Episode 25 – Hot battle of the Goddesses ①

It’s been a day since yesterday’s agony. Do you know what today is?
Yes, it is my birthday.

Happy Birthday to me.
In the morning, Ichikawa san congratulated me.
After arriving at school, Naka, and then Tohno san. I got congratulations from Suzu too, in case you were wondering.

It just wasn’t much more than that. Sad.
Can I at least assume that Ichikawa san, even if only temporarily, is my lover and that there will be something after this?
However, I think it is a bit impolite to expect something from someone who has just become your lover.
Well, it’s better not to feel lonely if you think it’s just like any other year. ……

“Fugigigigi, Uu!!! Haaaahaaahaaa…”
“Yippey~, 33~”

I am currently taking a physical fitness test in my P.E. class.
The current measured grip strength number is 33. 5 points scored. Not so good, not so bad.
It was an ordinary score.

I knew I was ordinary no matter what I did. ……

“Okay !, next one is me ! Oryaaaaa!!!”

I pair up with Naka and take measurements.
Naka took the grip strength meter from me and put all his strength into it with a shout.

“51…”
“Yes~ I guess I didn’t get 10 points.”

Naka’s grip was 51. He scored 9 points.
It’s just plain awesome.
I knew this guy was athletic.

I was a little depressed by the difference between myself and the others.

“Oh, the girls start at 50 meters.”

Today, we will measure grip strength and the 50-meter run. The boys will start with grip strength and the girls will start with the 50-meter run.
After that, they would take turns, but since the grip strength test would be over soon, the boys would watch the girls run the 50-meter race, and the girls would watch the boys run the 50-meter race.

“Wow~ it’s a spectacular view.”

And most of the boys look at girls in that way.
Speaking of high school boys, it is inevitable that they see a little because of their sexual desire, but what’s with the dirty look?
The girls’ faces were blatantly twisted when they noticed such boys’ disgusting gazes.

“You saw too much Naka”
“No, I’m just genuinely interested in which girls have the fastest feet.”
“Bullshit.”
“I knew Ichikawa san’s style was too good” (He said “too Yabee”)
“Oi”

Naka ignored my words and looked at the girls. When she said Ichikawa san, I reflexively looked in that direction too.

“……”

Ichikawa san in her gym clothes is also fresh.
Her hair is in a ponytail, unlike the way she usually wears it down, and the nape of her neck is quite dazzling.
Other boys also have hot eyes for her, and I still sometimes wonder if she is really my girlfriend, whom everyone admires so much, or if it still feels unrealistic.

“That is a solid D”
“…….”

Naka’s idiotic comment brought me back to reality and I almost tsked. Watch out, watch out. By the way, I gave it an “E”.

“I knew it, you are into Tohno san?”
“That’s n—”
“Well, just see”
“Ouch !”

Naka forced me to turn toward Tohno san.
Then I see Tohno san in her gym uniform.

“Ugh!”
“That was some good stuff.”

I did think they were on the large side. But I had no idea that she looked that big just by wearing gym clothes. She was also receiving enthusiastic stares from the boys here.
I’m aware of that too, and my face gets hot.

“The rest is ~oh! Shinozuka san has quite a good style, doesn’t she? Not to be outdone by Ichikawa san, it’s good …….”

Finally, it was Suzu that caught Naka’s attention.
As Naka said, her style is almost similar to Ichikawa san’s. However, Ichikawa san was better overall.

What? Well, let’s not …… too much over there.

The three main ones that Naka mentioned were the ones that caught the boys’ attention.
I mean, if you think about it, they’re all girls I’ve been associated with lately.

The women’s 50-meter run began amidst a storm of stares from the boys.

◆

I, Shinozuka Suzu, hate something.
That is to lose to someone else.

And what I like to do is stand out from everyone else.
I transferred yesterday and was the center of attention because of my good looks.
Many boys flocked to me and flirted with me.
Many female students also came beside Hitomi who was seated nearby.

This moment felt great. Self-affirmation is enhanced.

But that would soon come to an end. Because there was some kind of commotion in the classroom.

I stare from afar at the person who had ruined my stage.

My gaze fell on a female student, Ichikawa Aoi, who was stretching carefully.
She is paired with a girl who may be a friend of hers.

