After Transmigrating to Become Lady Skylark - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

The Pole Toppling competition was the major team event on the afternoon of the first day of the sports meet. Following the opening ceremony on that first afternoon, the event Jin Chaoyan was scheduled to participate in was the high jump.

Compared to the school sports meets she had participated in before, where competition was organized by class, Namimori Middle School’s sports meet shuffled the entire school regardless of grade level into three groups: A, B, and C. Before the high jump began, Jin Chaoyan stood at the registration desk, curiously looking at the announcement blackboard showing the current scores of the three groups.

“First year, Group A, Jin Xiyan, Jin Xiyan… Is she here, please?”

The announcement was broadcast repeatedly by the students organizing the event from the sports department. She dithered for a good while before remembering the transfer student identity she was using and belatedly raised her hand. “Here, here!”

Straightening her ponytail and smoothing out the brand-new white sports suit with pink trim, Jin Chaoyan walked over to the women’s high jump group, only to realize she was truly being a bully. Having spent so much time around people like Kyoya Hibari, she had forgotten that the original host’s grade level consisted of mere middle schoolers. The girls were generally around 150cm tall; at 169cm, she stood out like a crane among chickens.

While lining up at the back of the queue, Jin Chaoyan rubbed her cheek somewhat sheepishly, thinking she might just settle for jumping 1.6 meters. After all, participating in the sports meet was just her way of escaping her studies; the point was simply to take part.

Just as the thought occurred, she heard the sound of something being unfurled nearby—

Turning her gaze, Jin Chaoyan saw the Disciplinary Committee members with their neat pompadours, old black uniforms, and matching red armbands. But even more eye-catching was the banner they held high:

“Go for it, Student Jin!”

Participants and spectators alike were drawn to this grand display. Someone even fired a confetti cannon into the air as she looked over. With a “boom,” multicolored streamers rained down; an outsider might have thought the victory celebration had started early.

Jin Chaoyan, suddenly the center of attention: “…”

Playing the ‘cringe’ card, are we?

Jin Chaoyan, who hadn’t had a “highlight moment” like this in over ten years of life, froze in place. She noticed that the girls who had been lining up in front of her were now so intimidated by the fierce aura of the Disciplinary Committee that they backed away, unwittingly clearing a path for her to compete.

To prevent this grand scene from turning into an embarrassing failure the next second, Jin Chaoyan took first place in the women’s high jump through tears. Holding her certificate, she rushed toward the Disciplinary Committee members:

“Who told you to come here?”

“We came on our own!” The leader was beyond excited. He leaned in to offer her her favorite milk tea, clapping happily. “The Chairman never participates in these activities, so we never have a chance to show off. Thank you, Student Jin, for making our dreams come true! Being a cheer squad feels great!”

“…”

You feel great, but did you think about the social death I just endured?

Jin Chaoyan bit her straw, two thick lines of tears metaphorically streaming down her face. she wanted to cold-heartedly disband them on the spot, but seeing the excitement and expectation on their faces, she swallowed a mouthful of milk tea after a moment.

“Um… thank you guys for the hard work, but promise me, the cheer squad experience is enough for one time. Don’t let there be a second time, okay?”

“Eh? But we have other banners?”

“?”

“For example, this one: ‘Keep it up, Chairman’s Wife,’ or ‘Congratulations to the Chairman’s Girlfriend for winning the championship’…”

“Stop!” Jin Chaoyan clutched her heart, relieved they had spared her from those banners just now. “Absolutely not! No! I refuse!”

She took a deep breath, thinking of a good way to divert the trouble: “Speaking of which, your Chairman is also participating in the Pole Toppling competition tomorrow afternoon. Why don’t you go cheer for him?”

The Disciplinary Committee subordinates, encouraged by Jin Chaoyan, were greatly invigorated. As the first day of the sports meet ended, they were already rubbing their hands together, promising her they would create a cheering banner that would satisfy the Chairman.

The woman watched them leave in silence, feeling that whatever they came up with would only make Hibari speed up his “biting them to death” after he saw it. She could only try to secure a path of survival for them. “After you choose the slogan, remember to send it to me for a look.”

However, on the following day, another piece of news reached her faster than the subordinates’ slogans.

Namimori Middle School, Rooftop.

The hands of the large clock in the center of the teaching building pointed to 11:05. She was found by Fon and met with Tsunayoshi Sawada and Yuni. She confirmed with a look of surprise, “What? The First Generation Cloud Guardian’s trial has begun? The time limit is before school ends this afternoon?”

The infant wearing a purple helmet trotted over from the side, standing with arms akimbo and speaking loudly to her, “How do you not even know this? Aren’t you inseparable from him every day? In any case, this Great Master orders you now: go notify Kyoya Hibari to participate in the trial immediately!”

Jin Chaoyan: “?”

She pointed at herself, wanting to argue about where this “inseparable” talk came from, but thinking that this infant always spoke nonsense, she let it go. She looked at Tsunayoshi Sawada and Yuni good-naturedly:

“So you want me to persuade him to take the trial?”

“Yes.”

