"Next time, we will win." Fujiwara states which silence everyone who was laughing and got serious. "Yeah! Next time, we will beat Saisei!" Riku says then they all smiled at their words.

"Yeah!" They all cheered with determination...

~*~

Shun's POV

We were all at the clubroom, listening to what Dan-sensei's want and need to say about the upcoming match.

"I received word on who we're facing next Sunday for the first match of the Trial Tour." He states to the team, getting everyone's attention.

"It's Mihashi High School." he informed

"Is that so..." Kadowaki says as he adjusted his glasses. "Mihashi High School's Stride Team..." he said calmly

"Famous for raising giant carp streamers on the Boy's Festival day!" he says with fired upwhile raising a fist up. "Way to go, Stride-hakase!" Kohinata commented (hakase meaning doctor but actually professor.)

"Why carp streamers?" I and Riku asked with a sweat drop

"Mihashi is a famous in Saitama, and Saitama is the #1 Mmanufacturer of carp streamers in Japan!" Kadowaki explains as he goes through the hanging towels. "Way to go, Prime Minister of Trivia!" Kohinata says pulling out his hand-puppet cat.

"This year, the first match will take place in Atami." Dan-sensei stated with the use of the white board.

"Atami... Atami!!" Riku began to be all excited hearing the word 'Atami' and stood up with his arms stretched and said;

"Oh Yeah!! A hot springs resort!" excitment all over his face.

"Yudan Taiteki. This is Hasekura's final chance at the End Of Summer event." Dan-sensei informs us while Riku and Kadowaki stood still. "We cannot afford to slip uo like we did against Saisei." he adds while the two began to look down.

"Come on guys, stop looking so grim. Let's enjoy this!" Heath says trying to lighten up the mood.

"We promised to win anyways." I told them

"Yeah!! Failure does not mean impossible!" Kadowaki says as he hardly grips the towels and took it of, showing his determination.

"All Shoji pieces move forward!" Kadowaki runs out of the room to the track field with Kohinata following behind him saying;

"Way to go, unbreakable Shoji-Strider!"

~*~

We were now all outside at the track field, Heath was performing a demonstation for us on how to get though basic obstacles.

"Cool!" Riku compliments Heath with his hands together.

"That's the most basic wall-clearing move, the Vault." Heath explains smoothly. "I'll go up next!" Kohinata says with a hand up and performed his own.

"Wow!"

"As expected of Kohinata-senpai, he's really good at clearing gimmicks." Riku says with a smile.

"That move was the Monkey Vault, a type that requires a higher leap than other Vaults. There are other types, like the Kong Vault, Dash Vault, Pop Vault, Gate Vault, Sky Vault, Tic Tac..." Kodowaki explaines but was interrupted.

"Kadowaki-senpai, are you gonna jump?" I asked him while I was beside Riku.

"Uh! What are you saying, Of course I will!" Kadowaki said then looked at the odstacle in front of him, took a deep breath and ran towards it and did a slow but stable clearing.

"Solid!" Riku says. "Too slow. Slow jumps are meaningless" Takeru said while I hit him with my elbow. "A jump is a jump, Takeru." I say. "Do you have to say it like that?" Riku told Takeru but he started to run. Takeru had swiftly cleared the gimmick fast and stable.

"Takeru, good one!" Kohinata complimented him. "If you pulled you knees in more, it would look cooler." Heath suggested

"As long as it's fast and accurate, I don't care about the looks." Takeru said

"Always the cheeky one..."

"Stride is a speed sport." Takeru stated

"Okay, solo practice time! Watch out ofr injuries!" Heath announced. "Yeah!" We all responded then I looked over to Kadowaki-senpai, who looked deep in thoughts.

'What's in Kadowaki-senpai's head?' I thought silently.

~*~

We finished training and we were all dismissed to go home.

"Lock up when you leave." Heath says before leaving. "Okay." Kohinata replied

"I'll leave the keys right here, since Takeru will be probably going to be last." He said

"Bye-bye, Kohinata-senpai. Kadowaki-senpai." I say looking back at them as I went through the door. "Yeah, see you tomorrow." Kohinata replied with a smile then I nodded and acted as if I left but I really was behind the closed door, waiting for what will they talk about.

"Kohinata-shi" Kadowaki called out then I placed my ear on the door and listened.

"Ayumu-kun, aren't you gonna change?" Kohinata questioned

"Can you help me practice the gimmicks?" he asked straight to the point.

"What, now?" Kohinata reacted but then later on agreed

"Okay, let's do it!"

I open the door harshly with a smile on my face. "I want to help too! Kadowaki-senpai, can I join?" I asked not being able to stay still.

"Huh? Ichinose-kun?! You're still here?!" Kadowaki and Kohinata looked surprise by my sudden intro.

"Of course! I knew something was up!" I say proudly then Kadowaki smiled then nodded.

