It's been one week since the entrance ceremony, a week where I did absolutely nothing during classes. I have settled into a routine, arriving late to class and spending my time chatting on the group chat with my friends.
Sudou still wants to rearrange my facial features, but hey, minor inconveniences are part and parcel of the high school experience.
With slow steps and a carefree air, I push open the classroom door as the clock is already several minutes behind. Wearing sunglasses and a smile meant to be mischievous, I make my triumphant entrance.
"Ohhayooo~!" I greet with a lazy drawl, a carefree smile on my face. My sunglasses shining dramatically.
The english teacher, a tall middle-aged man with brown hair, glances up from his textbook. His eyes flickered over me, registering my tardiness, and then just as quickly, returns to the page. No reprimand, no raised eyebrow, not even a sigh. Just a quiet resumption of the lesson, as if my entrance is as commonplace as the flickering fluorescent lights overhead.
The rest of the class follow suit. A few heads turns, some curious, some annoyed, but most remain focused on their notes, unfazed by my interruption.
Seriously? Not even a raised eyebrow?
My carefully crafted aura of rebellious indifference has no effect?! Unacceptable!
I sweatdrop, the air of mischievous triumph deflating like a punctured balloon. With a quiet sigh that escapes unnoticed in the low hum of the classroom, I shuffle to my seat, the swagger replaced by a subtle slump of defeat.
As I settle into the seat and take my sunglasses off, a voice calls me from behind.
"Just look who deigned to show up!" Yamauchi waits with a crooked smile, unable to hide a sneer of mockery.
"Ah, Yamauchi," I reply, leaning my shoulder into the hallway window with a dramatic sigh. "Missed me that much, have you?"
"We arrived early today, Shiroi," Yamauchi says, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
"Early? You? I never thought I'd see the day." I deadpan.
Ike, pops up from behind of Yamauchi like an uninvited tutorial prompt. "Seriously Shiroi, even my alarm clock gave up on you! No kidding, we got up on time today!"
I raise his hands and say: "Oi, oi. Slow down there. One day of being on time doesn't make you a punctual pro. You two must've traded your souls for the only brain cell you share, huh?"
Ike tilts his head and, with a look that suggests more than it says, he speaks.
"Today's not just any day, buddy. Don't you remember what's happening at our P.E class today after normal lessons are over?"
"No fucking clue. Are they making us swim like—OH!" My eyes widen slightly as realization dawns and my jaw drops as my brain helpfully supplies high-definition mental images.
"Swim class?! How could I forget?!"
"Yeah man, I've been waiting for this day all week," Yamauchi sighs dreamily.
"This school is the best!" Ike exclaims, pumping his fist in the air. "Swimsuits! Need I say more?"
Yamauchi paused, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hold on a sec," he says slowly. "Didn't you literally just say that, like, five minutes ago?"
"Did I? Well, you're also repeating yourself again!" Ike shoves Yamauchi playfully, a grin spreading across his face.
"No, you are!"
Yamauchi and Ike banter back and forth, and I'm caught in this silly back and forth.
"Please, you guys are amateurs. I've been preparing for this day since the entrance ceremony. I've got a spreadsheet categorizing every girl in our class based on. Ahem... potential swimsuit style, predicted tan lines, and—" I stop abruptly, as if realizing I said too much. "Uh... never mind. Forget I said anything."
"Whoa, for real? Are we all doing the same thing? The professor is going to rank the girls' breast sizes for us."
"What?"
"Exciting, right? And if luck smiles at us, he'll take some pictures with his phone!" Ike says, excited.
"Ehh? Professor? Who... Ah. You're saying 'THE professor', huh?" I raise my eyebrows knowingly, then glancing at Sotomura.
Ike grins, catching my drift. "Oh, you know it, Shiroi! Front-row seats for Operation Oppai Paradise!"
Yamauchi, still trying to process what Ike just said and bless his one-track mind, takes a moment to realize the obvious. "Operation? Oh, you mean—"
"Pool class recon! We're taking bets on who has the biggest boobs!" Ike exclaims, practically bouncing in his seat.
"NANI!?" My inner degenerate slams the panic button.
