I Don't Want To Be A Heroine!

Chapter 18 - Field Day

The field day starts with the cheer competition between the teams. Rika, Sakura, and Arima were grouped in the red team while Yoemon, Dai-chan, and I were in the white team. Kou, Haruta, Mira, and Yachi are on our side as well.

The Student Council, in collaboration with the P.E. Department, has a lot of activities prepared for the students today. In the morning, we have the cavalry battle, 100 to 200-meter dash, and chicken fight. After lunch break is the basket toss, obstacle race around the campus, and other sports. The last event is the three-legged race where the contestants are supposed to wear costumes.

The rules are simple. Legs of two people from the same team are to be tied together to have "three legs". Like any other race, they would have to start on a starting line, reach a checkpoint where the costumes are. The costumes are inside a white bag, and there's no way to know which one contains what. The contestants will then run until another checkpoint, a tent where they can change clothes. After that they run for their lives and win the race.

"Sugawara-san, smile!" I heard the snap of a camera.

"Oh, Haruta. Are you joining in an event?"

"No, I'm really bad at physical activities. I'm taking photos for the school paper though."

"Oh." He sat beside me on the grass. I'm watching the fierce cavalry battle between the red and white team.

"How about you? Joining any events?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm joining the obstacle race and I'm also planning to join in the three legged race. I still don't have a partner though."

After I said that, I felt like four or five people were staring daggers at me. In a blink of an eye, I have been surrounded by Yoemon, Haruta, Dai-chan, Kou, and Tokuda like a criminal being surrounded by the police.

"Sugawara-san/Suga/Yuicchi/Yui-san, please be my partner!" They all said in unison.

Five people are asking to be my partner? They're all guys? WAIT, DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE A HAREM?!

"Woah okay, um, I changed my mind. I'm not joining after all."

"Huh? Why? Forget those guys, pair up with me!" Yoemon shoved Dai-chan's face.

"Haa?! You're not even in the same team!" Dai-chan retorted. "Yuicchi, let's pair up!"

"Hey, I was here first!" Shouted Haruta.

"You said you won't be joining in anything!" Said Kou.

I slowly crawled my way out of the place. Harem is too cliché! Although harem was what I wanted when I was in middle school but now, eh, not so much. It's more fun to hang out with men because there's less drama and not all girls can relate to my boyish hobbies.

I hid behind the gym, hoping the guys are still in a rumble and wouldn't come to find me. I've always prided myself in hide-and-seek. I'm always the last one to be found.

"Sugawara-san!" Haruta called from far away. "Here you are," he gasped for breath.

"Uh, yeah." I twiddled with my fingers. "Hey, Haruta, about the race..." I trailed of.

"The race!" He raised his head up in alarm.

"Yes, that. Um, having you guys ask me to be your partner is an honor but, uh, I really just can't pair up with anyone! I mean I really want to join but I didn't want to choose between the five of you and hurt another's feelings and this is all really cliché so, I'm really sorry!"

I glanced at Haruta who was looking at me in disbelief.

"What are you talking about? The obstacle race is about to start. You said you were joining."

"Oh, right." I kept a straight face while I dashed to the starting point of the race but I am actually dying inside. I am so embarrassed by what I said.
• • • • •

[ Yeeaaah that dude in the picture is Riku Haruta. I'm still going to like "digitalize" that drawing sooo yeea.

Thank you for reading!
—chizuru-senpai ]