CHAPTER 42: THE SHADOWS OF THE TRACK (part 1)
Beneath the scorching sun, an eerie silence fell over the massive synthetic track of Hoshigawa High.
The storm of the race had just calmed, and the scent of sweat and dust particles still lingered in the air.
All the girls were hunched over near the track, panting heavily.
Their faces were drenched in sweat, and their breathing sounded like revving engines.
Standing a short distance away, Junn Tachibana was also breathing hard, but her face held something far darker than exhaustion—a deep, venomous rage.
Her baby-pink eyes were locked dead onto Miyu's back.
Junn's naturally dominant and intimidating nature was clearly visible on her face right now.
*"She won again, after all,"* Junn thought, grinding her teeth as her light yellow, curly hairlocks fluttered gently in the breeze.
*"I absolutely hate this arrogant girl.
Every single time... she's the one who always wins!
I despise that sweet smile of hers.
Whenever she smiles, it feels like she's looking down on me.
One day, I will completely shatter this fake innocence of hers!"*
Just then, Sayaka Shirogane approached with a playful, unhinged smirk.
Teasing her, she said, "MY MY Oh Junn, looks like you're completely out of breath, hehehe.
I really thought you were going to collapse halfway through the track!"
Junn's anger flared even hotter. Glaring at her, she snapped,
"Shut your mouth, got it?!
And keep your nonsense to yourself!"
Sayaka flipped her lavender hair and, acting entirely innocent, replied,
"Alright, alright.
My Princess started crying and got offended.
You just don't know how to accept your defeat, do you?
Well, no problem.
Okay, bye Make sure to lose even worse next time "
Sayaka casually walked away.
Junn stomped her feet on the ground in sheer fury, grinding her teeth.
Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.
A completely 'Ruthless' and dark expression took over her face.
*"Laugh all you want, Sayaka... laugh as much as you want,"*
Junn thought in a deeply venomous and freezing tone, glaring daggers at Sayaka's back.
*"Do you and that miss-innocent Miyu really think you've beaten me?
You're forgetting that I'm the one who dictates the hierarchy of this class.
Anyone who challenges my pride or dares to act superior to me...
I turn their life into a living hell.
Very soon,
I'll drag both of you down from such a height that you won't be able to show your faces anywhere in this school.
You will pay the price for this teasing, and for Miyu's victory, with your tears... and it's going to be brutal."*
A little further away, near the final stretch of the track, Himari Suzuki was panting violently.
Her physical stamina was significantly lower than the rest of the girls.
Exhausted, she rested both hands on her knees and adjusted her glasses.
*"Haa... haa..."* Himari let out a deep breath, a sad and disappointed expression forming on her face.
*"I tried my absolute best... but I still came in dead last,"*
she murmured to herself in a soft, innocent voice.
But then, she composed herself. She took a deep breath, stood up straight, and dusted off her skirt.
*"It's okay, Himari.
Being sad won't fix anything,"*
she gently motivated herself.
*"I just need to work a little harder next time.
I have to improve my physical stamina at least a little bit...
So that I never have to face the embarrassment of coming in last ever again."*
Meanwhile, near the center of the track, Yoko Fujimoto slowly walked over to Miyu.
As always, Yoko's face was completely cold and aloof, and her purple eyes showed no particular emotion.
But she was brutally honest.
"Miyu, you really put up a great fight today," Yoko said calmly.
Miyu Inoue immediately waved both her hands in the air.
Her aqua eyes held pure innocence, and her rose-white pink braided hair was slightly messy.
"Oh no, not at all, Yoko-chan!
Both of you gave me such an intense fight that halfway through,
I started wondering how I was even going to win!
It was just pure luck."
Before anyone could react to Miyu's words, the temperature in the area seemed to plummet. Honoka Aizawa stepped right in front of them.
A fiery intensity burned in Honoka's indigo eyes, and her face was filled with pure anger and a bruised ego.
"You must be feeling pretty ecstatic about winning today, aren't you?"
Honoka demanded, shooting her a cold, piercing stare.
The suppressed irritation in her voice was palpable.
"Enjoy this victory while you can.
Because you only won this once.
Next time, I will completely crush you on this track.
Weakness is a sin, and I despise weakness.
I do not accept my defeat."
Miyu grew slightly nervous.
"Honoka-san, it's nothing like that...
I was just praising you and Yoko—"
But before she could finish her sentence, Yoko stepped forward and intervened. Yoko's voice was freezing and dead serious.
"Miyu, you don't need to justify yourself to Honoka," Yoko stated in a brutally honest tone.
"This is just her natural behavior.
She can't digest her defeat easily.
Don't take anything she says to heart.
You won through your own hard work."
Honoka didn't respond to Yoko's remark.
She just ground her teeth in anger, crossed her arms, and turned her face the other way.
