The next morning, sunlight spilled through the open windows of Class D, gilding the desks in a thin sheen of gold.The Sports Festival preparation board had already been rolled in front of the class — a huge chart covered in empty slots labeled "Participants" under each event:
100-Metre Dash
Hurdle Race
Tug of War
Cavalry Battle
Obstacle Course Race
1200-Metre Relay…and more.
A faint buzz filled the air. Some students looked excited; others nervous. The faint scent of chalk dust and summer sweat mixed in the air.
Suzune Horikita stood beside the board, clipboard in hand, her expression composed and professional.Behind her, Sudō stood with arms crossed, his sports uniform jacket hanging off one shoulder, exuding confidence.
At the back of the room, I leaned casually against a desk, eyes half-focused as he observed the room's atmosphere. His team members — Yukimura, Miyake, Ijuin, Okitani, Hasebe, Mei Yu Wang, Maezono, and Airi — sat scattered throughout the room, quietly chatting.
Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, as usual, sat near the window, expression unreadable.
Horikita clapped once."Let's begin. Our objective is simple — to maximize our total points as the Red Team, and ensure Class D doesn't fall behind the others."
She turned toward the class."The Sports Festival rules are already explained, so we'll discuss two things today: the participation order for Universal events, and selection for the Recommended Only events."
Hirata raised a hand first. "We should probably hear everyone's opinion before deciding on anything too strict."
"I agree," Horikita replied. "There are two possible systems we can use." She wrote on the board in firm strokes of chalk:
System 1: Freedom of Choice – students pick what they want to enter.
System 2: Ability-Based Selection – the best athletes fill the key spots.
Immediately, Sudō slammed his palm against his desk."Ability-based, obviously! What's the point of putting slow people in a sprint? We're here to win!"
Several students murmured agreement — Ike, Yamauchi, and surprisingly, some of the less athletic girls nodded along too. They didn't want to be embarrassed in front of the whole school.
But a few frowned — Karuizawa among them."So only the good athletes get to shine? That's kind of unfair, don't you think?" she said, crossing her arms.
Sudō shot her a glare. "It's not about being fair! It's about not losing! You want us to drop to Class E or something?"
"There is no Class E, stupid!" Karuizawa snapped back.
Before the argument could escalate, Horikita spoke again, calm but sharp."Sudō is right. If our goal is victory, the ability system is more efficient. But that doesn't mean weaker students will be useless."
She wrote another note beneath:
Supplementary Plan: Pair strong and weak students in the Universal events.
Horikita continued, "This way, the weaker students gain support, while the stronger ones ensure our class earns points consistently."
The class buzzed again — half impressed, half uncertain.Yukimura adjusted his glasses. "Mathematically, that increases our success rate for at least half the Universal events. It's a sound plan."
But Karuizawa's frown deepened. "So basically, we're dragging the weaker ones along as dead weight? That doesn't sound right."
Horikita turned her gaze on her. "Would you rather everyone lose together than some of us win for the class?"
Before Karuizawa could answer, she turned to the class."This is not a matter of feelings. It's about points. We can't afford sentimentality if we want Class D to rise."
The tension thickened. Karuizawa bit her lip, looking unsure. Then she turned toward the one person she trusted to side with her."Kushida-san, what do you think?"
All eyes shifted to Kikyō Kushida, sitting gracefully near the center. She smiled softly, folding her hands."I… think both sides have a point," she said, her tone warm and diplomatic. "If we go by ability, we'll definitely win more events, but we'll also create resentment. If we go by preference, morale stays high, but we might lose."
She tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe there's a way both sides can agree — like letting everyone pick first, then we make adjustments only where necessary?"
The class seemed swayed by her balanced tone.
Horikita frowned slightly. "Compromise dilutes results."
"Maybe," Kushida replied, "but unity matters too."
When no one could reach a consensus, Hirata raised his voice."Alright, let's vote. Everyone who supports Horikita's ability-based system — raise your hand."
Hands went up — Sudō, Yukimura, Kiyotaka, Hasebe, Miyake, Soshi, and more. Almost two-thirds of the class.
Hirata counted, then nodded."The majority supports Horikita's plan. We'll go with it."
Karuizawa exhaled sharply but didn't argue. Horikita, pen poised over her clipboard, started writing down participant allocations.
One by one, students called out their choices.
"Sudō Ken — 100-Metre Dash, Hurdles, Tug of War, and the Relay!""Horikita Suzune — Obstacle Course, Three-Legged Race, Relay.""Hirata Yōsuke — 200-Metre Dash, Three-Legged Race, and Scavenger Hunt."
Even Ike reluctantly signed up for Capture the Flag after Sudō called him a coward.
When it was Soshi Miyamoto's turn, I stood up, glancing over the list.
"I'll take Pole Toppling," I said simply. "That's my only event."
Horikita blinked. "Only one?"
I nodded. "Yeah. I'll join with Yukimura, Miyake, Ijuin, and Okitani. They're solid with balance and teamwork. That's enough."
Horikita scribbled it down. "Very well."
Then I turned toward his smaller circle — my team that had trained together."You all choose what you want," I told them. "Don't worry about matching me. Just pick something you'll enjoy."