The boys look at her that way.
I prided myself on having better looks and style than most girls and would stand out in PE.
Aside from the pros and cons of the boys’ gaze, the girls would have been envious.

However, when you open the lid, some are getting a lot more attention than you.

That was also unforgivable and provoked my pride.

Why …… Why is that woman more noticeable than me !!! I don’t like it!

I don’t know about losing.
I always think I am the best, and I have never lacked the effort to be so.

“Hmmph. It doesn’t look so bad.”

From what I have seen of her appearance and style, she is about on par with myself.
I rarely acknowledge others, but I appreciated her in a way that was rare for me.

“Well, I’m better than her.”

Yet I do not feel in the slightest that I am losing.
That’s why I can’t tolerate anyone who stands out from me.

“Heyy, Hitomi. Do you know her?”
“Eh? Ichikawa san? She is really beautiful right”
“Is she famous?”
“Yes. She is one of the two most famous people in our school. She’s beautiful and can do anything, athletically or academically, so I think there are a lot of boys and girls who admire her. I think more boys admire her than girls, though. ……
“Hee…..So she is the highest-ranking student in the school’s caste, so to speak.”
“Well, well, I don’t know if there’s such a thing as a caste, but it’s like that. And they call her a goddess.”
“Hmmm?”

Even after hearing her story, my feelings toward Ichikawa remained unchanged.
Thinking about it, I can’t help but feel that there is something about her that reeks of a relationship with Youta.

　…… I still don’t like it.

A goddess instead of me? You’ve got some nerve.

To be the best above all others.
That is my way of life.

“Fufufu”

Then all I had to do was prove it. I just have to show that I am better than Ichikawa, a woman who stands out from me. And I will take the position of goddess.

“Suzu chan ? What happened?”
“E-ehemm. Nothing”
“O-okay..”

I was smiling and Hitomi worried.

“Ah, but Suzu chan is just as beautiful!”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not flattering you, okay? I really think Suzu chan is as beautiful as Ichikawa san!”

I smile back at Hitomi who suddenly praises me.
I am used to being told this much and I believe it is a well-known fact.

So it’s no surprise I’m beautiful and pretty.

“Oh, the first run is about to start. Shall we line up?”
“Yeah”

At the urging of Hitomi, I lined up properly in the lane made on the ground.

In doing so, I decided to move away from Hitomi and approach the desired person.

“Hey, do you want to go for a run with me?”
“……Me?”
“Yes. you”

I spoke to a girl named Ichikawa who was talking to a friend of mine.
She seemed a little surprised to be talking to me, a transfer student.

Two 50-meter runs are to be performed.
The first run is a light preparatory run, and the second run is the main run for recording purposes.

So I was trying to beat her by offering her a real run in the first run. I planned to use up all my energy and slow down my time in the second run for the real race.

Let’s start with exercise. Let’s take that spot away from this woman who is said to be able to do everything.

I believe Aoi is the same type of person I am.
I can study and exercise better than anyone else because I don’t want to lose to anyone else
So if I could set up a match, I naturally knew I would not be turned down.

“No”
“Eh?!”

But, no way, she refused. This made me impatient.

“Ha? Haa? Are you afraid of losing to me?”
“Losing is …… not something I intend to compete with or run with.
“So run and compete with me! I heard you’re fast!”
“I’m not really concerned with winning or losing. I just do what I do normally and the results follow.”
“….ugh!!”

But I frown at this woman who talks as if she can do anything without effort.

“Nah, then fine. We can just run together in the same group on our own!”
“…… I don’t mind that, but don’t complain if you lose because of it.”
“Haa!? Who’s going to lose! You’ll see!”

I thought I didn’t like her …… but I knew I hated this girl!

I am convinced that I have never experienced being taken advantage of to this extent.
And as declared, we were in the same group and it was our turn.
She does not look at me at all when she sees me getting ready in the next lane.

“Ha, So you don’t care about me?”

I felt like I was the only one who was aware of it, which made me even angrier.
But there was no way I could lose to someone else. So I couldn’t wait to see her look disappointed afterward.

“On your mark. go.”

As soon as the teacher raised the flag, the 50-meter run began.

I’ll humiliate you….!

“Haaaa Haaaa Haaa Are you kidding me?”

My time was 7.1 seconds, while Aoi’s time was 7.0 seconds.
It was the moment when my pride was shattered.