"Bets you say? Do enlighten me with your research findings." I add with a grin.
"Dude, you're in?! Hell yeah! It's a thousand points to enter. Just pick the girl from our class you think has the biggest assets." He leans in conspiratorially.
"And trust me, this is an historic oppai-tunity you don't want to miss."
I tap my chin thoughtfully before letting out a mischievous chuckle. "A thousand points, huh? That's surprisingly reasonable. Consider me in."
So I just have to choose my favourite pair of milk dispensers? How delightfully primitive.
Ike pumps his fist. "Yes! Okay, so after class, you gotta talk to Sotomura. He's got, like, a whole spreadsheet with everyone's names and estimated cup sizes." He lowers his voice, glancing around nervously.
Let the games begin.
Ahh! The sole idea of seeing Kushida-chan wearing a swimsuit is driving me crazy!
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The bell rings, releasing us from the prison of English grammar. I stand, stretching languidly, my gaze drifting towards where Sotomura usually lurks.
Time to consult the Oracle of Oppai.
I sidle up to his desk where he's practically fused with his laptop, the glow of the screen illuminating his face with an almost eerie light. Rows and rows of data fill the screen: names, measurements, meticulously categorized and organized. He doesn't even look up as I approach.
"Sotomura," I say, my voice low and conspiratorial. "Let's discuss... market trends."
"Ah, Shiroi-dono," He doesn't even blink, fingers still spider-dancing across the keys.
"You wish to participate, de-gozaru? Most excellent."
What fresh weeb hell is this "de-gozaru" shit? Did he mainline too much Sengoku Basara last night?
"Cut the crap, Sotomura." I say, hopping onto the desk in front of him with all the grace of a stray cat claiming its territory.
"If I'm here, you know why. Who's the current frontrunner?"
Sotomura pushes his glasses up his nose, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Hasebe Haruka is currently the frontrunner. A most promising candidate." He shows me his tablet, pointing to a row on the spreadsheet, highlighting her name and the corresponding measurements, with her odds being 8 to 1. The names of all the girls in our class are also displayed. There are numbers listed as well.
I lean closer, my eyes scanning the data with genuine interest.
Hasebe Haruka, huh?
No clue who you are, but your academic merits have caught my attention.
"Hasebe Haruka it is, then," I declare, straightening up. "May the best analyst win."
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"All right! The pool!"
After lunch, it's finally time for swim class. Finally, the moment we had so desperately been waiting for. Without even trying to hide his excitement, Ike leaps up and heads with us toward the indoor pool.
Yamauchi, close behind, lets out a whoop of pure, unadulterated joy. I follow beneath them, barely keeping myself from sprinting there.
"Come on, let's go together, Ayanokoji!" Ike shouts over his shoulder.
"Huh? O-okay." Ayanokoji replies, his voice as flat and emotionless as ever.
As Ayanokoji comes closer, I subtly shift my trajectory to create distance, my gaze flicks over him with all the warmth of a tax auditor reviewing deductions.
We enter to the locker room. Sudou promptly removes his uniform and starts to change, showing off his physique. He's put in some serious hours into basketball, and his muscles really show. Even in comparison with the other students, he's clearly in incredible shape.
While we wrap ourselves in bath towels, Sudou unabashedly wears only his underwear. He stands there, semi-nude, and takes his swimsuit out of his bag. A moment later, Sudou leaves the locker room. I quickly finish changing as well.
Upon seeing the fifty-meter pool, Ike cries out, "Whoa, this school is something else! It's even better than the city pool, don't you think, Ayanokoji?" The water's crystal clear, and being indoors means we don't have to worry about the weather messing things up. It's the perfect place for pool time.
Ayanokoji gives a small, noncommittal nod. "It's adequate," he replies, his voice flat as usual.
"What about the girls? Aren't they here yet?" Ike looks around, sniffing the air like a dog.
Yamauchi and I exchange a look that says "this idiot is beyond help" as we try not to laugh at Ike's desperate antics. I nudge Yamauchi with my elbow, my grin goes to the skies.
"Dude, look how he reacts, tell me he's not the best girl detector we can afford!" I finally let out a loud laugh.
