CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – A SUDDEN TURN

"Remind me again why we're out here during the fucking weekend?" Miu grumbled, shooting a nasty look at the morning sun above them.

"That's about the hundredth time you've cussed this morning, Miu. I think that's a new record," Kaede said dryly. "I already explained everything yesterday to you guys, and you decided to come along all the same, so don't complain."

Miu turned her look of hostile disgust onto her. "Bah! I only came along 'cuz Keebone told me to, alright?! That way, I'll be able to see just how good of a fucking job I did cleaning his gears yesterday. Otherwise, no one in their right fucking mind would spend the weekend running around here like a bunch of jackasses!"

"It'll be fine, Miu," said Keebo, who looked rather bashful. "It's not like we'll be here all day. Besides, exercise is always good for one's body."

"As much as I hate agreeing with a degenerate male, I have to say so as well," said Tenko, looking around the open field with an excited air in her eyes. "This idea of yours is a good one, Kaede!"

"Yeah, we're sure to kick some ass at the festival after this!" Kaito joined in, his arms draped around the shoulders of Shuichi and Maki. "My sidekicks over here have a thing or two to show about just how good they've gotten during their training with me!"

"It's too early for your crap, Momota," said Maki, who for some reason looked pink as she glowered up at Kaito. "And I didn't come here for you, or for Kaede. I just wanted to work out."

Hope's Peak Academy seemed quieter than usual as morning dawned on the weekend, with students choosing to simply languish in their dormitories, do personal activities somewhere in the campus or take lazy walks around the grounds. With most of his workouts usually taking place during afternoons, Ryoma did not mind having a lazier morning than usual, free to sleep for a few more hours before going about his usual routines. However, things changed slightly for Class 80-A when Kaede, ever the dutiful and enthusiastic class leader, had put forth the notion of spending this particular Saturday practicing and getting in shape for the sports festival. The idea was met with a mixture of responses that prevailed even now in a mishmash of excitement and annoyance. And now, standing in the courtyard and stretching his arms for a brief warmup, Ryoma listened as his classmates' voices carried through the quiet morning air piercingly.

"You do realize that such a setup can lead to the possibility of chaos, Kaede?" Korekiyo sauntered over, cutting a strange figure with his pale skin, long black hair and slender build even though he was clad in his P.E. uniform like the rest of them. "Solidarity is always welcome among peers, but it is obvious that some are still . . . reluctant about the results of this particular endeavor, myself included."

"I already told you guys, there's no better way to prepare for the sports festival than to get physically fit together!" Kaede insisted, rounding upon them with an optimistic gleam in her eyes. "Besides, from the looks of it, we're the only ones who thought about doing this. There's no one else around, look!"

"Maybe because they're still busy sleeping the morning away," Tsumugi noted to her left. "Skipping out on this sounded like a good idea until I saw just how many of you guys actually came."

"Gonta glad you join us, Tsumugi!" said Gonta jovially, looking down at her with his innocent smile. "Like people say, 'merry the more!'"

Tsumugi giggled. "It's 'the more, the merrier,' Gonta."

"We're still several people short, though," Kaito remarked, looking around. "Angie and Himiko are taking pretty long with those drinks, and I'm pretty sure there's no way that little shit Kokichi will come along."

"Oh, he will," Kaede muttered darkly. "I requested Kirumi to bring him here."

Ryoma smirked a little at that. Considering how Kirumi took any reasonable requests seriously, he knew that the Ultimate Supreme Leader would have his hands full when it came to dodging out of today's practice, especially after what happened recently. Ryoma recalled with a mixture of amusement and disapproval how Tsumugi had flown into a panic when she found what looked to be a bloody, severed hand hidden away in one of the shelves in their classroom. Even Kaito was seized with a momentary ounce of terror upon seeing the grisly appendage, and soon the dominos fell on Himiko, Kaede and Shuichi as well when they arrived just in time to see the hand being thrown towards them by the Ultimate Astronaut. Angie had called it an omen from Atua, while a trembling Himiko offered to trace the hand's owner with one of her spells. Once things had calmed down and Korekiyo confirmed that the hand was merely a realistic prop, Ryoma knew only one person could be figured as the culprit. Kokichi had feigned innocence, just as he always did, though he came clean after bodily threats came his way from Maki, Tenko and Kaito.

