The Tearful Long Run
After the physical examination came the fitness test.
There were three events: push-ups, sit-ups, and the long-distance run.
Lua, who had no confidence in any of them, breathed an inward sigh of relief as she sat down at a desk prepared on one side of the athletic field—but
“W-what? I have to run too?”
“That’s right. Nurse Han has to pass the test as well. The official from the education office will handle the measurements and records, so you’ll be running the fitness test with the other teachers.”
—The vice principal’s announcement hit Lua like a bolt from the blue.
“I-I… the only exercise I do is… breathing….”
“Come now. You can’t simply skip an official fitness evaluation.”
The vice principal tapped a finger against one line of the official notice—the part that read Failure to participate may result in disadvantages—and spoke.
“Ugh….”
“We’re not expecting any record-breaking performance from you, Nurse Han. Just pass.”
With that, the vice principal vanished back into the building.
He doesn’t even have to do it himself…
Her insides boiled, but there was nothing she could do. As a teacher barely past her probationary period, Lua stood decades behind the vice principal in seniority.
“I really hate exercise….”
Muttering to herself, Lua went to the nurse’s office, changed into a tracksuit, and came back out. It was a children’s tracksuit Sua had bought for her. It fit her body well enough, yet it felt awkward and uncomfortable compared to her usual white gown.
The memory of gym class in her school days—always sitting alone—made her body tremble.
I just want this over with…
The teachers were scattered across the field, stretching or chatting among themselves. Uncomfortable with the free atmosphere, Lua searched with her eyes for Himari, who was usually stuck to her side.
“…Ah!”
Spotting Himari in her gym clothes, Lua started toward her at once—then suddenly stopped.
“Ah, so you’re the top first-year? Nice to meet you.”
“A pleasure, sir. You’re Kim Hyeoncheol, homeroom teacher of the third-year advanced class, correct?”
“Whoa, you know me?”
“I’ve heard you’re an expert in the tanking skill field. I look forward to learning from you.”
Himari was conversing with several teachers who had gathered around her.
“How’s life in Korea treating you? Managing all right?”
“Yes, Mr. Seo Dongin. Thanks to everyone’s help, I’m adapting well.”
Her courteous manner, measured praise, and attractive appearance combined to make Himari wildly popular. The fact that she was first in her year and came from a famous family only amplified the effect.
Well, of course she’d be popular.
Even if Lua had been one of those teachers, she would have paid more attention to an outstanding student. And when that student spoke so prettily on top of everything else, how could anyone not like her?
“…….”
Lua watched Himari talking with the teachers from a distance a little longer, then went and sat on the bleachers at the edge of the field.
Situations like this were familiar by now.
And she had to get used to them.
Himari’s declaration that she would become Lua’s “Moon,” that she respected her and wanted to learn from her, had made Lua a little happy—but Lua already knew she had nothing of that caliber to teach. She could offer tips on combat technique, but as a person she was utterly lacking.
Himari would realize that soon enough, even if not right away, and she would be disappointed.
Still, the small goodwill she had built up so far was a comfort: at least Himari would not refuse a request for help in the final battle.
Until then… maybe we’ll settle into that awkward middle ground—neither close nor distant.
Lua hugged her knees and smiled bitterly.
That was why she deliberately did not approach from her side.
So that when she was alone again, she would not be hurt.
“All right! We’re starting! Everyone gather, please!”
At the organizer’s call, the scattered teachers assembled. The vice principal, who had gone inside earlier, reappeared and explained the procedure.
“Ahem. We’ll proceed in the order of sit-ups, push-ups, and then the long-distance run. Specially for this occasion, Hoshikawa Himari of the first-year special class has agreed to run as our pace-setter. A round of applause, everyone!”
—Clap clap clap.
Applause poured over Himari as she stood beside the vice principal and bowed at the waist. Lua clapped along.
“…….”
When their eyes met, Himari gave a small wave. Lua answered with an awkward smile.
“Come on, come on, let’s finish this quickly and head inside!”
With the education-office official taking measurements, the sit-ups began.
Fail and you get a penalty.
Lua clenched her fists inwardly. The penalty for failure was a one-month ban from school amenities such as the snack bar and break rooms. Lua, who could not give up the snack-bar bread she bought during empty class periods, decided to pass everything as quickly as possible from the start. Thirty sit-ups, fifty push-ups, and a twelve-minute long run—that was all she needed.
Right. My body’s lighter now, so that much should be easy—
—It was not easy.
“Hah… huff… hah….”
After finishing the push-ups as well, Lua collapsed flat on the mat. Her muscles were screaming, her breathing was ragged, and in every way she felt ready to die.
The result of pouring everything into the two events: seven sit-ups, eight push-ups.
Failure.
This is ridiculously hard.
Her body had grown lighter, but her muscle mass had decreased at the same time, so it all canceled out to zero. As expected, anything physical was her absolute weak point.
Into Lua’s spinning field of vision, the vice principal’s face slid into view.
“Nurse Han, so will you still be able to treat the kids properly?”
“Haaah… huff… I-I’m sorry….”
“Tsk tsk. Get ready for the run already.”
The vice principal sighed and walked away. The other teachers around her did not say anything aloud, yet they looked at Lua with faintly condescending eyes. As former professional hunters whose own records ran into triple digits, they could hardly be blamed.
“Teacher, please take heart.”
Himari rested a hand on her shoulder as she spoke.
“For the next one, I will help you.”
“The running?”
—Nod nod.
The final event—the crown jewel of the fitness test, the long-distance run—required completing five laps of the field, three kilometers, within twelve minutes to pass. Helper students had been stationed along the track for accurate measurement.
Even at full strength it would have been hopeless, and after the previous two events had already left her a wreck, Lua had already given up in her heart.
“How?”
