CHAPTER FORTY;
day two: dynamic duo

It was a good thing you managed to squeeze in a short nap after that traumatizing morning run with Rin. You've vowed to remember not to get ahead of yourself and overestimate your capabilities.

And why is it a good thing that you rested? Because not long after, your class was thrown into yet another physically demanding challenge: a beach competition.

Pairs were required, and the winning duo would go on to compete against champions from the other classes. As your homeroom teacher made the announcement, excitement buzzed through the air, students already turning to their friends to strategize and form teams.

However, there was one small catch. The teacher recommended that each pair consist of one boy and one girl. It made sense. Some of the games likely required physical strength, while others might favor agility or balance. A mix of both would probably give a team the best shot at victory.

Naturally, the competitive boys wasted no time in scouting out the girls they believed would give them the best chance of winning, while the girls did the same.

But amidst all the chatter and excitement, Rin stood alone, seemingly unfazed by the entire ordeal.

Who would willingly team up with him?

Your classmates knew better. He wasn't exactly the friendliest person in the room, nor was he the type to work well with others. His reputation for being blunt, cold, and intolerant of incompetence made most of your classmates steer clear of him. Despite the high chances of winning with him.

Without a second thought, you stepped forward, placing yourself beside him with an easygoing grin.

"We're partners now," you announced.

Rin's sharp gaze flickered toward you, eyes narrowing slightly, "And if I say no?"

You tilted your head, amusement dancing in your expression, "You think you have a choice?"

A brief silence passed between you, his icy stare meeting your unwavering one. Finally, he let out a small huff, exhaling through his nose.

"Let's just get this over with and win," he muttered, his tone holding confidence as if the outcome had already been decided.

While the two of you bickered, a pair of brown eyes watched the two of you.

Kaneshiro's face remained blank, he didn't know why he was upset over it. He knew he was interested in you, but he'd never been the kind to feel so irritable to see the person he likes be with another boy.

He didn't like this, watching you pair up with another boy, watching you choose him without a second thought.

"Listen up! I'll only explain the mechanics once, remember that most of these games are timed, the fastest team wins. Each game, we'll eliminate pairs." your homeroom teacher yelled.

Your homeroom teacher stood in front of the assembled students, his hands on his hips as he surveyed the crowd. Dressed in a loose tank top with a vest thrown over it, his sunglasses hid his eyes, he looked every bit like a man who took his job and his summer wardrobe very seriously.

"Each game is timed," he continued, "The fastest team wins. Each game, we'll eliminate the last four pairs who finish last."

A collective murmur of anticipation spread through the students.

"Now, here are the competitions you'll be going through," the teacher announced, unfolding a paper and reading off the list.

LIST OF GAMES/COMPETITIONS

01. Three-legged Race
Each pair stands side by side, and
has their adjacent legs tied together
with a scarf. The goal is to race from
the starting point to the finish line
without failing.

02. Water Bucket Relay
A pair has one small bucket, and one
big rectangular container. Each person
takes turns running to the shore with
a bucket to fill it up with water, and to
come back to pour it on the container.

03. Blindfolded Obstacle Course
One person is blindfolded while
the other verbally guides them
through various obstacles. First
pair to finish wins.

04. Tug-of-War
Two pairs hold opposite ends of a
rope, standing on the sand. The goal is
to pull the other team into the hole in the
middle to win.

05. Chicken Fight
Each pair consists a base and a fighter.
The base will stand in the water, while
the fighter sits on their shoulders. Twofighters on top try to knock off the
other fighter.

"Everyone got that?" he clarified.

The students broke into conversations, some excited, some groaning in regret at the pair they chose to be with. You glanced at Rin, but he looked complacent.

"What if I mess up?" you whispered.

"I'll make sure you don't." something in his tone felt very reassuring.

The first game was about to begin, and your heartbeat drummed in sync with the chatter of excited students. Rin's right foot was now securely tied to your left with a scarf, forcing you into an awkward stance.

You struggled to balance yourself, wobbling slightly as the two of you tried to coordinate your movements, his strides were long and fast. "Just stretch your legs," he suggested as a resolution, "And we'll step our tied feet first,"

You nodded, trying to adjust to his pace.

"On your marks, ready," Mr. Iwamura held his whistle up, scanning the restless pairs lining up at the starting line. The tension in the air was almost suffocating.

"Set," you bit your bottom lip in, facing forward, "GO!" the whistle blew and you gasped at how Rin suddenly snaked his arm around your waist and pulled you close.

You did as he said, you adjusted your steps to his, some people tried to strategize, tried to jump or stomp, but they fell into the grainy sand. All you could feel right now was how tight his embrace was, and how toned his torso felt since you wrapped your arm around his waist somewhere along the way.

"Itoshi, L/n, cleared!" Mr. Iwamura whistled as your pair finished first.

You let out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. As soon as your feet were untied, you felt the absence of Rin's hold immediately, the lingering warmth still imprinted on your skin.

"That wasn't so bad," Rin commented, standing before you as he dusted off his shorts.

"Huh?" you finally snapped out of it, "Yeah."

