This Color Ain't It

Chapter 3: Orange, Tan & Maybe A New Purple?

Summary:

A look into the Sports Festival.
Notes:

I'm not exactly sure what would classify as a trigger warning, but I guess just to be safe?

TW : mentioned panic attack
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text
Kenji is well aware that he can't use the same tactic to every single student. Everyone will pick up that he is jumping from person to person, asking personal questions, then forgetting why he befriended them in the first place. Working with White and Sugar, he had used the 'strength buddies' excuse. Blue sat next to him in class and was kind enough to explain some classwork to the homeschooled boy, and Purple had drifted close enough for Kenji to talk to her excitedly in class. Red and Pink gave him after-school excuses to investigate them, but the downside with them is that now Kenji will see more of them than would be necessary. At the very least he sees them after school as opposed to during the school day or weekends.

With Orange, he needs to gather as much as he can based on his performance during the Sports Festival. Tanizaki won't be able to join him on the course itself, but on the chance that Kenji is unable to be in the same area as Orange, they also discussed looking into the next in line: Tan. Investigating Red and Pink wasn't as difficult as they thought, so the detectives feel like they can pull through with Orange and Tan, too.

"Only look into Orange if I don't manage to get out with him," Kenji sighed. Tanizaki was in the kitchen preparing their dinner with Kenji leaning against the doorframe, homework long-forgotten on the table in the living room.

"I'm pretty sure I can look into Tan if he gets out before you and Orange," Tanizaki responded without removing his eyes from the pan. Kenji crossed his arms and hummed in thought. "If either of them are eliminated from the events but the other is still in the field, you should keep going. We can get through the list faster if we investigate two separate students at once, right?"

Kenji's smile grew at the idea. He liked that! Maybe if they show their insistence to rush through the list of students, Ranpo would grow annoyed at them and finally get back to them with the reports they sent in. They're being careful with the notes they're taking, but if there's anything Ranpo hates in the world, it's being rushed.

"Oh, I probably don't need to tell you, but Kunikida-san called earlier." Kenji didn't need to look at the knowing smile on the older boy's face to know what the call was about.

"Tell him I know. I'm not in the hero course to get accepted into hero agencies or anything! I'll be out before I can even make an impression!"

"Dazai-san also said to watch out for people who'll ask you out--"

"Tell Dazai-san that his advice is entirely unnecessary!"

Getting through the obstacle course hadn't been tough for the blonde detective. The only thing he found difficult was to avoid being in places where he would be injured. While keeping an eye out on his main objective, Kenji couldn't help but notice a particle purple-headed student commanding others to carry him through. As much as Kenji would have loved to stare in awe, he didn't want to lose sight of Orange.

Thus he made it back to the stadium in eleventh place. Orange came in seventh place. Tan was right behind him. It didn't come as a surprise that most of the hero course students were the ones to make it to the top places. They were, after all, being trained differently.

However, with the announcement of the cavalry battle, Kenji knew things were going to get exciting. Current classmates, fighting one another to make it farther! To achieve the highest glory! Attract the most attention!