't expect the accident scene to be photographed..."

"Yotsuba, is there something you want to tell me? This is very important!"

There was a threat in her closed-teeth words, and there was undisguised anger in her eyes.

At this moment, Yotsuba's head was a mess, but she couldn't think that much. However, after hearing her words, she unconsciously showed a wide smile and joyfully said:

"Nino, I won!"

"..."

Seeing her innocent and proud smile like a child, Nino opened her mouth, but she couldn't say anything full of reproach.

After a few moments, Nino pulled her hands from the pressure of her body, hugged Yotsuba tightly, ruffled her hair, and said loudly and reluctantly:

"Yeah, yeah! Excellent, idiot!"

"Ahaha~"

Yotsuba chuckled, closed her eyes, and buried her face in Nino's chest, seemingly enjoying herself.

After a few seconds, she said with a bit of shyness:

"Also, I want to go to the health center now. Can you take me there? My stomach hurts, and I feel a bit weak..."

After gently patting her forehead with her forehead, Nino said angrily:

"Are you finally admitting defeat? Huh, go straight to the medical center and let Miku mock your virtue!"

"Ehehe~~"

"Um, you two..."

At this point, Fumino supported Nino's back with her trembling arms.

"If you want to chat, can you leave me first and talk? I can't take it anymore..."

(Is this heavier than two pairs of D-hood? If your breasts are so big, your weight must have increased, right?)

(No wonder Itsuki is like this...)

Thinking about this, Fumino glanced at her chest, feeling very complicated.

△

Time rolled back a bit before Yotsuba's competition.

After making an excuse to leave the resting place, Shinichi took out his phone, clicked on the chat bar to write a message, and walked towards the sparsely populated forest park.

Behind him was Itsuki, hiding behind the shadows of a shelter and secretly following, and Ichika, whose face was full of excitement and anticipation on the screen.