"Sit down."
Ichinose sat on the grass with her legs curled up and patted the empty spot beside her.
"No need, I'll just stand."
Hikigaya shook his head.
Sitting with Ichinose would probably lead to being killed by other people's death stares; better not.
"Then I'll also stand."
"Uh... you don't need to be concerned about me."
"But isn't it strange for one to be standing and the other sitting?"
"True..."
Hikigaya hesitated, while Ichinose continued smiling and patting the empty spot beside her.
It also seemed bad to make Ichinose worry about his feelings.
Thinking of this.
Hikigaya left a one-person gap and sat down beside Ichinose.
"Hikigaya-kun wanted to ask about the event registration form?"
Ichinose tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said: "Aside from the individual races that everyone participates in, the only other one you need to participate in is the recommended competition—the mixed-gender three-legged race."
Go.
"Why did it turn out like this?"
Hikigaya's mouth twitched.
There were too many people in Class B with athletic scores better than his; with his scores, even not participating in a recommended competition would be justifiable.
Three-legged race.
Although it didn't require strong physical ability.
It focused more on the coordination and harmony between two people.
However.
Mixed-gender three-legged race.
He'd rather lose face in the school-wide 1200-meter relay.
"Because."
Ichinose said somewhat helplessly: "There are too few people willing to participate in the mixed-gender three-legged race; maybe they're a bit shy."
"True..."
Probably everyone was in a state of wanting to participate but also being a bit embarrassed.
People taking the initiative to sign up might indeed not be many.
After all.
Participating voluntarily.
The intention to get close to a girl would be too obvious.
"There couldn't be none at all; why me, and who is the teammate..."
Hikigaya said helplessly.
This kind of work that no one else wanted was pushed onto him after all.
But he also had his difficulties.
Why was it that in the middle school relay, the girl receiving the baton always liked to say things like, "Why was the person before me Hikigaya, this is just terrible"?
If he participated in the mixed-gender three-legged race, the other party might just choose to forfeit.
"There were a few."
"But in the end, I decided that Hikigaya-kun would participate."
"As for the teammate..."
Ichinose suddenly turned to gaze at Hikigaya, her mouth curling into a brilliant smile: "It's me!"
""
Hearing this, Hikigaya fell into silence.
If it were just a case of pushing a job no one wanted onto him.
Hikigaya might complain, but in the end, he would helplessly finish it properly, even if the other person was malicious.
But.
The teammate is Ichinose...
Clearly, he couldn't consider it that way.
Even someone like him who rarely communicated with others.
Equally understood Ichinose's charm—beautiful, a body that was a "sin," and a cheerful personality; she was undoubtedly Advanced Nurturing's most dazzling school belle.
With Ichinose participating.
There certainly wouldn't be a lack of boys willing to join the three-legged race.
Actually choosing him as a partner—the reason was undoubtedly only one.
"I should have told you..."
Hikigaya clenched his fist and looked straight into Ichinose's sapphire eyes: "Ichinose, if you're doing this out of pity, please don't."
Only this point.
He would never back down.
Even if he was despised, cursed, or spat upon, he wasn't so pathetic as to need someone's pity.
What right do these people have to pity others of their own accord?
"Yes, I remember."
"If I said it's because our athletic scores are similar and you should find that easier to accept, I won't say that."
Ichinose wrapped her arms around her legs and looked up at the sky, murmuring:
"Actually, I've been thinking about how to get Hikigaya-kun to integrate into the class. You might not need it, but that's how I've been considering it."
"Why?"
Even though he said he didn't need it, why does this person still refuse to let it go?
"Because... it can't be helped."
Ichinose shook her head helplessly: "I thought about respecting your ideas, so I haven't deliberately approached you."
True enough.
Usually when they met.
Ichinose would say hello, but without a special reason, she wouldn't get too close.
"But doing it that way really isn't working."
Ichinose wrapped her arms around her legs, her body swaying slightly with her as she gazed at the sky, seemingly imagining the future; a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.
"I really can't just leave Hikigaya-kun alone."
"I, well, I want Hikigaya-kun to integrate into the class properly, I want to see Hikigaya-kun make close friends, I want to see Hikigaya-kun show a smile that comes from the heart."
"Finally, I want everyone to graduate together!"
"So..."
Hikigaya clenched his fist.
This self-assertive pity really made him feel uncomfortable.
"I know."
Ichinose looked at his expression from the side and smiled: "I am indeed looking after Hikigaya-kun, and I don't deny that there is indeed a part of pity in this."
"All of this is my own self-assertion, which is why it makes Hikigaya-kun feel uncomfortable. So, if you hate it, just refuse; if you don't like it, just stay away; if you're repulsed, it's okay to shout and curse."
Sure.
"Before Hikigaya integrates into the class and makes friends, I will continue to give you special care, starting with becoming my partner."
"Now the event registration form is decided; or, does Hikigaya think it's okay even if he causes trouble for the class?"
Ichinose stood up and walked to his side, leaning forward and extending her snowy-white hand, wanting to pull him out of this quagmire.
Her radiant smile was like that of an angel.
"How can... this be..."
Hikigaya's mouth opened slightly, not knowing what to say.
How could there be such a person in the world?
No matter what he did, no matter what malicious things he said, Ichinose would forge ahead, wanting to include him.
