A few days had passed since practice began.
I started to get used to my new class and started to take classes by course. I'm a science guy, so I concentrate on physics and chemistry. The difficult concepts gave me a headache, but since Intelligence Takazo was also a science student, I asked him to teach me what I did not understand.
I felt sorry for taking up his time, but the act of teaching was very useful to deepen my understanding. I felt sorry for taking up his time, but he said, 'It is very useful for me to teach to deepen my own understanding.

The science majors take their classes in a different classroom, and when I return to my own classroom, the blackboard is covered with words from world history, which I am not good at, and difficult political science and economics. As I am not very good at memorizing, I didn't want to look at the blackboard so much that I let out a distracted voice saying "uh-oh".

Um, comet. I have a favor to ask you.
'I refuse.'

The cranes clasped their hands together and pleaded with me, but I refused to go through with it. I know what to do.

I haven't said anything yet.
I'm not going to be the student council's dog at the gymnastics festival. I'm too busy being me.
'Yeah~. That's good. You're not busy anyway, are you?
'You don't have time for this. Ask Alina.

Tsuru asks Alina, who is about to fall asleep.

'Arina~, comets aren't busy, are they?
'I'm not busy. I'm fine.
'Hey, hey, hey, hey, you're the one fighting sleepiness, you say?

She rubbed her eyes sleepily, exhausted from the days of practice. She lay face down on the desk, muttering, 'Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy.

I fell asleep. You're really trying, aren't you?
'Well, yeah. The professionals are motivated. We're going to win this relay for real.
''You're going to be in our class, right, Masao?''

Masao is a window-shopper and often reads sweets books. He is often alone and is rarely seen with his classmates. He is not being ostracized or bullied in any way. I think he is simply the type of person who likes to be alone.

Yes. He's a good asset.
'Who else?'
Takakura Numakura, Eiji Shimano, Rinne Hayasaka.
'Oh, I know Rinne.
'You don't know Takakura? I hear he's the only one with the academic ability you could reach.'
'I know your name, but it's ...... wrong, okay?'
'What?'
'You can't reach me. It's not the same, it's not the same. Hmm.

Before she started to get carried away and become an annoying character, I managed to get rid of her by chanting 'aiueoka kiku ku ko sassu--' incessantly in hiragana. There is nothing useful in bragging about your studies. It's better to run a race with green turtles.





After the practice test, he resumed his practice again. I don't know the result yet, but I checked my answers with Alina and Tsuru, and got a so-so predicted score.
There was still time before the gymnastic festival, so we ran hard. We all began to notice that our overall time and coordination had improved dramatically since we started. Wishful thinking is replaced by reality. That moment may be just around the corner.

It was an ordinary day. A week before the gymnastic festival.
Last night, I don't know if I drank too much tomato juice or not, but I casually borrowed my father's blood pressure meter and measured my blood pressure, and it showed that it was high for a young man, which frightened me. This has led to a persistent urge to urinate, and today I'm having the urinal drink more of my fluids than usual. I am sorry. Please drink more.
I went to the bathroom again so that the perverted pony-tailed girl, Hanaya, who loves to pee, would not know what I was doing. Then I saw Intelligence Takazo in the hallway surrounded by a few boys. Well, well, isn't this what is commonly known as harassment or bullying?

What, you think you can win?
'Of course. I don't fight a war I can't lose. Our chances have increased in the last few days, and we are training every day with the calculation that we will be able to perform to the best of our ability on the day of the competition.
What is this guy talking about?
'You're so cocky.
It's not nice to have a douchebag whose only merit is his studies.
It is true that my performance may not be as good as others. However, my team has found that overall it is not a problem. We have entered a stage where we can no longer be replaced. No matter how much you may talk about it, we are still going to compete.
'You talk and talk and talk. You're all talk, anyway.
'I don't care what you guys say, you tend to act on instinct, but I'm not upset.
''Oh?''

Well, well, the mood is getting worse, isn't it?
As much as I want to help him, my first priority is getting the urinal to drink my fluids, not helping him. I think that he should solve his own problems that he has caused by himself, so I just pass by him as usual.

'You loser, you homecoming club...'

Well, well, well.
I stopped.
Four guys. Each of them was 167, 172, 169, Judging from their physiques, I guessed that they were members of a basketball team, a baseball team, and two soccer players.
In conclusion, they are small fry who are no match for Comet Sakakiki.

Hey. Hey, you guys! How are you?

The four raised their eyebrows at the sudden visit of the prowler. Of course they did. A gentleman of 180 tall, smiling, with his hands folded behind his back, a well-known pervert, was coming up to them. If the situation were reversed, I'd be scared, too. I'd call the police.



You're Sakakiki, aren't you?
'Yes, I'm the one from the homecoming club you just taunted, right?'

He introduced himself casually, with a smiley face plastered on his face. This smile is the look I got from Alina's killer smile.
Those who didn't know me started to realize who I was. I watched their every move without stopping smiling during this time. I was smiling so much that even a certain hamburger store clerk was amazed. By the way, my smile is not zero yen. You'll pay for it in blood.

