Chapter 446: Mashiro's Motivation and the World of Anime
The moment they stepped through the doors of the gym, the air hit them—a thick, humid blend of sweat, steel, and effort. All around, men with bulging muscles grunted as they heaved impossibly heavy weights, the rhythmic clank and thud of metal echoing off the mirrored walls. Kasugano Sora's nose wrinkled slightly, her lips pulling into a faint grimace.
"No matter how many times I come here," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the din, "it's still a bit of an eyesore..."
Sakura Hibiki nodded in silent agreement. Soryuin Akemi, however, looked as though she had just arrived in paradise. Her eyes gleamed with an almost manic energy as she took a deep, appreciative breath.
"Ah, the weekend gym is truly the best!" she boomed, her voice filled with passion. "Come on, everyone! Let's embrace the glorious spirit of youth and sweat for our health!"
Kasugano Sora shot her a deadpan look, her expression unchanging. 'This family is just... beyond outrageous,' she thought. Beside her, Shiina Mashiro seemed a little overwhelmed, her grip tightening on Sora's hand. Her wide, curious eyes scanned the room full of straining, muscular figures, and she couldn't help but feel that the sight was making her own eyes ache.
Gina Boyd tilted her head, her gaze settling on the newcomer. "So, what should Mashiro start with?"
"Colors..." Mashiro whispered, her voice soft and airy.
A beat of confused silence followed.
"Eh?" came the synchronized response from all five girls.
Soryuin Akemi was the first to recover, a knowing smile spreading across her face. "Mashiro is very passionate about her art, so she must be referring to a drawing technique. But Mashiro, you don't need any artistic skills for the gym."
Shiina Mashiro nodded, though a hint of confusion still lingered in her eyes. Akemi tapped a thoughtful finger to her chin.
"Hmm... how about Sora takes Mashiro to practice?" she suggested. "Sora always uses the lightest weights, and for cardio, she does incline walking instead of running. That should be manageable for Mashiro."
The others nodded in agreement. Sora offered a small, reassuring smile. "Leave it to me, Mashiro-nee! Don't worry, with me around, you can definitely slack off—I mean, it'll be much easier!"
Sakura Hibiki and the others rolled their eyes in unison. It was a good thing Ren and Momobami Kirari weren't here. If they were, Sora wouldn't dare be so blatant about her laziness. Not that they didn't know—they simply turned a blind eye.
After all, their goal in bringing Sora to the gym was never about intense training. It was simply to get her out of the house, to walk around, soak up some sun, and breathe fresh air. Staying cooped up at home, staring at a computer screen all day, wasn't healthy for anyone.
Sora was well aware of this, which was why she allowed herself a certain degree of strategic slacking. Still, even she felt a bit bewildered by the sheer intensity of the scene before her.
After changing, the group re-emerged onto the gym floor. It was Sora's turn to train her arms, having already completed a full cycle through the five major muscle groups. She walked over to the rack and picked up two of the absolute lightest dumbbells, placing them on the mat next to Shiina Mashiro before grabbing an identical pair for herself. Her definition of "slacking off" was simple: minimize the weight whenever possible.
Mashiro stared down at the two small weights, her head tilted in contemplation. After a moment, she looked up at Sora, her expression unreadable.
"Mashiro-nee, just try lifting them first," Sora said with an encouraging smile. "There are five different movements. We'll do five reps per set, and just four sets will be enough!"
Mashiro nodded obediently. But the moment her fingers curled around the dumbbells and she lifted, her body went rigid. She stood perfectly still, blinking slowly.
"Hm? What's wrong, Mashiro-nee?" Sora asked, confused by her reaction.
Mashiro turned her wide, innocent eyes to Sora and whispered two simple words.
"So... heavy..."
In the end, Sora had to reduce Mashiro's workout from five reps per set to just three. Even then, Mashiro was clearly struggling, her breaths coming in small, tired puffs. Yet, seeing Sora diligently continuing with her own sets, Mashiro didn't utter a single complaint.
A strange thing was happening. Every time Sora would pause and ask, "Mashiro-nee, do you want to rest for a bit?" a new wave of resolve would wash over her. 'I can keep going,'she would think, a strange determination solidifying within her.'Sora is counting on me. This is my duty... as her big sister!' The thought was both exhausting and exhilarating. She felt more tired than she ever had in her life, but she refused to stop.
"Alright, Mashiro-nee," Sora said gently, noticing the other girl's labored breathing. "After a short break, let's go do some incline walking."
Mashiro nodded, her body aching. She didn't quite understand it herself, but she found it impossible to refuse anything Sora asked of her. The reason remained a mystery, buried deep within her own heart.
Across the gym, Machio Naruzo watched them while spotting Sakura Hibiki on the bench press. "I always thought Miss Kasugano was quite delicate," he remarked with a gentle smile. "I never expected to meet someone even more so."
Finishing her set, Hibiki sat up, panting for breath. "Sora isn't delicate, not anymore," she corrected him, wiping sweat from her brow. "She's just too lazy to move... Mashiro, on the other hand, is probably the real deal."
Machio nodded thoughtfully. "If Sir were here," he sighed with a hint of longing, "he would surely have some excellent fitness advice for her!"
Hibiki gave him a sidelong glance. "And if Brother Ren were here, you'd be challenging him to a push-up contest again, wouldn't you?"
"Arm wrestling would also be acceptable! Hahaha!" Machio boomed with a hearty laugh.
Hibiki covered her face with one hand, sighing in exasperation. "That's not what I was talking about! Never mind... what set was I on just now?"
"That was your third set! Only one more to go! Your progress has been magnificent, Miss Sakura! You can already lift eight reps per set!"
"No... I still feel like I'm a world away from those two over there..." Hibiki's gaze drifted to the other side of the gym, where Kamisato Ayaka and Soryuin Akemi were working on the cable machine. The heavy thunk of the weight stack they were using echoed even from this distance. She didn't know what else to say. Those two were complete monsters.
"Phew... incline walking is definitely easier!" Mashiro murmured, a soft sigh of relief escaping her lips.
She stood on a treadmill next to Sora, the belt moving at a slow, steady pace. She glanced over and saw Sora completely engrossed in her phone. "Sora, what are you doing?"
"Hm? Watching a TV show," Sora replied without looking up. "This is why incline walking is the best! You can drink water and watch TV at the same time. Finish two episodes, and your workout is done. It's super efficient!"
"TV show?" The term was foreign to Mashiro.
Sora paused, startled by the question, then a gentle smile touched her lips. "You've never seen one, have you, Mashiro-nee? What about TV programs in general? Things like... anime?"
Mashiro simply shook her head. Sora didn't find it strange at all. "Give me your phone," she said kindly.
Mashiro nodded and handed her phone over. Sora's fingers danced across the screen for a moment before she held it back out. "Alright, Mashiro-nee, what do you want to watch?"
"Watch... what?"
"TV shows, movies, anime, variety shows... Hmm, you probably wouldn't be interested in documentaries..."
"Anime?" Mashiro's curiosity was piqued by the word.
"Mhm! How do I explain it... it's like animation and comics. We call it AC for short. If you include games, it's ACG."
"Animation... comics..." Mashiro repeated softly. "Watch anime."
Sora thought for a moment. "But what genre... you know what, Mashiro-nee, you can just look for yourself. Here's a list of them. It'll automatically play the next episode when one finishes."
Shiina Mashiro nodded, her eyes fixed on the vibrant screen. As she took the phone, she felt as if she had just been handed a key to something incredible, a doorway to a world she never knew existed.
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