Episode 2: Our Differences
<Aria Ocean>
Cherry blossoms created a curtain of drifting petals.
Like snow, each petal descended gently.
Touching the ground, the beauty it was once admired for comes to an end.
Lost was its transient moment of marvel. Left there in the dirt, its existence was left to wither and die.
They say there is beauty in decay.
But I say, there is decay in beauty.
It was here I met him again.
Among the cherry blossoms.
A strong breeze blew, the petals whirled into a storm. I held down my long dark red hair which curled in the wind.
A person so carefree in existence.
“Elliot—”
My words reached his ears.
He turned to me.
“Aria.”
Among the blooming cherry blossoms.
I knew right that instant.
The beauty between us was never bound to last.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
<Elliot Amaryllis (♂)>
It’s been a week since I began living with Elliot ♀. Since we knew more about each other than regular siblings, we were always careful not to cross the line.
That’s with the exception of one subject.
Aria Ocean.
My suspicion of Elliot ♀ was growing larger by the day. Yet, I still find myself denying the possibility. Because if she was ‘that’, it meant I was ‘this’.
And I refuse to believe that I’m ‘this’.
“14.2 seconds!”
“Damn it.”
14.2 seconds for a 100-metre sprint.
Though not a major record breaker, it was much faster than what most people my age could accomplish.
Still, I couldn’t help but compare my score to Elliot’s ♀.
She crushed basically every other girl in the track club with a whopping 14.5 seconds to her time. She was as fast as me despite her physique.
Now that I’ve given her a second glance, I realised that her body figure was rather svelte.
“Not bad, not bad.”
Our track ace, Leon the Great patted my shoulders as I caught my breath.
“Thanks.”
“I didn’t think you two had similar records. I reckon she’d be asked to represent that school when the time comes.”
“Represent the school? You mean she was chosen in the past?”
I never made it to the district competitions. But she did?
“Oh, no actually. Because she refused multiple times… and uh…”
Leon was just about to tell me the whole story when Elliot ♀ approached us, he stuttered.
Oh? What the hell is this?
“Elliot, what’s your score?”
Elliot ♀ asked.
“14.2.”
“Nice.”
Was that a compliment? Or was that a consolation?
I frowned a little, she looked hung up on my expression.
“Elliot, do you not have any plans to represent the school this year?”
Leon asked Elliot ♀.
“Nope. Not interested.”
Wow. Instant rejection.
“Let me know if you change your mind. That or you can just tell Jeffrey-sensei…”
“Alrighty.”
Leon looked apologetic. Elliot ♀ was as merciless as ever.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
There was a bench underneath a cherry tree ‘we’ often came to rest after track club.
“Here.”
She handed me a drink.
“I’ll be frank here, as a girl you seem more capable than me.”
I received the electrolyte drink and thanked her.
“I think it’s to make up for gender equality.”
She said as she cracked her drink open.
“You really think so?”
“Maybe yes, maybe no. Unless you’re fine with all the hassle of being a girl, I mean why not?”
“You’re just coming up with excuses.”
“What excuse? I’m just telling you what you know.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I don’t know when it all started, but we began speaking like we were at each other’s throats.
Could one even bicker with themselves?
“You’re so girly. Jesus.”
“I dare you to say that again.”
“You’re so girly you motherfucker.”
“Wow, I’m so not offended.”
I mean, why would I? She’s like the occasional negative voices I hear in my head that I ignore.
“But you’re at least honest about it. Much better than drowning your emotions in mud.”
“You mean to say our junior high school days.”
“Yeah. Totally.”
We’ve grown up, certainly. Emotionally, mentally, and physically.
Puberty sure was a pain when it hit. Hormones go wild and a whole bunch of drama ensues for no damn reason other than to satisfy our personal ego.
She’s experienced it, I’ve experienced it.
But it was different, wasn’t it?
Breaking up with Ellis was a defining moment that changed me. What about her? She and Ellis remained close friends.
If she didn’t experience the crushing blow of heartbreak, what was it that happened in her past?
And if the drama she experienced was different from mine, how was it that we had the same train of thought?
“Hey, Elliot. If you don’t mind, could I ask about…”
“Oh, so there you two are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
I was about to ask when an interruption arrived.
We both stuttered.
She was the only student in school who had red hair, it was impossible to mistake her for anyone else.
““A-Aria?””
“Um… did I intrude on anything?”
She stopped at a distance with a troubled smile on her face.
If I was asked to summarise Aria’s character down to one trait, it would be ‘considerate’. She was cautious about everything. Often going the extra mile just to make sure the other party feels comfortable in her presence.
Part of me wondered if the reason I fell for her was because I saw myself in her.
“Ah no. We’re fine. I thought you went home already?”
“No. I stayed to watch.”
She said she stayed to watch? Watch what? Watch who?
“You two were pretty good out there.”
““Ah…””
I wondered if Elliot ♀ was thinking the same thing I was. Aria had just admitted that she was stalking us.