As their wait continued, Rantaro soon arrived with Himiko and Angie, carrying a small cooler in his arms. "Sorry for showing up a bit late," he said. "I ran into these two on my way here, trying to carry these water bottles by hand. I had to go to the kitchens and ask if they had anything to lend us for them."

"No worries, Rantaro. This cooler will do nicely," said Kaede with a smile. "We'll just refill it if we run out of bottles later. Thanks!"

"Remind me to give you a magical blessing with one of my spells later once my mana's up, Rantaro," Himiko added. "I'm still deciding on whether it'll be the 'Find Two Coins Instead Of One In Your Pocket' spell or the 'Sparkling Teeth For An Entire Day' spell, though."

Rantaro grinned. "Any of the two will be just fine, Himiko."

"Atua smiles upon you for your service, Rantaro," Angie declared. "Your next travel at sea will face good winds and calm waves, and the blessings you will find will be increased threefold if you preorder one of our island's deluxe boathouses within the week. Twenty-five percent discount if you donate a pint of blood!"

"It's mostly sailboats for me, Angie," said Rantaro, laughing. "Having a boathouse would make me feel even more alone at sea. Thanks for the offer, though."

Kaede's request soon proved fulfilled when Kirumi arrived with Kokichi a short time after. The Ultimate Supreme Leader looked contrite enough as he walked next to Kirumi, carrying a cooler not unlike the one Rantaro had brought and looking as if he might drop it at any moment. Kirumi herself was carrying her tote bag, filled no doubt with face towels and other such amenities for their use. At the sight of Kokichi's humbled state, Miu cackled, while Kaede gave Kirumi a thumbs-up. The Ultimate Maid nodded dutifully in return, though she flashed an amiable smile when Ryoma caught her gaze.

"I'm not gonna ask how you managed to wrangle that little turd, Kirumi, but you did good all the same," Kaito commented, laughing at the harried look on Kokichi's face.

"Hey, gimme a break, you bullies!" Kokichi cried out petulantly as Kirumi bowed in response. "The only reason I was late is because I was getting some more drinks for us at the kitchens. That's where Mommy found me!"

"I told you many times before, Kokichi. Please do not call me that," said Kirumi firmly.

"Did you really get more drinks?" Rantaro asked, looking at the cooler that Kokichi had just set down. "I made sure we got more than enough right here."

"If dear Kaede wants us to spend hours on the open field, it's better to be prepared, right?" A small grin crossed Kokichi's face, and immediately Ryoma could sense that something was up. Kaito seemed to think so as well, as he grimaced and walked forward.

"There better not be anything funny in here, ya pipsqueak," he muttered, waving the Ultimate Supreme Leader aside and pulling the lid off the cooler. However, his musings were apparently proven wrong as the cooler revealed only a neatly arranged batch of mineral water bottles and sports drinks.

"Geez, you really gotta trust me more, you guys," said Kokichi, looking at them with an expression of mock reproach. "Kirumi already checked what I was bringing before we came here, so maybe you should've asked her first instead of just making it look like I'm up to no good, you know?"

"Well, sorry for not trusting you after that last stunt you pulled the other day," Kaede remarked. "You're lucky the school didn't find out and do something serious for just a simple movie prop!"

Kokichi looked at her with a sinister gleam in his eyes. "You're lucky it's just something fake, considering I can easily dump a hundred bodies in here if I wanted to," he stated, his voice changing its tone drastically for a moment, causing Kaede to recoil a little. "It's amusing to see how much you freak out over something fake, and I can only imagine how you'd react if it's actually real. Then again, who's to say it isn't real? We have a serial killer and a yakuza who's taken his fair share of severed fingers and lopped ears, and yet you guys seem to forget that they don't hold a candle to an evil supreme leader. Why else do you think there are cold murder cases and missing people across the world? All I need to do is say a name, and someone will disappear or worse. Wanna bet?"