"Ha! Yeah, you can say that again, Shiroi." Yamauchi chimes in with a smirk. There's a brief pause as we watch Ike chatting with Ayanokoji.
"So where's the damn swimsuit parade already?" I ask, tapping my chin like I'm solving complex equations rather than just being impatient for fan service.
"Did they get lost in the women's locker room or something?"
Yamauchi shrugs. "Chill, man. They're probably doing that whole 'making us suffer' thing girls love so much."
"Taking their time? They started changing before us." I mutter, my eyebrow twitching like a malfunctioning shutter. The impatience must be showing on my face because Yamauchi suddenly finds the ceiling tiles fascinating.
I glance towards the observation deck, where Professor (Sotomura) is perched and stride towards there.
"Oi, Professor," I call out, my voice sharp with impatience, "what's the holdup? Why aren't the girls here yet?"
Professor looks at me, startled. He pushes his glasses up his nose, his expression a mix of confusion and mild annoyance. "Shiroi-dono... how the heck am I supposed to know? Do I look like I can see through walls, or I'm secretly in sync with the elusive art of femininity?"
Oh, now he wants to play dumb?
"If you had that then why bother writing all of that data, voyeur?" I deadpan at his foolish remarks and add in a hurry.
"Don't get me wrong, you do an outstanding work at all those pervy plans, and, that said."
I continue while snapping my fingers, "—Look, those girls are the assets. I need them on the spreadsheet." I pause, tapping my foot impatiently.
"I refuse to go bankrupt on our perverted bet before it begins because those chickens are strangely slow at getting dressed. A thousand points it's not pocket change. I have my honour at stake!" I retort, crossing my arms now.
Yamauchi, overhearing my outburst about the "honour" comment, bursts out laughing, the air bubbles and particles coming out from his half-opened mouth fly in my direction which prompts my disgust for that pig almost to appear.
I'm doing everything for you pigs and that is the best thanks I get, seriously if—
"Relax, Shiroi, it's just a thousand points." Yamauchi says, wiping tears from his eyes.
"You'll go bald stressing like this!" He adds.
Time feels like it's dragging on forever. After what seems like forever, the sounds of chatter and laughter finally start to drift up from the pool area.
"Wow! It's so spacious! It's so much bigger than the pool at my junior high school." A girl's voice can be heard.
"A-are they here?!" Ike wheezes, his pupils dilating to the size of a royal banquet.
Christ, dial it back a notch. At this rate you'll get us all branded as sexual harassers before we even see a single swimsuit.
Not that I'm any better, mind you. I mostly wonder about Hasebe and Kushida. I'm specifically interested in Hasebe, the girl rumored to have the biggest tits in class. I don't think there will be any harm in taking a little peek.
And just like that, our grand pervert ambitions come crashing down.
"Hasebe isn't here! Wh-what's going on, Professor?!" Ike cries out.
The Professor, who has been watching the class, is now freaking out. Standing on the second-floor observation deck, he scans the room.
We also look around, expecting the girls to come out at any time, even so they're nowhere to be found. At this height, the Professor's beady, bespectacled eyes should have spotted his prey instantly. But...
He can't find the girls anywhere. He looks to his right and left, as if in disbelief. Could they still be changing? Or could...
"Behind you, Professor!"
"W-What?!"
Ike points and shouts. The situation has become clear. Hasebe is standing behind the Professor on the observation deck. Behind her, like some sort of feminist avenger squad, the entire female class materializes one by one, until they are all emerged onto the second floor.
"Wh-what's going on? How did this happen?" Ike collapses to his knees like a fallen samurai, his dreams of mammary paradise crumbling before him. Hasebe seems to be self-conscious about being considered a beautiful girl. Even worse, she's not fond of those stares she gets from the guys.
Ah, no big tits in sight... Well, don't think you're off the hook just yet. I've still got tricks up my sleeve, and I can pounce at any time.
"Aw, but I thought I'd get to see big tits! Big tits! I thought this was my chance!" Ike appears to be want to cut off his balls. His wails of agony reach Hasebe.
"Gross," the girls mutter among themselves about ike and his creepy attitude even compared to the other guys.