“Don’t you usually go back early? What’s up today?”
I asked.
“Oh. I decided to stay back at the library. No one is home even if I went back early anyways.”
“I see…”
“Is it always like this?”
Elliot ♀ asked. Exactly what I wanted to know too.
“Oftentimes. But today in particular, I didn’t feel like going back. Do you mind if I join you two?”
“Ah?”
“Y-es. Please take a seat. Sorry, we didn’t notice.”
“Then excuse me.”
She took neither one side nor the other, sitting right between us.
What the heck?
The three of us were completely silent. Every time I thought of something, the topic burned up before it could leave my mouth. My throat felt parched even though I’d already finished the drink Elliot ♀ got me earlier.
What was Aria feeling right now?
She never told anyone how she felt about us two Elliots in existence. Perhaps because she thought of it as a sensitive topic—that’s why she never dared to ask.
“Um.”
She made an awkward voice.
“Uh…”
“Elliot.”
Elliot ♀ called me.
“What?”
“Say something.”
“Say what?”
“I don’t know. It’s awkward.”
“What do you mean? You’re the one who always talks to Aria so you know what she likes to talk about right?”
“Yeah but…”
Aria showed a suppressed laugh, the both of us stopped talking. For a brief moment we fell silent, Aria too composed herself with a cough.
Elliot signalled to me with her eyes, I had no clue what she was trying to tell me.
“Um, Aria. I’ve been meaning to ask… honestly, what do you think of ‘us’?”
It was a question which had been bugging me, and probably Elliot ♀, for some time now.
“Us? What do you mean?”
Aria, puzzled by my question, looked incredibly cute.
“U-Uh, you know. Because there is me and her? Like, doesn’t it feel weird to know both of us?”
What specific opinion did I really want from her?
Are you closer to me or Elliot ♀? Or… between me and Elliot ♀, which one do you like more?
I couldn’t say it out loud. It would be too obvious otherwise.
“No. It’s not weird.”
Aria shook her head.
“Thank God?”
Elliot ♀ responded with a question yet not a question?
Aria chuckled.
“Thank God indeed. Now I have two Elliots to accompany me.”
““Ugh?””
Both Elliot ♀ and I gawked at the same time.
Then our faces reddened simultaneously. Aria looked alternately between us. We quickly turned away.
Fuck, you’re making it so obvious dip shit! I could almost hear Elliot ♀ cursing me.
“How cute.”
Aria laughed again. How could she say something like that with a hand gesture to her lips?! It’s suggestive!
“Aria. Which… which one of us do you like more?”
Elliot ♀ mustered the courage I couldn’t have and dropped the bomb.
“I don’t know. Both of you are important to me.”
Aria replied immediately.
“Then hypothetically, if we were dying and you could only save one of us, which would you save?”
“Can you not put me in such a troubling position?”
Aria said with a resigning look.
“Then… which one of us was more dominant in your memory?”
I asked.
Aria pondered with a slight frown.
Elliot ♀ and I waited anxiously for her reply.
“It’s a secret.”
A secret…
Elliot ♀ and I glanced at each other.
Aria certainly has a preference between one or the other. Depending on the preference, the likelihood of her feelings…
“…And that’s why I don’t want to talk about this.”
Aria heaved a sigh, breaking our gaze.
“I knew you two would fight again if I played favourites. Let’s just all get along can’t we?”
Aria pleaded with a sad expression.
“Alright.”
“I’ll try my best.”
We could only resign at Aria’s request.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
The day was already pretty late when we parted with Aria.
Trudging back home, the question which had been stirring in my mind could no longer be contained.
Partway through the journey back, I told Elliot ♀.
“I like Aria.”
“What?”
She stopped and stared at me.
“I said, I like Aria!”
What? If you were me, you should already know what I’m trying to get at, right?
Come on!
She gritted her teeth.
“I like Aria too!”
She shouted back.
My mind was thrown into disarray.
I had a hunch from the start, but hearing it directly from her mouth really helped sink the truth into the reality of things.
“Fuck what?! You’re finally admitting that you’re lesbian?!”
I panicked.
“Yeah, I am! Which means you’re possibly gay!”
Shit. She hit where it hurt.
That was exactly the reason why I didn’t want to consider the possibility…! If Elliot ♀ was lesbian, that would make me… gay?
Either that or we’re bi…
But I was sure I never had a thing for men to begin with. Fuck off! I’ll strangle myself to death if that were true.
“H-Have you ever had a thing for guys?”
Elliot ♀ asked with one eyebrow twitching.
“No, unfortunately, I’ve only had a thing for girls.”
I said.
She folded her arms and frowned.
Hold on. Girls? As in, plural form?
“…Then Aria wasn’t your first?”
“Why would you think she was my first?”
No way.
“…Ellis?”
“That’s right.”
Fuck no…
“Then you two…”
“I was rejected.”