Tsunayoshi Sawada nodded, while Yuni made a prayer-like gesture of entreaty toward her. “Sister Chaoyan, I’m counting on you.”

Reborn sat on Takeshi Yamamoto’s shoulder, and neither of them spoke. Instead, Gokudera, standing nearby, couldn’t help but urge, “Hurry up. There are only a few hours left before school is out.”

“I’ll try.”

Jin Chaoyan thought of the scene when Hibari met the First Generation Cloud Guardian last time. She wasn’t sure she could persuade him. She patted Fon’s head in her arms to decompress, then, holding the small infant in the Tang suit, she turned back toward the teaching building and headed for the Reception Room.

Knock, knock.

A few minutes later.

She knocked on the door of the Reception Room. Without waiting for a response, she familiarly pulled the door open and walked in. The youth, who was eating lunch, looked at her from the window. His gaze fell on the infant in her arms, and he raised an eyebrow.

“Kyoya.”

Since calling him that while discussing the sports meet yesterday, Jin Chaoyan had long abandoned her previous shyness; it now felt exceptionally smooth and natural.

But upon hearing her address him, the boy’s eyes moved slightly. Before she could explain her intent, he responded thoughtfully, “Did you just go and ‘crowd’ with those Pongo herbivores? Did they send you to persuade me to take that trial?”

“…”

Jin Chaoyan, whose script had been completely guessed, could only nod.

Kyoya Hibari notified her calmly, “Because that fellow won’t fight me, I have already refused this matter. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Fon, held in Jin Chaoyan’s arms, looked up at her and then at the youth in front of them. He felt that this scene was quite different from the smooth progress he had imagined.

Sensing that his words left no room for further negotiation, Jin Chaoyan knit her beautiful brows in difficulty, her violet eyes losing the brightness they had when she arrived.

“…Is there really no room for discussion?” she asked, softening her voice.

Kyoya Hibari looked at her for a while, then suddenly curled his lips. His tonfas appeared in his right hand at some unknown moment. “Alternatively, fight me in advance. If you win, I’ll agree to your request.”

“…?”

“So Student Chaoyan failed?!”

When they gathered on the rooftop again, Tsunayoshi Sawada, receiving this news, wore an expression as if the sky had fallen, clutching his head in utter disbelief.

“Mainly…” Jin Chaoyan whispered to him, “I don’t dare fight him. Student Sawada, as it’s you, you must surely understand this fear of him, right?”

Tsunayoshi Sawada, who had been beaten by both the Hibari of ten years later and the Hibari of ten years ago: “…” He nodded in shared sympathy.

Hayato Gokudera gave her a look of disappointment. He immediately ignited his ring to open the C.A.I. system, his left arm surrounded by the skull-styled heavy firepower. He nodded. “Fine. Since he’s so asking for a beating, let me go and ‘persuade’ him properly.”

“Stop it, Gokudera.” Fon, held in Jin Chaoyan’s arms, spoke up helplessly. “This is a school, and it’s currently class time. You cannot use such weapons.”

Takeshi Yamamoto scratched his head. “Well, let me go give it a try.”

Colonnello, who had just flown onto his head, nodded. “Go for it!”

Tsunayoshi Sawada looked left and right, then summoned his courage and said to Yuni, “I’ll go try too!”

As she watched them go, Jin Chaoyan didn’t join the commotion. Instead, holding Fon, she glanced toward the sports field outside the teaching building. Because of the two-day sports meet, the field was filled with sports equipment, unlike its usual empty state.

Skull, who was left behind, immediately spoke up, “Woman, do you have another idea?”

Reborn, who hadn’t followed the others for some unknown reason, suddenly spoke, “Hey, Skull. His refusal to take the trial is ultimately because you, as his tutor, haven’t fulfilled your responsibility of guidance properly, right? Rather than bothering a girl here, you’d better reflect on your own failure.”

“The fact that Hibari has no will to fight without an opponent is something you, as his tutor, should have understood long ago. Or is it that you simply have no way of teaching him to face his responsibilities?”

“I—I of course knew!” Skull, being called out, shouted loudly. “I’ve known that for a long time!”

“Oh?” Reborn adjusted his fedora with the gun transformed from Leon, curling his lips. “Then why haven’t you produced a solution? Is it because you don’t have one? As expected, an errand boy will always be an errand boy; you’ll never improve in your entire life.”

Skull: “?” He shouted angrily, “This Great Master is not an errand boy! Damnable Reborn! Just you wait, I’m going right now to teach him to become a qualified Guardian!”

Reborn gave a cold snort. “Then I’ll wait and see, though I won’t get my hopes up.”

Once Skull had run off, Jin Chaoyan looked toward Reborn. Their eyes met, and he asked calmly, “You have a way, don’t you?”

“Mhm,” she nodded. “I have a bet with him regarding the Pole Toppling competition. If I win, he will keep his word and do it. But this competition takes a long time; I’m not sure if I can win it before school ends.”

Hearing her words, Reborn smiled. “That sounds interesting. Then I wish you victory in advance.”

“Thank you.”

By the end of the lunch break, Jin Chaoyan saw an injured Tsunayoshi Sawada in the classroom. She also learned that every single one of them had failed to persuade Hibari.

