Track 5

……

…….

(Maan, just my luck…. Of all times to get saddled with this guy.)

(Well, avoiding him here would be suspicious, so I guess I’ll play along as usual..…)

Nishizono-san! This is your first big challenge, and one everyone’s been waiting for—are you feeling confident!?

O-Of course I’m confident!

Just watch. You’ll see me, and HAMA Tours, win luxuriously! Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it!

(Only a celebrity could switch gears this fast.)

(Oh, it’s starting.)

That’s……!

Looks like our co-op mission has begun.

And here they are, HAMA Team’s Renga Nishizono and Ten Murakumo! They’ve arrived at Area C’s co-op mission!

And waiting for them here is the “Cross in Sync!” Seesaw Game!

You are to cross two narrow bridges suspended over a deep chasm……

All while carrying a single, long test tube together to the goal. This challenge will put your balance and coordination to the test!

However, if you fall, it’s a straight drop into the Searcher’s den below—and that’s a game over for sure!

Inside the test tube, gears will shift left and right as it tilts, and if you lean too far to either side, a light will turn on, signaling a mission failure!

Now, how will you fare!? NishiKumo Pair!!

…..Let’s get going, yeah? Renga-san, you go right, I’ll go left. Sound good?

Y-Yeah…..!

Look at that—the two of them are going for it!

(...This whole situation, if I had to put it bluntly, is pretty much like a dog I had eating out of the palm of my hand accidentally bit me, and I reflexively slapped it away.)

(If it was just the dog I’d leave him alone, but there’s people like the chief and the others who’re oh so kindly watching over him.)

(Guess I’ll have to play nice and teach him a lesson or two.)

Ugh, keeping balance on this thing is harder than it looks….!

……Hey, Renga-san.

Wh-What is it, Ten?

This mission is a pretty good metaphor for friendship and love. You can’t be too partial with either one.

…...?

For example, my exes should just move on and find new boyfriends, but they’re tied down by their feelings for me.

No matter how you look at it, it’s unhealthy.

Isn’t that because…you’re special to them?

I’m not really denying their feelings. But think about it, if someone’s affection is too heavy on one side, won’t the relationship fall apart?

…F-Fall…apart…

At that point it becomes an “attachment.” That’s why it’s so heavy.

!

I-I see…

Renga-san, you’re leaning too far on that side.

A-Ah, sorry!

—Yep, that’s more like it. That’s how you keep a good balance.

So even if one of us suddenly disappears, the other will be okay. Let’s walk with equal footing, together.

…...

(...“Even if one of us suddenly disappears”...)

…Y’know. You’re the second real friend I’ve ever had…

Ah, not including the chief! It’s not like I don’t think of everyone else like that too, um.

I’m happy you recognize me as your “second real friend.” —And?

…My first friend always made my wishes come true.

The scenery I wanted to see, the sweet soft-serve ice cream, the sparkling medal, everything I ever wanted… He gave me all of it.

That’s why I thought, ‘me too.’ I also wanted to do something for my friend. I wanted to help you, just like he helped me, but…

I guess it’s not right to do things the other person doesn’t want. I understand it now, thanks to you. My feelings are “heavy.”

I almost ruined our relationship. Sorry, Ten.

(...Good boy. This is how it should be.)

Well then. Now that we’ve made up, let’s continue to be good “friends.”

Y…Yeah!

…!

(...There’s multiple heat sources coming from behind us?)

What’s wrong, Ten? Why’re you holding down your glasses?

…Renga-san, behind us.

Huh? Woah, the Searchers are…gathering!? What’s with that number!!?

(Oh well, I have these heat detection glasses, so this should be a breeze.)

Renga-san, I wanna get this over with before they catch us. Think you can keep up?

…Of course. I’m—Renga Nishizono, the celeb who gets going when the going gets tough!!

Look at that! The challengers are upping their pace! Are they trying to outrun the Searchers?

What a reckless course of action! It’s the end of the line if they fall!

What a joke.

(We’re not gonna fall and we won’t be getting caught. This isn’t even a game anymore.)

What an incredible sense of balance! They made it across the bridge without tilting the gears even once! Mission complete!!

We…We did it, Ten!

Behind us.

Ah, that’s right! We’ve gotta get out of here quick!

And the HAMA Tours team keeps running, and running! The Searchers are trying to cross the steel beams and… Ah, one falls! The distance between them is growing!!

Haah, Haa,...I thought this…before too…but…!

Hm?

You’re really good at running away, Ten!

So you say, but aren’t you keeping up with me just fine?

Haha!