Volume 5, Epilogue: Beginning of a New Era Part 1

Volume 5, Epilogue: Beginning of a New Era Part 1

The last event of the second half, the 1200 meter relay that would bring the sports festival to a close is about to begin. Tensions are running high for everyone other than Class D.

"So this is the final event.....even for this one we'll have to prepare a substitute---".

"Hah, hah. Sorry, kept you waiting! What's going on?".

A breathless Sudou came back, with Horikita arriving soon after.

"Sudou-kun, you came back".

".....sorry, it took me some time to take a dump".

He had a bright and cheerful look on his face. However, quite a lot of students turned to look at Sudou coldly. Sudou took their stares head-on.

"Sorry. All because I snapped, I ended up hitting Hirata and caused morale to plummet. It's also my fault that Class D is in such dire straits".

Before anyone could blame him, Sudou said that and gave a deep bow. If Sudou had been the way he was just a while ago, he wouldn't have done such a thing even as an act.

I feel like something must have definitely happened.

Hirata, after a brief moment of surprise, laughed happily.

His cheek, which had swollen up a bit, looked painful. But he doesn't even seem to care about that.

"What's up with you, Ken? This is unlike you".

Ike unexpectedly cut in after seeing that.

"I have to admit I'm in the wrong if I have done something wrong. Please let me apologize to you too, Kanji".

"It's not like it's your fault I lost or anything. I'm not good at sports.....I'm sorry I wasn't of any use".

One apology led to another. The students who were glaring at Sudou too, have been unable to produce results the way Sudou had.

"If you haven't decided on the substitute for the relay then please let me run".

"There isn't a single student other than Sudou-kun we could leave it to. Right, everyone?".

The rules for the final event, the 1200 meter relay, requires that boys and girls be mixed. From each class, the runners must be evenly balanced between male and female.

Three boys and three girls each must run 200 meters.

"May I ask for a substitute runner......? I won't be able to produce satisfactory results with this leg".

After Sudou's case wrapped up, Horikita requested that with an apologetic look on her face.

"Are you fine with that, Horikita? You tried so hard to be in this relay, right?".

"...it can't be helped. In this state, I'm not even sure I can win against Ike-kun. Sorry".

In this somber and grim meeting, after Sudou had done so, Horikita also gave a deep bow.

I wonder if she's ever been this honest up until now.

Both Horikita's heart and body have been thoroughly demolished by Ryuuen. The role of anchor she holds onto tightly, on this day at this time, is all because she had pictured herself by her brother's side.

Her hands trembling in frustration, she fought desperately against the dream that couldn't possibly come true.

If she forced the matter and participated in the contest anyways, then without a doubt, Class D would lose. Having heard that, Hirata nodded and decided that Kushida would be participating in her stead.

Then, with Sudou as the first one on the list, there's Hirata, Miyake, Maezono, Onodera. The five of them with Kushida as Horikita's replacement took on the challenge with that lineup.

It's because there aren't any other sprinters in Class D aside from them capable of participating. The members were confirmed and as I made eye contact with him, Hirata simultaneously opened his mouth.

"Umm...sorry about the suddenness, but the truth is I---".

But as though cutting him off, yet another male student started to speak.

"Please wait, I apologize but.....would you let me withdraw too?".

The one who said so was Miyake, one of the boys slated to participate. He seemed to be dragging his right foot a bit.

"Actually, I sprained my ankle during the 200 meter dash before noon...I thought it'd get better with some rest but it's still hurting".

Apparently even here we've got students who've sustained injuries.

"In that case, looks like we'll need a replacement from the boys as well".

Having said that, Hirata closed his mouth and looked around.

However, for this final contest, no student would want to participate unless they were absolutely confident in their speed. After a brief wait, there were no volunteers and so I decided to make an offer.

"Then would it be fine if I ran? Of course, I'll pay the points for the substitution".

"Ehh, you will, Ayanokouji? Speaking of which, you.....are you fast?".

Of course, no one would have the impression that I'm a fast runner.

"I'm all for it. I've been watching him up until now and I think he's the kind of person who'll make sure he produces results".

A word from Hirata was enough to shut down anything resembling an objection. This is the weight behind the words of the man who earns trust on a daily basis. It left everyone incapable of objecting.

"Also, we can't say that Class D has its best members. That's why our strategy should be seizing the initiative and securing our lead. How about that, Sudou-kun? Considering the rules too, I think we'd secure predominance if we can run ahead. If we can get the start right and if it's Sudou-kun, who runs fast, doing the overtaking then we may be able to gain some distance in one stroke. I'll maintain that lead and hand it over to the next student".

The ultimate relay where 12, including senior students as well, would have to start simultaneously.

Since lanes cannot be prepared for all 12, we'll have to start side-by-side.

