CHAPTER XXXVI
-Who’s Side Are You On?-
Nakamura paused, nudged his cap up with a thumb, and flashed a dazzling, confident grin.
“Alright—listen up, everyone! Name’s Nakamura Takeshi—just call me ‘Coach’ or, if you’re brave enough, ‘Captain Nakamura,’” he said, his voice charismatic. “I’m new to the school, fresh off a couple of years training at placements abroad and, yeah, I might’ve played a little pro soccer back in the day.”
He spun his clipboard on one finger and gave the class a quick once-over, pausing for effect.
“Here’s the deal: today, the girls are doing some long-distance running—let’s say, oh, a hundred miles should do! Kidding. Not a hundred miles, but you’ll be doing proper running drills—let’s see some stamina and spirit!” He shot them a playful wink. “And as for you fellas? You’re with me—we’re prepping for a real soccer workshop. Best players will get to join my select team. We’ll be practicing in the club’s football arena—reserved for advanced training. Prep hard, because after exams, we’ll be gunning for the interschool championship!”
A wave of gasps and excited chatter swept the girls.
“Did he say pro soccer?”
“Oh my god, maybe we’ll get to see him play!”
“I wish I joined the soccer team!”
Some girls grinned, others nervously eyed the running track, but none could hide their curiosity about the handsome new teacher.
The boys, meanwhile, erupted into more wild cheers.
“CAPTAIN NAKAMURA, LET’S GO!”
“I’m ready for Premier League, coach!”
“Bro, we’re gonna crush this year!”
Groups of boys bumped fists and herd-rolled toward the wide open section of the field, a few already breaking into competitive jostling as they sized each other up for the tryouts ahead.
Meanwhile, the girls gathered in orderly lines at the running arena just beyond the boys’ field, some stretching, others giggling with anticipation as they eyed both their competition and their new PE teacher.
Coach Nakamura nodded in satisfaction, blowing his whistle with an easy authority that sent kids moving exactly where he wanted, laughter and ambition fueling the morning with a whole new level of school-wide hype.
The girls lined up at the starting mark, sunlight dancing on the track. As the whistle-blower counted down—“On your mark, get set, GO!”—the students sprang into motion, applause and shouts echoing from the field.
Yuzuki’s heart leapt when she realized Reina was right beside her; the rift between them felt impossible yet, just for a moment, the race made everything else fall away. As the six girls surged forward, falling into a tight, competitive pack, Yuzuki found herself matching Reina’s stride: not leading, not trailing, but exactly where she needed to be.
Seizing the chance, Yuzuki tried to bridge the gap with hurried breaths between strides.
“Reina-san! I SWEAR—me and Kisaragi-san are NOTHING. Not even friends! You really, really misunderstood, I promise!”
Reina didn’t answer. She only shot Yuzuki a stony look, rolling her eyes, and immediately picked up her pace, pulling away by a few strides.
Yuzuki’s lungs burned, but determination flared. She clenched her jaw, feet thundering against the earth, and powered forward, closing the gap once more. When she pulled even with Reina again, she let her words fly, sparkling with conviction over the pounding rhythm of their race.
“WHATEVER’S GOING ON—JUST KNOW THIS!” Yuzuki shouted, every word electric, “THERE’S NEVER GOING TO BE ANOTHER BEST FRIEND FOR ME BUT YOU, REINA-CHAN! YOU’RE IT—MY ONE AND ONLY, FOR ALL ETERNITY!”
The burst of sincerity lit up the air between them, sharp as sunlight. Yuzuki powered ahead, finishing the first lap just in front of Reina (though the two front runners were still out of reach).
Reina blinked, thrown off by the confession—her momentum faltered for a flicker, but seeing Yuzuki dash ahead, pride—and something softer—sparked in her eyes. Almost unwillingly, she dug in her heels and sprinted after Yuzuki, the old competitive fire reigniting just like before.
“AND! The winner of this round is… REINA-SAN!” the girl with the whistle announced as the final lap concluded.
Yuzuki slowed her pace, bending over with hands resting on her knees, gasping for breath. Across the track, Reina’s usual warm smile met her eyes, and Yuzuki’s heart lifted at the sight. Reina started walking toward her, but before they could reconnect, a surge of their classmates — all girls — swarmed Reina, showering her with comments and questions.
“Is it genetics or what?” one asked.
“How do you run so fast? You’re soo cool!”
“You’re so lucky to be friends with Reina-san!”
The crowd formed a tight circle around Reina, cutting off Yuzuki’s view. Uh… yeah, should’ve expected that, Yuzuki thought with a rueful smile. She turned away and strolled to a nearby tree for shade, settling on the grass for a moment before deciding to grab her water bottle.
