Natsukawa turned around.
He saw Horikita Manabu, who had been on the other side of the track, walk up beside Natsukawa at some point.
Natsukawa straightened up and greeted him casually.
"Yo, Student Council President. Did you come all the way over here specifically to give me some guidance?"
Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses, and the indifferent eyes behind the lenses scanned Natsukawa up and down.
"Natsukawa Sosuke."
"Your performance today exceeded my expectations."
"Don't misunderstand me."
"If you're talking about the change in the class, that's all thanks to your sister, Horikita Suzune. She exhausted herself for the class, running until her legs gave out. I'm just a points-earning machine who was clearly assigned a role."
"I know exactly what Suzune is capable of."
He turned his head, his gaze fixed on the scoreboard in the distance.
"You are very intelligent, and you have methods."
"However, Natsukawa."
Horikita Manabu's voice dropped slightly, carrying the tone of advice from someone experienced.
"In this society, money and methods are certainly important, but if that's all you have..."
"No matter how much money you make, without a corresponding'status,' you won't be able to hold onto it."
"To truly control everything, you need to stand in a higher position."
This was a hint, and also an invitation.
He once again extended an olive branch to the underclassman who had piqued his interest.
Natsukawa understood.
But he just smiled, "I appreciate the lesson, Student Council President."
"But, you see... I'm used to being easygoing."
"I prefer earning enough money, then finding a comfortable place to lie down and live a carefree, happy life."
"Power is too exhausting; it doesn't suit me."
Hearing this response, Horikita Manabu fell silent for a moment.
He gave Natsukawa a deep look, seemingly trying to see through the true intentions hidden beneath that lazy exterior.
In the end, he said nothing, just nodding lightly.
"I see. Then I wish you good luck."
After speaking, he turned and returned to the track designated for Class A.
Natsukawa Sosuke watched Horikita Manabu's retreating figure, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
'What a difficult older brother. He's clearly worried sick about his sister, yet he still deliberately ran over here to warn me—the guy who is "corrupting" her and getting close to her.'
...As members from each class exerted themselves, the 1200-meter relay race entered a fever pitch.
"Ha... ha..."
Sakura Airi's lungs felt like they were burning, and her legs were heavy as if filled with lead. The surrounding cheers blurred and faded in her ears, her vision focused only on the figure waiting for her ahead.
That was her finish line, and also her starting point.
'I can't stop... I absolutely can't stop...'
'I have to pass this baton... to Sōsuke-kun!'
Even if her speed wasn't fast and her posture wasn't elegant, the sight of the girl giving her absolute best became a unique spectacle on the track.
Finally, that familiar figure was within reach.
Natsukawa Sosuke had turned around early, extending his hand backward, ready to receive the baton. His eyes held no anxiety or urgency, only abundant encouragement.
"Airi, you did great."
The moment the baton touched his palm, Natsukawa's gentle voice clearly reached her ears.
"Leave the rest to me."
"Mhm...!"
Sakura Airi used her last ounce of strength to hand off the baton, then stumbled forward a few steps as if utterly exhausted. After recovering for a few seconds, she looked up at the figure sprinting away, an expression of immense satisfaction on her face.
Natsukawa Sosuke gripped the baton, pushed off with his feet, and instantly accelerated.
On another track not far from him, Student Council President Horikita Manabu had already taken off and was blazing down the course at an astonishing speed.
Natsukawa did not unleash his "cosmos" intending to blow past Horikita Manabu.
He maintained a speed that was extremely fast, yet not so fast that it made him seem overly inhuman, running steadily.
'Prove myself? No need.'
'Having a 1v1 solo race against Horikita Manabu yields no practical benefit other than showing off.'
'Right now, I just need to give Class D a respectable finish.'
He looked at Horikita Manabu's back ahead of him, neither attempting to overtake him nor deliberately slowing down. He merely caught up to the rank Airi had dropped to, and then crossed the finish line.
There were no miracles, and no surprises.
But for Class D, simply finishing the race after enduring so many twists and turns was a victory in itself... With the conclusion of the final event, the Sports Festival finally drew to a close amidst the cheers of the entire student body.
As the closing ceremony ended, the school's massive electronic bulletin board displayed the final results.
"We will now announce the final results of the Red and White Competition."
"The winner—Red Group!"
"Next, we will announce the overall ranking of the First Year classes."
"Fourth place, Class D."
"Third place, Class A."
"Second place, Class C."
"First place, Class B."
As expected, Class D came in last place.
Even though the Red Group won, Class D still had to face the penalty of point deduction due to their own last-place finish.
As for the losing White Team, everyone suffered a major loss of points.
"Seriously... all the classes' points went backward?" Hirata Yosuke muttered, looking at the bulletin board.
Although Class D was still last this time, and the class members sighed due to the exhaustion of a full day's exertion, there were no sounds of complaint or resentment.
The atmosphere within the class was completely different from how it had been at noon, showing that everyone had come to accept Class D as a group. Because only when you genuinely regard yourself as a member of the team will you stop complaining and truly intend to advance or retreat together with the group.
Natsukawa Sosuke sat in a corner, looking at the class points chart he had compiled on his phone.
The current point situation had become:
Class A: 1390 points (1440 - 50)
Class B: 1355 points (1405 - 50)
Class C: 310 points (410 - 100)
Class D: 240 points (340 - 100)
'The gap between the upper and lower classes has widened even more now. Horikita's path to Class A looks completely dark. But what does that have to do with me (laughs)?'
"Finally, we will announce the overall MVP of this Sports Festival."
The text on the electronic bulletin board flashed again, drawing everyone's attention, especially Sudo Ken's.
"The MVP is—"
"First Year Class B, Shibata Hayate!"
"..."
The expression on Sudo Ken's face instantly froze.
"No—!!!"
Sudo knelt on the lawn, clutching his head.
Watching Sudo's devastated appearance, Horikita Suzune sighed. Enduring the pain in her ankle, she slowly walked up to Sudo.
"Haven't you made enough of a scene? Get up quickly, it's embarrassing."
"Horikita..." Sudo looked up, his face full of frustration, "I lost... our bet..."
He lowered his head: "I'm just a fool who talks big. Since I didn't get first place, I don't have the right to ask you to agree to my request."
He was willing to accept the loss. Although extremely frustrated, Sudo still maintained the last shred of his dignity as a man.
Horikita Suzune looked down at him, her gaze holding less coldness and more helplessness.
"Indeed, you lost."
She said coldly.
"But I lost too."
"Huh?" Sudo was stunned.
"As the commander, I failed to play my proper role in this Sports Festival, which resulted in you and the entire class being put on the defensive."
"In the afternoon events, you truly became the pillar supporting Class D. That is a fact, even without the title of MVP."
"Therefore..."
"To punish myself for my immaturity this time, and to recognize your final effort..."
"Regarding that bet, even though you didn't win, I can make an exception just this once."
Sudo Ken blinked, his brain apparently still processing the information contained in that sentence.
"An ex-exception? Does that mean..."
"I will make the special exception of allowing you to call me by my given name."
The air froze for three seconds.
Immediately afterward—
"Yahoo—!!!"