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体育
𝙋.𝙀

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*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

I step into the girls' locker room, the familiar scent of detergent and gym shoes filling the air as I prepare to change into my P.E. uniform.

But as soon as I began unbuttoning my shirt, memories of the mistake I made come rushing back, sharp and unforgiving.

My stomach twists with guilt, and I can almost feel the weight of my actions pressing down on me.

I shake my head, trying to push the thoughts away, but they linger, taunting me.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly slip into my uniform, hoping the physical action will distract me, even if just for a moment, from the storm inside my mind.

I step out of the girls' locker room, the slightly snug P.E. uniform clinging to my frame.

My eyes scan the area, searching for Osano or at least Taeko.

As I walked, I accidentally bumped into someone and stumbled backwards, landing hard on my bottom.

"Ouch..." I wince, glancing up to see a tall man standing over me, his gaze icy and unbothered.

I swallow nervously, the sound too loud in my own ears.

"Watch where you're going..." He mutters in a low, menacing tone before turning to walk away.

His long, messy blonde hair falls just past his shoulders, and his brown eyes are cold as stone. An 'X' scar mars his left cheek.

"Not even a sorry?" I ask, pouting up at him.

He clicked his tongue dismissively turned to walk away without a second glance.

I slowly got to my feet, dusting off my uniform as I sighed, deciding it was best to just head outside and shake off the awkward moment.

The bell rang shortly after, its clear, melodic chime signalling the end of class.

I pushed open the door and stepped into the cool air, the sound of my footsteps ringing out as I made my way toward the track.

The orange surface stretched ahead, the six lanes clearly marked, and I couldn't help but notice the familiar sight of the Confession Tree off to the side, its branches swaying gently in the breeze.

Beyond that, I could see the School Pool and the Gym standing tall in the distance, the usual hustle and bustle of students filling the space around me.

A presence suddenly appeared behind me, and I jumped with a startled squeak, my heart racing.

'Haven't I been tormented enough today?!' I thought, shaking off the shock.

I quickly spun around and looked up, my gaze meeting his cold, emotionless eyes. It was Ayato.

"Seriously!? What is it with you always sneaking up on people like that?" I snapped, a mix of frustration and disbelief in my voice.

He just gave me a nonchalant shrug, as if my reaction didn't faze him in the slightest.

I studied his posture for a moment - his usual disinterest was there, but it felt different this time.

It was like he was purposely shutting everything out, and something about that unsettled me.

Before I could say anything else, a loud voice called from behind me.

"Y/N-san!" I turned to see Osano waving his arms wildly, his face lighting up as he shouted, "Come here!" A smile immediately tugged at my lips, and without thinking, I rushed over to him.

As I approached, Osano's expression softened, though he still wore that tough exterior.

"What did that creepy teacher say to you?" he asked, his voice unusually filled with concern, even though he tried to mask it with his angry tone.

I gave a light shrug, trying to play it cool. "Oh, he just offered some tutoring lessons... nothing big."

Osano didn't press any further, simply nodding in understanding. I bent down to tie the loose laces on my shoes, focusing on the task at hand.

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out, startling me and almost making my eardrums vibrate.

"Hey, you there!" I looked up, squinting as the bright sunlight hit my eyes, making it hard to make out the person's face.

Before I could respond, the voice continued with a cheery, manly tone, "Here, let me help you!" A strong hand gripped mine, pulling me up effortlessly.

"The name's Aso Rito!" he introduced himself, his voice booming, causing my ears to ring slightly from the volume.

"Can you... maybe quiet down a little?" I asked, wincing slightly from the loudness.

He blinked at me for a moment before breaking into a sheepish laugh. "Sorry! My bad!" he apologized, his voice much calmer now. He shook my hand firmly, a grin on his face.

As I took in his appearance, I noticed his tanned skin and short blonde hair, complete with a small ahoge that stuck out.

His sky-blue eyes gleamed with energy, and he had two black wristbands with yellow stripes on his wrists.

A pair of yellow swimming goggles sat on his forehead, and a black-and-yellow jacket was casually tied around his waist.

I couldn't help but notice the "Red Armband of Leadership" on his left arm, which featured a symbol of a swimmer.

"I'm the leader of the sports club!" he announced proudly. "Feel free to stop by anytime - we'd welcome you with open arms!" His energy was infectious, and his enthusiasm was impossible to ignore.

