Well, I guess this is a secret
I was thirsty and the rays of the sun were slowly draining my strength.
I’m going to die…
I will die soon…
Such negative feelings enveloped me and…
ā€œTowa-kun? Please don’t escape reality with monologues.ā€
ā€œā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€¦ā€
ā€œHello? Can you hear me, Towa-kun?ā€
ā€œI shouldn’t be surprised that Rin can hear anythingā€¦ā€
I always wonder if I’m that easy to read?
If there is a way to avoid being read, please tell me…
I’d die of embarrassment if I had my mind read every time.
So I’m, you know, exercising.
Of course, it’s for practice for the sports festival, but as soon as I got up, Kenichi called me…
ā€œLet’s have our youth, too!!ā€
So it was called.
Exercising on a Sunday morning is a first-time experience for me…
I thought it would be moderate, but they started to take it very seriously.
I’m surrounded by physical monsters who are so out of place that I feel like I’m going to die.
Fuji-san seems to be good at exercise, so she’s in a good mood. …When it comes to Rin, she’s even more enthusiastic than usual…
Haa… I don’t have any allies.
I looked up at the sky and tried to escape reality again when Rin hugged me from behind covering me.
ā€œUmm… Rin? What are you doing?ā€
ā€œBecause your back was right there.ā€
ā€œNo, no, it’s not exactly the same as the ā€˜it’s because there’s an ocean out there’ kind of thing… Well, okay.ā€
ā€œEhehe~ā€
I said that in a blunt manner and Rin laughed happily.
I think my back is too slender to be worth hugging, but …she doesn’t seem to care about that.
A sweet smell emanating from Rin.
It is strange that she does not smell sweaty at all, even though she is supposed to be sweating after exercise.
ā€œI’ve been looking at her for a while now, and I don’t see any blind spots. Even the untrained eye can tell that you’re not in bad shape.ā€
ā€œI don’t feel like I’m being praised somehow… But one thing I will say is that there is no sport I’m not good at, but sports festivals are group events, you know.ā€
ā€œOh, come to think of itā€¦ā€
ā€œSo, there are some things I can’t handle on my own, you know?ā€
ā€œI see. It is true that there is no need to go to the trouble of going head-to-head with Rin, is there?ā€
ā€œTherefore, I will act after considering with measures. And I assume it is also being read further ā€¦ā€
ā€œHahaha… I didn’t know sports were supposed to be readable.ā€
It’s supposed to be more carefree and fun…
Well, maybe real rear enders are going all out in their activities as well.
ā€œThe next step, play fetch. Towa-kun, you practice too!ā€
ā€œOh… I’ll do my best. Can I just throw for now?ā€
ā€œYes! Just don’t throw with all your might, okay? Warm up your shoulders little by little and try not to exert yourself too much.ā€
ā€œOkayā€¦ā€
I took the ball and threw it to Rin.
A huffing, powerless ball was thrown…
Yeah, it’s still a short distance away, but it got there with no problem.
I’m sure it’s an unsympathetic and awkward throw, but … there’s no point in worrying about it.
ā€œIs this how it’s supposed to be?ā€
ā€œYes, … It’s not bad, but the rotation is uneven and the ball return is not stable. So first, you should be more conscious of your release point when you throw.ā€
ā€œUmmā€¦ā€
ā€œOh no!ā€
When I attempted to throw it, Rin hurriedly came to stop me.
Then she grabbed my arm and straightened my position.
ā€œLet’s see… The elbow angle is like this… That’s good.ā€
ā€œWith this form, all I have to do is throw?ā€
ā€œYes! Anyway, be careful not to overdo it or you will hurt yourself.ā€
ā€œI did it without thinking, so I don’t know. Thank you, Rin.ā€
ā€œNo, no, it’s only natural.ā€
ā€œI mean, don’t you know a lot about this stuff?ā€
ā€œIt’s just general knowledge.ā€
No, no, no, if this level is general education, the level of education in Japan would be quite high…
Or, it indirectly means I’m not educated.
ā€œā€¦Tokiwagi-kun. May I have a word?ā€
ā€œFuji-san, what’s wrong?ā€
ā€œā€¦Rin has been studying hard in order to teach you. If you don’t take it seriously, I’ll pity you.ā€
ā€œAh! Wait, hey! Kotone-chan, what are you talking about?ā€
ā€œOhoh~. That’s …… quite a cute thing to do, isn’t it Wakamiya!ā€
ā€œUm… is that so?ā€
ā€œUm, uh… are you saying that’s not the caseā€¦ā€
ā€œOh, I see… it’s different.ā€
ā€œOh, if you shush me like that, …….. too!!! That’s right!!! I studied! I studied because I wanted to teach Towa-kun~~!!!!ā€
Her face turned red and she hid it with her hands.