The rule here is that you may take the inner lane from an opponent you have overtaken. In other words, the most crucial thing here is our initial positioning. If you can pull off a starting dash then you won't have to get caught up in a free-for-all.

"...well, no helping it. There's no other way if we want to win".

Sudou will go first. Hirata, whose speed is assured, will be going second.

After that, the three girls, including Kushida, will have their turn and in the end, it'll be my turn. We'll be going in this order. It appears even I have been given a higher evaluation compared to the girls since I was entrusted with the role of anchor.

As for the reason, they probably wanted to sandwich me in between the slower students. It saves me the trouble.

From across all school years and from across all classes, the chosen elites gather at the center of the grounds and amongst them the figures of the older Horikita as well as Nagumo of the 2nd years could be seen.

"I'll leave it to you, Sudou-kun!".

Hirata shouts and in the same vein, Kushida and the other runners also send shrill cheers flying Sudou's way. Sudou, looking determined, enters the course. It seems the 1st years have it good to a certain extent, since Class D is on the innermost lane. It's set up such that Class A of the 3rd years is on the outermost lane.

Since there are three girls when it comes to the 3rd years, it can be said that we'll have an overwhelming starting advantage.

As excitement peaked, the last relay finally began.

Of course, Class D no longer has any chance of winning the sports festival but if we can obtain victory here, it may alter future events drastically. They must have had such a premonition.

Cheering voices came from our camp as well.

"That was close. A bit longer and I would have withdrawn".

"I suppose so. Miyake being injured was unexpected".

From the start, the plan was for me to replace Hirata and participate in the last relay instead. Of course, no one other than Hirata knew of that.

"This is fine, right? Ayanokouji-kun?".

"Yeah. Sorry about having you go around laying the groundwork".

"It's the natural thing for me to do as part of Class D. I'd rather we not keep getting beat by Ryuuen-kun too. It's alright if I assume he'll be slightly surprised by you running, right?".

"I'll do my best to not let you down. More importantly, for now let's cheer Sudou on".

Sudou made a good start the moment the starting signal rang out without so much as a hint of nervousness.

A dash that had the best timing that I've seen so far. From the very first step, he had enough force to overtake 11 people. Wah! I could hear such cheers fly along with the sprinting students.

"Amazing, fast".

Even Shibata, spectating from beside me, gave his praise. Sudou ran at an overwhelming pace.

The 2nd year and 3rd year boys too, were supposed to have been fast, but they got caught up in a free-for-all and were left struggling to position themselves.

Having overtaken them via that opening, Sudou maintained a lead of over 15 meters and came back.

"I'll leave it to you, Hirata!".

Class D is in an uproar over that lead. The baton passes to the next runner: Hirata.

The hybrid type man who excelled at both studies and sports. He shone brilliantly even here.

One after another, the other students followed in tow but the gap that had formed could not be bridged and our planned lead was maintained all the way up to Onodera, who would be running third.

If there's a problem then it would be from this point. For a girl, Onodera is fast. However, the boys following her from behind were closing in on her. That lead will certainly be lost.

By the time it passed to Maezono, who's running fourth, the lead was almost nonexistent and even as she ran, she was overtaken by a boy from Class A of the 2nd years. One after another, new students began to run.

We participated whilst aiming for 1st place but as expected, the senior students are formidable. Furthermore, Onodera had been overtaken by someone from Class A of the 3rd years and one after another, they closed in on her. One from Class A of the 3rd years and one from Class A of the 2nd years each passed by her.

As expected of the competition, huh?

However, such happenings are an inherent part of the sports festival. A girl from Class A of the 3rd years who was fourth to be handed the baton, stumbled and fell about 50 meters before the next runner.

She panicked and got back up but someone from Class A of the 2nd years immediately took top spot via that opening and a severe gap formed.

By the time the baton passed to Kushida, fifth to run, Class D had already been overtaken by Class A of the same year and had fallen down to 7th place. As suspected, when it comes to overall capability, the other classes hold the advantage.

I thought we'd at least aim for the winners' podium but the fight appears to have become a difficult one.

In a situation where 1st years were unable to even compete, Class B of the 1st years alone managed to hold onto 3rd place with effort.

The ace of Class B who could gather attention to himself in a single stroke, Shibata, seems to be acting the role of the anchor and just like me, he took up his position and awaited his turn.

As the fourth runner from Class A of the 3rd years fell, the situation between the men lined up beside one another as anchors changed entirely.

"Looks like we win this fight, President Horikita. If possible, I'd have liked to run against you".

Glancing at the approaching top runner, a student from Class A of the 2nd years, Nagumo laughed.

There's about a 30 meter gap from the 3rd year's Class A student running in 2nd place. A distance at which those equal to one another in ability can never win.

