The Third Solution

On the other side, Ichinose and Takahashi Rin were enjoying a relaxing soak in the steamy bathhouse.

Ichinose gently tucked her damp hair behind her ear. Her eyes seemed especially bright in the steam as she turned to Takahashi Rin, her voice tinged with a hint of pleading.

"Rin-sensei, could you help us persuade Yasuda-sensei? He only needs to empty the pool temporarily. You can have that water for now."

However, Takahashi Rin simply responded with a warm smile. She gently pulled Ichinose closer and softly rubbed her shoulders.

"For now, let's put those worries aside and immerse ourselves in the warm water and peaceful moment, all right?"

Realizing that direct persuasion might not work, Ichinose decided to change her approach.

She dropped the subject and instead tried to get closer to Takahashi Rin.

"Rin-sensei, you're always so busy with work. You must be exhausted."

Takahashi Rin closed her eyes, enjoying the embrace of the hot water, and replied softly, "Yes, sometimes I really am tired."

Ichinose seized the opportunity. "Then let me give you a massage. Maybe it'll help ease some of your fatigue."

Takahashi Rin opened her eyes and looked at Ichinose. A hint of amusement showed in her gaze, soon spreading across her face. "Sorry for the trouble, Ichinose."

Ichinose smiled and shook her head. Her movements were gentle and professional as she began massaging Takahashi Rin. Her fingers pressed into Takahashi Rin's shoulders and neck, gradually easing her tension and fatigue.

In the relaxed atmosphere, Ichinose asked in a casual, curious tone, "Rin-sensei, I've always wanted to know: how did you discover that this water had beauty-enhancing effects?"

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

"You really are persistent, Ichinose. All right, since you're giving your teacher a massage, I'll tell you."

Takahashi Rin's sudden move startled Ichinose, but she soon relaxed and replied with a smile, "Rin-sensei~ I'm just curious about these things, that's all."

Takahashi Rin looked at Ichinose, a glimmer of reminiscence in her eyes, and began recounting how she and Yasuda-sensei had met.

"Actually, it was pretty simple. At first, Yasuda-sensei couldn't fully control his water, so he often needed my help."

Ichinose listened attentively, anticipation in her eyes. This was the key information she'd wanted to learn.

Takahashi Rin continued, "Back then, Yasuda-sensei always paid me back with his Special Water. He told me about its effects at the time. He said it contained special energy that was great for taking care of your skin, and that he'd made it himself."

Ichinose nodded, understanding dawning in her eyes. "I see. What happened after that?"

Takahashi Rin sighed, a hint of helplessness in her voice. "But later, he no longer needed my help, so he stopped giving it to me. Every time, I have to argue with him for ages before I can get any.

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

As Ichinose listened to Takahashi Rin, a plan began to take shape in her mind.

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

Takahashi Rin looked at Ichinose, a flicker of interest in her eyes. "Oh? Do you have a good idea, Ichinose?"

Ichinose smiled, confidence in her voice. "Maybe we could reach an agreement with Yasuda-sensei that would convince him to share the water."

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

Ichinose didn't answer directly. Instead, she smiled mysteriously. "I'll tell you all about it later, Rin-sensei. For now, let's just enjoy our bath."

Takahashi Rin gave a helpless laugh. "You little rascal, using my own words against me. All right, let's enjoy our bath."

After their conversation in the bathhouse, Ichinose had formed a few suspicions, but she knew she needed to verify them.

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

After her bath, Ichinose quickly got dressed. She moved faster than usual, looking somewhat urgent.

She said to Takahashi Rin, "Rin-sensei, I have something to take care of. I'll give you an answer after school."

Then she left the bathhouse like a gust of wind.

Takahashi Rin watched Ichinose hurry away, feeling both amused and a little helpless.

She shook her head, a faint smile on her lips, but secretly looked forward to hearing the answer Ichinose had promised.

After returning to the classroom, Ichinose quickly gathered the classmates who had been involved in the events at noon and in the afternoon. She needed to hear about their experiences in detail.

Itozawa and the others sat together and took turns recounting what had happened at the swimming pool that afternoon, including their conflict with Ryuen Kakeru and Yasuda-sensei's intervention.

After hearing their accounts, Ichinose turned to Shibata. She wanted to confirm the details of his solo trip to investigate the situation at noon.

She asked gently, "Shibata, could you describe in more detail how Yasuda-sensei reacted when you went to the pool at noon?"

Shibata nodded and began recalling what had happened. "I went to the pool and started pumping the water out with the Water Pump. At first, Yasuda-sensei didn't stop me. He let me pump out quite a lot."

He paused, seemingly trying to remember Yasuda-sensei's exact words.

"Then he suddenly said, 'Get going and hand it over to that Takahashi woman.'"

Shibata imitated Yasuda-sensei's tone, trying to help Ichinose picture the scene.

Ichinose listened to every detail, noting what Yasuda-sensei's reaction and words revealed.

He hadn't stopped Shibata right away. Instead, he'd let him pump out a certain amount of water before taking action.

This suggested that Yasuda-sensei might have been testing Shibata's resolve, or waiting for a particular moment.

"Thank you, Shibata. That's important," Ichinose told him, gratitude in her voice.

She was now even more certain of her suspicion. It seemed there was a third way to pass the test.