Earthside: Headbands and Heartbeats

Kyotaro's face was tight with frustration as he explained.

"The rider of the team and two of the guys who were supposed to be the horses… they got into a brawl. Over a girl. All three are disqualified. That means we're one team short for the cavalry battle."

Hana grunted. "Three guys fighting over one girl? Ratio's rough in Hoshinomiya High."

When they arrived at the staging area, a single student from the disqualified team stood off to the side, shoulders slumped, clearly unsure what to do now that his teammates were gone.

Kael turned to Kyotaro. "So, the rules—three to carry, one to ride. Right?"

Kyotaro nodded. "Yes, exactly. Why?"

Kael didn't answer. Instead, he raised his voice toward the lone student. "Hey. You—come over here."

The boy blinked, startled, but hurried over. Kael didn't wait. He bent down, hoisted Kyotaro clean off the ground.

Kyotaro flailed. "Wh-what are you doing?! I can't be the rider!"

Kael looked at him with calm eyes. "Relax. We'll get you to the targets. All you have to do is pull the ribbons off. That's it."

The other student smirked, shaking his head. "Fine by me. Better than sitting out."

Hana crossed her arms with a grin. "We've got your back, Kyotaro."

Still, doubt clouded Kyotaro's eyes. "But… what if I fail?"

Kael's lips curved into a faint smile. "This is just a school game. You have nothing to lose. A great man once told me—there's no failure in trying. You either win, or you learn. But if you don't try…then you're not even a failure. You're nothing."

Kyotaro froze. The words settled deep, chasing away the tremor in his voice. Slowly, he adjusted his glasses, lifted his chin, and nodded firmly.

"…It would be an honor to be your rider. Take care of me, please."

Hana couldn't hide her smile. Kael's words had filled Kyotaro with courage—and, in turn, filled her with a quiet, unexpected joy.

Their team snapped into position, forming a sharp triangle. Kael took the front. On either side, Hana and the other boy grasped one of Kael's hands while laying their free hands firmly on his shoulders. Together, their grips locked the triangle into place. At the center where their arms met, Kyotaro climbed carefully into position.

Now, their team was ready to enter the battlefield.

The whistle screeched, and the field erupted into chaos.

Teams charged at each other, riders stretching out to snatch headbands while "horses" shoved and swerved. Shouts, laughter, and the thunder of bodies colliding filled the air.

Kael's team moved differently.

"Stay steady," Kael called, his voice low but commanding. Together they bore Kyotaro's weight, their steps quick and balanced.

"Targets on the left," Hana shouted.

Kael's sharp gaze scanned the mess of scrambling teams. In a burst, he angled them into a gap no one else noticed, weaving through the chaos like water slipping between rocks.

"Now, Kyotaro!"

Kyotaro jolted, then reached. His fingers snagged the ribbon from an unsuspecting rider. The opposing team tumbled into confusion as Kael's squad slipped away.

Hana grinned, sweat glistening on her forehead. "Ha! Not bad for your first match."

Kyotaro's voice cracked, but his face lit with exhilaration. "I—I got it! I actually got it!"

"Focus," Kael reminded. "More ahead."

They pressed on, Kael's sharp commands keeping them in rhythm: "Left. Hold. Push through. Now—forward!" His tone never rose.

Headbands fell, one after another. The crowd's cheers shifted, following their movements across the field.

Then Kael's eyes narrowed.

Across the arena, the trio of Daichi, Riku, and Takumi loomed above the rest. Daichi stood as the front, Riku held the left side, and Takumi rode atop them—thin, calculating. Together, their team plowed through others with sheer brute force.

Kael's voice cut steady and sharp. "There. Ahead."

Hana followed his gaze. "Of course it's them."

Kyotaro's grip tightened. His glasses slid down his nose as he peered at their opponents. "T-those three…!"

Hana's blood quickened, and even the nervous student at Kael's side gritted his teeth with a nod.

"Brace yourselves," Kael murmured, eyes fixed on them like a hawk locking onto prey.

The path cleared, and with a single word, he led them forward.

"Charge."

The two teams surged forward, the ground trembling beneath their pounding feet.

Kael braced in the front, shoulders stiff as Daichi slammed against him head-on.

Then Daichi's expression twisted. His knee drove hard into Kael's stomach, hidden from the judges' view by their formation.