"Even in overall points, we're likely to win. Looks like the dawn of a new era".

"Are you serious about changing it? The school, I mean".

"Up until now, there's been a lack of fun when it comes to the student council. It stubbornly stuck to protecting tradition. Even though you speak such harsh things you've never forgotten to leave behind a safety net. Soft rules that ensured expulsions won't occur. Such things are already unnecessary, aren't they? That's why all I'll be doing is creating new rules. For the ultimate meritocratic school system, that is".

Nagumo said so as he slowly started to walk forward. He started on an approach run to receive the baton closing in.

The baton is passed onto the representative of the 2nd year's Class A: Nagumo.

Not too long after, Shibata also received his baton under the ideal condition of being in 2nd place.

"Alright, nice! Leave the rest to me!".

Shibata, with fiery eyes, started running as though chasing after Nagumo.

Due to the students between us leaving, for just a moment, I made eye contact with the older Horikita.

There's not much to be gleaned from a brief conversation but this man is fighting once again.

"To think you're the anchor".

"I'm just replacing an injured man. Originally, your sister was slated to be in this position".

"I see. She's struggling in her own way then".

Even if it's only for this moment alone, Horikita has dreamed of standing alongside Horikita Manabu.

Even if she couldn't exchange words with him, she had probably intended on conveying her own feelings to him.

"I've been watching your class and up until a while ago I thought of you guys as a hopeless class. But in this final relay, I don't feel any of that from you guys. What happened?".

"You sure are keeping an eye on us. Class D of the 1st years isn't really something you ought to be paying attention to, right?".

"I keep an eye on all classes. No exceptions".

"If something has changed then it'd be your sister".

"...I see".

No surprise. He only replied briefly with that usual, composed expression of his.

"I'll ask you this. What about you? I can't feel any passion from you".

"I'm the usual me. I have no interest towards this sports festival. I can already tell the outcome".

The class's feelings.

Sudou's feelings.

Horikita's feelings.

I have no strong interest in any of that.

It's just, I had a single premonition.

"You won't be able to see it after you graduate but...our class will become stronger".

"I have no interest in such an assumed future".

As the older Horikita glanced at his approaching teammate, I stopped him with my words.

"Then in that case, would you happen to be interested in seeing exactly what kind of person I am?".

"What?".

The timing's about right to start on an approach run. However, just as I expected, he stopped.

"If you'd like me too, I don't mind racing against you".

"...you sure are a man who says the most fascinating things. Was it just my misunderstanding? Up until now, I thought you hated standing out and avoided taking any direct action. Even in this relay, I had thought you'd simply let things play out and end".

"If you'll abandon any possibility of making it to 2nd place in order to race me then I'll accept. It's not every day a 1st year and a 3rd year are lined up side-by-side to compete".

In response to my unexpected provocation, the older Horikita stopped entirely and turned to face me.

"Interesting".

Replying briefly as such, he no longer made any move. The one most bewildered by this would have to be the fifth runner for Class A of the 3rd years. He had done his best to carry the baton to hand over yet the brother received the baton while standing still.

"You did well".

"Ahh, ehh, ahh.....".

The 3rd year whose name I didn't know left while in shock at the attitude of the older Horikita who had received the baton. In all likelihood, this is an unprecedented baton relay.

Naturally the spectators who had realized this bizarre situation turned their eyes towards the older Horikita.

Class A of the 3rd years, once 3rd place, was overtaken one after another and at last, Class D's Kushida approached me.

Kushida too, realized this bizarre situation but she ran over at full speed. A distance covered in a few more seconds.

"I'll just say this before the race".

"What?".

As the two of us started on our approach run, I said this one sentence.

"---run with everything you've got".

For just an instant, I felt that the older Horikita, who had disappeared behind my field of vision, laughed.

At this very moment, the baton passed over to me.

"Ayanokouji-kun!".

I accepted the baton Kushida handed over and as the opening act, I dashed forth at full throttle.

In my whole life up until this moment, I've never once ran seriously in this wide, sprawling world.

The situation is completely different compared to when I had continued running indifferently in that cold, inhuman room.

It's still the start of October. The cool season is still far off.

I basked in the cold wind.

I don't care about catching up to and overtaking the runner in front.

In this moment, all that matters is the race against the man running next to me.

As though cutting through the wind, at full speed, we closed the distance between us and the runner in front.

"You've got to be kidding right?".

As he was overtaken, the student gave a dumbfounded shout but he was left in the dust.

Also, I can no longer hear the cheers.

Strategy and ingenuity have become irrelevant.

All that remains is my one-on-one fight against Horikita Manabu, who is running next to me.

Beyond the first curve, beyond the straight line and finally to the last curve.

Alright---I'm going to accelerate even further---

Cheers that resembled angry bellows rang out throughout the grounds.