— — — — — —
Orienteering is, at its core, a sport.
It's also a kind of competition.
Using a map, a compass, and a bit of outdoor know-how, participants have to complete a set route within a limited time, stamping their cards at each checkpoint along the way.
Of course, for these elementary school kids, there was no need to go that far. They were just here for the experience.
After Kawasaki's little joke earlier, the group's mood had noticeably lifted.
And the kids behind them busied themselves searching for checkpoints, chatting and laughing as they trailed along. It didn't feel nearly as difficult as they'd imagined.
Oikawa quietly slipped a small box of roasted pistachios out of his pocket, glancing around like he was up to something before showing it to the others.
"Want some?"
Yui took one curiously and popped it into her mouth.
A second later, her eyes lit up.
"Whoa—these are good! Like, really good!"
Komachi got curious too and sneakily grabbed two. After trying one, she widened her eyes in surprise and handed the other to her brother.
"Onii-chan, they're super crunchy—seriously good. Try it!"
Hachiman gave it a taste and nodded in approval.
Yukino looked a little tempted, but since things had been a bit awkward between her and Oikawa, she held back and said nothing.
As for Kawasaki—
She simply wasn't interested.
During their summer study sessions, Oikawa had shared plenty of his favorite treats with her, but she hadn't cared for most of them.
"Want one?"
Oikawa took the initiative and walked over to Yukino.
A gentleman should have some grace.
As for settling scores… Heh. When Volume Two of Your Lie in April comes out, he'll get his justice.
"…I suppose I can try one."
Yukino never lowered her posture. She picked up one and placed it into her mouth.
After tasting it, she seemed like she wanted to react—but forced herself to stay composed.
The result… looked a little ridiculous.
"They're… average."
That was her verdict.
But the way she said it was so unconvincing that even Yui could tell. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been stifling a laugh.
For the rest of the walk, Oikawa handed out all the pistachios to Yui and the others.
They snacked, enjoyed the breeze through the trees, and chatted about the past and the future. It was surprisingly relaxing.
There was a small incident along the way.
A group of girls ran into a tiny snake. Just as Oikawa was about to show off, Kawasaki stepped in, grabbed the poor creature, and flung it straight back into the woods.
Judging by the trajectory, even if it survived, it probably wouldn't be in great shape.
The girls in that group stared at Kawasaki like criminals in Gotham spotting Batman.
Oikawa also noticed something else.
There was a girl with a camera around her neck who seemed to be getting deliberately isolated by the others.
He didn't step in.
Hachiman was here, after all. He was far better suited to handling that kind of situation.
Oikawa pretended not to notice.
…
..
After escorting the kids to the checkpoint, Oikawa and the others stayed behind to prepare dinner, while the children were led off by staff to find the next checkpoint.
"You guys are slow."
Shizuka Hiratsuka was hauling around a stack of plastic crates by herself.
They were filled with boxed meals and drinks.
"Come help out. Put the lunches over there, and toss the drinks into the water to chill them."
"You, head to the stream and bring back the pears. There's a knife next to them—please peel them too."
She assigned tasks briskly and efficiently.
At that moment, Hayato Hayama and his group returned from another direction, and everyone quickly got busy.
Some went to distribute the lunches, while others started peeling pears.
Neither job was particularly easy. Delivering the lunches meant walking long distances, and peeling pears turned out to be far more work than expected.
At last, it actually felt like a proper volunteer activity.
Oikawa ended up in the pear-peeling group, though he would've preferred handing out lunches.
"Oikawa, I've actually been wondering…"
Yui, standing at the sink next to him, finally voiced the question she'd been holding in for a while.
"Why do you always wear that wristband? Doesn't it get hot?"
Yukino and Komachi both looked over as well, curiosity clear in their eyes.
"Oh, this?" Oikawa smiled. "I injured my wrist before and it left a scar, so I keep it covered."
"I see…"
"I thought you were just trying to look cool," Yui said, sticking out her tongue playfully.
Honestly, that kind of behavior was just adorable. Oikawa mentally gave her another point.
Truth be told, more than a wristband, he would've preferred wearing a beaded bracelet to hide the scar left behind by the original owner's suicide attempt.
Unfortunately, that wasn't allowed at school.
It wasn't that he was afraid of people seeing it.
He just didn't like the questions that would follow—or having to answer them.
So covering it up was simpler.
…
..
"Alright, the lunches and fruit for the kids have all been handed out."
"Now it's time to take care of our own stomachs. When it comes to camping, curry is a must—so let's get moving!"
Shizuka took charge once more.
But Kawasaki didn't seem to need anyone's help at all. She waved everyone off and took over completely, turning it into a one-woman show.
Even Yui, who tried to help, got pushed out.
Before long, the rich, creamy aroma of curry drifted into Oikawa's nose.
Just from the smell alone, you could tell it was going to be delicious.
When it came to Kawasaki's cooking, Oikawa had full confidence.
Honestly—
Instead of going to university, she'd be better off enrolling in a culinary school.
Otherwise, it'd just be a waste of her talent.
.
.
.