Wednesday has arrived, the first day of our Hokkyokusei's three-day-long sports festival.
The opening ceremony began with a march-in, followed by radio exercises, and a speech from our school's principal. Giving the oath of sportsmanship was Shiori-senpai, looking so noble as she led the pledge with her right arm raised.
By mid-morning, we started conducting individual and group competitions, cheering our friends who joined the 50-meter and 100-meter races, as well as the ball toss, which I participated in.
"Good job out there." Hitomi-san handed me a towel after the tamaire, ball toss in the basket.
I said "Thanks," accepting the towel from Hitomi-san's hand.
"What's next" I inquired.
Hitomi-san "The next event should be the obstacle course."
"Good. I'm not in that one, so that means I still got some time before the basketball, soccer, and volleyball preliminaries."
"Just how many sports do you have?..." Mocha-san spoke out of concern, hearing how much events I was participating in.
Pondering for a second, "Well, there's the tug of war, and our relay. That should be all for today."
"Can you even handle all that?" Aria-san asked in concern, in a tone as if taunting me.
As if assuring them, "Most of the events I registered in are a bunch of group sports, so I should be able to manage as a reserve player in most of them."
Hitomi-san giggled, "Still. Don't you think it's too much?"
"Haha" I scratched the back of my head, thinking *Whose fault do you think this is.*
Actually, a week ago when the registrations first started. Hitomi-san came to me privately, bowing her head, "Yukiya-kun. Please help us win the sports festival"
When I aske why she explained that the winners of the sports event gets additional budget for the cultural festival, so it would be in our class's best interest to rack up wins in the sports festival.
At first, I was reluctant to accept her proposal, because, "I don't really want to stand out." As a shadow hero, I shouldn't draw too much attention to myself at my base form. But then Hitomi-san gave me an offer.
"Then, I'll give you fifteen percent of our budget in every sports you participated in." She offered, promising fifteen percent of our earnings will go to my costume, hinting at my phantom attire.
I grinned and coldly told her, "Do I look like someone that can be bought by money?"
"Then, twenty percent?" She revised.
"Deal" I shook her hand, promising to give everything in my power to win all the events I participate in.
Unbeknownst to me, *This way Yukiya-kun can have more exposure* the events was actually being broadcasted to our local channel and school's social media pages, which was Hitomi-san's true intentions.
Moving forward to real time,
"He he he"
"Keh keh keh"
Hitomi-san and I laughed menacingly together, with others around unaware of our under the table deal.
It's now lunch time. Kaido-kun and the others managed to pass the basketball preliminaries, while Aria-san and I managed to get last place in the three legged race.
"We would have one if your legs wasn't so short" I sneered at Aria-san, cannot get over by the way we lost.
Aria-san retorted, "You're the one who keep yanking me out of rhythm. Mr. Long legged idiot."
"What was that, shorty?"
"What? Spider legs creep."
"Now, now..." Hitomi-san tried to deescalate our constant faulting with each other. Being told to calm down, Aria-san and I turn away our faces from each other, "Hmph," pouting as to put aside the constant shifting of blame.
Just so you know, my legs are proportionally normal. Also, Aria-san was the one telling me "Faster! Faster!" breaking our synchronized counting. That's why before she could blame me, I blamed her first. That's how our dynamics have been for the past weeks or so by now.
*Really. Why did she want to partner up with me in the first place.* I sigh and mutter to myself "I don't get her at all."
Moments after, families went to their children to have lunch.
Watching all the families gathered together, I asked Aria-san,
"Where's your family?" I inquired.
"Busy." Aria-san replied.
"Figures"
"Where's yours?" She returns the question, noticing mine wasn't around either.
"At my sister's school. At Polaris"
"I see."
"...Want to go there and check out their stall?"
"Sure. Let me just notify Mei for a second."
And so Aria-san and I bounced, notifying Hitomi-san as I don't want the others to worry.
...
"Where's Aria-san and Yukiya-kun?" Mocha-san asked Hitomi-san, wondering where her two closest friend have run to.
"Oh. Yukiya-kun and Aria-san told me they'll go visit Ayaka-san. They should be here before lunch ends."