Wha… Wait, no. That’s good. She didn’t have to deal with the kind of person Ellis really was.
“Sorry for bringing it up.”
I said. She shook her head.
“If there’s anyone I should be feeling sorry for, it would be you. I realised from what happened between you and Ellis that we would’ve been an impossible ship.”
“Wait, that’s odd. Doesn’t your heart hurt from the breakup?”
“I have Aria in my heart now.”
“That makes zero sense…”
“I also thought it made no sense. But as long as it keeps me sane, I’ll continue things the way they are now.”
Elliot’s ♀ relationship with Ellis had never been more complicated. We both had different troubled pasts, but one thing stood clear.
We had both received our share of pain from love.
It wasn’t to say that Ellis was bad as a person, we just weren’t compatible.
“Hey.”
Elliot ♀ called me.
“Don’t tell mom.”
“What?”
Until she told me not to, the idea of telling mom had never once crossed my mind.
“Please.”
“…”
I didn’t think she could make that kind of face.
“Deal.”
“Thank you.”
“In exchange…”
“What…?”
“…Aria is mine.”
“What? No.”
“You’re a girl.”
“…I’m a girl so what?!”
“She might not have a thing for girls…”
“Fucking shut up! We won’t know until she reveals herself!”
“Then I’ll tell mom.”
“Dickhead! I knew you couldn’t be trusted!”
I was only trying to mess with her. I didn’t think she’d actually get so worked up.
“Okay, okay. Time out, I was just…”
“Fuck you! I take back my words. Tell her, go on and fucking go on and tell her I’m a lesbian. I’m not giving up Aria just because of some stupid genetics.”
…I was just joking.
“Elliot. It’s a…”
“I hate you!”
She pushed me against the wall, my back slammed against the concrete and I almost fell.
Damn it, you…!
I was going to retaliate back.
But like fire being doused in water, all the adrenaline in my blood reversed backwards.
She was crying.
“I hate… you.”
“Wha… wait!”
She turned away, tears glistening in the evening light as they fell.
And ran ahead.
My outstretched hand was left touching dust.
Shit.
I felt like shit.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“Welcome back.”
“I’m back mom.”
I entered through the entrance and made my way to the living room. The dining room and living room were interconnected, separated by a small partition. Mom who was holding a crock pot of something delicious greeted me.
“Did you see Elliot anywhere?”
“Did something happen?”
“Yeah.”
Mom placed the pot down and smiled. She gestured with her eye.
I heard the sound of water flowing. She was in the bath.
“Thanks.”
“So, what happened?”
“I went too far with my jokes.”
“Oh my. You know you shouldn’t do that to yourself.”
“Mn…”
I wasn’t the best at differentiating a joke from facts. I tend to take things a little too seriously.
I met Jasper on the way to my room and bumped fists with him.
When I got to my room, I saw Elliot’s ♀ bag tossed on top of the bed.
The only time I’d ever do something like this was when I’m in a rush for something.
I heaved a sigh. Looks like I have to apologise to ‘myself’.
Apologising to myself? The thought of it was hella weird. It’s like I’m realising how much we often take ourselves for granted.
An extra table had been placed in our room. Elliot ♀, in all fairness, decided that I would keep ownership of my original desk while she took the bed.
The cupboards which held our clothes had been split into two sides. A masking tape to mark the middle.
She also got herself a new charger. Whereas we each had our own phones, the charger was the only one between us.
I heard the sound of the door hinge. Elliot ♀ stopped just outside. She had one hand holding her hair with the towel, the other against the door knob.
“Sorry.”
I said.
“You know that I don’t have a good temper.”
She said.
It struck me as true and false. My temper had never been great, average at best. But I was able to keep patient and endure.
She probably lost it when I crossed the line.
If I were me, what would I want someone to do to reconcile with ‘me’?
A simple apology, that’s first and foremost.
And after that, it would be…
“I’ll take a shower.”
“I’m using this towel, use the other one.”
“Alright.”
…Time.
If I were made, what I need next would be time alone to calm down.
Right?
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
Jasper, our little brother, looked like he was in pain. His face scrunched up whenever he bit into something hard.
The reason?
There was a loose milk tooth in his mouth. It was already dangling.
Unfortunately, he was too chicken to tear it off. So until it fell off naturally, he would have to suffer the pain that came with it.
“Sister Elliot… brother Elliot. Did you experience the same thing too when you were younger?”
““Yes.””
“Isn’t it annoying? How did you deal with it?”
“Um, it just happens?”
“Wait until the tooth drops. Meanwhile, just chew with the other side.”
“Yeah. What he said.”
“Unless you had two loose teeth on both sides at the same time otherwise… just wait until it drops.”
Her words brought back funny memories.
Having one loose tooth was difficult enough, imagine having two, one on each side of the mouth.
“So you actually experienced this twenty-something-times until it all fell off?”
Jasper’s expression paled.
“It’s not as bad as you think.”
