HA2 16.1 – Miku’s Cramps
After completing their laps and other warm ups, Hide, Miku, and Nao went to a corner to carry a full body stretching. As she stretched her left arm Miku looked at a group of kids who still carried their 8 km jogs, and she focused her eyes on Takeo who ran in a good pace.
“Hide, it seems Takeo has a huge improvement on his run,” Miku casually said.
“It seems so,” Hide replied as he sat in the ground with straight legs, and then connected the tips of his finger with the tip of his toes.
“I heard from Sayaka that Takeo can also properly complete the 60 reps of pushups, squat, and sit-ups since two days ago,” Nao added as she stole a glance at Takeo. “He is still out of breath after each set, but it’s a great achievement for someone with average physical fitness.”
“Not to mention he achieve it only in two weeks after joining the club.” Miku then turned her gaze to Hide as she continued, “I’m sure someone secretly guide him.”
“I think it’s Shizuka who help Takeo to improve so much in less than a month,” Hide casually said.
“He must also train super hard.” Miku paused for a moment before asking, “What about you, Hide? Does someone help you to improve your physical fitness?”
“I just faithfully follow every advice from my trainer at Beauty & the Beast,” Hide calmly said, “along with every advice from you two, Tenma, and Isamu Sensei for Hike Run.”
Big question mark instantly appeared in Miku’s forehead. “Only that?”
“What else I can do?”
Miku nodded and said, “I see.”
Actually, Miku really wanted to know how Hide could improve so much in matter of weeks, as his physical fitness improvement was too monstrous. Even Isamu Sensei acknowledged it, that he had underestimated Hide’s potential.
In summary, the record showed that Hide didn’t only become stronger physically, but it was like he had a lot of experience in Hike Run. He knew how to choose the most suitable route for his condition, and that knowledge was far beyond from what Miku and Nao had taught him. Not to mention, he never fell or lost his balance when running in slippery ground covered by dead and wet leaves.
No matter how good his talent, it was impossible for Hide to achieve his current result in Hike Run with zero experience. However, no matter how Miku dug it, she didn’t found anything in Hide’s history that had connection with hiking, rock climbing, or let alone Hike Run.
---
Hide considered today training in Uruba Hill was no different than the training in other day. However, it was not the case for Miku and Nao. Inwardly, they dropped their jaw because today Hide completed his Hike Run in less than 18 minutes, three times in row.
In short, only 15 days after he joint Hiking Club, or 6 days earlier than the schedule, Hide managed to clear his first task from Isamu Sensei. It was something that never happened before.
Even Tenma, who had monstrous physical fitness and a lot of hiking experience, took 19 days before he could complete Hike Run in Uruba Hill in less than 18 minutes. And now, Hide who started from scratch beat his record. In short, Hide’s potential in Hike Run was far bigger than Tenma.
After looking at Hide from head to toe Miku sulkily said, “Hide, how could you make me lost the bet?”
“What bet?” Hide curiously asked.
“She bet her monthly allowance, that you will need more than 19 days to clear the first task from Isamu Sensei.”
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“With who?”
“Tenma,” Nao added.
“Big Sis Miku, you should tell me about it,” Hide apologetically said. “And I will gladly help you to rob Tenma.”
“It’s too late now,” Miku regretfully said. “Let’s have a match instead of console me.”
Question mark instantly appeared in Hide’s forehead, “What match?”
“Hike Run of course,” Miku firmly replied.
“And I will become the referee,” Nao happily offered herself.
Hide nodded and said, “Okay.”
“Give your all,” Miku said as her fighting spirit soared to the sky. “I want to see your best effort.”
“Understood,” Hide firmly replied.
Hide was fully aware that in his current condition, he would never beat a seasoned hiker like Miku in a Hike Run, who could clear the track in Uruba Hill in less than 16 minutes. In a different circumstance, he would refuse the challenge and would just focus himself in polishing his potential with everything he got. However, he got the feeling that Miku would torture him if he refused her challenge.
And so, Hide accepted the challenge and with a light heart he followed Miku back to the base of Uruba hill.
---
After resetting her stopwatch to zero, Miku turned her gaze to Hide. “Ready?”
“I’m.”
“Good,” Miku happily said. “Let’s start in three, two, one, now!”
Wasting no time, Hide and Miku took step forward. The two calmly ran in moderate speed until they reach the first slope. Then, slowly but surely Miku started to took the lead. Hide knew that he couldn’t outpace Miku in normal slope.
Hide could only hope Miku would get a slip of foothold when she tried to clear the wet and slippery area. Even some small slips would be enough to give him a chance to outpace Miku. Therefore, he conserved his energy and let the gap became wider but no bigger than 80 meters.