Kaede paled at that, while Tenko looked horrified. "A-Are you for real?" the Ultimate Aikido Master spluttered.

"As real as the bodies my organization has left in its wake," Kokichi replied, a shadow falling over his eyes. "I'm here to make the world mine, in case you still haven't caught on. Call me a liar if you will, but why else would Hope's Peak call me in, if not because of my authority as a supreme leader of pure, unadulterated evil?"

"Will you stop it with that stupid crap?!" Kaito barked. "Yapping and preaching won't do you any good, since no one ever takes you seriously anyway!"

Gonta stepped in between them, looking worried. "P-Please, no fighting between friends!" he cried out. "Kaito and Kokichi always fight. Should try get along instead!"

Kokichi shot the Ultimate Astronaut a wounded look, his demeanor shifting back to normal in a flash—or as normal as the Ultimate Supreme Leader could get. "Easy with your words there, Kaito. Angie might take offense with that last jab."

Angie clasped her hands together in prayer. "Atua is fine with it," she declared. "Fear has always been an integral part of our island's faith and donation drive."

At last, Rantaro stepped in. "I hate to break up another lively conversation, but I think we should get going," he said lightly. "We've still got enough time left in the morning to get things rolling. Kaede, what's your first step?"

Kaede snapped to attention. "Oh, r-right. I was thinking of warming up first at that spot we had on the field the other day. Just some basic drills, I think. And then I'll divide you guys into groups for our activities. That way, we'll be better acquainted with each other for the events at the sports festival."

"Alrighty. Lead the way, Kaede!" Tenko exclaimed, clapping her hands enthusiastically.

With that, 80-A at last fell into relative order and made their way to the open field, with Kaede at the head. Snippets of bickering still endured between Kaito and Kokichi, with Gonta doing his best to placate them. Ryoma walked silently, feeling as if he was back in prison walking with fellow inmates to the yard for their daily exercise and recreational activities, though his classmates made for significantly better company. Little could be done about the chains on his ankle, however. Even though he tied them up with Kirumi's help every time he did any sort of physical activity, the mere sight of them now that he was wearing P.E. shorts instead of his usual prison bottoms could not be hidden, and it always gave him a feeling of insecurity.

Kirumi filed in next to him, her tote bag set in front of her. "Did Kokichi give you any trouble?" Ryoma asked her.

"Surprisingly, no," said Kirumi. "I thought I caught him trying to prepare some new prank, but like he said, he was just preparing to bring some drinks for us all."

Ryoma chuckled. "Probably a peace offering for the mess he created the other day."

"Perhaps." Kirumi glanced around the field, her sandy blonde hair almost shining against the morning sun. "Everything feels wonderful today. Perfect weather to be out and about. Kaede was right to plan something like this, especially since it'd be for the festival."

"Yeah, at least it'll help us stay productive."

Sundays were the true rest days for the students of Hope's Peak Academy, though that did not stop some Ultimates from making use of their free time by wandering around the campus grounds leisurely and hanging out with their fellow students. Ryoma cherished the day most, if only because it was the sole day when he was able to enjoy a lengthier lunch with Kirumi in the privacy of his room instead of the cafeteria. Of late, the Ultimate Maid was starting to take on more and more tasks along with whatever she would have planned for the evaluations, limiting their time together somewhat. Ryoma marveled at how Kirumi could still juggle her schedule to fit in all the requests she took from students, though he was not afraid to remind her to rest when she needed.

The spot Kaede had chosen for them was near their original spot when Great Gozu had supervised them. Kaito and Rantaro set down their coolers of drinks next to the equipment shed, where a few trees also offered the welcoming prospect of shade. Once they had settled down, Kaede began spreading them out in groups of four, balancing out the athletes and the ones who were less proficient in sports, no doubt to ensure that no group would be left to suffer the shame of a poor showing. The first group consisted of Shuichi, Tenko, Miu and Gonta; the second group had Kaito, Angie, Korekiyo and Kaede herself; Keebo, Tsumugi, Kirumi and Rantaro made up the third group, while Ryoma joined Maki, Kokichi and Himiko. Ryoma had to wonder if putting Kokichi with Maki was a good idea, considering the latter's open disdain for the former and a grim temper to boot. Then again, considering Kokichi was on tenuous terms at best with most of them, putting him anywhere was bound to cause anyone of them some form of annoyance, and Ryoma sensed that at least Maki would be able to keep Kokichi in check. Poor Himiko looked petulant at the prospect of being put in the same group as him, though the Ultimate Supreme Leader seemed content enough with where he was put, smiling that knowing smile as if some mischief was already afoot without their knowledge.