"Ike, don't be sad! Come on, there are still tons of girls out there for us!" Yamauchi said.
"Y-yeah, that's right. You got a point. I can't get down in the dumps now!" Ike cried.
"Bro!" I watch Yamauchi and Ike reaffirm their manly bond of friendship, clasping their hands together.
"What are you two doing? It looks fun."
"K-K-Kushida-chan?!" The temperature in the room raises approximately 15 degrees as Kushida materializes between them. She's clad in her school-issued swimwear, which hotly shows off her voluptuous figure. In an instant, all the boys eyes are glued to her body. Her butt and thighs are even more voluptuous than I had pictured. However, all of us quickly avert our gaze.
It had to be said and it was said: Jesus Christ. Those thighs could solve world hunger. That ass could bring about world peace. And those—Okay, that's enough.
"Lovely weather today!" I squeak, my voice cracking.
My gaze drifts past Kushida, my mind still reeling from the effect of her presence. I spot Ayanokoji standing next to a girl I haven't seen before.
She has a long, sleek black hair, with a braid of hair tied with a ribbon, and piercing red eyes that seem to see right through you. Compared to the voluptuous figure of Kushida, her figure is slender with an average build. She carries herself with an air of quiet confidence, almost regal. Even her school swimsuit can't hide the refined lines of her figure that highlights her beauty.
I look at her up and down.
Great. I already found my deserved tsun~tsun waifu!
"Earth to Shiroi! Helloooo~?" Kushida's voice breaks through my thoughts, her hand waving in front of my face.
"Are you okay? You seem rather distracted." A playful smirk dances on her lips.
I blink, snapping back to reality. "Ah, Kushida. It's good to see you. Just admiring the view," I murmur, my gaze flicking back towards the mysterious girl. I turn to Kushida, lowering my voice slightly.
Kushida sighs theatrically, her shoulders slumping slightly. "You see. I'm so nervous about this swimming test, Shiroi-kun. I've been practicing, but I'm still not very confident. You seem so relaxed. Are you a strong swimmer?" Her eyes scan my physique with open curiosity.
"I'm competent, to say the least. But I wouldn't say 'strong', though."
"Really? But you look surprisingly toned. Do you work out?" Standing next to a swimsuit-clad beauty, my heart starts racing, and I realize I'm in serious trouble.
I clear my throat, my voice a bit rougher than usual. "A-Ah... the soccer club," I manage, my usual composure momentarily shaken.
"The soccer club?" Kushida echoes.
"I joined there with Hirata, so I started some serious training."
"Oh. I guess that makes sense." Kushida nods, her eyes lingering on me a moment longer before looking away, her gaze returning to the pool.
"By the way, who is her?" I tilt my head slightly, gesturing in the direction the mysterious girl.
Kushida follows my gaze, her smile widening. "Oh, her? That's Horikita Suzune. She's interesting. Very independent and keeps to herself mostly."
"Horikita, huh?" I repeat the name silently, filing it away for future reference. Independent, interesting and breathtakingly beautiful.
I'm about to ask Kushida something else about Horikita, perhaps what are her tastes or hobbies—when I notice that her attention has shifted. She's looking at Horikita with a warm, almost eager smile.
"Thanks for reminding me, Shiroi-kun!" she says, giving me a quick, grateful glance before practically bouncing over to Horikita.
"Are you a good swimmer, Horikita-san?" I watch with detached amusement as Kushida attempts to engage Horikita in conversation. Although Horikita gives a slightly puzzled look in response to Kushida's question, she quietly answers.
"I wouldn't say I'm particularly good or bad at it."
"I was really bad at swimming when I was in junior high. But I gave it my all and practiced really hard, and now I think I've gotten better," Kushida says.
"I see." Horikita gives a disinterested response and backs away slightly, clearly signaling that she doesn't want to continue the conversation further.
Kushida returns to me, her usual cheerful demeanor slightly dimmed. "She's... a bit reserved, isn't she? Hehe." she says, forcing a laugh.
Reserved? That seems like an understatement. She practically iced you out, Kushida.
"All right, everyone, line up!"
