The sun hung high above the school grounds, bathing the track in a warm golden light. Dust danced in the air as students cheered, their voices echoing across the campus. After hours of fierce competition, the sports festival had reached its climax — the final event: the 1200-meter Mixed Relay.
Every class from every year would compete together — boys and girls, equally balanced. It was the race that would decide the final outcome of the day.
And, just as the tension reached its peak… two familiar figures appeared on the edge of the field.
"Sudō!" Hirata's eyes widened as he saw the tall red-haired boy jogging toward the team tent. Behind him, limping slightly but with a firm expression, was Suzune Horikita.
The murmuring among Class D's students grew louder.
Sudō stopped before them, his head low. Then, without hesitation, he bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry, everyone," he said, his voice loud and clear. "I lost my temper. I walked out when you needed me most. That was my fault."
For a moment, silence. Then Hirata smiled — the kind of bright, genuine smile that could lift anyone's spirits. "You really surprised me, Sudō-kun. But… welcome back."
Ike, scratching his head, gave a grin. "Man, this is so not like you. You're seriously apologizing?"
Sudō laughed awkwardly. "Yeah. Guess I had it coming."
He turned to Ike directly. "Sorry, dude. You had to take my place."
Ike waved it off. "Nah, don't sweat it. I didn't exactly do great either."
Hirata exhaled in relief. The sight of reconciliation among his classmates brought a sense of unity that had been missing all day.
"Can I still run in the relay?" Sudō asked. "We haven't picked all the runners yet, right?"
"You're just in time," Hirata said. "We hadn't made a substitution yet."
Everyone's eyes then turned toward Suzune.
She stood straight, but her right leg trembled slightly — the pain from her injury still evident.
"I'll… sit this one out," she said quietly. "My leg won't hold for a full sprint."
Her voice was calm, but Kiyotaka could see her hands clenching tightly behind her back. The frustration of being sidelined gnawed at her.
"I'll make it up to you all next time," she added, bowing her head.
Hirata nodded understandingly. "In that case, Kushida-san, will you fill in?"
Kushida smiled brightly. "Of course! I'll do my best!"
Just as Hirata began announcing the lineup, Miyake suddenly spoke up.
"Sorry," he said, wincing. "I… twisted my ankle during the 200-meter dash earlier. I can't run."
The class tensed. Another substitution now could be costly.
Before anyone could react, Kiyotaka raised his hand. "Then I'll take his place."
Hirata blinked. "You? Are you sure?"
Kiyotaka nodded. "I'll manage."
And so, the final team was decided:
Sudō Ken — the starter.
Hirata Yōsuke — the second runner.
An Maezono , Onodera Kayano, and Kushida Kikyo — the middle runners.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka — the anchor.
Suzune watched silently from the sidelines, her eyes following each of them with quiet resolve.
The Final Relay Begins
The announcer's voice echoed through the field:
"All classes, please take your positions for the final event — the 1200-meter Mixed Relay!"
From the first-year classes to the third, the best athletes lined up, stretching and adjusting their shoes.
In the lanes beside Class D stood giants of the upper years — names known across the school: Nagumo Miyabi, the charismatic Student Council Vice President, and Horikita Manabu, the legendary Student Council President.
When the whistle blew, Sudō exploded from the starting line.
His strides were powerful, his speed unmatched. Cheers erupted from Class D's tent.
"Go, Sudō! You've got this!" Ike shouted.
Sudō widened the gap with each step, his raw athleticism forcing even upperclassmen to take him seriously.
By the time he passed the baton to Hirata, Class D was in the lead.
"Nice work!" Hirata shouted as he took off. His form was clean, efficient — not the fastest, but disciplined. He held the lead through his leg, smoothly handing off to the girls.
But the shift was immediate.
The girls, despite their effort, couldn't match the upperclassmen's pace. One by one, Class D's position began to drop — second, third, then fourth.
By the time the baton reached Kushida, Class D was trailing behind Class A and B.
Still, the energy in the air was electric.