Just as I was about to respond, the P.E. teacher walked in, and I did a double-take.

She looked strikingly similar to Aso, only she was a woman.

Her blonde hair was cut to mid-length, and she wore a red jumper with stripes, a whistle hanging around her neck.

She picked up her whistle and blew it sharply, instantly silencing the class.

"Alright, everyone, give me 20 star jumps!" she commanded, her voice sharp and authoritative.

The whole class quickly fell into sync, performing jumping jacks in unison. Aso stood beside me, matching my pace with ease.

"So, what's your name?" he asked, glancing over at me with curiosity while continuing his exercise.

I panted softly, trying to keep my breath steady with each jump. "Y/N," I replied, keeping my voice steady despite the exertion.

Osano, standing a little behind us, grumbled loudly, clearly irritated as he watched the two of us interact.

His frustration was almost palpable as he felt completely ignored.

Aso shot me a wide grin. "What a pretty name... It definitely suits you!" He chuckled, his energy infectious, and I couldn't help but smile in return.

Just as we finished the last of the jumping jacks, the P.E. teacher spoke up, her voice cutting through the chatter.

"Alright, everyone! Time for some laps around the track - five laps, move it!" she commanded, her tone stern and no-nonsense.

The entire class groaned in collective frustration, and I joined in, feeling the weight of the task ahead.

However, Aso seemed completely unaffected. His enthusiasm is still very much intact. He was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Really? This is exactly why I hate this school," Osano muttered, shaking his head.

We all lined up at the start line of the track, crouching down in preparation. I felt a bit of tension in the air as we waited for the signal.

The teacher began the countdown, her whistle hanging from her neck. "Three... two... one..." she paused, then blew the whistle sharply.

Everyone took off, jogging at various speeds, and I found myself naturally falling into a rhythm. Aso, however, quickly caught up with me, his pace effortlessly matching mine.

"How about we have a race?" he suggested, clearly bored and looking for a bit of fun to spice things up.

I glanced over at him, a mischievous smile tugging at my lips. "Fine... but if I win, you'll owe me!" I teased, eager to add a bit of competition to the mix.

Aso chuckled, his grin widening. "You've got yourself a deal," he agreed without hesitation, clearly ready for the challenge.

We sprinted down the track, my pace just ahead, my breath heavy as sweat trickled down my face. I stole a quick glance at Aso, who seemed to be enjoying every second of the race, his long legs effortlessly closing the gap between us, his stamina matching mine stride for stride.

"Woah, didn't know you were this fast!" he called out, his laughter ringing through the air as he kept pace beside me.

I gritted my teeth, pushing myself harder. "Oh, shush!" I shot back, determination flooding my veins.

I increased the force in my legs, focusing on the rhythmic pounding of my feet against the track.

We passed the same students at least three times now, their groans of frustration fading into the background as I focused on Aso's presence beside me.

"Good, just two more laps..." I muttered to myself, but just as I gained momentum, my foot caught on my untied shoelace. It slipped free, and I felt my balance falter.

"-Shoot!" I gasped, losing control. In an instant, I tripped over my own feet, crashing to the track with a hard thud, the wind knocked out of me.

Aso immediately stopped, his face turning from playful to worried in an instant.

"Oh crap! Are you okay?" His voice was filled with concern as he rushed toward me, his earlier excitement completely gone.

I groaned, sitting up slowly as a sharp sting shot through my knees and palms. My body ached from the fall, but it wasn't anything too serious.

I glanced at Aso, who was kneeling beside me, his expression unreadable but clearly concerned.

"I'm fine... just a little scraped up," I muttered, brushing the dirt off my hands, trying to downplay the pain.

Aso frowned, his eyes scanning me to make sure I wasn't seriously hurt. "You sure?" he asked, his voice softer now, the playful edge replaced by genuine concern.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," I said, giving him a reassuring smile. I slowly pushed myself to my feet, feeling the burn in my legs as I steadied myself.

Aso watched me carefully, then gave a slight nod. "Well, if you're sure," he said, his usual upbeat tone returning.

"But next time, tie your shoes, yeah?" He grinned, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

I chuckled despite myself, wiping the sweat from my brow.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll do that," I replied, shaking my head in mock embarrassment.

"Good," he said with a wink, "now let's finish these laps!" He flashed me a grin before starting to jog again, slowing his pace just enough to match mine.

I followed, feeling the soreness in my body but pushing through it.

