Seeing Hikari's movement, the three gyaru girls immediately quickened their pace to follow, and the girls from the little group behind them naturally followed as well.
If it had just been Hikari alone, honestly he wouldn't have been much different from the many boys drawn in by Mia and Asuka's looks, he wouldn't really attract much attention.
But once you added in the three gyarus and several other girls, a whole group of people heading over toward the track field's running lanes became much more eye-catching all at once.
After all, whether it was Mia, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreign transfer student, or Ogura Asuka, who was just as beautiful with a great figure, both of them were extremely popular.
They had participated in quite a few competitions, and had built up plenty of fans.
But in order not to make them uncomfortable and to keep it going long-term, their fans never got too close. Even those who came on purpose would keep a certain distance.
And at this moment, since Hikari was already fairly close to where Asuka and Mia were, naturally he drew the attention of many fans who had specifically come to watch their matches.
Seeing the situation here, PE teacher Amami Morika, who happened to be nearby, immediately hurried over and sternly reminded Hikari and the others, "Didn't I already tell you before dismissal? Don't get too close to the track field! Don't disturb the athletes who came to our school to compete!"
Seeing that even a teacher had been alarmed, Yoshino, the girl who had first suggested coming to watch the match, couldn't help but say, "Yeah, we really are too close. Let's step back a little, Hikari-kun."
The other girls chimed in one after another.
"Yeah, let's change spots."
"We definitely can't disturb their competition. Those athletes called Mia and Asuka are really popular…"
"If we end up drawing their fans' displeasure, that would be bad."
But to these girls' words, Hikari's face showed no change, and he didn't bother responding to them. He simply said to the three gyarus, who were equally puzzled, "I'm just going over to say hi to Asuka and the others. I know them."
Yoshino couldn't help but laugh.
"Hikari-kun, don't joke around."
She clearly didn't believe him, and while the other girls, mindful of Hikari's relationship with the gyarus, didn't say anything, their expressions made it obvious they thought the same.
They all felt Hikari was either joking or, like the boys in class, boasting in front of girls.
After all, in Yoshino and the others' eyes, Hikari was just a good-looking but otherwise ordinary high school boy.
Whereas Asuka and Mia were athletes from a prestigious girls' school. Not only were they from wealthy families, but their track and field strength was outstanding.
Most importantly, they were pretty, had great figures, and were well-known across the country as high school athletes, top-tier, out-of-reach girls in the high school social world.
So of course they didn't believe Hikari's so-called "I know them."
Only the three gyarus, Reina, Yukina, and Ruri, believed his words. To them, if Hikari said he knew Asuka and Mia, then he did. Even if they didn't know the details themselves.
PE teacher Amami Morika didn't understand these high school girls' sensitivity around social hierarchies. She just felt it wasn't good for Hikari and the others to be so close, fearing it might disrupt the hosting of the track competition.
"Alright, don't loiter here. Move farther away, don't get in the way of the athletes!", Seeing they still hadn't moved, Amami urged them again.
The three gyarus still stood firmly by Hikari's side. But Yoshino and the other girls, seeing that Hikari wasn't moving and that more and more people were looking their way, had already started quietly retreating, ready to slip away from him.
But just then, a commotion rose from the track not far off. Yoshino and the others turned their heads, and froze for a moment.
They saw Asuka and Mia, who had just been surrounded like stars by reporters, cameras, and fans, actually walking toward them. They even seemed rather hurried, shifting from a quick walk into a light run.
Seeing the two popular high school athletes heading over, Yoshino and the other girls stopped in their tracks, dazed.
But what happened next shocked them even more.
"Hikari-kun~"
Ogura Asuka jogged up to Hikari, immediately smiling and waving to greet him. Mia, just a step behind, did the same, coming right up to Hikari to greet him warmly.
Unlike how they usually kept a three- to four-meter buffer from reporters and fans, Asuka and Mia now came right up beside him. The three stood within half an arm's reach, looking close and familiar.
The bright smiles on Asuka and Mia's faces also made it clear just how friendly and warm their relationship with Hikari was.
Seeing this, countless fans and students around the track were stunned. Yoshino, who had just thought Hikari was bluffing and was about to mock him, also suddenly understood, her face flushing red along with the girls beside her. Their toes curled tight inside their sneakers.
Even PE teacher Amami was surprised that Hikari knew them, but seeing this, she simply walked away without further concern.
Naturally, Hikari wasn't shocked like the others. Hearing Asuka and Mia's voices, he smiled and greeted them back.
"Asuka, Mia, long time no see."
"Long time no see! I didn't think I'd really run into you at Osaka High. The director mentioned it before, but I didn't think it would actually happen!", Asuka said with delight, her face brimming with smiles.
"Yeah, when the director told us we'd be competing at your school, we got excited. And now we really did see you!", Mia added, equally thrilled and happy.
"It's not surprising. With how eye-catching you two are, it's harder not to run into you," Hikari chuckled, glancing past them.
They turned too, noticing some nosy reporters and fans had followed along.
Turning back, they stuck out their tongues apologetically.
"Sorry, Hikari-kun."
"It's fine."
"Hikari-kun, once the competition's over, can you show me around your school?", Asuka asked.
"You want to see my school?", Hikari asked back.
"Of course! I'm really curious about the school you go to every day. I really want to see it," As she spoke, Asuka's cheeks flushed slightly, and she playfully winked at him.
Hikari instantly understood, remembering how he'd once helped her vent her mental pressure through special training.
"Hikari-kun, I… I want to tour the school with you too, if that's okay?", Mia suddenly spoke timidly, cutting in.