Kaede ran them through the warmups at a leisurely pace—stretches, jumping jacks, a preliminary jog that took them around half the oval that encircled the open field's breadth. Remarkably like prison, Ryoma thought with amusement. Kaito barked words of inspiration at them, though some received them with more annoyance than agreement. Angie would titter and clap her hands in praise of Atua with every routine they finished. Miu grumbled openly, while Tsumugi and Himiko looked breathless as they struggled to keep pace. Gonta looked as if he was having the time of his life, his shadow covering those beside him and providing them a bit of shade from the sun. Maki went about the activities in focused silence, as did Kirumi and Ryoma.

The first real activity was a rehash of their hundred-yard dashes, once again aimed at helping them get in shape instead of determining victors among their groups. Gonta moved surprisingly slower this time, presumably concerned about his prior thrashing of Tsumugi the other day and thinking twice about doing the same with Rantaro now. The Ultimate Adventurer did not seem to mind, though, as he encouraged Gonta to give it his best for the rest of their activities after the two of them finished their friendly duel. Korekiyo and Tsumugi offered a slightly lopsided run that ended in the Ultimate Anthropologist's favor, although Korekiyo was quick to commend Tsumugi for her effort and lighthearted nature all throughout. After them came a friendly but fierce match between Shuichi and Kaito, with the Ultimate Detective surprising the Ultimate Astronaut with a closer match than what everyone else initially expected, leaving Kaito swelling with pride at his proclaimed sidekick's improvement. After them, Himiko delivered a surprise win as she edged out Tenko, though she was less than pleased as she bemoaned her lack of mana for making her lag faster. Tenko treated Himiko's victory with all the gushing praise that she always reserved for her, even going so far as to offer a date as the Ultimate Magician's reward for winning and making it obvious to the rest of them that she had lost on purpose.

Ryoma soon had his turn against Miu, who taunted him for a brief while with her usual crass insults, but she was soon reduced to a red-faced fit after Ryoma outpaced her in the span of a few seconds, to Kokichi's delight. Kaede and Maki followed after them, with the Ultimate Child Caregiver giving the Ultimate Pianist no room to catch up as she sped across the field. Maki looked indifferent about her one-sided victory, though she did turn away in annoyance when Kaito shouted praises at her as well. In the penultimate matchup, Angie ran with nothing but excited glee beside Keebo, ignoring her second loss on the field in a row after the Ultimate Robot finished his dash a few seconds ahead amid Miu's cheering. Kirumi and Kokichi came last, and the result was already obvious enough that the Ultimate Supreme Leader decided to just do a lazy jog across their chosen track instead of even trying to catch up to Kirumi's speed.

Their other activities progressed without much incident: long jumps, backpedals, and suicide drills where there were only two points to reach instead of four, in order to make it easy for everyone to complete. In between were five-minute breaks that helped everyone catch their breath and rest up. By then, other students were already popping up across the school grounds, lazing by the courtyards or watching them running. On one end of the field, Ryoma spotted a group of students that he recognized. Mahiru Koizumi was taking pictures as her classmate, the same pink-haired boy in a blue mechanic's jumpsuit that Ryoma had seen a number of times, seemed to be tinkering with a number of line-marking machines with a toolbox. Next to them, a blonde girl in a kimono who was about the same height as Himiko was saying something at him in a high-pitched drawl, while Nekomaru Nidai and Akane Owari were having a mock sparring session some distance away, their yells and grunts echoing across the grass. On another side, Sakura and Aoi were doing practice runs as well, while some of their classmates watched from the bleachers next to the field.

