Monday morning, since half-past four Hide had been exercising in the backyard. He didn't receive the training menu from Hanna yet, but that didn't mean he would just sit around waiting.

For Aizawa, Hide asked her to join him at 5 o'clock and she complied even though Hide did not wake her up. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Aizawa immediately joined Hide.

Since a few days ago, Hide made it a habit for Aizawa to use a long-sleeved jersey as a pajama, so that she could work out immediately without needing to change her clothes first.

After helping Aizawa stretch, Hide then asked Aizawa to do a hula-hoop and jumping-rope each for three minutes, followed by badminton against the wall for 14 minutes. For the last 20 minutes, Hide and Aizawa closed their sport routine by playing badminton in a relaxed manner.

One thing that surprised Hide was, Aizawa turned out to really like badminton. She played with gusto and often laughed cheerfully. Unfortunately, they still have to go to school.

Hide deftly caught the shuttlecock that flew at him before speaking, "Aizawa, we'll stop here for today."

With a hopeful gaze, Aizawa then asked, "Can we play ten more minutes?"

"We'll be late for school if we don't immediately shower and have breakfast."

Aizawa nodded weakly while Hide handed her a small thermos of warm soy milk. Not long after that, Hide and Aizawa went to take a shower, have breakfast, then left for school.

---

Hide realized that he would receive Watanabe Sensei's wrath, because skipping school for one whole week was not a trivial matter. Initially Hide thought that he was mentally ready, but his assumption turned out to be an illusion.

For more than five minutes, Watanabe Sensei looked at Hide with a look that could not be called casual but also not serious, but somehow this gaze made Hide awkward.

'It's worthwhile that Watanabe Sensei has been a teacher for 20 years. He knows how to put pressure on his students.'

Hide muttered inwardly, while at the same time Watanabe Sensei took a deep breath before saying.

"Your daily grades have been amazing lately. The teachers even thought that you were a different student. Unfortunately, you ruined their positive impression by leaving the class for an entire week without permission."

Watanabe Sensei took another deep breath before continuing, "I don't want to hear your excuses. If you had the intention of saying it, you should have conveyed it using a permit to leave class.

I may sound unfair, but I have no other choice. I will immediately impose sanctions on you. You will be a participant in the Running for Donation which starts today."

Without many words Hide answered calmly but firmly, "Yes, I understand."

---

Running for Donation was an activity to raise social funds by running. The rules were quite simple, the person or party who proposed would run a certain distance for a certain nominal.

Once a month, East Nichiko High held a Running for Donation where the funds raised would be included in a scholarship program for athletes initiated by the Ministry of Education.

The activities were usually held on the municipal athletic field which had 8 lanes of 400 meters each, and was surrounded by cameras, on Monday-Thursday at 3:30-5:00 pm, with the main participants were sports club members.

Whether by coincidence or not, the club responsible for holding the Running for Donation this time was the Hiking Club.

Sayaka looked at Hide doubtfully. "Are you sure you will join Running for Donation this time?"

Sayaka's doubts were quite understandable. Considering that in the Hiking Club selection at the beginning of first year, Hide got severe cramps on the 5 km running test, and even had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Also, to this day Sayaka thought that Hide still had feelings for her. So she doubted Hide's motivation too.

"As I said, this is a punishment from Watanabe Sensei. So I have no other choice."

Sayaka nodded slowly a few times before saying, "Hide, I'm sure you can ask for another punishment, but since you have arrived here, then I will do my best to help you."

"Thank you for your understanding."

Sayaka then began explaining the Running for Donation details and rules.

Photos and profiles of each runner would be uploaded to the Running for Donation page of the East Nichiko High website, then promoted to various social media where donors could donate and select the runners.

"The rate used is 1000 Ren/km, but you don't need to worry because I've added in your profile that you are a volunteer and not the main runner.

For now you can sit and watch the other runners. We have some regular donors who are very enthusiastic about this event. So the main runner will be quite busy."

"Yupe."

Hide replied briefly before rushing to the long bench behind the marketing team, who were busy working on their laptop.

Hide fully aware that Sayaka was subtly asking him not to cause problems such as pushing himself and then cramping like during the Hiking Club selection test. However, he didn't bother with it. If he had to run he would run, and if he didn't need to, then he would happily sat in his place.

The problem was, he was just about to sit down when one of the marketing team said, "Hide, someone chose you to run 2 km."

"Yupe."

Hide answered briefly while Sayaka gasped. Then, after tightened his shoelaces and did a small stretch, Hide rushed to the starting point.

---

Hide had only started doing physical training for a few days, so of course he still didn't have solid stamina. However, because he focuses his training on stretching and jumping-rope, it would not be difficult for him if it's only running without time limits or carrying weights.

Running for Donation main runners desperately suppressed their laughter when they saw Hide running at a speed of 4.5 km/h. To them, Hide was no different from a turtle.

Only Isamu Sensei looked at Hide's way of running with all seriousness. Before he became a sports teacher and hiking club advisor at Nichiko East High, Isamu Sensei was a professional climber for eight years.

Apart from basic exercises such as push-ups, chin-ups, squats, or technical exercises such as wall climbing, as a professional climber Isamu Sensei also had to run 16 km every morning. So it could be said that he was familiar with running techniques, and at a glance he could see that Hide was a professional runner.

"Sayaka, who is the kid? Is he a Track Club's member?"

Sayaka turned to Isamu Sensei before saying, "Sensei, that's Hide, the kid who got severe cramps in the Hiking Club selection test last year."

"Huh?"

Seeing Isamu Sensei's jaw dropped, Sayaka immediately asked, "Sensei, should we ask him to stop?"

Isamu Sensei took a deep breath before saying, "I understand if you can't see it, but I'm 200% sure that Hide has a natural talent as a professional athlete.

Maintain a point of balance while accurately placing pressure on the soles of the feet forward instead of down, combined with a low and short but rhythmic stride, will result in a very friendly stride towards the knees, ankles, and soles of the feet.

This is called a cotton step and is not something you can master in a year or two of practice, unless the person is sensitive to the rhythm and motoric movements of his body to the smallest degree."

Now, it's Sayaka's turn to drop her jaw. On reflex, she wanted to refute Isamu Sensei's judgment, but at the same time, she realized that Isamu Sensei's assessment of a person's physique was rarely wrong.

*****