Later, we all headed to the gym to get started. "Get to top speed! Don't fear the gimmick!" Kohinata informed Kadowaki, who was running towards the gimmicks but then failed to get through it.

"Don't stop! Don't stare at the gimmick, look further ahead!"

"Try to imagine yourself clearing the gimmick!" I told Kadowaki. "One more time!" he said as he tried again.

He got over the gimmick but failed the landing. Second try, he accidentally placed one foot on the obstacle but he wasn't ready to give up yet. Another trail was beginning while Kadowaki was catching his breath, he stood up straight and gave it another shot.

As he ran towards the stacked platforms, he looked like he was going to make it, performing the same thing as Kohinata earlier: the Monkey Vault.

A smile was forming on my face but suddenly vanished as Kadowaki's feet hit the gimmick and landed on his back, Kohinata and I ran to him with worry. "Are you okay?!" Kohinata askes

"I think I was on to something..." was Kadowaki's response.

A smile had appeared on Kohinata's face and so did I. "Okay, let's try until you fully grasp it!" Kohinata said. "Yeah!" Kadowaki cheered as he stood up once more.

"Two hundred more tries!!" I yelled

"Huh?!" Kadowaki fainted. "I think that's too much, Ichinose-kun!" Kohinata says

"Oh okay... One hundred more, it's decided!" I stated

"What?! Half of that please..." Kadowaki begged

~*~

The today is the the day before the Trial Tour of the End Of Summer event, in order to get to Atami, we had to go there by train. On our way there we were either eating or taking a rest but in my case, I was just getting started to eat.

"Hasekura-senpai!" Riku called the team captain. "Can we trade bites?" he asked with his own bento in hand.

"Sure, here." Heath passed his bento to Riku and got Riku's bento.

"Wow, seafood!" Riku says.

"Meat is good, too." Heath said and faced Riku. "Thanks, here you- Hey! The salmon roe is my..."

"It's delicious!" Riku said after he ate the most of it then finally gave it back to Heath.

"My salmon roe... my favorite..." Heath sadly said. "Hesekura-senpai, want some of mine?" I asked, I was seated in between him and Nana.

3rd Person's POV

"Yeah, thanks." Heath thanks Shun as he got some of her own salmon roe. It looked normal, Heath had tried it and chewed it a few times then his eyes widened.

"It's so good..." he muttered then Riku seemed to hear it and took a look at Shun's bento, it looked average but the smell of it was so great. "Ichinose-san! Me too!" Riku said wanting to have a taste too.

"Yeah, here, pick one." Shun neared her bento to him and he picked one that looked good but he didn't recognize that particular food, he just ate it. "Hmmmm!! It's so delicious! It was the first time I tasted something like this!" Riku said then Everyone else began to be curious about this and looked at Shun's bento.

Shun felt awkward about it and asked. "You guys want to have a taste too?" everyone nodded then Shun gave them, it was okay with her because she had made a good amount of it, just enough to share with.

Everyone ate it and some reacted with a smile and some complimented it that it was good and how they too didn't taste is before then one question had gone in their mind. 'What is this?'

"What was that, Ichinose-san?" Nana was the one who asked. "You really want to know? You'll be surprised if I tell you..."

"Come on, tell us already!" Riku got impatient.

Shun's POV

"It's... white meat..." I muttered. "HEH?!!" was everyone's response. "I told you.." I said

"I knew it." Takeru said

"Did you make that?" Nana asked while I nodded. "On how you look like, I doesn't seem you look like the type to cook and why white meat?" Kadowaki says. "I get that alot but when you ask why, it's just the same reason as Takeru's, ask him" I explain as I scratched the back of my head while the others looked at Takeru and waited for him to answer.

"The fat content of white meat is 0.8g for every one hundred 110g, and has about 100 cals. Thigh meat has 14g of fat..." Takeru started lecturing about meat.

"Impressive Fujiwara. His passion for Stride is deeper than the Japan deep..." Kadowaki said then I began to pack up my empty bento then thought about the event. I told Kadowaki that it was his turn to run for this match, since I failed the last match and it was only fair if he also gets to run.

~*~

We got out of the train with our bag in hand, we walked out the train station and Riku was the first one out.

"Atami!" he says with his hands stretched, then he noticed something. "Huh? A foot bath!" he said surprised while the others including myself was also amazed.

"Senpai, let's check out the foot bath!" Riku suggested. "Sounds good." Kohinata replied. "Yes, it would be good to warm up our feet before the match." Kadowaki agreed.

"Then we could sprint to the hotel." Heath says with his fingers on his chin. "What?!" they yelled

"That'll warm up- not just your feet but your entire body." Heath explains. "But the hotel is really far..." Kohinata and Kadowaki said in unsion then Takeru had ran to the hotel already.

"Oi Takeru! You cheater!- Last one there buys the drinks then!" I yelled chasing after Takeru and it seems that the others had also took part in our little contest. I was nearing Takeru until I ran beside him then I said;

"I won't lose now!" I said with determination in my voice. "Me too." he replied and it seems that we had a competition as we sprinted to the hotel.

