The day had finally come.
All the anticipation.All the preparation.
The big race was here.
Before the main event, however, the qualification rounds would decide who deserved to stand on the final stage. Only those who secured first to third place in their bracket would advance.
There would be six qualification races in total. Each race would hold eight runners.
At the announcer's booth, two senior students prepared themselves as broadcasters. As final-year students, they were excluded from competing and thus took on the role of narrating the event instead.
Gradually, the track filled with people—parents, visitors, teachers, and students. The stands buzzed with excitement. Cameras were readied. Cheers rose and fell in waves.
By the sidelines, the participants gathered.
Some stretched. Some closed their eyes in focus. Some walked around, greeting friends or rivals while waiting for their assigned bracket.
Then there were two—two figures in their sports attire, standing side by side.
Urara and Rush.
Waiting for their match to begin.
"It's finally here…" Rush murmured, scanning the packed stands.
The sheer number of people made her nervous, although it was barely a scratch compared to the national average, but still, it was enough to make her feel flimsy.
"Urara… look at how many are here," she whispered, glancing at the stands filled with parents, students, and visitors.
"Yeah! Isn't it amazing?!" Urara beamed.
Unlike Rush, Urara seemed completely unfazed—if anything, she was thrilled.
"Aren't you nervous… Urara?" Rush asked.
"Not really! I just can't wait to show everyone how good I am!" Urara declared proudly.
Rush let out a small sigh,
"I really wish I could be as unbothered as you."
"Anyway... Let's warm up before our race begins!" Rush added, starting her stretches already.
"Whoa! Let's do it!" Urara chimed in and immediately tarried along.
Though, as usual, her stretches were uneven and disorganized.
Rush glanced at her form and couldn't help but shake her head slightly.
Some things never change...
Then, while the two were still stretching, a voice called out—
"Urara! Rush!"
They both turned.
Lidden and Young were walking toward them, side by side.
"Lin-chan! Young-chan!" Urara immediately stopped stretching and waved excitedly.
"How are you guys doing?!"
"Not bad…" Young replied, scratching her head. "Who would've thought we'd actually get sick from the rain and be bedridden for a few days?"
"And… I—I heard you both are running in the same race!" Lidden added, her fists hovering nervously before her chest.
"Yeah, what an ordeal, right?" Rush said with a small laugh.
Lidden quickly shook her head.
"No… not really! I think it's more like a blessing!"
Urara nodded enthusiastically.
"Right?! I can't wait to run with Rush! It's going to be so awesome!"
Rush then glanced at Urara and let out a defeated smile.
Just as they were chit-chatting, suddenly, Rush realized something.
Didn't Lidden sign up for the race?
"Lidden… aren't you participating in the race? Why are you still in your school uniform?" Rush asked.
Lidden fidgeted slightly.
"Well… I was disqualified because I'm still recovering…"
Young nodded beside her.
"Lin here hasn't fully recovered from her cold yet. We're here only because we knew it was a big day for you two, and we wanted to cheer for both of you. Now, she was voided as a participant because of it. And... It's really unfortunate…" she added, lowering her head.
"If only I—"
"It's not your fault, Young," Lidden cut in quickly. "I was the one who stayed in the rain."
"But you wouldn't have if I didn't pull any of that—"
"No! It's not your fault… If I were only a bit smarter—"
Before the two could spiral further—
A voice intruded.
"Well, well, well! If it isn't the crybaby in flesh!"
The group turned.
Hearing the voice, Rush immediately knew.
As expected—Easy Crown.
She approached while lightly clapping her hands, a smirk resting on her face.
"How are you doing, Crybaby? Not that I care or anything. Just… curious."
"Hey! Stop calling me that!" Rush snapped, puffing her cheeks in frustration.
Crown laughed.
Urara tilted her head. "Crybaby…?"
"Please, Urara, ignore her," Rush muttered, clenching her fist.
"Oh!" Crown's eyes shifted to Urara. "You must be Urara. Well, not that I don't know about you… or deliberately care to learn about you."
She placed a hand to her chest dramatically.
"Name's Easy Crown. Pleasure to meet you."
Urara blinked, then smiled brightly.