"Just listen to what I say,"

When the second game rolled around, Rin made it clear that it didn't matter if you ran slow, you just needed to make sure you don't stumble and drop the water, "I can run fast enough to make up for your slowness,"

"Hey!" you shot him a glare, but he ignored it, already focused on the challenge ahead.

The two of you took turns sprinting to the shoreline, filling up your small bucket, and racing back to pour it into the designated container. The race was going smoothly, until it was your turn again.

You had been so caught up in trying to speed up that you miscalculated a step, tripping over your own foot and crashing into the sand. The impact sent the water spilling, and you winced as your knee throbbed in protest.

Your mistake cost you first place.

While Rin had managed to keep your standing competitive, another pair, a duo of athletic boys, had secured the win.

As you walked back from the first aid station, relieved that you weren't seriously injured, you felt dread settle in your stomach. You knew how competitive Rin was. What if he was annoyed? What if he regretted partnering with you?

"Hey, are you good?" his voice snapped you from your thoughts.

You looked up to see him standing there, his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah," you muttered, voice tinged with guilt, "Sorry about it. I panicked when I saw how far ahead the other team was."

"It's alright," he said flatly. "Even if you didn't fall, they still would've won first."

His words, though meant to be reassuring, only made you feel worse. Of course the other team won. They were both guys, naturally stronger, faster.

"Right," you replied solemnly.

He studied your expression before sighing. "Don't get too depressed about it. You did good."

The sincerity in his voice caught you off guard.

You glanced up at him, but before you could say anything, the next game was announced.

Rin was adamant about being the one to give instructions.

"You're clumsy," he reasoned, arms crossed.

"I can be responsible," you argued, placing your hands on your hips.

Rin's deadpan stare told you he was highly skeptical.

Still, after some relentless insisting, he reluctantly agreed to be blindfolded instead.

As one of your classmates secured the cloth around his eyes, you stepped in front of him, feeling an odd sense of responsibility.

"Do you trust me?"

"No," he was quick to answer.

Rin was expecting some sort of sassy retort, "Please do then,"

He pursed his lips and hummed shortly, he was now guided to the starting line of the track. You stood behind the finish line along with the others.

"Move forward two steps," you instruct.

He follows.

"Now sidestep left, wait no, right!"

He stops, "Are you serious right now?"

"My bad!" you laughed nervously.

Despite your occasional slip-ups, you manage to guide him through with only minor hiccups, making it to the finish before others.

Now, this was the first game where you and Rin faced off against another pair, Tug-of-War. The opposing duo looked determined, gripping the rope tightly. Once again, the anxiety and insecurity crept to your mind and heart, the other pair were both boys.

"Don't fall," Rin whispered from behind, not helping to aid the worries in your thoughts.

As you expected, when the whistle blew, you were so close to falling into the hole since you were the one in front. What could you have done? Rin was strong, but he can't face two men alone.

Just as you thought you were about to fall, you felt Rin's body behind you, and his arms to the side of yours, "Pull." he muttered to your ear. And as if an adrenaline rush shot into your veins at the sudden contact, you managed to pull the opposing pair into the hole with Rin's strength.

"Holy shit." you mumbled, staring at the small blisters in your hands, but you didn't care. You turned to look at Rin, who was slightly sweating, "We won?!"

"Mhm."

It took a while for the other teams to finish since there were only three ropes. Now the class was down to four pairs. You had won the first round of the Chicken Fight easily, and now you were off to the final round, which determined the champion.

You were surprised to be faced with Kaneshiro and Miwako, "Ready to eat some ocean bacteria and whale sperm, Y/n?" Miwako joked.

"Ew, Miwako," you laughed, getting on Rin's shoulders. His hands secured your thighs, steadying you. One of his hands briefly grabbed your left to keep you balanced.

"Good luck, Y/n." Kaneshiro smiled.

"Thanks! You too!"

The whistle blew, and it was off to a rough start. Miwako was strong, and she kept her balance pretty well even with Kaneshiro only holding onto her legs. It was fortunate that Rin was as tall as Kaneshiro.

"FUCK!" you yelled as you dipped backwards, Rin was quick to move his arms and had caught you by your waist just in time. As you balanced yourself, Miwako was getting ready for another tackle, as she lunged forward, you dodged and pushed her by her stomach.

And maybe it was because Kaneshiro held her legs half-heartedly at that moment in time, because he was worried you might get hurt, that Miwako finally fell.

Out of excitement, you stretched your hands up and screamed, you lost your balance as well and fell into the water. You couldn't feel the sea floor on your feet, which made you panic, and the ocean water stung your eyes really bad.

You flailed in the water and accidentally kicked Rin's chin as he tried to lift you up by your sides, as you made clear of your vision, Rin had his eyes squinted close, his face wet with seawater.

"I'm so sorry!" you moved closer to him and pushed his head towards you and wiped his eyes with your thumbs, which made it worse.

"Let go," he frustratedly says, peeking his eyes open.

You gently blew on his eyes, trying to help, only after a few minutes did you realize how close he was, how his hands rested on top of yours that held the sides of his face.