Follow My Feet
After finishing our warm-up, we started jogging for real. Harin took the lead up front, guiding those behind her.
"Don't push yourselves too hard. Just run at your own pace. We'll do one light lap around the neighborhood, then everyone can run freely after that."
"Hah...! Hah..! Then, can I stop running now?"
"It's been less than five minutes? When you're always whining about your red feet or blue feet.. Quit making excuses and run!"
"Th-that tiger-snouted bitch..! I told you, I'm a sprinter, not a long-distance runner..!"
Yuna dragged her feet, grumbling complaints but forcing her legs to move through sheer spite under Harin's firm lead. Still, her gripes weren't entirely baseless. Honestly, even I felt the pace was faster than expected. Maintaining this speed while leading beginners was bound to wear anyone out quick.
Maria, running beside me, wasn't saying a word, but her breathing was labored.
"Maria, you can slow down. Don't push it."
"Hoo..! Hoo..! I-I'm fine..! Hoo..! Gotta do at least this much..! Or it's not a real workout..!"
She's talking crazy. The moment you force your body like that, it's no longer exercise—it's self-destruction. Even among the Earth Warriors, plenty ruined themselves pushing too hard. Some kept training through injuries and ended up with their warrior lives cut short for good.
Maria might manage one lap somehow. But after that? She could end up with a vague fear of working out.
"Hah, hah..! Damn it..! Why'd I even suggest this crap..! Never again, I swear..! Haaaah...!"
That one's already toast. Still, can't have stragglers on day one. I picked up my pace a bit and surged ahead of the two.
Keeping a steady distance so they could follow, I called back.
"From now on, just watch my feet and keep up. If it's really too much, stop then."
"Huh?"
I sped up a little more and pulled ahead, maintaining that interval for them to match. This should let them adjust their pace without falling too far behind. One of them might drop anyway.
Then I sensed a presence and glanced ahead—right into Harin's sidelong glare. She whipped her head away quick, but it was obvious she was still hyper-aware of me.
Figured it'd take longer. But from the looks of it, I'd be talking to her sooner than expected.
In the end, they all finished the neighborhood lap without dropping out. But yeah, it was a stretch—Maria and Yuna could barely stand, gasping raggedly.
"Hah..! Hah..! I-I did it..! Hngh, so thirsty..! Water..! Need water..!"
"Hoo..! Hoo..! W-wait..! I'll get some..!"
"Here."
"Ah..! Th-thanks..!"
Sihoo swiftly fetched water for the exhausted girls. Unlike them on the verge of collapse, he hadn't broken a sweat. They marveled for a moment at how his breathing stayed perfectly even despite running the same distance. Then Harin approached.
"Good work, everyone. Those who wanna rest, head to the shade. Those who wanna keep going, come run with me."
"What..?! We just rested a minute—run again? That's not exercise, that's torture!"
"What..?! We just rested a minute—run again? That's not exercise, that's torture! I'm not doing it! You go alone! I'm not budging an inch!"
"Never planned on you coming anyway. Props for not quitting and finishing, though. No more getting teased as a quick-shot now, huh?"
"Who're you calling the always-horny two-second premature rabbit, you bitch?!"
"..I didn't say it that harsh. And hey, not exactly wrong.."
"You illiterate muscle-brained sheep-bitch! Think you can fight that good?! Follow me to the roof.. Kyaaang?! E-ear, e-ear, eaaaars-!!"
"Yeah, fighting's the one thing I'm good at. Wanna test it?"
"N-nooo-! Stop it-! Don't hit me-! Fragile bunny gets wrecked by those paws-!!"
"Paws my ass..! Anyway, Maria—what about you?"
"Mm. Think that's my limit."
"Got it. Rest up then. Honestly, I pushed a bit overpace for day one."
Harin knew she'd failed to account for the two newbies. Sure, just a neighborhood lap, but this wasn't a tiny place—should've given rest breaks. She'd gotten distracted and forgotten. Later, gotta treat 'em to make up for it, she thought.
But that was for later. Right now, she had a more pressing issue. She turned to the source—Sihoo.
"Sihoo, right? What about you?"
"I'll come. Body's just warmed up now."
"Same here. Won't hold back this time—my pace. Fall behind, your problem."
"Music to my ears. I'll give it my all to keep up."
And so Harin and Sihoo took off again with barely a breather. Watching them blaze ahead way faster than before, Yuna made a face like she'd seen a ghost.
"Knew he was fishy from first sight, but no way another stamina freak matches that idiot. Maria, you sure he's a normal human? No giantkin or big beastkin in the family?"
"Hmm.. Dunno? He hasn't mentioned any. But he seems nice, right?"
"Is there anyone not nice to you? That octopus teacher who used to tentacle-slap eight students at a time couldn't touch you. Those tentacles burned so bad. Pfft, hope she stays single and rots forever."
"Ahaha.. But he brought us water.. And we finished thanks to him leading up front."
"Yeah… I guess so. For a guy who talks casually even on a first meeting, he’s got some charm."
Right when she'd wanted to quit mid-run, he'd surged ahead and told them to follow his feet. She'd thought what's the point? at first, but focusing on his steps got her through somehow.
'Breathe slow. In through nose, out through nose. Mouth-breathing wrecks your throat.'
'Almost there. Hang in a bit longer. Quitting now'd be such a waste.'
'Don't stop your legs. Keep stepping. Here, lean on my hand for support.'
Not just that—he kept talking, guiding them even while running himself. Before she knew it, her eyes tracked him. That broad, reliable back. The low, smooth rumble of his voice in her ear. The kindness of fetching water for her exhausted self.
Each glimpse made her heart flutter oddly.
Me and my dumb brain.. Crushing on another girl? He'd freak if he knew.
Maria hurriedly shoved the thought away like it was taboo. But apparently, she wasn't the only one.
"He was kinda cool, yeah. Almost made my heart skip like with a girl. Guess height's the first filter for guys. Sucks being a short bunny, tch."
"Hehe. But you're slim and pretty, Yuna. No matter how much I move, I can't lose weight.."
"Eh.. Well, pros and cons, right? But who cares. Guys won't even glance no matter how we try—oh."
"..."
In this world, the bar for girls popular with men was brutally high. Tall and skinny was ideal—shorter girls got surgery to grow taller or starved themselves extreme. Deaths weren't rare.
On the flip: petite and slim like Yuna? Fine. But curvy like Maria—big chest or hips from birth? Men scorned them. Unfixable traits, mocked by men and women alike.
Maria knew that sting all too well. Yuna, realizing her slip, sweated bullets trying to apologize.
"N-no..! Maria, I didn't mean.."
"It's fine, Yuna. I know you didn't mean it like that."
"..Sorry. Should I grovel? Please don't hate me, okay?"
"Hehe, I said it's fine. How could I hate you? You and Harin always protected me when things got tough."
"Aah..! Maria..! My angel! Anyone else, maybe—but I love how big your heart is, just like those tits!"
Overwhelmed by Maria's forgiveness, Yuna dove straight into her chest. Maria stroked her hair with a smile. To her, Yuna and Harin were irreplaceable friends. She could smile like this because they were around.
But that's that, and this is this. Gotta do what needs doing.
"Hehe.. Yeah. Love you guys too. So.."
"..Huh?"
Suddenly, Maria gently pinched Yuna's long ear between her fingers. Sensing doom from the soft touch, Yuna pleaded with desperate eyes.
"M-Maria..? Wh-what're you..?"
"Hehe.. Special mercy this time."
The moment Maria flashed that pure smile, Yuna knew. No mercy left.
"P-please, have mercy..!"
"Gonna pull~♪"
Kyaaaaang-?!