CH 49

—Bang!

A gunshot rings out.

Well, I’m not sure if the sound of a starter pistol for track field after being triggered can be considered a gunshot.

At the moment I started running, I could already see the backs of the racers alongside me, which meant I was far behind them.

Nevertheless, I did not have the slightest desire to give up on the match.

I kicked the ground as hard as I could with my right foot to catch up with them.

Then, by the time I had run five steps, the players had already disappeared from my sight.

◇◇◇

I was able to finish in first place, just like that.

I felt like telling everyone that I won for the first time in my life… to the people at the sports meet, where I’ve always come in last.

The others who crossed the finish line shortly after lowered their heads, breathing heavily.

The man who appeared to be the coach was frozen with his eyes and mouth open.

Kashiwagi-san ran up to me with a big smile and handed me a Ramune Cigarette.

“You did it, Yamamoto! Here’s your reward!”

“Haha, I’m not a dog though.”

But then, I firmly took a Ramune Cigarette and put it in my mouth.

I was fine being a dog now, Kashiwagi-san’s dog, to be honest.

The players, unable to catch their breath, angrily crowded around me and Kashiwagi-san.

“S***w you! You f****r!”

“It’s obvious doping!”

“That white stick that looks like a cigarette is suspicious too!”

“This is just a rum candy. You guys lost, so eat it.”

“Are you giving it to the one who lost too?”

As I savored the sweet taste with the fear of the Ramune Cigarettes extremist, Kashiwagi-san exhaled a sigh and shook her head, looking like she’s having a bad day.

“In the first place, Yamamoto was in front of you all the time before the race, wasn’t he? He didn’t have time to dope.”

“Well, then what about those shoes? Must be using doping shoes that are illegal!”

“… Eh?”

A guy pointed at my shoes, and I broke out in a cold sweat inside.

“That’s right! His shoes have unusually thick soles for athletic shoes!”

“There must be a spring in it! Let me see it! Don’t hide it!”

People around me got heated up when they saw how I tried to hide my shoes.

When I was convinced that I couldn’t hide it anymore, I showed it to them.

These were some really cheap shoes that I bought on sale at ABD Mart.

“Um, I’m sorry. I ran with these things on…”

“You were running in regular shoes? You can’t do that. What if you get hurt?”

I was scolded by Kashiwagi-san as I expected

The players look at each other speechless.

“R-regular? Not even proper athletic shoes…?”

“That’s not the case, I really meant to change my shoes, but I only noticed it after the run… I would have noticed it if I was doing a crouching start… haha.”

I made excuses lightly and jokingly, but no one’s eyes were smiling.

I was truly sorry for insulting the sacred sport of athletics…

The players took the shoes from me and started checking them out for themselves.

They check again and again, as if they can’t believe me at all.

Eventually, the shoes were crushed and destroyed by them stepping on it from the sides, and their contents were also identified.

“Ho, it’s really just regular shoes.. I can’t believe it.”

No, I can’t believe they ruined my shoes.