The macho-looking, middle-aged PE teacher, exuding a distinct air of athletic dedication, gathers everyone and initiates the class. I line up along with the others, listening to the teacher's instructions.
"Sixteen people, I see. I expected more people but I guess it works." Clearly, some of the students in that count has ditched class, but it doesn't appear to frustrate him.
"It's a bit sudden, but i'll be examining your abilities after you're done warming up. You guys will be swimming."
"Um sensei, I can't swim though..." A lone boy sheepishly raises his hand and speaks up.
"As the teacher, I'll make sure that you learn how to swim by summertime. Don't worry about a thing."
"Well, we don't really need to force ourselves to swim, do we? We can't go to the beach anyway."
"That's too bad. It doesn't matter if you're bad at swimming now, but i'll make sure everyone learns. Learning how to swim will definitely be useful. I guarantee it."
Swimming will definitely be useful? This guy is on drugs. Unless he's planning to throw us in the ocean as part of some twisted curriculum, I'm not seeing the urgency.
Everyone start their warm-up exercises. Ike and I keep peeking at the girls.
Afterwards, we are instructed to swim for about fifty meters. Students who are not able to swim are allowed to touch the bottom of the pool with their feet.
I step into the pool, getting quickly accustomed to the temperature-regulated pool. After getting in, I start to swim lightly.
"Habatai tara. Modoranai to itte. Mezashita no wa. Aoi aoi ano sora~" I'm humming away as I swim.
My "fifty meters" are less Michael Phelps and more "drunken sea lion," but I finish with time to spare. I wait for everyone else to finish.
"He he he, that was an easy win for me. Did you all see my super swimming skills?" Ike crows. Swimming casually, he gets out of the pool with a smug, self-satisfied grin.
"No, Ike, your performance wasn't that different from anyone else's." I mutter.
"Well, it looks like mostly everyone can swim."
"Of course, sir. Back in junior high, people called me 'the flying fish,' you know." Yamauchi pounds his chest dramatically.
"I see. In that case, I'll have you start competing against each other. We'll separate groups by gender. Fifty-meter freestyle."
"C-compete?! Are you serious?" Ike cries out.
"I'll give the first place winner a bonus: 5.000 private points. On the other hand, last place will get supplementary lessons so prepare yourselves." The skilled swimmers cheer with joy, while the less confident students are visibly frustrated.
"Because we don't have very many girls, I'll split you into two groups of five people, and the student with the fastest overall time will be the winner. As for the boys, I'll look at the top five finishing times and then move on to a final round."
Points as motivation? Clever. Dangle enough points and even the laziest bastard might actually try. Almost makes me want to participate... almost.
Excluding the observers and the one student who can't swim, there are sixteen boys and ten girls competing. The girls start first, while we boys take a seat on the sidelines, filled with excitement as we cheer...no, as we assess the girls.
"Kushida-chan~ Kushida-chan~ Kushida-chaaaaan~" Ike's chanting reaches cult-leader levels of obsession, complete with glazed eyes and slight drooling.
I elbow him hard enough to realign his spine. "You're one step away from getting us all labeled as sexual harassers. Contain yourself."
"B-but, Kushida-chan is so fucking cute, isn't she? And her breasts are pretty big, too!"
Oh my god. He's like a bad anime character come to life. At this rate he'll start nose-bleeding on cue.
Kushida, of course, commands the spotlight effortlessly. The other girls might as well be NPCs in her protagonist story. Horikita stands stiffly at the starting block, her resting "I-hate-everyone-here" face somehow making her more appealing to the masochists in our class, so she's getting plenty of cheers at the starting line.
"Everyone, burn these images into your mind! Remember the fap material you see here today!" Ike says aloud.
"Yeah!" everyone shouts.
AHAHAHAH Ike you're a menace!
And thus, the Brotherhood of the Traveling Boners is formed. How touching.
The only exception is Hirata, who seems to avoid looking at the girls.
I knew it. You're a Gaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy.
The whistle blows, and five of the girls dives into the water. Horikita takes the lead at the beginning of the race and keeps her distance from the others, maintaining her position at the front of the pack. She swims confidently, effortlessly covering the fifty meters.
