“Mm...” Maybe actually feeling embarrassed, Mia looked down, flushed, and let out a small sigh. That mannerism of hers was like a jolt of electricity to the men present. “A-All right... here I go.” She picked up the ball and dribbled a bit. She then began rolling it around her body with practiced motions. It felt more like a rhythmic gymnastics performance than basketball.
But honestly, at that point, she could have done anything. The boys spent the next two minutes hooting and hollering like they were on fire.
“Ngh...” Kaname, watching from the wings, let out a noise of frustration. Yes... that’s the way to do it. No matter how shameless it is, that’s what you have to do if you want to win. Well done, Shoji Mia! To start off with a disappointing tracksuit, then strip down—it had sent a shock to the boys’ libido. It was an utterly calculated, extremely crafty performance. An acceptable rival. Yes... That’s how it has to be. I’d expect nothing less from my true foe!
“Kaname-san... You seem to be enjoying yourself,” Ren said from the side.
“Heh heh heh... You bet I am. Look at them all, eating out of her hand,” said Kaname. “It means I made the right choice. And now that I know that, I can step on stage with confidence. Shoji Mia just paved the way for me. Heh heh heh...”
“But your appearance seems rather odd to me...”
Kaname was currently wearing a robe with ‘fighting spirit’ written on the back. She’d bought it at a merch stall at an Antonio Inoki fight long ago. “What matters is what’s under it,” Kaname reassured her.
Yes. Underneath the robe, she was wearing the swimsuit she’d bought over the summer. Her plan was to hang off the microphone in a bikini, dancing and singing Madonna’s Like a Virgin in the sweetest voice she could muster—and in English, at that. She’d show them the power she’d gained from her time abroad.
The bikini in question was made of white lace, and though very revealing, she felt confident in it. She’d spent a lot of time checking herself out in the mirror, striking corny poses with nobody around. It was a hollow pursuit that almost made her regret her life choices, but the effort had paid off.
No matter what else they said, none of the participants of the Miss Jindai contest had the guts to wear a bikini onstage. They had their pride, after all—but pride could also be a shackle. You had to break those chains to seize the light of victory!
“Yes... I won’t lose. I won’t run away! I won’t be afraid. I’ll buckle down, and I’ll have my revenge.” Kaname paused a moment to examine herself. “Yes, ready to go!”
“Um... Kaname-san, perhaps you should relax a bit?” Ren seemed a bit flustered over the way Kaname’s eyes were blazing, looking less like a pageant girl and more like a boxer before a match.
“Thank you, O-Ren-san. But I’m afraid I’m gonna give you a taste of bitter defeat as well.”
“Well... I was only trying to get a perfect score from Senpai, but... Kaname-san, you really should—”
“It’s okay,” Kaname said reassuringly. “I’m gonna go out there and pander like nobody’s business!”
“Hahhh...”
Around that time, Mia’s performance was ending, at last, to wild applause. Her score was 96, higher even than Ren’s. She’d gotten a perfect 50 from the audience, as enthusiastic as they could possibly be.
Meanwhile, the judges’ score was 46, which included a full five points from Sousuke. When the MC asked, he’d said, “It’s only natural. You saw how happy she made the crowd.”
The highest score, even from Sousuke?! Whatever... Watch this!
After a few minutes of waiting, the 31st girl finished and Kaname’s turn came up.
“Now, our last performer! Can she beat Shoji Mia-san’s score?! It’s entry number 32, Class 2-4, Chidori Kaname-san!” the MC announced.
“Okay!” Kaname slapped her cheeks and strode out onto the stage. But when she stood up there in front of the hundreds of people, she spoke with intentional hesitancy. “Um, hello! I’m Chidori Kaname. I’m really nervous right now!”
Even that tentative approach inspired genuine excitement in the audience. When she removed her robe to show off her very appealing, swimsuit-clad body, it filled the venue with the biggest cheers of the day.
Don’t underestimate me. This is what Kaname can really do!
Her singing and dancing were both excellent. She showed real talent, alongside the pure charisma and dazzle that you needed in a song and dance routine.