For their last activity, Kaede soon had them lining up on their section of the field's oval. She clapped her hands together and said, "Alright, since the school will have a relay race for the festival, our final practice is gonna be exactly that. Now, I know that not everyone will be doing the race at the festival," she added, as Himiko let out an audible groan while Miu looked mutinous, "but having everyone participating now is only fair instead of having only the participants doing the work while the rest watches."

"I don't know who died and made you the Ultimate Annoying Bitch, Bakamatsu, but you sure are enjoying this," Miu snapped.

Kaede looked at her sternly. "It's for solidarity, Miu. Besides, you looked like you were trying really hard at the other activities earlier for someone who doesn't want to be here."

"I just wanted to fucking get it over with, alright?!" the Ultimate Inventor hissed.

Grinning, Kaede continued, "As you guys know, Rantaro, Kirumi and Maki will be our representatives for the festival race. Because of that, they'll be separate anchors for their respective groups, so that everyone can participate in their own way. Now, since Rantaro is in the same group as Kirumi, it's up to the remaining two groups to choose who their anchor will be."

Tenko gritted her teeth, sweat shining on her brow. "I would offer myself for the role for my group's sake, but . . . even though he's just another degenerate male, I can't deny that G-Gonta is faster than I am!" she grunted, looking up at Gonta as if she was in pain. "I nominate him!"

Gonta looked both nervous and excited at the prospect. "Thank you! Gonta do his best to make everyone proud!"

Tsumugi looked miserably at her groupmates. "Against Kirumi, Maki and Gonta, I don't think we'll stand a chance."

"Hey, don't count our group out yet!" Kaito declared. "I'll be our anchor, and I'll make sure to win, just you wait!"

Kaede sighed. "It's not a competition, but . . . well, whatever. Alright, we're gonna go get the batons and some extra markers from the equipment shed, so the rest of you can just relax and warm up for now." She glanced over at Shuichi with a small smile. "Shuichi, would you mind helping me?"

"S-Sure, Kaede. No problem," said Shuichi, blushing.

Ever ready for some mischief, Kokichi grinned. "I think that's the quickest I've heard our beloved detective respond to anyone. I guess Kaede does have that kind of effect on him."

Miu hooted. "If there's any baton Bakamatsu wants, it's Pooichi's baton. Look, the beta virgin is already creaming for it! I'm pretty sure he's already got a few nasty ideas forming up while he's looking at that shed!"

"Ah, n-not really!" the Ultimate Detective blurted out as the others looked on with knowing smiles on their faces. "I mean, I'm not—"

"Once again, romance blooms high in the morning air," said Tsumugi, clasping her hands together with a dreamy sigh. "It's always wonderful to watch things like this unfold, almost as exciting as the confession scene in Yesterday's Daylight."

With a soft titter, Korekiyo inclined his head in agreement. "To witness such innocent affection blossom is delightful enough, but to see it slowly develop into passion and desire, enough for one to cast off all manner of pretention for the sake of pursuit . . . ah, such beauty."

"Hey, come on, there's no need to put it like that, you guys!" Kaede told them with reproach, her face reddening as well. Before anyone else could say anything, she grabbed Shuichi's hand and led him to the nearby equipment shed. Shuichi let himself be dragged along, pulling his hat low over his eyes to mask his flushed face. As if wishing to disprove any perceived signs of illicit activity, Kaede left the door open for the rest of the class to see.

When the equipment had been procured, Kaede and Shuichi began setting up the markers and handing out batons, one for each team. Kirumi, Kaito and Rantaro assisted them in measuring the distance between markers while the rest began to limber up. Ryoma watched them work, doing calf stretches and trying to remember what he could of his middle school years when they practiced relay races for P.E. It feels like a lifetime ago. Then again, maybe it is. Still, that did little to change the oddly welcoming feel of being in a class once again.

Next to him, Maki clicked her tongue. "They won't get a lot of things done if they're always messing around like that," she muttered, taking note of how Kaito was teasing Shuichi and Kaede on the track while Rantaro laughed. "We came here to train, not to play. They should remember that if they insist on being here."

