Bang
When Usa-sensei fired the starting pistol, she started bouncing forward as she pranced to the sidelines.
The students also dashed forward without hesitance. Some of the students also chose to stay behind as they looked in one direction.
Noah, Imari, Tomoe, Julie, and Miyabi bunched up. It is a scene that would arouse envy in the male students.
“What are you girls doing?”
Noah couldn’t find the right words.
“I said Miyabi can run with me, why are you all waiting here?”
“Miyabi is my Duo.”
Tomoe answered.
“I don’t know what you’re going to do to Miyabi but I am staying.”
“Are you seriously treating me like a creep?”
Noah looked at Imari and Julie.
“And, you two?”
“I just wanted to see what you’re going to do.”
Imari honestly answered Noah.
“Let me tag along, it’s fine, right?”
“Ya~”
Julie nodded. Her bells chimed when she bowed. She’s cute.
“Erm…”
Miyabi’s still unsure. Due to her thin arm and her overly big mammary glands, her arm got engulfed by her divine mountains. The male students around her almost popped their eyes out.
“Noah-san, what are you going to do to me?”
“What do you think’s going to happen?”
Noah sighed.
“I am not a dog, I won’t bite.”
Miyabi’s still anxious. She asked him a question that almost caused him to stumble.
“Are you sure you won’t bite?”
“Ah! You have my promise that I won’t bite you!”
Noah decided to end this swiftly before his mental fortitude crumbles.
“Miyabi, tag along behind me. Follow my instructions and breathe accordingly.”
“Breathing?”
The others were stunned by this rather simple revelation.
Noah didn’t explain himself.
“Good, let’s go.”
Noah ran first. Imari, Julie, Tomoe, and Tachina quickly followed behind.
Noah paced himself to keep Miyabi in his sight. He’s also trying hard not to look at her jiggling jigglypuffs.
“Miyabi, inhale and hold your breath.”
“O-Oh!”
Miyabi stuttered in panic.
Noah kept instructing Miyabi how to train that breathing technique. They ran as Noah whispered his teaching.
Tomoe, Imari, and Julie ran near Noah and Miyabi like bodyguards. They ran while trying to digest what little information Noah leaked.
The five disappeared beyond the school entrance path.
Two hours later…
“Haa… Haa… Haa…”
Imari, Julie, and Tomoe stood at the entrance with heaving chests. They looked in front of them in disbelief.
“Haa… Haa…”
The three of them watched as Miyabi tried to catch her breath.
Ignoring the girls who are doing way better than before, Miyabi’s standing near the finishing line with spare stamina. Her eyes wavered as she looked at her own hand. The other girls fared way better than before but Miyabi’s drastically improved since last time.
“How?”
Why?
Imari, Julie, and Tomoe had the same question in their minds.
Miyabi spent almost an entire evening finishing the same marathon last time, that was due to her inept athletics. She also fainted last time.
She just couldn’t believe her achievement.
“Good job.”
Noah praised her, he looked like he had just come back from a stroll instead of a 40-kilometer marathon. He opened cans of drinks before passing them to the girls.
“Drink.”
“Thanks…”
The girls subconsciously accepted the drinks. Then, they realized what they wanted to ask.
“Wh-what just happened?!”
Imari is the first one to shriek out loud.
“Noah! You did something, didn’t you?!”
“What do you mean ‘I did something’?”
Noah’s not happy to hear her.
“You make it sound like I am doing something bad. I am just helping Miyabi.”
“Y-yeah, I guess.”
Imari looked as confused as when she arrived at the finishing line.
“N-noah-san.”
Miyabi placed her hands in front of her chest. She looked straight into Noah’s eyes without turning away. Her dark look is gone now.
“H-how did I?…”
“That’s the breathing technique doing its magic.”
Noah explained. He addressed Imari, Julie, and Tomoe.
“Remember the secret I said I would reveal? That’s it, the breathing technique is the secret.”
Noah didn’t hide anything.
“Breathing techniques can bring different effects. For example, deep inhalation can ease anxiety and fear. Pregnant women also use breathing techniques to deliver their babies smoothly. These are all psychological applications of breathing techniques.”
“Some countries in this world use breathing techniques to enhance their martial arts. Breathing techniques are also used to focus and adjust one’s mental and physical state in active combat. Qi or Pranayama, there are different names for different techniques.”
“I based my breathing technique on these ideas and devised a breathing method that increased stamina recovery and endurance.”
Tomoe, Imari, and Julie finally understood. Miyabi also looked at Noah with an admiring look.
“I learned the technique so I managed to finish the marathon with everyone?”
“No, you’ve still got ways to go.”
Noah chuckled.
“If you truly mastered the technique then you should have been able to manage your stamina expenditure, balancing it with your recovery and arriving at the finishing line while still full of stamina. You were heaving so that means you learned the technique halfway.”
“I…”
Miyabi bowed down in a hurry.
“I-I am sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
Noah scratched his cheek.
“Remember the breathing technique I taught you. Just remember to use it in future exercises. You should be able to keep up like that.”
Miyabi nodded frantically. Her eyes were filled with joy, passion, and tears.
Miyabi can use this technique to endure the harsh training in this school. She gets to stay.
Imari and Tomoe also surrounded Miyabi as they celebrated her win. Julie also looked more relaxed than before.
Miyabi stared at Noah who is smiling radiantly. Her eyes flickered.