Sports Festival 3 - Chapter 7

[nebulancer]

Tsumugi: Mika-kun. Let's do our best together♪

Mika: Ah, Tsumu-chan-senpai. I'm glad ya talked to me.

So about the borrowing race's rules... I had Oshi-san tell me, but they just went "plunk"¹ and I forgot 'em. Could ya teach me?

Tsumugi: All right~. Throughout the course there are some papers; bring the item written there to the goal.

Mika: Aah, that's it. Thanks, Tsumu-chan-senpai♪

Tsumugi: No problem.

...Hm?

Mika-kun, while we've been talking about this and that, it's about to start. The person holding the starter pistol is getting into position.

Let's work hard so we can contribute to the Handicrafts Club's victory♪

Mika: Yeah! I'm gonna do my best~!

(Ooh! Right as the pistol fired, Tsumu-chan-senpai took off. He's super fast.)

(He's already run to the papers that have the themes on 'em. I can't lose either~)

(Nnah, my theme's "a beautiful girl." If that's it, I can talk to girls without feelin' nervous~♪)

(...Yeah, but it's "a beautiful girl" and not just "a girl," huh. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, though.)

(Can I even base it on my own standards?)

(Nnah, I met eyes with Anzu-chan while lookin' around!)

(Nn~... She's far away so I can't talk to her. But she looks like she's supportin' me, so I'll wave to her.)

(Ahaha. Anzu-chan returned it~♪)

(Nn? Anzu-chan's a girl. She's got a beautiful-ish feelin' to her, so does she fit the theme?)

(Well~, we get along pretty well. But I wonder if she'll listen to what kinda theme I have.)

(Ah, Mado-nee's next to Anzu-chan! If I said it was kinda sad of her to be havin' to take care of Mado-nee...)

(In this situation, I gotta ask for permission from Oshi-san if she's in the glass case.)

(After all, Mado-nee's a beautiful girl no matter who sees her. I say that, but I can't go without getting Oshi-san's permission.)

Oshi-saaa~n!

Shu: We're in the middle of an event. I'm currently picking the person who has my theme, so keep it short.

Mika: Nnuh, can I borrow Mado-nee? I got "a beautiful girl" on mine, so I thought Mado-nee would fit that to a tee♪

Shu: You want Mademoiselle? I don't want to entrust Mademoiselle to a scatterbrain such as yourself, but...

A theme is a theme. Unless you swear to not drop her, under any circumstances, I'll not lend her to you.

Mika: I swear! Mado-nee's important, after all. I'll carry her caaa~refully to the goal!

Shu: I can't trust you for every single thing, but it is made of strengthened glass. That shouldn't be a problem, then.

Oh yes, Kagehira. The sunlight's strong today, so put this jersey on too.

What with the extensive practice I made you do yesterday, it would be worrying if your condition worsened.

Mika: Eh, Oshi-san, are ya worried about my wellbeing? 'm so happy~! Waah, it's Oshi-san's jersey♪

Shu: You fool. You're serving as my horse in the cavalry race; there's no way I would be worried for you.

However, I would be reassured if you weren't a bother. Anyways, I'm afraid of the stress that could be accumulating on your body while you didn't notice as well.

I'll perform maintenance when the borrowing race has ended.

Mika: Eh, but don't ya already do maintenance on a regular basis?

Shu: This and that are different things. Return once you've finished with what you need to do.

Mika: ...Okay!



(Alright, Oshi-san's gonna do special maintenance~♪ I'm so pumped♪)

Mado-nee, let's head to the goal together. Nnah, I'll carry ya carefully, so don't fret.

I'm dumb, so if I start runnin' I'll drop ya. That's why I'm gonna carry ya like a princess, 'cause you're that important~♪

Shu: Now then, my theme was "energetic," wasn't it?

...If it may be interpreted as "an energetic boy," there should be an energetic boy who wears shorts well. He should match this definition.

Hm, over there is...

You. Come with me. I won't do anything bad, alright?

Mitsuru: Eek!? It's that touchy-feely guy, yanno! I can't bear being all sticky from getting touched, yanno! I'm running away, dash, daaa~sh...!

Shu: Ah- wait! There's no one other than you who can suit this theme. Don't run away and come with me, you with the shorts!

Mitsuru: I don't want you to give me a weird nickname, yanno! I definitely don't wanna get caught, so I'll run with all I've got, yanno~

Arashi: My, my, is that a game of tag? The borrowing race isn't that kind of event, right?

Oh well. I don't even need anything to borrow, so I'm done already♪

Ufufu, it's almost as if this "cute older sister" theme was written for me. I pulled a good one...♪

Izumi: YUU-KUUUUUN...!

Arashi: That surprised me!? Was that Izumi-chan just now? Yuu-kun's Yuuki-kun, right? So is Izumi-chan's theme "someone you love" or what?

Aww, how nice, how befitting of youth! I'd head to Kunugi-sensei without a doubt, though♪ I kiiind of envy Izumi-chan for that.

(Oops, the rest of the runners are heading to the goal in droves.)

(I could reach the goal in first place if I ran with all my energy, but my motto is to "do everything in moderation.")

(I'll head there taking my time without rush...♪)

Mika: Mado-nee. We're almost at the goal. You were patient, weren't ya?

Tsumugi: Hey, Mika-kun. You got your item without a problem, didn't you?

Mika: Ah, Tsumu-chan-senpai! Ya picked up the paper a lot sooner, so I thought ya already reached the goal way before I did!

Tsumugi: Ahaha, the request was pretty difficult~. But I'm glad I somehow managed to borrow one of Hibiki-kun's doves that I was looking for.

Mika: Dove...? Oh wow! There's a dove perched on your shoulder.

Wouldn't they usually fly away? It's so quiet, did the owner teach 'em some manners?

Tsumugi: That seems to be the case. When I borrowed it from Hibiki-kun, it didn't even thrash about during the whole time I took coming here.

Mika: I see~. Can I pet it? That might be kinda hard since I'm already carryin' Mado-nee, though.

Tsumugi: Mika-kun, let's leave the talking until after we get to the goal. Most of the participants have already reached it, see?

Mika: Ah, you're right! Let's go, Tsumu-chan-senpai! It's a beeline for the goal~♪



¹- "スコン," the phrase used here, is a stock sound effect used in manga or the like, which indicates something being dropped or making a "donk/thunk" type of noise.