Swimming class.
For most hormone-fueled teenage boys, those two words brought one thing to mind.
The fabric clinging to girls' bodies after getting soaked in the pool.
The men's changing room was filled with hot, humid air and the smell of disinfectant.
Kazehara Tetsu slowly unbuttoned his school uniform shirt.
He didn't join any of the groups chatting nearby. Instead, he leaned against a locker and changed into his swim trunks at an unhurried pace.
"Hey, Kagihara, spacing out here all by yourself? Why not go make some friends?"
A rather flippant voice sounded beside him.
Kazehara Tetsu turned his head and saw a handsome boy with shoulder-length light blond hair leaning against the locker next to him, wearing nothing but a pair of swim trunks.
He had a well-proportioned build and a businesslike smile.
Hashimoto Masayoshi.
A sociable guy who acted like he knew everyone.
"Make some friends?"
Kazehara Tetsu shut his locker with a soft thud. "Hashimoto, you make it sound like I don't get along with anyone."
"Haha, of course not."
Hashimoto Masayoshi laughed. He stepped closer and lightly nudged Kazehara Tetsu's arm with his elbow, lowering his voice. "But that's not what I'm curious about. I'm more interested in you, Kagihara. After all, you're probably the only one who could catch Classmate Sakayanagi's eye and get her to go to the Club Orientation Meeting with him."
Curiosity glinted in his eyes. In his view, Kazehara Tetsu had to have something special about him to get the Chairman's daughter to go out with him after just one day.
"Maybe my face just happens to suit her taste?"
Kazehara Tetsu turned to face Hashimoto. "After all, everyone appreciates beauty."
"Come on!"
Hashimoto waved his hand dramatically. "Classmate Sakayanagi doesn't seem like the shallow type to care about looks. You must have some special talent. How about letting me in on it? We're all classmates in Class A. Sharing information would benefit us both, wouldn't it?"
"Benefit?"
Kazehara Tetsu's gaze swept over Hashimoto's face, which practically had the word "calculating" written all over it. "Hashimoto, when you say 'benefit,' do you mean what's good for Class A, or what's good for you?"
Hashimoto's smile stiffened for a moment, but quickly returned to normal. "Of course I mean what's good for the whole class, Kagihara. Don't get the wrong idea. Unity is what helps us maintain good relations, after all."
"Unity, huh..."
Kazehara Tetsu drew out the word. "I think it's more important to figure out who's responsible for 'uniting' everyone before we start talking about unity."
With that, he left Hashimoto to mull over his words and headed straight for the changing room exit.
Hashimoto Masayoshi stayed where he was, rubbing his chin as he watched Kazehara Tetsu walk away. His smile gradually faded, replaced by a trace of gravity.
This man was even harder to read than he'd expected.
When Kazehara Tetsu pushed open the doors to the indoor swimming hall, he was greeted by a vast glass dome overhead and blue water shimmering beneath the lights, so dazzling he could barely keep his eyes open.
The girls had already changed into the school's standard dark blue one-piece swimsuits and were warming up by the pool. Their giggles mingled with the sound of the water.
Kazehara Tetsu's gaze swept across the entire pool.
Class A's girls were certainly a good-looking bunch.
Most of them had well-proportioned figures and fair skin.
His gaze lingered briefly on a few faces he vaguely remembered from the Original Work, then settled precisely on the far end of the pool.
Kamuro Masumi was leaning alone against the wall, keeping her distance from the crowd.
She wore the same swimsuit as the others, but its tight fabric outlined her figure perfectly.
Her long legs and her curves were not overly exaggerated, but were just right.
At that moment, she had her head bowed, her purple-gray hair tied back carelessly, with a few damp strands clinging to her cheeks and neck.
She held her arms across her chest, her gaze unfocused and distant.
The corner of Kazehara Tetsu's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Looks like Yamauchi Haruki had already made his move.
And judging by Kamuro Masumi's dazed look, the results had been... surprisingly good.
"Okay, everyone, line up!"
The PE teacher's booming whistle and shout interrupted Kazehara Tetsu's observation.
The students quickly lined up by the pool, boys in one row and girls in another.
"The weather's nice today, and everyone seems full of energy!"
The teacher surveyed the students. "Before we start our Free Activity, let's have a little warm-up match. Boys and girls will compete separately in the 50-meter freestyle. I'll personally reward the winner of each group with five thousand Personal Points!"
"Five thousand points?"
"Not bad. That's quite a bit."
"I'm definitely getting first place!"
Excited whispers and commotion immediately rippled through the crowd.
Almost everyone's expression changed. A competitive edge suddenly cut through the previously relaxed atmosphere.
Kazehara Tetsu wasn't sure what the girls were thinking, but among the boys, the Desire to Win clearly outweighed the lure of the points.
He wasn't particularly interested.
Five thousand points held no appeal for him.
Besides, he knew full well that with his current Physical Fitness, winning first place in this race was nearly impossible.
If that was the case, why waste the effort?
He told the teacher he'd "accidentally" twisted his ankle that morning and stayed on the sidelines without a fuss.
The race began soon after, starting with the boys' group.
The students took their places in their lanes.
"Kagihara, aren't you competing?" Hashimoto Masayoshi asked, looking at Kazehara Tetsu on the sidelines.
"Not interested. I'll leave the chance to someone who needs the points more."
The starting whistle blew, and the boys leaped into the water like arrows loosed from their bows, sending up a huge splash.
Waves churned across the pool, the splash of arms cutting through the water mingling with the thuds of kicking feet.
The students of Class A were generally in good Physical Fitness, and the competition was fierce.
But in the very next heat, one figure quickly broke away from the pack.
Kitou Hayato.
The taciturn, burly man. His
swimming form was neither textbook nor graceful, but it brimmed with explosive power.
Each stroke drove him forward like a powerful oar, leaving everyone else far behind.
In the end, he reached the wall first by a clear margin.
Scattered applause came from the sidelines.
Kitou Hayato climbed out of the water without changing expression. He paid no attention to the congratulations around him, simply picked up a towel to wipe his face, then walked off by himself.
"What a Monster!" Hashimoto whistled from the sidelines.
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