How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? IF: The Return of Gina Boyd
Sakura Hibiki has a problem—and it's not just the two kilos she just gained.
Between her bottomless appetite, her empty house, and her hopeless crush on a certain trainer whose muscles defy the laws of nature, Hibiki's "serious about getting fit" resolution is hanging by a thread. But when a silver-haired stranger with piercing blue eyes snatches the last sakura mochi protein cup right out from under her nose at Muscle Mart, Hibiki's comfortable routine shatters in an instant.
That stranger is
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? IF: The Return of Gina Boyd - Tag Team Posing and a Bouquet of Tears: The Promise of Silver and Gold Hair That Shone Even in Defeat
The morning light danced across the surface of the protein shaker sitting on the living room table.
Sakura Hibiki, toast still in her mouth, glanced at the silver-haired girl seated across from her. Gina Boyd—her housemate from Russia, a sore loser who was really just lonely underneath it all. Today was the day of the Silverman Cup branch qualifiers.
Gina was clutching the shaker with both hands. Her fingertips trembled, just slightly. Her blue eyes were fixed on a single point on the table, unmoving.
"Gina, aren't you gonna drink that?"
When Hibiki spoke up, Gina's head snapped up.
"Huh? Oh—right, I'm drinking it. I'm drinking it now."
Gina brought the shaker to her lips. But her hands were shaking so badly she couldn't get the lid open properly. After several attempts, the lid finally popped off—
Splurt.
Vanilla protein powder splattered spectacularly across the front of Gina's white shirt.
"...Oh."
Gina froze. Her blue eyes slowly traveled down to the stain on her shirt. The yellowish blotch was spreading steadily across the white fabric.
"Ahaha! Gina, what are you even doing!"
Hibiki doubled over laughing, her snaggletooth on full display. Her laughter lit up the quiet living room like someone had flipped a switch.
"D-don't laugh! This is just—my hand slipped because I was nervous, that's all..."
Gina protested, her ears burning bright red. The sight was so ridiculous that Hibiki laughed even harder.
"I mean, protein powder right to the chest! That's hilarious—maybe I should take a photo."
"Don't you dare! Delete that! Delete it right now!"
Gina grabbed a towel and started scrubbing furiously at her shirt. But the stain just kept spreading. Watching her desperate efforts, Hibiki laughed so hard tears started forming.
"Ahh, my stomach hurts. Gina, just change. I'll lend you something."
Hibiki finally managed to rein in her laughter.
"...Sorry for the trouble."
Gina mumbled, still red-eared, hanging her head.
"It's fine, it's fine. Here, how about this? It's a little flashy, though."
What Hibiki brought from her room was a pink T-shirt with a big ribbon printed on the chest. Gina stared at it, then looked up at Hibiki's face.
"...This is yours?"
"Yep. It's my favorite."
"You're giving it to me?"
"Sure. Today's a special day, after all."
Gina hesitated for a moment, then took the shirt. She hugged it tightly to her chest.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was different from before—very small, and very soft.
Hibiki gave Gina's silver hair a light pat.
"Don't mention it. Come on, get changed. I want to get to the venue nice and early."
Gina nodded.
◆
The special stage at the Silverman Gym Sakuragioka branch had been set up in the free-weight area on the third floor. Where dumbbells and barbells usually stood, a red carpet now stretched across the floor, with several spotlights rigged overhead.
The venue had drawn a bigger crowd than expected. Gym members, their families, neighborhood residents—and among them, students from Kouou Girls' Academy. Everyone was holding handmade cheer boards.
"Hibiki! Gina!"
A brown-haired bun bobbed through the crowd. Ayaka. Beside her stood Souryuin Akemi, her long black hair flowing straight down her back.
"Ayaka! Akemi! You came!"
Hibiki ran over to them.
"Of course we did. It's our best friend's big day."
Ayaka smiled brightly. In her hands was a small bouquet.
"I've been looking forward to this as well. To see how your muscles will shine."
Akemi's narrow dark eyes sparkled. The expensive watch on her left wrist caught the spotlight and glinted.