"And I'm Urara!" she declared.
Crown then turned her gaze back to Rush, stating, "And I presume your name is Rushing Sky."
"Finally, you learned my name," Rush replied, her left eye twitching slightly.
Crown only smirked wider, "Well... to be honest, I already know that and... just that I prefer to call you Crybaby." She shrugged.
"Rude..." Rush glared.
"Anyway! And you must be Bamboo Lidden," Crown continued, shifting her gaze.
"Wha— what…? How do you know my name?!" Lidden stammered, eyes wide.
Crown ignored the question entirely and turned to Young.
"And you…"
She paused, squinting slightly, then scratched her chin.
"I have no idea who you are."
Young blinked in confusion, "What...?" she muttered.
But Crown just continued, "Well… not that I care or anything," she added with a careless shrug.
Then a silence settled between them. Each of them was still processing her.
Crown then looked back at Rush.
"So I see you stopped running away."
"Well… I…" Rush faltered, blushing. "I never did…"
Crown smirked.
"Are you sure…?"
Then she waved it off. "No matter. You two should be getting ready. It seems your match is coming up."
"Wait—it's us already?" Rush startled, glancing toward the track.
"Well, who else could it be?" Crown replied casually. "You're in the second bracket, remember? And the first bracket is about to start."
"Anyhow, I want you to know that I'm just passing by. Not that I deliberately came to visit you or anything," Crown added. "I'm leaving now. Goodbye—and good luck to you both."
She finished as she walked past them, lifting a hand in farewell without turning back.
Just as she was about to disappear into the crowd, midway through her steps, she paused.
"Oh, and Crybaby…" she indicated.
She then glanced slightly over her shoulder.
"Remember what I ask you..."
"Who"
"are"
"you…?"
With that, a smirk tugged at her lips before she disappeared into the crowd again with a final goodbye.
The group stood there, watching her back fade among the people. Stunned.
"Who was she…?" Young asked quietly.
"She's pretty cool, isn't she!" Urara chirped.
"Bu—but how does she know our names? And what did she mean by 'Who are you?'" Lidden added, confused.
Rush's cheeks flushed.
She quickly waved her hands.
"Let's just ignore her and not get sidetracked, okay?"
"But—"
"Just forget about it!" Rush retorted.
Just as they continued wondering what Crown meant—
Suddenly—
The sharp burst of the starting gates exploded across the track.
Cheers followed instantly.
All of them turned at once and rushed toward the fence immediately, gripping the rails as the first qualification race began.
"Whoa! The race has started!" Urara hyped.
As the crowd roared.
Some stood from their seats, fists raised, shouting the runners' names at the top of their lungs.
On the track, eight figures surged forward.
Urara and Rush stood side by side, watching in silence.
Entranced.
Amazed.
Except that Urara left her mouth agape, completely awestruck by the spectacle. After all, it was her first live race.
Each runner pushed with everything they had, their legs straining, breaths hitching, eyes fixated on the finish line.
They're not just running.
They're fighting.
Battling for their dream.
For that single chance to cross first.
And it was thrilling for Urara to watch.
A few moments later—
The first race neared its end.
As the runners entered the homestretch, the cheers transformed into desperate screams. Spectators leaned forward, shouting louder, calling names, urging the racers on.
Even the broadcasters raised their voices, "Oh my god, we're reaching the homestretch, and it's a head-to-head duel between number 3 and number 5, who is going to win today! How exciting!"
Rush and Urara remained by the fence, still captivated.
Until...
"It seems it's almost our turn already…" Rush murmured.
And Urara nodded.
"Let's do our best, Rush-chan!"
Rush hesitated for a second before asking,
"Say, Urara… what's going to happen between us when we step onto that track?"
"Are we going to become rivals? Enemies? Fre-nemies?"
Urara tilted her head.
"We're still friends, of course!" she replied brightly. "But that doesn't mean we can't be rivals! And Urara can't wait to race with Rush-chan and beat her!"
Rush turned to her and smiled.
"Then…"
She lifted her fist.
"May the best of us win. No hard feelings."
Urara beamed and bumped her fist against Rush's.
"Yes! May the best of us win, Rush-chan!"