บท 30: Sports Fest.

Sports Festival Day

"Call me flash from today!" Yuto cried a loud while running on the 1st year 100m dash. He had genuine tears in his eyes. He didn't need to pretend to be anymore. Albert and Sudo, who placed 2nd and 3rd respectively, looked stunned by Yuto's astonishing speed. "Damn, that guy," Sudo cursed, a smile playing on his lips as the race concluded. Yuto beamed as he waved to the crowd, his grin widening as he turned and shouted to a certain someone, "Hey brother! Are you proud of me?" Manabu turned his head around without saying anything. "eh?" Yuto crumbled to stone. Suddenly, Yuto felt a sharp sting to see Horikita pinching him on his thigh, "What do you think you're doing?" He hissed.

Yuto's body began to twitch as Horikita pinched him harder, "Suzune-chan! I-I was just calling b-brother!" he stammered, his voice strained. Horikita's grip tightened further, her gaze piercing. "Brother?" she questioned, her tone laced with skepticism. Finally releasing her hold, she continued, "I still need you at the sports festival. Consider yourself lucky." Yuto nodded, his face flushing crimson as he desperately repeated a mantra in his head, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, 'I am not a masochist. I am not a masochist. I am not a masochist...'

Yuto walked to the Class D tent to see a fuss going on, "What's happening here?" he asked. "Damn Koenji is lying about being sick!" Sudo shouted. "Well, whatever. I'll fill his rolls." Yuto said with a stoic face. The girls and Hirata looked at Yuto with appreciation to settle down the fight. Yuto walked up to Ayanokoji and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Nothing. But what happened to you? I thought you were trying not to stand out," Ayanokoji asked, to which Yuto gritted his teeth and eyed Class A's tent comically. "A sly lolli took my freedom away!" He spat. Ayanokoji looked up as he mumbled, "Freedom..."

"What?" Yuto asked with raised brows. "What is freedom to you, Yuto?" Ayanokoji asked with a stoic face. Suddenly, everything went silent. The cheers from the crowd. The loud microphone noises. Even the strong breeze was silent. Time seemed to flow slowly as Yuto turned to Ayanokoji, his demeanor composed, "To ask nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing."

Ayanokoji's eyes widened a little as he asked with genuine interest. "Have you achieved freedom?" Winds tousled Yuto's long, chestnut hair as he looked forward with a somber expression.

"No."

"Why is that?"

Yuto's lips curved into a small, wistful smile. "I'll only be free when I discover who I truly am."

Ayanokoji also turned forward, the winds gently caressing his hair.

"I see."

Time began to flow normally again. Yuto turned to Ayanokoji with a huge grin, "Let's go, Kiyo-chan!" Ayanokoji nodded as he thought, 'Am I free..?'

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First-Year Boys : Topple the pole

"I don't like this," Yuto said aloud. Hirata showed a quizzical look as he asked in a voice tinged with concern, "What do you mean, Kazuki-kun? Are you sick perhaps?" Yuto shook his head as a cold sweat trickled down his temple. Yuto shook his head, a cold sweat forming on his temple. "I'm scared," he admitted, surprising both Hirata and Sudo with his vulnerability.

But Yuto wasn't finished. "I mean, all boys are going to fight over knocking down a pole! They are going to gather around a pole! Who knows if there are gay men surrounding that pole!? I don't want to be touched by men!" Yuto added, biting his fingernails as his body twitched with anxiety. Hirata was taken aback by Yuto's reasoning, his chuckle tinged with awkwardness.

"I am getting scared now, Yuto," Ayanokoji remarked with a straight face while trying to imitate Yuto by shivering. No one believed him.

Yuto suppressed his laugh but then got slapped on the back. Whirling around, he clenched his fist, "What the heck are you doing, Baka musclehead!" he exclaimed, feigning anger comedically. "That's what I should be asking you, dumbass! And stop calling me that!" Sudo spat as he mirrored Yuto's stance. "Now, now, let's not waste our energy. We still have a game to play," Hirata intervened, diffusing the tension.

Yuto nodded grudgingly as he stared daggers at Sudo, who subsequently did the same. It was then that the horn rang, "LET'S DO THIS!" Sudo exclaimed as he began rushing towards the enemy pole. 'Idiot...' Yuto thought as he saw Sudo getting surrounded by Class C goons. Yuto began walking with his hands in his pockets.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Yuto looked around and sighed, "Hey Kake-chan, let me go and I will owe you a coffee."

Ryuen burst into laughter as the Class C members closed in around Yuto. "I'll take that as a no," Yuto muttered, receiving no response. "Do it now, Hirata!" he shouted, drawing the attention of the crowd momentarily towards Hirata.

Ryuen was the first to turn his attention back to Yuto, who was... gone?

"Oldest trick in the book! Hahahaha," Yuto laughed loudly as he neared the enemy pole. "Damn it!" Ryuen cursed as he commanded his goons to fall back. However, it was too late. Yuto began rushing straight into the crowd surrounding the pole, who all were concentrated at the front to stop Yuto.

In that instant, Yuto shifted his centre of gravity towards the left, catching the mass off guard with his sudden maneuver. A few attempted to veer left as well, but navigating the dense throng proved impossible, leaving the left side nearly barren.

Yuto simply nudged the pole with one hand, causing it to fall to the right. "Let's go!" Sudo shouted while the crowd cheered along. "Hey, Baka musclehead, you did nothing," Yuto hissed, still holding the grudge of being slapped on the back. Sudo simply laughed it off as Yuto thought, 'Changing for the better, eh...'

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[A/N: I am genuinly curious if the jokes in this chapter are funny. Your thoughts?]