What exactly happened in that race?
Kazuo was still pondering this question even after returning to the track. What could it have been—
"Asama-kun?"
Why did he show such an expression?
"Asama-kun?"
"Hmm!?"
Unbeknownst to him, Hayakawa had appeared beside him, and Kazuo couldn't help but be startled.
"Hayakawa!? Why are you here!?"
Hayakawa looked at him with some concern and asked:
"Are you alright? I called you several times, but you didn't hear me… Are you thinking about something?"
Facing Hayakawa's concern, Kazuo merely smiled and shook his head, saying, "It's nothing… Just thinking about some things."
But no sooner had he spoken than the discussion of several people from another side reached them.
"Oh, my… The strength of that group just now was really good. Especially Victory Ticket and Biwa Hayahide… It's a pity that Tojo-senpai has already finalized things with Biwa Hayahide. If possible, I'd like to try talking to Victory Ticket…"
"But that number three contestant just now was a bit too overconfident, wasn't she? What was her name, Narita… Daijin? Such a small kid forcibly trying to rush to the front of the leading pack, and in the end, she still suffered for it…"
"Well, with that physique, unless she has astonishing talent, it's difficult for her to have much development. After all, those with talent are ultimately a minority."
"That's right. Although she eventually rushed to third place in one breath, with that stamina, she's just a half-baked level, isn't she? I don't feel like there's much potential to be unearthed…"
"Because of her undisciplined running style, and her attitude towards people doesn't seem very friendly… I really can't imagine what kind of Trainer such a person would have…"
"Hmm… How to put it, I feel like she might not even make it to her debut race… With her current performance…"
"I heard she's apparently a delinquent student… I heard my team members also said she often returns home late. A person who doesn't know self-discipline like that, her ceiling is probably just that, right?"
"I see. No talent and no effort, she's probably just going to stay that way…"
Several Trainers from Group B stood aside, discussing freely and without restraint.
"Asama-kun!"
Hayakawa seemed to want to say something, but Kazuo could no longer hear anything.
"What are you… talking about?"
Suddenly, a voice interrupted everything, like a sharp blade unhesitatingly cutting through their circle.
The few people stopped talking and turned their heads, only to see a young man with a tender face standing before them.
"You are…"
"What do you know?"
Kazuo stared intently at these people. The Kiai (Fighting Spirit) he had been holding back in his heart seemed to have ignited at this moment.
The way the girl looked up at the sky unwillingly,
Her stubbornness when she fell while running at night.
She rejected all of it, she refused all of it, but, at the same time, she was striving for all of it.
Even if she was alone, she had that determination to keep going.
At this moment, he clearly hadn't considered the consequences of doing so, but—
"Who are you… A newcomer from Group A? How do you speak to your seniors?"
"Just because you're seniors, does that mean you can maliciously speculate? Just because you're seniors, does that mean you can make uninformed judgments?"
"What… do you mean?"
Perhaps pressured by Kazuo's Kiai (Fighting Spirit), they were somewhat speechless at this moment.
They clearly didn't know her efforts. She was seriously troubled, pained, enduring, strong, and stubborn for herself, and she had come all this way.
She had always worked hard even when others didn't think highly of her.
Why do you only see the surface? Why do you prejudge a person's worth?!
[The so-called 'unreasonable' (unreasonable), in ancient language, means not thinking about things based on reason or common sense, and not treating them with preconceived notions.]
What echoed in his mind were the words Yoshida had said to him at that time.
"What do you really know about Daijin? You are Trainers!? A profession that gives hope to contestants, yet what are you saying now? What are you doing? Hiding in a corner and making judgments? Or looking down on others' efforts?"
"Hey! Kid, what do you mean by that?!"
One of the men with a bad temper immediately grabbed his collar and pulled him close.
The tension grew thicker, and just at this moment.
Hayakawa, however, loudly intervened:
"Everyone, stop right now!!"
"Ha-Hayakawa…"
When the few people saw it was Hayakawa, their attitudes instantly softened considerably.
Hayakawa's expression was extremely serious at this moment, even possessing a sense of authority never seen from her before.
"You few, although Asama-kun was indeed a bit impulsive, as Trainers, your remarks just now were indeed biased. I don't want such situations to happen again at Tracen Academy… I believe none of you wish for Mr. Kuronuma to know about this, do you?"
Upon hearing Hayakawa mention that name, the few people's faces immediately changed. Not only did their attitudes soften, but they completely backed down, nodding repeatedly:
"Yes, yes… I know I was wrong. Um… please, Miss Hayakawa, don't tell Group Leader Kurosawa… The race is about to start, so we'll go scout ahead…!"
With that, several people scurried away, looking disheveled.
Kazuo, standing still, slowly closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry…"
He apologized softly to Miss Hayakawa, "I was too impulsive just now. I caused trouble for you, Miss Hayakawa…"
Only after calming down did he realize what he had just done.
He couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, letting Miss Hayakawa see such an immature and irrational side of him.
"Really! I'm going to get angry!"
Just as he imagined, Miss Hayakawa's tone sounded very angry. Perhaps his image was ruined in front of her?
Lost in thought, Kazuo himself didn't even know what he was thinking at the moment.
"Asama-kun, if you keep talking like that, I'm going to get angry!"
"Yes, I understand… Huh?"
Slowly raising his head, he saw Miss Hayakawa looking at him seriously:
"Although Asama-kun's behavior isn't something to be encouraged, however—I am on Asama-kun's side."
Eh?
Miss Hayakawa winked playfully and said softly, "Actually, I also really disliked their comments just now. Asama, you did that for Daijin, didn't you? You think of them, you carefully observe everything about them. Asama-kun, you are truly gentle…"
Someone like you—
I don't dislike you at all, you know?
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