The Third Solution

On the other side, Ichinose and Takahashi Rin were enjoying the comfort of a hot bath in the steamy bathroom.

Ichinose gently pushed her wet hair behind her ear. Her eyes sparkled unusually bright in the steam. She turned to Takahashi Rin, her voice laced with a hint of pleading.

"Rin-sensei, can you help us, persuade Yasuda-sensei together? He only needs to temporarily empty the pool. Those waters can be given to you temporarily."

However, Takahashi Rin merely responded with a gentle smile. She softly pulled Ichinose closer, gently rubbing her shoulders.

"For now, let's put those troublesome matters aside and immerse ourselves in this warm water and peaceful time, shall we?"

Ichinose realized that direct persuasion might not work, so she decided to change her strategy.

She abandoned the direct topic and instead began to build rapport with Takahashi Rin.

"Rin-sensei, you must be very tired with how busy you are with work every day."

Takahashi Rin closed her eyes, enjoying the embrace of the hot water. She replied softly, "Yes, it does get quite tiring sometimes."

Ichinose seized the opportunity to suggest, "Then let me give you a massage. Perhaps it can help relieve some of your fatigue."

Takahashi Rin opened her eyes and looked at Ichinose, a hint of amusement in her gaze that soon spread across her face. "That would be a great help, Ichinose."

Ichinose smiled and shook her head. Her movements were gentle and professional as she began to massage Takahashi Rin. Her fingers pressed on Takahashi Rin's shoulders and neck, gradually relieving her tension and fatigue.

In the relaxed atmosphere, Ichinose asked in a light and curious tone, "Rin-sensei, I've always wanted to know, how did you discover that this water has beautifying and skin-nourishing effects?"

Takahashi Rin chuckled softly, a mischievous glint flashing in her eyes. Then, she suddenly reached out and playfully hugged Ichinose.

"Ichinose-san is really persistent. Alright, since you're giving me a massage, I'll tell you."

Ichinose was startled by Takahashi Rin's sudden action but quickly relaxed, responding with a smile, "Rin-sensei~ I'm just curious about these things."

Takahashi Rin looked at Ichinose, a flicker of memory in her eyes, and then began to recount how she met Yasuda-sensei.

"Actually, the way I met Yasuda-sensei was quite simple. In the beginning, Yasuda-sensei couldn't fully control his water flow, so he often needed my help."

Ichinose listened intently, her eyes revealing a hint of anticipation. This was the crucial information she wanted to understand.

Takahashi Rin continued, "Back then, Yasuda-sensei always rewarded me with his special water. He told me its effects at that time. He said that water contained special energy that was very good for the skin, and that he had specially created it."

Ichinose nodded, a look of understanding flashing in her eyes. "I see, and then what happened?"

Takahashi Rin sighed, a hint of helplessness in her tone. "But later, he didn't need help anymore, so he refused to give it. Every time, I had to argue with him for a long time to get some.

Fortunately, he stubbornly turned all the water in the pool into that kind of water, otherwise, I really wouldn't have been able to get any."

Listening to Takahashi Rin, Ichinose already had a plan forming in her mind.

She said softly, "Rin-sensei, if there was a way to make Yasuda-sensei less stingy, would you be willing to try?"

Takahashi Rin looked at Ichinose, a spark of interest in her eyes. "Oh? Does Ichinose-san have any good ideas?"

Ichinose smiled, her voice revealing confidence. "Perhaps we can reach an agreement with Yasuda-sensei, one that would make him willing to share that water."

Takahashi Rin didn't seem overly excited, but she still asked curiously, "What agreement?"

Ichinose didn't answer directly but smiled mysteriously. "That, Rin-sensei, we'll discuss in detail later. For now, let's enjoy our bath."

Takahashi Rin smiled helplessly. "You sly one, using my own words against me. Alright, let's enjoy the bath then."

After the conversation between Ichinose and Takahashi Rin in the bathhouse concluded, Ichinose had some suspicions, but she knew these suspicions needed further confirmation.

To fully understand Yasuda-sensei's intentions, she needed more information, and Shibata's personal experience might provide crucial clues.

After the bath, Ichinose quickly got dressed, her movements faster than usual, showing a sense of urgency.

She said to Takahashi Rin, "Rin-sensei, I have some matters to attend to. I'll give you an answer after school."

Then, she left the bathhouse like a gust of wind.

Takahashi Rin watched Ichinose's hasty departure, feeling both amused and a little helpless.

She shook her head, a smile on her lips, but a hidden anticipation for the answer Ichinose had promised.

Upon returning to the classroom, Ichinose quickly gathered the students involved in the noon and afternoon incidents. She needed to understand their personal experiences in detail.

Itozawa and the other students sat together, taking turns sharing their experiences at the natatorium that afternoon, including the conflict with Ryuen Kakeru and Yasuda-sensei's intervention.

After listening to their accounts, Ichinose turned to Shibata, wanting to reconfirm the details of his solo reconnaissance mission at noon.

She asked gently, "Shibata, can you describe Yasuda-sensei's reaction in more detail when you went to the pool at noon?"

Shibata nodded and began to recall the events of noon. "I arrived at the pool and started pumping water with the Water Pump. At first, Yasuda-sensei didn't stop me. He let me pump a lot of water."

He paused, seemingly recalling Yasuda-sensei's exact words at the time.

"Then, he suddenly said, 'Hurry up and take it to that guy Takahashi.'"

Shibata imitated Yasuda-sensei's tone, trying to convey the situation to Ichinose.

Ichinose listened to every detail, noticing the information revealed in Yasuda-sensei's reaction and words.

He hadn't stopped Shibata immediately but had taken action only after a certain amount of water had been pumped.

This indicated that Yasuda-sensei might have been testing Shibata's determination or waiting for a specific moment.

"Thank you, Shibata. This is very important," Ichinose told Shibata, her voice filled with gratitude.

She was now more certain of her suspicions. It seemed there was a third path for the assessment.