Halfway through to finishing line, the gap finally reached 75 meters, and Hide starting to lose Miku sight who had entered the shady area, where sunlight couldn’t reach the ground surface. However, Hide didn’t panic. Instead, he lightly smiled as his chance to outpace Miku finally arrived.
As soon as he entered the shady area, Hide immediately increased his pace with everything he got. He poured every drop of strength he had to propel his legs. Meanwhile, Miku’s pace drastically dropped as she had difficulty to get a proper foothold on the slippery ground. She also often got a slip of foothold and in some occasion it almost made her fell.
As the result, Hide closed the gap with Miku rapidly. Just before the two exited the shady area, the gap between them shrank from 75 meters to only 10 meters. Even so, Miku didn’t panic and tried her best to maintain the gap. She knew very well that as long as she didn’t let Hide outpace her when they were in the shady area, she would win the contest for sure.
A smile instantly bloomed in Miku’s lips as soon as she exited the shady area, and got back to the hard and dry ground.
‘Finally,’ Miku muttered as the finishing line entered her field of view while her foot got a firm foothold, ‘Only 100 meters left.’
As her fighting spirit soared to the sky, Miku put whatever strength left in her legs to reach the finishing line. However, she felt the muscle in her left calf suddenly became tense.
‘Shit!!’
Panic filled Miku’s face as the tense muscle become tenser and tenser, and then turned into an unbearable pain.
“Aaarrgghh!!”
Miku was screaming in pain as she fell to the ground. At the same time, Nao instantly run towards Miku in full speed. Panic was clearly visible in her eyes, and it grew darker as she saw Hide approaching Miku and tried to give her a treatment.
‘Idiot!!’ Nao swore inwardly. ‘Miku’s cramp is not regular cramp. A mistreatment will cause her a hell more of pain and if thing go south she will need a few weeks to recover.’
Without delay Nao increased her speed. However, Miku suddenly stopped screaming and wriggling. She just lay down calmly on the ground as Hide held her left leg. Even so, Nao didn’t lower her speed, she increased it another notch instead.
“Hide, move a side,” Nao screamed. “Let me handle Miku’s cramp.”
“Are you sure?” Hide casually asked. “Her cramp will return if I release my hold.”
“Just do as I say damn it.” Nao said as she open her waist bag and took out a small painkiller spray. “Miku’s cramp is not regular cramp. We have to lessen her pain before taking her into infirmary to get her a shot to release the knotted muscle.”
“Okay,” Hide casually said as he let go his hold, stood up, and stepped back two paces.
As the result, dark lines slowly appeared in Miku’s forehead once more. Then, she gritted her teeth as her expression become darker and darker. And finally, the intense pain hit her left calf one more time.
“Fuck!!” Miku cursed as she tried to reach her left calf. “Hide you bastard!! Don’t let it go if you know the cramp will come back.”
“Understood.”
Wasting no time Hide kneeled next to Miku and put back his hold. A moment later, Miku stopped gritting her teeth in pain while her complexion slowly returned to normal. It was the first time Nao saw such occurrence, so she instantly dropped her jaw while turned her gaze to Hide.
“Hide, what did you do?”
“Put Big Sis Miku’s cramp at ease using acupressure,” Hide calmly replied. “Do you want me to let my hold go?”
““NOO!!”” Both Miku and Nao replied at the same time.
“Can you fully relieve Miku’s cramp?” Nao expectantly asked.
“I can.”
“Does your method have side effect?” Nao curiously asked.
“No.”
“In that case, please help Miku.”
Hide didn’t immediately reply but turned his gaze to Miku.
“Big Sis Miku, do you change your socks every day?”
After a small nod Miku replied, “I do.”
“Good,” Hide happily said.
Without further ado Hide then gently took Miku’s shoes off before giving her the treatment. Around thirty minutes later, Miku already could walk as if her cramp never occurred.
“Hide, who taught you the technique to relief a cramp like a professional physiotherapist?” Nao curiously asked.
“I learn it by myself from online video and article, after the heavy cramps I experienced last year.”
Hide couldn’t say that he got the skill from an instructor at Advance Combat Medic Course for tier-one unit in JFK Special Warfare Center and School. Not to mention, he attended that medic course in his previous life. That’s why he decided to replace the truth with a lie that much easier to digest.
“Seriously?” Miku asked as she deeply looked at Hide.
“Seriously,” Hide firmly replied. “Now, can you tell me how often you experience the cramp?”
After heaving a deep sigh Miku dejectedly replied, “If I push myself beyond 80% of my physical capacity, I will definitely get a cramp on my left calf.”
“So, it’s a habitual cramp?”
“Yeah.”
“I see.”
Hide then checked the painkiller spray that Nao brought. After that, the three had some rest before returning to school backyard.
*****