Shaking her head from side to side, she was distraught.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her unusual upset state.
ā€œā€¦ Rin, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that?ā€
ā€œUgh… It’s okay, I would have been prodded by Kato-san when I was trying to look good with the false impression I madeā€¦ā€
ā€œNo, I didn’t say that, okay? Even if what Wakamiya was saying was exactly as it was in the how-to book.ā€
ā€œā€¦ You found out, didn’t you? Hah… if there was a hole, I’d like to go in and mount iron bars directly on it.ā€
ā€œNo, Rin. I am happy in general, so cheer up.ā€
I gently patted Rin’s back as she moped on the ground, depressed.
This kind of gesture is so cute.
Is this what you call gap moe?
There was a guy in class talking about how he couldn’t get enough of the gap, but I understand it now.
ā€œOkay, Towa. I guess I’d better get going!ā€
ā€œā€¦ Huh? Where are you going?ā€
ā€œSecret training. It’s a few hours of separate activities from the girls’ group. Come on, don’t just sit around in the meantime.ā€
ā€œThat’s right, … I’m going to go out there and do my best~ā€
Practicing with Kenichi is going to be pretty tough.
But I’ve decided to do what I’m going to do, so I have to do it.
I rotated my wrist and huffed out a breath.
ā€œUm! Me tooā€“ā€œ
ā€œSorry Wakamiya. This is a secret.ā€
ā€œMuu! I’m not going to say anything, and that’s fine.ā€
ā€œYou say that, but don’t you want to get in trouble with your classmates for asking questions about this and that? ā€œI really don’t knowā€ is more truthful here.ā€
ā€œB-but! I’m sure I’m good at acting too.ā€
ā€œEven if Wakamiya is okay with it, Kotone is not good at acting. It shows on her face.ā€
ā€œā€¦ Am I at fault?ā€
ā€œNo, I think it’s good to be honest and down-to-earth. I think it’s ā€˜the best’.ā€
ā€œā€¦ I see. If Kenichi is okay with it, then ā€¦ā€
For a moment, her eyes were sharp, but as soon as she was told that she was ā€œthe bestā€, she began to blush.
Why are you getting so embarrassed there?
I asked myself.
ā€ And, well. So, it’s easy to understand like this. Soā€¦ā€
ā€œā€¦ Kenichi? Did you think that was a … lie?ā€
ā€œNo, no, no, it’s not a lie~. It’s just that I wanted to get a quick glance at …. Kotone?ā€
ā€œā€¦ The man who plays around… will be vanquishedā€¦ā€
ā€œGofu!?!?ā€
Kenichi held his stomach on the spot.
Although it was supposed for him to suffer in his groin, he said something awfully positive, ā€œHeavy love ain’t bad, man!ā€.
No, Kenichi denied it, but I have a hunch that he’s really into getting dominated…
Why does he have such a proud face?
ā€œHey, Kenichi. Are you alive~?ā€
ā€œThis is no problem. It’s business as usual.ā€
ā€œI’m a little worried about your ā€˜usual’, you know?ā€
ā€œHaha. Well, there are many forms of lovers!ā€
If taking kryptonite is a form of lovers, then I’d be out in a day.
It’s not like I would run away, but I would normally lose consciousness.
ā€œAnyway, Wakamiya. You’re not allowed to come here. Please be patient.ā€
ā€œā€¦ā€¦Wu. I’ll try to be convinced. I wanted to see Towa-kun’s growth by my side.ā€
ā€œRin sometimes has a lot of childish remarks.ā€
ā€œIt’s not a bad deal. It’s possible to spend time looking forward to what Towa will do at the festival, isn’t it?ā€
ā€œSpending time looking forward to it, that’s… possible. That’s more delusional… no, it’s more imaginative.ā€
ā€œRin, you can’t hide it if you rephrase itā€¦ā€
ā€œWhat are you talking about?ā€
ā€œWow, you’re being wonderfully sloppyā€¦ā€
Rin tilted her head and looked mystified…
Brilliantly acted, I’m afraid I’m a bit distrustful of people.
Yeah …?
But this.
ā€œAh, I see. Rin’s acting seems strange hereā€¦ā€
ā€œā€ā€Eh?ā€ā€ā€
All three of them looked surprised at my words.
ā€œWell, I didn’t expect you to react like that.ā€
ā€œā€¦Which part? Tell me, Tokiwagi-kun.ā€
ā€œSeriously!? I don’t know either!! Towa, tell me!ā€
ā€œI-I want to know too! What was wrong!?!?ā€
I folded my arms and reconsidered.
Should I tell them about this…?
No, but…
ā€œThen I guess this is a secret.ā€
Please tell me~!
Rin shook my shoulder, but I didn’t tell her.
Well, it’s good sometimes, isn’t it?
It’s good to keep a secret like this.