Sports Festival (part 5)

Afternoon, Seika HS, courtyard, start line.

"Let's explain the rules. From the starting line 50m ahead, there are the sacks of costumes to choose. Please get the entire sack without looking inside. Another 50m ahead there is the changing tent. There you can finally look into the picked sack and know what's inside it. Get changed in the dark, run around the track once and head to the finish line. The catch of the game is choose a costume you can put on within a short time. All the participants, please take your positions at the starting line." (Takashi)

The costume race was about to start with Hajimoto announce the rules with his microphone. Misaki and Takumi were already on the line waiting for the start. Obviously, Takumi was in the spotlight since he was the fastest runner of class 2-2 as his classmates on the sidelines were crying inside their mind because he chose to take part into the most undesirable event.

"Then, on your mark..." (Member of P.E. Committee)

'Paang!'

And the race began. Misaki was running with less rush of before, but she already got a big distance between her and the other participants within 3 seconds. Really the slowest of their class uh...

They were struggling to run as fast as they could but their gap was becoming wider. When Misaki took a look behind her, she was speechless since she didn't expect such difference. When she was thinking about the fate of this event, a voice came from ahead.

"Hey, Prez! Come on, come on. Which one will you choose?" (Takumi)

A Takumi, with an amused expression, was waiting her between the hanging sacks. 'He was really enjoying it too much.' That thought surfaced Misaki and Tadao's mind while he witnessing that embarrassing race.

She quickly arrived between the hanging sacks and began search to choose one of them. She took some time because she couldn't tell what kind of costume was inside. Before the rest of participant reached them, she picked one up and went straight in the changing tent where was pitch black inside. And not long after, Takumi followed inside. Meanwhile, Tadao was laughing as fu** in his head while he was wearing a false bright smile while he was mounting a tripod with his trusty camera.

"What're you doing with that pole, Tadao-san?" Asked a student behind Tadao when he discovered him mounting that tripod. Even the rest of students near him were confused since it was the first time he took out a tripod at school. Tadao was quite known in the school because he often gave advices and information of any kind like where there were 'clearance sales of old treasures' or some 'hint' about next test.

Tadao was in the crowds of spectators while he was watching the race since he didn't have anything to do in this race due to lack of dangerous factors.

"Just stabilizing my camera for the shots." Said Tadao without turn behind him where there were only confused faces. They didn't understand why Tadao wanted record that boring event.

Meanwhile the first participant with his costume on went out from the changing tent. His costume was a slip, a pair of flippers and a scuba mask. Just the portion of his face that could be seen, you could tell he was suffering inside but he was trying to hid it.

After that, the participants went out one after another wearing extravagant costumes. However, Misaki and Takumi who entered first still didn't went out. Suddenly, a 'maid' went out startling all viewers. That costume was composed by a green aline dress with banded sleeves and collar, a white hair hoop, a white long pinafore tied by a long white tape with a green line along and near its edge and knotted as a ribbon on hid back and a long blue tape knotted in the same way tied on the collar of the dress. And Tadao pressed the button of his digital camera to record that scene.

"Hey, look over there." (???)

"A girl?" (???)

"Who's that maid?" (Student of class 2-2)

"Yukimura?!" (A member of student council)

Yes, Yukimura was running while wearing a maid costume. He was running while holding the long skirt of his dress to keep from stumble. He was showing a serious expression trying his best to run with that outfit.

"He looks good in it." (Gouda)

"Actually, isn't it more well made than others?" (Tsuneo)

"Is that a costume the school prepared?" (???)

"Hey, why are brushing? Do you think he's cute, don't you?" (???)

"Ah! No way!" Answered a student of class 2-3. Some of viewers were brushing for some 'unknown' reasons seeing Yukimura in maid outfit. Meanwhile, Tadao unmounted his tripod and shook his head before leaving the scene without be noticed. He knew how would become the situation so he went away before getting involved. He couldn't change human nature and couldn't become someone able to do such.

"Maybe he prepared it himself, trying to stand out." (???)

"Ah ah, that's impossible." (???)

"Who knows." (???)

"Eh, what are you saying?" (Shōichirō)

"You want say things like 'I looks good in a maid outfit', right?" (???)

"Oh, so that's what it is." (???)

"Trying to add a flower to this race, eh?" (???)

"It's not..." (Shōichirō)

"How considerate." (???)

Yukimura stopped running when he heard the public's statements and tried to negate them, but the following answers made him felt more embarrassed than before in that outfit

Everyone was having fun of him. They're bored. The crowd is always unified and who want stand out and go against the flow will be always under the judgment of the majority. That doesn't mean it can become a excuse to go against the society.

Meanwhile, a discussion was heating up inside the changing tent. And obviously, Tadao had already put a bug near to listen it.