Airi hesitated, twirling her pencil. "Then… I'll join the girls' Tamaire event."Haruka grinned. "I'll do the Obstacle Race. I want to see if I can beat Sudō for fun."Mei Yu Wang and Maezono exchanged looks and picked Tug of War.
The atmosphere lightened a little.
Sudō, of course, raised his hand again. "Put me in every event you can! I'll rack up all the points for us!"
Horikita's eyebrow twitched. "You can't possibly participate in every event, Sudō."
"Watch me!" he declared.
Kiyotaka quietly looked down at his paper, a faint smile playing on his lips.
As the discussion stretched on, the class slowly filled every slot on the board. Each decision sparked smaller debates — who paired with whom, who substituted, and who cheered.
Karuizawa seemed distant, her pen tapping against her notebook. Kushida occasionally whispered to her, easing the mood.
By the time the clock struck four, Horikita closed her clipboard. "That concludes today's meeting. We'll finalize training sessions tomorrow morning."
Relieved sighs spread through the room. Some students stretched, others chatted eagerly about who would win which event.
I packed my notes into bag, glancing at the board once more. The plan looked solid — perhaps too solid.
"Class D finally looks united," Yukimura said beside him.
I smiled faintly. "For now, maybe."
After the students dispersed, Kiyotaka lingered behind at his desk. He took out his phone and typed a short message — to someone unseen.
To: [Redacted]"Proceed with the plan. Object to Horikita's proposal at the next opportunity — then ask Kushida for her opinion immediately after."
He hit send.
A moment later, he rose, slinging his bag over his shoulder. The classroom door slid open — and standing there was Kei Karuizawa.
She folded her arms, frowning slightly. "Hey, Ayanokōji. That message you sent me… was that really necessary?"
He met her gaze evenly. "You objected, didn't you?"
"Well, yeah, but…" She glanced around to make sure no one was nearby. "What's your goal, exactly? You told me to speak up against Horikita, then make Kushida look like a peacekeeper. Are you trying to make me look bad?"
Kiyotaka shook his head. "No. I'm trying to make the class look balanced."
Karuizawa blinked. "Balanced?"
"Horikita's leadership is solid, but it's fragile. If everyone agrees too easily, she'll lose perspective. People like you and Kushida keep her grounded."
Karuizawa frowned, still unsure. "That's… weirdly manipulative."
"Perhaps. But necessary."
She looked at him curiously. "You really don't care about reaching Class A, do you?"
Kiyotaka pocketed his phone. "Not particularly. But I also don't mind helping if it means creating the possibility."
"'Creating the possibility,' huh?" Karuizawa echoed softly.
He turned, ready to leave. "Enjoy the rest of your evening. Training starts early tomorrow."
"Wait—" she called after him. "You said during the meeting earlier… you were predicting something. What did you mean?"
He paused in the hallway, not turning back.
"I said there'll be a traitor," he replied quietly. "Someone in Class D will betray us during the Sports Festival."
The words hung in the air like a cold gust.
Karuizawa froze. "A… traitor? Why?"
"Because opportunity always breeds greed," he said simply. "Especially when Private Points are involved."
Then he walked away, his figure disappearing into the golden corridor light.
The sun had already dipped below the campus horizon when Soshi Miyamoto and Airi Sakura left the classroom together.
"So… we're really doing this," Airi said softly, clutching her bag.
I chuckled. "Yeah. Training starts tomorrow. Hope you stretched."
She blushed. "A-a little…"
As they walked, they passed the courtyard where other students from different classes were already practicing sprints. Shouts and laughter filled the air — the first hints of the festival's energy.
I looked toward the field, then up at the fading sky. "You can already feel it. The pressure, the rivalry and the excitement."
Airi smiled faintly. "Do you think we can win?"
I paused, thinking. "Winning would be nice. But I think what matters more is how we handle losing."
She looked puzzled. "Losing?"
"Yeah," I said. "Every class here is fighting for survival. Someone will always lose."
Airi nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.
Back in his dorm, Kiyotaka sat at his desk, his laptop open.He was typing notes — not about training schedules or event pairings, but about patterns of behavior.
Horikita's leadership: gaining traction but vulnerable to emotional pushback.
Karuizawa's trust in Kushida — still absolute.
Kushida's diplomacy — potential tool or threat depending on circumstance.
Miyamoto's group cohesion — stabilizing factor, potential influence on morale.
He scrolled down and added one last note:
Likelihood of internal betrayal during the Sports Festival: 78%.
He closed the file, the faint reflection of his own eyes glinting off the screen.
The next morning's sky was bright and clear. Students gathered on the field, their laughter echoing under the rising sun.
The Sports Festival was less than a week away.
Sudō stretched with boundless energy. "Alright! Let's do this! Class D's gonna crush everyone!"
Horikita sighed but allowed herself a small smile. "At least your enthusiasm is useful."
From the side, I tightened the bandages on his hands, glancing at Yukimura and the others. "Pole Toppling squad, ready?"
"Always," Miyake grinned.
Kiyotaka watched from a distance, his gaze cool and assessing. He could see every thread connecting — Horikita's tactical leadership, Sudō's drive, Soshi's quiet steadiness, Karuizawa's social influence.
But somewhere in that web, one thread was already fraying.
And when it snapped, Class D would change again.