Maybe it was just his imagination, but today, Kasumigaoka Touji noticed something… peculiar. Eriri Spencer Sawamura kept glancing at him during class. Not once or twice—but several times.
Strange…
Touji blinked, puzzled. Had he done anything recently to warrant this sudden attention? No teasing, no bold comments, nothing that would catch a tsundere's eye. Or so he thought.
...
Before he could think any more about it, the day marched onward like a battle shounen time skip—and soon, it was time for physical education class.
Now, PE in Japan isn't just a filler episode in the anime of high school life—it's a full-blown arc. It's meant to build strength, healthy habits, and team spirit. No random subs will steal it for make-up tests or kanji drills. Nope. PE is sacred.
And speaking of sacred… there was the PE uniform.
The boys' version? Basic and practical.
The girls' version? Let's just say... somewhere out there, a suspiciously eager committee of "traditionalists" must've thought red bloomers and white tops with red trim were still appropriate in the Reiwa era.
(As shown in the attached images, not usre which is best though.)
"Seriously… what kind of baka thought this was a good idea?" Touji muttered under his breath, side-eyeing the spectacle unfolding on the track.
Under the blazing sun, pairs of fair—or sun-kissed—legs shimmered like limited-edition figurines. Unfortunately, real life isn't always like an anime. Bowlegs, inward-turned feet, and even thicker-than-expected leg hair made appearances.
Yet…
There were some rare SSR-level exceptions—
"Whoa... Sawamura-san's legs are, like, flawless…!"
"Porcelain-white, super straight, no blemishes at all… that's insane."
"She looks so soft and huggable, like a premium dakimakura…!"
"O-Oi, aren't you being kinda sketchy?"
"Eh? Don't you think so too, baka?"
"W-Well… yeah... but still!"
"Akizuki-san's got crazy figure stats too! Her calves are long, and her thighs have that juicy aesthetic… plus that gyaru vibe, mega spicy."
"Totally, totally!"
"Honestly, Class G has better waifus than Class B. Fight me."
"FACTS!"
A group of boys huddled nearby like they were plotting a cultural festival event, eyes darting between girl groups like they were collecting data for a waifu tier list. Predictably, their shady gazes earned glares from some of the more sharp-eyed girls.
Kasumigaoka Touji, as well as a few other rational NPCs in the scene, quietly distanced themselves from the pervy peanut gallery.
Just then—
A new character appeared.
A rugged middle-aged man strolled over, built like a shounen anime gym teacher with a tracksuit to match, a whistle bouncing at his chest, clipboard in hand, and arms crossed like an S-rank mentor.
"Are you all from First Year Class G and Class B?" he asked in a deep, thunderous voice.
"Yes, sensei!" responded the Sports Committee Members, saluting with school-life energy.
In Japanese schools, it was common to combine two classes for PE sessions. Today's crossover episode featured Class G (Touji's class) and Class B.
The man gave a firm nod. "I'm your PE teacher, Takashi Kenji! From today, I'll be supervising both classes!"
"Now! Form up in lines—girls on the right, boys on the left, six per row, shortest in front. Let's hustle!"
The students shuffled into place with well-practiced coordination. Formation complete, Takashi-sensei scanned the group like a boss eyeing his guild members—and his eyes landed on someone very off-script.
It was Gotou Hitori.
He'd been informed by their homeroom teacher ahead of time—Class G had a legendary shut-in. A reclusive NEET in a tracksuit who refused to wear her uniform or even gym clothes.
Takashi-sensei furrowed his brow.
"If you don't wanna stand out, wouldn't it make more sense to just blend in!? Tracksuits every day? Girl, you're practically waving a 'Look at me, I'm different!' flag!"
Still, when his gaze accidentally made her flinch like a startled woodland creature, trembling visibly like she'd seen the Grim Reaper himself, he quickly looked away.
"Yare yare daze…"
Gotou Hitori, relieved to be spared the spotlight, sidled closer to her only known companion—Mayonaka Kokonoka.
Standing at 156 cm and 155 cm respectively, they were the perfect height match. At least now she didn't feel like an isekai'd rabbit in a demon king's castle.
"Alright! Attendance time!"
Takashi-sensei called forward the Sports Committee Members to take roll call.
Once the clipboard was returned, he clapped his hands authoritatively.
"Let's warm up. Boys: 1000 meters. Girls: 800 meters. Afterward, come report to me for your elective preferences. I'll use them to form your training groups starting next class."
