Chapter 019 Morning Run, The Stubborn Blue-Hair
"Horikita-san, has anyone ever told you that short hair suits you better?"
"!!!"
Horikita Suzune's pupils shook; her thoughts raced back to the past.
From childhood until recently, she had always kept a short hairstyle. It wasn't about preference; she simply felt that short hair was more convenient, saving her the trouble of daily maintenance.
One day, her brother suddenly mentioned that he liked girls with long hair. From that point on, Horikita Suzune began to grow hers out.
Although it was a hassle, she was willing to change herself if it meant reconnecting with the brother who had distanced himself from her.
However, things didn't go as planned. Her brother continued to ignore her, leaving her deeply dejected.
"Have you... seen me with short hair before?"
Recovering her senses, Suzune looked at Hikigaya with a dazed expression.
'Seen her... Though only in a dream.'
Short-haired Suzune exuded a sense of sleek efficiency—confident, lively, and brimming with the gallant charm of an independent woman!
Hikigaya sometimes thought that marrying a girl like that, even if he were the one being "kept" as a house husband, would be something he'd be willing to do.
By contrast, the long-haired Suzune before him, despite her cold and tough exterior, hid a heart that was insecure and fragile. She idolized her all-powerful brother, single-mindedly wanting to catch up to him.
She didn't know that admiration is the furthest distance from understanding.
"Uh~ No, I haven't... Just a sudden thought."
Hikigaya denied it. How could he take things from a dream seriously?
"..."
Suzune pursed her lips, her brow reflecting a mix of confusion and inner conflict. After a moment, her low voice carried a hint of weakness: "Can you let go of my hair?"
"Eh, oh! Right!"
Hikigaya only then realized that he was somehow still clutching a handful of her hair. He quickly let go and apologized: "I'm very sorry! I lost track of myself for a second..."
He expected her to fly into a rage, but to his surprise, he found that Horikita Suzune wasn't angry at all.
"Let's stop here for today."
Suzune brushed her hair back, stood up, and picked up the small first-aid kit. "I'm leaving..."
"Take care."
Hikigaya saw her to the elevator. After looking around to confirm no one was watching, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want any strange misunderstandings spreading around.
He stretched his muscles and felt much better.
'Time to go back to sleep...'
.
.
.
"Hachiman."
Am I dreaming again?
"Hachiman."
This time it was a man's voice.
'Not bad, finally a serious dream!'
Even though dreaming about a future wife was a sweet dream, Hikigaya knew very well that dreams and reality were different.
"Hachiman, what are you spacing out for?"
"Er..."
Hikigaya's vision shifted, finding himself inside a martial arts dojo. Standing before him was a lean, fit man wearing glasses.
"Hor—Horikita-senpai?!"
Even though the face was much more mature, he could still recognize the extraordinary aura of the Student Council President.
"I am no longer your senpai.
But as for the title of 'Brother-in-law,' wait until you defeat me before saying it!"
Horikita Manabu was dressed in a pristine white martial arts uniform. His right hand was raised in a palm strike, his left hand was a fist at his waist, and his knees were bent in a tight stance—he was ready for combat at any moment!
'Huh? What the hell is with 'Brother-in-law'? Also, what kind of situation is this!'
Hikigaya was shocked to find that he was also wearing a martial arts uniform, standing on the sparring mat.
"Aren't you going to attack?" Manabu cocked an eyebrow.
'Wait? Why do I have to fight Horikita Manabu?'
Hikigaya was completely bewildered. At that moment, a familiar female voice came from off-stage.
"Hachiman, do your best!"
Short-haired Suzune was cheering him on. Her eyes were full of gentleness—and they were fixed entirely on him.
'Hey, hey! Aren't you Horikita Manabu's sister? You're cheering for the wrong person!!'
In that instant, Hikigaya noticed a complex expression cross the face of the Manabu before him, and his gaze suddenly became even more piercing!!
"Prepare yourself, Hikigaya Hachiman!!!"
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Ring ring ring~
The sound of the alarm clock pulled Hikigaya back to reality from the nightmare.
"Huff, huff, huff! I'm saved..."
Hikigaya broke into a cold sweat and couldn't help but curse: "Is that damn glasses-wearing siscon trying to kill me?"
In the dream, the more "Hikigaya Suzune" cheered for him, the harder Horikita Manabu fought!
Talk about ridiculous.
Taking off his pajamas, he looked at himself in the mirror. While he wasn't exactly skin and bones, he certainly wasn't muscular. For the first time, Hikigaya had the urge to exercise.
"It's still early, I might as well go for a run."
At 7:20 AM, there weren't many people active on campus. Since this was a fully residential school and the academic buildings were just a short walk away, most students felt no need to wake up so early.
On the track field, about a dozen people were practicing morning runs. Perhaps out of a sense of rivalry, two girls were engaged in a speed race. After a simple warm-up, Hikigaya chose the outermost lane and began a solo jog.
"Give up, Ibuki. I was on the track team in middle school."
"Save the talk, Kinoshita! We won't know until we've finished!"
Two girls accelerated and quickly overtook Hikigaya, leaving a trail of fragrance behind them. The girl with brown hair in a side ponytail remained half a body-length ahead. The girl with short blue hair was in hot pursuit, her brow showing a stubborn refusal to lose.
Ah, youth... Hikigaya sighed slightly and kept running.
"Again...!"
"No matter how many times we do this, the result is the same. Sorry, I promised Manabe and the others I'd get breakfast, I can't play with you anymore."
Watching Kinoshita walk away victorious, Ibuki bit her lip and decided to increase the intensity of her training!
Not long after, Ibuki brushed past Hikigaya again, overtaking him for the second time. As she passed him, she looked back and cast a contemptuous glance his way. It was as if she was saying: Weakling, you're running so slow!
"..." Hikigaya rolled his eyes internally. He wasn't racing anyone; what did speed matter? Besides, he wasn't here to train for a race; he was just doing basic physical conditioning.
After five laps... Being a girl, combined with the energy she spent during the earlier sprint, Ibuki's pace began to slow down. By contrast, because Hikigaya had maintained a steady pace from the start, he hadn't consumed much stamina. Endurance was one of his few strengths.
On the sixth lap, Hikigaya gained a lap back on Ibuki. On the eighth lap, Hikigaya finally caught up to her. Now, they were running side by side.
This guy's endurance... it's actually this good?! Ibuki couldn't help but look over, gasping for air as her steps became heavy. But even so, she didn't stop, gritting her teeth and forcing herself to keep going!
'Where did this stubborn brat come from?'
Hikigaya was speechless.
According to the long-distance standards of PE class, girls only needed to run eight laps, while boys ran ten. This girl insisted on competing with him!
On the ninth lap, the two were still running side by side. In Ibuki's mind, losing to Kinoshita from the track team was one thing, but how could she lose to a slow, dead-fish-eyed guy?
The tenth lap—the final sprint... By now, Ibuki was seeing stars. Her steps were wobbly, and she looked severely overextended.
"I... won..."
The moment she reached the finish line, a smile of relief appeared on Ibuki's face, and her exhausted body collapsed forward.
The pain of hitting the ground she expected didn't come. A second before she blacked out, she felt herself fall into a warm embrace.