Is this...
Mother Mary?
Simply an angel!
A true angel!
However.
Hikigaya still felt something was off.
If he was distorted and antisocial to the extreme, then Ichinose surely had some issues too, right?
"This is just how I am."
Ichinose still maintained her reaching gesture: "So what is Hikigaya-kun's answer?"
Hikigaya looked at Ichinose's snowy-white hand and propped himself up from the ground to stand; he really couldn't accept this handout of pity.
"When does the three-legged race training start?"
"How about right now?"
Ichinose withdrew her hand and smiled nonchalantly.
Indeed, just as she said.
No matter what Hikigaya did, she was determined to make him integrate into the class.
"Got it."
Hikigaya nodded and turned to leave.
Speaking of which.
This is truly troublesome.
He didn't seem to have the power to refuse at all.
"I see..."
Hikigaya suddenly thought of Shibata's words; so that's what he meant. Does that guy like Ichinose?
However.
Ichinose just treated him like a drenched puppy, simply bestowing her sympathy upon him.
A normal person might back off because of his words, but Ichinose simply couldn't leave him alone no matter what.
Otherwise.
How could he ever compare to Shibata?
Hikigaya couldn't help but think.
Ichinose seemed different from those "gentle" girls in middle school.
Maybe this was true kindness?
The inability to abandon anyone.
Only.
With this kind of personality.
Is she really going to be okay in this school?
The playground.
Hikigaya stood on the rubber track, his body leaning outward, desperately trying to create distance.
Ichinose was half-squatting on the ground.
Using a red ribbon, she tied his right foot together with her left foot.
He didn't know if it was an illusion.
Even through the sweatpants, Hikigaya could feel the contact coming from her, as well as a body temperature that made his heart itch.
"As... as expected, it's not working."
Hikigaya said nervously: "I get nervous as soon as I run into this kind of thing. Let's just switch to someone else; I'll pay the points!"
Individual competitions cannot be substituted; missing the race is treated as a direct withdrawal.
But for recommended competitions.
One can substitute a participant just by spending a certain amount of private points.
"It's fine."
"We just need to practice a bit more."
Ichinose stood up gallantly, extending her arm at the same time.
"Wait, I'm sweating a lot."
Hikigaya quickly stopped her.
He felt like he was in a sauna, covered in sweat, and felt a bit guilty making Ichinose put up with it.
"So?"
Ichinose tilted her head in confusion, looking at his raised palm:
"Besides, you aren't sweating. Hikigaya-kun, why do you always like to make excuses like this? Do I make you that uncomfortable?"
"That's not it."
Hikigaya said with some difficulty: "It's just that middle school girls liked to spray me with antiperspirant; you don't have to comfort me."
Ichinose's face stiffened.
Spraying someone directly with antiperspirant—that's just too much.
She originally felt Hikigaya might have some memories he didn't want to look back on, but hearing just one made Ichinose feel a bit heartache.
"Look, there's no sweat."
Ichinose pulled his hand and turned it over to let him see for himself.
"Besides, sweating is nothing; it's a normal human phenomenon, or rather, proof of a healthy body."
"That makes sense..."
Hikigaya looked at the fine sweat on his palm.
As expected, there was still sweat.
But it seemed not all girls would hate it.
"Alright, let's start practicing."
Difficult.
Right.
"Eh? What are you doing?"
Ichinose raised her soft, boneless arm and wrapped it around Hikigaya's waist, startling him instantly.
"Hikigaya, um? Put your arm around my shoulder, otherwise how can we practice the three-legged race?"
"This..."
Never having cooperated with anyone in a three-legged race, Hikigaya didn't really understand, but it seemed to make some sense.
"How about... we switch partners after all?"
Hikigaya's face turned red as he looked away; it was simply too embarrassing.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time."
Ichinose pulled his right hand and placed it on her shoulder.
"Okay, here we go. 3, 2, 1, run."
Hikigaya hurriedly raised his foot to keep up.
Three-legged race.
The most important thing should be paying attention to the other person's rhythm; he had been observing others, so this point wasn't very difficult for him.
Speaking of which.
With Hikigaya's arm around Ichinose's shoulder, feeling the delicate body in his arms, he simply couldn't ignore Ichinose's presence.
"Amazing."
"Hikigaya-kun, looks like the two of us have great chemistry."
After one lap, Ichinose said happily.
Even though it was a three-legged race, it felt no different from running by herself; this level was enough to take the desired results.
"Can we untie it now?"
Hikigaya looked at the red ribbon on his feet with difficulty.
He felt like this one lap was more tiring than running ten laps by himself.
"Alright."
"It feels like Hikigaya-kun is a bit tired, let's stop here for today."
Ichinose squatted down to untie the red ribbon: "But, we still have to continue training tomorrow."
"This speed should be enough, right?"
It wasn't that Hikigaya was unwilling to continue training, but he felt it was a bit bad for his heart.
"We can't be careless."
"While we are training, other classes won't be relaxing either, so we have to work harder."
"I'll go back to practice throwing now. Hikigaya can practice other events with Kanzaki and the others."
Ichinose smiled and turned to leave, returning to the girls' camp.
Hikigaya looked at her back with some helplessness.
As expected.
A corporate slave has no right to choose.