Class 11D sluggishly made their way to the outdoor multi-purpose stadium for their Physical Education lesson with Mr. Bach. Every student wore the same weary, lifeless expression, as if they had been soaked in water for too long, like oversteamed dumplings.

With only one more P.E. period before lunchtime, the entire class just wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible so they could rush to the canteen for lunch and then take an early nap.

Even after warming up with a lively flash mob routine, the students of 11D showed no signs of enthusiasm.

Perhaps the dreary weather had something to do with it. The morning drizzle had stopped, but the sky remained overcast and dull, casting a heavy mood over everyone.

“Wow, 11D, you all look so miserable today! Alright then, let’s finish this game quickly, and I’ll let you out early.”

Mr. Bach’s words failed to spark any joy in the students. Everyone knew that whenever he called something a “game,” it was just a regular sports drill, disguised under a more fun-sounding name.

“I have a game for you all—it doesn’t have a name yet. The rules are simple: you’ll run around this stadium at least once—a full lap is 400 meters. After that, anyone who still has stamina can keep running until they can’t go on anymore. The last person standing on the track will be the winner.”

A collective groan of protest rose among the students.

“Oh? The moment I explained the rules, I came up with a name for it. This game will now be called… The Death Race! And to make things more interesting, I have a prize for the winner!”

Mr. Bach waved a white envelope high in the air. Through the thin paper, a faint glimpse of a rectangular blue banknote could be seen inside.

Instantly, the students perked up.

Real, tangible cash had a way of motivating even the laziest of them.

“Sir, I think this game might be a bit unfair for the girls.”

Class monitor Lucas Vu cautiously raised his concern.

“Girls? Where? I don’t see any girls in this class.” Mr. Bach dramatically looked around before continuing, “I only see female warriors—the descendants of the great Trung Sisters, Lady Trieu, Tay Son Female Generals, Madame Nguyen Thi Dinh and these warriors are more than capable of crushing you boys like tiny quail eggs!”

He clenched his fist toward the female students, making them jump in surprise. Only Autumn responded to his rallying cry. She tightened her own tiny fist and shouted, “Yeah!”

The students of 11D collectively dropped out of the race after exactly one lap—just enough to meet the bare minimum requirement.

Only two runners remained, fiercely chasing each other on the track.

From the sidelines, Ethan could hear his classmates’ “super encouraging” cheers, directed specifically at him.

“Give up already, Ethan!”

“Quit it, man! Let us go eat lunch in peace!”

“Dude, beating a girl isn’t even something to brag about!”

“Losing to a girl won’t kill you!”

“Come on, Ethan, just let her win—it’s almost October 20th!”

Despite their ‘wonderful‘ words of support, something inside Ethan ignited. A fiery determination surged through him. 

His pace slowed as he passed the group of classmates standing by the track.

“There is no ‘boy’ or ‘girl’ on this track. Only competitors. If I give up now, that would be disrespecting both Autumn and you guys—my loyal audience. I will never stop!”

Panting heavily, he delivered his speech with a conviction that left the entire class stunned. This was the most fired-up they had ever seen him. 

Just then, Autumn sprinted past where he had paused to speak. She stuck her tongue out at Ethan teasingly. Seeing her taunting gesture, Ethan spun around, refocused, and broke into a run again, gradually increasing his speed.

“You idiot!!! Autumn is three whole laps ahead of you! How the hell do you plan to catch up?!”

Royce screamed until his throat nearly gave out as he watched Ethan, drenched in sweat, charging after her.

“Mr. Bach said: The winner is the last one standing on the track. And that winner is going to be meeeee!”

Ethan roared toward Royce.

Despite P.E. class officially ending, Autumn and Ethan were still locked in an intense race. The students of 11D, starving, yet captivated, stayed to watch. Some even recorded and sent clips to their friends in other classes, causing a growing crowd of students to gather around the stadium instead of rushing to the canteen as usual.

“For the love of god! Can you two stop so I can go have lunch with my girlfriend?”

Mr. Bach pleaded desperately every time they passed him, but neither of them showed any signs of stopping.

Up in the stands, Royce seized the opportunity to start a betting pool on who would give up first.

Then, out of nowhere, a massive cat bolted onto the track, right as the two racers were running side by side.

The audience gasped. Some students even leaped onto the field, trying to catch the cat, only for it to panic and dash around unpredictably.

“Ow—OW! Damn it!”

The cat launched itself onto Ethan’s shoulder, sinking its claws deep into him. Refusing to let go, it clung to him as if he were its last refuge from the chaotic crowd.

But with every step Ethan took, the terrified feline dug its claws in deeper. The sharp scent of blood filled the air. It was his. He could feel the warm liquid trickling down his back, mixing with sweat.

The stadium fell eerily silent. Some students froze in place, strangely still.

“Ethan, you’re bleeding! Stop running and come with me to the infirmary right now!”

Autumn had caught up to him.

Even after countless laps, her breath remained steady, her floral scent unchanged. But her usually childish voice wavered, trembling with fear.

“No.”

Stubborn as ever, Ethan refused to stop.

“Please, stop! I’m begging you!”

“I don’t like losing.”

“Fine! Then I’ll stop running! You win! But after that, you HAVE to come to the infirmary with me!”

“Noooo!”

“Then tell me, what do I have to do to make you stop?”

“Just say ‘Senpai, please stop.’ That’s all.”

“W-WHAT?!”

Blood and sweat dripped onto the track beneath him. Ethan noticed that Autumn had wrinkled her nose slightly, as if trying to block out some kind of toxic fume.

He could only hope it wasn’t because his body odor had turned unbearable after all this running.

Several female students had jumped down from the stands, rushing toward him. He assumed they wanted to help remove the cat from his shoulder, but Autumn didn’t seem to think it was that simple.

“S…Sen…Senpai!”

In the end, she gave in. Her face turned crimson, her lips quivering as she forced herself to say exactly what he wanted.

“Good girl. Now, say the rest.”

“S…Senpai, please stop!”

She cried out, her wide brown eyes shimmering like crystal. Tears had already begun welling up, threatening to spill.

“I’m begging you, Senpai!”

Since he hadn’t fully stopped—only slowed to a light jog—Autumn pulled out her final weapon. And it worked like a charm. Ethan came to a complete halt the moment she pleaded in that heart-wrenching voice.

“Ha. I won.”

As the realization of his victory sank in, the world around him suddenly spun. His vision blurred. Before him, there weren’t just one, but three Autumn.

His body swayed dangerously. And then, he collapsed face-first onto the track, unconscious. The cat frantically shifted from his shoulder to his back, as if it had finally found the perfect owner.