Swimming class.
For most hormone-fueled adolescent boys, the associations these three words evoke…
Almost all point to the fabric clinging to girls’ bodies, wet from the water in the pool.
The boys’ changing room was filled with humid air and the smell of disinfectant.
Kaedehara Tōru unbuttoned his school uniform shirt unhurriedly.
He didn’t participate in any of the small group conversations, simply leaning against a locker, slowly changing into his swim trunks.
“Yo, Kaedehara-san, spacing out here alone?
Not going to get along with your classmates?”
A slightly frivolous voice sounded beside him.
Kaedehara Tōru turned his head and saw a handsome boy with shoulder-length light blond hair leaning against the adjacent locker, also wearing only swim trunks.
He had a well-proportioned physique and a commercial smile on his face.
Hashimoto Masayoshi.
A natural-born social butterfly.
“Get along?”
Kaedehara Tōru closed the locker door with a soft “thud.” “Hashimoto-san, the way you say that, it’s as if my relationship with others is very bad.”
“Haha, how could it be?”
Hashimoto Masayoshi laughed.
He took a step closer, lightly nudging Kaedehara Tōru’s arm with his elbow, and lowered his voice.
“But, more than that, I’m more interested in you, Kaedehara-san.
After all, you’re probably the only one who could make Sakayanagi-san look at you differently and even go with her to the club orientation, right?”
His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
In his view, Kaedehara Tōru, who could take the chairman’s daughter out in just one day, clearly possessed something uniquely special.
“Maybe it’s just because my face happens to fit her aesthetic?”
Kaedehara Tōru turned around to face Hashimoto.
“After all, everyone appreciates beauty, right?”
“Come on!”
Hashimoto waved his hand exaggeratedly.
“Sakayanagi-san doesn’t seem like the superficial type who judges by looks.
You definitely have some outstanding quality.
How about it?
Spill it? You are reading on g.com, the official source.
We’re all Class A students, sharing information benefits us all, doesn’t it?”
“Benefits?”
Kaedehara Tōru’s gaze swept over Hashimoto’s face, which practically screamed “shrewdness.” “Hashimoto-san, are the ‘benefits’ you speak of for Class A, or for yourself?”
Hashimoto’s smile stiffened for a moment but immediately returned to normal: “Of course, it’s for the collective good, Kaedehara-san, don’t misunderstand.
Unity is the key to maintaining our relationships, you know.”
“Unity, huh…”
Kaedehara Tōru drew out his words, “I think it’s more important to figure out who is responsible for ‘uniting’ others before discussing unity.”
With that, he ignored the pensive Hashimoto and walked straight towards the changing room exit.
Hashimoto Masayoshi stood in place, stroking his chin, watching Kaedehara Tōru’s retreating back.
The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of solemnity.
This man was even harder to read than he had imagined.
Pushing open the door to the indoor swimming pool, the blue water beneath the colossal glass dome shimmered under the lights, making it hard to keep one’s eyes open.
The girls had already changed into the school’s standard dark blue one-piece swimsuits and were doing warm-up exercises by the pool, their laughter mixing with the sound of water.
Kaedehara Tōru’s gaze swept across the entire scene.
The girls in Class A were indeed of high quality.
Most had well-proportioned figures and fair skin.
His gaze briefly lingered on a few faces he recognized from the original work before finally locking onto the other end of the pool.
Kamuro Masumi leaned against the wall alone, away from the crowd.
She wore the same swimsuit as everyone else, but the tight fabric perfectly outlined her body curves.
Long legs and a figure that, while not overly exaggerated, was just right.
At this moment, she had her head down, her purplish-gray long hair loosely tied back, with a few damp strands clinging to her cheeks and neck.
Her arms were crossed over her chest, and her gaze wasn’t focused on anything, appearing somewhat hollow and distant.
A barely perceptible curve played on Kaedehara Tōru’s lips.
It seemed Yamauchi Haruki had already made his move.
And judging by Kamuro Masumi’s distraught appearance, the effect…
was surprisingly good.
“Alright, everyone gather!”
The physical education teacher’s powerful whistle and shout interrupted Kaedehara Tōru’s observation.
The students quickly gathered by the pool, standing in two lines, boys and girls separated.
“The weather’s nice today, and everyone’s spirits are high!”
The teacher scanned the students.
“Before we officially start free activity, let’s have a small warm-up race.
The first place in each group will receive a personal reward of five thousand private points!”
“Five thousand points?”
“Not bad; that’s quite a bit.”
“I absolutely have to get first place!”
A burst of uncontrollable exclamations and commotion immediately erupted in the crowd.
Almost everyone’s eyes changed; a hint of competitive gunpowder suddenly injected into the previously relaxed atmosphere.
For the girls, Kaedehara Tōru wasn’t entirely sure of their thoughts, but for the boys, the desire to win clearly outweighed the allure of the points.
Kaedehara Tōru, however, didn’t react much to this.
Five thousand points held no appeal for him.
And he knew very well that with his current physique, it would be almost impossible to get first place in this race.
Since that was the case, why bother wasting his energy?
After telling the teacher that he had “accidentally” twisted his ankle this morning, he naturally stayed on the sidelines.
The race quickly began, starting with the boys’ group.
The students lined up in their lanes.
“Kaedehara, aren’t you participating?” Hashimoto Masayoshi looked at Kaedehara Tōru on the side.
“No interest.
I’ll leave the opportunity to those who need the points more.”
The starting whistle blew, and the boys leaped into the water like arrows from a bow, creating a huge splash.
The pool instantly churned with waves; the splashing sound of arms stroking and legs kicking intertwined.
The students in Class A generally had good physical fitness, and the competition was quite fierce.
But soon, in the next round, one figure stood out.
Kito Hayabusa.
The always silent, burly man.
His
Swimming posture wasn’t standard or graceful, but it was full of explosive power.
Each stroke was like a powerful oar, propelling his body and leaving others far behind.
Ultimately, he touched the wall first with an absolute advantage.
Scattered applause broke out on the sidelines.
Kito Hayabusa climbed out of the water expressionlessly.
He was unresponsive to the congratulations around him, simply picked up a towel to wipe his face, and walked off to the side alone.
“What a monster!” Hashimoto whistled from the side.