It was unbelievable Sohoku had won the Inter High….she had taken first. She the anime otaku who had always gotten D's in P.E. she was a winner. A warm flush spread through her chest, Naruko slapped her on the back once more causing pain to spread along her already sore back.
"Onoda-chan, we won," Naruko was vibrating in sheer excitement as he once again congratulated the petite climber.
"Yeah, I can't believe it," Her face hurt from all the smiling, and her legs were still shaky from the grueling competition.
Sohoku was packing up when Saki noticed them, handing off another bag to Miki. Hakone was also getting ready to leave but they had far less stuff, probably since they were the home team she guessed. Leaning up on her tiptoes she looked around, trying to spot him, upon seeing that head of blue hair she felt a smile coming to her face. Handing off another bag to Miki she looked around once more. She had wanted to thank Manami-kun again...and Arakita-san. Though she was sure he would yell at her again.
"Sho, go on then," Makishima said from behind her making her turn around. "You're looking for Hakone right?"
"Yes, thank you I'll be back soon," Saki bowed in thanks and handed Miki the last bag she had in her arms before she hurried through the crowds of people.
She was dodging people until she spotted the jersey her team had been fighting with the entirety of the Inter High really, Hakone Academy. Dodging another helper who was taking down a tent she ran into someone face first. Looking up she felt her face reddening in mortification. IT was the ace sprinter of Hakone. He had caught her by the upper arms. For a brief moment Saki marvelled at how her arms were completely overshadowed by his hands.
"Tiny," She heard someone say and she looked up at him.
"I'm sorry, I should have been paying more attention to where I was going. Thank you very much for catching me," Saki said as she bowed to him.
He nodded, eating a protein bar. She fidgeted for a moment, she had never really gotten the chance to speak with this member of Hakone's team. While she was alright speaking with Manami and could force herself to converse with Arakita she was still bad with sports minded people.
"Shinkai-san… Manami-kun and Arakita-san, are they alright," She questioned, shifting nervously.
Shinkai made a noise in the affirmative and looked around. "They're doing alright, but Manami and Yasutomo are both in the tent still," He told her a gentle smile on his face as he continued eating his protein bar.
"Would it be alright if I saw them," Saki asked as she tried to look around his at the tent she was sure Hakone had been using.
She wanted to make sure Manami was alright after that battle, after all she had briefly lost consciousness, maybe Manami had too. Then there was Arakita, he dropped out of the race after pulling Hakone, and before that he had pulled herself and Manami all the way to the lead pack. Not to mention he had been hurt in the battle against Hiroshima. She was sure she had seen blood dripping from his head. She hoped he had gotten that looked at.
"Ah, Saki-chan," She heard a voice behind her and was pulled into a hug. Crying out she spun around in their arms. Seeing Manami a smile spread across her face.
"Manami-kun, I was looking for you. I wanted to make sure you were alright after the race," Saki said, as she looked him over worriedly.
Manami made an agreeable sound, as he looked her over. This tiny girl had beaten him, fair square at that. It had been fun, he had truly seen what it was to be alive. "I'm alright, what about you? I heard you fainted?"
Flushing in embarrassment she looked away from Manami. Poking her fingers together nervously as she took a deep breath. "I did but I'm much better now you see? Is Arakita-san alright?"
"Arakita-senpai, he's around here somewhere, neh Shinkai-san," Manami asked his upperclassmen over Saki's head.
"Oi, we're leaving soon," Hearing a voice Saki had heard a lot of on the third day she peeked around Manami, her face lighting up in excitement, and perhaps a bit apprehensive as well.
Though she paled upon seeing the bandages wrapped around his head. So he had been hurt during the ride against Hiroshima. He was still wearing his biking shorts but was wearing a plain white shirt instead of his jersey.
"Ara, Yasutomo, someone was looking for you," Shinkai said as placed a hand on Saki's shoulder pulling her into Arakita's line of sight.
"Onoda-kun, what….what do you want," Arakita asked in a gruff tone, as he fidgeted with his bangs.
Saki smiled up at him, picking at her cuticles nercously. "Well, I wanted to make sure you were alright Arakita-san. It's just you were headbutted really badly, and then you still pulled Manami-kun and I. Not that I don't think you could handle it, you're a really strong rider...and I'm really grateful to you pulling me back to the front. It was really a lot of fun riding with you and Manami-kun...and without you there's no way Sohoku would have had a chance to win the race today and-"
"Oi, are you trying to pick a fight," Arakita growled at her, making her jump.
She was still really bad with people like him. He was intimidating and yeah a part of her was still a little afraid of him, but a larger part had realized how hard a worker he was and she really admired him. Still when he barked at her she couldn't help but shrink into herself.
"A fight, no I would never.,. I'm just really grateful and you said not to thank you during the race...but the race is over and I wanted to thank you...so thank you very much," Saki finally managed to get her babbling under control and bowed to Arakita. Her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment.
A shadow fell over her head and she closed her eyes, but when instead of pain she felt a comforting warm weight on her head she blinked in surprise looking up at him. He was petting her?
Seeming to realize what he was doing a strangled cry escaped him as he stared at her. Saki's own cheeks turning red in embarrassment. She turned away her hands covering her cheeks, attempting to hide the red that had begun to creep up her cheeks.
"You don't have to thank me, you're a strong rider. You'd have probably found a way back to the front. Besides that though, you're a champion now. You don't bow your head to anyone," Arakita said as he awkwardly scratched his cheek.
Saki's eyes widened at his words. She was a champion now. She had been helpful, she had made her friends proud. Turning to him she smiled brightly, so wide her cheeks hurt. "Right, but still thank you so much! I'm really so grateful. I should go, my team is still packing up to leave."
Arakita could feel his blush returning, the red trailing up from his neck, and his ears redding as well. He watched until the petite climber had disappeared in the crowd. When he turned to face his two teammates, Shinkai was smiling at him around his protein bar and Manami had a curious expression that changed to pure mischief. He could feel the blush deepening as he pushed past his teammates.
"Both of you mind your own business," Arakita snarled at the climber and sprinter.
Once Saki was far enough away she let her blush completely flood her face, a hand going to her head where she could still feel his warmth. Her cheeks feeling especially warm as she hurried back to her team.
"Saki, we're done packing. It's time to leave," Miki called out to her. some of them were going to ride back to the inn they were stay at in the van with Miki and her brother.
Jogging over to them, Saki accepted a water bottle from Miki, remembering her reminder that after that harsh race she should really be trying to stay hydrated. Her hand going up to her hair again she couldn't fight the blush as it spread across her cheeks. It was still warm, or maybe it was just her imagination.
"Are you getting sick Saki," Miki asked noticing that her friend was turning red.
She shook her head at the question, covering her cheeks as Imaizumi and Naruko turned to look at her. After reassuring them she glanced, looking up at the sky. It was still such a beautiful day, and maybe it felt just a bit brighter.
Arakita had finished loading his own bike as the team climbed onto the bus. Sitting in the back he was looking at his hand. The same hand that had caressed Saki's head. Her hair was really silky, more than that though, she was so tiny. He really had been pulling for someone really incredible hadn't he? He couldn't help but hope that maybe they would get to see one another again.