She made her way over to the open seating shed where the class’s water bottles were kept. Boys and girls mixed there, the clusters chatting and sipping.
“Hey, whose water is this? Isn’t this a boy’s bottle?” a girl teased, laughing with friends.
“No way! It’s definitely from the girls’ side!” another chimed in, glancing at the jumble of bottles.
As Yuzuki sipped, a sudden roar burst from the boys’ soccer field nearby. The air crackled with excitement.
“Kaito! Score that goal, man!” one shouted.
“Block him, block him! Don’t let him pass!” another barked urgently.
“He’s got the ball! C’mon, Kaito, make your move!” a third urged.
The new PE teacher, Nakamura Takeshi, stood near the sidelines, eyes sharp with admiration as he watched Kaito maneuver through the opposition.
In an instant, Kaito darted past defenders and with a slick kick sent the ball sailing into the goal.
The boys exploded in cheers—howls of joy and triumph filled the air.
“No way! That was sick!”
“Kaito! Legend! Legend!”
“Bro, you crushed it!”
They rushed toward him, slapping his back, pulling him into hugs and high-fives, celebrating like champions.
Nakamura blew his whistle, signaling a break.
Yuzuki quickly stood, realizing the boys would soon head toward the water area. She placed her bottle back carefully and moved toward the shade of the tree, aiming to stay away from the boisterous crowd.
Just then, Kaito came sprinting toward her.
“HEYY!” he called out, breathless but grinning wide.
Reaching Yuzuki, he held up both hands, palms open.
“Hi-five!” he demanded.
On instinct, Yuzuki lifted her hands and slapped them against his overhead.
“You saw it, didn’t you??” Kaito burst out happily.
“Yeah! The kick was amazing!” Yuzuki matched his energy, grinning.
The high-five between Kaito and Yuzuki happened without hesitation—purely instinctive, a little ritual they shared whenever Kaito pulled off something impressive. It was their unspoken way of celebrating victories together, a simple yet meaningful gesture that spoke volumes about their close bond.
“Amazing? That’s all you’ve got for me? Come on! I want more than just a dull ‘amazing’!” Kaito demanded, eyes gleaming with playful challenge.
Kaito rocked back, squinting at Yuzuki with mock offense. “Really? That’s it? After that epic shot?” He threw his arms out wide, playing up the drama, waiting for Yuzuki to shower him with higher praise.
Yuzuki stifled a grin, catching onto his act. “Alright, alright! It was legendary. The best goal I’ve ever seen, Captain! There—happy now?” she teased, flashing him a thumbs-up.
Kaito finally broke into a satisfied laugh. “That’s more like it!” He ruffled Yuzuki’s hair, then, in one quick leap, spun and jogged back toward his friends, still basking in the glow of their win.
As the boys clustered around Kaito again—slapping him on the back and reenacting his goal with wild gestures—the field brimmed with energy. In the distance, Coach Nakamura blew the whistle again, signaling the next group to get ready, his eyes lingering on Kaito, clearly impressed.
After the boys’ exuberant celebration began to settle, Yuzuki adjusted her hair and headed toward the large circular stone bench encircling the tree, seeking some shade. Just as she paced there, Kaito appeared, grabbing his water bottle and jogging over. Without hesitation, he sat down beside her on the bench’s edge.
He tugged his damp shirt away from his body at the neckline with his index finger, trying to cool off from the heat and sweat. With his left hand, he took a long drink from his water bottle, droplets of sweat trickling down his forehead and gliding along his cheek in the warm sunlight.
Finally lowering the bottle, Kaito sighed in relief, exhaling softly,
“Ahhh—nothing beats this after a good run!” he exclaimed, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand and flashing a tired but satisfied grin.
“Is that so?” Yuzuki asked, still standing close by, her height slightly towering over Kaito.
“Mhm,” he agreed, taking another long, satisfying sip from his water bottle. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he glanced up and asked casually, “So... what’s up with you and Reina-san?”
“All patched up. Nothing to worry about,” Yuzuki replied, her gaze drifting elsewhere, avoiding his eyes.
Kaito shifted a little, his cheeks coloring faintly as he gathered courage. With a shy smile, he added, “Well, if you ever need someone to run interference—or just someone to cheer you on—I’m pretty good at both.”
His voice dropped just a little, playful yet soft, his eyes flickering with a hopeful spark.
Best friend? Oh, please... You became worthless to me the day you died inside inside me. The day you tried to sacrifice me. Yeah, your love was more than enough.Yuzuki thought, averting her gaze.
“Yuzuki-san?” Kaito called gently, noticing she wasn’t responding, her arms crossed and eyes fixed elsewhere as if she didn’t hear him.