Japanese PE is pretty diverse. Besides the usual track and field or ball sports, girls could opt for gymnastics or dance. It was like choosing your club arc—freedom to pursue what suits your character build.
Touji had already decided.
Tennis.
Just like in middle school. Clean, low-pressure, and you could dodge both crowds and unwanted attention.
Most students seemed fine with the choices. What they didn't like… was the running.
"Sensei… 1000 meters is NOT a warm-up. That's a whole boss battle."
"800 meters… might as well be a marathon…"
"T-Teacher! Can I sit this one out?"
A hesitant hand rose from the girls' formation. All eyes turned to her.
Takashi-sensei narrowed his eyes.
"Are you feeling unwell, miss?"
"U-Um… a little bit… maybe…"
She replied, voice trailing off like a side character hoping for plot immunity.
"Alright, what's your name? And which class? I'll note it down and you can make it up next session," Takashi-sensei said kindly, already fishing out a pen and flipping to the list on his clipboard.
"...Actually, I think I can push through!" she blurted out, retracting her hand as quickly as she raised it.
He raised a brow. "You seem full of energy to me. How about we add another 200 meters for your warm-up, then?"
"...Hai..."
That was the end of that. No one else dared to complain after witnessing the 'penalty boost.' The students obediently made their way to the track for the dreaded 1000m and 800m runs.
A few of the boys, likely trying to show off or just caught up in competitive spirit, dashed ahead at full speed the moment they hit the track.
Of course, by the 200-meter mark, their pace had visibly slowed.
"Fools," Touji muttered to himself with a wry smile.
Keeping a steady pace, he trailed behind the more athletic students, eventually overtaking the early sprinters one by one. His stamina was decent—enough to keep up with the first wave.
But by the time he entered the second lap, even Touji began to feel his energy waning. His breathing grew heavier, and he knew he had to pace himself.
As he slowed slightly, he began catching up to the slower runners—mostly the girls now.
Trailing at the very end was someone unmistakable.
Gotou Hitori.
The sight of her was almost comical—decked out in an all-pink tracksuit, from her sweatband to her shoelaces. She stood out like a sore thumb.
"Ganbare!" Touji called out, raising his fist in a little gesture of support as he passed her.
"Eek...?!"
He winced.
"Scared her... my bad."
With an apologetic smile, Touji quickened his pace and ran ahead, escaping before she could react.
A few strides later—
Hm?
He spotted Mayonaka Kokonoka, struggling through the run. Her gait was unsteady, and it was clear her energy was running low. But even as she faltered, her long, fair legs stood out. The crimson of her gym shorts only emphasized the length and shape of her limbs, drawing the eye.
Those thighs…!
Touji blinked.
They were usually hidden under her skirt, but under the sunlight, they practically glowed with a soft, porcelain sheen.
Definitely Top 5 material in Class G and B combined!
He made this mental note like a seasoned critic at a figure skating competition and passed her without a word.
Mayonaka blinked in surprise when she noticed Touji passing by. Her eyes briefly met his before she looked ahead and continued running with silent determination.
"She's not the athletic type, huh..." Touji mused.
And just a bit ahead—
A flash of brilliance.
Golden twin-tails swayed in rhythm with the girl's movement. Her slim figure was wrapped in the school's red-and-white gym uniform. The sunlight bounced off her pale skin, almost too perfectly. That familiar glint of blonde hair tied into iconic twin-tails was instantly recognizable.
Eriri Spencer Sawamura.
Touji sighed dramatically in his mind.
As one of the only three girls in the class with actual dreams for the future, how could she rank dead last in the warm-up run?
Actually… the bottom three spots were all occupied by the dreamer trio.
You girls really stand out, huh...
He chuckled inwardly. Maybe it was an anime thing—girls in ACG (Anime, Comics, Games) were always either ultra-athletic or hilariously bad at sports.
No middle ground.
"Guess that's what people mean by 'distinctive character traits,' huh..."
Just as Touji was drifting in that train of thought, a sudden movement cut into his lane.
A male student zoomed past him and cut in front, occupying the inner lane aggressively. Then, with a wild smirk, the guy raised his hand in what could only be described as a pouncing gesture.
Touji's instincts kicked in.
"Oi!"
In a split second, he reached out, grabbed the guy by the collar, and pulled him back.
The boy flailed, missing his mark entirely.
"...What the hell was that?" Touji muttered, releasing him with a small frown.
…