Early October.
The day of the sports festival.
At Yuzuru’s high school, the sports festival wasn’t held on campus, but at a rented athletics stadium.
With proper spectator seating, at least it was comfortable to watch.
“Still… our school’s sports festival is pretty lame.”
“Agreed.”
“Yeah… it’s not exactly exciting.”
Sou’s remark was met with nods from Soichiro and Yuzuru.
What do normal high schools even do at sports festivals?
Human pyramids?
Cavalry battles?
Tossing balls into baskets?
Well…
Even if you’re not into sports, those are the kinds of events you can still enjoy.
At least, that’s how it was in Yuzuru’s primary and middle school days.
But this school was different.
The individual events were just the 100-metre dash, the 200-metre dash, high jump—just running and jumping.
As for team events… a relay was about as far as it went.
Human pyramids?
Cavalry battles?
Ball toss?
Nothing like that. Nothing fun.
“This isn’t a sports festival—it’s basically a track meet.”
Sou clicked his tongue.
Yuzuru felt the same.
It wasn’t like Yuzuru disliked exercise. He was even in the basketball club—though he only showed up once a week, more for fun than anything.
Still, this sports festival just wasn’t that enjoyable.
“Then why don’t we just watch the girls and have fun?”
Soichiro said it with a straight face.
He looked serious at first glance, but inside he leaned more towards being a bit of a scumbag—and, on top of that, a mild pervert.
“…That might be the only way to enjoy it.”
For the record, Yuzuru wasn’t any different.
They were teenage boys, after all.
And so, they decided to cheer on the girls instead.
“You know… gym uniforms are kinda sexy.”
“Yeah, I’m with you on that one.”
“True.”
At Sou’s offhand comment, both Soichiro and Yuzuru nodded.
Gym uniforms, by design, are short-sleeved and short-legged.
So they show more skin than you’d think.
And the fabric is thin, which makes the body’s contours stand out… sometimes even what’s underneath shows through.
Of course, most girls wear camisoles, so you almost never actually see a bra…
But even so, it’s still pretty alluring.
“It’s probably because they’re not meant to be sexy at all—if anything, they’re meant to be healthy and practical. That contrast is what makes them appealing.”
Soichiro stated this profound truth with a completely serious expression.
Yuzuru and Sou nodded repeatedly.
“Also, it’s like… a snapshot of high school life. A page of youth. That nostalgic feeling—or, well, we’re not old enough for nostalgia yet, but still.”
“And the fact that it’s for sweating and exercising matters too, right? Like, it feels healthy. You can’t really get excited over something that looks unhealthy. Maybe it’s just instinct.”
Yuzuru and Sou added their own theories.
Of course, they kept their voices low so no one around them could hear.
If any of the girls in class overheard this conversation, their social lives would be over.
“Come to think of it… didn’t they used to have something called bloomers?”
Yuzuru recalled things he’d heard online or from his parents.
Naturally, you didn’t see those anymore.
“…Old guys seem to love them, but honestly, don’t they feel a bit off?”
“Well… I mean, they’re still kind of sexy, I guess? But yeah, I get what you mean.”
“Right? They feel way too much like cosplay to us.”
Soichiro and Sou agreed with Yuzuru.
To them, bloomers were relics of the past—a kind of costume.
Not that they disliked them.
Just… something felt off.
“Speaking of bloomers…”
As Soichiro said that, his gaze shifted.
At the end of it stood their two childhood friends—
Ayaka and Chiharu.
Both of them had excellent figures, so their gym uniforms accentuated their curves clearly.
Noticing his gaze, the two of them bounced lightly and waved.
Soichiro waved back casually and continued.
“The girls’ shorts at our school are kind of short, aren’t they?”
“…Now that you mention it.”
“Yeah…”
The boys’ uniforms were normal, but the girls’ did seem a bit shorter.
About ten centimetres above the knee, maybe.
Around the length of table tennis uniforms.
“Well, it looks cool, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Definitely cool.”
At Sou’s comment, Soichiro and Yuzuru nodded a little too enthusiastically.
…Whether it was actually “cool” wasn’t really the point.
What mattered was how much leg you could see.
“Hey, Sou.”
“What is it, Yuzuru?”
“That girl running over there—isn’t that Nagiri-san?”
Yuzuru pointed at a girl running desperately in the relay.
She had long black hair tied in a ponytail and a slender build.
It was hard to see from a distance, but… it was probably Nagiri Tenka.
“Yeah, that’s Tenka.”
“Surprising… she’s not very athletic?”
Soichiro sounded slightly taken aback.
Now that he thought about it… she didn’t seem particularly fast.
“Well… she’s got those thin legs, doesn’t look like she has much muscle.”
Sou snorted.
Tenka’s legs were long—and very slender.
“But… not unhealthily thin. Her face and legs are nice. Face and legs, at least.”
Her legs would definitely be considered beautiful.
Slim, well-shaped—gym clothes suited her.
Though… she didn’t seem very good at sports.
It felt a bit odd that someone not athletic would suit gym wear so well… but maybe that contrast was part of the appeal.
“I’m up soon.”
After checking the time, Yuzuru stood.
“Ah, right.”
“What event was yours again?”
“200 metres × 6 relay. Cheer me on.”
“If I feel like it.”
“Yeah, we’ll watch in between checking out the girls.”
“Oi, are you even my friends!?”
Trading light banter, Yuzuru left them behind.
He met up with his classmates for the relay and used the time before the race to do some light warm-ups and practise baton passes.
Truth be told, most of them—including Yuzuru—weren’t aiming to win.
But they didn’t want to embarrass themselves, either.
Dropping the baton and becoming “that guy” would be awkward, so they at least took it seriously.
(I wonder if those two are watching…)
A few minutes before the relay began,
Yuzuru glanced towards the stands.
Soichiro and Sou…
were watching the girls’ 100-metre race.
Probably checking out chests or legs.
Between that and Yuzuru’s race, the former clearly mattered more to them.
(You lot are bloody heartless…)
Though, to be fair, Yuzuru would probably do the same.
Next, he searched for someone else.
There—
a girl with beautiful flaxen hair was staring intently in their direction.
Their eyes met.
And then—
she gave a small wave.
His heart skipped.
“Hey… didn’t Yukishiro-san just wave over here?”
“Seriously? …Maybe I’ll actually try now.”
His classmates started to stir.
Then came the petty argument—no, she waved at me, no, me.
(…Guess I’ll put in a bit of effort.)
For a moment, Yuzuru felt just a little superior.