The finish line was just ahead - we could do this. "You're on," I said, picking up my pace once more, determined to finish strong.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

【OSANOS PERSPECTIVE】

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

✩‧₊˚From where I stood, I watched them both-Aso and Y/N-darting around the track like they were racing for something more than just physical stamina.

Aso's carefree laughter rang out as he closed the gap, his long strides catching up to her effortlessly.

I couldn't help but scowl, feeling more and more like a third wheel, completely ignored.

I hated how easily Aso made everything look so fun, how Y/N seemed so comfortable around him.

He was always like that-loud, obnoxious, but somehow the center of attention.

And now, as they passed me for the third time, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance. Was I that invisible to them?

"Good, just two more..." I heard Y/N mutter under her breath as they zoomed ahead.

For a split second, I felt a spark of hope that maybe-just maybe-she was getting the upper hand, but then it happened. She stumbled.

I watched in slow motion as her foot caught on her shoelace, and before she could react, she tripped and crashed down hard onto the track. My stomach dropped.

"-Shoot!" Her voice barely reached me as she hit the ground, a sickening thud echoing in my ears.

Instantly, Aso stopped, his usual carefree attitude dropping as he rushed to her side.

I was too far away to do anything, stuck in my own helplessness as I watched Aso kneel beside her, his worried expression completely at odds with the way he'd been laughing just seconds before.

I clenched my fists, the mix of jealousy and frustration building in my chest.

"Are you okay?" Aso's voice was different now-genuine concern slipping through his usual playful tone. It irritated me for some reason.

Why did he have to act like the perfect guy every damn time?

Y/N waved him off, brushing herself off with a strained smile. "I'm fine... just a little scraped up."

I felt a rush of frustration building up, but I stayed quiet.

What could I say? I was the one who had been silently watching, the one who had stayed in the background while they ran circles around me.

"Next time, tie your shoes," Aso said with a grin, clearly trying to ease the situation.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, feeling the irritation bubble over. Why did he always have to be so... Aso?

So carefree, so open, so liked? Meanwhile, I could barely get anyone's attention without feeling like I was a background character in their little race.

I glanced at Y/N, standing up and wiping off the dirt, and something in me tugged.

She had that smile on her face again-the kind she only gave when Aso was around. I hated it. Why did she look so much more... at ease with him?

For a moment, I almost wanted to walk away. Leave them to their race. But I stayed, clenching my jaw as I watched them start up again, Aso leading, but Y/N pushing herself forward with every step.

"Yeah, just finish the damn lap," I muttered to myself under my breath, wondering why I cared so much.

As I stood there, watching Aso and Y/N take off again, my mind raced. I couldn't help but notice how natural they seemed together.

Aso's playful attitude, the way he effortlessly connected with her-it was like they were in their own little world. And here I was, stuck on the sidelines, not sure whether I even wanted to be part of it.

I crossed my arms tightly, trying to focus on the track, but it was hard to ignore the tug of jealousy knotting in my stomach.

Y/N had a smile on her face now, the one she always wore when Aso was around. It stung, but I tried to push the feeling down. Why did it bother me so much?

The thought kept circling in my head: Why does it matter?

Was it just because I didn't like seeing someone else get her attention, or was it something more? Do I like her? I asked myself, but immediately, my mind flashed to Taeko.

The way she'd smiled at me in class earlier, the way we'd joked around.

Wasn't that more... natural for me? It felt familiar, easy, and I didn't have to try so hard to fit into her world.

But with Y/N... I couldn't help but feel out of place sometimes. Maybe I was just overthinking it.

Maybe it was just my stupid pride getting in the way. I'd always been more reserved, more cynical.

Did I even know how to like someone, or was I just caught up in the idea of her-someone who was always so lively and energetic around everyone else?

I glanced back at them, Aso already a few steps ahead of Y/N, encouraging her to keep going, his voice full of that same confidence that made everyone like him. And yet... Why did I care?

A sigh escaped my lips. Maybe I didn't know what I wanted.

Maybe I liked Taeko... maybe I liked Y/N. But, damn it, I couldn't stop thinking about how good they looked together.

And in the back of my mind, I kept asking myself: Do I even have a chance with either of them?

Shaking my head, I tried to push the thought aside. It wasn't that simple. It was never that simple.
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Hi guys thanks for reading the new chapter🫶🏽

⋆˚࿔ 𝙎𝙐𝙆𝙄 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

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