Stealing Spree

Going for a new record sounded like a challenge, true. However, the next round proved that we already ran out of luck. Or rather, I was too unlucky to draw a difficult math problem that took me a minute to solve.

I even ended up using Aya’s help who swapped with Satsuki to use that ability just for me to finish solving it. Due to that, Satsuki did the sprint while carrying the loaded cloth sack.

When she crossed the finish line and Eguchi-sensei confirmed the end of the second round, I embarrassedly scratched my head and apologized to the three.

The result? I got teased by Satsuki and Sakuma while Aya remained a wonderful angel, comforting me with her words.

Well, given how thick my skin was, that’s partly an act but I wouldn’t say no to getting comforted by my caring girl.

Ah. Right, the audience also booed me, and those who were wishing for my failure mocked me as if they finally got their retribution for making them jealous at how close I am to many girls.

As a response, I openly interacted with my girls including Rae as well as Sachi and my other classmates, earning another set of curses stacked on my head.

Yeah. Even though I acted like I hated it, I let my girls and those who were more or less close to me tease me to their enjoyment before going to my post for the third round.

Eguchi-sensei also comforted me, once again showing her bias. Satsuki scoffed at seeing that while throwing me a meaningful glare as though saying, “I’ll get you later.”

Anyway, the start of the third round went smoothly. Unlike me who got unlucky, Sakuma drew a slightly easier problem which he managed to solve in twenty seconds.

Like earlier, he proudly strutted and dashed to the second post, earning another set of cheers from his new admirers.

I guess his ego had started getting more nutrition. Whether that could help him improve his current status of ‘a guy who has insufficient courage to take initiative’, I had no idea.

Like with Ogawa, it’s all up to him whether he could finally make the jump on being a boytoy for the girl to become her boyfriend.

At the moment, that’s still unlikely. But hey, at least he had stopped looking like a dejected idiot whenever he would see Satsuki and me flirting with each other.

Anyway, with Satsuki and Aya on the second post, I used my ability to bring the weighing scale to the two and return it to my post after confirming.

Given that I got the hint that it wasn’t as heavy as the first round, I would have no problem carrying it on my back during the sprint.

And by doing that, I got to show everyone that it’s not a waste to use that ability. Among the five groups that already finished their turns, none of them used that ability. Everyone waited at the third post to have someone carry the cloth sack for most of their sprint.

With this, I got another nod of approval from Eguchi-sensei who probably noticed my intention.

At the same time as I returned the weighing scale to my post, Satsuki was already sprinting behind me. And as soon as she handed it to me, I started that final sprint.

“Huh? Wait… Aren’t they faster than their first round?” ．

“Y-yeah… It’s not even two minutes yet and they’re already on the last part.”

“Oh! Looks like Onoda-kun intentionally messed up in the second round. Look at him go, he’s even faster than Sakuma!”

Right. That kind of conversation started to rise from our audience right as soon as I grabbed the cloth sack from Satsuki. I could’ve ignored it but the voices were loud enough to hear. And by the time I reached the start line, I caught that last girl who spoke.

It’s Sachi. With a wide grin on her lips, she winked at me before continuing with what she started.

However, even though she was expecting me to excel in it, my speed also got her speechless in the end.

With my mind fully focused on quickly finishing the short sprint to the finish line, Sakuma’s goal of fewer than ten seconds was easily completed by me with a second to spare.

At the same time as I slowed down and stopped my feet after passing the finish line, a pin-drop silence ensued.

A few seconds later, loud cheering and clapping drowned out the clicking of the tongue of those unhappy with what happened.

“Onoda-kun, are you that desperate for my reward?”

Amidst those cheers, Eguchi-sensei blew her whistle as she soon approached me with the stopwatch in her hand. Looking at her pleased expression, that question was partly a joke for the others to hear.

Partly because the woman most likely thought that I did my best to earn that reward. That made her very happy, even forgetting that Satsuki, who’s supposed to be my girlfriend, was in my group…

Perhaps if we’re in front of everyone, Eguchi-sensei might pull me in her embrace to instantly give me that reward.

“Yes. That’s a great temptation, sensei. I can’t let the other group get it.”

Upon hearing my answer, Eguchi-sensei giggled in satisfaction. And in a quiet voice that only I could hear, she affectionately whispered, “Now, you’re getting me excited to reward you… Let’s hope no one beats this new record.”

I responded with a subtle smile and a nod before returning to where Aya and Satsuki were cheering on their own way. The former was hopping excitedly like a bunny while the latter was shaking her head yet couldn’t hide the elation from her eyes.

As Aya ran up to me, hugging me right away, Eguchi-sensei announced the result.

“I know you’ve all seen it… Onoda-kun’s group has set another record. One minute and fifty-five seconds. If their first round is excellent and the second is kind of a letdown… their third round is nothing short of phenomenal.”

“You know why? Because they properly showed the ‘synergy’ that I wanted you all to cultivate in this activity. Starting from Sakuma there who calmly solved the problem, Maemura and Rindou showed the right coordination to fill the sack in a way that Onoda-kun won’t be burdened by the weighty sack. Following that, Onoda-kun used his ability to quickly bring the scale to them right as soon as they finished with their first estimate.”

“It might look so simple to all of you but that’s how I want you to move. Read the air around you and decide accordingly to shorten the time. I said earlier that ‘three minutes’ is the average record time but… with their group cutting it down to less than two minutes, color me surprised.”

“Anyway, let’s not talk about that last sprint. All of you have seen it. He’s fast enough that I’m starting to be intrigued why he’s not in a sports club. Now then, are any of you up to the task of beating their record?”

Ending her speech right there after fully unraveling with a bit of an exaggeration what went on during our third round and using it as some form of a lesson to nail her point, Eguchi-sensei was met with the remaining groups’ burning enthusiasm.

At this point, the four of us stepped out of the activity area and returned to our place. I mean, we could bask in glory there but the activity hadn’t ended yet. Besides, Eguchi-sensei was also enjoying it there, to see her students very enthusiastic at her activity was definitely a dream come true for her.

Hmm… I guess having a stellar performance once again helped her… That’s great.

A while later, the whole activity smoothly ended with no one else beating the record that we set even when everyone tried to incorporate Eguchi-sensei’s lesson. While two groups beat our first record, none of them managed to put their time down to two minutes.

Did I overdo it? I don’t think so. However, I sure stood out once more…