Volume 2 - Top-Tier Character Ayanokōji-kun [DISCONTINUED] [READ THE REVISION]

Chapter 37 - Mere Formalities Serve As Fodder

The small garden next to the scarecrow began to sprout uncontrollably.

It wouldn't stop.

When the farmer's culling came, the plants in the garden continued to grow.

Eventually, the ground loosened and the scarecrow fell on its side. It couldn't walk so it simply laid there, unable to fight against its own plight.

But why?

Why couldn't the scarecrow walk?

Because it lacked something essential.

And then, as if someone else had willed it, several crows came again to peck on the scarecrow.

They pecked it endlessly, ripping its fine clothes to tatters.

The flock of crows as black as the night sky itself flew high into their air, bits and pieces of the scarecrow still inside their beaks.

They spread the scarecrow's body all over the land.

---

With no time to rest, our group got ready for the next competition.

"I already know this one's gonna be good," Takahiro said, expectantly looking at me.

During this sports festival, I had decided to loosen my restraints a bit. I thought I'd be able to enjoy myself, and to find a certain something else I was lacking.

Truthfully, I had been amused. It had been quite fun to compete at the various stations and not have to hold back as much as I usually did. Not only that, but for the first time I experienced something akin to respect and admiration from my peers. It was obvious that they'd have a strong reaction once I decided to partake, but the response so far had been rather overwhelming. I'd been asked at every possible opportunity what I usually ate or what my exercise routine looked like, and I was getting kind of annoyed by the repeated questions.

Not that I could blame them though.

Either way, my train wouldn't stop here just yet. There were still some competitions left, and we hadn't even gotten to the main event. Everything so far had simply been an appetizer for what was to come.

I turned to Takahiro, that mischievous smile on his face only getting stronger each time I looked at him. He sure could be troublesome whenever he wanted to.

"Do you have another unnecessary comment for yours truly?"

"Hm..." He paused a few seconds to inspect his surroundings, and smiled once his gaze landed on our over the top cheery group.

"They're pretty chipper, aren't they?" he commented.

"Are you not going to answer my question?"

He sighed and put a hand on my shoulder, as if I was the one who wasn't getting something.

"Listen, Kiyotaka. Do you realize why everyone has such big smiles on their faces?"

I could only think of one reason. It was partly why I had been enjoying myself.

"Isn't it because we've won all our competitions so far? Overwhelmingly at that?"

"Well, that's part of it I guess... You get seventy points."