My love index is at its maximum.

"Kiki, what do you think of our support dance?"

"Beautiful looking..."

"Tazaki-san, could you please go and find the sardines for me?"

"Clam?"

"Tazaki, Shikami is tired of holding up the sign, can you take over for him?"

"..."

"Can I take a picture with you, Tazaki-san?"

"Is Tazaki-kun there?"

"My dearest friend, where are you?"

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

Why is everyone looking for me?

After finishing the work of the executive committee, I didn't even have time to drink a sip of water before hurriedly changing into my track and field uniform with my class and name on it and heading to the triple jump competition venue.

"Class 1-F, Tsukasa Tazaki, get ready!"

The referee's signal to prepare rang out, and Tsukasa Tazaki entered the match line.

The cool air of late autumn seeps into every part of the body with each breath.

The view was clear and bright, and the sunlight seemed to fall directly overhead, making the dust motes appear strangely soft and beautiful.

Tazaki Tsukasa barely managed to suppress his burgeoning excitement, constantly telling himself that it would be over soon, and trying to calm himself down for the time being.

Ahhhhh!

I haven't felt this excited in a long time.

Ten minutes later.

The girls watching from the sidelines screamed excitedly.

The surveyor stared wide-eyed and muttered, "Class 1-F, Tsukasa Tazaki, 17.56 meters!"

The first champion of this sports festival is already a foregone conclusion.

Ok……

It's just a high school sports meet, there's no need for that...

Before the swarm of reporters from the broadcasting department could swarm over, Tsukasa Tazaki made his way back to the executive committee's rest tent, where two beautiful teachers were leisurely drinking cold drinks and eating snacks, commenting on the competition footage on the big screen.

On the table next to her, Yui Kikawa's hands were rapidly typing on the keyboard, occasionally pressing the earpiece to send a communication command.

"My older brother is really a workaholic..." Tsukasa Tazaki muttered to himself, glancing around the tent before sitting down between the two teachers. "Where's Kuriyama-kun?"

Kana Shimamoto handed her a handkerchief: "Go back to the activity room and read."

"She's so stubborn... But there are no club competitions today, so let her slack off for another day." Tazaki Tsukasa wiped non-existent sweat from her forehead, turned around and reached for the bag of potato chips in Hoshino Hanami's hand. "By the way, did you two watch my competition just now?"

"17.56 meters!" Hoshino Hanami looked down at his hands. "Just 0.8 meters away from the world record, barely satisfactory. By the way, were you not using your full strength?"

“Of course,” Tsukasa Tazaki grabbed a handful of potato chips and threw them into his mouth, chewing as he answered, “It sounds terrifying that a high school student breaks a world record, but I don’t want to live a life where I’m photographed by paparazzi every day.”

“Speaking of which, your stamina is getting better and better.” Shimamoto Kana covered her lower abdomen with one hand and whispered in Hoshino Hanami’s ear, “He’s been so energetic lately, and the amount he’s been doing is especially large. I still can’t get any energy up. Why don’t you move over and share the load, Hoshino-sensei?”

The volume was kept just right, just enough for the four people closest to hear it.

Hoshino Hana's face instantly stiffened, and she glared at Tazaki Tsukasa: "It seems that my sister has been too lenient with you."

"What's in large quantities?" Yui Kirikawa asked curiously, raising her head.

Driven by a strong will to survive, Tsukasa Tazaki instantly replied, "Amount of food!"

Is the wife really trying to get the eldest child to move in so the three of them can live together?

Think beautiful!

She just wanted to show off in front of Hoshino Hana!

Kana Shimamoto covered her lips with her hand and winked at Tsukasa Tazaki: "Yeah, I always end up with a sore back and aching waist just to make sure he's full."

Hehe~

Hoshino Hanami smiled coldly.

The fierce look in her eyes as she stared at her boyfriend was like a volcano about to erupt.

Just when Tsukasa Tazaki thought he was about to die, the loudspeaker on the playground announced the start of the first-year 100-meter race.

Escaped.

Hoshino Hanami ate potato chips in big bites, her gaze fixed on the playground.

Her boyfriend's fleeing figure was still so handsome, but she had already begun to secretly plan to reduce the time she would give him to go out and play after they got married to one day a week, no, only half a day a week!

……

Several crows flew in from outside the school and landed on the wire mesh of the tennis court.

Their dark, shiny eyes peered curiously at the circle of humans below, trying to deduce any objections to their ritual from the noises coming from their mouths.

"123!"

"Go together!"

"Do you have the fighting spirit for today's game?"

"Have!"

Is there any hope?

"Have!"

Is there a future?

"Have!"

"Our victory—"

"Right here!"

"Ahead lies—"

"glory!"

The goal is—

"champion!"

"we are--"

"Kitagawa Track and Field Club!"

The boys in the track and field team were filled with intense excitement and anticipation.

The passionate and enthusiastic slogans made everyone feel hot all over and their hearts burning.

Before the start of this sports festival, the track and field club was determined to sweep the championships in every category and every event. As for that ridiculously strong guy from Class 1-F, he wasn't even on their list of opponents.

Based on rumors circulating at school and observations of him, everyone in the track and field club believes that he will not participate in the sports festival events!

The boys, who had formed a circle, all raised their heads and looked up at the sky.

Bright light shone directly into my eyes, and the autumn wind blew in my face.

After countless days and nights of hard training, after countless times of being drenched in sweat and covered in mud, you can finally unleash your full potential on this day... Hmm, what?

"One two one, one two one..."

The sound from the side interrupted the group of teenagers' reverie, and they all turned to look.

That man!

He's warming up...

"Oh, everyone's here?" After noticing that the track and field team members were all staring at him in disbelief, Tsukasa Tazaki stopped stretching, stood up, and greeted them: "Everyone, do your best! I won't hold back today!"

"Snap—"

Amidst the clamor of the playground, the sound of someone's heart breaking echoed with unusual clarity.

"On your marks!" The second-grade physical education teacher, acting as the referee, raised his signal pistol and pointed it at the blue sky: "Three, two, one, go!"

"boom!"

The moment the gunshot rang out, Tsukasa Tazaki dashed forward.

They started the competition quite "seriously".

Today, he is still competing quite "solidly," which must mean something for him as he experiences sixteen for the second time.

Perhaps it's not a big deal, not a significant matter.

At this moment, just focus on running.

As for its significance, it's not too late to reconsider it later. Re-analyzing and organizing things after they've happened is one of Tsukasa Tazaki's strengths, a skill that has only become more refined with the passage of time.

Just like every morning before.

He put on his running shoes on the bed, adjusted his watch, and headed to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden for his morning run. With the morning breeze blowing in his face and gazing up at the crows flying past the Yoyogi Radio Tower, he started running at 3 a.m. and made it to today, step by step.

Breathing in the crisp, resilient air, my feet stomped on the track, and the joy of running awakened within me. The sounds of footsteps, breaths, and the pounding of my heart intertwined, creating a unique symphonic rhythm.

The first to cross the finish line.

At the same time, cheers came from the stands of Class F in the first year not far away, as well as screams from girls in other classes.

The result displayed on the electronic screen was 10.36 seconds.

It's under control.

If he ran at full speed, with the boost of 12 points of stamina, Tsukasa Tazaki believed he could probably run it in under 9 seconds.

However, it's best to avoid doing things that are too outrageous...

Standing at the finish line, he looked back.

Those energetic and spirited teenagers, with their feet firmly planted on the ground, looked as if sharks were chasing them. Of course, there were also children with poor stamina; some of them had their eyes half-open and were panting heavily as they ran.