Suddenly, an incredibly loud and hyperactive voice echoed from behind.
"HONOKA, MY DARLING!!!"
Yoshiro Kurosawa, the self-proclaimed boss and comedy king of the class, came sprinting toward the track, tearing through the air.
His bald head gleamed in the sunlight, and his brown eyes had literally transformed into giant pink hearts.
He was completely blinded by his "Flirty" and "Cheerful" mode right now.
"Oh Honoka, you were absolutely amazing on the track!"
Yoshiro threw both his arms wide open, as if charging in at full speed to hug her.
"My heart just melted seeing your speed!"
Honoka, who was already fuming with rage over her loss, froze in her tracks.
She slowly turned her neck and glared at Yoshiro.
Her face now projected an absolute "Death Stare" —an aura terrifying enough to make anyone's soul tremble.
"Why... do you have a death wish today?"
Honoka growled with an extreme "Cold Aura," grinding her teeth.
*"If this idiot hadn't distracted me, I would have won this race,"*
Honoka seethed internally.
*"I feel like drinking his blood right now;
I lost the race because of him!"*
Yoshiro's outstretched arms froze mid-air.
His face instantly shifted into a "Shocked" expression.
A drop of cold sweat rolled down his bald head.
"D-Don't get angry!
Please don't get angry!
Alright, alright...
I'll leave on my own!"
Right behind him, Daiki and Taiki were shivering.
"Hey Boss, are you trying to get us killed along with you?!
Hurry up and get out of here!
Otherwise, she's going to eat us alive too!"
Yoshiro quickly nodded his head.
"Yeah, you're right, bro.
Let's go. Her brain is running way too hot right now!"
Suddenly, the piercing sound of a whistle echoed across the entire ground.
"PRRRRRRRTTTTT!"
"ALL BOYS, ASSEMBLE FRONT AND CENTER IMMEDIATELY!" Takeshi Sakuraba roared with a loud, thunderous voice.
His brown-eyed face had now shifted entirely into his "Serious Mode."
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Renjiro Hoshino was panicking terribly.
His heavy, 150 kg bloated body was trembling with fear.
He was physically massive, but his inner trauma was completely overpowering him.
*"How... how am I supposed to run?"* Renjiro screamed internally, his breathing already erratic.
*"I have never run in a competition like this in my entire life.
If I collapse panting or lose in front of all these monsters, they will definitely make a total mockery out of me.
They'll bully me.
It's better if I just tell Sir beforehand that I cannot run!"*
Gathering every ounce of his courage, Renjiro slowly raised his hand and stepped forward. "S-Sir... I have something to say to you."
Takeshi sir looked at him. "Speak! What is it?"
"Sir... I cannot run," Renjiro said in a low, trembling voice, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground.
Takeshi sir brushed a hand through his black pompadour hair and raised an eyebrow.
"And when did I ever say you were participating in this race?"
A sudden wave of relief and comfort washed over Renjiro's heart.
For a split second, he thought,
*"Thank God!
Now I won't have to run on the ground with all of them!"*
But that joy was shattered the very next second.
Takeshi sir pointed a finger at Renjiro in a dramatic, funny pose and declared,
"But until this class's race is over, you will stand on the sidelines and do nothing but Squats !
Non-stop!"
Renjiro's face completely dropped. He was completely "Spaced Out."
Darkness clouded his vision.
*"Me, doing squats?!
In this blistering heat?!"*
Hearing this, two or three average boys in the crowd pointed at Renjiro and burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha! Man,
Sir, you did the absolute right thing!"
one boy mocked.
"Yeah, Sir, how is he even supposed to run in that condition anyway?
You gave him the perfect punishment!"
another boy chimed in, making fun of him.
Takeshi sir's face instantly grew dark. He glared intensely at the laughing boys.
"Oh? You boys seem to be having a lot of fun laughing at others, huh?"
The boys' laughter died in their throats.
"Since you all have so much extra energy to waste on laughing,"
Takeshi sir stated in a dangerously low tone,
"All of you will run 3 laps around this ground!
And that too, without stopping!"
The boys were completely shell-shocked.
"N-No, Sir!"
Takeshi sir casually rubbed his index finger between his nose and upper lip, flashing a smirk.
*"See that, kids?
That is the consequence of making fun of someone. Ha ha."*
His kind-hearted nature, which taught him to care for his students, was now teaching these bullies a hard lesson.
Renjiro was still stressed.
"Sir... but I don't have my gym uniform (Taikufuku).
If I do squats in my regular school uniform, my clothes will get completely drenched in sweat."
Takeshi sir let out a deep sigh.
"Is that all? Come with me inside the gym, boy.
I'll give you a uniform...
I have an extra one lying around that should be your size."
To be continue...