I wanted to leave for Sasami’s sake. But Shimizu won’t stop.
 
“He’s just what? To be honest, I’d be disappointed if a club member was acquainted with such an unpleasant guy.”
 
Sasami looks at me for an instant–and sighs.
 
She has an expression like one of resignation. I’ve seen that face before. The face people make when discarding something.
 
I’ve seen it many times. And each time, I reset.
 

 
“…Haa…Yes! I don’t know this person at all! He just called out to me a bit! I-I only have eyes for Shimizu-senpai!”
 

 
Each of Sasami’s words pierces my chest.
 
But it can’t be helped. Sasami is in the track club, this guy is the team ace and upperclassman. Power dynamics in small groups are difficult. Let alone for a first year like Sasami, it would be bad if she was disliked by Shimizu.
 
Sasami must have thought saying this would defuse the situation.
 
So I should endure. I know those aren’t Sasami’s true feelings. I recall Tanaka’s words. Let it slide off me.
 

 
“A-and he was bothering me lately! Following me to morning practice too, it was super creepy!”
 
“What!? Should I report him to the police!?”
 
“No no no no, thanks to Shimizu-senpai I’m fine now! Here, Shimizu-senpai let’s go! I’ll definitely win the next meet! Hehe…”
 
Sasami with a forced smile takes Shimizu’s arm and tries to leave, pulling him away from me. All I could do was watch.
 

 
Sasami says something to Shimizu and comes back to me.
 
With a complicated expression, Sasami stands before me.
 
“I’m…I’m sorry. But I didn’t know senpai was disliked by Shimizu-senpai. You should have told me. It’s a little irritating. My reputation with him will drop.”
 
“Sasami…?”
 
“And senpai, did you make a girl cry? That’s the worst.”
 
“What are you saying…”
 
Sasami’s voice, unlike earlier, was low, dark, and held an unpleasant tone.
 
Seeing her change like this, I’m bewildered and can’t find any words. Then, Sasami says loudly enough for Shimizu to hear:
 

 
“–Please don’t get close to me again!”
 

 
–Sorry, Tanaka. Letting things slide off me is difficult…Teach me how sometime.
 

 
I tightly clench my fist, trying to endure the pain in my chest. I grit my teeth, trying to bear something. But the physical pain doesn’t suppress it.
 
Lowering my eyes, I see my tattered leather shoes.
 

 
The leather shoes I bought with Sasami on a day off.
 
[Senpai, you go to school wearing those shoes with holes?]
 
[I’ll pick out shoes for you! Loafers are definitely cool!]
 
[Senpai, with your style these will look good on you!]
 
[You can’t run in dress shoes!]
 

 
Memories of the year since meeting Sasami flash through my mind like a flip book. My leather shoes worn to shreds after one year.
 
It was as if they represented the current state of my heart.
 

 
–I’ll buy new shoes. I’ll go with shoes this time. So I should erase all my feelings for Sasami.
 
I close my eyes, erasing the shoes from my vision. Like scooping out the pained parts of my heart, I concentrate my mind.
 
And–
 

 
I reset the sisterly affection I held for Sasami.
 

 
Opening my eyes, the tattered shoes I was attached to now look like meaningless shoes. The stabbing pain in my chest disappears.
 
My emotions towards Sasami have become flat.
 
Looking at Sasami before me, I feel nothing. My heart remains cold. She’s just a stranger.
 

 
“I see. After joining your training every morning this past year, that’s a cruel thing to say… Never get close again… Sasami-san, your center of gravity was slightly off this morning too. You should stop running to protect your old injury. It’s healed already. This is my last piece of advice.”
 
“S-senpai! Your voice is too loud! Shimizu-senpai will–!”
 
“…I won’t associate with you again.”
 
“Huh? What are you saying!? I-it’s not like I asked you to teach me! That’s super irritating…”
 
Shimizu approaches me. I had forgotten about his presence.
 
“You, you were getting close to Sasami, huh! You creepy guy.”
 
“I just gave advice. Sasami was the one who wanted to learn from me.”
 
“Like hell I can believe that! Sure, Sasami has gotten faster recently, but that’s thanks to my guidance!!”
 
“W-Well… Th-Thanks to you, Shimizu-senpai…”
 
Sasami had a bitter expression. She probably understands it herself. The effects of the morning training.
 

READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM

 
I tried to leave this place without saying anything.
 
It’s about people who are no longer relevant to me.
 
There’s no need to get involved anymore.
 
“Hey, I told you to wait! Toudou, right!?”
 
I dodge Shimizu’s arm as he tries to grab my shoulder. I sprint across the courtyard heading for the field.
 

 
I don’t even understand why I started running myself. I should have just gone straight home right?
 
But my feet won’t stop.
 
Like blowing off some impulse.
 
I sense Shimizu and Sasami chasing after me from behind.
 
I continue running unconcerned.
 
Glancing back, Shimizu wearing his jersey and athletic shoes is seriously chasing after me.
 
He was the long distance ace right?
 

 
I continue running with detachment. My tattered shoes seem unlikely to withstand my running. It’s fine if they break.
 
The students practicing club activities on the field stir into commotion.
 

 
“Why’s he running in his uniform?”
 
“Isn’t that Shimizu-san!?”
 
“Shimizu-san looks pretty serious running huh? But that guy in uniform…he’s fast?”
 
“Yo, they’re on their second lap! Get a timer!! That guy in uniform is crazy fast!!”
 
Like tearing something away, I continue running.
 
My heart should be flat.
 
Yet–this unease won’t disappear.
 
Should I have let Sasami’s words slide off me? Endure the pain of a wounded heart while bearing her malice?
 
Because I reset, my heart doesn’t hurt at all. My relationship with Sasami is over.
 
There was no room left for discussion. It ended with a unilateral declaration.
 
There’s nothing for me to be concerned about.
 

 
But–
 
But I couldn’t stop running.
 

 
“No way…Shimizu is half a lap behind! That guy…competed at the inter-high meet.”
 
“Who the hell is that guy in uniform!? Anyone know him!? Why’s he running on the field!?”
 
“What’s his time!? –No way…Did I mistime it? Those shoes…”
 

 
If I hadn’t reset my feelings for Hanazono, maybe Shimizu wouldn’t have directed malice at me…Do accumulated interpersonal relationships shape emotions?
 
Thanks to that, my connection with Sasami was also cut. But human relationships that crumble so easily were probably unnecessary anyway.
 
She was just using me. Even thinking that doesn’t make me feel sad. My heart is empty.
 

 
I exit the field and head outside the school. But still I continue running.
 
–There was no one to stop me.
 
I don’t need to think about people unrelated to me anymore.
 

 
–Tanaka, school is really difficult.
 

 
Rarely, my sweat won’t stop. Around my face.
 

Sometimes your physical condition is just like that I guess.
 
My heart is calm so it’s alright. It should be alright.
 
Oh right, starting tomorrow I need to stop my early morning jogs. Even if I change my route, there’s a possibility of running into her.
 
With composure I consider my schedule for tomorrow. I have to do that or unnecessary thoughts will pop up in my head–
 

 
My shoes couldn’t withstand my running anymore and the soles came off.
 
I stop and stare at the ground.
 

 
Even though I wanted to throw them away…for some reason I couldn’t.
 

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