Tsugumi's bento box replenished my energy, and I was ready for the next event: the scavenger hunt. Ike from our class had gotten lucky and placed first in his event, which put some serious pressure on me since I'd been doing well in the individual competitions. Honestly, luck plays a huge role here, so I couldn't guarantee anything, but the points for the recommended events are multiplied, so I needed to focus. 100,000 points was a very attractive prize.
"You'd be screwed if the card said 'your crush,'" someone teased from behind me.
"Shut it. I think you'll have a more chaotic time, though, since you can only bring one person with you for this scavenger hunt," I replied.
It was Tsugumi, who was in the third group. Ignoring his jab, I took off running when the starting signal was given. I ran as fast as I could to the box and opened the folded paper inside.
"Bring 10 friends."
"…Are you serious?"
The moment I read the card, my mind went blank. Getting just one friend would have been hard enough, but 10? What kind of joke was this? No matter how hard I thought, I couldn't come up with 10 names.
"What are you standing around for, Ayanokoji?! Hurry up!" Ike, feeling confident from his first-place finish, yelled at me. But there was nothing I could do.
"What's on the card? It can't be that bad!"
"It says '10 friends'! There's no way I can do that!"
"Just go back and ask people! That's better than waiting for 30 seconds!"
My mind was still reeling, so I couldn't argue. I just went to the first person I thought of.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Kiyotaka? Are you already done?"
"The challenge is to bring 10 friends. I don't know wh—"
"Okay, just follow me."
"…Huh?"
Tsugumi grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the D Class tent.
"Listen up, everyone!"
"Huh? Aren't you two in the middle of a competition?"
Tsugumi's loud voice grabbed the attention of about 20 waiting students.
"Kiyotaka's challenge is to bring 10 friends. We'd definitely get first place if you all just came with us, but... is anyone going to chicken out? No way, right?!"
I didn't think anyone would actually come, but to my surprise, a lot of students volunteered.
"...Honestly, Ayanokoji, you should be grateful to Tsugumi."
"What are you all staring at? Just say it. I'll go with you."
"I... I'll go too!"
"Gufufu, Ayanokoji-dono is my gaming companion. I shall accompany you!"
"I'm not sure we're friends, but we aren't strangers, so I'll go."
"I think of Ayanokoji-kun as a friend, and I'd be happy to be taken along."
"Of course, I'll go too! It looks like there's going to be a lot of us!"
"I guess I'll go too. It's for the class."
Horikita, Sudo, Sakura, Professor, Yukimura, Hirata, Kushida, and Karuizawa—all students I had some kind of connection with—raised their hands without hesitation. Seeing that scene made my heart swell, but even with Tsugumi, there were only 9 of us. We still needed one more person. If Yamauchi raised his hand, we'd have exactly 10, but... when I looked at him, he scowled and looked away. Was he upset that I was surrounded by girls? I felt a little disappointed.
"Haa... haa. Dammit, you guys are too fast! I'll come too! Even though you're all so annoyingly fast!"
It was Ike, who had arrived a little late. With him, we had exactly 10 people! It felt like a dream!
"Alright! Let's go, everyone!"
Uncharacteristically, I was so pumped that I stood in front of everyone and declared that we were going.
"You look so happy."
"Well, compared to when he first started high school, this is a huge step. Of course, he's happy. Suzune, you're the same way."
"...You're right."
They were saying something behind me, but I couldn't hear it anymore.
Finally, the 11 of us reached the finish line. I thought we were pretty fast, but we came in second. The first-place finisher's card said "glasses." I guess there was no way we could beat that.
"Aw, second place. Well, you did great, Kiyotaka!"
"Yes, you did well for a guy who started with zero friends."
"That last part was unnecessary. But... you're right. Thanks, everyone. Honestly, I'm really happy."
I was a little embarrassed, but I had to thank my friends who had come to my aid.
"Don't you think you're being a little too stiff for a friend?"
"Sh-shut up."
A small laugh spread through the D Class as they watched our exchange.
"...I'm really, really glad I came. It's just a shame that it was 'just me.'"