After all that running, we finally made it to the hotel. Waiting for the others, who was also already nearing the hotel.

"I didn't lose." I told Takeru. "Neither did I." he shot back. "Seems like it." I said.

"Let's settle scores sometime then." He suddenly said, I was surprised for a second since he didn't look like the person who does that kind of thing. "Sure, it's a promise." I agreed as I put a pinky up then he just stared at it.

"What are you waiting for?" I say. "I don't do that thing." he informed me. "Stop complaining and just do it already!" I said with a vain appeared on my forehead. He gave in with a small sigh and did it.

"You're one stubborn one..." I muttered as the team had also arraived.

Once we checked-in, most of the team seemed to go to the hot springs as soon as they placed their things at their room. I was at my room taking my time looking around the room. When I was satisfied looking around, I threw myself on the bed. "I wonder how the wind feels like tomorrow..." I talked to myself, staring at the ceiling.

~*~

Today is the Trial Tour of the EoS event, us against Mihashi High School. I was with Heath and Nana, we were going to submit our running order.

"Um, Hasekura-senpai, shouldn't we double-check the running order?" Nana askes

"No need for that. Everyone's practicing in that order already anyway." Heath says as we talked towards the tent while a boy came out wearing the Mihashi uniform. "Oh. Long time no see. Please be gentle with us today."

"This is Kamoda Yu, the relationer of Mihashi." Heath introduced gesturing to the boy. "This is Ichinose, one of our runners and Sakurai, our relationer." he says as he gestured to Nana.

"What? A girl?" Yu reacts. "Is that a problem?" Heath asked

"No, it's just really rare. I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by that." Yu apologized. "It's okay." Nana said with a smile.

"If you're really sorry, you can make up for it." Heath said, going towards Yu. "Yu just submitted your running order, right?"

"I... I can't do that..." Yu said

"I'm kidding. You could have just made up a fake order and threw me off." Heath says. "You really haven't changed, huh?" he say with his arms crossed

"I'm really bad at this... Kei would be able to rebut well."

"Aniki! Why are you wasting time? Did you finish checking the equipment?" another guy went out of the tent, who I'm guessing as Yu's brother 'Kei'.

"Yeah, sorry... It's all okay." Yu replied. "Show me." Kei stated

"Kamoda Kei. Yu's little brother and Captain of their team." said Heath. Kei walked towards us while Nana introduced herself with a small bow, only to be ignored.

"I heard you got beat by Saisei the other day. The reign of Honan is over. Let's go." Kei says walking away, only us to be insulted. I clenched my fist tightly in anger and guilt.

"You don't show much elderly authority, do you?" Heath asked. "Our team strategy is runner-centric. I'm just a figurehead"

"Yu-san, don't look down at yourself too much..." I say before walking away.

~*~

The match was about to start, I was seated near the relationers. I was thinking about the course in mind and all I could do here now was to believe in them. I could hear Nana and Yu greeting each other on having a good game. The match was going to begin.

On your mark, get set and the buzzer was heard, Riku immediately ran getting ahead of Mihashi, he started with his top speed, if he continues like this, he won't keep his pace for much longer. The tunnel was in sight, which had slopes inside. The first runner out was Mihashi and Riku falling behind and next up was the take-over zone.

Nana seemed to panic, and yelled out a go. Takeru and Riku almost collided but pull it off. I looked over to Nana and she seemed confused and stressed out. Mihashi had played their little trick on Nana.

Takeru was catching up to Mihashi, running on the railings of a balcony. He took the risk on getting over a tall block, he succesfully did it and had shorten the distance between them. Next up was Heath, Nana had gave the go late, she looked really confused about the situation. Heath and Takeru mangaed to pull of the tag at the last second and Heath managed to advance against Mihashi.

Kadowaki turn came and Nana looked serious now, Kadowaki and Heath had connected with Mihashi behind them. Kadowaki slowed down as he went uphill, Mihashi getting the lead. 'Don't give up now, Kadowaki-senpai!' I thought bitting my lip. Determination was written all over his face and took a seperate route, my eyes widened. "Isn't that-" I didn't bother to finish, I stood up and ran to Kadowaki's course.

I was running with all I can, my eyes filled with worry. I heard a crash and I tried to run even faster. When I neared the course, Kadowaki was injured and blood was on his face. He was trying to tag with Kohinata, he got to connect with Kohinata and yelled out to Kohinata as he fell on the ground. I quickly ran to him.

"Kadowaki-senpai!"

~*~

When the ambulance had came, I went back to the hotel, to my room. I closed the door shut and slammed my fist on the door. "Kadowaki-senpai didn't deserve this, he worked so hard! So why him?" I placed my head on the door, trying to hold back the tears from falling and fist the door for the last time.