"Hey, hey, did you know? They're saying Sakura-san and Sumire-san are going to be paired up for the sports festival next month!" "Really? I heard they were assigned together for the class relay race." "If that's true, it's definitely going to be the main event of the festival. The two school queens running together? Crazy!"

I took a deep breath, holding back the sudden surge of laziness. Sports festival. I wasn't even that enthusiastic about it. But the other students' gossip had already dramatized everything.

When I arrived in the classroom, the sight I saw made my head feel even heavier. Sakura was already sitting in her chair—or more precisely, the chair that used to be empty next to me, which now felt like her new territory.

"Good morning, Akari." She greeted me with the same smile as yesterday, as if there was nothing wrong with any of this. I put my bag on my desk without turning my head. "...Morning."

"So cold, even though we've started getting used to sitting together." Her voice was light, but loud enough to provoke a reaction from my classmates.

"Look, look! Sumire-san is really sitting with Sakura-san again." "It's official then." "This is a national-level rivalry."

I tapped my fingers on the desk, trying not to listen. "Rivalry"—that word was heard too often lately, as if our relationship couldn't be described with any other term.

The morning lessons passed slowly. I tried to focus on copying notes, while Sakura occasionally threw in short comments that only made the atmosphere noisier.

"Akar—I mean, Sumire-san, your handwriting is so neat. Can I borrow your notes later?" "I'm still confused about how to calculate this formula, can you teach me?" All her remarks were actually quite normal. But because they came from Sakura—and were directed at me—the class immediately became loud.

"Oh my gosh, Sakura-san is asking Sumire-san to teach her!" "This is truly like a popular shojo manga. One is cold, one is cheerful."

I massaged my temples gently, trying to ignore the small laughs coming from behind me.

As usual, Haruna rushed over to my desk. "Akari! Do you know today's gossip? They're saying the two of you are going to be a relay team for the sports festival!"

I looked at her wearily. "...The sports festival is still a month away. Where did this gossip even come from this time?"

"From the next class! They said your homeroom teacher has already decided."

Before I could object, the classroom door opened and our homeroom teacher walked in, carrying a stack of papers. "Today I will be distributing the team divisions for next month's sports festival."

The class immediately became noisy. All the students cheered or groaned, depending on their fate. I could only close my eyes for a moment, sensing a bad feeling.

And I was right. "For the class 2-A relay race... the pair will be Sumire Akari and Sakura Airi." The class immediately erupted in cheers. "WOOOAH! CRAZY! I can't believe this!" "Sumire-san and Sakura-san are on the same team! This is definitely going to be the highlight of the festival!" "Teacher, you're a genius!"

I froze. Sakura, next to me, just clapped her hands softly and turned to me. "It seems we're fated to be together, Akari."

I glared at her. "...Don't say weird things."

"But it's the truth." She chuckled softly. "We're a relay team now. So, whether you like it or not, you'll have to work with me."

I didn't answer. I just looked down, trying to calm the pounding in my heart that, for some reason, felt louder than usual.

After school, the atmosphere didn't get any better. The corridor was filled with students talking about the same thing. "Sumire-san and Sakura-san are going to be a relay pair!" "We have to go watch it live. This is going to be a legendary moment." "I bet they'll win."

I walked quickly, wanting to get out of the crowd as soon as possible. But the cheerful voice I knew all too well caught up to me.

"Akari! Wait a second."

Sakura emerged from behind the crowd, still with a calm expression as if she wasn't bothered by the attention of dozens of pairs of eyes. "You heard, right? Starting tomorrow, we have to practice together. The teacher said all relay teams are required to practice twice a week." I stopped for a moment, looking at her. "...Practice together?"

"Of course." Her smile widened. "I can't wait. We're definitely going to be the most interesting pair at the festival."

I let out a long sigh, then continued walking. "If this is just a requirement, I'll do it. But don't misinterpret things."

Sakura followed me lightly. "I know, I know. But still... I'm happy to be your partner, Akari."

I didn't answer. I just stared straight ahead, while deep down, I knew: My school life, which was already chaotic... was about to get even more chaotic from now on.

That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling of my room. Sakura's words kept echoing in my mind. "We're partners now." "You have to work with me."

I closed my eyes, trying to erase the voice from my mind. But the harder I tried to forget, the clearer the voice became.

Why do I have to feel this way? Why is my heart so unsettled just because of her presence?

I pulled the blanket up to cover my face, hoping that sleep could stop all this. But deep down, I knew one thing—my encounter with Sakura Airi was not something I could ignore. And the upcoming sports festival... would only be the beginning of something bigger.

The next day, the air on the sports field was filled with the sound of whistles and the shouts of students running around. I stood on the edge of the track, holding the relay baton with my fingertips. It felt so awkward, as if this lightweight object weighed ten times more.

"Pair number three: Sumire Akari and Sakura Airi!" The voice of the physical education teacher was clear, making everyone's gazes automatically turn to us. Whispers broke out again. "Wow, they're finally practicing together!" "This is a real moment of truth." "If there were a photographer, this photo could be in the school magazine."

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore it. But the harder I tried, the clearer the voices became in my ears. Sakura, next to me, seemed relaxed. Her silver hair was loose, gleaming in the morning sun. She twirled the baton in her hand, then turned to me with a smile that was too calm. "Don't be nervous, Akari. It's just practice."

I glanced at her, then looked back at the track. "...I'm not nervous."

"Really?" She leaned her face in slightly, the distance so close that I could feel her breath. "Then why are your hands trembling?"

I instinctively lowered my gaze. Sure enough, my fingers were shaking slightly as I held the baton. I quickly changed my hand position, pretending to be busy adjusting my grip. "It's just because the morning air is cold."

Sakura chuckled softly, as if satisfied with my stammered answer. "Then, let's get started. Show me that Sumire Akari can run as fast as a shadow."

The teacher blew the whistle. We took our positions. I stood on the first lane, Sakura on the second. The first run went smoothly... almost. I ran at a constant speed, but when it was time to hand the baton to Sakura, my heart pounded even faster than when I was running.

"Your hand, hurry!" Sakura looked back, running at a steady pace.

I handed over the baton, but our fingers touched for too long. For a moment, I could feel her warmth, a contrast to the cold metal rod in my hand. Sakura managed to take the baton and kept running, leaving me standing frozen for a moment. The cheers of my friends immediately sounded. "WAAAH! They successfully exchanged the baton!" "Hey, hey, did their hands touch?!" "It was like a slow-motion scene, I swear!"

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself. It was just practice. There was nothing special about it. But why did my chest feel so tight?

Every time the baton changed hands, every time our bodies were too close, I found it harder to breathe. Sakura, on the other hand, looked more and more excited.

"We have good teamwork, Akari. I can feel that your running rhythm matches mine." She said, patting my shoulder lightly after the third round.

I glared at her sharply. "...Don't be so confident. This is just practice."

"But practice reflects the results, doesn't it?" She smiled, her violet eyes gleaming with conviction. "I'm sure we'll be the strongest pair at the festival."

I wanted to argue, but it was difficult when a part of me knew she wasn't entirely wrong.