"NEXT EVENT!"The announcement echoed through the school field like the voice of a perverted god.
"Balloon Between Bodies Race!Partners must trap a balloon between their chests and carry it across the field—NO hands allowed! If it drops… restart!"
Ren blinked at the board in horror.
"This is illegal."
Asuka clapped. "This is amazing."
ROUND 1: Ren × Asuka
Asuka stood in front of him, holding the balloon.
"Ready, lover boy?"
"N-not particularly."
She placed the balloon on his chest. Stepped close. Closer. Too close.
Their faces were inches apart. Breaths mingling.
"You're tense," she whispered."You're touching me with everything except your hands.""That's the point."
The whistle blew.
Ren tried to focus.
But Asuka?
She pressed in harder with each step. Her smirk never faded.
"You're kinda warm," she whispered again.
"You're basically melting into me!" he yelped.
They crossed the finish line first.
"Victory kiss?" she teased.
"Emergency ice bath," he muttered.
Yui × Haruka
They tried.
They failed.
Yui tripped. Haruka caught her. Their balloon exploded.
Yui: "Why do I feel like this is your fault?"
Haruka: "Because your ego can't handle physics."
Yui: "I will fight you after this."
Emi × Mei
The calm duo.
Graceful, steady.
Until a bump in the grass caused Mei to stumble and—
—face first into Emi's chest.
Everyone went silent.
Mei: "…"
Emi: "…"
Mei: "I'd apologize, but… that wasn't the worst moment of my day."
Emi, cheeks burning: "Please… shut up…"
They restarted. Won. And never spoke of it again.
Rika × Class 2-B's Hot Guy
Rika looked bored.
Hot Guy: "I'm really nervous…"
Rika: "Don't talk. Just suffer."
They raced. She won. He cried.
Post-race break.
Ren slumped under the tent, fanning himself with a brochure.
"I can't survive four more days of this…"
Asuka flopped beside him, stretching like a cat.
"Enjoyed our chest bonding experience?"
"I'm having heart palpitations."
Yui approached, drink in hand. "Drink this."
He took it, confused.
"Thanks… wait, is this—"
"Salt water. Helps with cramps."
"Oh. Thanks—"
"Also tastes like your mistakes."
She walked away.
Haruka sat on the bench nearby, tying her hair in silence.
Emi handed Ren a towel.
Mei passed by without a word—but her pinky brushed his.
And Rika?
She simply winked. "You're lucky I wasn't your partner today."
"I'd like to stay lucky, thanks."
And somewhere in the crowd…
Someone was watching all of it.
A girl not yet introduced.
She smiled.
"So this is him. Hm… interesting."