"Well, messing around is unavoidable when you're with friends," Ryoma remarked. "Not that I'd count myself a part of it, but it's nice to see all the same."

"I'll admit, you keep surprising us by coming along whenever stuff like this takes place. I figured you'd just keep your distance for the next three years. Not that I'd blame you if you did."

"To tell you the truth, I'm surprised at myself too. When I first came here, I wasn't expecting much other than the thought of failing, or the possibility that I might get sent back to prison because some people don't want me here in the first place. After all I did, coming back to some semblance of a normal life seemed impossible, and yet here I am. I guess times do change."

"Yeah. Before, I was just running errands and watching over groups upon groups of noisy kids, and now I'm stuck here with one brat who might be the worst of them all." As she spoke, Maki shot a glare at Kokichi, who was idling by on the sidelines. "Sometimes I find myself thinking I'd be better off returning to the orphanage."

Ryoma looked up at her. "So you work as a caregiver at an orphanage?"

"Not just work," replied Maki. "I grew up there."

Startled, Ryoma could only stare at her for a few moments. As if noticing the silence that suddenly descended between them, Maki went on. "Even so, it's not like I have a choice. Being here, and then having to participate in these silly activities . . . I'll just have to take that in stride and get the job done. That's the only thing I can do anymore, and I'm just glad that I'm not obligated to enjoy it."

"It's not so bad." Ryoma stared out on the open field, taking in the sight of his schoolmates basking in the moment in their own little ways. "You won't see me laughing and horsing around, that's for sure, but I guess participating every now and then is better than sulking alone."

Maki looked down at him. "You're the last person I'd expect to say that."

Ryoma shrugged, his gaze softening as he watched Kirumi talking to Kaede. "Sudden turns, I suppose."

Nodding, Maki remarked, "Well, you're not wrong."

When everything had been set up at last, their class lined up across the starting point in order to begin their mock relay race. Ryoma took his place as the starter for his team, grateful that his fair share of activities for the sports festival meant that he was spared the burden of being one of their representatives. Maki took her place at the last quarter of the track as the anchor, with Himiko and Kokichi trailing behind her. The others, meanwhile, still debated on the order in which they will run the race. As he stretched his legs, Ryoma spotted Kirumi standing a short distance away from him, waiting patiently for her group to finish ordering themselves.

"All this running and jumping almost feels like we've started our own sports festival early, don't you think?" he remarked, prompting her to turn her head.

Kirumi grinned. "It does get a little taxing as time goes on, but it's beneficial. It might not seem immediately obvious, but the solidarity Kaede wishes for us to have is truly taking shape."

"Even where Miu and Kokichi are concerned?"

"They follow, in their own way. With enough time, everyone will be able to get along in their own groove."

"I suppose you're right." Ryoma looked up at the sky, squinting against the sunlight above. "Do you think we'll—?"

"Look out!"

The sudden scream ground Ryoma's words to a halt, followed immediately by a chorus of panicked shouts, startled cries and the sounds of engines revving. He and Kirumi turned just in time to see a few students dispersing in the distance, vacating the open field as quickly as their feet could take them. Fast shapes were shooting across the grass, leaving behind a trail of smoke and sparks behind them. People jumped out of their way as they barreled forth, knocking down any object in their path—trash cans, benches, signposts. Startled, Ryoma saw haphazard lines of chalk on the grass and came to a bewildered realization.

The line-marking machines.

"Move! Get out of the way!" someone shouted, and soon Class 80-A was scattering as well, the relay race all but forgotten as the machines surged in a directionless rampage. Ryoma jumped back just as one of them rushed onto their spot on the track, landing with a thud on the dirt. Gonta picked up Himiko, Miu and Angie with one motion in his huge arms and carried them to safety. Rantaro and Korekiyo threw themselves aside just as the machine shot past them, tripping momentarily over one of the markers on the track in their haste to go. For one wild moment, Kaito looked as if he would try and stop the machines, but backpedaled in a panic as he seemingly realized his folly. Nekomaru Nidai's booming voice shot above the din. Ryoma could not make out what he was shouting, but when he looked over he saw that the towering manager was trying to rein in Akane Owari, who was actually giving chase to the machines. One of them crashed deafeningly and exploded into a cloud of smoke and chalk as it collided with an empty bleacher. Broken metal and splintered wood flew in the air like shrapnel from a grenade.