“It’s no different from dealing with a large pimple.”
She’s lying.
Or is she not? I mean, the zit on our faces was still quite an annoying existence. It would continue to stay until it matured, dried off and healed.
Or we could pop it and call it a day.
Just like deciding between letting the teeth drop naturally or plucking it out.
“I trust you.”
“I personally think it’s much more convenient if you just pluck the teeth. Much better to feel the pain now than to have it drag on.”
Mom’s suggestion was rather brutal. But it made sense I guess?
Back when I had the two loose teeth, one on each side of my mouth, I got fed up and had mom pluck both of them out while bawling tears.
“Sometimes you don’t even feel the pain.”
Mom added.
She was also right about that one. The anticipation was worse than the pain. It didn’t actually hurt when she pulled the teeth out.
“Really?”
Jasper narrowed his eyes.
“Yes really. If it’s loose enough, then you wouldn’t feel much when you pluck it out.”
“Okay. I think I prefer to wait.”
Sissy.
“The choice is yours to make.”
Mom smiled.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“Are you going to pop the pimple?”
We were in our room doing homework when Elliot ♀ asked such a question.
“I don’t know. Are you?”
I guess the question was a sign that she got over her anger.
Still, intuition was telling me that it wasn’t completely resolved.
“If you plan to pop it, I’ll do it.”
“Alright.”
“Let’s go.”
We for some reason went to the bathroom together. There was a face mirror at the sink. We stared at each other’s reflection.
It was a pretty weird feeling, seeing how similar we were in terms of appearance. Only the height difference was the most disparate thing between us.
“Are you sure about this? Why did you suddenly want to pop it?”
I asked.
What happened to confirming our hypothesis that pimples can heal even without us having to do anything?
“Just, fed up.”
“By your appearance?”
“Yeah.”
“You know, it actually doesn’t really matter that much right?”
Her reflection glared at me.
“You seriously don’t understand a woman’s heart at all.”
Was that something I had to consider the next time I talked to her?
“I’m pretty sure that’s not what you’re actually thinking about, right?”
“Then try and guess.”
For the first time since she came into existence in my life, I couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
Was this what people referred to as ‘a woman’s heart is hardly understood’?
“I… don’t know.”
“Exactly.”
Huh? What?
“I just feel like it, so, are you going to pop the pimple or not?”
Seriously? How much do I not understand myself? How much do I understand that I don’t understand myself?
???
…Now that’s an oddly correct way to put it.
“You know… let’s just stick to the experiment. What if two pimples come out later if we pop one?”
“…”
“Elliot?”
“Fuck you.”
She grabbed a piece of tissue and squeezed the zit.
Just like that it was gone.
But once it healed it would likely leave a mark because of how big it was. That or if she didn’t remove all the pus then the pimple might come back.
“You and I are not the same.”
She said.
I understood what she was trying to imply.
She had enough of ‘me’.
She didn’t like ‘me’.
So she wanted to be different.
“You wanted Aria right?”
“Elliot, that was a joke.”
“Let’s settle it this way. Sports festival, whichever of us beats the other’s score on the track listens to the loser.”
“…”
“If I win, you will not tell mom. If you win, I’ll give up on her.”
“Hey, you don’t need to go that far.”
This was unlike me.
No. This was just like me.
The days with Ellis where I had to not only put on a mask, but also shackle my heart.
She was trying to deny herself.
I don’t know if she was aware of it.
“Now, now. What was it that you two are keeping a secret?”
“Mom?!”
Out of nowhere, the succubus appeared with her sadistic smile.
“It’s rather late, quite dangerous to roam the halls you know?”
“W-We were just talking.”
Elliot ♀ coughed.
“She wanted to pop her pimple.”
I said.
“Are you not going to then?”
At mom’s words, I looked at myself in the mirror again.
I didn’t know why, I suddenly felt that the zit which had always been a sore for the eyes didn’t look so bad.
“No.”
I think Elliot ♀ had a point.
We were both Elliots but…
Just because we were both Elliots, we had no reason to be carbon copies of each other.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“Please take a seat.”
Elliot ♀ and I did as we were told.
“Now then, I’ll ask a few questions. I’ll need you both to answer them as best as you can.”
I was feeling incredibly nervous. In front of us was the TALENT inspector.
Remember how a week ago I talked about the issue with ‘problematic’ blessings? If there was ever a situation where one’s abilities would be dangerous to civilization, or oneself, then the person would have to enrol into a special school.
It was an exciting prospect. Yet, if that were to happen, we would be forced to part ways with Aria.
That was a no-go.
Two Elliots in one world wasn’t that big of a deal. Our identities, nation-issued IC and birth certificates were part of the ‘duplicate’ category so it had no effect legally.
The biggest concern here was the shift in the world to accommodate our existence. It wasn’t normal to wake up one day realising that you have a friend who is both male and female. It was also not normal to suddenly have a new individual be part of the government database. Most mysterious was how the integration of the two Elliots came so smoothly and untroubled. Everyone who had known us both for a long time wasn’t troubled by our existence at all.