At the opposite end of the field, Nagumo stood ready for his turn, flashing a confident grin.
As he received the baton from a senior, he called out mockingly toward Manabu Horikita in the neighboring lane.
"President, looks like your reign ends today. I'll show you how the new order runs this school!"
Manabu didn't respond. His gaze was calm, sharp as steel.
Nagumo continued, his voice carrying over the wind. "After this, I'll make new rules — a true meritocracy where only results matter. The strong will rise, the weak will fall!"
Then, with a roar, he dashed forward.
Class B's Shibata followed in second, his focus entirely on the track.
A Conversation Between Rivals
At the anchor zone, Kiyotaka stood beside Manabu, both waiting for their turn.
"You're the anchor?" Manabu asked without looking at him.
"Sudō was supposed to be," Kiyotaka replied. "But I'm filling in."
"I see." Manabu's tone carried a trace of amusement. "I've been watching your class. There's been… a change."
"If there is," Kiyotaka said evenly, "it's her. My classmate."
"Your sister, you mean."
Kiyotaka nodded slightly. "She's starting to move forward."
Manabu's lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "That's good. But it doesn't concern me."
"Then how about a race?" Kiyotaka said suddenly.
Manabu turned his head, eyebrows raised. "A race?"
"Let's see who finishes first. No holding back."
The older Horikita paused, clearly intrigued. "You're serious?"
"Completely."
Manabu didn't reply, but when the baton neared, his expression hardened.
Kiyotaka leaned forward, muscles tensed. "Run with everything you've got."
The batons were exchanged.
Manabu took off first, his acceleration explosive. A second later, Kushida's hand slapped the baton into Kiyotaka's palm.
The instant the baton touched his hand, Kiyotaka moved.
Every muscle in his body obeyed instinct, his breathing perfectly regulated. He was no longer part of the crowd — he was cutting through it.
His eyes locked on the back of Manabu Horikita, the school's strongest runner.
This is the gap between us, Kiyotaka thought. Let's see how far I can close it.
He poured everything into his stride, the world narrowing into a blur of motion. Gasps erupted from the stands as he devoured the distance with frightening speed.
"Whoa—! He's catching up!" Karuizawa exclaimed from the sidelines, her hands gripping the fence.
The two runners overtook one competitor after another. The roar of the crowd surged as they entered the final curve.
Manabu glanced sideways — Kiyotaka was there, just a step behind.
For a heartbeat, their eyes met.
Manabu's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile. "You're full of surprises, Ayanokōji."
But in the final stretch, fate intervened.
One of the runners ahead stumbled and fell directly into Kiyotaka's lane. Forced to swerve, he lost his rhythm for half a second — just enough for Manabu to cross the finish line first.
Even so, when Kiyotaka followed an instant later, the crowd erupted into astonished cheers.
The results soon followed.
The Red Team — the team of Class D — won overall against the White Team.
But among the first-year classes, the rankings were:
1st — Class B
2nd — Class C
3rd — Class A
4th — Class D
Sō Shibata of Class B was declared MVP, narrowly beating Sudō for the honor.
"Tch," Sudō muttered, scowling. "Guess I've still got a ways to go."
Suzune approached him, her tone calm but firm. "Then you'll have to do better next time, Sudō-kun. But for now, thank you. You did well."
He blinked, then looked away, blushing furiously. "Uh, sure… Horikita."
"You can call me Suzune," she said softly. "As punishment for my own failure."
Sudō froze, face turning bright red. "Wha—?! You serious?!"
His outburst made a few classmates laugh, lightening the tension that had lingered since the morning.
For once, Class D felt united.
As the crowd dispersed, a girl from Class A approached Kiyotaka. Her expression was unreadable.
"At 5 p.m.," she said quietly. "Come to the front gate."
Then she turned and left.
Later, after changing clothes, Kiyotaka returned to the classroom, where Suzune was waiting.
"You've grown," he told her.
She smiled faintly. "Maybe a little. I still have something to take care of."
