Weakness

"Everyone! Time to gather!"

A clear, penetrating female voice rang out through the spacious swimming hall, instantly overpowering the lingering whispers still drifting from the locker room. The owner of the voice stood at the edge of the shallow water area—it was the teacher in charge of this swimming lesson, Fujiwara Rin.

Fujiwara Sensei appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a tall, straight posture. She wore a dark blue professional swimsuit emblazoned with the school emblem, casually draped in a white UV-protective sports jacket.

Her wheat-colored skin was firm and smooth, clear evidence of long-term companionship with sun and water. Her short chestnut hair was neatly tied into a small bun at the back of her head, revealing a smooth forehead and a sharply defined jawline. Her large eyes were a clear amber, and at that moment, they swept over the students trickling out of the locker room with a cheerful smile.

Her smile was different from Hoshinomiya's meticulously crafted sweetness—it carried a sporty, vibrant straightforwardness. Yet, deep within that smile, an occasional, barely perceptible glint of scrutiny flickered, like an undercurrent at the bottom of a pool.

"Move it! No dawdling!" She clapped her hands, her voice carrying an unmistakable rhythm. "Line up! We'll start with warm-up exercises! If you don't loosen up properly before getting in the water, you'll cramp up!"

Under her direction, the students of Class B quickly formed several rows by the poolside. The earlier discussion about the scar marks in the locker room was temporarily suppressed, replaced by anticipation and nervousness about the new environment and the upcoming lesson. Ichinose Honami quickly slipped into her role as class president, helping Fujiwara Sensei organize the line, a vibrant smile back on her face as if trying to dispel the earlier gloom.

Kanzaki Ryuji stood in the middle of the formation, his gaze subconsciously searching the crowd before landing on Shimiya Kuki, who stood off to the side. Shimiya Kuki's position was slightly removed from the center of the group, his towel still casually draped over his shoulder, covering most of the scars on his back. But the deepest mark on his chest remained clearly visible under the bright lights of the hall. His eyelids were lowered, his expression as calm and unwavering as ever, as if the uproar he had caused moments ago had nothing to do with him.

"Alright! Follow my lead!" Fujiwara Rin Sensei stood at the front of the line, her movements standard and powerful, leading everyone through the warm-up. Chest expansions, torso twists, leg stretches... Her commands were clear and forceful, her amber eyes sharply scanning each student's movements to ensure everyone fully loosened their joints and muscles.

"Warming up is important," she said while demonstrating a lunge stretch, her voice echoing in the empty hall. "It minimizes the risk of sports injuries. Your body is your most important asset, especially in activities that require physical fitness." Her gaze seemed to inadvertently brush over the scar on Shimiya Kuki's chest before quickly shifting away, refocusing on guiding the movements. "Alright, next up—joint rotations..."

The warm-up proceeded smoothly under Fujiwara Sensei's energetic leadership. When they reached the final stretching exercise, a slightly nervous voice rose from the formation.

"Fujiwara Sensei!" It was Kojou Yume, her hair in a bun. She raised her hand a bit sheepishly, her cheeks flushed. "Um... I... I can't swim at all!" After saying this, as if afraid of being laughed at, she quickly lowered her head.

Her words seemed to flip a switch, and a few voices of agreement immediately followed from the formation.

"Me too..."

"I only know a little dog paddle..."

"A bit scared of the water..."

Fujiwara Rin Sensei stopped her movements, hands on her hips. Instead of showing impatience, she let out a hearty laugh, her white teeth glinting under the lights. "Ha! What's there to be embarrassed about? If you don't know, you learn!"

Her amber eyes swept over the students showing signs of timidity, her smile confident and infectious. "Don't worry! Before summer truly arrives, I promise I'll have all of you splashing around in the water! Swimming is a very important survival skill, and besides..."

Her smile deepened, carrying a hint of subtle meaning. "On this island, it might come in handy someday, right? Alright, warm-up's over! Everyone, move around a bit and get ready to get in the water! Those who can swim can start getting used to the temperature; those who can't, stay in the shallow area and wait for me!"

Fujiwara Sensei's last words, spoken in a joking tone, seemed to carry a pointed implication. "On this island, it might come in handy someday?" This closed-off island, survival skills? He cast a discreet glance at Fujiwara Sensei, who was briskly taking off her UV jacket, revealing her smoothly toned arms, ready to demonstrate in the water. Beneath this teacher's seemingly cheerful and straightforward smile seemed to hide a sharp observational ability and a reminder that stopped just short of being explicit.