It was a long questioning session that took up almost an hour. By the end of it…
The inspector lowered the tablet and crossed his legs. The two of us waited for the verdict.
We didn’t lie. We didn’t try to cheat. We came as clean as possible with every question he had posed.
“Elliot Amaryllis.”
““Yes.””
“As of the moment we deem your blessing irregular.”
I felt my chest freeze up.
“However, we don’t foresee any danger to the ability. So you may decide to enrol in Mondai, or remain here.”
Elliot ♀ and I sighed in relief.
This was an even better option actually.
“If you discover some new ability with your blessing, don’t delay in notifying us. Depending on the situation, you may be obligated to enrol into the special school but until then, you may stay in this school.”
“That’s good news.”
Richard-sensei who had been listening in spoke his mind.
“This was an interesting encounter. Thank you for your time, I’ll be leaving for the next student if you’ll excuse me.”
The inspector got up and left.
Elliot ♀ and I high-fived each other.
Richard-sensei shook his head at our reaction.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
“So, how did it go?”
“He told us we can choose to go or not.”
“No way, they had that option? I thought it was usually yes or no?”
“Maybe it’s because there are two Elliots.”
Oliver, Willow and I hung out in class. Meanwhile, Aria, Ellis and Elliot ♀ were nowhere to be seen.
The likelihood of them being at the cafeteria was pretty high. Though, to avoid Ellis I decided that it was best to simply stay away.
On the topic of blessing, Oliver had already received his, meanwhile, Willow’s was still to be known. Her birthday hadn’t passed yet.
Oliver’s blessing was simple voice mimicry.
It was a useless ability that made him a human parrot, or cockatoo. If used well, he could actually become a professional voice actor or singer. Too bad he didn’t have any interest in that field. I don’t know what career he wants to pursue when he grows up though.
“Sports festival is coming up, I’m starting to regret choosing three events.”
Oliver groaned.
“I have five lined up.”
I said.
“Yeah, only because of that bod of yours.”
Thanks for the compliment… yeah.
“Oh. Speaking of sports, Elliot, the other Elliot is also pretty fit isn’t she?”
Willow said, as if to hint at something.
“She’s probably the fastest, or second fastest runner in school.”
Oliver followed up.
There’s a sense of incongruence. Information I didn’t know about Elliot ♀ rolled off their tongue so naturally.
“How many events are you taking Willow?”
I asked.
“Me? One.”
“And what event is that?”
“The fun run relay!”
“That one huh? The hallmark of the sports festival. I wonder what kind of questions they’ll come up with this year?”
The fun run relay is put simply, a relay where after covering a certain distance, there would be a box where you gacha. A task is written on the gacha-ed paper which you need to fulfil in order to proceed.
It’s better explained if you watch the sports festival of any slice-of-life school anime.
“Elliot, you’ve not been around Aria as of late. Is everything okay?”
Willow asked.
“What… do you mean?”
“Oh-ho. Looks like someone is suspicious today.”
Oliver wasn’t going to let me get away with it.
“Did something happen between you two?”
“Uh, no, nothing like that.”
I didn’t know why but Aria often stayed back later these past few days. And with the sports festival coming, Elliot ♀ and I had been staying back at the track club till the evenings to train.
Then after training the two of us would spend some time with Aria. I wasn’t sure if she didn’t mind the fact that we were all sweaty after all that exercise, or if she just put up with it.
Elliot ♀ didn’t smell horrible after running so maybe it was the same for me?
As we were talking, I noticed Aria entering the class much earlier than usual. Our gaze met. With a kind smile, she waved at me. I waved back.
A few seconds behind her were Elliot ♀ and Ellis. They looked too distracted to care about my presence.
“I’m still suspicious of her.”
Willow said, shifting her gaze between Ellis, Elliot ♀ and Aria. It was only after the conversation with Elliot regarding her sexual orientation did I understand what Willow was sensing.
Yes, your suspicion is correct.
But I won’t be telling you about it.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
The annual school sports festival held in May.
A period of rivalry and cheers. Four houses have been erected in colours of red, blue, green and yellow.
Classes were off, and all students gathered at the field.
It first began with marching. The different uniform bodies made a round of the track, followed by the singing of the national anthem.
Then, a rocking band performance by the light music club to rile up the crowd before the first event began.
I had five events to my name, the same went for Elliot ♀.
100-metre sprint, 100-metre relay, 400-metre sprint, 400-metre relay, and the fun run relay. The events we were taking part in were exactly the same as it had been decided before our birthday.
“We’ll compete based on time for the sprints.”
To win, we had to beat the other 3 out of 5 events. We can go by the best time for the sprint events, as for the relays, we decided to count it based on team placement, not overall time.
So luck would be a decisive factor there.
I capped my medication and then exhaled.
