Eldritch

 

Today is the day of the sports festival.
Oh god, how much I dreaded this day.
We all eat together as a family and after this, we drive together to school.
Even Kuri, which makes me quite nervous.
Already the moment when I pass through the gate is terrible, as all the decorations we put up the day before greet me upon arrival.

 

"Okay, Iori. We'll look for nice places with a good view." (S)

"It might take quite a while longer. Shouldn't we stroll around for a bit?" (Chr)

"What is this place? I feel mum everywhere!" (K)

 

Oh god.
That's not the kind of question I want to have here stated openly.

 

"Yes, this is Iori's school. It's the best in the city. The tuitions weren't exactly cheap, but most graduates from here are going to have a great future." (M)

 

Yeah, in that sense, I suppose there's no way for me anymore to get around "a great future".
However, today I'll certainly try not to stand in the spotlight.

I bid my farewell and get into the school.
We'll first have our orientation before we get to the real deal.
According to the general information we received, the bad part is going to start directly after this.
At the start, we all apparently have to do some mandatory standard activities.
Pretty much the boring stuff where they're taking our individual results for comparison, like hundred-meter run, or distance jumping.
However, only those with little chance of injury are mandatory.

After this, the day basically really starts and the more competitive events begin.
Mostly the club activities at first.
Tennis, soccer, ping pong.
Pretty much everything where they can show off.
Those are then mixed with some more general stuff.
You know, relay race, hurdle run, obstacle walk.
As long as your own event isn't coinciding with them that is.
This sadly isn't the case for mine.

Unfortunately, it seems like Chiaki got me good, as to the end those mass sections more and more divulge into the eye-catching group activities.
And yeah, you guessed it, the great finale is going to be the goddamn rider's battle.
Not only this, but apparently many more students than I expected are going to "fight" against us.

 

"That was all. Don't forget to show up ten minutes before your events start. If you skip on the events you signed up for this will be directly reflected on your grades. Don't forget that participation is mandatory. We all want to show our great spirit at this school and that we value fitness!" (Ms. Otsuki)

"At least some of us do." (Konoe)

 

Yeah, yeah, I know who that was aimed at.

With this, we're free now.
While there's a loose guidance for the classes going on, most of the schedule works over the lists where we have to appear to get our crosses.

 

"I'm so excited! Can't wait for our big moment!" (C)

"You knew our activity would become this big, didn't you?" (I)

"Well, it was like that last year. You would've known had you been there." (C)

 

Right.
Last year I kinda passed out after my run.
At least, I was in the infirmary for the rest of the day.
Speaking of which, this might be part of the reason why Ms. Otsuki walks in my direction right now.

 

"Oh, Iori. I'm really happy that you're so eager this year. I wasn't sure if we should put you up at the start of the terms, but you made such great progress! I'm sure you'll shine at your events." (Ms. O)

 

With this, she leaves.
Wait a moment!

 

"Did she just say events? Like in plural?" (I)

 

Please say she meant the mandatory ones.

 

"Oh, didn't you know? Oh right, you passed out after your first last year. Aside from the mandatory training at the start, we are supposed to sign up for at least two things. Otherwise, they will conscript us for any of the other activities till we have two!" (C)

"Two!? No, I didn't! Does that mean I now have to do one of the runs? Oh please, don't tell me I need to partake in the hash race!" (I)

 

I didn't ever understand in which way this event is even related to sports.
It's just about finding something.
Of course, the popular students have an advantage in this, as they can hope for support to get whatever they need.
Basically, it's more of a self-advertising event.
Something like, "Look how funny I am, that I'm doing this for your enjoyment!".
But for anybody else, who just like me wouldn't be all that familiar with the peculiarities of obtaining the required items while having a good batch of social anxiety on top, this would simply be hell.
For this reason, sports day is for me the need to balance between not doing too much and avoiding being put into a punishment game.
Yet the relay run isn't any better, as it's the most prestigious one.
But maybe I could cheat there?
But not in the hash race.
Oh god, please, I really don't want to do the hash race!

 

"Grmbl"

"Oh no! Today of all days?"

"Isn't it strange how frequent those mini-quakes are recently?"

"Maybe a seismologic tension directly below us?"

"Isn't this scary?"

 

Oh damn!
Now I did it and caused a minor panic among the students.
Should I calm them down?
But would messing with their emotions like this not go too far?
Before I can come to a conclusion, I see that Zika already walks right through the worst zones and everybody "magically" loses interest in the quakes.
Then she walks straight to me.

 

"Could you please just not? With so many people the difficulty to make them ignore rises exponentially!" (Z)

"I-I'm sorry. I just had something really troubling on my mind." (I)

"Then take care that whatever is on your mind won't crawl out. That would be something I can't contain." (Z)

"On that note, was that really necessary? I mean, influencing this for this reason alone?" (I)

"I can't believe you! Do you have any idea how many investigations we would already have at hand wouldn't I regularly clean up your poorly contained antics?! And now I'm hearing complaints about how I have to do your job?!" (Z)

"Uh, no. Sorry. I just don't like the thought that one's thoughts stop being one's own." (I)

"Sorry to break it to you, but that's exactly the case. Deal with it!" (Z)

"Ahem..." (C)

 

Chiaki!?
How did she manage to stay quiet for so long?
That must be a personal record.

 

"I just wanted to tell you that you don't need to worry about being stuck in an event you won't like." (C)

 

Oh no, this sense of dread!

 

"Chiaki... What did you do?" (I)

"I signed us both up for the three-legged race! That's gonna be awesome!" (C)

 

I knew it!
The three-legged race should start somewhere in the middle of the day.
Coming right before the hash race, the three-legged race is the prime example of what happens if you are forced to put up with only half the necessary motoric function which you'd need to walk in a straight line.
Also, Chiaki is notorious for walking too fast.
Damn.
Do I even know if that whole thing about having to take part in two events is the truth?

Whatever.
Of all the things she could've dragged me into, this one probably has the smallest chance of becoming problematic for me.
It's still the kind that's gonna make for a good laugh for the audience, but at least it's one where it's expected.
No matter what happens or how big I fail, there probably won't be greater repercussions.
At least not beyond what's going to be expected with how Konoe is a bit on a warpath against me and some of the other popular kids may join in.

 

"Damn, fine. You win." (I)

"See? I've got a good feeling about today!  There's this anticipation in the air! It's gonna be glorious!!!" (C)

 

So I let myself get dragged away by Chiaki.
I also think about how my family is going to be watching.
Especially Dad, who might be the only one, besides those who are in the know, who's truly anticipating my achievement on the sports field.
So I should probably try to make a good figure.

 

"By the way, how did you arrange for me to be signed up without my presence?" (I)

"A secret!" (C)