Chapter 308: The Gym Storage Room Incident

"As for the sports festival events, if you have any suggestions, feel free to share. Let's brainstorm before it starts."

During homeroom, Iino stood at the front of Class 1-B, addressing the students. At only 147cm tall, the podium almost reached her chest, making her look comically cute.

Japanese high school sports festivals have all kinds of events—many of which don't exist elsewhere.

For example:

Log-pulling battle: One team defends a giant log while the other tries to topple it. Lots of body contact.

Tug of war: Fairly standard.

Borrowing race: Each class sends a runner. They dash to a box with slips listing objects or people, find what's written, and bring it back.

Three-legged race: Pairs tie one leg together and race. Tests balance and coordination.

Bread-biting race and Cavalry battle: Classic chaos.

"Can't you guys pick something more… normal?"

"Don't say weird stuff—this is all tradition!"

At his desk, Ishigami stared blankly at the empty suggestion sheet.

Apparently, the school wanted to add new events this year, so each class was submitting votes.

"Did the school give any requirements?"

"Just that it should be a group activity."

"A group event, huh… I think I've got it."

"Whenever you say that, I'm convinced you've misunderstood something again," Ishigami muttered as he jotted down his own ideas.

"Oh right, parents are allowed to attend this time. Are your parents coming?"

"Who knows? Maybe, maybe not. They might send someone else in their place. Neither of them has much free time."

"They're busy with work?"

"No, busy traveling," Rinji replied. "They go to the weirdest places and bring back even weirder souvenirs. Like white-haired robots or gem-encrusted gloves. Totally bizarre."

"Uh… what kind of places do they even go?"

"I dunno. All sorts. I used to tag along when I was little."

As he spoke, Rinji finished writing down his suggestion.

"Done."

"What'd you write?"

Ishigami leaned over to peek.

Written on the paper: Brawl.

"...I think Iino's gonna get mad."

"I think it fits the school's group activity requirement perfectly."

"No no no, the school's not gonna allow students to start a fight just because it's a group event."

Bzzzzz~

Just then, Rinji's phone vibrated.

He pulled it from the drawer and saw it was a text from Shirogane.

[Emergency, Rinji.]

"Hmm?"

Rinji frowned and replied.

[What happened?]

[I got trapped while organizing the gym storage room. The door's locked from the outside.]

[Wait, you're locked in the gym storage room? Alone?]

[No, not alone. Shinomiya is here too.]

"..."

Rinji began to think.

A guy and a girl locked inside a gym storage room… this kind of scenario…

If it were just Shirogane locked in there, Rinji would've gone to rescue him already. But if Kaguya was in there too…

"Ishigami, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"If a boy and a girl get locked inside the gym storage room, what do you think would happen?"

"Oh, that? It's a common trope in romance games and anime," Ishigami said while writing on the event suggestion sheet. "It used to show up a lot a few years ago—boy and girl go to the gym storage room, and then some random person sees the door slightly open, thinks nobody's inside, and locks it. Then, inside the sealed room, the boy and girl develop feelings for each other due to the 'suspension bridge effect.' Total cliché."

"Develop feelings, huh…"

"Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

"No reason."

Rinji replied while typing a message.

[Got it, President. I'm on my way now.]

[Thanks, huge help.]

Rinji pocketed his phone, stood up, and headed for the door.

"Ishigami, can you help me hand in the suggestion slip? I need to step out for a bit."

"Huh? You want me to turn in this slip that says 'Brawl' to Iino? Hey, wait—"

Before Ishigami could finish, Rinji had already left the classroom.

——————— Half an hour earlier ———————

"They seriously want us to inventory the gym storage now?"

"Well, the sports festival is coming up."

Shirogane and Kaguya had been asked by the school to check the equipment in one of the older gym storage rooms behind the school, tucked away in a small grove.

The storage room was clearly ancient—run-down and completely out of place in the prestigious Shuchiin Academy. The dim lighting gave it a horror movie vibe.

"This rope still looks usable."

"That's why we're here. Some of this stuff hasn't been touched in decades. Better get rid of anything dangerous."

The two of them were checking how much of the equipment could still be used.

"More than the gear, I think the building itself is a problem," Shirogane joked to Kaguya. "If we got locked in here, we wouldn't even be able to call for help."

"Hahaha, no way."

Kaguya chuckled as she reached for the door handle.

Clack clack.

"..."

The door was locked shut.

Whether from deterioration or someone intentionally locking it, the two of them had just triggered the infamous "gym storage room event."

BANG BANG BANG!

"Anyone out there?! Open the door!!" Shirogane pounded on it.

No response.

He tried pulling, but the door didn't budge at all.

"It's no use… Did you bring your phone?"

"No, I left mine in the classroom."

"Then I'll just use—"

Just as he reached for his pocket, a thought hit him.

"Damn. I forgot mine too."