"Akemi, you're even more fired up than usual today..."
Ayaka muttered, edging back slightly.
"But of course. Today is a festival of muscle. My heart is already dancing with wild abandon."
Akemi clasped her hands in front of her chest, a dreamy expression on her face. Hibiki couldn't help but laugh.
"Ahaha, that's so you, Akemi."
Just then, the air in the venue turned cold.
Hibiki turned around.
Standing in the front row of the spectator seats was a woman with silver hair flowing around her. Victoria. An elite trainer from the Moscow branch. A hundred and seventy-five centimeters of hard-trained muscle. A cold, beautiful face. Beside her stood another muscular woman—Victoria's tag partner.
Victoria was staring straight at Hibiki and Gina. A chilly smile played at the corners of her mouth.
"...Gina."
Hibiki squeezed the hand of the girl standing next to her. Gina's hand was cold as ice.
"It's okay. Let's go at our own pace."
Hibiki spoke softly into Gina's ear, but clearly.
Gina looked up at Hibiki's face. Her blue eyes were wavering.
"...Yeah."
Gina gave a small nod. A little bit of strength returned to her hand.
◆
The first event was the tag deadlift. Two competitors grip a single barbell and lift it together.
A barbell sat in the center of the stage, loaded with plate after plate. That weight was probably more than their combined personal bests.
Gina stood before the barbell. Her silver hair shimmered under the spotlights.
"...Hibiki."
Gina murmured.
"What?"
"I'm shaking. My hands are shaking."
Gina stared at her right hand. Her fingertips were trembling in small, rapid quivers.
"Yeah, I know."
Hibiki said quietly.
"You know?"
"Of course I know. Because I'm shaking too."
Hibiki held out her own hand in front of Gina's face. Her fingertips were trembling too, just slightly.
Gina's eyes went wide.
"You too?"
"Well, duh. There's no way anyone wouldn't be nervous at a stage this big. But here's the thing—"
Hibiki cupped Gina's hand in both of hers.
"If we're both shaking, it's perfect. Our tremors cancel each other out."
Hibiki grinned. Her snaggletooth glinted.
Gina stared at Hibiki's smile. Then, a small laugh escaped her.
"...You really are a strange one."
"I get that a lot."
The two of them stood before the barbell. Hibiki on the right, Gina on the left. Their hands touched the bar at the same moment.
"Ready..."
Hibiki's voice.
Their breathing aligned perfectly.
The barbell rose with a grunt. Feet planted firm against the floor. Backs straightened. Sweat flew from both their foreheads at once.
"—She's up!"
Ayaka's voice rang through the venue.
Whoooooo!
A wave of applause erupted from the spectator seats.
Hibiki and Gina lowered the barbell slowly to the floor. The metal clanked against the ground.
"We did it... we did it!"
Gina stared at her own hands, over and over. The trembling had stopped.
"We did it, Gina!"
Hibiki slapped Gina hard on the back.
"Ow!"
Gina protested indignantly. But her lips were curved in a smile.
◆
The second event was the teamwork challenge. Two competitors worked together to carry heavy sandbags from one end of the stage to the other. The goal was to move as many bags as possible within the time limit.
"Gina, I'll take the front, you take the back. Match my rhythm."
"Got it."
They hoisted a sandbag between them, front and back. It was heavy—seriously heavy.
"On three!"
At Hibiki's call, they broke into a run. Their footsteps fell in perfect sync. Right, left, right, left.
"Nice, Gina! Just like that!"
"Yeah, you too!"
Drop the bag. Grab the next one. Their breath came short. But their movements grew smoother and smoother.
"Amazing... those two are perfectly in sync."
Ayaka murmured in admiration.
"Yes. That's not something you can build overnight. It's the accumulation of days and days of effort. Truly, the crystallization of muscle and trust."
Akemi said fervently.
When they finished carrying the third bag, Gina's legs wobbled.
"Ah—"
Gina lost her balance. The sandbag tilted dangerously.
"Gina!"
Hibiki's hand shot out instinctively. She caught Gina's waist with one hand, steadying her firmly. With the other, she shoved the tilting bag back into place.