“You need only follow me.”
Himari stood beside her, wearing a fluorescent vest over her gym clothes.
Right, they said Himari was the pace-setter.
“I will not be able to stay at your side the entire time we run, but I am set to finish in exactly twelve minutes.”
“Then….”
“Yes. If you simply match my pace, you will pass.”
As she spoke, Himari held out her own handkerchief. Grateful for the consideration, Lua nodded and spoke words she did not truly feel.
“Yeah… I’ll definitely do it.”
“Fighting!”
—Tweet!
The moment the organizer blew the whistle, the other teachers surged past Lua and took the lead. Male and female alike, every one of them flaunted solid leg muscles.
Himari did not push her speed; she began running at a measured pace. As the one setting the passing line, that was only natural—yet even that was far too fast for Lua.
“Teacher!”
“G-go on ahead….”
Himari glanced back once with a pitying expression, then kept her legs moving. She could not wait for Lua alone.
“Hah… huff… hah….”
Himari drew farther away with every step, and Lua was left to fight a lonely battle.
“Hup!”
“I won’t lose, Mr. Jeong!”
Before long the leaders had pulled more than a full lap ahead, and fellow teachers began overtaking Lua.
“Hah… haah….”
Short legs with not a muscle to be found, and stamina that had vanished from sitting around all day. The leaders lapped her several more times, and soon people were already finishing.
“Mr. Kim Hyeoncheol, eight minutes twelve seconds. Mr. Jeong Sihyeon, eight minutes thirteen seconds.”
“Argh! One second!”
“Haha, drinks are on you today?”
Laughter floated around the finish line, but none of it applied to Lua.
She simply ran the track alone. Of course the gazes of the helper students stationed on either side were fixed on her.
In that moment, the fact that her body was smaller and her stamina poorer than everyone else’s filled her with shame.
“Haah… hah….”
Before long even pace-setter Himari had finished.
The only remaining failure was Lua, still three laps behind. She tried to drag herself toward the finish line with slumped shoulders—but
“—There’s still more. Failures are still being recorded, so keep running.”
“Ugh….”
At the education-office recorder’s words, she had no choice but to turn her steps back onto the track.
—Thud, thud.
Stamina was no longer the real problem. The fact that she alone had failed to keep up with the atmosphere had settled onto her shoulders like a strangely heavy weight.
“Hahaha….”
“No, once this is over we have work….”
Teachers chatting cheerfully at the finish line. The education-office official watching Lua with folded arms and a bored expression. Helper students fiddling with their phones, looking uninterested.
“Hey, isn’t it over? Aren’t they calling us?”
“The nurse teacher’s still running.”
“Ugh, so annoying. Why stick to the rules like this? Just wrap it up already….”
By unlucky chance, the students’ whispered voices reached her just as she passed.
“Ugh.”
Her face burned red. The knowledge that she was being a nuisance—and that everyone knew it yet pretended not to—filled her with shame and humiliation. It was longer and more painful than even the moment at the entrance ceremony when every eye had been on her.
“One lap remaining!”
Tears blurred her vision so badly she could barely see. Lua staggered as she forced herself past the finish-line area.
“Come on, just finish it roughly.”
“How long do we have to wait?”
The teachers’ muttering. She wanted to pass them as quickly as possible, but her exhausted body would not allow it.
“Honestly, she should have exercised more on a regular basis….”
Those words reached her just as Lua wiped her tears with her sleeve—
“—Teacher, please refrain from such remarks.”
Himari’s clear voice rang out. Having removed her fluorescent vest, Himari walked straight up to the second-year tank-position teacher who had just spoken and faced him squarely.
“Nurse Han Lua is giving her utmost effort.”
“And so?”
Even though the teacher was far taller than she was, Himari challenged him without flinching.
“Rather than supporting a colleague, you choose to speak that way. I am disappointed.”
“What?”
The teacher’s face twisted.
“Being a little better at running, having a little more stamina—that does not give you the right to look down on Nurse Han Lua.”
“Hey, hey, Hoshikawa Himari, that’s enough.”
“A student has no place….”
Fellow teachers hurried over and pulled the two apart, but Himari turned her sharp gaze on them as well.
“You teachers constantly emphasize party camaraderie to us. Yet it seems you have no intention of setting an example yourselves.”
“No, what I meant was….”
“We were just saying it’s a shame Nurse Han failed, that’s all….”
Faced with Himari’s utterly unyielding stance and words that were essentially correct, the teachers averted their eyes and offered excuses.
“When Nurse Han finishes, please welcome her with applause.”
“Ah… right….”
“Then I will take my leave.”
Leaving those words behind, Himari stepped back onto the track. With her long legs and solid leg muscles she quickly caught up to Lua and matched pace with her for the final half-lap.
“Teacher, the finish is right there!”
“Hah… huff… hah….”
Without even the strength to answer, Lua could only manage a weak nod.
“I will run with you. Please find your strength!”
“……!”
Tears welled up again.
These were tears of a different meaning from before.
“…Y-yeah!”
Lua wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then wrung out every last drop of remaining strength. Matching the rhythm of Himari running beside her, she moved slowly but steadily.
At last she crossed the finish line, and applause from the other teachers poured down.
—Clap clap clap….
“H-hey! Nurse Lua! G-good work!”
“You did well….”
“Hah… huff….”
Lua rested her hands on her knees for a moment to catch her breath, then realized a towel had been draped over her shoulders.
It was Himari.
“You worked hard, Teacher.”
“…….”
“It was a splendid run.”
Lua did not answer. She simply buried her sweat-soaked face against Himari’s equally sweat-soaked clothes and tightly embraced her “Moon.” Himari looked a little surprised, but soon smiled and wrapped her arms around Lua’s shoulders in return.
“…Thank you.”