Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 6 - Chapter 4.1

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Chapter 4: The Girl Named Remon Yakishio

Five days after Yanami declared hostility, today is the last day of the third term.

Emotions and time tend to flutter as if in a dream on special days like this.

Reality hasn't sunk in for me yet, even after the closing ceremony and receiving our report cards in the classroom.

My grades have been dropping since the second term. I closed the report card and looked around the classroom.

The noisy classroom gradually quieted down even without the teacher saying a word.

Amanatsu-sensei began to speak once everyone had calmed down and took their seats.

"...So, spring break starts tomorrow. You will all be second-year students when you come back."

Amanatsu-sensei's unusually serious expression and the different vibe made me straighten my back without thinking.

"Second year means tracking into arts or sciences, and there will be class changes. This is the last homeroom with your current classmates along with me."

Sensei took her time looking over all of us as if memorizing the scene from the lectern.

"But classes disband every year, and new ones form every April. You might feel anxious, but once it starts, you'll manage somehow. Remember, if you're anxious, so is everyone else. If you show compassion, it will surely be reciprocated."

-A lot has happened this year.

I barely spoke to anyone in the first term, but before I knew it, there were people around me.

There were plenty of hassles, but also a lot of fun.

"I'll always remember Class 1-C, so you guys can forget it by tomorrow. That way all of you can move on to the next step without any worries."

Even this teacher, who never remembered my face at first, now recalls my name smoothly, and it wasn't long ago that she brought an advisor to supervise our Literature Club.

Though Konuki-sensei's involvement had its pros and cons, the balance was just about positive.

After apparently finishing her heartfelt talk, Amanatsu-sensei relaxed her shoulders.

"It's my fifth time sending off students like this, but it feels a bit lonely every time, ugh…"

Amanatsu-sensei sniffed and dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

Is she crying…?

While sensei isn't exactly serious under normal circumstances, it seems that she does care about our class a lot.

Unexpectedly seeing our teacher's tears, the classroom was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere.

"Wait, this should be my sixth time, right? Or the fourth? The third year was when I left the report cards at home and got a serious lecture from the head of the year..."

Amanatsu-sensei's mutterings defused the somber mood.

Amanatsu-chan is still Amanatsu-chan in the end.

"Well, some of you will be in the same class next year, and we'll see each other in lessons, so take care of me next year too!"

With her usual energy, Amanatsu-sensei slapped the teacher's desk with the attendance book.

"Alright, that's it for homeroom! Class 1C, you are dismissed!"

It was only 11 AM when homeroom ended.

There's a class party today, so my classmates are leaving the classroom without lingering since they are not holding on to farewells.

Incidentally, I was invited. It's just that I said no. I'm being serious.

Alone in the quiet classroom, I gazed at the empty blackboard.

"It seems I've come a long way."

I blurted that out to myself.

Somehow, the once friendless me is now facing off in a handicapped 100 m race against the star of the girls' track team.

Beloved and popular, someone like her should never have any trouble with friends or boyfriends. Why did she entrust me with such a big decision?

It's a question I've pondered dozens, no, hundreds of times.

No matter how much I think about it, there's no answer, and I don't even know if there will be one at the end of a 100-meter sprint.

So, for now, all I can do is what I am able to do-

"As usual, huh, Nukumizu-kun."

Exhaustion immediately entered my body at the sound of that carefree voice.

Entering the classroom was Anna Yanami.

She looked around the classroom and then sat next to me.

"Weren't you supposed to miss the class meeting because you had something else to do, Nukumizu-kun?"

"Yeah, I have a meeting with Prez after this."

"...Hmph, you two sure look close."

Yanami's mood always sours a bit when it comes to Prez.

Well, Prez is both a scholar and a beauty, and she is admired for her dual talents. It's probably jealousy.

"Are you not going to the class meeting, Yanami-san?"

"Of course, I'm going. There's still some time left."