"... a costume, you'll be disqualified." (Takumi)

"Now it isn't the time for that!" (Misaki)

"It's inevitable. Yukimura's just like that and he's working hard due his first time in the event. But the rest are not that serious in the race. They aren't determined to get the prize. You can't blame those who're not athletic to have such thoughts. It's natural that a race composed of participants without motivation isn't fun. In such environment, one person standing out would became just a target." (Takumi)

"... In other words, they can't have fun without teasing those who are taking the race seriously?!" (Misaki)

'Rustles'

"I won't let that happen." (Misaki)

After the last sentence, many rustles of clothes came from the Bluetooth headset on Tadao's right ear. He bet his cousin was smiling. He didn't dare place a camera inside because this time he could be really murdered if he will be caught by Prez.

On the track, a senior of class 3-4 was leading the race with the typical costume of a ghost. However, he had just more endurance than the other participants.

Meanwhile, Yukimura returned to racing under many malicious comments. Even if he was in the rear, he was still trying his best. That will, that attitude, that trust was reacting to something but suppressed by another.

"Ah." Suddenly, Yukimura fell down stumbling upon his long skirt. That fall drew the attention of the crowds. About the teachers, most of them were relaxing in their office and the few who were overseeing the event were taking a small coffee/tea break.

"Are you okay, maid-san?" (???)

"Maybe you took wrong measurements when you made your maid outfit?" (???)

"Kkhh..." (Shōichirō)

""""Hahahahahahaha."""" (Students/Spectators)

"He looks really flustered." (Student 2 of class 2-4)

"This is hilarious." (Student 1 of class 2-4)

"Eh?" (Student 3 of class 2-4)

Suddenly from the back of the track, a figure walked towards Yukimura until 'his' shadow was projected upon Yukimura. That figure was a 'pirate' with a saber on 'his' side. 'His' outfit included a typical black eyepatch, a red bandana wore in 90s style but letting 'his' frontal hair untied, a thin, long white scarf, a short, red, asymmetrical cape, a pair of trouser tightened at waist and ankle level, a black undershirt and some bandages tied on 'his' exposed, left arm.

"Are you okay?" (???)

"!" (Shōichirō)

"Stand up, Yukimura." (???)

Hearing someone call him, Yukimura turned his face to the source of that familiar voice behind him. It was a that familiar figure who has always help him with his paperwork, the person he respect most, the always-caring President of the Student Council who now stretched out a hand to him as a illusory ray of hope descend upon both of them. "Let's run together." Said her.

"Hey, who's that?" (???)

"C-cool! It's look like a true cosplay." (???)

"Ah, look! Another one's coming." (Student 3 of class 2-4)

"Usui-san?!" (Tetsuo/Student 4 of class 2-2)

Takumi was heading towards Yukimura and Misaki wearing his 'wild' outfit: a long, dark purple bandana around his head as a headband that lifted his hair with its two loos ends tied on his left side, a deep blue shirt with its sleeves ripped off, a bandana tied around his right wrist of the same color, a long, thin, light purple uwagi with its right part, left sleeve and all edges ripped off, a cotton belt of the same color tied on his right side and a pair of blue navy cotton trousers. He looked like a pirate/Misaki's underling.

"Their costumes are on an entirely different level!" (???)

"Wait up, Kaichou." (Takumi)

"""Kaichou!?""" (Students of class 2-2, 2-4, 1-5, 3-4 and 3-1)

Misaki's costume covered most of her figure, so only few of spectators could guess her identity, mostly member of Student Council. Furthermore, her hair held by her bandana and her scarf was covering part of her face.

"Why are those two so serious in the costume race?!" (???)

"Is there anything about being serious?" (Misaki)

"No-." (???)

"Not at all." (???)

'For a moment... she looked so... handsome.' (Some students)

Turning towards the crowds, Misaki showed her serious but cool glance as Takumi was looking at same direction behind her with a happy and lively look. In that moment, a light wind blew through them and Misaki's scarf and loose part of clothes lifted up and swayed.

"Why don't we all finish last together?" (Takumi)

"You should at least run." (Misaki)

"Prez, you're doing cosplay perfectly." (Takumi)

"Just shut up and run!" (Misaki)

That scene gave her an pseudo-ikemen look for a moment before she, Takumi began walk to the finish line.

"Umm..." (Shōichirō)

""Mmh?"" (Misaki and Takumi)

"Thank you very much." (Shōichirō)

Yukimura tried to gain Misaki and Takumi's attention and thanked them with a grateful and almost crying look once they turned their head towards him. In return, they smiled warmly and happily. After that, they ran to finish the race keeping Yukimura's speed.

In the end, Misaki and Takumi have been disqualified because they mixed several costumes together.