The words slipped out naturally. I thought of the faces of my former comrades who had dropped out of the White Room.
I never used to feel anything, but now that I'd experienced human kindness, I felt an unexplainable pang of emotion.
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"No, nothing at all."
The person who had caused me to feel so sentimental was asking me what I'd said. I wanted to come up with a witty response, but I couldn't.
---------
Hi, it's Saito. I'm so touched that Kiyotaka has so many friends. Good for him. Now all he needs is a girlfriend.
As I was thinking those vulgar thoughts, it was my turn.
"I said that, but it really would be bad if the card said 'your crush.'"
The card's contents weren't revealed ahead of time, so it should be fine. Besides, there were a dozen or so cards, so there was no way I'd get that specific one.
I dashed out at the starting signal and reached into the box. Let's see what's inside...
"....Seriously?"
No way. This was way worse than 'your crush'!
...I should change it. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
"Change d—"
"Alright! The sports festival program!" A male student next to me pumped his fist and ran back to the A Class tent.
I wasn't going to give up. I burst forward and passed the other student, heading for the A Class tent. Normally, I would go to my own class's tent, but I couldn't give up on this one.
"What's wrong, Tsugumi-kun?"
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry."
"Oh!"
Arisu, the person I was looking for, was staring at me with her big, round eyes. After a quick apology, I picked her up in a princess carry and sprinted toward the finish line.
Carrying her like a sack of rice would have been faster, but I didn't want to imagine that sight, and I knew what would happen to me later if I did. So I just went for the princess carry.
I handed the card to the teacher at the finish line and gently set Arisu down.
"The challenge is... oh my."
"What was it, Tsugumi-kun? Is this..." Arisu's eyes widened.
The teacher smiled at us as she showed Arisu the card. It read, "Bring two students who are in love with each other (a couple is fine, but not required!)."
"...Wait, isn't this 'two people other than yourself who are in love with each other?' The wording is strange otherwise."
"Huh?"
"Yes, you're right. I made this card with that intention." The teacher crushed my hopes with a wide smile. Oh no, I should have read the card more carefully!
...I guess I'll just have to bring Yosuke and Karuizawa...
"Wait a minute. It's understandable that he would have misunderstood the wording, isn't it? There was no prior explanation, right?" Arisu interjected.
"You have a point. The wording was a bit poor. Are you two dating?"
"...No. Not yet."
The conversation between the teacher and Arisu kept moving forward without me. ...I felt like I was being left out...
"I see. Then you'll have to prove it. Otherwise, there will be no end to the cheating."
"Huh?"
"That's what she said, Tsugumi-kun. What should we do?"
What should we do? What do you mean, "what should we do"?
As I was trying to think of a solution, Arisu glanced over her shoulder. About 100 meters behind us, I saw a male student with a card in his hand.
"That's Machida-kun from my class. If we let him win, the points will go to Class A, so... maybe that wouldn't be so bad? You did surprise me by bringing me here so suddenly."
Arisu clung to my right arm, looking coquettish. She had left her cane behind, so she had been in this position the whole time.
"Then, since the challenge is invalid, you will have to—Oh, oh my."
It's not very manly to bring her here without saying a word and then ask her to prove she loves me first. I guessed that's what Arisu was trying to say.
I was going to have to be bold. I firmly held her small head with both hands and kissed her.
"Mm... Hehe, that's 100 points, Tsugumi-kun. ...My turn."
Arisu wrapped her arms around my neck and stood on her tiptoes to kiss me back. I was thinking of telling her that all she had to do was say "I love you," but maybe that would have been a buzzkill.
Arisu kissed me deeply in front of the teacher. Machida-kun, who had arrived, was now looking at us awkwardly. What was going through his mind? I definitely wanted to know later.
"How was that? Did we prove it?"
"Perfect! Congratulations!"
Not just the teacher at the front desk, but also the people who had been watching from the back, started clapping. ...I felt like their applause had two meanings, but maybe I was just imagining things.
---------
...In the end, we managed to get first place. When I thanked Machida for waiting, he said, "I didn't have the courage to interrupt that."
He was right. I wouldn't have done it either. Arisu is scary, after all.
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