Twenty minutes later.
The first round of 100-meter races concluded, with all 53 groups across the three grades completing their runs under the spectators' watchful eyes.
In the center of the stadium stood a giant display screen showing the real-time scores of both the Red and White Teams:
Red Team (Class A and D Alliance): 1701 points
White Team (Class B and C Alliance): 1300 points
These scores weren't surprising.
The school selected students based on specific evaluation criteria, with higher-ranked classes possessing better baseline capabilities.
While other classes might have a few athletically gifted students, Class A stood out with an abundance of such talent.
The only exception was the second-year Class A — Miyabi's class. Having been promoted from Class B, it maintained slightly lower standards and had the smallest number of students in their year.
This could have been a disadvantage, but since it was Miyabi's class, prior arrangements ensured the point distribution wouldn't suffer. Hence the impressive scores.
Meanwhile, after learning from Mio about Kakeru's potential moves, Houtarou had made his preparations.
As he returned, he noticed a pink-haired girl from Class C running toward him, her plain twin-tails bouncing as she caught her breath.
It was Airi.
"Um... um..." She had clearly just finished her first event, still panting from the exertion.
Hands on her knees, she looked up at him hopefully.
"Oreki-kun, did... did you see me run?"
Though Houtarou had been too busy making arrangements to watch her race, he knew that for someone as shy and introverted as Airi to ask such a question, she must have accomplished something meaningful.
He'd often spotted her during his visits to see Suzune — a determined figure on the track who, despite her slow pace, never gave up. That was Airi, always pushing forward.
"You did well." Houtarou said, "Congratulations."
"Mm-hmm." Airi pressed her hand to her chest, visibly relieved.
Her circle of friends at school was small — limited to him, Suzune, Kikyō, and her new friend Haruka.
Houtarou, never one to judge superficially, wouldn't criticize her physical abilities. After all, everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, and being chosen for this school meant each student possessed their own unique qualities.
Plus, she was an idol, and even without that status, she had an endearing quality about her — rather like a small pet.
He'd left his cat with Arisu and helped Kei bring her hamster to school, but when it came to pets, Airi seemed the most fitting comparison.
"O-Oreki-kun?" Airi noticed his distant gaze.
"Ah, it's nothing. Though the next event is going to be troublesome." Houtarou said.
According to the nine event order: After the 100-meter race came the hurdles.
"Ah…" For Airi, this was going to be hell.
Running was already challenging enough, but hurdles — those were truly impossible for her.
While Class B's privileged students might choose to hold back or forfeit, the less athletic students of Class C had no choice but to participate.
Without participating, they'd receive zero points and end up in last place regardless.
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Despite sympathizing with Airi, Houtarou made his way back to the Red Team's tent after his break.
As a member of the Red Team's A-D alliance, marked by his red headband, he had his own area to return to. His encounter with Airi from the White Team had been merely coincidental.
"Next up is the hurdle race. First group of boys, please take your positions—"
The brief rest period concluded, and the event schedule pressed forward.
Houtarou found himself assigned to the second group for hurdles, with Ryūji from Class B in the adjacent lane.
"I watched your running." Ryūji said.
He excelled both academically and athletically.
During Houtarou's visit to the soccer club looking for Miyabi, he'd met Ryūji and his classmate Sō on the field. Anyone who regularly played soccer would naturally be quick, with the ability to evaluate others' athletic capabilities.
"But Oreki-kun, you weren't giving it your all."
Holding back, was it?
"What makes you say that?"
The first group of eight first-year boys had begun their race, with Ken maintaining his lead. Even with hurdles, his extraordinary athletic ability let him keep a 10-meter advantage over the others.
His performance drew appreciative applause from the onlookers.
"Yōsuke Hirata from Class C initially joined the soccer club." Ryūji explained, "But he withdrew due to problems with his classmates. Their relationships were strained, with frequent arguments, so he gave up the club to help mediate their conflicts."
Ah. That explained Yōsuke's difficulties. He'd taken on the burden of managing his classmates' disputes.
Of course. This also showed that for him, his classmates were important, even more important than his club activities.
If Class C were to lose a member, Yōsuke would likely break down and act in unpredictable ways.
Given that several students in Class C — Suzune, Kei, Airi, and Kikyō — were connected to Houtarou, he knew they needed to monitor the situation carefully to keep them safe from any fallout.
As Houtarou pondered this, he considered the double-edged nature of Precognitive Dreams. On one hand, they revealed future relationships and helped distinguish friends from foes.
On the other hand, they felt like shackles. Knowing in advance how relationships would develop — such as an enemy becoming a future wife — created emotional complications. Should one maintain hostility toward a future spouse? The very thought seemed absurd.
The future remained unwritten, and the present still offered choices. Yet somehow, not making those choices felt like inviting regret. He found himself passively accepting what was to come.
Kikyō had helped Houtarou realize his own flaws. Though he could turn to his sister for help with many things, these complex teenage dilemmas weren't something he could discuss with her.
Lost in these thoughts, he remembered the Class B student still awaiting his response.
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