"You okay?!"
"...Yeah. Sorry."
"Don't apologize! Come on, all the way to the end!"
Hibiki grinned.
"Nice, Gina! Almost there!"
At those words, Gina's face lit up.
"Yeah!"
Together, they set the final bag down at the edge of the stage.
Warm cheers poured from the spectator seats.
"Keep going!" "You guys are amazing!" "What a team!"
Hibiki and Gina looked at each other and laughed.
◆
And then came the final event. The tag posing showdown.
Two competitors had a set amount of time to perform synchronized poses. They were judged on muscular beauty, expressiveness, and above all, their sense of unity as a pair.
The stage lights went dark. In the darkness, a spotlight slowly illuminated the two standing at center stage.
Gina's face was pale.
"H-Hibiki..."
Gina's voice was shaking.
"Yeah?"
"I don't think I can do this. My legs won't move. Everyone's eyes are so scary..."
Gina hung her head. Silver hair fell across her face.
Hibiki pulled Gina's shoulders into a tight embrace.
"It's okay. I'm right here with you."
Hibiki whispered into Gina's ear.
"I'll be right beside you the whole time. So you're not alone."
The tension drained from Gina's body.
"...You're right next to me."
"Yeah. Always."
"...Then I'm okay."
Gina lifted her head. Her blue eyes, bathed in the spotlight, sparkled brilliantly.
"Let's go, Hibiki. Together, you and I—we'll show them our best pose."
Gina gripped Hibiki's hand tightly.
"Hell yeah! Let's show 'em what we've got!"
The music began to play.
They stepped forward in unison.
Right arm raised. Left arm flexed. Their muscles stood out in sharp relief under the spotlights.
Hibiki placed her hand on Gina's back. Gina placed her hand on Hibiki's shoulder. Their bodies pressed close together.
Next pose. They stood back to back, supporting each other through their spines.
And then, the final pose.
They faced forward, arms linked. Hibiki's right arm and Gina's left arm locked together solidly. Their smiles shone brighter than anything under the spotlights.
Whooooooooo!
The venue erupted in thunderous applause.
"Hibiki! Gina! You guys were incredible!"
Ayaka was jumping up and down, shouting.
"What... what a beautiful harmony of muscle...! I simply...!"
Akemi was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Hibiki and Gina broke their pose and looked at each other.
Both were drenched in sweat, both gasping for breath.
But both were smiling.
◆
The results announcement.
All competing pairs gathered on stage. Hibiki and Gina, Victoria and her partner, and the other competitors.
The host took the microphone.
"Now then, we'll announce the results. Third place... Sakuragioka branch, the Sato-Suzuki pair!"
Applause.
"Second place..."
Hibiki gripped Gina's hand. Gina squeezed back.
"Second place... Sakuragioka branch, the Sakura-Boyd pair!"
A huge round of applause erupted from the venue.
"Second place! Gina, we got second!"
Hibiki threw her arms around Gina.
"Yeah, second place..."
Gina smiled, looking just a little frustrated.
"And in first place... Moscow branch, the Victoria pair!"
The applause in the venue dimmed, just slightly. Even so, Victoria walked to center stage wearing that cold smile.
But then—
"Wait!"
A man rose from the spectator seats. One of the judges.
"We judges didn't base our decision on scores alone—we factored in the audience's reaction as part of our overall assessment. Yes, the Victoria pair's muscles were flawless. However—"
The judge turned toward Hibiki and Gina.
"The Sakura-Boyd pair's smiles. Their unity. No other pair today moved the audience's hearts the way they did. The beauty of muscle isn't something you can measure with numbers alone."
The venue went dead silent.
"Today's best performance was, without question, the Sakura-Boyd pair."
Whoooooooo!
Applause even louder than before swept through the venue.
"Hibiki... we... we..."
Tears spilled from Gina's blue eyes.
"Yeah. We're the best team there is."
Hibiki wiped away her own tears.
Victoria accepted the championship trophy, but there was no joy of victory on her face. She stood there, gazing at the applauding audience, at Hibiki and Gina shedding tears.
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