I wanted to tell you something. You're dating Nichiha, right? Break up with me.'

No, no, no, no, no. Now I'm talking about the relay and the home-going club taunting remarks.

We're not in a relationship. Therefore, I can't say that I'm breaking up with him.
Then stay away from Hinoha. Or do you have some kind of weakness for Hinoha? If that's the case, then it makes sense that Hinoha keeps refusing.''
'I don't have a grip, okay? I'd rather talk about how I've been taunting the homecoming club.
'Go away, you homebody incarcerated. You too, get out of Nippa's sight.

Oh, you're just saying that for me, aren't you? I'm starting to think you're cute. My emotions are rising for the first time in a long time.

Uncle, you're losing your temper.
'Get mad. You should lose your temper.

Then he pushed me in the chest. You f*cking Hobbit. You touched my uncle's tits.
That action made me say, "What? I made a very high-handed threat, which is not like a gentleman. I don't know if I had a really bad look on my face or if it was unexpected, but my threat scared them for a moment. That's right, they are animals. They are afraid of the wrath of someone bigger than themselves.
People were beginning to gather around. I heard that the famous eccentric Comet and the party people were having a row.
Just then, Berserker Masao stepped forward.
His presence was overwhelming.
An overwhelming sense of despair.
Overwhelming sense of alienation.
He doesn't do anything, but he is already strong. He is already strong just by being near him. He's too strong. I can't do it! It's so strong I can't stand it!
The four of us were speechless as we watched him breathe through shaking arms that looked like cannons as big as my thighs and a chest plate that was so thick I thought he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

'Ke, don't fight. ......'

I know. He's terrified. He's an introvert, but he's working hard now.
He joined the relay because he wants to change. His enthusiasm for practice is the highest. I think he works harder than anyone else. So for him to step forward and take this courageous step, he has gained something. He is making steady progress.
It makes me feel foolish to be angry.

Well, well, well. Let's just stop here for now, because hatred brings nothing.
You're not going to run away?
'You're going to have to run. You want to clash with Masao?
It's--''

I don't want to collide with this Berserker either. I'd be flattened in an instant. I know you're feeling stubborn, but pull back. I don't think even I can stop Masao when he's out of control. Maybe giving him a mango will calm him down.
In the end, they left reluctantly without continuing their conversation. I breathed a sigh of relief.

'Sorry, comet, Masao. My inability to do so has caused you to make unnecessary enemies. I will try to gain a better understanding of the judicial system so that I can bring social sanctions against them in the future.
Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it. Don't try to make enemies. And I didn't do anything. You should be thanking Masao.
'Yes, you're right. Comet, you didn't know what you wanted the whole time. Masao, I deeply appreciate your courageous action.

Masao denied it, waving his hands in the air with a gust of wind.

No, you are to be commended. When I reach a high position in Japan in the future, I will talk about this incident in front of the public. Your actions will not be confined to this small community. I promise you.

Takakura shook Masao's hand. It was a historic handshake, like a reconciliation between a pioneer and a native. It would have been an even more beautiful scene if Takakura had not tried to let go of his hand, saying 'Ide-de-de-de fracture, fracture, fracture'.
And then came Heartbreak Lyon.

Masao, you've got me! Ah-ha! You can do it! By contrast, you, the dabblers, are ...... so pathetic. That's why you're not popular.
If you use love as a criterion of value and as a material to deny your own character, then you are a worthless person. How many times have you confessed your love and how many times have you been rejected? You've achieved nothing. You said it. You said you wanted to be a heartbreaker-- someone who'd be irresistible and dump you. After all, you don't want to be in love, you want to be an idol. Like Alina Hiba'.


'No, of course not! That's disgusting!
It's no use aiming for the male ideal of Alina Nippa. A man cannot be someone else. Individuality is one-of-a-kind. So you have to improve yourself. That's why I study to invest in my future.
'Are you complimenting me, Mr. Bingo ......?'
'Your thought process is like a toy rail built by a toddler.'

They started fighting again and I left with Masao. I believe in the saying, "The more you fight, the better you get along.

I was kicked by a chair. I went back to the classroom and took a breather.
I turned around and saw that the culprit was Alina's long legs.

I wonder if I'm an idol.

The corners of her mouth turned up, as if she was testing me.

You saw what I just saw?
'Yes. It was fun.
Then join us. If you had said something, it would have been over earlier for sure.
'I'm on a campaign to raise the bar. I'm trying to change my toxic and low reputation. If you keep interrupting, I'm going to go down.
'I'm praying you'll get your tongue back.'
'Yes, I do. I'm good for you, aren't I?

I fell into a daze. I felt hurt, so I quickly made up for it and said something back.

'That's not true.
'Oh, I'm so glad. One day I'll come back to all this and I'll abuse you a lot.

With that, he got up and went to Tsuru's seat.
I don't know if she will be around when her memory comes back. She will probably be independent.
So I hope she will be able to drink, and at the reunion she will curse at me quietly, so quietly that only I can hear it. I don't want to hear her denial.