Chapter 4 Part III

Various kinds of practice piled up day after day and at last, there was only one week left to go until the sports festival. Today we must submit our participation table and decide on the participants of each event. As Hirata stood on the platform, Kushida faces the blackboard and holding the chalk she puts all the preparations into order. 

"Then from now, I'd like to decide on the final pairings for all events and contests".

He spoke based on the notes containing the daily records of the class, the best pairings as discussed by the class and the order incorporating the winning strategy. Then everyone memorized their own roles in the contests and the order. 

There wasn't a single student who objected to this outcome that was based on their feats up until now. They all proceeded without bickering. 

"---for the 1200 meter relay at the end, the anchor will be Sudou-kun then".

"Sounds reasonable".

I could respect that as a combination that took into account the individual's skill as well as respecting their wishes. In the last prominent event, the relay, it's the fast students like Horikita that comprise the lineup. 

In all likelihood, a more ideal combination could not be thought up by the other students. However, the dweller in the seat next to mine was for some reason continuing to stare at the blackboard with an unconvinced expression. 

Right after the discussion ended smoothly, Horikita stood up from her seat. As I wondered where exactly she was headed off to, it turned out to be in front of Sudou's seat.

I became curious and eavesdropped. 

"What's the matter?".

"There's something I want to talk about. Can you come with me?".

"S-Sure".

Sudou, having been called out like that, hurriedly stands up. 

"Also Hirata-kun, may I have some of your time as well?".

Horikita, who started walking off right afterwards, for some reason also called out to Hirata and called him towards the rear of the classroom. Sudou, who must have been surprised for a moment there, quickly became disappointed. 

"I have one thing to discuss regarding the participation table we decided on earlier. It's about the 1200 meter relay that will take place at the end of the sports festival. I'd like you to hand over the anchor position to me".

Sudou showed momentary confusion in response to that unexpected assertion. 

"No, but...The anchor is usually handled by the fastest one right? Or are you uneasy with having me as the anchor?".

Between boys and girls, there is a fundamental difference in regards to physical abilities. Horikita is indeed fast amongst the girls but if she were to be mixed with the boys group, then she wouldn't be able to beat even Hirata. 

It's natural that Sudou, who's equal to or faster than Hirata, should be the anchor. Sudou had also obviously thought he would be doing it and probably couldn't accept it right away. 

"No, that's not it. From practice, I understand well your abilities".

"Then it's fine if it's me right? If it's the 5th runner then.....".

"It's not like I don't have a reason. You're good with the starting dash too, Sudou-kun. In that case, I thought having you be the 1st runner and cast aside our opponents would be a viable strategy.

By having you take the vanguard we can keep the lead and carry the match advantageously. If it's an individual race, by creating a starting handicap it's possible to protect your lane but when it comes to a relay that won't fly. Starting from the 2nd runner it'll be on a first-come-first-served basis and it's permitted to take a course of your choosing right? And in the case that we get overtaken, it's specified in the rules that starting from the 2nd runner onwards, we are permitted to use the outer lanes to overtake them".

In other words, Horikita would like to set Sudou as the 1st runner for an outrun strategy. 

"But.....".

But it doesn't seem Sudou's been convinced. In regards to this I'm of the same opinion too. Certainly if one can pull off the starting dash well then starting from the 2nd runner onwards, their sprint would become easier. I understand this. However, just because he'll be taking the vanguard doesn't mean him being able to shake off the opponents is guaranteed. On the contrary, by using up Sudou here, the situation where the opponents close the gap bit by bit later would also pressure the subsequent runners. 

On the other hand, by keeping Sudou as the anchor, there's the possibility that he'll be able to bring out more power than usual in the final leg. If there are targets in front of him to chase after, that just means he'll have that much more fighting spirit in him. 

"The anchor is usually left to the guy who's fastest in the team right?".

"This is a meritocratic school. It's no good to decide based on assumptions and preconceptions. The other classes should also be thinking of various strategies".

I can understand where both of them are coming from but in this case, I felt Horikita is being slightly overbearing. There are many mental problems but basically there's not much difference when it comes to orders.

Being clumsy in the starting dash and not being able to properly pass on the baton, such things won't have much influence on anything other than the technical side. 

However, be it Horikita or Sudou, I get the impression they'll be able to perform well in that regard. 

If so, then it means there's another reason why Horikita wishes to be the anchor. If it's Ike or Yamauchi, it could simply be that they want to stand out, but that's hard to imagine here. Then in that case---

"I will definitely produce better results than in practice".

Ultimately, Horikita brought forth a gut feeling without any basis and made her request. 

"I can't agree. It's not like you, Horikita".

This proposal was a mysterious one, to the extent it made Sudou cut in like that. 

"Umm...can I say something?".

Perhaps she got curious about the discussion, Kushida reservedly joined in. 

"Ahh, sorry. I overheard a bit. And that's why I thought maybe there's some other reason why Horikita-san wants to be the anchor".

"That is---".

"If that's the case then would you mind telling us? I don't think neither I nor Sudou-kun are rejecting it meaninglessly. But if we're going to be changing the order decided on by everyone in the class then I'd like to hear a proper reason".

"I agree with Hirata. Please give us a proper reason".

Horikita made a complicated face. But perhaps she thought the only way to obtain the anchor position was to speak the truth, she began to speak of her reason. 

"Because I think my brother...is the anchor...".

"Your brother, that's.....the student council president.....".

"Yes. He's my brother".

It's the student council president whose existence everyone is aware of but not everyone made the connection from the surname Horikita. 

It's by no means an uncommon surname, and even as we vaguely imagined it to be so the reason why we did not pursue it was because Horikita herself did not say anything and also because in outer appearance alone they were not that alike. 

All three of them showed surprised expressions at that fact. 

"You want to become the anchor alongside your brother, is that it?".

Kushida heard her reason but just by that alone, it doesn't seem like she understood. However, Horikita did not speak any further of her personal affairs. I decided to extend a bit of a helping hand to her. 

"A lot of things happened and they're currently estranged. She probably wants an opportunity to reconcile with him".

It was easy to understand, and I must praise myself for being able to add a line like that which was neither the truth nor a lie. 

For a moment, Horikita glared at the eavesdropping me but immediately turned back towards Sudou and the others. 

"I was wondering what's the matter all of a sudden but that's how it is then.....as for me, I still want to be the anchor even now but if that's the case then I don't mind handing it over to you".

"I think it's also fine. If Sudou-kun's satisfied, I'm sure everyone in the class will be fine with it too, won't they?".

"That's right. Got it, then I'll submit it after swapping Horikita-san and Sudou-kun. Will that be fine?".

"Thank you...".

Certainly if not for an opportunity like this, it wouldn't be possible for Horikita and her brother to come into close contact like this. 

Even if she lacks the courage to make contact with him herself, if it's a contest, then they'll be forcibly brought close together anyways. However, this decision of Horikita's won't necessarily be rewarded. Just by approaching that stubborn brother, I couldn't imagine something would happen after all.