Chapter 035: Kiryuin: This Kouhai is Quite Interesting, Worth Paying Attention To!
"It's fine."
Asahina touched the knot. "I've worn it for several years, and it's never broken."
"Strings age," Hachiman said. "I suggest you change it."
Asahina raised her head and looked at him. A hint of confusion and curiosity flickered in her bright eyes.
"Hikigaya-kouhai," she tilted her head slightly, "did you come all the way over here just to remind me to change a string?"
Hachiman was silent for a second.
"Something like that," he said.
Asahina stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly laughed. The laugh was light, and her eyes curved into beautiful crescents.
"Understood," she said. "I'll change it when I get back."
Hachiman nodded. "Then I won't disturb you further."
He turned and headed toward the first-year tents.
Asahina stood where she was, watching his retreating figure. She touched the amulet around her neck; the texture of the string did indeed feel a bit coarse. After a moment's thought, she took the amulet off her neck and placed it in her pocket.
"Hikigaya Hachiman." She whispered the name once. Then, shaking her head, she turned and walked back to the preparation area.
Because the second heat was about to begin.
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The second-year girls' 100-meter dash!
There was no suspense in the first heat; a sprinting specialist from Class A took first place.
However, starting from the second heat, the atmosphere on the track shifted. It wasn't because the competition became fiercer, but because one person stood there, changing the very air around the track.
Lane 4 of the second heat.
Kiryuin Fuuka.
She wore a red tracksuit with "2-B" printed on the chest, though that "B" likely meant nothing to her. Her hair was very long and silver; unlike other girls with long hair who tied it into ponytails to avoid interference, she let hers flow like a waterfall.
A few strands fell across her forehead, swaying slightly in the breeze. She stood before the starting line without stretching or rotating her ankles; she was simply waiting.
That posture of waiting wasn't the tense, ready-to-sprint kind of wait. It was a composure that said, "I know I will win, so I don't need to rush."
Asahina Nazuna stood in Lane 5, rotating her wrists. Her expression was far more serious than Kiryuin's; her brow was slightly furrowed, and her lips were pressed into a thin line. She was warming up, adjusting her breathing, and mentally preparing herself. She knew Kiryuin was in this heat. She knew she couldn't outrun her, but she still wanted to run well—at least not to be left too far behind.
"On your marks—"
Eight people crouched simultaneously. Kiryuin crouched at the starting line with form so perfect it looked like it was printed in a textbook. Her gaze was fixed on the finish line ahead, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
Bang!
The starting gun fired.
Eight people charged forward. Kiryuin's start wasn't particularly fast—not because she couldn't be fast, but because she wasn't using her full strength. Her cadence was high, but her stride was short, as if she were merely warming up. Even so, she very easily pulled away from the person in second place. Asahina Nazuna in Lane 5 was running in second, her cadence and stride well-controlled, but the gap between her and Kiryuin was widening bit by bit.
However.
It wasn't that Asahina had slowed down; it was that Kiryuin had sped up.
The finish line was right before them. Kiryuin crossed first without any suspense. She ran a few more steps after crossing, then stopped, turned around, and watched the other runners. Asahina crossed second, nearly ten meters behind her. Ten meters. In a 100-meter dash, ten meters is a massive gap. It wasn't just a difference of one level; it was two.
After crossing the line, Asahina rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Her face was flushed, and sweat from her forehead slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the red track. She breathed for a good while before straightening up and walking toward Kiryuin.
"Congratulations," Asahina said, still out of breath. "First place."
Kiryuin looked at her and nodded. "You ran well, too."
Asahina gave a wry smile. She knew she ran "well"—second place was the best result for Class A so far. But compared to Kiryuin, the words "ran well" were meaningless. The other girl had finished the 100 meters without even breaking a sweat, while she felt like she was dying of exhaustion.
Asahina straightened up, wiped the sweat from her brow, and scanned the finish area.
