My Stepsister is My Ex-Girlfriend - Volume 7 - Chapter 3.16

President Kurenai’s Treasure Hunt Prompt

Yume Irido

“Finally, it’s time for the highly anticipated Rakuro’s famous treasure hunt...with a twist!” the announcer called out.

Due to how busy I’d been with student council activities I’d only entered one event—just as Mizuto had—and now, it was finally time.

Honestly speaking, I wasn’t the athletic type. I was acutely aware that I wouldn’t be much help in competitions that required some sort of physical prowess, so I had signed up for the treasure hunt. Never in my wildest dreams had I expected to be drawing the same prompts that I’d helped to write.

As someone who knew exactly what had been written and how hard the initial prompts were, I felt extremely worried. I should try not to be stubborn and immediately draw a new one if need be.

I stood at the starting line with the other two participants, who were chatting with each other. They seemed even more anxious than people who had been in the other events.

“Phew, I’m so nervous.”

“What should we do if it’s too hard?”

There were three desks in separate locations around the school courtyard; each had a box filled with prompts. At the signal, we were to run to the closest desk and draw a prompt, and if we wanted a new one, we’d have to run to a different desk. The new prompt would be easier, but the trade-off was that we’d lose time getting one.

The initial prompts were hard but not impossible to fulfill. Asuhain-san had told me not to write things like “handsome boy” or “cute girl,” explaining that it’d feel really bad for the person who had been picked if the judges said no. Why didn’t I take her more seriously?!

“On your marks!”

I began praying as I got in position. “Get set... Go!”

Unfortunately, I forgot that nothing good ever came out of praying.

The other participants and I ran to the box. They seemed to be just as unathletic as I, but none of us were slow to start. This was where the problems began, though. After reaching the desk last, I used my intuition to go for one of the boxes that the other two were going for and shoved my hand inside.

“All participants have reached the first prompts! What have they drawn?” the announcer yelled.

As I rummaged around in the box, the other two read their prompts and screamed in surprise.

“What the hell?!”

“Huh?! What? Really?!”

It felt like I was looking at my future self. Fearful, I felt a piece of paper get caught on my finger. Fine! I’m going with this one! Please be okay! I pulled out the paper and nervously opened it.

“Uh... Huh?”

I was dumbfounded. Despite being the one who’d helped write these, I was dumbfounded. It was only natural since neither Asuhain-san nor I had written this prompt. Then suddenly President Kurenai’s words played in my head. “That’s for me to know and for you to eagerly anticipate.”

“Ah.” Is this the one she entered?

I couldn’t believe that I’d actually drawn her prompt out of the dozens in there. Was she a seer or something? I stared at her prompt and thought for a little. In the meantime, the other students decided to go for new prompts.

“Yeah, hell no!”

“This game is rigged!”

And with that, they ran off towards the easier prompts. I should’ve done the same. After all, there was literally only one person I could think of who fit the description. If I go through with this, that’ll mean... But there came a time when you needed to lay everything out in the open with your words and actions.

“That’s right...”

Every now and then, I needed to be direct. I needed to show him what was on my mind through my actions. If I were to tackle this prompt, he couldn’t ignore what it meant. I clutched the prompt in my hand and ran in the opposite direction from the other participants.

“What’s this?! Irido from Class 1-7 isn’t drawing a new prompt! She’s taking up the challenge!”

The passionate casting of the announcer spurred me on as I ran. I kept running towards the tennis court. But...

“Huh?”

Though I’d arrived at the corner of the tennis court that Kawanami said they’d be at, I didn’t see any sign of Mizuto or Higashira-san.