Elliot ♀ who was standing beside me glanced at the inhaler and then my face.
“You had asthma?”
“You don’t?”
“No. I don’t have asthma.”
“I didn’t know that.”
That’s surprising.
I only took the medication for prophylactic sake. Since I’ll be running and all, I wouldn’t want to die from asphyxiation.
“Male 100-metre sprint to your stations!!”
The speaker boomed.
“Looks like I’m up.”
“Well, go break a leg.”
She was both cheering and booing me.
What a hopeless person.
I got to the starting position.
The crowd to my right at the long bleachers, racers aligned diagonally from where I set up posture.
All sounds cease. My line of sight narrowed.
The only thing I could feel then was my heart, my body, and the wind.
And then…
BANG!
The gun fired and I took off.
Swinging my arms and propelling myself with my legs, I ran with all my might.
The world became needlessly small in my view.
I crossed the finish line placing fourth.
Coming in first place was of course the track ace Leon.
“What’s wrong?”
He asked, confused by why I placed 4th instead of 3rd.
“Conserving energy.”
There’s no way I’m winning against the other me in the 100-metre sprint.
My time was 15.4 seconds.
“That was not bad.”
Elliot said when I came back around.
“Thanks.”
“Well, sorry but I’ll definitely beat you this time.”
“I expected that.”
“Yeah, just watch me.”
Really now… she’s overworking herself.
When it came to her turn, she scored a crazy 14.2 seconds, putting her in first place for the event.
BANG!
Next was the 400-metre sprint.
This event was mine.
64.3 seconds.
Compared to her 72.8 seconds.
She was clearly at a disadvantage when it came to long distance running.
I was a guy, she was a girl. She was clearly at a disadvantage for every event.
I might be wrong to assume but, the reason she chose to compete in sport was because she was too self-conscious of her own gender. Yes, the male physique has a physical advantage over a female one, but it doesn’t make a girl any less than a guy.
“Good work out there.”
I slapped Oliver’s back.
“You think so?”
He said, heaving.
“You were cool. Ten points.”
As a show of kindness, Willow gave him the thumbs up.
“Relay race females! 4 x 100 metres to the registration counter!”
“Looks like it’s your turn, Willow. Good luck!”
“Yeah!”
“Good luck!”
Aria, who sat nearby also cheered for her. She was waving a red flag—the red team. Willow and Aria were part of the same house.
“Yeah!”
We took the bleachers. Ellis, Elliot ♀ and Willow were both up for this event.
“You’re not taking any events Aria?”
I asked.
She shook her head.
“I’m only here to cheer.”
She said.
Elliot ♀ was part of the yellow team, the same as me. For this relay, she held the position of the last baton.
“GO! GO! GO!”
“WAAHHH!! RUN GREEN TEAM RUN!!!”
“GO RED! GO RED!”
“YELLOW!!! YELLLOOOH!!! GO, GO, GO!!”
It was absolute chaos here in the audience.
For the first two runners, green placed first while yellow placed second. I thought that Elliot’s ♀ could pull off a win in the last stretch, earning yellow team it’s first gold in the female relay.
What I didn’t expect was the third runner of our team tripping.
In the end, the yellow team placed last.
I hadn’t the time to console her as the relays for the males were up next.
In the male’s 4 x 100m relay, we, the yellow team clinched second place. Leon’s blue team won gold.
After the run, I tried searching for Elliot ♀.
She wasn’t with anyone I knew. Ellis looked like complete crap after the relay earlier too.
Before I knew it, it was time for the girl’s 400-metre relay.
Elliot was chosen as the first runner.
And then the gun fired.
She created a gap of almost one-third of the track between herself and the second-place runner.
She definitely wasn’t planning to lose on this one.
I went up to her at the finish line. The next runner in the yellow team had begun her sprint with a great advantage.
She was heaving, groaning on the grass.
The medics quickly went over to her.
“What the fuck?”
I also made my way over.
“What’s going on?”
“She sprained her leg.”
“What?”
“Get the stretcher.”
“No need, I can walk.”
“Seriously? Don’t force yourself.”
“I’m fine, I’m fine…”
She’s so stubborn…
“Shut up. I’ll support you.”
It was such a weird sight to those that knew and those that didn’t. The fact that we were both the same person, one supporting the other limping.
When we reached the med bay, they applied some sort of cream to her ankle before running a bandage around it.
The result of the 400-metre relay ended with the yellow team clinching first place.
I heard a hollow laugh.
“Looks like I’m completely out of the race now.”
I doubt the yellow team would be able to win the male relay considering how Leon was running his game for the blue team.
Which meant, in our little competition, it was two to two, a tie.
We were left with the fun run.
But, with her sprained ankle, could she even participate?
“Don’t think too much about it.”
I said and got up in preparation for the men’s 400-metre relay.
“Don’t think too much about it huh?”
“Yeah. You still stand a chance in the fun run. After all, it’s the gacha that matters.”
