12 Roses

22 | Proving Who You Are

The first game was a relay race. Only five people from each school were to participate.

Maki stood at the end, Panda was first, and another two students were second, third and fourth.

Haibara stood at the starting line and raised the flag, his whistle held between his teeth.

Both students, Panda and another, took their stances.

A loud whistle sounded through the air and they sprinted off towards the next point, where Panda and the other student passed off their batons.

The short blonde that Mai was with was second. She was fast but she began heaving two thirds of the way and you could tell she wasn't a runner.

The third runner for Kyoto was a boy with dark hair tied into a top knot. He was slim and quick, quickly overtaking the runner for Tokyo, and passed on his baton.

The third from Tokyo got the baton quickly after and he bound down the track. Both the runners were right next to each other.

They passed on his baton to the fourth runner, who fashioned the school's gym uniform rather than her own. She ran down the track just as the fourth runner for Kyoto got their baton.

Just then, she tripped over a hole in the track and the runner for Kyoto went running after.

Loud winces from the crowd came as she stood, a gash on her knee, and she looked up to see that Kyoto had already passed their baton over to their fifth runner, and Maki was still standing and waiting.

She limped down the track and handed the baton to Maki. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

Maki smirked. "Don't be."

She sprinted down the track at an other worldly speed, passing the runner for Kyoto in spite of their distance, and she passed through the ribbon that was set up at the end of the track.

Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd and even some of the Kyoto students stood with their mouths agape, their eyes wide.

Some of your school's athletes ran to Maki to pat her on the back or give her a high five and you went to help the girl who had tripped to the first aid tent.

"Already?" Shoko groaned when you approached.

The girl was seated on the portable bed that was brought out sat silently as Shoko put disinfectant on her knee.

Maki approached and walked past you and a part of you wanted to stop her but all of you wanted to see what would happen.

"Hey. What's your name?"

The girl stiffened. "I-I'm Chiyuki..."

Maki looked her up and down. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes! I'm sorry for tripping earlier."

"Don't worry, we won anyway. I'll make sure they fix that damn track. Thanks for giving it your all, though. You're not bad."

A deep red spread across Chiyuki's cheeks. "Thank you!" she said too loud, making Shoko flinch.

Maki began to walk off before she noticed the grin on your face. "What?"

"Nothing. You're so nice and kind, Maki."

"Shut up!"

"So sweet."

"I'll hit you."

•••

The next game was a volleyball game. Everyone except for the volunteers that had to set up for the next game outside migrated to the gymnasium and you sat on the bottom bleacher and Toge sat beside you.