The two girls were nearly the same height, though their figures differed noticeably.
Kaoru studied their calves—both wore athletic shorts, their perky bottoms enticingly snug beneath the fabric.
Their black knee-high socks tightly outlined the slender curves of their legs, a sight both delicate and alluring.
Upon closer inspection, however, their thighs were clearly different.
Mei yu Wang was slightly more slender, while Kushida Kikyo carried a hint of plumpness, even revealing a glimpse of the tender skin along her inner thighs.
Facing his gaze, the two girls reacted subtly.
Mei yu Wang lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze.
"Hehe, what do you think, Mitoma-kun?" Kushida seemed completely unbothered, placing her hands behind her back and leaning slightly forward, her chest prominently displayed before Kaoru.
A devilish smile played on her lips.
"I don't mind, but I'm not very familiar with the three-legged race. I can't guarantee you'll win first place."
For some reason, whenever he saw her chest now, Kaoru couldn't help but think of Horikita Suzune.
"Winning first place would be ideal, of course, but Mei and I are aiming for second or third—just a decent ranking would be enough." Kushida paused, glancing up to gauge his expression.
"Besides, I don't know who else to ask. Won't you help us, Mitoma-kun?"
By the end, her voice had softened into a pitiful plea.
Though he knew Kushida was putting on an act, Kaoru's heartbeat quickened involuntarily.
Humans were naturally drawn to beauty, especially when a cute girl spoke in such a soft tone.
"Fine, I'll practice with you." Kaoru caught sight of Ike Kanji and the other boys glaring at him with envy, while whispers spread among the girls.
Just like Sakayanagi Arisu's earlier actions, Kushida was now reinforcing her connection with Kaoru in front of everyone, making them subconsciously assume there was something special between them.
Not only that, but Kushida could also help fend off some troublesome situations—like confessions and advances from certain boys.
Thus, Kushida was quite pleased.
She had no intention of snatching anything away, but she wanted to secure her rightful place—the position she deserved.
As Kushida's good friend, Mei yu Wang might not fully grasp her thoughts, but she could sense her mood.
After studying in Japan for so long, she had learned to read the atmosphere.
"Great! Mitoma-kun, let's practice over in that corner, okay?" Kushida beamed, as if merely guiding Kaoru, and naturally took his hand, leading him toward a less crowded area.
Kaoru glanced in Kamuro's direction, hesitating to speak.
The latter coldly turned her face away, while Sakayanagi gave him a gentle smile.
On the other side, Karuizawa frowned in displeasure and was about to follow when Horikita suddenly approached her, asking to practice the three-legged race together.
"Can't you find someone else to practice with?"
"I've tried. Onodera-san and Mori-san couldn't keep up with me."
"Tch, what a pain."
Given Horikita's rising status in the class, Karuizawa couldn't easily refuse and reluctantly agreed to practice with her.
Still, her gaze kept drifting toward Kaoru.
Soon, she saw Kaoru and Kushida already tying their legs together, standing close in an intimate manner.
Karuizawa bit her lip, recalling Kaoru's words to her.
Her chest tightened with unease, and a flicker of anger rose within her.
After saying all that to her, how could he just play around with another girl?
Was this what he called taking responsibility?
"Karuizawa-san, please take this seriously." Horikita Suzune frowned, noticing Karuizawa's distracted expression with a stern look.
"I am serious. You're moving too fast," Karuizawa replied airily.
"The three-legged race is a cooperative game. When I move, you have to move too—that's teamwork." Suzune observed Karuizawa's gaze lingering on Kaoru Mitoma but didn't dwell on it.
After all, Suzune couldn't care less about who Kaoru ended up with.
Karuizawa reluctantly tried to keep up, but Suzune's pace was so brisk that she nearly stumbled several times.
In contrast, Kaoru and Kushida coordinated perfectly, smoothly crossing the finish line on their first attempt.
"Ehehe, Mitoma-kun is really amazing, finishing the race so effortlessly on the first try."
Since it was a three-legged race, Kushida had no choice but to press close to Kaoru.
Out of breath, she clung tightly to his arm.
"I think it's because you matched me well," Kaoru muttered, a shiver running down his spine.
Their flawless coordination could only mean trouble ahead.
"No, Mitoma-kun's rhythm was just right—patiently waiting for me to catch up. It felt like you cared more about my comfort than winning." Kushida giggled shyly before lowering her voice.
"So? How does it feel to have a girl clinging to you in front of everyone? Pretty nice, huh?"
She glanced at his reaction.
Ever since realizing she could affect him too, Kushida had grown increasingly smug.
So what? She could tease him just as well, make him squirm too.
The thought of how he always reduced her to a trembling mess fueled her determination to pay him back double—she refused to be the only one flustered.
Yet, Kaoru suppressed his reaction.
"Because Kikyo-chan is adorable. If I let you fall, I'd regret it forever."
He lowered his gaze, his eyes softening as he looked at her, his voice a whisper that tickled her ear.
In an instant, Kushida's body grew warm, her cheeks flushing crimson at the faint smile playing on his lips.
This guy was deliberately using that tender tone with her name—how underhanded.
Still, she didn't push him away.
Instead, she beamed.
"Asking Mitoma-kun for help was the right choice. Want to go again?"
She planned to fake a stumble, but Kaoru sensed her devious scheme instantly.
"We can take it slow. The most important thing is teamwork. No matter how well we do, your final partner is Mei-yu Wang, right?"
He glanced at Mei-yu Wang, who had been standing nearby.
Petite with twin tails, she exuded youthful energy, her slightly bashful face giving off a girl-next-door vibe.
Come to think of it, she resembled Shiranami Chihiro a little.
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