She noticed Kiryuin standing there with no one else beside her. No classmates were handing her water, no one was cheering, and no one even walked over to say a word to her. She stood there like an isolated island. It wasn't that she didn't fit in; it was that she chose not to. She had been like this since the first day of school. She didn't participate in class activities, didn't join in class decisions, and ignored everyone. She had her own world, and similarly, her world didn't need anyone else.
Looking at her, Asahina suddenly felt a bit of envy. Not for her strength, but for her freedom. She didn't need to care about anyone's opinion, didn't need to please anyone, and didn't need to change herself for anyone. She could run if she felt like it, or not run if she didn't. She could win if she felt like it, or throw the race if she didn't. No one cared about her, and she didn't care about anyone.
But Asahina also knew this freedom came with a price. The price was that no one cared about her. If she took first place, no one congratulated her. If she took last place, no one comforted her. She existed in the class like air—optional. No one would thank her for running fast, and no one would blame her for running slowly. To the class, she amounted to nothing.
Asahina shook her head, tossing the thought aside.
"Kiryuin-san," Asahina spoke up, "did you see that first-year who was talking to me just now?"
Kiryuin's gaze shifted slightly.
"I saw," Kiryuin said. "The boy who was talking to you?"
"Yes." Asahina nodded. "Hikigaya Hachiman from the first-year class."
Kiryuin's eyebrow twitched slightly. The face of Sakayanagi Arisu appeared in her mind—that "territorial" little princess in the library, the young lady who spoke of Hikigaya Hachiman with deliberate indifference while her eyes betrayed her.
"What did he say to you?" Kiryuin asked.
Asahina thought for a moment. "He reminded me that it was time to change the string of my amulet."
Kiryuin's gaze fell on Asahina's neck. There was nothing there—Asahina had already taken the amulet off and put it in her pocket. But she had indeed seen the red string earlier. It was old, frayed, and the knot had loosened. If one wasn't paying attention, it would indeed be easy to lose.
"He's certainly observant," Kiryuin remarked.
Asahina nodded. "I was surprised, too. Today was the first time I've ever spoken to him, yet he knew I wore an amulet. He could even tell the string was old."
Kiryuin was silent for a second. "Perhaps he was simply observing."
"Observing?"
"Observing the people around him." Kiryuin's gaze fell on the distant first-year tents. "Some people enjoy observing. Not voyeurism, but a habit. They remember everything they see and use it when needed."
Asahina nodded thoughtfully.
"Are you interested in him?" Asahina asked quickly.
Kiryuin glanced at her. "No. It's just that Sakayanagi-kouhai mentioned this person when we were chatting before."
Asahina's eyebrow moved slightly. "Sakayanagi Arisu?"
"Yes." Kiryuin withdrew her gaze. "Sakayanagi-kouhai is very concerned about him."
Asahina looked at Kiryuin, waiting for her to continue. But Kiryuin didn't. She just stood there, her gaze fixed on the distance, looking as if she were thinking about something and nothing all at once.
"So," Asahina weighed her words carefully, "are you vetting him on behalf of Sakayanagi-kouhai?"
Kiryuin looked at her. A trace of a smile appeared in her eyes, but her gaze also conveyed the sentiment of "Do you really think I would do such a thing?"
Asahina: "...".
Ugh!
Asahina scratched her head, instantly feeling she had said the wrong thing.
"I'm just a bit curious," Kiryuin said. "That someone like Sakayanagi-kouhai would care so much about one person."
Looking at her profile, Asahina suddenly understood something. Kiryuin hadn't come to talk to her because she was interested in Hachiman. It was because she was interested in Sakayanagi. She was curious that the proud little princess, who never easily admitted defeat, would care so much about someone.
"Anyway," Asahina changed the subject, "will you be participating in the recommended events for this Sports Festival?"
The corner of Kiryuin's mouth moved slightly. "Depends on my mood."
Asahina breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.
When Kiryuin said "depends on my mood," it translated to "I don't want to run." It wasn't that she lacked the strength; she just didn't want to run for her class. To those in Class B, this was irresponsibility. But to Asahina, it was actually a good thing. If Kiryuin ran seriously, the situation for the second-years wouldn't be as it was now. Class A's position might not be so secure.
