After the exams ended, all the students began preparing for Sports Week.
Every Student Council member helped out, including the third-year students.
Yuzuki was busy organizing the competitions and managing the budget.
However, she slowly started feeling that something was strange—Kiyotaka seemed to be getting closer to Fumino.
At first, Yuzuki tried to ignore it.
Suddenly, Hirata approached her.
“Yuzuki, how’s the prize preparation going?” he asked.
“It’s almost done,” Yuzuki replied.
From a distance, Kiyotaka saw them talking and felt slightly jealous.
Beside him, Fumino pulled on his arm.
“What’s wrong with you?” Fumino asked.
“Nothing,” Kiyotaka answered shortly.
Meanwhile, Kuze was preparing the classroom decoration contest together with Yuna.
At the same time, he was also thinking about how to confess his feelings to her.
Arisu was busy managing the events together with Ryen.
Nagumo prepared the competition equipment, although he found it a little strange that there was a classroom decorating contest during Sports Week.
Finally, Sports Week began.
Yuzuki participated in many events: basketball, volleyball, and swimming.
Kiyotaka joined soccer and the relay race.
Hirata purposely chose the same competitions as Yuzuki.
Elsewhere, Ichinose called Hirata.
“What competition are you joining?” she asked.
“The same ones as Yuzuki,” Hirata replied.
Ichinose let out a small laugh.
“Then compete against Kiyotaka in the relay race. That’s your chance.”
Not long after, the school announcement stated that the male swimming participants had to transfer to either the relay race or soccer.
“A perfect opportunity,” Ichinose said.
“Join the relay and beat Kiyotaka.”
Hirata agreed to the plan.
The competition day was lively and exciting.
All the students cheered loudly, and the atmosphere was overflowing with energy.
Her nickname even changed from the Ice Queen to the Killer Queen.
Then the relay race began.
Nagumo, Kiyotaka, and Hirata all participated in the finals.
Unknown to everyone else, Hirata had already bribed the referee so his fouls wouldn’t be counted.
The race started.
Kiyotaka ran as fast as he could, but Hirata intentionally blocked his path.
Then Hirata suddenly shouted:
“She rejected you, didn’t she?! That’s why you moved on to Yuzuki!”
Kiyotaka’s steps briefly stopped.
But he gritted his teeth.
“I’ll still run with everything I have!”
Even so, the wounds from his past shook his concentration.
Kiyotaka lost.
After the race, Nagumo approached him.
“Why did you fail?”
Yuzuki also came over and tried to encourage him.
“It’s okay…”
But Hirata only smiled.
“I’ll tell you my request later.”
Behind the school building, Hirata finally spoke.
“My wish is simple… Yuzuki becomes mine.”
Kiyotaka fell silent.
Yuzuki tightly held onto his hand.
“Reject it…”
However, Kiyotaka had already realized something.
He pulled out his phone.
“Why weren’t your fouls counted?”
Then he played the evidence— a recording of Hirata bribing the referee.
Hirata froze.
Arisu and Ryen stepped out from the room, followed by Nagumo and the others.
“It’s already clear enough,” Kiyotaka said.
Hirata couldn’t deny it anymore.
In the end, he walked away with a defeated expression.
Kiyotaka was still furious.
Yuzuki tried to stop him.
“That’s enough…”
But Kiyotaka quietly said,
“Be quiet for now… just leave me alone.”
He was close to losing control, but then he remembered his promise to protect Yuzuki.
In the end, he managed to hold back his anger.
After everything was over, the atmosphere slowly returned to normal.
However, the relationship between Kiyotaka and Yuzuki became awkward.
They didn’t go home together.
Back at the apartment, the atmosphere felt cold.
There was no conversation during dinner.
That night, they lay on the bed together.
Kiyotaka tried to start a conversation.
“The weather… is nice, huh?”
Even though heavy rain was pouring outside.
“Yeah…” Yuzuki answered softly.
Then Yuzuki suddenly asked:
“Do I need to become better than Fumino… or Ichinose?”
Kiyotaka shook his head.
“You’re already enough.”
Yuzuki then leaned against Kiyotaka’s shoulder.
“You still owe me one request, right?” Kiyotaka said.
Suddenly, Yuzuki pushed him onto the bed and climbed on top of him.
“I just want to know… who your first love was.”
Kiyotaka stayed silent for a moment.
“…Fumino.”
Then he slowly began telling her about his past— about how he fell in love, tried to change himself, and finally confessed under the cherry blossoms.
Yuzuki listened quietly in silence.