When he asked what, she simply replied, "I'll have to kowtow… but that's for later."
She stayed behind after everyone else left. Kiyotaka watched her for a moment, then left the room.
Moments later, Kushida returned, her usual smile in place. The two girls exchanged a glance — then left together.
In a quiet corridor of the special building, Ryūen Kakeru waited.
"Not bad, Horikita," he said when the girls arrived. "You didn't run away."
Suzune crossed her arms. "Kushida. Drop the act. I know about your cooperation with Ryūen during the festival."
Kushida's smile didn't falter. "Oh? So you finally remembered? We went to the same middle school, after all."
"Then you know what I came for," Suzune said.
Ryūen chuckled. "What an amusing pair. Fine, I'll talk. After all, it's already over."
He laid out his plan openly — how he had used Kushida to leak Class D's participation table, researched their weaknesses, and even paid Class C's Kinoshita 500,000 points before accidentally worsening her injury to ensure his victory.
Suzune's face hardened. "You admit it so easily."
"Why not?" Ryūen smirked. "Because it's all just a story, right?"
She pulled out her phone, its red light blinking. "I recorded everything."
Ryūen laughed. "Oh, that? I already covered my bases. This—" he tapped his own phone "—has video. Yours is just audio. No one will believe you."
Kushida grinned maliciously. "Looks like you lose, Horikita."
"Admit defeat," Ryūen said. "Bow down. Kowtow right here."
Suzune stared at them both… then slowly bent her knees.
But before she could lower her head, Ryūen's phone buzzed.
A voice played from the speaker — his own, giving instructions to Class C during their strategy meeting.
The smug smile vanished from his face.
Kushida's eyes widened. "What… what is this?!"
Ryūen's hand tightened around the phone. "A recording… of our class meeting?"
He realized it instantly — there was a traitor among his own ranks.
Kushida stepped back, pale. "Was it Ayanokōji…?"
Ryūen exhaled slowly, a cold grin forming again. "Maybe. Maybe not. But whoever they are — I'll smoke them out. For now, this was entertaining enough."
Suzune stood, silent but certain. She didn't need to say it aloud — she knew this was Kiyotaka's doing. He'd orchestrated everything quietly, behind her back, ensuring her victory.
"You win this round," Ryūen said. "But remember, Horikita — this isn't over."
When the clock struck five, Kiyotaka arrived at the front gate.
The girl from earlier was waiting. "Follow me," she said, leading him to the third floor of the special building — an area without surveillance cameras.
She stopped before an empty classroom. "Wait here."
Moments later, the sound of footsteps echoed — slow, deliberate.
From the shadows, a girl with silver hair and a cane appeared.
"Long time no see, Ayanokōji-kun," said Arisu Sakayanagi, her voice lilting with amusement.
Kiyotaka's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you were the one who called me."
"Indeed. I wanted to share the feeling I had when I saw you run. It's been… eight years and two hundred forty-three days, hasn't it?"
Kiyotaka froze. "I don't know you."
He turned to leave.
But her next words stopped him cold.
"The White Room."
Kiyotaka's steps halted mid-stride.
Arisu smiled softly. "It's a reunion. I wanted to greet you properly."
He turned his head slightly, eyes calm but sharp. "I've only met you here, at this school."
"Perhaps. But I've known you far longer."
Her tone grew hushed, almost reverent. "You're the one who's been pulling the strings in Class D's exams, aren't you?"
He didn't respond.
"It doesn't matter," she continued. "Your secret is safe — for now. Because I'm the only one qualified to bury you."
Their gazes met — predator and prey, though neither could tell which was which.
"Can you?" Kiyotaka asked quietly.
Arisu's smile widened. "I'll enjoy trying. Destroying the greatest masterpiece your father ever made… that will be my life's greatest pleasure."
Kiyotaka's expression didn't change, but his words carried a quiet weight. "Then I look forward to it. Because if I fall, that means my father's ideology falls with me."
Result
Class A:924-->874
Class B:753-->703
Class C:692-->592
Class D:437-->337