I Became a Supporting Character in an N*R Manga

15 – A moving manager and a caring prince – 2

I saw the manager moving the equipment in the gym.

While stretching, I secretly looked in that direction. While moving fixtures like other members, he is moving by example.

“Isn’t it okay?”

“Isn’t it? I thought it was a bit long at first too… You do a pretty good job.”

From behind, I heard the whispers of the 3rd year members.

“I want you to continue.”

“Won’t you? He said he voluntarily applied.”

I’ve been hearing it often lately. What is the reputation of the members for the manager? At first, like Sayoko, most of them were suspicious or dubious, but these days it gradually changed. I saw the back of the manager who came out of the gym and ran away.

“It’s kind of cute too.”

“What? Did you like a kid like that?”

“It’s not like that. Just work hard That’s unique.”

Take a deep breath. It was an exercise to calm down my breathing and focus my mind right before running, but for some reason I couldn’t concentrate. When you come to your senses, your gaze turns back. I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing right now, and I kept my eyes on him.

‘I don’t need other people’s approval’

Did you say that?

My manager said with a smile at my advice that even if you work hard, it won’t be of much help to your career.

‘I’m doing this for my own pleasure’

That answer has been stuck in my heart for a long time.

It keeps throbbing and makes me look back on myself.

“Eri.”

I turned around and saw Sayoko looking at me with a worried expression.

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it too much these days?”

“…… What are you talking about?”

Sayoko sighed and said.

“Practice. You said you would stay and run alone after everything was over?”

“It’s just a light backing. Nothing to worry about.”

“Aren’t you the one who told me to keep my body in optimal condition in preparation for battery training?”

Even though I know what Sayoko is talking about, I pretend not to know. I didn’t want to talk anymore, so I walked away, but Sayoko looked over her shoulder and said.

“Take it in moderation. Then, before the injury got worse and I couldn’t go to the competition.”

Start running. Once you move your body, you can shake off your thoughts. The more you sweat while swallowing your rough breath, the more you can forget all the useless thoughts that filled your head.

‘Stupid Guy’

Did I tell the manager that?

The fool may be me.

I thought it would be okay once I started running. Even at this moment, I was thinking of something else. I can see his figure beyond my vision. Fog fills my heart in no time.

Recently, I have been in this state all the time.

I can’t concentrate at all during practice. The reason is… I knew.

“Senior. Barley tea here.”

“Yes, thank you~”

It was because of that man, the manager, who smiled innocently and took care of the members as if he had no idea. The more I think about him, the more stupid I feel.

When he runs around hard, saying that he doesn’t need any recognition or compensation, that he is just doing it for his own reward, and gradually gains favor from the members and receives recognition.

I’m starting to doubt what I’ve been running for.

‘The previous competition was 4th. Was it third place the previous tournament?’

Bite your lips. Gradually increase your running speed.

‘It’s difficult if you don’t give me a prize’

The sarcasm of that unpleasant man lingers in my head. Falling grades. Bad condition. All I could do was focus on what was in front of my eyes.

In the midst of that, that junior student appeared.

He said he didn’t want anyone’s recognition or compensation… He said it as if he was laughing at me for running with only records and grades in mind.

No… The manager didn’t laugh at me or anything.

That’s just my paranoia. It was an illusion.

He just spoke out his convictions calmly.

The problem is that I overreact to it, as if I had been denied myself.

As if I had been told that the road I had walked was the wrong direction. Even so, I can’t believe it and keep running in this direction

“Oh, is this towel new?”

“No, I washed it at home once.”

“You smell so good~ I heard you have a really good sense.”

I kept looking back and keeping his figure in my field of vision.

So I thought I should protect myself.

To protect is to protect one’s heart.

It’s okay, you’re not wrong. Assert yourself that everything you’ve done is right.

What I need to affirm is to deny the other person who is in love with me.

In other words, not believing the truth that the manager told me. The senior, who pretended to be proud to accept counseling if he had any concerns, ended up only knowing himself. He is suspicious of his hard-working juniors and denies that it can’t be.

At first I was curious, but now I am suspicious.

If you realize it, I was keeping a close eye on him during practice.

Things even Sayoko wouldn’t do.

I wasn’t trying to catch him right away if he made even the slightest mistake.

On the contrary, I felt relieved if he made such a mistake.

All you want is evidence.

The manager is also a human being just like me. That there must be a reason for working so hard somewhere. His purpose was to find evidence that there would be a prudent goal.

What if you find the evidence?

I didn’t think of anything after that.

Just looking… Rest assured.

I’m not wrong… I encourage myself by feeling that what I have done was right.

So you can focus on running without thinking again.

Until then, I had kept his figure in my sight.

***

It was in the midst of such days passing by.