She still had that level of awareness.
So, she was actually somewhat glad Kiryuin lacked fighting spirit.
Miyabi had mentioned before that while the first-years were away for their exam, Sakayanagi-kouhai had contacted Kiryuin. Later, Sakayanagi had reported Miyabi, making them worry that Kiryuin had been incited by her. But looking at her now, Kiryuin still lacked any drive.
For Asahina, this was good news.
"Then I won't bother you," Asahina said. "I'm heading back."
She turned to leave. After two steps, she stopped again and looked back at Kiryuin.
"By the way," Asahina said, "when Hikigaya-kouhai spoke to me just now, he wasn't wearing glasses. I almost didn't recognize him."
Kiryuin's brow moved slightly. "He wears glasses?"
"Yes." Asahina nodded. "He wore them on the day of the opening ceremony. Black frames, they looked quite good. He's not wearing them today, and he looks like a different person."
Kiryuin looked at her, silent for a second. Then she said bluntly, "So, you're someone who judges by looks?"
Err.
Asahina blanked for a moment, then hurriedly waved her hands. "No! I'm just saying... the difference between him wearing glasses and not is too big. I didn't recognize him at first. But I still recognized him in the end, didn't I?"
Kiryuin looked at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You don't need to explain."
Asahina opened her mouth to say something but ultimately didn't. She sighed and changed the topic. "Speaking of which, have you seen Hikigaya-kouhai before?"
"I have. For example, I've seen him frequently with different girls," Kiryuin said. "So, as a fellow student, I suggest you don't have any... other ideas."
Asahina: "...".
Originally, Asahina was just curious about what kind of person this Hikigaya-kouhai—who could completely suppress Miyabi—was. Today she was a bit more curious, but it hadn't reached the point of being something she completely needed to worry about.
But now, being compared like this by Kiryuin, she felt somewhat disgruntled.
So she said, "You say you've seen Hikigaya-kouhai? When did you see him?"
Kiryuin's gaze lowered slightly. "At the shopping district. I run into him occasionally."
"With whom?"
"I don't know them." Kiryuin's tone was flat. "But in terms of appearance, they wouldn't lose to you."
Asahina's mouth twitched. She didn't know what to say. Kiryuin's words sounded like a compliment and an insult at the same time.
"So," Asahina's voice was a bit dry, "I'm just one of the more ordinary girls he frequently socializes with?"
Kiryuin looked at her and didn't speak. But silence was an answer in itself.
"..." Asahina was speechless.
She lowered her head and subconsciously reached for the amulet around her neck. Her fingers didn't touch the old red string, but her own warm skin. She had put the amulet in her gym uniform pocket. Her fingers fumbled in her pocket until they touched the small golden plate. Then, her fingertips stopped.
There was no string in the pocket.
She only felt the small golden plate lying lonely at the bottom of the pocket. The string was gone. Asahina's expression changed slightly. She hurriedly pulled the amulet out of her pocket—the small golden plate, engraved with a Sanskrit character she didn't understand. The red string was gone, leaving only a tiny snippet of broken thread.
"What's wrong?" Kiryuin noticed her expression.
Asahina held the amulet before her eyes, turning it over and over. The string had snapped; there were signs of wear at the break. It hadn't snapped suddenly; it had been worn through slowly.
"The string of the amulet... broke." Asahina's voice was a bit dry.
Kiryuin looked at the small golden plate and was silent for a second. "When did it break?"
"I don't know..." Asahina frowned and thought. "It was there when I was running just now. I even touched it after I crossed the line... It probably broke while I was running."
She crouched down and looked around the track. There was nothing on the red rubber track. The string might have fallen on the way, or it might have been blown away by the wind. She straightened up and looked at the distant red track. From the starting line to the finish, one hundred meters. The string could have fallen anywhere in that hundred meters. It was lost.
"Forget it." Asahina put the amulet back into her pocket and clapped her hands. "I'll just change the string when I get back."
Kiryuin looked at her. "When he reminded you to change the string, it hadn't broken yet."