I would hate for her to give up at this point.
Leaving her behind, I went to participate in my event.
Ultimately, yellow team placed third. Blue team in first, red team second.
There was a short break before the fun relay. As many as two hundred students had applied to run for this.
Coincidentally, Elliot ♀ and I were placed in the same round. Different teams though.
“There’s still a chance.”
I said.
“I know.”
This was a race where even non-runners can win.
The distance between one gacha to the next was only 50 metres. The most time-consuming aspect was not the distance covered, but the completion of the task chosen from the box.
“You two…”
““Yes?””
We both turned around at the same time.
“Good work out there.”
It was Aria.
She had a number.
Huh?
“I thought you weren’t running?”
“Look there.”
Hm…?
She pointed at Willow’s name.
She was also in the same running group as us?
“She asked me to replace her because she didn’t want to run anymore.”
“What the fuck…?”
“What a coincidence isn’t it now?”
She smiled.
“A coincidence indeed.”
I didn’t know how to feel about it.
I felt both perplexed and fuzzy.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
And then the fun run relay event began.
Elliot ♀, Ellis, Aria and I sat together while waiting for our turn. There were no conversations shared in between. The mood was tense.
Ellis probably felt left out, that’s why she forced her way between us. She wasn’t going to run.
The 3rd race had just finished. Ours was placed 5th, so one more race to go.
It was silly how some of them literally ran around the school to find their partner. It delayed the race a whole lot.
Since the tasks were being recycled, I imagine some of them already know the kind of contents inside.
We, of course, remained clueless.
“Elliot.”
I don’t know why but I turned to Ellis when she called that name.
She wasn’t looking at me, but rather, at the other me.
“What do you think you’ll get?”
I didn’t know what I was expecting from this girl. I turned back to the track, feeling a dark shadow in my heart.
“I don’t know. Maybe throw an egg at someone’s face.”
“Is there such an option?”
“Who knows honestly. Who knows.”
“Elliot.”
It was Aria, but I didn’t turn around.
“Elliot.”
“Yes?”
“Sorry, I was referring to him.”
Me?
I turned to Aria.
“What is it?”
“Let’s do our best.”
“…?”
What… was she trying to say?
“You too.”
Then Aria turned to Elliot ♀.
“Y-Yeah…”
Ellis, who witnessed this could only raise an eyebrow.
She likely already knew about me crushing on Aria. So I think her suspicion here was directed more towards the relationship between Elliot ♀ and Aria?
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
Runners to your line!
It was finally our turn.
Based on the name list, I was placed on the fourth track as the last runner.
Elliot ♀ was the second last runner of the third track and…
Aria was the last runner for the first track.
Which meant she was in the same line as me.
Gulp.
BANG.
The crowd cheered.
The first of five runners in each team quickly reached their box and took out their task.
Some scoured towards the audience, others moved towards the box of items prepared for this event.
One of the runners ♀, dragged a skinny boy with her. Both their faces were red, it implied some pretty obvious guesses.
There was also one ♂ who pulled in a friend ♂. Let’s hope it’s not what I think it is.
“I’m starting to feel nervous.”
Aria laughed.
“Me too.”
I said.
“I wonder what we’ll get. Hopefully it’s not something embarrassing.”
The second track runner ♂ chided with a face half expecting, half despairing.
“Let’s pray.”
The third track runner ♀ placed her hands together and sang.
We continued watching from ahead.
The third and fourth track were in first and second place respectively. First track was in third.
Elliot ♀ had just arrived, she drew a paper and glanced at me once before limping towards the loot boxes.
A ping pong ball slammed into my face.
“GOO!!”
She shouted.
Fuck you!
The third track runner raced ahead as I rubbed my nose. I could hear Aria laughing in the background.
The first and third track arrived at the same time. Both rushed to complete their task, mine arrived slightly sooner than Aria’s team.
“I’ll go on ahead.”
I said.
“Good luck!”
I reached into the box and then pulled out a piece of paper.
‘Drag the person you’re closest with to the mark X.’
I raised my head blankly.
All of the tasks for the last runner required bringing someone of a certain characteristic on stage to declare a win.
I glanced at Aria.
She had just begun running.
The third track runner was still missing.
And then I glanced at Elliot ♀ who was walking back to the bleachers.
“Damn it.”
The closest person to me…
It could be referred to as the person closest to my heart.
But I felt like the requirements implied something different…
Closest as in… the person I understood the most.
Aria, no…
I got up and ran towards her.
“Hey?!”
“Come with me.”
“What?”
I suddenly saw the third track runner, Elliot’s ♀ team, arrive with Leon in tow.
“Damn it.”
“Huh? Oi?!”
I lifted Elliot ♀ in a princess carry.
“W-What the fuck?!”
Exactly my thoughts.
You can’t walk properly, we have no choice. You’re fucking heavy.
I ran, with ‘me’ in my arms. The crowd went up in flames as the third track runner, Elliot ♀ and I raced to the finish line.
