"Smack—!"
The sharp sound of a volleyball being struck rang clearly through the air above the sports pool.
The volleyball that had been hit immediately traced a perfect diagonal line as it flew toward Nagumo Miyabi.
That was quite a beautiful hit. Given the athletic reflexes Nagumo Miyabi had displayed just now, he should have been able to return it with ease, right?
At least, that was how it looked to the onlookers.
However, the scene everyone had imagined did not happen.
The volleyball crashed heavily into the water beside Nagumo Miyabi, splashing water everywhere.
Nagumo Miyabi actually ignored the incoming ball completely and let his opponent score, his gaze fixed tightly on the side of the pool.
That sight left everyone present stunned.
"What's wrong, Nagumo?"
"Is something the matter, Miyabi?"
Nagumo Miyabi's teammates immediately cried out in surprise.
"What's wrong with Nagumo-senpai?"
"He seems to be looking over there..."
Outside the pool, the spectators watching Nagumo Miyabi's match looked at one another, as though they were gradually realizing something.
Even Fang Li's companions noticed.
"Hey, is that show-off upperclassman looking over here?"
"Looks like it...?"
"What? Does he want to fight? I'm ready whenever he is!"
Ike Koji, Yamauchi Haruki, and Sudo Ken all became irritated at once.
Ichinose Honami, Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo, and Sakura Airi, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed something.
"Rather than looking at us..."
"It would be more accurate to say..."
The girls all turned their eyes toward Fang Li.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, meanwhile, looked at Nagumo Miyabi and silently took a step back. He seemed to have anticipated something and was preparing to stay out of it.
Under those circumstances, Fang Li met Nagumo Miyabi's gaze and looked back at him.
That seemed to finally confirm something for Nagumo Miyabi, and