"Yu-chan and Syo-chi seem to get along much better now, right?" Arisu asked, as she Takiyo and Ren watched over the two of them as they practiced. They were still very out of sync.

"That's right." Ren agreed, watching them fall over for the third time. "Okay, how hard is it to take a step and the same time. For the millionth time, Syo, you step at 'GO' not '3'!"

"Sorry, sorry," Syo said, watching Yuko laugh as he got scolded yet again. Then culprit had been changed from Yuko to Syo.

"Do you need a count down for the count down in something?" Ren continued.

"I get it, okay! My muscles are moving on their own!" Syo retorted, pulling Yuko up.

"You guys are supposed to be the anchors, right?" Takiyo asked. "The guys who run at the end?"

"We need to work harder on the others, because clearly these two won't make the cut for the race." Ren sighed. "I don't understand why Saiki-sensei refuses to swap you guys for someone who's faster."

"Because she has faith in us!!" Yuko said determinedly. "I will practice HARD."

"That's the spirit!" Arisu exclaimed.

***

The morning of the sports festival was a fine one. It was sunny, with a light breeze.

"Who could ask for a better morning?" Yuko said, inhaling the fresh air.

Hikari came puffing over to them. "I swear I've done more running as class representative than I'm ever gonna do in any sports festival." she muttered. "Anyway!" She brandished a bag at them. "Armbands!"

"Oh, thanks!" Arisu reached in and brought out a handful of red armbands. She started throwing one each of them. "One for Takin. One for Yu-chan. One for Rekkun. One for Syo-chi. And... One for me!" She slipped hers on, then put the excess back in the bag.

"Is that everyone?" Hikari thought for a bit. "Oh, damn, I forgot those guys! Man, I'm so tired... At this rate I won't have any energy for the 100 m dash."

"Don't worry, I'll do the rest." Syo offered.

"Thank you so much, but I can't let you do that." Hikari protested.

"It's fine, really," Syo said, waving his hand, and before Hikari could argue, he took the bag from her and left.

"Such a nice guy...okay, see you guys later. Good luck!" Hikari waved and left as well.

"Yu-chan, are you confident about the three-legged race?" Arisu asked.

"Yes! Syo-kun and I have PRACTICED." Yuko said, clenching her fist, determined to prove herself. "Only I hope I don't panic or anything..."

Ren looked like he saw a ghost. "I forgot about thaaaaaaaaaat!!"

"It's okay, it's okay!" Yuko said quickly. "I'll manage!"

Ren wasn't so sure, and neither were Takiyo or Arisu. All they could hope was that it wasn't a repeat of the gymnastics show.

"Wait, and she's the anchor!!" Ren added. "I'm gonna go around to everyone and tell them to be supportive or something." He took off.

"Nobody is pressuring you or anything." Arisu told Yuko calmly.

"I know." Yuko said, smiling. "I'll be fine. I won't be alone."

"Syo-chi!" Arisu said suddenly. "I'm gonna talk to Syo-chi!" She ran away.

Takiyo and Yuko walked around the field. Takiyo could tell Yuko had something to say, but she was procrastinating and thinking how to say it. He waited patiently, hands in the pockets of his tracksuit.

"Takiyo-kun!" Yuko said suddenly.

Knew it.

"I wanted to thank you." Yuko said quietly.

"For what?" Takiyo asked.

"Well..." Yuko fidgeted a little. "You've been helping a lot lately, what with the grave visit, and then the gymnastics show, then the fireworks festival, and now Syo-kun, too. I have been an inconvenience so far, and haven't done anything in return. Therefore, I'm going to try extra hard to get you to be with Michi-chan."

Takiyo was surprised. Then he said, "Yeah, you've been pretty useless."

"Do you know how rude that is?!" Yuko yelled.

"Okay, fine fine. You're welcome, but you don't have to." Takiyo said. "Don't overdo it."

"No, I want to try hard." Yuko said, then gave a slight laugh. "If I don't do anything in return, I really just feel like I'm using you. I don't want that."