"You want to come along with Asuka?", Hikari asked, knowing Mia could understand the hidden meaning between his and Asuka's words.
Back when he'd first done the special training with Asuka in Seika Girls' Academy's lounge, Mia hadn't joined in, but she had been outside listening the whole time. So she surely knew what "touring the school" implied.
The blush blooming across her delicate half-foreign face confirmed it.
And hearing his words, her blush deepened, spreading even to her ears. But she still firmly nodded.
"Mm! Last time at Seika Girls' Academy, I couldn't join. This time, I definitely want to be with you too, Hikari-kun!"
Hearing that, Asuka laughed.
"Oh? If Mia's coming too, then she'll be joining me~"
Blushing even deeper from Asuka's teasing, Mia still resolutely said, "Mm! Then I'll be with Asuka! Hikari-kun, I can do it! I want to accept Hikari-kun's training together with Asuka!"
Hearing this, Hikari simply smiled and nodded.
"Alright, then we'll do double training."
Because the three were farther away, the reporters, fans, and Suzuki High students couldn't hear clearly what they were talking about.
But it was obvious that Mia and Asuka knew Hikari and had a good relationship with him. Their attitudes toward him were even a bit affectionate.
That made many of their fans, as well as boys attracted to their beauty, green with envy, feeling sour in their hearts.
Even Yoshino and the others, who technically knew Hikari as classmates, only felt envy seeing him so close to Asuka and Mia, surrounded by everyone's attention. They didn't dare go over.
But not everyone was indifferent to Asuka and Mia suddenly being so close to Hikari.
Among the athletes competing on the track, besides Asuka and Mia, there was another rather popular one, Inoue Asako, known for promoting fem*nism.
Perhaps because Asuka and Mia suddenly drew so much attention to themselves with this boy, many reporters and fans who had been around Inoue were pulled over.
As the crowd around her thinned, Inoue's voice grew louder.
"Sisters, let me tell you! We are in no way inferior to men. In fact, in many ways, the X chromosome is superior to the Y chromosome! Track and field is no exception!"
"I hope every girl has her own independence! I hope no girl is defined by others! I hope every girl can get what she wants!"
Though it wasn't clear what track and field had to do with gender, her words drew cheers from her fans.
And as she spoke, she turned to look at her two biggest rivals in this competition.
Seeing that the growing attention and excitement were because Mia and Asuka were laughing and chatting with some random boy, her face darkened with irritation.
She immediately lashed out, "The competition's about to start, yet some athletes are still fooling around, even clinging to boys. It's shameful for us girls!"
"For example, those two, Mia and Asuka. Girls like them who depend on men won't achieve anything. I can beat them by three or four places at least!"
Her words instantly fired up her like-minded fans.
They cheered and shouted.
"Inoue! Inoue!"
"Inoue Asako, model for women!"
"Mia and Asuka are pathetic! Not worthy of being athletes!"
"Inoue will definitely win the championship!"
But not everyone was against Mia and Asuka.
"You crazy Inoue stans are spouting nonsense again. When have they ever outrun Mia and Asuka?"
"Exactly. Most of the time, the winners of high school girls' track are Mia, Asuka, or Katou Mio. What's Inoue got to do with it?"
"Inoue hasn't even won a single championship, right? Just talks big!"
"So what if she hasn't? You never ate food before being born, does that mean you can never eat in your life?"
"Exactly! Inoue will win this time, for women everywhere!"
"Inoue! Number one! Inoue! Champion!"
And so the two sides' fans launched into a heated war of words.
Normally, Mia and Asuka's popularity was far ahead of everyone else.
But maybe because they seemed too close with Hikari, many fans felt jealous and dissatisfied.
So for once, the cheers for them were drowned out by Inoue's side.
Not that Mia and Asuka cared.
Seeing the time approach, they said goodbye to Hikari and went back to prepare for their match.
Since he knew the outcome was already certain, Hikari didn't bother with "good luck." He simply told them to come find him afterward so he could show them around the school.
After all, he still had to get back to class later.
Soon, the first round began. Under the referee's supervision, Mia, Asuka, and the highly cheered Inoue all took their lanes and readied themselves.
The gun fired, and the high school girls all sprinted out.
As expected, Asuka and Mia crushed the field, taking first and second by overwhelming margins.
The stands erupted again in cheers.
"Asuka! Asuka!"
"Asuka's number one again! Amazing!"
"Asuka's incredible! I love you!"
"Mia too! Mia's great! I love Mia!"
In this kind of competition, results were everything.
So after the first round's results came out, almost all the cheers went to Asuka, with a few for Mia.
As for Inoue, who had just been the most loudly cheered, she only managed fifth. Her fans quickly fell silent.
After all, they didn't want someone representing them who only placed fifth.
Even those who had been praising her fem*nism fell silent, or shifted to cheering for Asuka and Mia instead.
But despite taking first and second, Mia and Asuka didn't act proud. They were used to it.
Still, the two of them both looked up toward Hikari, smiling softly at him.
As if letting him see it made them happier than winning.
Seeing him smile back, Mia and Asuka returned to the track, full of energy for the next round.
———
As Hikari snacked on treats handed to him by the gyarus Reina, Yukina, and Ruri, he watched the athletes on the field with interest.
Unlike the confident Asuka and Mia, the other competitors were drenched in sweat and visibly nervous. Especially Inoue, who had bragged beforehand about beating them.
After all, Asuka and Mia's speed was terrifying. They left even the third place runner more than a full second behind.
In a hundred-meter sprint, that was crushing.
And for Inoue, who had boasted about defeating them but only came in fifth, the pressure was even heavier.
Her face burned hot, as if she'd just been slapped.
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