Asahina blanked for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah."
"How did he know the string would break?"
Asahina opened her mouth to say something but realized she didn't know what to say. Hachiman had said "the string doesn't look very secure" and suggested she change it. At the time, she thought he was just speaking casually and didn't take it to heart. Now, the string had actually broken. That person hadn't just seen it; he had predicted it.
"Maybe he just..." Asahina weighed her words, "has very strong observational skills?"
Kiryuin looked at her and said nothing.
Asahina felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze. She waved her hand. "Whatever, I won't think about it. It's just a broken string, I'll just change it. It's not a big deal."
"Mm." Kiryuin nodded. "Just a reminder."
Asahina put the amulet back in her pocket and patted it, confirming it wouldn't fall out again. Then she looked up at Kiryuin.
"Why aren't you going back yet? Don't you dislike crowded places?"
Kiryuin didn't answer. Her gaze was fixed on the distant first-year tents.
Asahina followed her gaze and saw a few familiar figures. Hachiman was standing at the edge of the tent, talking to Ichinose-kouhai. His expression was calm, looking no different than usual.
"Are you looking at him?" Asahina asked.
Kiryuin withdrew her gaze. "I'm just wondering why Sakayanagi-kouhai cares so much about him."
Asahina suddenly laughed. "Maybe because he's worth caring about?"
Kiryuin didn't follow up.
Asahina didn't say anything more either. She turned and walked toward the 2-A tent. After a few steps, she stopped again and looked back at Kiryuin.
"By the way, Kiryuin-san."
"Mm."
"If you ever get to know Hikigaya-kouhai one day," Asahina's mouth curled slightly, "you'll probably think he's worth caring about too."
Kiryuin looked at her and didn't speak.
Asahina smiled and continued walking. This time she didn't look back.
On the field, the announcement for the next event came over the PA. Contestants emerged from the tents and headed toward the starting line. Kiryuin stood where she was, watching Asahina's figure disappear into the Class 2-A tent. Then she withdrew her gaze and looked down at the "2-B" on her tracksuit.
Year 2, Class B.
She had been in this class for over a year. But in this class, she never felt like an essential person. It wasn't that others excluded her; she chose not to integrate. She didn't need a class; she was just staying at this school for three years and then leaving. That was all.
Kiryuin looked up, her gaze falling on the first and second-year tents again. Hikigaya-kouhai was still standing there, holding a notebook and talking to Ichinose.
The distance was too great to see his expression, but she felt there was something very familiar about that person.
It wasn't ability or intellect, but a kind of alienation that was out of step with his surroundings—as if he were looking at the world through a layer of glass.
Kiryuin withdrew her gaze and turned toward the Class 2-B tent. Her pace was unhurried, exactly the same as when she arrived.
The sun was bright on the field, and the wind was pleasant. The second-year girls' 100-meter dash had ended, and the third-years were next. Contestants took their places one after another, and another row of people crouched before the starting line.
When Kiryuin entered the tent, no one spoke to her. She walked to her seat, picked up a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and took a drink. The water wasn't cold, but it wasn't hot either. Just right.
She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. The faces of Sakayanagi Arisu and the boy named Hikigaya Hachiman appeared in her mind. Sakayanagi said she "highly valued" him. Asahina said he was "worth caring about." She didn't know if they were right. But she felt that the person was indeed a bit interesting.
Not because of how powerful he was, but because he had made her curious.
And in this school, there weren't many people who could make her curious.
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On the other side.
In the Year 1 Class B tent, the sunlight slanted in from the east, casting long, thin shadows from the metal legs of the folding chairs. Sakayanagi Arisu sat in the innermost position, her cane leaning against the side of the chair, with a cup of cold black tea in front of her. She hadn't drunk it; she was just looking at the cup, as if deep in thought.
Then she sneezed.
"Achoo—"
The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet tent. A few Class B students nearby turned to look at her, then turned back. It was common knowledge in the class that Sakayanagi was in poor health. An occasional sneeze wasn't unusual.