"Get off the field!" Ryoma heard Tenko yell. On the track, Shuichi was being helped up by Keebo and Kaede, his hat askew on his head. Maki herded them onto the sidelines while Tenko half-dragged Tsumugi to safety next to the nearby equipment shed. Suddenly, Sakura was on the field as well, carrying others to safety in the same way Gonta had. Around them, the line markers seemed unstoppable, their engines growling like they had been given sentient life, and soon another bowled through a number of signposts before careening to the right in a wild curve. Ryoma picked himself off and made to emulate his classmates, but he stopped when he saw that Kirumi was still out in the open; the Ultimate Maid had gone out to help Kokichi, who looked as if he had stumbled on the grass in his haste to make himself scarce.

The Ultimate Supreme Leader looked startled when he saw that she had come back for him, but Kirumi gave him no time to respond. "To the trees! Go!" she yelled, giving Kokichi a firm shove just as Gonta ran forth to meet him halfway and bring him to safety. As they went, Kirumi lingered behind to check if anyone else was on the field. That was when Ryoma saw one of the machines shooting towards her.

Without a second thought, he ran straight for her, going full tilt to the point where it felt like he would stumble headlong into the field. Thankfully, his legs held out, and though he could feel his muscles straining from the sudden exertion, the speed at which he closed in on Kirumi gave him all the reassurance he needed. The machine was drawing closer as well, and it was a few meters away when Kirumi managed to turn around and see it hurtling towards her.

With all his might, Ryoma threw himself forward and tackled Kirumi, knocking her out of the way. The machine was so close that he could smell the chalk and smoke wafting from it. He hunched over Kirumi, shielding her body with his and bracing himself for an impact, but mercifully the machine swooped straight past them. Not intending to linger, he grabbed Kirumi by the arm.

"Come on!" he yelled.

Thankfully, Kirumi regained her senses quickly, and together they managed to scramble up and run towards the equipment shed. Another of the machines crashed a short distance away, overturning as it barreled through a heavy trash can. By then, however, Ryoma managed to pull Kirumi to the relative safety of the equipment shed. He espied Rantaro and Miu peeking out from behind it, while Angie and Himiko were safe among the boughs of one of the nearby trees. Ryoma did not stop until he and Kirumi had entered the shed, where Maki, Kaede, Shuichi, Keebo and Tsumugi were.

"Are you guys okay?" Kaede asked worriedly as soon as they were inside. Behind her, Shuichi was nursing a scratch on his forearm, while Maki was caressing Tsumugi vigorously on the back to calm her breathing down.

"I'm fine," said Ryoma. He rounded on Kirumi, grasping both of her shoulders. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his breath catching as his own exhaustion caught up to him at last.

Kirumi's face looked pale, and she was panting heavily as well. "My arm," she said in between gasps. "I think I hurt my arm. . ."

"We'll get that sorted out as soon as we go back," he assured her. Adrenaline continued to burn within his veins, putting his senses into overdrive. He looked over Kirumi's countenance, as if trying to see where else she had been hurt, but the Ultimate Maid forestalled him with as she laid her uninjured hand on his forearm.

"I'm fine, Ryoma," she said. This time, her voice was steadier, enough to convince Ryoma to let go of her with a nod.

"Good," he muttered. "That's . . . That's good."

The remaining line-marking machines soon sputtered to a dead stop as they ran out of fuel around five minutes later, during which teachers and maintenance people alike went outside to survey the damage they had wrought. Six of them had rampaged through the field, and three of them ended up being destroyed after crashing into two bleachers and a tree, while the field was filled with scattered chalk lines where the machines had marked their path. Thankfully, no person was seriously injured, and the aftermath looked worse than it actually was.

