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[POV – Saruyama Kenichi – Official Festival Narrator]
The field boiled with anticipation. Colorful flags fluttered as if mocking every anxious heart. The sun seemed to laugh from above, lighting up every drop of sweat on the competitors.
I, Saruyama Kenichi, microphone in hand, was ready to give it my all. Beside me, the elegant and, let's say, "expert in the matters of life," Mikado-sensei. Who would've thought? Me, narrating next to the goddess in a white coat.
— Let's begin the next event! — I announced, my voice echoing like thunder through the loudspeakers. — The race of love's obstacles!
"Obstacle of love"… just saying it gave me chills down my spine.
Mikado-sensei smirked, adjusting her glasses.
— Between the love of two, there can always be the interference of parents.
— Ooooh! — I exclaimed, nearly drooling with admiration. — As expected of a mature woman! You know everything!
The crowd laughed, and I knew I was killing it as a commentator.
First to run: Haruna Sairenji.
She looked determined, but you could see the anxiety in her eyes. The whistle blew: Piii! And there she went, running as lightly as a spring breeze.
The obstacle appeared: a woman holding a baby in her arms, standing in the middle of the track, staring at Haruna with a heavy gaze.
— He's his… — the woman said, her voice firm as a sentence. — Will you continue to love him?
Haruna's heart raced. Even from afar, I could see her steps falter. The audience held its breath.
— This… I… I… — she murmured, words tumbling off her lips. — I'm sorry!
And pof! She stumbled, nearly falling to her knees, unable to push forward.
I grabbed the microphone with all my energy:
— Oh! Athlete Sairenji is unable to face the truth!
The stadium erupted into murmurs. Rito, off to the side, broke into a cold sweat, trying to shrink into the shade of the bleachers.
Now it was Saki Tenjouin's turn.
She strutted to the starting line as if she were on a runway. Her hair gleamed, her nose pointed to the sky.
— Watch, I'll win for sure and prove it to you, Lala-san! Get ready!
Piii! The whistle blew, and Saki ran with all the glamour she could muster.
Her obstacle appeared: a policeman, stern face, crisp uniform.
— Miss, I hate to tell you this… — he began gravely. — But he's a criminal. He's going to jail for at least twenty years. Will you wait for him all that time?
Silence.
Saki raised her hand to her mouth, eyes wide.
— Twenty years… — she repeated, almost choking. — I'll be nearly forty! Impossible… impossible for me!
Pof! She collapsed, defeated by the weight of the future.
— Wow! Athlete Tenjouin is eliminated! — I announced, thrilled.
Mikado-sensei, calm as ever, added:
— It's not impossible… she's still young and has a bright future ahead.
Of course, I nodded like I understood every word.
Now, the star: Lala Satalin Deviluke.
She dashed forward cheerfully, her pink hair fluttering. Her innocent laughter echoed across the field: kyaa-haa-haaa!
Her obstacle? A knock at the door, right in the middle of the track. Lala, confused, went to answer.
And there they were: two debt collectors. Rough-looking, wrinkled suits, shady eyes.
— Pay his debt! — one barked, voice like thunder.
— If you don't have money, pay with your body! — added the other, baring his teeth.
— He got involved with the wrong people.
The crowd froze.
Mikado-sensei sighed, philosophical:
— It's a rule for women. They shouldn't get involved with poor men. Women… such weak creatures.
— What a beautiful comment! — I exclaimed, moved. — Thank you!
But Lala wasn't fazed at all.
The collectors grabbed her hand, thinking they'd won. But in seconds, she spun her arms, gave a push and…
Zuuuuuuum!
The two were launched sky-high like rockets, vanishing into the clouds.
The crowd roared with applause.
— Woooow! — I shouted into the mic. — Athlete Lala broke through the obstacle of the two men!
She raised her arms, laughing as if it were all just a game.
And just like that, Lala crossed the finish line.
Victory was hers.
The audience gave her a standing ovation.
But of course, that wasn't the end. The Sainan sports festival had this gift: every event seemed more absurd than the last.
Rito, sitting in the back, tried to hide, but he couldn't. Asia watched in awe. Mikan rolled her eyes. Irina and Xenovia whispered to each other, incredulous:
— This… is his fiancée? — Xenovia muttered.
— She seems very different from the women in the Vatican… — Irina replied, cheeks slightly red.
Rito only sighed.
— Normalcy… never heard of it.
The wind blew, swaying the flags in the blue sky. The festival carried on, but I, Saruyama Kenichi, already knew: this wasn't just a competition. It was like a great mirror of fate, showing that love would always be full of stumbles, falls, and… laughter.
And deep down, it felt like every obstacle, every challenge, wasn't just a game. It was a foreshadowing of something greater. As if the universe itself were laughing along with us, preparing the next fall.
Bum! The drum announced the end of the round.
And the spectacle went on.