Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Sports Festival #12
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"Hold on a sec. You said Auntie came? Right now?"
Lee Sea asked, and I nodded in response.
"Yeah. I went home last night, and she was there. I hadn't contacted her or anything, but apparently she heard about the sports festival from your mom?"
"My mom!? Ugh. She didn't say a word to me."
For some reason, Lee Sea was venting her frustration at her own mother.
Lee Soyun fidgeted with her hands and muttered to herself.
"This is so sudden..."
"Same here, honestly."
I replied softly to her mutter, and Lee Soyun jumped up.
"It's different for you!"
What was so different...?
"U-Um. Should I call my mom too? Y-Yeah, it might be best if both sets of parents meet..."
Seong Yurin gripped her phone tightly, lost in deep thought.
"Should I at least put on some makeup...?"
"You've got matches all morning and afternoon. Makeup? Come on, it's no big deal. Parents coming to watch their kids' sports festival is totally normal."
"R-Really?"
Hong Yeonseo took a deep breath and continued.
"You know, you're really clueless about stuff like this."
"Just act normal, like always..."
None of them needed to doll up anyway—their natural looks were already full of personality and beauty.
I got that girls wanted to pretty themselves up, but they were fine as is.
"Anyway, let's go. You planning to stand here forever?"
I rebooted the four malfunctioning robots and herded them toward school.
"Reminds me of the entrance ceremony."
"Yeah. First time we've all gathered like this since then."
There was still plenty of time before the sports festival kicked off, but quite a few students had arrived early, and the field was already buzzing.
Class C was... over there?
I spotted the tall signboard visible even from afar.
Next to it, Teacher Jeong Chaeyeon noticed us and waved with a smile.
"Hey, kids~"
Not many from our class had arrived yet, so the area in front of the teacher was pretty empty.
"Hello."
"Hi~ Everyone feeling okay?"
"Yes!"
"Yeonseo, you're always so full of energy—love that. Let's wait for the others."
Each class's waiting area had portable shade nets set up, providing nice cool shade.
They'd even added folding chairs for comfort.
I'd helped move those chairs myself while handling vice class president duties with Lee Sea.
Considering how the shade would shift as the sun moved, I'd found the optimal spot and was just about to sit for a break when the teacher called.
"Hey, Jina?"
"Yes?"
"Could you help me out for a sec? I prepped ice boxes with water and drinks, but I can't carry them all alone."
Ah, yeah—ice-cold water and drinks were essential for sports day.
"Sure."
A few other kids offered to help, but I waved them off.
It probably wasn't that much, and I could knock it out quick.
I followed the teacher past the stage to the main building lobby.
As I mentioned at the entrance ceremony, the main building overlooked the field, so it wasn't far.
The lobby was stacked with a massive number of ice boxes per class—ones I hadn't seen yesterday.
Hats off to whoever hauled all this here in one day.
Probably loaded a truck up front, unloaded, and repacked into the ice boxes.
Even simple loading and unloading like that was no joke.
...Wait, no way it was the vice president and treasurer, right?
A quick logical deduction later, I headed to the ice boxes by our class sign.
One full of water, one with drinks. Two in total.
"Two trips should do it."
I could probably carry one alone, but the teacher? No chance.
We split the first box and lifted... then set it down.
"S-Sorry?"
The teacher strained with both hands, barely getting it an inch off the ground. No way we were moving it like that.
"Guess I should've called Yeonseo or someone... Whoa."
I grabbed the handle she'd dropped and hoisted the box solo. Her eyes went wide.
"Y-You're okay? Careful with your back!"
A bit heavy, sure, but manageable.
She fussed nervously, carefully supporting the bottom.
...Which put us face-to-face. Kinda awkward.
A few steps in, she noticed too and spun away with a weird squeak.
"Hngh?!"
In the end, she just hovered her hands there, barely helping.
Two round trips later, all boxes were moved, and she marveled.
"Ijin, you've got some real strength. Doesn't show on the outside—I had no idea."
"Haha... Nah."
I didn't look buff or anything, and I never flexed.
Maybe that one time with the textbooks early on, but first days blur together.
By the time we finished, more classmates had shown up, chatting away.
The crowd was swelling—things were about to start for real.
Early-bird parents dotted around too.
The school grounds were spacious once inside, but the approach was standard.
They'd scheduled around student commute and rush hours, but rules like that weren't always followed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Murmurs filled the air.
With this many people, it was bound to be noisy.
I liked quiet, but not in a place like this. Sports festival called for lively chaos—silence here would be creepy.
That psychological horror vibe.
The dread when everyday norms twist.
Like an empty amusement park in broad daylight...
...Rambling aside.
We'd just finished the opening ceremony announcing the start and returned to our seats.
"Nice weather."
Hong Yeonseo stood at the shade's edge, retying her wind-tossed ponytail.
"Yeah. Thought it'd be brutal, but the breeze is keeping it cool."
Lee Sea usually wore her hair down but now had it up, exposing her nape for that breezy look.
Aside from the usual Seong Yurin, the other three all had ponytails like Hong Yeonseo—perfect for action.
The steady cool wind made it ideal for sports day.
Lunch break would cover peak sun anyway, so no weather worries.
"First event is... dodgeball?"
Lots of individuals and track events, but not ours.
Hong Yeonseo's dodgeball was our only morning match.
Events ran mixed, so things were mostly self-directed.
Main field handled most, but you could wander to cheer elsewhere.
Worried about missing? Committee members at each spot prevented that.
Dodgeball match between Class C and H at the secondary field starting soon at 10 AM... Participants, gather 15 minutes before start... Announcements like that kept everyone on track.
"Yeah. Texted Mom. Meet at the dodgeball court."
Lee Sea pocketed her phone.
Parents could mingle and cheer post-ceremony without disrupting.
We'd meet Lee Sea and Lee Soyun's moms there.
Mine was coming at lunch—had some work to wrap up first.
"Alright. Let's go~"
With the majestic Hong Yeonseo leading, the dodgeball girls and their cheering squad set off.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Kids~ Over here~"
At the dodgeball court, Lee Sea and Lee Soyun's moms had snagged prime spots already.
They'd laid out school-provided mats, a mini parasol, and snacks.
Familiar faces, so I greeted naturally, but Hong Yeonseo and Seong Yurin hung back shyly.
Both moms were super approachable, though—soon it was all laughs.
Not total strangers; they'd heard tons about them, building that friend-of-daughter closeness.
"Jini, why haven't you come over lately? Auntie misses you~"
...Saying "Auntie" with that youthful face felt off.
Plenty mistook her for Lee Sea's sister.
"Been busy. I'll swing by when I think of it."
"Jina, you eating the side dishes I sent? Need more?"
"No, thanks. Mom made a ton yesterday since she's here. I'll let you know if we run out."
"Okay, okay. Keep being good friends with our Soyun?"
Chats with both sets of parents flew by.
Before we knew it, Hong Yeonseo headed off for her match.
"Yeonseo, fighting!"
"Slaughter 'em!"
Heh... Kids these days got foul mouths.
Savage cheers from our class squad.
Word was, she led the girls like a boss.
We cheered her on, snacking on the moms' treats to tide us over till dodgeball began.