Campus Sanctuary 1

Health Fair part 2

The boys return to school since the fair is still active to get the results. Hayate points out prolonged unseen damages, which the boys say is due to their celebrity lifestyle. Hayate seems to have his doubts, however.

The weather is sunny all week.

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[June 23, Saturday - week 4]

The BBs head to the PE office as instructed. The school's annual health fair is still active due to students who haven't been examined yet.

"Morning, Hayate!" Seiya greets. Given the above event, he and his friends wear the same PE uniform as yesterday.

"Same here. Good morning to you too."

"This is the PE office. It's quite big," Hyoga says.

"This is by the gym. It makes sense," Shiryu adds.

"There's no one but us here," Shun observes.

"That's why I invited you: to discuss your results."

"Hey! Explain yourself!" Ikki demands, pointing.

"Are you suspicious of me?" Hayate asks with arms on his waist and a raised brow.

"Well, we had this bad experience when we first came here..." Seiya explains, sweating.

"I can't help but think of the Taurus Gold Saint when I see him."

"Yes, I've been told you got suspended because of the incident. And one of the teachers before me was responsible for a student's demise. Still, this doesn't change the fact I've called you here to discuss your results."

"We apologize for possibly offending you," Shiryu says, bowing. "But your attire does not reflect what a PE teacher is meant to look like."

"I suppose I can explain a little bit. To make a long story short, I was a soldier in the military. Have you ever heard of the JSDF?"

The BBs quietly shake their heads as if no.

"Well, that's the Japanese military. I started as a soldier and ranked up. This attire I'm wearing is a leftover from my days in active duty."

Hayate is wearing a tight greenish T-shirt with military cargo pants and thick black boots. Plus, he has a dog tag with a whistle attached. The only difference from the Gold Saint is his short hair.

"That's, um, really interesting," Seiya says. "By the way, Dr. Haruki seems to know you since he asked us to look for you."

"Right, because we're long-time acquaintances. We met while I was still active. Never as a soldier, but rather as a counselor. It was he who told me about this job. Honestly, I'm not interested in working at a school. But when he told me about the five of you, I reconsidered and now I'm here."

"Is there a reason why?" Shiryu asks.

"Because I understand what the five of you went through. You're no mere celebrities. Why else would you complete your exam with precision?"

The BBs stand frozen in shock. Some even have their mouths open.

"For example, your vision tests. You were able to read the chart with such accuracy that many struggle with, even for us. That's when I noticed. The same goes for your hearing. You were able to hear sounds that we soldiers have a hard time. It's as if you're using a sixth sense."

"Did Mitsuru-san ordered you to have us come here?" Hyoga asks.

"No! This is of my own accord. Anything that we discuss will not be disclosed to him or Dr. Haruki. I simply need to confirm a few things."

"Are you sure you think we're not celebrities? We've only been in the Galaxian Wars tournament," Ikki says.

"True, I have no proof. I find it very puzzling that you're unusually toned and fit for your age. Your height doesn't help either."

"Height?" Seiya asks with a tilted head.

"Let's just say none of you will be as tall as me."

The BBs sweat drop with a deadpan gaze.

"What are you talking about?" Seiya twitches. "Of course, I can reach any height. I mean, come on! I can get this box. No problem!"

Seiya tries to demonstrate by reaching for a box on the upper shelf. First, he lifts his arms, then his feet, but he still struggles. Soon, he runs out of breath and slumps with a narrow, weary gaze. However, as expected, Seiya persists. His friends observe, sweat-dropping the entire time. But his eyes swirl as he slumps again. Shun dashes to grab his friend before he drops fatigued to the floor.

"Okay, fine! Height is something I can't control."

"Height is the least of your worries. I can understand why you're not allowed to be in PE. Your level of skill would make classes a liability."

"But otherwise, we're healthy right?" Shun asks.

"There is a persistent underlying inside damage. That's why I've said you're not mere celebrities. Otherwise, this Galaxian Wars would've continued. Don't you think?" he asks, rubbing his chin.

Silence rips across the room, leading to an awkward tension.

"Look, I will not judge nor ask what you've done. But you will not convince me that you are just celebrities. That's all I have to say. You may go now. Remember, this discussion is just between us. It will not be disclosed."

After the long and tiring meeting with their teacher, the BBs slowly make their way back to their dorm rooms in silence. The meeting seems to have taken a lot out of them, leaving them feeling drained and exhausted. They can't help but feel a sense of discomfort and unease, making it difficult for them to talk to each other. Therefore, they decide to rest until dinner, hoping to recover from the taxing experience.

To be continued...