Maybe there was a little mistake in today’s practice schedule, so I ended up using the playground with the soccer team. That was an unfortunate mistake.

Of course, it happened sometimes because one playground was shared by several departments.

The manager has had no problems adjusting the schedule until now.

“Aoi~!”

“Oh, yes. Senior Sayoko.”

“I left my file and pen in the locker room. Can you get me some?”

“Yes!”

Sayoko sighed and looked at the soccer team on the field.

“Eri. What do you want to do?”

“I can’t help it. I have no choice but to discuss it with the members over there.”

“… But at a time like this, where is the manager? Hanako!”

Sayoko caught a passing first year member and asked.

“Have you seen the manager? Aren’t you here yet?”

“Ah… He said he couldn’t participate in practice today because he had other things to do….”

“What? You couldn’t even adjust your schedule, so you couldn’t attend practice?”

Sayoko grumbled and looked around her. Just in time, the soccer club members who were passing by came this way. It was 3rd grade. A few soccer members and Sayoko talked and discussed today’s practice.

“Ummm… Then, the track and field team will be used today.”

“Sakai-kun… Is that okay?”

“It’s a competition soon. We don’t have any of that.”

“If you say so… Thank you though.”

Especially embarrassed, Sayoko stammered.

The soccer club’s proposal last time… I must have nailed it.

“Eri! Today, the soccer club gave up! Are you okay?”

Ignoring Sayoko who waved her hand in strange delight, she turned to her teammates. The manager is absent today… She made this mistake and disappeared without a word.

Yes, it is possible to fail to adjust the schedule.

Although it was rather remarkable that there had never been such a trivial mistake until now. That’s why I was suspicious.

The manager I know wasn’t a member who made mistakes like this and even skipped training.

If there was only one time when I couldn’t come out, it was that day. When I was called by Suda.

Thinking back, I felt strangely strange that day too.

Sayoko blew a whistle and called the members together. I went over to it and said.

“Wait… I will come.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Insolvency.”

“Yeah~ Come on.”

There is no reason to go this far.

I moved my body even though I felt it was too much. Yeah, I’m not looking for a manager. The only thing I heard was that I had left something in the room.

Enter the main building and go straight to the club room. Naturally, no one was there.

The next place I visited was the floor used by sophomores. What am i doing now Even though I knew I was strangely obsessed with him, I couldn’t stop.

There was no one in the 2-a class, but his bag was lying on the seat.

Other locations… Office… Music room… Fitting room… The appearance of the manager was nowhere to be seen. That was weird What the hell is he going to do at school without participating in training?

I couldn’t see him anywhere in the school, so the last place I headed was on the top floor.

Though he thinks that’s impossible, he sees the crack in the door and pushes it gently to get out.

Someone was standing in front of the barbed wire.

I caught that familiar figure in my eyes.

Manager-kun… What the hell are you doing in a place like this?

Mobile phone in one hand, in the other… Telescope?

I stood behind his back.

Even though he came this far, he didn’t notice and muttered while pressing one ear hole.

“…… 7 O’clock. In front of school.”

While muttering something on his cell phone, he turned around as if he sensed something strange.

“Huh? …… hehehehe!!?”

Looking back as if he hadn’t expected it at all, the manager collided with the barbed wire and collapsed on the spot.

“Stop, stand, stand, senpai!?”

Wireless earphones and mobile phones fall to the floor. He slowly bent over and picked up his phone.

What is written on the screen….

– Sayoko helps the juniors measure their records at pm5.05. –

-Pm5.30 Sakai approaches Sayoko and cuts her horse. –

– Pm5.33 After a light chat, we make an appointment. Dating request. Appointment time is 7 o’clock. –

It was a record about Sayoko. Her every move throughout today’s practice.

“…… Oh, I… West… senior….”

Since I was looking at my phone in silence, I looked down at the manager. He reached out and grabbed his shoulder.

“Oh, that’s not it… For now, let me say….”

Strength goes into the hand holding the shoulder. He flinched and forced a smile.

Yes, I got it.

Your purpose.

As expected… I was right.

What is your worth?

I don’t need recognition or compensation from others.

“You… ….”

So did you.

“Sayoko…… Do you like it?”

Even if there is a problem with that method.

You were like me too.

With this I found out about him… could say

What did the manager come to the track and field club for?

Why did you work so hard even when you were being harassed like that?

“Senior……….”

His expression is stained with fear.

I should have been able to get better with this.

I should have been able to clear the fog in my heart with this.

By the way….

“……… Keugh.”

Why is my heart so heavy?

The fog does not clear and gets thicker. I finally understood the manager’s purpose, what he wanted. My stomach didn’t feel relieved.

The reason… I couldn’t tell.