"Wow! Awesome, Horikita!" Her time is approximately twenty-eight seconds. Almost as fast as she escaping from human interaction. The ice queen slowly gets out of the pool and goes to the side, not even appearing out of breath. To us boys, results are of secondary importance. Our eyes are glued to the girls' jiggling butts. Because you gotta enjoy your youth times. Yea.
This class is so fuckin' good!
After that comes the second race. Kushida, the most popular girl, is in the fourth lane. The boys cheer for her, smiling and waving.
"Whoo!" My voice rises above the rest as my eyes lock onto her bum, not even bothering to be subtle.
Oh I got a better one. What if I angle myself just right during the dive, so I could catch a glimpse of that legendary bubblegum?
Wawa!?
Emergency Broadcast System: "ALERT. ALERT. UNEXPECTED TITAN DEPLOYMENT IN SECTOR PANTS. REPEAT, WE HAVE UNCONTROLLED TITAN ACTIVITY."
I sneakily try to cover my crotch. This isn't the time for your dramatic awakening, you traitorous bastard!
Yamauchi laughs as he quips. "Dude. Don't point that rifle at me. You're scaring me."
"Shut it," I hiss.
Meanwhile, Kushida's "befriend everyone" campaign continues its terrifyingly effective march across the classroom. It isn't just the boys, either; girls are around her constantly, too, chatting away happily. Kushida has an air that attracts other people.
The second race begins. The contest ends up being rather one-sided. A girl named Onodera, who has been on swim teams before, wins by a mile. She finishes with a time of about twenty-six seconds, netting her the win. Kushida finishes at about thirty-one seconds, which is a fairly good time, but only results in her getting fourth place.
As the girls finish their races, a wave of nervous energy ripples through the boys. Some start stretching, others pace back and forth, while a few, like Ike, seem content to simply bask in the afterglow of... female athleticism.
"Alright, gentlemen," the PE teacher announces, his voice booming across the pool area. "Your turn! Let's see what you're made of."
Ike puffs out his chest, striking a heroic pose. "Prepare to witness true speed, loosers!" he declares, flexing his biceps. "I'm gonna win this thing so hard, Chabashira-sensei will be begging me for swimming lessons!"
I stifle a laugh. "Is that so?" I arch an eyebrow, skeptical but amused.
"Alright then, first one to finish loves Kushida the most!" I give Ike an inquisitive look as my gaze drifts to his position right at the block start.
The effect is instantaneous. Ike's eyes widen, and a faint blush creeps up his neck. He splutters, "W-what?! No way! You can bet your sweet ass I'll win this! I swear no one's gonna beat me, especially not someone like you who has no chance with Kushida-chan!" He stomps off towards the starting blocks, practically radiating indignant energy.
Sometimes the easiest way to motivate idiots is to dangle the one thing they'll never have.
Frankly, I couldn't care less about winning. All I want is to avoid taking those supplementary lessons and the extra effort of having to race again if I get a top 5. I'm assigned to my spot and I'm placed in the fifth lane, while Sudou is in the first, and Ike in the fourth lane, right next to me.
"Looks like it's our turn. About time, don't you think?", I ask, tapping Ike in the shoulder softly before taking a spot next to him and saying:
"Ready to lose? Kushida-chan's cheering section is my territory." I smirk, thinking it's just harmless banter. I don't really care about her at all and he doesn't seem mad when I tease—
Ike's face hardens. The playful glint in his eyes vanishes, replaced by something darker. He turns to me, his voice low and menacing. "She's not a prize to be won, Shiroi," he growls, his jaw clenched.
"And you... you stay away from her."
Well shit. When did Mr. "Oppai Paradise" grow a conscience?
The whistle blows, and we dive into the water. The cool water shocks my system and a thought crosses my mind, "What am I even doing?" Playing hormonal teenager in some bad poolside rom-com?
Just as I'm pondering the absurdity of my life choices, Ike comes barreling into my lane like a torpedo with a death wish. "Kushida is all mine!" he yells, splashing water in my face with a smug grin.
"What the—!" I sputter as chlorinated water goes up my nose.
"Ha! Try getting through that, Shiroi!"