Using?

"Ah...sure." Takiyo replied.

***

"Welcome to the annual sports festival! Let's all have a great time and let this event give birth to great memories!"

Their class was huddled under their class camp. Most of the girl's had left to get ready for the cheering competition, which was right after the board display.

"Nishikawa-san, hold it up higher! We need to show it off, don't hide your face!" Hikari was saying. Yuko was having trouble not hiding her face. Hikari sighed. "Hamasaki-kun, could you do something?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Takiyo asked.

"Can you like...coax her or something?" Hikari asked.

"Um...how?" Takiyo said, looking at Yuko. She seemed to have forgotten that they had to parade across the field with their board. "Uh...come on out, Nishikawa." Takiyo tried to use a sweet voice, but that was next to impossible for him. "You know what, why don't you not do it!" Takiyo suggested, but Yuko shook her head. "Ask Muranaka." Takiyo sighed in the end.

"Muranaka-kun!" Hikari yelled. "Can we have some help, please?"

Ren came over and starting talking quietly to Yuko, getting her to calm down. To Takiyo, it sounded like an owner trying to talk his dog into doing a scary-looking trick.

"Takiyo, could you give her moral support or something?" Ren asked. "She would be okay then. It's not that bad."

"Like how?" Takiyo asked in return.

"Give her a squeeze on the shoulder from time to time or something." Ren suggested. "Walk behind her. That okay, Sakura?"

"Honestly, do what you please. Just swap places with Ashikaga-kun, he's walking behind Nishikawa-san. I put him their because of height, but okay."

Everything was arranged, and Yuko tried to hold her head high.

"You're going to be fine." Takiyo told her.

Yuko nodded, and they successfully were able to march across the field, with Takiyo's whispered words of encouragement.

"I did it! I rock!" Yuko celebrated.

"Don't get too high on your horse." Takiyo told her. Yuko ignored him and whooped. They went back to camp, to see the girls for the cheer were ready.

"Ooh, the costumes look pretty!" Yuko breathed. "I wanna see Arisu-chan."

They spotted Ren, who waved at them. Arisu hadn't come back from changing yet. When she did, she tapped them on the shoulder. They turned, and Arisu asked excitedly, "How do I look?"

"Wow!" Yuko gasped.

"Looks fine." Takiyo said.

Then they both looked at Ren, who was staring at Arisu while blushing. Syo popped in out of nowhere and put his arm around Ren's shoulders.

"Oh, hey Arisu! Nice costume!" he commented. "And great job, Yuko and Takiyo."

Yuko thanked him. Syo examined the expression on Ren's face, then grinned and asked, "What do you think, huh?"

"U-um, you did great, Yuko. And Takiyo." Ren stutters, deviating his eyes.

"No, he's asking about Arisu-chan." Yuko said, also grinning.

"Oh, um..." Ren rubbed the back of his head and looked down. "It looks nice..."

"Oh, really?" Arisu replied, also blushing.

"WOW THAT'S BEAUTIFUL!!"

They looked around and saw Yoichi heavily complimenting Michi. Yuko nudged Takiyo, then said, "Go and compliment her."

Takiyo shook his head.

"Go!" Yuko took him by the shoulders and directed him in Michi's direction.

"Oh, hi Takiyo-kun!" Michi said brightly, brandishing her pom-poms to make that satisfying(?) sound.

"U-um...I just wanted to say...nice." Takiyo stammered, and he could feel Yuko bang her head on his back in disappointment. She was hiding out behind him.

"Oh, thank you." Michi said, but Takiyo could feel coldness directed towards him from Yoichi. Takiyo walked backwards, quickly leaving the scene.

"That wasn't half as fluffy as Ren." Yuko pouted.

"Silence." Takiyo said firmly.

"Good luck!!" Syo was yelling, as Arisu ran off.

"Break a leg!" Ren added.

"Yeah, sure!" Arisu yelled back.

The entire class clapped and cheered and hooted as they performed their cheer.