But she said nothing. He pressed his lips into a thin line, then stood up. “Alright. I’m still at fault here. I’m sorry for taking Himari-san’s side and for putting Ayaka-san’s notebook in your bag. I’m sorry,” he said earnestly.
Yuzuki remained silent, thinking to herself, As if your apology could fix anything, still looking away.
“But nonetheless!” Kaito insisted, stepping in front of her and meeting her eyes. “I’ll always be rooting for you. Even if you don’t accept me now, I’ll wait. Even in the next life, I’ll still choose you. You’ll be the only one I love—in this life and the next. And I’ll confess again when I’ve changed your mind. I promise.” He smiled, hopeful. “We’ll be friends until then, right?” Then, without waiting for an answer, he leapt back and ran off, knowing he wouldn’t get a response, and that waiting was pointless.
Yuzuki narrowed her eyes at him. Aha? I see....Fine then. Keep trying. But all we ever will be are strangers who once crossed paths, hoping for something that will never be. She turned and walked toward the girls in the running area.
As Yuzuki strolled toward the gathering of girls, she caught sight of Ayaka glaring fiercely at the crowd still mobbing Reina. But something else caught her eye—three bright red lizards perched among the soily rocks inside the circular stone bench surrounding the tree.
Ah! Those must be the Kaga-Kaga Ayaka mentioned, Yuzuki realized.
She considered approaching Ayaka to learn more about the criterion, but the memory of how her friendship with Reina had just begun to heal made her hesitate. No. Not worth risking it again, she decided, veering away and settling back onto the stone bench, hands braced behind her. The press of the autumn sun helped settle the chaos from the night before—she’d buried it so deep, it barely seemed to matter right now.
Mother warned me to stay away from Rin… The Janitor doesn’t know where Rin or the korobokkuru are. Even talking with Ayaka is complicated now, with her personality. And… more than anything, does Rin even want to see me? What does Rin actually like about me? We haven’t known each other even a week—why is he so drawn to me? It’s strange… Yuzuki stared at the ground, lost in thought.
Rin and I are tethered… Does that mean our fates are bound? But what does that really mean?
A sudden voice, soft and echoing, slipped through the warmth:
“To be tethered is to not walk alone anymore.
It is to share your soul with someone not fully alive, not fully dead.
It is trust, fear, and longing… bound in crimson thread.
Yuzuki never asked for this bond—but now she bears it like a second skin.”
A chill ran through her. Yuzuki spun in her seat, and there—hovering just above the stone bench—was the PETLING LEADER: the same white, cat-like moth spirit with sky-blue eyes mirroring hers. The one who’d appeared with Rin at the korobokkuru’s boundary.
“C-cat?” Yuzuki gasped, taken aback.
“Not just any cat,” he proclaimed—his voice had an almost regal resonance as he flapped gently in the air, drawing closer until his feline face was just inches from hers.
“I am Mofumi. I control the flow of supernatural energy around this school. And thanks to a ‘certain spirit,’ my job’s gotten a lot harder lately.” He circled Yuzuki, his wings glimmering with the faintest shimmer.
With a quick glance, Yuzuki confirmed Kaito was still off with the boys—safe, occupied, unlikely to see her talking with a supernatural being.
She exhaled quietly in relief, her tone suddenly frosty. “So... whose side are you on?” Yuzuki demanded, tilting her head, her gaze direct.
Mofumi’s eyes widened, caught off guard by her bold question. But then, he burst out laughing—a curious, delighted sound. “Hahaha! That’s up to you to decide,” he replied, his voice swirling with enigmatic confidence as he floated around her.
As the petling leader, Mofumi, wiped away the last of his laughter-tears with his paw, he fixed Yuzuki with a mischievous look.
“So then, Yuzuki. Are you willing to lend me a hand and find out for yourself whose side I’m truly on?”
Yuzuki, cutting straight through the theatrics, asked, “And…what’s in it for me?”
Mofumi paused, humming thoughtfully as he drifted away—then, in a blink, zoomed back so close his blue eyes filled her vision.
“I’ll give you a precious memory—a long forgotten one. Something to keep you grounded.” His offer hung in the air, tempting and vague.
“A memory?” Yuzuki echoed, skeptical. “What good is that supposed to do?”
“One ordinary humans could never understand,” Mofumi replied, voice taking on a mysterious edge as he turned away. “Follow me, if you have the guts.” With that, he zipped off toward the school.
Yuzuki felt a strange, unsettled flutter in her chest. What’s this weird feeling? she wondered, her eyes following the petling leader’s path. Well, whatever it is, it probably won’t last long. Setting her jaw, she gave a small nod and dashed off after him, determination pushing aside hesitation.
To be Continued...
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