Whether that was the intended solution or not was of course beside the point to both of them. Fuji had his own agenda to push. First and foremost was image recovery. Showing the strength to still carry one of the others back would temper the unsightliness of his stomach's failure to handle Inui's drink, and it was a logical measure of accountability on the theme of additional burdens to those placing last.

But he understood Kawamura as well. He lacked confidence in his value to the team, and these acts of support were where he drew his sense of usefulness. He wanted to be helpful here, too.

"Taka-san?" He started as he knelt by Akaya and picked him up with a perhaps surprising level of care. "Maybe you can help carry the backpacks?" Sanada hadn't said anything about who had to carry those, after all.

Cradling Akaya against his chest, Fuji looked up in search of Inui with a flash in his eyes. This was not over.