Teachers came forth to check on the students who had been caught up in the bedlam, and witnesses came forward to immediately place the blame on Kazuichi Soda, the same pink-haired boy from Class 77-B that had been seen tinkering with the machines in the first place. Pale with anxiety and close to terrified tears, the boy explained to the teachers that he had been simply modifying the line markers with engines to make them function faster compared to using them manually, and that the engines had been tampered with in some way, causing the machines to run amok when he turned them on. He was soon led off the field by his homeroom teacher Chisa Yukizome to see the headmaster, while those who had been hurt or shaken up in the incident were asked to go to the clinic posthaste. With that, Class 80-A's mock relay race was canceled, with everyone agreeing that the morning's activities had run farther than their intended course.

Though she offered to stay behind and help the others clean up the things they had brought, Kirumi could not budge Kaede, who insisted that she go to the clinic along with Shuichi and Tsumugi as instructed and assured her that everything would be taken care of. Ryoma offered to accompany her on the way to the clinic, being spared any sort of discomfort in the pandemonium other than the panicked apprehension that had seized him in the midst of the chaos. In spite of her reluctance, Kirumi relented in the end, and together she and Ryoma went off to follow Shuichi and Tsumugi, who had gone on ahead.

On their way back to the main building, as they walked side by side, Ryoma finally broke the silence. "Does your arm still hurt?"

"Quite," said Kirumi. Her injured arm was pressed against her chest, and she flexed her fingers gingerly while her tote bag dangled from her uninjured wrist. "I must have landed on it when we fell, but I don't think anything is broken. A sprain, that's all."

Ryoma sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Kirumi immediately. "If you hadn't knocked me out of the way, I . . . I would've had a lot worse." She paused for a moment before adding, "You didn't have to do that, though. You could've been hurt." Her tone wavered a little, subtle as the stirrings of a faint breeze upon one's sweaty brow, but it was there all the same.

"Maybe, but I wasn't about to let you get hurt."

The words were out before Ryoma could stop them. Kirumi opened her mouth to respond, though no words seemed to form. When a faint flush crept into her cheeks, Ryoma found himself turning away, wondering if he had said something untoward. Still, he knew that whatever his words may have conveyed, it was nothing but truth.

As if trying to distract from her discomfiture, Kirumi made to shift her grip absently on her tote bag, but the straps slid from her wrist and caused the bag to slide on the floor upon her feet. Without thinking, Ryoma bent down and picked it up, but he stopped as soon as he realized what he had done. When he looked up, he saw that Kirumi had frozen mid-stoop as well. As their eyes met, she drew her uninjured hand back, hesitating.

Ryoma straightened up, clearing his throat in order to ward off his growing nervousness. "It's fine. I've got it," he muttered. "Just let both of your arms rest. I'll carry this."

Somehow, he could feel just how absurd his sudden gallantry sounded, with his diminutive size and his aloof personality and everything else about him coming into play at that moment in his mind, but Ryoma knew he had made his choice. Briefly, Kirumi looked as if she would argue, if only to spare him the burden of carrying her things. Something in his eyes must have stopped her then, however, and her gaze softened as she stood up straighter.

"Thank you, Ryoma," she said softly.

For a moment, Ryoma imagined that he was staring at Isabella's face, but in the few seconds that he stared deep in those pale green eyes, he could see only Kirumi. It was all he could do to nod and continue walking with her, his heartbeat thumping out a steady rhythm that he could feel deep within his bones. Next to him, Kirumi cradled her injured arm, her fingers pressed against her chest as she smiled to herself.

A/N: I'm really, really sorry for another long absence. On top of so many things happening recently, my grandmother passed away last May, and it derailed a lot of things for me just when I thought that things are looking up. Try as I might to continue writing, getting back in the right groove proved to be terribly difficult. Still, I'm glad that I'm finally back with an upload. I'm still doing my best to heal from a lot of things, but I'm determined to keep trying so that I'm able to deliver new chapters to you guys.

I hope you're all doing okay. Take care of yourselves, and don't forget to spend some time with your loved ones when you can. See you in the next upload!