Chapter : 07
The afternoon chime echoed through the school buildings, leaving a lingering reverberation behind.
It was time for physical education.
Today’s menu was free sports—basketball, volleyball, dodgeball, and more. A carefree time where classmates could enjoy whichever activity they liked.
The field was filled with the lively commotion typical of an all-girls school.
Laughter rode the wind, the sound of bouncing balls struck the dirt, and the scent of sweat mixed together in the air.
Skirts fluttered, hair became disheveled, and the girls’ breathing painted the atmosphere with warmth and energy.
“Alright, let’s play basketball!”
“I’m going volleyball!”
“Anyone up for dodgeball?”
Amid the overlapping voices, Yuu stepped onto the field a little late.
His silvery-white hair swayed lightly, red eyes shining as he looked around.
—Everyone looks like they’re having fun. Maybe I should join too…
Muttering to himself, he first approached the basketball circle.
Female classmates were passing the ball to each other, laughing as they moved lightly on their feet.
“Yuu-kun, come play with us!”
One student tossed a ball toward him.
The boy hurriedly caught it and held it to his chest.
—Alright, I’ll try!
Using his light Lunarian body, he began dribbling.
The sound of the ball bouncing echoed lightly across the field.
At first, it went well—perhaps because gravity on the Moon was different, the rebound felt easier to predict.
“Wow, Yuu-kun is good!”
Cheers rose, and the boy’s cheeks grew slightly warm.
—Maybe I can do this!
He stepped forward energetically and jumped toward the goal.
He aimed for a pass and threw the ball toward a classmate—but…
Earth’s gravity was stronger than the Moon’s.
The ball traced an arc, dropped sooner than expected, and slipped past the receiver’s hands before rolling onto the ground.
“…Huh?”
The boy’s eyes wavered.
He tried to continue dribbling with his momentum, but lost his balance, his feet tangled, and the ball slipped away.
A classmate rushed after it, but the boy panicked and tried to pick it up—only to fall over.
Dust rose into the air, and the ball rolled beyond the fence.
“I-I’m sorry…!”
He stood up, brushing off the dirt and bowing his head.
For a moment the classmates went quiet—then laughter spread.
“It’s okay, Yuu-kun! Just practice until you get used to it!”
“I’ll pass next time!”
Hearing their voices, the boy’s ears grew hot, and a sharp pain prickled in his chest.
—I failed… but next time…
Regaining his composure, he joined the dodgeball group.
A ball flew at high speed—its trajectory, light on the Moon, was heavy and unpredictable here.
The moment he jumped to dodge it, the ball struck his stomach from an unexpected angle.
“Ugh…!”
His breath caught, and he tripped over a rolling ball, landing hard on the ground.
“Yuu-kun, are you okay?! Do your best next time!”
At his classmates’ worried voices, the boy stood up with a smile, but a sigh escaped inside him.
—Again… gravity is getting in my way…
He moved on to volleyball next, attempting a light spike.
But the ball, which should have cleared the net, was pulled down by gravity, got caught in the net, and dropped.
“Ah…!”
Seeing the ball roll on the court, his shoulders sank.
—Everyone else makes it look so easy… why does my ball never listen?
He understood it logically—the ball’s trajectory was fast and hard to predict.
But his body couldn’t keep up.
Balls that bounced lightly on the Moon felt heavy and stubborn here on Earth.
After three consecutive failures, a small shadow fell over his chest.
Still keeping a smile on his face, the boy quietly stepped away from the group.
He moved to a shaded corner of the field—behind the fence near the bench—and sat down in a crouched position, hugging his knees and lowering his gaze.
—Everyone looked like they were having fun. I wish I could do it better too…
The smell of soil tickled his nose, and distant laughter pierced his ears.
He understood the change in physical behavior under Earth’s gravity—but his body couldn’t keep up.
A small sigh dissolved into the wind.
Then footsteps approached.
Wearing a sweat-soaked track uniform—tank top and shorts clinging tightly to her body as she moved—Mio crouched down, slightly out of breath.
“What’s wrong, kid? You don’t look so energetic.”
Her voice was as bright as usual, but carried a gentle tone of concern.
The boy looked up and puffed out his cheeks slightly.
“Kid…? We’re in the same class, you know.”
There was a hint of complaint mixed into his voice.
Mio scratched her head with a sheepish grin.
“Sorry, sorry. Your face just kinda makes me want to protect you.”
She said that and crouched beside him to match his eye level.
“So what happened, Yuu? Not playing ball games?”
The boy looked away and gazed at the blue sky beyond the fence.
“I tried playing with everyone… but it didn’t really work out. On the Moon, balls don’t fly or bounce so freely.”
His voice grew smaller, his shoulders dropping slightly.
Mio nodded thoughtfully and looked out over the field.
“I see. Actually, I’m not good at ball games either. I’ve just been running around the field all day. You don’t have to be good at everything, Yuu. You’re good at studying, and honestly, I’m kind of jealous of that.”
The boy quickly looked up and met Mio’s smile.
Her eyes held genuine encouragement—jealous, she said.
His chest grew warm.
“Running… I think I might like that.”
Mio’s face lit up instantly.
“Really? Then let’s race!”
She grabbed his arm and pulled him out from the shade of the field.
His body was tugged along by her strong grip, and he followed instinctively.
The two stood side by side in the center of the field.
The classmates’ attention gradually gathered.
The ball games stopped, and laughter faded.
Whispers of curiosity spread.
“What are Prince and Mio doing?”
“Ehh?! Two princes together, what are they going to do?!”
Akari left the basketball circle and walked over with her arms crossed.
“What are you two doing? This is class, you know?”
Mio stuck her tongue out playfully.
“Just a little race, Akari.”
The teacher raised a starting pistol.
The physical education teacher—a woman in her mid-thirties with short brown hair fluttering lightly in the wind, Kazama Mao-sensei—stood on the field wearing a tank top and shorts suitable for movement.
The tank top naturally wrapped around the curves of her upper body, subtly revealing the sheen of sweat on her skin, while the shorts emphasized her firm thighs and strong hip line, highlighting her athletic build.
Her sun-kissed skin glowed with health, a refreshing smile rested on her lips, and the hand holding the pistol showed confident authority.
“Alright then, I’ll give the signal!”
Her voice rang across the field, and all the classmates’ attention shifted toward the starting line where the two stood.