Stupid, this isn't serious, as if Kushida would care about your pathetic tricks.
The chlorine stings my eyes, causing them to burn and water. I try to blink it away, but the irritation persists, making it harder to focus on the race. Quickly, my speed starts to decrease due to the irritation, losing valuable seconds on the race.
You absolute fucking gutter rat. So this is how you want to play? Well, you're leaving me no choice but to get serious.
I clear the water from my eyes as much as I can, then I dig deep, channeling my annoyance into a surge of speed. I don't make a big show of it—no dramatic splashes or theatrical pronouncements. Just a smooth, efficient acceleration. The distance between us is evaporating faster than his chances with Kushida.
Oh wait... that would require him having had a chance to begin with.
I surge past Ike, savoring the priceless look of slack-jawed disbelief on his face. A slow grin spreads across my face. What's wrong, Ike? Not so fast now, are we?
Instead of continuing towards the finish line, I tread water, casually backstroking away, matching his slower pace. I raise an eyebrow, my grin widening into a full-blown smirk.
"Try to keep up, slowpoke," I taunt, watching his face twist in frustration.
"Tch!" Ike, sputtering and flailing, tries to splash water in my face again. I laugh, a short, sharp bark of amusement, and dive beneath the surface, a single word echoing in my wake:
"¡Olé!"
Now underwater, I kick off the pool floor with explosive force, my body a streamlined torpedo. Just focusing on one thing: the finish line.
Time to show this clown how a real swimmer moves. I burst through the surface, each stroke powerful and precise, my earlier playful demeanor replaced by a cold, focused intensity until I touch the wall.
"30.23 seconds," the teacher drones, sounding about as impressed as someone reading a grocery list. Unfortunately, no one gives a shit about how fast I was.
Sudou has already finished the fifty-meter race with incredible speed. The boys and girls are cheering in admiration.
Of course. If you're not the first, people will forget your actions quickly like how happens in every single competition.
"Wow, you're amazing, Sudou. You finished the race in twenty-five seconds!" someone shouts.
It looks like I'll have to wait the next rounds to confirm that, though. I don't think I'll get to the top five. The real victory? There won't be supplementary lessons for me either.
Thank Christ for small mercies.
Several seconds later, Ike exits the pool, I simply smirk, raising an eyebrow in silent mockery. He turns away, refusing to meet my gaze.
Nothing sweeter than someone else's suffering when it's not your own.
"Sudou, won't you join the swimming club? If you practice, you could probably win at competitions!"
"Basketball is my only sport. Swimming's just for fun." Sudou, who doesn't even break a sweat, calmly gets out of the pool.
"Oh, wow, he has absolutely outstanding motor skills." Ike, feeling envious, elbows Sudou.
"Kya!" A girl lets out a joyful scream as Hirata takes his starting position. Where Sudou's physique earned respectful nods from the guys, Hirata's lean-but-toned build triggers full-blown hormonal meltdowns among the female population.
After hearing the girls' delighted squeals for Hirata, Ike makes a spitting gesture in response. Sudou doesn't seem very amused either, and shots a glare at Hirata.
"I'm going to blow you out of the water. I'll use all of my power," Sudou growls, cracking his knuckles with unnecessary drama.
Thought you said swimming was 'just for fun'?
After the teacher blows the whistle, Hirata dives into the pool with beautiful form. Each stroke is so picture-perfect I half-expect sparkles to trail behind him. Naturally, the female population loses what little remains of their collective sanity, their cheers reaching frequencies only dogs should hear.
"He's surprisingly fast," Sudou mutters, sounding like someone forced to compliment their arch-nemesis.
It's certainly true that Hirata swims fast. There is no doubt that the four other boys are quite a distance from him. This, of course, prompts more shrieks from the girls. Hirata doesn't fail to live up to our expectations: He gets the first place. Deafening cheers reverberates throughout the big indoor pool.
"Sensei, what was his time?" asks Ike, impatiently.
"Hirata's time was... 26.13 seconds."
"All right. You can do it, Sudou. You can definitely win against him! Bring down the hammer of justice!"
