"Sit down."
Ichinose sat on the lawn with her legs curled up and patted the empty spot next to her.
"No, I can just stand." Hikigaya shook his head.
Sitting next to Ichinose might get him killed by the jealous laser beams from other guys. Best to avoid that altogether.
"Are you sure? It feels weird with one person standing and the other sitting," Ichinose pointed out.
"True..." Hikigaya hesitated. Still, seeing Ichinose insistently pat the spot next to her, he reluctantly sat down a bit of distance away.
"Did you want to ask about the entry form?" Ichinose tucked her hair behind her ear. "Aside from the individual competitions everyone participates in, the only thing left for you is the mixed-gender recommended event."
"Why am I in a recommended event?" Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
With so many students in Class B who are better at sports, how did he end up getting picked? It's not like he'd be missed if he skipped it.
"A two-person, three-legged race?" Hikigaya sighed. "It doesn't require strength, just coordination and cooperation, but still…"
He'd rather embarrass himself in the 1,200-meter relay than do something so awkward. Mixed-gender pairs in a two-person, three-legged race? That's just asking for rumors.
"Well…" Ichinose looked helpless. "Not many people are willing to participate. They're probably a bit shy."
"True..." Hikigaya had to admit. Most of the guys probably want to participate but feel too embarrassed to volunteer. After all, actively signing up would seem like they were trying to get close to a girl.
"But there must be some volunteers. Why me? And who's my partner?" Hikigaya asked, feeling frustrated.
"There were a few volunteers. But in the end, I decided Hikigaya should participate." Ichinose turned to him with a bright smile. "As for your partner… It's me!"
Hikigaya was stunned.
If it was just about filling a spot no one wanted, he'd complain and eventually go along with it. But with Ichinose as his partner?
Even someone as withdrawn as Hikigaya understood that Ichinose was practically the school's most popular girl. Beautiful, cheerful, rich, and kind—no doubt the ideal dream girl.
"Why me?" Hikigaya clenched his fists and looked directly into Ichinose's beautiful eyes. "If you're doing this out of sympathy, please don't. I don't need anyone's pity."
"I know." Ichinose's smile remained gentle. "If I told you it's because our athletic abilities are similar, you might accept it. But I won't lie."
Ichinose folded her hands around her knees and looked at the sky. "I've been thinking about how to help you integrate into the class. You might not need it, but I can't help myself from worrying."
"Why?" Hikigaya's voice was sharp. "I told you I don't need that. So why keep insisting?"
"Because I just can't help it." Ichinose shook her head helplessly. "I tried respecting your feelings, so I never approached you intentionally. But that didn't work."
Ichinose swayed slightly, gazing at the sky with a dreamy smile. "I can't leave Hikigaya-kun alone. I want you to feel like you belong in the class. I want to see you make friends, to see you smile from the bottom of your heart."
"And finally, I want us all to graduate from Class A together!"
"So…" Hikigaya clenched his fists tighter. This charity-like treatment felt suffocating.
"I know." Ichinose met his eyes with unwavering calmness. "I am taking care of you, and yes, a part of it is sympathy. It's all my own decision, and if it bothers you, you can reject it. You can avoid me or even yell if you want."
"Until you integrate with the class and make friends, I will keep looking out for you. Let's start by being partners in the race. The entry form is set, and if you don't participate, it'll affect the class."
Ichinose stood up and offered her hand to him. Her radiant smile was as bright as an angel's.
"Fine…" Hikigaya looked at her hand, feeling conflicted. He couldn't refuse without causing trouble for the entire class.
"When does the training for the three-legged race start?" he asked.
"How about now?" Ichinose replied cheerfully.
"Got it." Hikigaya turned to leave, shoulders sagging. It's not like he had a real choice.
He thought of Shibata's words. So that's what he meant. This guy likes Ichinose. But if Ichinose was simply showing him sympathy, then Shibata's concern was pointless.
But… why couldn't Ichinose just leave him alone? Was it really just sympathy?
At the playground, Hikigaya tilted his body to the side, trying to keep some distance.
Ichinose was squatting down, tying his right foot and her left foot together with a red ribbon. Even through his sweatpants, he could feel her warmth.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Hikigaya asked nervously.
"It's fine. We just need more practice." Ichinose stood up and stretched out her arms.
"Hold on, I'm sweating a lot," Hikigaya said, feeling embarrassed.
"So what?" Ichinose tilted her head in confusion. "Sweating is perfectly normal. It just means you're healthy."
"That's… true." Hikigaya looked at his sweaty hands. At least Ichinose wasn't disgusted by it.
"Alright, let's start practicing. Three, two, one—run."
Hikigaya focused on matching her rhythm. It wasn't that hard, actually. He just couldn't ignore the fact that his arm was wrapped around Ichinose's shoulder, feeling her soft and delicate frame.
"Wow! We're in sync, Hikigaya-kun!" Ichinose beamed after they completed a lap.
"You can untie the ribbon now," Hikigaya said, his voice strained.
Ichinose giggled. "You look exhausted, so let's stop here for today. But we'll continue training tomorrow, alright?"
"Isn't this speed good enough?"
"No slacking! Other classes are training, too. We have to work harder."
"Alright, alright." Hikigaya sighed. This girl really didn't understand the word "give up."
He watched her walk back to the girls' camp, his shoulders sagging.
Was it really sympathy? Or was it something else?
Whatever it was, he couldn't deny one thing: Ichinose wasn't like those shallow girls from middle school. She really did care.
But this kind of personality… Could it survive in a school like this?
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