So she came to say goodbye in the classroom. Yanami sure has her sentimental moments.

She leaned back in her chair and stretched.

"This year went by in the blink of an eye, didn't it?"

"Yeah, it really did."

It felt long, but looking back, it passed in a flash.

Yanami lifted the front foot of the chair before speaking quietly.

"...I dreamed that everything would change when I became a high school student in Tsuwabuki, and I would live a youth like those in movies or dramas."

Her chair creaked.

"-But it doesn't always go as planned, does it?"

She said with a smile that seemed both self-mocking and resigned.

I wondered what kind of scenes Yanami had imagined for her high school life.

Probably with Hakamada by her side, studying, dating, and sometimes fighting.

"Sosuke and Karen-chan were in the same class, and at first, it was tough, but all my friends were kind, and as for you, Nukumizu-kun-"

"Eh, me?"

Suddenly, I heard a name that came up unexpectedly, and I couldn't help but ask again.

Yanami pressed on instead of answering.

"...Well, you aren't so bad, after all."

-I'm not so bad, after all.

Yanami attempted to end her first year in high school with those words, along with the tears in her eyes.

It's someone else's affair, but I can't help feeling a bit relieved.

Perhaps the tears Yanami shed weren't all for nothing.

Yanami scooted her chair closer with a clatter while I was thinking about this.

"Speaking of which, have you heard the rumor about class changes."

Rumor? I shook my head honestly, and Yanami continued with a knowing look.

“They say that couples end up in different classes."

“Oh, really?”

Yanami couldn't tell from my response that I didn't give a shit, and she kept talking.

"So, that means Sosuke and Karen-chan might end up in different classes. Those two, who have always been together, might be separated, and there's a chance I could end up in the same class as Sosuke. What do you think that means?"

"...You're not planning to steal Hakamada away, are you?"

Stop it. That's too reckless.

Unconcerned by my worries, Yanami waved her hand dismissively.

"No way, even I wouldn't do that. They're both my best friends, you know?"

"Do you really think that? Really?"

The more I hear about her "best friends" setup, the more dubious it gets…

"Listen carefully, Nukumizu-kun. I heard that 70% of high school couples break up within six months of dating."

"Eh, is that so?"

Yanami nodded seriously.

"I think those two are well-matched, and I hope it works out for them. But you know, the numbers don't lie, right? 70% do break up."

"Huh."

"Sosuke, heartbroken after splitting with his beloved. …It would be up to me, his childhood friend, to support him, right? From there, it's not impossible that a new love could bloom."

It sounds like she's considering him because he would be an easy catch when he's vulnerable.

Yanami does seem like she picks the easy targets, but now she's just looking up at the ceiling with a dreamy expression.

"But those two have been together for over half a year now. Shouldn't their relationship be stable by now?"

"...Yeah, I think it's best that the two of them remain as they are right now."

So, I guess a class change won't shake them up too much. But who knows?

Even if those two end up in different classes, it doesn't necessarily mean Yanami will be in the same class as Hakamada.

"...Right, I'm going to be switching classes too."

"Eh, you just realized?"

"No, I knew, but...lately, I've been so preoccupied with next week's challenge."

This will never end if I just pretend I don't see the problem.

Yet everyone else doesn't care about it at all as they continue moving forward.

Even Yakishio's worries will be swallowed up by the passage of time if left alone.

"...How's the training going?"

"Going well, of course. Remon-chan is in great shape."

Yanami beamed with pride as if it were her own achievement.

-2.5 seconds handicap. If I manage to finish at the average time for first-year boys, Yakishio won't win unless she beats her personal best.

Yanami's smile shows that she's confident that Yakishio will get a new best.

"As a member of Team Yakishio, I have no intention of losing."

Yanami thrusts her fist towards me.

With a wry smile, I gently bumped my fist against hers.

"Alright, please go easy on me."

The prefab by the side of the sports field has a complete set of old training equipment.

