Part 5: Episode 5: Sports are for Dorks

Before I knew it, a whole week had passed by.

In never did make up my mind. What should I do?


At this point, everybirdie else has probably gotten their own position. I’ll probably just end up getting in the way. Also…
May is practically summer already… it’s too hot! I think I’ll rest in the library.

The music stops.


…It’s nice that the AC is on, but do we really need it? Nobirdie’s in here today.
It’s not on.
!
It’s you, Nageki!

Woah! He called me by my name.


They don’t turn the air conditioning on until June. It just feels cold compared to outside.
Oh, is that it?

It would be a little strange to start spending money to cool a barely-used library in May.

Anyway, aren’t you going to participate in the festival, Nageki?
Aren’t you?
Eep!

Hmm… I see.
………
Why are you sitting next to me?
Do you mind?
………Not really.
U-um, listen, our class president got duped into being a cheerleader, and…
……
S-sorry…

And so I spent the day telling him about the festival and whatnot while he read.
I don’t know how much he was listening to me, but he didn’t seem to mind… I think?





Time flew by in a post-sports festival flurry, until the big day came out of nowhere. My hands were sweaty and I was full of nervous energy.

We’re getting them back today… Aah, I don’t think I did too well.
Maybe I should have gone to math class on elective days… Maybe I should have asked Mr. Nanaki for some additional help… Maybe I-

Lourde!
Yes!

One day, you could surpass me. I’d love to see that!

…I guess I did pretty well after all!
And Mr. Nanaki seems happy with me too. Yay!
There really wasn’t anything to worry about after all.




After midterms, everything seems to slow down around the campus, so nothing really big happened for the next couple weeks, until…

Doves smell kind of funny when it gets humid like this…
Huh? There are a bunch of birds in front of the staffroom. What are they doing?
Oh! There’s Yuuya.

Yuuya! What’s going on?

He gestures at a news clipping on the staffroom pinboard.
It says “Brain, the First Intelligent Pigeon, Crowned Again”.

Brian…?
Don’t tell me you don’t know who he is!
I think I’ve heard the name, but…
He’s the world’s most famous blogger. He began when birds were barely intelligent.
He’s a very skilled and insightful writer.
He was the one who suggested that the dove Olympics be called the “Pigeolympics”. He’s extremely influential -- the name was adopted right away.

Okay!
Okay!
…Uh-oh, lunch is nearly over. Adieu, Goon!

Wow, there are still so many amazing things to learn about our world!

Brian Pigeon does, in fact, exist. His wordpress blog is similarly real, and has updated regularly since 2006. It’s actually kind of neat and has a Hatoful-style charm to it.