"Alright! Everyone, follow me through a few basic moves! After that, I want to see everyone's swimming skill level!" Fujiwara Sensei stood in the waist-deep shallow area, slapping the water surface as she called out.

The students began entering the water one by one. Ichinose Honami moved like a flexible mermaid, swimming effortlessly toward the deep end. Kanzaki Ryuji's movements were standard and slightly rigid, as precise as executing a program. Shimiya Kuki didn't get in immediately. He walked to the poolside, slowly removed his towel, and folded it neatly on the edge. The ferocious scar was exposed to the air without any cover, once again drawing a few probing glances from those around him. He seemed oblivious, merely calmly rotating his shoulders, neck, and arm joints, his movements fluid, as if the scars hadn't affected his flexibility at all. Then, like a fish accustomed to deep waters, he slipped into the slightly cool pool water with a standard, splashless motion.

He chose a spot near the edge of the deep area, swimming with relaxed, steady strokes. His freestyle arm pulls were powerful and efficient, his breathing rhythm even, his speed not fast but carrying a kind of effortless composure born of experience. The water gently caressed the scars on his body; those twisted marks seemed to come alive under the refraction of the water, rising and falling slightly with each muscle movement, telling a silent story of the past.

Fujiwara Rin Sensei, while guiding the beginners in the shallow area through floating exercises, kept casting glances toward the solitary figure swimming in the deep end. She saw Shimiya Kuki's smooth movements, a flicker of professional approval in her eyes, but more than that, a deep scrutiny. When he turned to breathe, and the deepest scar on his chest flashed briefly above the water's surface, Fujiwara Sensei's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. She recalled the faint murmurs she'd overheard near the locker room entrance and Kanzaki Ryuji's cold analysis.

She walked to the poolside, looking at Shimiya Kuki, who was taking a short break. He leaned against the pool wall, water droplets dripping from his sharply defined jaw. Fujiwara Sensei didn't directly ask about the scars. Instead, she spoke in a casual tone, as if discussing the weather, her voice just loud enough for those nearby to hear:

"Shimiya-kun, your swimming form is very standard. Had professional training?" Her face wore a coach's smile, but her gaze was sharp, fixed on the scar on his chest.

Shimiya Kuki lifted his eyes, meeting Fujiwara Sensei's probing gaze. The light refracted by the pool water swayed in his deep-pool-like eyes. He didn't avoid her stare, simply answering calmly, "Studied for a while."

"Oh? Seems like you have a solid foundation." Fujiwara Sensei nodded, as if just making casual conversation. She paused, her gaze sweeping over the scars on his body before finally settling back on his eyes. Her tone remained casual, yet it carried a certain weight: "But no matter what you've been through in the past, your body is ultimately yours. Use it well, protect it. Don't let the burdens of the past become chains that limit your future. Especially on this island..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the unspoken meaning was clear. On this island, built on rules and competition, a healthy body was itself one of the most important assets.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of several nearby students, including Kanzaki Ryuji and Ichinose Honami, who had been keeping an eye on things. The worry in Ichinose's eyes deepened.

After speaking, Fujiwara Sensei didn't wait for Shimiya Kuki's response. She turned and walked back to the shallow area, her voice rising again, regaining its former energy: "You over there! Open your arm movements a bit more! Yes! Like that! Don't be afraid of the water, relax!"

Shimiya Kuki leaned against the cool pool wall. Fujiwara Sensei's words—"Don't let the burdens of the past become chains that limit your future"—were like a stone dropped into deep water, stirring ripples in his heart. He looked down; the clear pool water reflected the ferocious scar on his chest, as well as his expressionless face. Chains? Limitations?

He took a deep breath, his body sinking back into the water. His arms powerfully parted the surface, swimming toward the deeper area. The water gently enveloped him, along with the silent imprints on his body. Fujiwara Sensei's seemingly casual reminder, like an undercurrent surging beneath the pool's surface, subtly pointed toward the deeper survival rules under the cold logic of the S System: here, any weakness—whether physical or psychological—could become a fatal flaw. And the past represented by those scars had clearly been caught by this sharp-eyed teacher, who had offered a veiled yet crucial warning.