Usually, the sports teams take turns using it, but it seemed they had no plans to use it after the closing ceremony today, so Prez summoned me.

"Alright, five more times. Don't bend your knees."

"I can't lift my legs anymore."

"It's all about spirit in times like this. Your back's been floating up. Adding another three."

"Ehh…"

I laid back on the bench and lifted my legs straight.

It's a simple exercise, but it's pretty challenging because Prez adds pressure by holding down my thighs.

After finally finishing my quota and being completely worn out, Prez lightly patted my stomach.

"Okay, rest for five minutes. We'll push harder with machine training next."

Working out seriously like this is so much harder than lazily doing sit-ups at home…

According to Prez, this routine is supposedly aimed at middle-aged people who lack exercise.

I sat up on the bench and fanned my face with my hands.

"It's just as tough as when I started, but I wonder if I've gained some muscle strength."

"We've increased the load accordingly. Don't worry. The goal is to condition your body to keep it in good shape."

Prez said that while fiddling with her smartphone. She's tracking the completed exercises on an app.

My data is uploaded to the same app, so she will definitely know if I'm slacking off.

…I don't dislike this feeling of being managed.

"Thank you for arranging all of this training for me, Prez."

"Think nothing of it. I'm doing this because I like it."

Prez put away her phone and sat down next to me.

-She said she's doing this because she likes it.

She's not into me, right? That leaves one possibility.

"...Are you still worried about Yakishio, even as the student council president?"

Prez chuckled at my straightforward question.

"I won't deny it. Don't take it the wrong way, though."

"No, she is well-known in school. It would be a waste for her to quit track like this."

After a moment of silence, Prez turned to me and spoke up.

"-You've heard that I used to do track in middle school, right?"

"Ah, yeah. Basori-san told me."

"I competed with Yakishio-kun at a city tournament when I was in my second year. She was only a first-year student."

"Uh, and then…"

"If you're asking about the outcome, it goes without saying. I wasn't even a match for her."

The president said this with a wry smile, crossing her legs.

"At that tournament, she was in about five different events. She stood on the top podium for all of them."

…First place for all of them. It reminded me of what I had heard from Ayano.

Prez continued as if she was searching through her memories.

"Especially in the 1500m, I remember it caused quite a stir."

"A stir?"

"The time she posted had beaten the existing prefectural record. It was good enough to compete nationally, and all from a first-year with no track record. Eventually, it was declared a measurement error and recorded as a reference."

So, that's how far Yakishio had gone in middle school.

"But Yakishio said she never competed nationally. Did something happen?"

"...She withdrew from every event except the 100 meters at the prefectural tournament."

Prez stood up and walked over to a machine by the wall.

"Though she placed in the 100 meters, she didn't reach the podium, and that was the end of it. I haven't heard of her advancing to the nationals since then."

While adjusting the weights on the machine, she gestured for me to come over.

"I remember her vividly. I was worried she might have been injured, but that doesn't seem to be the case."

"Well, she runs whenever she has free time."

"The fact that she chose you, someone from the Literature Club and not the Track and Field Club, makes this whole situation quite intriguing."

I helped to adjust the machine and got positioned on it.

"Alright, next up is leg curls."

Leg curls involve lying face down and lifting your legs from the knees, which mainly targets the hamstrings. It's tough, and frankly, I would rather not do it.

"That was really tough the last time we did it."

"Yeah, but being tough is what gets you to really feel it, right?"

I don't share that sentiment. Still, I'm not so dense as not to understand the appeal of being pushed to do strenuous workouts by a strikingly beautiful senpai.

I sorted through what I heard from Prez as I devastated my biceps femoris.

The girls' track team captain, Kurata. Mitsuki Ayano. And Prez Hokobaru.

The stories from these three connect, and that's probably where Yakishio's troubles lie.

But facing them is something only she can do…

"-Alright, 10 reps. Think you can keep going?"