After thinking it over, she told the group about the bet regarding the Pole Toppling competition. Consequently, the Vongola group regained hope and even joined her group with determined enthusiasm, deciding to help her achieve victory.

Jin Chaoyan, suddenly gaining a bunch of allies: “…Eh?” Was it going to be a ‘everyone versus Hibari’ match?

However, it wasn’t until just before the competition started that she realized that while her group had Tsunayoshi Sawada, Hayato Gokudera, and Takeshi Yamamoto, and Group B had Kyoya Hibari, the captain of Group C was actually Ryohei Sasagawa.

Moreover, at this time, Ryohei Sasagawa was still chasing Kyoya Hibari outside the field, talking incessantly. “Hibari, we had a deal. If I beat you in Pole Toppling, you must accept the Cloud Guardian trial—”

“Who had a deal with you? Go away.” Kyoya Hibari tried to take a different path with an expressionless face. “Just seeing you makes me lose all will to fight.”

Ryohei Sasagawa was enraged: “What?! Do you not want to keep your promise? You’re regressing as you live; do you want me to teach you the basic principles of being an honorable person who keeps their word?”

Kyoya Hibari, who couldn’t manage to walk into the Group B formation: “…” His face went completely cold. He swung the tonfa in his right hand toward Ryohei Sasagawa. After the other avoided it just in time, a killing intent surfaced in his gray-blue eyes. “Interfere with my path again, and I won’t be polite to you.”

“I understand!” Ryohei Sasagawa nodded. “In short, we’ll see the truth on the field. Wait for me to knock you off that pole, then I’ll have a proper word with you with my fists.”

With that, he turned and went back toward Group C. With a loud shout, he rushed up the long pole that was currently leaning at an angle. The well-trained students who had worked with him for a long time immediately stood the pole upright. Then, Ryohei Sasagawa spoke in a voice that could be heard by the entire venue:

“Hibari! If you lose, you’d better obediently accept the Cloud Guardian trial!”

Jin Chaoyan, who was about to climb her pole: “…” She pointed toward the hot-blooded elder brother and whispered to Tsunayoshi Sawada, “Uh, I feel like the big brother can handle it alone. Maybe I shouldn’t go up?”

Tsunayoshi Sawada: “?” Having heard Ryohei Sasagawa’s persuasion just now, he shook his head in terror. “No, no, no. Hibari-senpai only acknowledges the bet with you. Student Chaoyan, we still have to rely on you. You must do your best! I will hold the pole steady!”

Being personally supported by the Vongola Decimo, Jin Chaoyan felt a wave of discomfort. She wanted to decline further, but a very calm voice came from over there: “Jin Chaoyan, how long do you intend to dawdle?”

She turned to look and saw the youth standing tall at the top of the Group B pole. The cape of his old black uniform fluttered behind him in the high wind. His white shirt and suit trousers traced his slender figure. The most prominent things on him were the red Disciplinary armband and those gray-blue phoenix eyes looking down from above.

Her heart suddenly grew calm. Confirming that she had to win this match no matter what, she took a deep breath and walked straight from the end of the pole. As she reached the top, her classmates moved in unison to stand the pole upright. Takeshi Yamamoto shouted to her from below:

“Good luck, Chaoyan! Win against him!”

“Don’t you dare lose, you woman!” She heard Hayato Gokudera’s voice too.

Jin Chaoyan stood at the top of the pole, on the same level as the guardians of the other two groups. Her envisioned scenario was to team up with Ryohei Sasagawa to take down Hibari’s group, but who knew that as soon as the match started, the students of Group C, under Ryohei’s command, came straight toward Group A!

“Nobody shall interfere with me persuading Hibari!” he shouted from the top of his pole.

Jin Chaoyan: “?” Is ‘attacking teammates’ a Vongola specialty?

She heard Hayato Gokudera below cursing Ryohei as an idiot, while Takeshi Yamamoto had to free a hand to hold him back. Looking down again, Tsunayoshi Sawada… had been squeezed out of the center at some point and was being beaten by the Group C people.

When she looked up again, even from such a distance, she saw the curve of Kyoya Hibari’s lips, as if he were amused by the farce in Group A.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out. Countless Cloud-attribute bullets flew from a silver muzzle, scattering into numerous trajectories in mid-air before all striking the upper half of the Group C pole. The wooden pole, which required several people to hold steady, let out a “creak” and snapped in half.

Ryohei Sasagawa, who had never seen such a scene, fell into the crowd. He was about to step on his teammates to stand tall again and rush toward the other two groups when a long chain spread out from nowhere, coiling around the students near where he landed. With a light pull of the chain…

The students were dragged away as if they had been bundled up, exposing a large patch of empty ground. Ryohei Sasagawa was left standing on the ground, bewildered.

The moment both his feet touched the ground, the referee blew the whistle: “Group C, defeated!”

With a click, Kyoya Hibari, standing atop the Group B pole, unhurriedly retracted the mechanism on the underside of his tonfa and gave Jin Chaoyan a smile from afar:

“Finally, no more idle people interfering—”

“Now, it’s just me and you.”