I stood behind the main stage, my blue-and-white sports uniform clinging to my body, my hair tied up higher than usual so it wouldn't get in the way when I ran. My heart was beating faster than usual, not from fear of losing, but from something I couldn't quite name.

"Akari." That cheerful voice appeared, as if it had become a routine. Sakura approached, her uniform the same as mine, but for some reason, the aura she carried felt different. Her silver hair was tied in a low ponytail, making her look simpler... yet all the more striking. She smiled. "You look tense."

I turned quickly. "...I'm not tense."

"Are you sure?" She moved closer, whispering in my ear. "I can hear your breathing is faster than usual."

I took a step back, my face flushed. "...That's just because the festival atmosphere is so noisy."

Sakura chuckled, clearly holding back a laugh. "In that case, let me calm you down. Just think of me as a partner you can trust."

I looked down, not wanting to respond further. But her words continued to echo in my head.

One event after another passed. The tug-of-war, long jump, and sack race drew loud cheers. I just watched from the side of the field, waiting for the relay race, which was scheduled last.

"Sumire-san!" I turned. A student from the next class came over, her face beaming. "Good luck! Everyone's waiting for the relay race, especially because you're paired with Sakura-san!"

I just nodded curtly, trying to block out the other cheers that kept coming. "Two school queens, one team! This is going to be a historic moment!" "I bet they'll win!" "If they fail, the school is going to go wild!"

Every word I heard felt like a new burden on my shoulders. The awaited time came. The second-year relay race was announced. All the participants had gathered on the track, including Sakura and me.

"Pair number three: Sumire Akari and Sakura Airi!" The voice of the physical education teacher boomed from the loudspeaker. Cheers erupted, as if the entire school was watching just the two of us.

I stood on the starting line, gripping the baton tightly. My hands were a little sweaty, even though the afternoon air was quite cool. I could feel dozens of eyes on me.

"Akari." Sakura stood right in front of me, ready on the second lane. She turned for a moment, her eyes calm. "Trust me. Today we're going to fly."

I swallowed. "...Don't be dramatic."

"When it comes to this, I'm never dramatic." Her smile was full of confidence.

The long whistle blew. I ran. The sound of cheering swallowed all my thoughts. The wind hit my face, my steps pounded the track quickly. My breath came in gasps, but my gaze was fixed on just one point: Sakura's back, waiting ahead.

"Now!" her voice was clear.

I reached out the baton. Our fingers touched—and this time, somehow, the world seemed to slow down. The loud cheers faded, the wind stopped, and there was only the brief warmth of her fingers touching my hand. Sakura grasped the baton firmly and shot forward. The cheers of the spectators erupted again, echoing louder than before.

"SUMIRE-SAN AND SAKURA-SAN! FASTER THAN ANYONE ELSE!" "LOOK! THEY'RE UNSTOPPABLE!"

I stopped on the track, my breath coming in short gasps, my heart pounding wildly. Not because of the speed of the run, but because of that brief touch that was still so clear on my skin. Sakura raced to the finish line, leaving her opponents far behind. When she crossed the finish line, the sound of the spectators' cheers broke into a crazy roar.

"CHAMPION!" "WE WON! CLASS 2-A IS THE CHAMPION!"

I immediately went to the finish line, seeing Sakura standing, her breath heaving but her face radiant. She turned to me, her smile like sunshine I couldn't refuse.

"We did it, Akari."

I was silent, staring at her. There were so many words I wanted to say, but not a single one came out. Without thinking twice, she raised her hand again, inviting me to high-five in front of everyone. I hesitated for a moment. The stares of the spectators were piercing from all directions. But, in the end, I raised my hand, and the high-five happened.

The cheers erupted again, louder than before. "WAAAAA! THEY'RE SO IN SYNC!" "THIS IS LIKE THE END OF A ROMANTIC DRAMA!"

I quickly looked down, covering my face with a towel. But deep down, I knew... I couldn't reject the feeling that was beginning to grow.

In the afternoon, after all the events were over and the field began to empty, I walked alone in the corridor. My legs felt tired, but my heart was much more chaotic. After the race, our class celebrated the victory. Everyone patted my and Sakura's shoulders, shouting with pride.

"Sumire-san! Sakura-san! You're the best pair!" "Let's take a picture, quick, a picture together!"

I almost ran away, but Sakura held my arm. "Akari, one moment."

I turned, my face still flushed from fatigue and the cheering. "...What?"

She smiled, a smile that wasn't just cheerful, but warm and sincere. "We did it. Together. I want to have many days like this with you, Akari."

I was silent. The words were simple, but for some reason, they made my chest feel even tighter. Sakura moved a little closer, close enough that I could feel the fresh scent of sweat and sunshine from her body. "I promise you, this is just the beginning. I want to have many days like this with you."

I quickly looked away. "...Don't say careless things in front of so many people."

"But I'm serious."

I didn't answer. I just bit my lip, trying to control something churning in my chest. Sakura was holding two bottles of drinks. She offered one to me. "For you. You must need it after that race."

I accepted it slowly. "...Thank you."

She looked at me, this time without her mischievous smile, without a joke. Just a serious gaze that made it hard for me to breathe. "I'm happy we were on the same team. But more than that... I'm happy because I got to be with you."

I was speechless. "...You..."

"You don't have to answer now." She bowed her head a little, then smiled faintly. "But I want you to know, I'm not messing around."

I couldn't say anything. The faint sound of other students' footsteps could be heard, but the world felt like it only contained me and her. Sakura turned, walking away while waving her hand. "Until tomorrow, Akari."

I stood there, holding the still-cold bottle of drink in my hand. My heart was pounding, my mind was a mess. For the first time in my life, I felt... my smile wasn't a mask anymore. And it was all because of her. The day ended with the cheers still echoing. But deep down, I knew—The sports festival was only the beginning. My relationship with Sakura Airi had just started. And from that moment on, I could no longer pretend that everything was the same as it used to be.

That night, I lay in bed. I had turned off the lights in the room; only the moonlight from the window seeped in. I closed my eyes, but the images from the festival kept appearing. The cheering, the relay baton, Sakura's running back, and most of all—her last words.

"I want to have many days like this with you."

I covered my face with a pillow, trying to erase the memory. But the harder I tried to forget, the stronger the voice echoed. My heart beat hard. I didn't know if this was fear, anxiety, or something more than that. One thing was for sure—my encounter with Sakura Airi had changed everything.

The me who only wanted to live a quiet school life... was now being dragged into a new vortex. A vortex full of cheers, admiring glances, genuine smiles, and something I still couldn't admit to myself. And whether I liked it or not, I knew—This was just the beginning of a story I couldn't avoid.