Apparently, I had already met the quota without realizing it. I let my body slump over the machine exhaustedly.

"No, my legs are about to cramp."

"Then rest, and we'll do another set. Let's push through some sit-ups during the break."

What kind of break is that? I groaned as I sat up.

Prez then started massaging my ankles with both hands.

"I haven't asked yet today. How's your ankle pain?"

"Uh…"

Now that she mentioned it, I realize the discomfort in my ankle is gone. If the first day was a ten, then-

"Zero."

Pleased with my answer, Prez smiled in satisfaction.

"Good. Tomorrow morning at 7:00, let's meet on the field."

Not only was Prez there, wrapped in a bench coat, but Teiara-san and the student council treasurer, Sakurai-kun, were also there. And-

"Onii-sama! Please look this way!"

Somehow, even Kaju had heard about it.

Holding fans in both hands, she was jumping around, which was one thing, but the phrases on the fans, "Please look here" and "You make my heart skip a beat", were something else.

"Nukumizu-san, could you move a bit to the side? Aesthetically, it looks more natural for you to be on the left side next to Prez."

Then, Teiara-san, acting as the photographer, was pointing a DSLR camera with a lens as big as a club at us. Where did she even bring that from?

"...Is that lens really necessary? It looks like it could capture our pores."

"No, Prez is so beautiful that she doesn't have any pores."

Teiara-san stated this matter-of-factly. I didn't say anything since she gets scary upon being retorted.

Prez finished talking to the timer Sakurai-kun and waved me over.

"Nukumizu-kun, let's start if you have finished warming up. Begin whenever you're ready."

"Ah, yes."

My foot doesn't hurt, and my body feels lighter compared to 2 weeks ago.

Still, I wonder how much my time will improve after focusing on strength training…

I walked to the starting point and looked back at the student council group plus one.

Kaju waving her fan and Teiara-san with her huge lens stand out a lot.

...Right, she said I could start whenever I liked.

I took a deep breath, crouched down, and dashed forward.

Feeling their gazes, I sprinted across the finish line and then kneeled to catch my breath.

"What was the time...?"

I asked while gasping for breath, and Sakurai-kun showed the stopwatch with a smile.

"-15.2 seconds."

...That's a significant improvement from my personal best of 16.5 seconds! As I leaned in to get a better look at the stopwatch-

Kaju suddenly jumped on me with enthusiasm.

"Onii-sama, that was amazing!"

"Kaju will wipe your sweat! Are you thirsty? Kaju will give you a full body massage, and when we get home, Kaju shall join you in the bath and sing you a lullaby-"

"Kaju, let's calm down and take a deep breath. Okay, breathe in, breathe out-"

"Okay, breathe in, breathe out-"

After ensuring that she calmed down with deep breathing, I turned back to Prez, who was looking pleased with her arms crossed.

"...Uh, why did my record improve even though I haven't been running much?"

"It goes without saying. At the measurement half a month ago, you were running out of stamina mid-way. You were practically walking towards the end."

Eh, really? I thought I was running quite coolly in my mind.

"Today was the first time you've actually run the full 100 meters. You're like a newborn fawn. From now on, you'll get faster whether you like it or not."

Getting faster- Prez's words tightened my resolve.

From a man who couldn't even run 100 meters, I've evolved into a newborn fawn with no blind spots.

"Shall we measure another run right away?"

"No, this was the last time we'll time you."

...What? I froze in surprise, and Prez placed her hand on my shoulder reassuringly.

"Our goal is to have you in the best shape on the day of the competition. Getting too caught up in the numbers along the way can lead to unexpected downturns."

"But is it okay not to know how much I've improved?"

"Yes, I have a plan."

Prez slowly unzipped her bench coat and flung it off in one swift motion.

Teiara-san's scream-like cheer and the sound of camera shutters filled the air.

"Prez, that outfit is-"