Back in the D-Class classroom, Sakura Airi slumped onto her seat as if all her strength had been drained. Chabashira Sae's refusal had once again pushed her back into a state of isolation and helplessness.
"Natsukawa-kun... what should I do...?" Her voice was filled with despair. "Even the teacher... can't help me..."
Natsukawa Sosuke placed his backpack on his desk, then turned to face her, his gaze deep and calm.
"Sakura-san, you heard it. The school's logic is: they won't waste resources before a crisis occurs." He laid out the cruel reality plainly before her.
"What you need to do now is to be able to protect yourself when a crisis does happen."
Sakura Airi looked up, somewhat bewildered, her large eyes filled with confusion.
He leaned in slightly, his gaze directly meeting hers, his tone guiding and comforting: "I can't always be by your side, but you can add a safety chip for yourself."
"Starting today, how about you run with me every morning?"
Sakura Airi was stunned. Her body, completely unaccustomed to 'exercise,' instinctively wanted to resist.
"Running is to improve your physical fitness, so that when you need to escape, your legs won't turn to jelly." Natsukawa's voice had an encouraging rhythm. "More importantly, running on the track will help you get used to acting in front of people, reducing your shame and nervousness. This is the simplest and most effective way to make you less prone to tension in public."
He reached out and gently touched her shoulder: "This is your own business. No one can help you improve your strength. But if you're willing, I'm willing to accompany you and provide you with this opportunity."
Sakura Airi looked at him, her mind quickly filtering through the pain of running on the track and the fear of being harassed by a stalker. Ultimately, the fear of the stalker overcame the fear of physical pain. She realized that this might be the only 'lifeline' she could actively grasp.
She nodded softly, "Okay... I, I'm willing."
...The next morning, exactly seven o'clock.
As the first ray of morning light struggled to penetrate the thick fog between the trees outside the dormitory building, Natsukawa Sosuke's door opened.
Outside the door, Sakura Airi was already standing properly in the corridor. She was a little more prepared than yesterday—she had changed into athletic shoes, and a white T-shirt was faintly visible under her school tracksuit. She still kept her head down, her hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.
"Morning."
"M-morning... Natsukawa-kun."
Natsukawa didn't say anything extra, just nodded for her to follow, then walked straight to the elevator.
The two silently went downstairs and walked along the main road to the school's dedicated sports field. In the chilly air of the early morning campus, only a few sports club members were training.
"First, some simple stretches." Natsukawa stopped at the edge of the track and began to warm up. He didn't give Sakura any instructions, just performed the movements himself.
Sakura Airi stood rooted to the spot, flustered. She had never done such 'attention-grabbing' movements in public. Her body instinctively tensed, and her gaze nervously darted around, afraid that someone might look at her.
"Sakura-san."
Natsukawa turned his head to look at her while doing a side bend stretch, his voice as soft as a breeze across a lake.
"What are you doing right now?"
"I... I..." Sakura Airi immediately lowered her head. "I don't know..."
"You are currently afraid of people around you noticing you." Natsukawa calmly pointed out her core fear. "So you choose to stand still, hoping to become part of the background."
He slowly straightened up, his eyes showing no hint of reproach, only gentle guidance: "But, Sakura-san. The more you're afraid of being noticed, the stiffer your body becomes, and the more out of place you'll seem, which will only attract more attention."
"We're not here to play hide-and-seek; we're here to adapt."
Natsukawa's tone was like that of a patient mentor, guiding her to understand her own behavioral patterns.
"You don't need to look at anyone else; just look at me." He turned slightly, his posture relaxed. "Follow my movements, one by one. If someone looks at you, it's only because you're exercising, which is a very normal thing."
Sakura Airi slowly and hesitantly raised her head, her blue eyes finding a shred of support in Natsukawa's calm gaze. She bit her lower lip and finally took her first step.
Her movements were stiff and clumsy; every bend, every stretch, was like a struggle with her own body. She didn't even dare to fully extend her limbs, afraid that too much movement would attract others' attention.
Natsukawa waited patiently until she had awkwardly completed a few stretches.
"Alright." Natsukawa said, stepping onto the track.
"We won't run too fast; we'll go at a pace that you don't find too painful. How about we aim to complete one lap first?"
"One... one lap..." Sakura Airi's voice trembled. Ever since she was little, during running physical tests, she would grit her teeth and try to keep going, only to want to give up halfway.
"Yes, one lap." Natsukawa's tone showed no compulsion. "Don't feel pressured, Sakura-san. We're not here to challenge limits, but to get you used to running."
"When you can completely focus your attention on the track beneath your feet, on your breathing, on your heartbeat, rather than on the gazes around you, then you've succeeded."
"Now, make my back your only focus."
Natsukawa didn't wait for her response and took the first step. His pace was very slow, ensuring Sakura could easily keep up.
Sakura Airi took a deep breath, steeled herself, and, staring intently at Natsukawa's tall figure, took her own steps.
Her steps were small, her balance unsteady, and each step was a struggle.
After just half a lap, Sakura Airi's breathing became rapid and ragged, her physical disadvantage instantly flaring up. Her lungs began to burn, and her legs felt heavy as if filled with lead. She felt all the sounds around her amplify, as if every passing student was mocking her clumsy running posture.
She wanted to stop; this was an instinctive reaction ingrained in her bones.
Just as she started to slow down, Natsukawa's voice, as if he had anticipated her struggle, came unhurriedly from diagonally in front of her.
"Sakura-san, what is your heart rate per minute right now?"
The sudden question instantly switched Sakura Airi's brain from evasion to thought mode.
"I... I... I don't know..."
"Then, count your breaths now." Natsukawa's voice remained steady, carrying a guiding magic. "One, two, three, inhale. Four, five, exhale. Just count that."
Sakura Airi struggled to shift her attention from her nearly bursting lungs to this simple number game. She began to mechanically count: inhale, inhale, inhale... exhale, exhale... This simple method of distraction didn't make her run faster, but it temporarily bolstered her body, which was on the verge of its limit. Her body was still tired, but she didn't stop.
When they finally finished one lap, Natsukawa stopped. Sakura Airi nearly collapsed on the track, hands on her knees, panting heavily, sweat soaking her bangs.
"Very good, Sakura-san." Natsukawa's voice carried a hint of faint approval, but without exaggeration, perfectly hitting Sakura's desire for recognition.
"You didn't stop."
Sakura Airi looked up, her blue eyes, blurred by sweat, filled with shock and a hint of unbelievable pride. This was the first time she had truly completed a lap by her own strength.
"Starting tomorrow, we'll run two laps." Natsukawa didn't give her much time to relax, immediately setting a new goal, his tone soft but his objective firm.
"But for now, let's go back to the dorm to wash up and head to school." He handed her a bottle of water.
Sakura Airi took the water, clutching it tightly. She knew that Natsukawa Sosuke wasn't offering her one-time comfort, but a path for her to walk on her own. And her reliance, which had been hiding behind him, slowly began to follow his steps.
...
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