A race between the yellow and blue team—
“GOOAAALLL!!!”
The stupid emcee roared into the speaker, blasting my eardrums with unnecessary ear rape.
In the end, our team clinched first place.
I finally put ‘myself’ down on the ground, and collapsed to the floor.
“Wow. I’m surprised you had the strength to carry yourself all the way here.”
Leon who arrived a beat late complimented.
“Well… I mean…”
Adrenaline man… adrenaline…
“What did it say?”
Elliot ♀ glared at me.
“What?”
“What the fuck did that paper say?”
I thought to show her the paper, but then realised that I dropped it on the ground in a moment of panic.
Oh well, I’ll just play pretend.
“Why not have a guess?”
I grinned.
“Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you…!”
She looked at me completely disgusted. It’s the kind of expression you’d give a voyeur.
Ahem. The pervert here is you. The task mentioned nothing about picking your lover or girlfriend. It was a simple fact that the person I was closest with was obviously ‘myself’.
I felt someone touch my head.
“There.”
“Huh?”
I looked up and saw Aria’s crooked smile.
“I’ve completed my task.”
She had two pieces of paper in her hand.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
By the end of the sports festival, Elliot ♀ won 3 gold medals, meanwhile I won 3 bronze ones. One for the solo 400-metre sprint, the other two for the 4 x 100-metre relay and 1 x 100-metre relay. The fun run did not contain any prizes.
The train station was rather packed today. We changed and took a quick shower at school before coming here, so we probably wouldn’t cause any problems with our smell?
I let Elliot ♀ take the only empty seat available.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t sweat it.”
She was the one with the sprained ankle after all.
She looked at the three gold medals in her hand and then at the three bronze medals in mine.
Then heaved a great big sigh.
Oh yeah.
How mysterious the way the world works.
Even though she had clearly gotten the bigger prize, she still ended up holding the short end of the stick.
She won overall, but in our little competition, she lost.
“Do your worst.”
She mumbled.
“You know I won’t do something like that.”
“Maybe.”
“Am I that untrustworthy?”
“Yeah, maybe you are.”
“I won’t tell mom, or anyone. But even if I don’t, they’ll probably figure it out in time.”
“Which is exactly why it doesn’t matter whether you tell them.”
“Then they’ll suspect that I’m gay.”
“That’s perfect then.”
“Son of a…”
“Bitch. No need to thank me. You can tell mom all you want.”
She looked so smug-proud.
Fucking bastard.
The train began to slow as it reached a connecting station, I held the railing to brace myself.
“Hey.”
She called out to me in a low voice.
“Tell me.”
I could feel her breath.
“What was on that paper?”
The door slid open with a sizzle.
“It’s time to go.”
I said.
She held my wrist.
“Tell me.”
“We’re going to miss it if we don’t go now.”
“Just admit it if you somehow fell for me.”
“What? Ew, no.”
“Then what is it?!”
Forced to make a decision, I dragged Elliot ♀ by force to leave the train before it went.
Out on the platform, her grip still remained tight as a vice.
Her expression was serious.
I knew she wasn’t going to let go until I told her.
“The person I’m closest with.”
I lisped.
She blinked twice in silence.
“The answer to that is obviously ‘me’, right?”
I stared at her.
“I swear the biggest flaw with ‘me’ is the fact that we tend to misunderstand things very easily.”
She muttered.
“Good that you know, pervert.”
“What you say about me is also you. So keep that in mind, pervert.”
Her expression loosened into a smile.
I rolled my eyes.
Seriously.
I didn’t know ‘I’ was so cute.
──•~❉᯽❉~•──
<Aria Ocean>
“I’ll go on ahead.”
“Good luck!”
Elliot ran ahead of me, I waited anxiously for my teammates to reach me.
It didn’t take long, and by the time I knew it, I was already running for my goal.
I almost tripped when I reached the box, fortunately, I composed myself.
I ran my fingers through the dark box and pulled out a piece.
‘Drag the one you most associate with ‘love’ to mark X.’
I looked towards the box in the fourth track…
Elliot wasn’t there.
I stood up in a panic and looked around.
And then I saw it.
Him carrying her.
I blinked
A churning feeling in my heart.
Aha…
I must be a misunderstanding.
There was no way someone could fall for… themselves?
I noticed a piece of paper on the ground. It was probably Elliot’s.
I made my way over and picked it up.
‘Drag the person you’re closest with to the mark X.’
Reading the line, I folded the paper and placed it in my hands.
A stiff smile naturally graced my lips.
Slowly, I made my way to the mark ‘X’.
The place was loud, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying.
My whole world felt crushed as each step, glazed in darkness paved the way forward to my goal.
Alone.
By myself.
With no one.
Until the world which had been dark before I seized my light.
“There.”
I suppressed my cracking voice.
My heart was trembling.
“I completed my task.”
The person I most associate with ‘love’.
