Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie Episode 10: The Desire to Win

The chaos of a school sports festival looms. Class 2-4 needs relay runners, and since no one volunteers, the teacher resorts to a lottery. Izumi immediately fears his bad luck will strike, and it does; he is the first chosen. Hachimitsu, behind him, radiates an almost visible dread, her despair deepening when her name is called next. Then Shikimori steps forward, offering to swap with another student, her secret smile a testament to her playful affection for Izumi. Inuzuka and Nekozaki eagerly volunteer, completing the team of five friends, which brings a genuine smile to Izumi's face despite his earlier worries. Nekozaki playfully teases Shikimori about her eagerness, a detail that speaks volumes about their friendship.

The newly formed relay team gathers to plan their strategy. Hachimitsu is brutally honest, stating she will be the weak link, lacking stamina and physical prowess. Izumi, ever the self-deprecating one, admits his propensity for tripping. Inuzuka attempts to reassure them, pointing out Izumi's decent speed, if only his luck would hold. Hachimitsu expresses a quiet frustration, feeling betrayed that Izumi, her fellow 'indoorsy' friend, is actually capable. Izumi, with his usual clumsiness, offers to fall to make her feel better, a proposal quickly dismissed by the others. The group decides to practice hard, to make the festival a shared, good memory, not a source of regret.

The team heads to the field for their first practice. Nekozaki is all energy, ready to lead the charge, while Inuzuka offers a more grounded assessment, emphasizing coordination over speed. Hachimitsu is already leaning on her friends, appearing utterly exhausted before a single step is taken. Their running order is set: Nekozaki, Hachimitsu, Izumi, Shikimori, then Inuzuka as anchor. During their first practice run, Nekozaki makes a clean baton pass to Hachimitsu. Hachimitsu's run is a slow, wobbly affair. As she reaches Izumi, he takes the baton but immediately trips over a pebble, face-planting into the dirt. Shikimori cries out in worry. Afterward, the group huddles, analyzing their mistakes, focusing on the baton passes as a way to compensate for Hachimitsu's speed. Izumi, undeterred, brushes himself off, his determination visible even in failure.

As the sun sets, most students leave the field, but Izumi and Hachimitsu remain. Under the school's floodlights, they practice their baton pass repeatedly. Izumi is drenched in sweat, and Hachimitsu looks on the verge of collapse. The only sounds are their heavy breathing and the scuffing of their shoes. During a brief rest, Hachimitsu reveals her dislike for physical activity, feeling it never yields results and only highlights her failures. Izumi listens, then gently tells her that her effort is what truly matters, not just the outcome. His words resonate deeply with Hachimitsu, stirring her to continue practicing, pushing through her fatigue for a little longer.

The day of the sports festival dawns, vibrant with music and cheers. A large, festive arch greets students, and elaborate class banners adorn the grounds, including a golden phoenix for their class. The relay team stands together, clad in matching blue tracksuits and red headbands, a picture of unity. Izumi notices Hachimitsu's intense, almost strained expression, worrying she might be over-exerting herself before the race has even begun. Nekozaki and Inuzuka depart for their cavalry battle, leaving Izumi, Shikimori, and Hachimitsu to cheer them on.

In the cavalry battle, Izumi acts as one of the 'horses' for Inuzuka. They struggle against more powerful opponents, Izumi fighting hard to maintain balance despite his notorious bad luck. They eventually lose, ending up covered in dirt, looking dazed but relieved their ordeal is over. Shikimori watches from the sidelines, concern etched on her face. Later, Hachimitsu slowly walks towards the girls' ball-toss event, telling Izumi she plans to simply 'float through' it. Izumi offers her a quiet, encouraging smile, hoping she might find some enjoyment in the game after all.

The ball-toss proves difficult, the high basket challenging for all the girls. Hachimitsu initially throws half-heartedly, her movements sluggish. From the fence, her friends cheer loudly, their unwavering support cutting through the noise. Hachimitsu looks up, and something shifts within her. Suddenly, she begins throwing with remarkable precision, sinking shot after shot into the basket. Her friends watch in stunned silence as her burst of energy leads her class to a first-place victory. Afterward, she collapses, utterly spent, but a quiet satisfaction plays across her face as Shikimori praises her unexpected skill. The team gathers around, laughing and congratulating her on the win.