"So, at Polaris?!" Mocha-san exclaimed in surprise, leaving school grounds as there's more events we have to participate to.
*I don't know if those two are close or hate each other.* Mocha-san thought, hearing our skedaddle at Polaris. *I really don't get tsunderes*
...
Meeting up with Ayaka and our parents.
"Ayaka." I called out, noticing our parents eating together on her side.
"Brother!" Ayaka's eyes widened, not expecting her brother's visit.
My parents seems to notice my arrival as well, "So you came" my father act nonchalantly, yet surprised by my sudden visit.
"Yukiya." My mother seems to notice our presence as well, asking, "Who's that friend you got there?"
I then introduced her, "This is Aria Tamami-san. A classmate from class."
Hearing my introduction, Aria-san bowed elegantly, greeting my parents with a warm smile "Hello, Mr. and Ms. Saito. I'm Aria Tamami. Your son's class mate."
Seeing Aria-san behaving as she did the fist day she transferred, *Who in the world is talking to my parents right now?* I thought.
"Aria Tamami... Wait, could you be Aria-san? Yukiya's classmate back in Kinder Garten?"
With a warm smile, Aria-san replied, "I'm glad you remembered me."
My mother giggled "How could we forget. You did try to buy Yukiya from us. Remember?"
Staggering for a second, "I, I did. Didn't I? Haha." She laughed gracefully, hiding her embarrassment from her dark past.
As if glad to have this reunion, "You used to play with Yukiya-kun a bunch when you were little. Now look how much taller you've grown." Mom told her, feeling nostalgic. The once little girl she met in the past is now attending high school.
"She didn't grow that much taller tho." I sneered, which I got an elbow to the side from Aria-san, almost braking her elegant lady appearance.
As we ate, Aria-san and my parents catch up like some old baddies, asking things like how we are doing at our school, how their child(me) behaved in class. All the mundane stuff.
After finishing eating, Ayaka and I stood up to get some deserts. Walking at the stalls, Ayaka's classmates ambushed us.
"Ayaka-san. Who is that gentleman beside you?"
Ayaka replied, as if boasting, "He's my brother."
When Ayaka stared at me, I instantly knew the assignment.
I smiled at them warmly, "Hi, I'm Ayaka's brother. Nice to meet you."
A heart shaped arrow pierced through their hearts, being blinded by my perfectly put together smile.
Grabbing Ayaka away for a huddle, "Ayaka-san. Why did you hide such a handsome onii-san from us?"
"Yes, yes. How could you?!"
"Please tell me that brother-kun doesn't have a girlfriend."
"Ha ha ha..." Ayaka could only laughed it off, thinking *There's no way I'm handing my brother from you horny hyenas.
After that Ayaka introduced me to a bunch of her friends.
"Ayaka's big bro is so handsome."
"So handsome."
"I wish I have a big brother like you."
"Be my brother!"
I could only laughed it off, unable to match their energy.
"Haha, I don't really think I'm that handsome." After all, I still in my mob form, so i should look very mundane right now.
Getting in between me and her classmates, Ayaka excused us, "Haha... Look at the time. Big brother, isn't it about time you get going?"
"Oh, yeah. You're right. I still have the relay race to prepare to."
Ayaka dragged me away before I figure out anything about my not so mundane appearance.
Returning to where I left Aria-san and my parents. I excused ourselves, telling them we still have a bunch of events to go through.
After we left, Aria-san complained to me, "Why did you leave me alone with your parents? You know how hard it is talking to your classmate's parents that you barely even know?"
"Eh~ You should have said you wanted to come with us to have desserts. Or are you saying you can't keep up that facade of yours for very long?" I playfully teased, a bit annoyed by the way she acts like the perfect little girl in front of my parents, while trying to assassinate my character with that perfectly put together smile.
A bit pouty, "Still, it is true that it was nice to see them again..."
Staring at her pouty expression, I got reminded again how her parents weren't able to attend to something as important to family bonding as the sports festival.
"Hm. I bet they were glad to see you too" I nodded, thinking how it wasn't so bat bringing to my family after all...