Boom! Kaboom!
The thunderous crack of fireworks echoed through the morning air. It was a simple signal, letting everyone know that the Sports Festival was officially underway at our high school.
If I were still the person I used to be, this would have been nothing more than an event designed to torment me.
But things were different now.
Because I had a place to belong within the Student Council Executive Committee, I didn't have to rot in the class seats out of obligation. Best of all, I could spend the day by Sara-senpai's side.
The sky was perfectly clear.
It hadn't rained for the past few days, so the ground was in excellent condition. It was picture-perfect weather for a Sports Festival.
Just like last year, my schedule was almost entirely filled with individual events.
I left the house earlier than usual today to meet Senpai at the Station Front.
Perhaps because it was a Sunday morning, the streets felt emptier than normal. After waiting for a few minutes, Senpai finally came into view.
She noticed me and offered a smile, but I saw her struggling with a massive Boston bag and hurried toward her.
"Good morning, Sara-senpai. Let me get those bags for you."
"Good morning, Takanashi-san. Oh, no, I can handle this much..."
I reached out for the Boston bag, deciding to take it even if I had to be a bit forceful.
"Sara-senpai, this is exactly why I came to meet you. So, for my sake, please let me carry them."
There was no way I was going to let her lug around something that heavy. Besides, if she were carrying a massive load while I walked beside her with something light, I’d be a prime target for public condemnation. In that sense, saying it was "for my sake" wasn't entirely a lie.
I had recently realized that looking her straight in the eye was the most effective way to persuade her. So, I maintained firm eye contact as I made my case.
It worked. She gave a small nod.
"I apologize for the trouble. I'll leave them in your care, then."
"You got it! Leave it to me."
The bag was even heavier than it looked. I had definitely made the right call coming here.
After a quick stop at the classroom for the homeroom teacher's morning address, I headed out to the field and went straight to the Headquarters.
"Good morning."
"Mornin'—"
"Good morning! Let's give it our all today."
It looked like the President and Senpai hadn't arrived yet.
The Headquarters Tent was a blessing for two reasons. It was nice enough just to have a reprieve from the direct sunlight, but it also served as my personal sanctuary.
While I was preoccupied with those thoughts, the President and Senpai arrived, and the whole team was present.
"Morning, everyone. Let's work hard today."
"Good morning. Let us perform our duties diligently, but please don't overexert yourselves. We should try to enjoy the day as well."
Once the greetings were over, we temporarily disbanded.
It was a hassle, but we still had the Opening Ceremony to get through. The processional march was particularly tedious.
I was on the White Team while Senpai was on the Red Team, which was a bit of a letdown.
Once the Opening Ceremony finished and the students retreated to their class seats, I made my way back to the Headquarters.
I didn't have an event for a while, so I had plenty of time to kill.
For the record, my scheduled events were the 200m Dash, the Scavenger Hunt, and the Beanbag Toss—a perfect lineup of individual activities. The only thing I dreaded was the mandatory Cavalry Battle... but since I was just acting as a horse, I figured I’d just shuffle along with the rest of the group.
When I reached the tent, a Senpai from the Broadcasting Club was already setting up. I realized just then that I’d never actually introduced myself to her.
"Good work today. I look forward to working with you."
"Good work! Looking forward to it too, Takanashi-kun."
Apparently, she already knew who I was.
"Oh, sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm Minami Fukazawa. I'm 'Minamin' from the Broadcasting Club."
That clicked. I remembered someone calling themselves "Minamin" while reading requests and announcements during the lunch break broadcasts. So it was her.
"I've heard plenty about you from Natsumi-chan. Glad to finally meet you!"
She gave me a cheerful smile. My first impression was that she seemed very easy to talk to.
However, if she was friends with Natsumi-senpai, I wondered if she was close with Sara-senpai as well.
"To be honest, I have no clue how the Live Commentary is going to go with Satsukawa-san. If things get awkward, you'd better be ready to back me up, okay?"
"Uh, well, I'll do what I can."
Based on that, it didn't seem like she and Sara-senpai were particularly close.
Honestly, being asked to "back her up" during a live broadcast was a tall order. I had no idea what I was even supposed to do.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Sara-senpai arrived.
"Fukazawa-san, I look forward to our cooperation today."
"Same here, Satsukawa-san! Oh, you can just call me 'Minamin'."
"Let us review the event schedule, Fukazawa-san."
Complete shutdown. I guess asking for nicknames was a bridge too far for Senpai.
"Takanashi-kun, use this chair."
The President pulled a chair up right next to the Live Commentary Seats.
Was it really okay for me to sit here? I wasn't complaining, though.
There was a sign taped to the back of the chair.
'Reserved for Takanashi — Unauthorized Use Prohibited.'
...I really hope the teachers don't get mad at me for this. If they do, I'm definitely blaming the President.
"Please, Takanashi-san, do have a seat."
For some reason, Senpai seemed quite pleased as she urged me to sit down.
Surely she didn't just like the fact that it was 'Reserved for Takanashi,' right?