The air crackles with anticipation as the team gathers at the starting gate for the mixed relay. Nekozaki stretches, her face serious. Izumi attempts to calm his racing heart, while Hachimitsu appears on the verge of fainting from heat and nerves. Just then, Izumi's bad luck strikes again: his shoelace snaps. He panics. Hachimitsu begins to hyperventilate. Shikimori steps forward, taking Hachimitsu's hand firmly, looking her directly in the eye. She tells Hachimitsu everything will be fine, emphasizing their shared effort. Nekozaki takes her place at the starting line, gives a thumbs-up to her friends, and settles into her crouch. The crowd falls silent, waiting for the pistol.

The starting pistol fires, and the race explodes into motion. Nekozaki surges forward with incredible speed, her ponytail a blur as she battles for the lead. She maintains a strong position in the front pack around the first curve. From the sidelines, Izumi and the others scream their encouragement, pouring their energy into cheering her on. As she nears the exchange zone, still in second place, she passes the red baton into Hachimitsu's waiting hand with a focused shout. Hachimitsu takes a deep breath and begins her leg, a new determination in her gaze.

Hachimitsu pushes herself to her absolute limit, her face contorted with effort. She moves with a strange, fluid gait, barely holding her own. Izumi and Inuzuka watch, breathless, as she approaches the exchange zone. Suddenly, Hachimitsu loses her footing and falls hard onto the dirt track, sliding several feet in a cloud of dust. The crowd gasps; her friends cry out, their faces pale. The other runners pass, leaving her class in dead last. Hachimitsu slowly pushes herself up, her scraped knees and arms bleeding. Her eyes spin for a moment, but seeing Izumi waiting, she forces herself to stand and hobble towards him, the crowd now cheering for her resilience. She reaches Izumi, hands him the baton with a trembling hand, and collapses, her ragged gasps filling the air. Izumi, seeing her sacrifice, takes the baton with grim determination.

Izumi sprints down the track, his focus entirely on the ground to avoid any more accidents. He manages to sidestep a stray shoe and keeps his balance as he rounds the bend. He gains ground on the other runners, fueled by a powerful desire to redeem his friend's sacrifice and make up for lost time. Despite his broken shoelace, he doesn't falter. His face is red with exertion as he pushes himself harder than ever, passing one runner, then another. As he nears Shikimori, waiting with a fierce expression, he puts everything into his final sprint, his heart pounding.

Izumi successfully hands the baton to Shikimori, nearly collapsing into her arms. Shikimori takes it, her cool demeanor replaced by an intensely focused and powerful aura. She takes off like a rocket, her speed stunning everyone in the stadium. She is a blur of motion, zooming past runner after runner, closing the massive gap with unbelievable speed. The crowd erupts into wild cheers, astonished by her athletic ability. She rounds the final curve, her eyes narrowed, fixed on the exchange zone. Nekozaki and Hachimitsu watch, tears of hope in their eyes, as Shikimori brings the class back into contention.

Shikimori reaches the final exchange zone and passes the baton to Inuzuka for the anchor leg, having brought the class from last to a close second. Inuzuka takes off, his face serious, ready for the final showdown. He is neck-and-neck with the leader, both runners giving their absolute all in the final sprint. It is a brutal fight for the finish line, the stadium screaming in excitement. In the last few meters, Inuzuka pushes his chest forward, crossing the line just inches ahead of his rival. Class 2-4 has won the mixed relay in a miraculous comeback victory.

The friends rush towards each other, celebrating their hard-won victory with shouts and hugs. Izumi is overwhelmed with emotion, embracing Inuzuka and then Shikimori. Shikimori, blushing, has a huge, happy smile as she holds onto Izumi. They spot Hachimitsu, still covered in dirt but looking utterly triumphant. The group gathers around her as she holds the winning class flag, her face bright with a rare, genuine smile. She admits that despite the pain and the fall, she actually had a lot of fun during the race. They all decide to take a group photo, capturing this incredible moment of teamwork and friendship. The episode ends with the five friends standing together with their victory flag, a heartwarming image of their bond.

The ending theme, 'Route BLUE' by Yuki Nakashima, plays as the credits roll. Stylized footage shows silhouettes of Izumi and Shikimori walking together through various urban environments, their close proximity symbolizing their unwavering bond. Brief vignettes feature other characters, subtly highlighting their personalities and connections formed throughout the episode. The episode concludes with a final static image of the entire group and the word 'MATANE,' a simple farewell, but implying the continuity of their friendships and adventures.