Obviously, she earned 50 points from the audience reaction, equivalent to Mia’s. That meant it would come down to the judges’ scores. Mia had received 46 points from the judges—if she could beat that score, Kaname would be Miss Jindai.
“Now, can Chidori Kaname surpass the shocking score received by Shoji Mia?! Judges, if you please!” the MC said.
The ten judges held up their score cards. Five, five, five... The “Five” scores came up one after another. Kaname watched them with understandable nerves.
Looking good... Looking good... Hayashimizu held up a 5. Thanks, Senpai. Mizuhoshi, also a 5. Thanks, Teacher! Principal Tsuboi gave her a 4 with a wince. Understandable, thought Kaname, I went with the sexy approach, after all. That’s the best I could hope for.
Nishino Kozue gave a 5 with a smile. Then two more uptight judges held up 4s. Go to hell, all of you!
Only Sousuke remained. If he gave her a 5, she’d score 97. Higher than Mia’s 96. Yes, it’s in the bag! Have my back, okay?! Sousuke had given 5 points to Mia, after all.
Kaname clenched her fists, certain of victory. Sousuke looked as sullen as ever as he held up his card, and...
“Er...”
Sousuke’s score... was a 3.
Shoji Mia bowed her head and cried as she received the winner’s trophy from Hayashimizu at the closing ceremony. Her tears were real. Despite the trashy nature of the event, she’d worked pretty hard and won fair and square.
Kaname just held up her second place trophy and gave a strained smile. But once the ceremony ended, she hid behind the school building by herself and cried tears of frustration.
I’m such an idiot. Taking part in that contest I didn’t really care about... building myself up about needing to win... even wearing that stupid swimsuit... and after all of it, I still lost. I lost to Mia. And because of his score, of all things. She didn’t really care about winning, but she’d wanted those five points. I’m such an idiot.
As she pressed her head against the wall of the school building, trembling, she heard steps approaching softly from behind.
“Chidori...” came a hesitant voice. It was Sousuke.
“What?” Kaname said, sniffling. She didn’t turn to face him as she wiped at her eyes.
“I’ve been looking everywhere. About what happened... Tokiwa told me everything.”
Kyoko. That nosy broad! “So what? Who cares? She’s just the girl you like better, right?”
“Well, I—”
“Five points for her, right? Fine, whatever. And I lost first prize because of that. But it’s not a big deal.”
“Chidori.”
“I just don’t care, so why don’t you leave already?” she said coldly.
“I will. But there’s something I wanted to tell you first...”
“Just shut up,” she snarled. “I told you to beat it. I don’t want to hear any more—”
“I think my point value was correct,” Sousuke said, interrupting Kaname.
“What?”
“The way you were acting wasn’t... you,” he explained. “I’m not good with words, so it’s hard to express... but that isn’t how you really are. That’s how I feel.”
There was a long silence. Kaname turned back hesitantly and looked at Sousuke with red, puffy eyes.
He looked away guiltily, scratching at his temple.
So that had been it... Winking in a sexy swimsuit with an insincere smile, making up a whole plan and putting on an out-of-character performance, getting thunderous applause from an audience and judges who didn’t know her at all... Sousuke was the only one who found that attitude of hers strange.
So that’s what it was? she reflected. Out loud, she said, “That’s why the three points?”
“Yeah. Was that... unfair?” he asked, trying to feel out Kaname’s feelings. He sounded a bit like a child being scolded for a prank.
She felt her anger and sorrow inexplicably fading. “Hmm... I get it. It’s okay now,” Kaname said with a big sigh.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Really, for real?”
“Just drop it already! I said I understand, okay? Let’s forget all the bad stuff and go help our class. C’mon!” Kaname gave him a wincing smile and patted Sousuke on the shoulder.
“If you’d acted like that, you’d have won.”
“Huh?”
“The way you are right now deserves a perfect score,” Sousuke said calmly, and began walking away.
Kaname just stood there for a while, her entire face red.
[The End]