I’ve Been Working My Hardest as Manager of the Girls’ Track and Field Team, but Ever Since I Retired, the Team Members Have Been Coming at Me Like Crazy!?
“…What was that all about?”
I was standing in front of the mirror in the men’s restroom, tilting my head in confusion.
Was that really Shiratori Moe?
The Shiratori I knew was strong-willed and competitive; she’d cry and get depressed whenever things didn’t go her way, but she was a tough girl who never relied on others or showed her vulnerability.
But the girl standing there now was acting like a completely spineless kitten, clinging to me the whole time.
Even if everything ended today and the weight was off her shoulders, is it normal to change that drastically?
It was getting to the point where I was actually worried she might be losing her mind from lack of oxygen.
And what’s with this “I want to mess things up” nonsense?
What does she plan to do to me?
“Mitchy, are you done yet?”
“Ah, yeah, yeah, I’m coming.”
I hurried out of the bathroom.
There, Shirotori was waiting in front of me, puffing out her cheeks in a deliberately exaggerated way.
“Come on, you’re late. Aren’t we going to look for everyone?”
“Ah, yeah. About that, I just contacted the teacher, and we decided to meet at the main entrance.”
“Oh, really? Just like you, Mitchi—you’re so capable.”
“Capable?”
“Come on, let’s hurry up. Hey, hold my hand.”
“Ah, well, could you go ahead without me for a bit?”
“Huh? Why?”
“I’ve got some paperwork and stuff I need to take care of. I’ll be right there.”
“Oh, I see. Okay, got it. Then come right away, okay?”
Looking a little disappointed, Shiratori ran off toward the exit of the stadium.
She’s got plenty of energy to run, doesn’t she?
Then why is she so insistently trying to make me hold her hand?
…Could it be that she’s just teasing me for fun?
Maybe it’s a strategy to get back at me for how strictly I usually treat her—luring me in just to push me away.
Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.
“Ah, Mitsuru!”
“Hm? Oh, Yukimura.”
There’s only one person who calls me by my first name like that.
One of the members of our track and field team, Yukimura Mai, waved and ran over to me.
“Good job, Mitsuru. Too bad about Moe.”
“Well, making it to the semifinals is impressive enough.”
“Huh? You’re being unusually nice today.”
“It’s all over today. There’s no need to be strict with you guys anymore.”
Yukimura is slender and tall, just like a high jumper should be.
She’s about the same height as me—which is above average even among the boys—but her legs are so long and slender that I wonder if they’re twice as long as mine.
While Moe is more on the cute side, Yukimura has sharp, model-like features.
And her personality is pretty manly.
“Huh, it feels weird seeing a gentle Mitsuru.”
“Leave it. More importantly, what about the teacher and Hayase?”
“They should be at the meeting spot. I ran into someone I knew, so I was chatting with them.”
“I see. Well, let’s head over there too.”
For some reason, I felt relieved.
That’s because I’d been worried about what I’d do if not only Shiratori but even Yukimura was acting strange, but honestly, I can’t even imagine this girl acting all clingy toward me.
I wonder how many times we’ve fought.
“Hey, Mitsuru.”
“Hmm, what’s up?”
“Mitsuru, we really did fight a lot, didn’t we?”
“I was just thinking the same thing. I was freaked out that one time when we were arguing on the phone and suddenly it was morning.”
“Yeah. But that just shows how seriously you’ve always taken me, Mitsuru.”
“Well, I was the manager so I could take you guys to the Nationals.”
“……I’m serious, too.”
“What are you talking about now? I know you practiced seriously.”
“That’s not what I mean. I’m serious about you, Mitsuru.”
“…Huh?”
I feel like the atmosphere is getting weird again.
No, surely that’s just my imagination…
“Starting today, I’m going to live for Mitsuru.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Y-you know, you always said that. That to achieve a goal, you have to throw everything else aside and devote yourself entirely to it.”
“Well, I did say that.”
“Until today, that was track and field, but starting tomorrow, I’m just an ordinary girl. I also want to repay Mitsuru for everything he’s done for me all this time. Besides, I want Mitsuru to only have eyes for me.”
Yukimura’s usually sharp eyes were glazed over in a way I’d never seen before.
Her face was red, too.
She wasn’t supposed to be competing today, yet for some reason, she was breathing heavily.
“W-wait, what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
“But Mitsuru, you were always glued to Moe.”
“R-really? I thought I was treating all three of you equally.”
“But you were the starter and the timekeeper—you were always paying attention to Moe.”
“No, there’s someone else to time the sprints.”
“And even during the stretches afterward, you were always with Moe.”
“That’s because you were paired with Hayase.”
“Really? Isn’t it because you like Moe?”
“Listen, if the guy who came up with the ‘no dating’ rule ends up falling for someone in the club, that’s not right, is it?”
“Hmm. But that rule ends today, doesn’t it?”
She gave the hem of my tracksuit a little tug with her finger.
Yukimura said in a voice that was unusually fragile.
“If it’s you, Mitsuru, you can do whatever you want to me, you know?”