"Yes, it's amazing!" Yuko sqeauled.

"They did practice hard." Ren said matter-of-factly.

Next came the cavalry battle. Ren and Syo had gone off, depositing their shirts. Takiyo, Yuko and Arisu wished them luck, and as they watched, Yuko tugged Takiyo's sleeve and pointed at Arisu. She was watching quite intently.

"Arisu-chan is a pervert." Yuko said.

"What?! What do you mean?" Arisu yelled defensively. "What about all those other girls?!"

She was referring to the fangirls.

"They're perverts too." Takiyo said simply.

"What's with that? I'm not staring at anything!!" Arisu protested. "See, I'll look the other way the WHOLE time. See! I'm not looking!"

Yuko giggled.

Now it was time for the three-legged relay race. Takiyo and Arisu were starting them off. They had to run around halfway, then hand the baton to the next pair, who came back to the starting point where the next pair would be ready, and hand the baton to them, and so on.

"3...2...1... Go!"

"Go, Takiyo! Arisu!" Ren yelled. Michi joined him.

"Left, right, left, right, left, right, oh my god, good job!" Arisu said under her breath. The rule their class had proposed was that the girl would hold the baton and be the on to pass it on.

Yuko clapped her hands, too nervous to call out.

"We're gonna be fine!" Syo assured he, patting her head.

"Run!" Arisu yelled, as they passed the baton on. Their ending was uneven, causing them to fall over. But Arisu was laughing.

"We're in second!" she yelled.

"Yes, yes, I know." Takiyo panted. "Now get off the track." They both moved to their camp. "Nishikawa looks nervous."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Syo-chi would manage." Arisu said, and she picked up her pom-poms. "You can do it!" she screamed.

Although he hated to admit it, Yoichi and Erika were able to give them a boost to first place, quite ahead of the other classes. Ren and Michi were able to keep up the first place, but they lost some of their lead. But the pair before Yuko and Syo tripped over, causing them to fall back in fourth. Yuko was extremely agitated as they watched the pair approach them.

The anchors of the teams were the ones who the fate was rested on. Yuko could feel that immense pressure. She needed to carry the team to victory. Syo could feel her tensing up.

He patted her head. "Don't worry." Yuko looked up at him, and he smiled. She felt reassured. She was able to make friends with Syo, and she felt that was the biggest victory of the sports festival. That was why, she wanted to keep up his smile. She pushed all other thought out of her mind. She was going to do this.

"Sorry for falling!" the girl yelled, and she passed the baton on, exactly the same time as the people in third did.

"Let's go!" Syo yelled, and they took off as fast they could go.

We're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it, Yuko thought excitedly.  Using his presence to block out everyone else's. Her heart was pounding and she felt jittery, but tried her best to wrap her head around everything and focus. She tried her best to ignore everything, and just focused on her feet, moving in time with Syo. But then...

Syo stumbled over something and lost his footing. They stumbled over, but Yuko was determined. Using her strength, she tried her best to lift Syo back onto his feet. They slowed down, but amazingly, she managed it, and they didn't completely fall over.

"Oh god!!!" Arisu yelled.

"This is way more dramatic than I thought it would be." Takiyo said, sipping on his juice box.

"Yes, I know, quite inspiring." Ren replied conversationally.

"Why are you two so calm?!" Arisu yelled at them. They were sitting, tea-time style, sipping on juice. The two of them shrugged. Arisu ignored them and yelled, "You can do it!"

"YUKOOOOOOO!!!"

"SYOOOOOOOO!!!"

They fell over the finish line, and looked up.

They were second.

"YESSSSSSS!!!!" They shouted in celebration, hugging each other and falling to the ground.

"Oh, we came second?" Ren asked, leaning over to see the two's overly happy reactions.

"Seems so." Takiyo said, also leaning over.

"Yay! Celebrate!" Arisu cheered happily.

"You do know that the rest of the sports festival is left?"

"Oh yeah."

At the end of the day, their class's overall position: second.