"Leave it to me. I'll demolish him and his popularity..." Ike's encouragement has Sudou all fired up, though we all know even if he wins, Hirata's popularity will survive intact—like a cockroach surviving nuclear fallout.
The girls, meanwhile, have formed what appears to be Hirata's personal fan club by the poolside. "Hirata-kun, you were so cool! You're not just good at soccer, you're really good at swimming!" one girl gushes.
"You think so? Thanks!" he says.
"Hey, why are you ogling Hirata-kun like that?" another girl says.
"Huh? I'm 'ogling'?!" There is an indignant squeal. Hirata's immense popularity with the girls is just ridiculously annoying.
"Come on, girls, knock it off. Please don't fight over me. I belong to everyone. I want to be everyone's friend. Besides, what if someone who's better at swimming comes along?" Koenji mistakenly seems to assume that the cheers are for him. He puts on a refreshing smile and then plants his feet by the starting line.
"Hey. Uh, why is Koenji wearing a speedo?"
"W-what?"
The school may permit speedos, but that doesn't mean we wanted to see Koenji's interpretation of "appropriate swimwear." The briefs drew attention to his crotch, and the girls all look away.
Yet when the third race begins, even the most reluctant eyes are dragged back to Koenji. His starting stance screams Olympic athlete—shoulders coiled, muscles taut, every inch the Greek god he clearly believes himself to be. And damn if his physique doesn't back up the arrogance, he makes Sudou look like a scrawny middle-schooler by comparison.
"I'm not particularly interested in winning or losing... but I don't like losing," says Sudou, to no one in particular.
The entire male population of our class collectively forgets to breathe as Koenji takes his position. Even Sudou, who's been muttering something about "not caring about winning" while clearly caring very much, falls silent.
As the whistle blows, Koenji dives into the pool with perfect technique.
"Whoa! Wow!" Sudou gives a surprised shout in response to Koenji's unexpectedly aggressive swimming. Hirata also stares in apparent amazement. Kouenji splashes fiercely as he swims, but it doesn't slow his incredible speed. By the time he touches the wall, it's painfully clear: Sudou just got demoted to second-best.
After checking the time, the teacher reflexively looks at his stopwatch twice. "23.22 seconds."
"My abdominal muscles, back muscles, and psoas major muscle seem to be in good shape, as usual. Not a bad performance," Koenji says. After getting out of the pool, he smirks and sweeps his hair up. He isn't short of breath at all. It's as if he didn't even swim in the first place.
"I'm fired up!" Sudou doesn't want to lose, so his competitive spirit flares. Let's be real, Sudou is the only one who has any chance of winning against Kouenji. At this point, the "race" is basically just their personal dick-measuring contest with extra chlorine.
I glance at the final rankings. "Sixth place, huh?" I tap my chin mock-thoughtfully. Not bad for half-assing it. No supplementary lessons and no need to exert myself further. A win-win.
My gaze drifts towards Horikita, standing alone near the exit. "Speaking of wins..."
The final race roars behind me, but I don't give a fuck. I've got a better prize in mind.
I saunter toward the exit, spotting her heading for it too. Leaning against the wall, I block her path with a practiced, charming grin. "Operation: Charm the Ice Queen is a go,".
"So," I say, trying to sound smooth, "enjoying the popularity show back there? What's your name, cutie?" I cringe internally—weak opener, Shiroi.
Her piercing gaze locks onto me, dissecting every layer of my confidence. It's unsettling, like she sees right through me. Then, without a word, she steps past me, her posture rigid, radiating don't waste my time. No glance, no pause. It's like I'm invisible.
"Arere? Did she just ignore me?" I mutter, stunned. My eye twitches involuntarily. I hate being ignored, and she just walked through me like I'm nothing.
I watch from a distance, slumping against the wall, as Koenji effortlessly glides through the water, leaving Sudou and everyone else in his wake. He finishes a full five meters ahead, emerging from the pool with a smug smirk, his perfectly sculpted physique glistening in the chlorinated water.
I glance back towards the exit, but Horikita is already gone.
"Two Horikita's, two dismissals." I muse, exhaling so deep it's like I'm trying to expel my entire respiratory system.
Why do they always ignore me?