"I've never felt that pathetic in my life," he whispered, with rage. "That wrestling match—making me look like a fool. You'll pay for that, Kazuki."

From behind, Riku's voice cut through. "Yeah, Daichi! Give him a good beating!" His smirk stretched wide.

Kael gritted his teeth, the blows sinking into his body. He absorbed it like stone against the tide.

Hana's eyes widened, rage flashing across her face. "He's cheating—he's kneeing him!" She tried to twist forward, but Kael's locked hands kept her in place.

"Dammit, they'll crush him at this rate…" the lone student muttered, sweat dripping down his jaw.

Kyotaro's breath came fast, panic rising. "Wh-what do we do? If this keeps up, Kazuki will—" His words cut off, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. And then, something shifted.

He studied the enemy formation. Daichi was too focused on punishing Kazuki, each knee strike making him lean forward. That tilt pulled Riku with him—dragging the triangle just slightly off balance. And Takumi, perched on top, had to shift his weight to compensate.

In that wobble, his headband dipped lower. Vulnerable.

"Left side—now!" Kyotaro shouted.

Hana reacted instantly, dragging their formation hard to the left. The lone student caught on and followed, their triangle veering just enough to throw the enemy off rhythm.

Daichi stumbled, his own momentum betraying him. Takumi swayed on top, arms pinwheeling for balance.

Kyotaro lunged forward, hand cutting through—snatching Takumi's headband clean off before the strategist even realized what had happened.

The referee's whistle blew sharp.

"Headband taken! Winner: Red Team!"

The arena exploded into cheers. Hana yelled, pumping her fist. The lone student roared with laughter. Kyotaro stood tall, breathless, glasses glinting with pride.

Daichi froze, rage boiling in his eyes. "What?!"

Riku's face twisted. "That was a fluke! You hear me? A fluke!" His voice cracking with frustration.

But Takumi didn't shout. He caught his breath, then adjusted his glasses with a deliberate calm. His lips curled into a thin smile as he looked directly at Kyotaro.

"You're sharper than you look," he said, voice low enough only they could hear. "Most people didn't notice our tilt when Daichi leans in."

"Enjoy this win," Takumi added, hopping lightly down from his team's back. "Because next time, I'll be ready, just for YOU."

As the teams began to disperse from the cavalry battle, Kael noticed Kyotaro's hand lifted shyly in the air. Across the field, a girl waved back, her smile bright enough to reach even this distance.

Kael smirked and tapped Kyotaro's back.

"Go for it. Shoot your shot."

Kyotaro blinked, stunned, then let out a shaky laugh. "Thanks, Kazuki. For everything."

He adjusted his glasses, gathered his courage, and jogged off toward the girl.

Kael watched him go, satisfied.

Later on, the next event was called—the three-legged race.

Hana approached Kael with her usual confident stride, though her tone was softer than usual. "Want to be my partner in this one?"

"Sure, why not," Kael replied easily, noticing out of the corner of his eye Kyotaro now deep in conversation with the girl.

As they tied their legs together with the red band, Hana leaned slightly closer. "My answer is yes," she said quietly.

Kael glanced at her. "Yes?"

"To what you said before—about helping me improve my technique." She kept her head ahead, though a faint pink traced her cheeks. "I'd like to learn and know more about your world too, Kael."

A small smile tugged at Kael's lips. "Then it's settled."

The whistle blew, and they lurched forward together, their steps rough at first, nearly sending them tumbling. But soon their rhythm found balance.

They didn't win—the red team stumbled in the final stretch, and the match ended in a loss. But as they caught their breath, still tied together and laughing, it didn't matter.

What mattered was the closeness, the shared effort, the unspoken trust. For Kael, it felt like another quiet bond forming; for Hana, it was the first step in letting someone past her guard.

The announcer's voice boomed across the grounds, calling the crowd to silence.

"The final event of the day… Judo!"

A ripple of excitement swept the field.

The judo matches between the second and third years had ended evenly, with one win and one loss. 

"Last match—Kazuki Hasunuma versus Riku Ichijou!"

The crowd erupted, eager for the showdown, as Hana's breath caught and Kael's eyes sharpened. He realized this fight would test more than his strength against Riku—it would decide whose resolve was truly unshakable."