Chapter 11: The Fitness Test (and Club Solicitations) are Such a Pain…
(Fitness tests really are a pain…)
Time passed, and it was now the fourth period. Today’s P.E. class, just as Hiyori-san and I had discussed this morning, was dedicated to the fitness test.
The test would be conducted over three class periods. For the first session today, we were scheduled to do the 50-meter dash, handball throw, and standing long jump on the athletic field, along with a grip strength test as well.
The remaining events would be held in the gymnasium, including everyone’s favorite, the shuttle run.
It’s something everyone probably thinks, but just running, jumping, and throwing is surprisingly troublesome.
However, thankfully, our fitness test proceeded surprisingly smoothly thanks to all the P.E. teachers helping out.
Since we were allowed to return to the classroom for self-study once we finished our measurements early, we all, record sheets in hand, diligently tackled the fitness test, trying to get the tiresome business over with quickly.
…Or so I thought—?
“Ogame, you really won’t change your mind? Huh?”
“Haaah…”
How many times does this make? I thought, sighing beside the sandpit where the standing long jump measurements were being taken.
The one fervently talking to me was Tanuma-sensei, a P.E. teacher and the advisor for the basketball club.
“I’ve had my eye on you for a while now, but your physical abilities are truly top-notch! With that height and jumping power, you could become our ace right away! Ogame! Won’t you join the basketball club too?!”
“I won’t. Haven’t I told you many times? I want to prioritize things at home. Besides, can I go now? All I have left is the grip strength test, and then I’m done.”
“Waait! Come on, I’m begging you! After seeing your jumping power, I just desperately want you on the team! Just once is fine! Come take a peek at the club! Huh? Huh?!”
Tanuma-sensei, who was trying to recruit me like some kind of demon, continued to talk persistently even after that.
Honestly, I’d had a bad feeling ever since I saw the teacher’s face, who was waiting here in charge of the standing long jump measurements.
But to think he’d abuse his authority as a teacher, making me ‘help’ with measurements to trap me while he tried to persuade me—that was really crossing a line.
If Tanuma-sensei hadn’t caught me, I’d be relaxing in the classroom by now… I was feeling gloomy under the scorching sun when a voice called out to us.
“Um~, I’m going to do the standing long jump, so could you measure the distance for me~?”
“Oh, Hiyori-san? You weren’t finished yet?”
“Ah~… yeah. I wanted to do it after there were fewer people…”
As she said that, Hiyori-san handed me her record sheet, glanced at Tanuma-sensei behind me, and then leaned in closer.
My heart skipped a beat for a moment. Towards me, her cheeks, already slightly flushed perhaps from running, turned an even deeper red as she shyly told me the reason she was late.
“Well, when I run, they, um, bounce… my chest, I mean… It’s really embarrassing, so I didn’t want too many people to see…”
“Ah, ah, I, I see…”
Looking at Hiyori-san’s large chest, wrapped in her gym clothes, and then at her embarrassed face, I nodded, feeling unsettled.
Dressed as she was now, in clothes that seemed thinner than her uniform, she certainly cut a figure that would draw people’s eyes… and if that chest of hers were to bounce, well, she’d undoubtedly attract even more attention.
She probably went through the same thing in middle school, I thought, feeling a slight, indescribable irritation. I cleared my throat softly and then said to her.
“W-Well, don’t worry. As you can see, there’s hardly anyone here anymore, and with the standing long jump, you, uh, don’t have to worry about that, right?”
“That’s true. But, from your perspective, Yusuke-kun, isn’t it a little disappointing? Like, if it were the 50-meter dash, you might have seen something good.”
“Ah~… No comment.”
What’s the right answer in this situation? As I pondered this, Hiyori-san continued with a bashful smile.
“No, but the worst one is the side-step test, you know? It’s fine because a girl measures it, but I feel like I’m on display.”
“Ugh, uum…”
What would happen to her chest, which bounced up and down just from running, if she did the side-step test, moving vigorously left and right, pyokon pyokon? I thought about it for a moment, then felt sorry for Hiyori-san and stopped that line of thought.
It’s not good to indulge in such fantasies too much, I chided myself. As I was reining myself in, Hiyori-san threw a question my way.
“By the way, Yusuke-kun, how was your record? Did you jump pretty far?”
“Eh? Ah~… It was alright, I guess.”
Hiyori-san was asking about my record for the standing long jump, which she was about to do.
I had given a vague reply, but then Tanuma-sensei suddenly interjected.
“Hey, hey, don’t be modest, Ogame! It was a pretty good record, wasn’t it!”
“Was it really?! By the way, how far did you jump?”
“Prepare to be amazed! For the standing long jump, Ogame’s record is… a whopping 2 meters and 96 centimeters! That’s almost 3 meters! You think that’s amazing too, right, Nanase?!”
“T-Two meters, ninety-six centimeters…?!”
Hiyori-san’s eyes widened in astonishment at Tanuma-sensei’s remark, who had just blurted out my record without permission.
While I, who just wanted to get the measurements over with quickly, was silently cursing the teacher for doing something unnecessary, Tanuma-sensei, grinning strangely, put his arm around my shoulder, pulled my face closer, and said in a low, smug voice:
“Look, Ogame! Look at Nanase’s face now that she knows your great record! In any era, athletic guys are the object of girls’ admiration! Imagine the girls seeing you shine in a star sport like basketball—a fun school life will be yours in no time! One of our managers might even fall for you, you know~?!”
“…Sensei, are you aware that what you’re saying is quite problematic for a teacher?”
He probably wasn’t a bad person, but my impression of Tanuma-sensei was that he was strange and a bit of an idiot.
Seeing that direct persuasion wasn’t working, he probably tried to recruit me by suggesting some kind of benefit for me, but unfortunately, I had absolutely no intention of joining any club.
Skillfully ignoring the teacher, I urged Hiyori-san, who was still frozen, to do her standing long jump.
“It looks like you’re the last one, Hiyori-san, so let’s get this measured quickly. Then I’ll be freed from this duty, and you want to get back soon too, right… Huh?”
“2 meters 96 centimeters…! Guuuh, somehow that’s frustrating…! That’s exactly twice my height…!!”
“Eh? Hiyori-san, you’re 148 cm tall?”
“!!”