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Chapter 288 - Chapter 290: Braggarts Reap What They Sow

Chapter 290: Braggarts Reap What They Sow

After soaking in the hot spring for a while, Sakurai Saki noticed a few boys leaning against the wall wearing dazed, hollow expressions before they left the bath, leaving only a few silhouettes behind.

What kind of shock had they suffered?

He didn't pay much attention. After another half hour, he headed back to sleep.

That night, Sakurai Saki did not let Shirogane Miyuki down—he stayed in the same room so Shirogane wouldn't be lonely.

...

The next morning, Sakurai Saki woke right at six.

Today's activity was skiing. The ski resort was nearby, but they still had to take a bus.

Breakfast prepared by the hotel was delicious. After finishing, Sakurai joined the group on the bus.

On the way, he pondered how to avoid wiping out too badly while skiing.

Today's Superpower was rather useless for that—it wouldn't help him quickly pick up ski skills.

[Today's Superpower: Pathfinding]

[Effect: There's nothing you can't locate]

[Side effect: None]

In a place with full signal coverage, was this power really necessary? It felt even less useful than Word Spirit.

At the resort, the teachers led everyone to rent ski gear, then gave a half-hour lecture, warning the students not to attempt the advanced slopes.

The slopes were graded by steepness. The advanced runs had more than a 40% incline and were difficult—serious accidents were possible.

Among the students there were quite a few beginners, more than Sakurai Saki expected. The school had arranged instructors for those who needed lessons.

Sakurai Saki didn't join the class—he had a better plan.

When free activity began, Sakurai and Hayasaka Ai chose a gentle beginner slope, barely slanted and very friendly for newcomers.

Bundled in thick ski wear, even falling wouldn't hurt much.

"For a beginner, the most important thing is not to fear falling," Hayasaka Ai said, steadying him.

Though she said not to fear it, Hayasaka Ai clearly didn't want her boyfriend to get hurt; avoiding falls was obviously preferable.

"Ara~ So Sakurai-san doesn't know how to ski?"

Kaguya: (≖⩊≖)

A teasing voice came from behind. Sakurai turned, and sure enough, it was Shinomiya Kaguya.

"I don't have many strong points, but learning fast happens to be one of them," Sakurai said.

Gliding up beside him, Shinomiya Kaguya reached out and gave his back a light push, making Sakurai flinch.

"What are you doing?"

Seeing his tense reaction, Shinomiya Kaguya smiled. "So Sakurai-san does know how to be afraid?"

"Kaguya-san, don't scare him. He's still a beginner," Hayasaka Ai said with a sharp look.

Why is she teasing my boyfriend so casually?

Is he your boyfriend or mine? I'm standing right here and she still dares to mess with him.

Hayasaka: <(ꐦㅍ _ㅍ)>

"A beginner can't fear falling, or progress will be slow. I fell plenty when I first started," Shinomiya Kaguya said, her tone softening under Hayasaka Ai's glare.

Ever since realizing she might like Sakurai Saki, Shinomiya Kaguya's manner toward him would unconsciously turn prickly.

Her personality was much like Shijo Maki's—the closer the relationship, the harder it was to get along, stubborn to the core.

"Want me to teach you, Sakurai-san?" Shinomiya Kaguya twirled her ski pole.

All three were using twin-tip skis.

"No need. Ai-chan is more than enough," Sakurai Saki said, not wanting Kaguya to complicate things.

"Fine, suit yourself."

After a moment's thought, Sakurai suggested, "How about you teach Shirogane? He doesn't know how to ski."

Everyone knew: teaching Shirogane Miyuki something he didn't already know was like diving headfirst into a pit of despair. Both Sakurai Saki and Fujiwara Chika had learned that lesson well.

What's that—you're saying, "Too cruel, Sakurai Saki. How could you? Is Shinomiya Kaguya really that annoying to you?"

Hello there—yes, exactly.

"He's already practicing with a professional instructor, isn't he? Does he still need me to help?" Shinomiya Kaguya countered.

"…I think you might need to go rescue someone."

"Rescue President Shirogane?"

"No, rescue the instructor."

...

"The most useful move for a beginner is the 'plow' stance—feet forming an inverted V. Close them to brake; on the contrary, the wider you open them, the faster you go." Hayasaka Ai explained while demonstrating.

"Keep your weight forward, bend your knees, and glide. That's right, just like this—hold that center of gravity steady."

A few seconds later—

Thud! Sakurai Saki toppled into the snow.

Sure enough, he wasn't so much of a prodigy that he could master it in one try.

Hayasaka Ai stepped over and helped him up.

"If you feel certain you can't save it and will fall, forget everything else—toss the ski poles aside and fall to either the left or right."

Then came the practice.

Sakurai Saki hadn't lied: he truly had few strengths, but he learned fast. In just one morning he had mastered seventy to eighty percent, able to glide comfortably on the beginner slope. Moving up to the intermediate slope, Sakurai handled it smoothly as well.

By noon, light snow began to fall.

Sakurai Saki and Shirogane Miyuki, along with two girls, had lunch at the restaurant at the base of the slopes.

"If the snowfall gets heavier this afternoon, we might not be able to keep skiing," Shirogane Miyuki said, looking out the window at the endless flakes.

After he spoke, no one replied.

"Sakurai-san, you've only learned a few simple moves and already think you're amazing? And you even dare say skiing is nothing special—you're far too arrogant." Shinomiya Kaguya was having a "friendly exchange" with Sakurai Saki.

"The fact is exactly that. One morning was enough for me to glide freely on an intermediate slope. Kaguya-san, can you deny my genius?"

"I clearly saw you fall just now, and now you're pretending to be hot stuff?"

"Even a monkey can fall from a tree, and even a professor can write a wrong character. Isn't it perfectly normal for a person to make a small mistake?" Sakurai retorted stubbornly.

"As if Kaguya-san never fell while learning to ski," he added.

Skiing really wasn't that hard—he had just wanted to show off a little earlier, but he hadn't expected Kaguya to take it so seriously.

Honestly, she should go join a protest site; they're short on professional arguers.

…Though I'm a stubborn arguer myself, so forget it, Sakurai thought to himself.

This kind of bickering had no real meaning.

The point of an argument isn't to convince your opponent—it's to win over the onlookers.

Online flame wars follow the same logic.

People are predisposed; getting them to abandon their viewpoint, even if it's full of holes, is extremely difficult.

"Shirogane, do you think skiing is hard?" Sakurai tried to pull in an ally.

"…," Shirogane Miyuki picked a piece from the hot pot and popped it into his mouth. "This hot pot is really good. Eat up—if it cooks too long it won't taste as good."

Shirogane: (っ- ‸ - ς) don't look at me, i'm invisible

"Sakurai-san, stop tormenting President Shirogane. If you want to prove skiing isn't hard, then compete with me this afternoon. Let's go to the advanced slope—the longest run, a full ten kilometers—and see who reaches the finish first."

Kaguya finished speaking and noticed Sakurai's silence.

She smiled and said:

"Ara, Sakurai-san, don't tell me you're scared?"

Hmph. A simple taunt, but very effective.

"Me, afraid of you? Hardly."

Outwardly Sakurai stayed calm, but inside he was already uneasy.

Maybe I overdid the bluffing this time.

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