Shiraishi Asuka sat beside her, her long golden hair draped over her shoulders, the small beauty mark under her eye hard to see in the shadows. She held a notebook in her hand, which remained closed on her lap. Hearing the sneeze, she turned and looked at Sakayanagi.
"Sakayanagi-san," Shiraishi's voice was very soft, "did you catch a cold?"
"No." Sakayanagi took a handkerchief from her pocket and gently dabbed her nose. "I probably just didn't sleep well. Or maybe someone mentioned me, or something related to me."
Shiraishi looked at her but didn't press further. Sakayanagi's complexion was indeed not great, with faint dark circles under her eyes. But Shiraishi had seen her in worse states—on the ship, the night after the VIP exam ended, Sakayanagi's face had been much paler than it was now. Today, at least, she was still smiling.
Sakayanagi put away the handkerchief, picked up the cold black tea, and set it down again. Her gaze fell outside the tent, where the second-year girls' 100-meter dash was taking place. The silhouettes on the track shifted in the sunlight, making it difficult to tell who was who.
"Shiraishi-san," Sakayanagi spoke suddenly.
Shiraishi looked at her.
"When you were listening to Katsuragi-kun talk to me just now," Sakayanagi's tone was casual, "you seemed particularly concerned about Ayanokouji-kun."
"Ayanokouji-kun is dangerous." Shiraishi's tone was even more casual. "Sakayanagi-san should be more aware of that than I am."
"Ah."
Sakayanagi didn't deny it.
The tent was quiet for a few seconds. The sound of results being announced came from the distance, mixing with the cheers from the stands and echoing through the air. Sakayanagi picked up the cold tea and took a small sip. The tea was cold, and its bitterness bloomed on her tongue.
While drinking the tea, Sakayanagi noticed Shiraishi's gaze was still on her.
Sakayanagi: "...".
The fact that Shiraishi was sitting next to her now was no accident.
Rather, her attention toward Sakayanagi had increased.
However, Sakayanagi also knew that Shiraishi was likely focusing on her because she had just deliberately pointed out Shiraishi's concern for Ayanokouji, which had drawn Shiraishi Asuka's special attention.
Sakayanagi knew she had probably "alerted the snake by beating the grass."
However, what kind of performance could the snake named Ayanokouji deliver in this Sports Festival? And whether he would be suppressed by Hikigaya—she was actually quite interested in that.
This was also why she had remained at the home base even though she had withdrawn from the events.
Thinking this.
"Shiraishi-san." Sakayanagi put down her teacup.
"Yes?"
"Do you know why I stayed in the tent?"
Shiraishi looked at her. "You want to see Ayanokouji-kun's performance."
The corner of Sakayanagi's mouth curved. "Not just him. Also Hikigaya-kun. I want to see what this Sports Festival will become. Ayanokouji-kun is indeed a dangerous person; I saw him when I was a child, and he has indeed hidden his strength.
However, I find it hard to believe that he could become the ceiling in this school as well," Sakayanagi stated.
Is that so.
Shiraishi Asuka didn't speak. A few seconds of silence passed.
"Sakayanagi-san," Shiraishi spoke again.
"Yes?"
"That sneeze just now," Shiraishi's voice was soft, "could it be that someone is talking about you?"
Sakayanagi was stunned for a moment. Then she laughed softly.
"Maybe," Sakayanagi said. "Perhaps Hikigaya-kun is thinking of me."
Is that so.
Shiraishi looked at her and didn't speak.
However, she already understood that even though Sakayanagi had seen Ayanokouji as a child, she didn't believe Ayanokouji could demonstrate his true power—or rather, in Sakayanagi's heart, Hikigaya's level of excellence was above Ayanokouji's.
But was such a thing possible?
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
The fourth-generation student of the White Room, the final victor, the ceiling of the White Room, the ultimate masterpiece.
Could he lose?
Lose in such a boring, low-level exam? She felt that such a thing couldn't possibly happen.
Outside the tent, the referee's starting gun fired again. Another heat of contestants charged out.
The Sports Festival continued.
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