"Want to feel my muscles, Masumi?" Hashimoto said, flexing his arm too. He wasn't bad-looking, but his sleazy air always made him seem kind of greasy.
As expected, Kamuro didn't even look at him. "Get lost."
"Oh—Masumi told me off. I'm heartbroken! I'll need you to cheer me on while I swim later to make me feel better!"
"If you're thirsty, just say so. I'll hold your head underwater and let you drink your fill."
Amasawa Yuto watched the two bicker, then suddenly met Kito Hayato's gaze from across the room. Kito immediately looked away.
Kamuro, Hashimoto, and Kito—the three members of the Sakayanagi Faction—were all keeping an eye on him. Had Sakayanagi given them some task?
Or had she told them something about him?
And what was with the gaze he'd felt from the stands for a while now?
He looked up at the section where Sakayanagi sat alone.
She sat upright, her cane resting neatly beside her legs. She waved at him with one hand, while holding a black cylindrical object up to her eye with the other. It looked an awful lot like a pair of binoculars.
"Anyway, don't disappoint me later. I want to see how good you are." Kamuro left him with that parting remark and walked away.
"Masumi is always so bad at being honest. She's obviously curious about you, Amasawa," Hashimoto said, watching Kamuro's retreating back.
"Sakayanagi told you something, didn't she, Hashimoto?"
"You really are sharp." He smiled and leaned closer. "Sakayanagi told us you're as strong as she is, and that we should keep an eye on you. We might learn something."
You really threw me under the bus, Sakayanagi.
He'd thought someone like Sakayanagi wouldn't go around bragging about her abilities. But he hadn't planned on hiding his own, either. If he had, Amasawa Yuto wouldn't have gotten full marks on every entrance exam.
He would have gotten fifty in every subject, just like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
Sakayanagi must have known that, which was why she'd let her trusted followers in on a little of it.
Well, since Sakayanagi was watching too, he might as well show off a little.
"First place, Amasawa Yuto, 21.96 seconds!"
Ten seconds later, Hashimoto finally hauled himself out of the pool, panting. He spat out water and took off his goggles. "You're like a flying fish! And you said you weren't carrying a piano around while practicing calligraphy?"
The PE teacher stared at the stopwatch in disbelief. The world record for the 50-meter freestyle, set by Brazilian swimmer César Cielo, was only 20.91 seconds. A time of 21.96 seconds was on par with an Olympic champion's performance in recent years.
After class, Amasawa Yuto was delayed because he had to collect the 5,000 points for winning from the teacher, and firmly turn down the teacher's suggestion that he join the school's Swimming Club. He was leaving late.
He was about to take a shower when he noticed someone had gotten back to the changing room even later than he had.
Satoshi Satonaka came in alone, still wearing his swimsuit, his long hair dripping wet. "Hey, Amasawa."
He looked around the changing room. "Looks like it's just the two of us now."
"Did you stay in the pool to practice some more, Satonaka?"
"Yeah, that's right. I still haven't quite gotten the hang of breathing, so I practiced a little longer." He gave an awkward smile. "Sorry you had to see me struggle, Amasawa. You're so good at swimming."
"I watched you during class. You make a big movement when you turn to breathe, reaching desperately for air, and it makes your body twist and sink. Try focusing more on extending your opposite arm and kicking your legs faster."
Satoshi Satonaka listened intently. "I see. You're amazing, Amasawa. You spotted something I couldn't, just by watching me."
"By the way, Satonaka, can I ask why you're wearing a swimsuit?"
"Huh? I just don't really like showing my body, that's all. Ahaha..."
Before class, when he'd changed, he'd said he didn't know what he was supposed to wear.
Amasawa Yuto stared at his chest, feeling fairly sure he'd guessed the reason. Since Satonaka didn't want to talk about it, he didn't press him.
He was just about to get up and shower when Satonaka called out to him.
"I feel kind of bad keeping it from you, especially since you were so kind to give me pointers..." Satoshi Satonaka scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
"There's actually a reason I cover my upper body... Don't be surprised, okay? You're the only boy in class I've told."
"Is there something on your body?"
Satoshi Satonaka paused as he took off his swimsuit. "Huh? You guessed?"
Satoshi Satonaka was in good shape and was part of the school's Badminton Club. He hadn't hesitated to get into the pool today, and he didn't seem afraid of the water.
He'd clearly gone to great lengths to hide his upper body before swimming class. Even though everyone had a private shower stall with partitions, he still didn't feel comfortable. He'd probably waited until so late to avoid showering with everyone else.
He took off the swimsuit covering his upper body, revealing a horrifying scar over the right side of his chest. It was more than thirty centimeters long, and made him look like a crime boss in a gangster movie.
"That must have hurt," Amasawa Yuto said with a nod.
"I fell out of a car when I was little. I needed a lot of stitches, and it left this huge scar. I have one on my head, too, but you can't see it because of my long hair. I'm a little embarrassed about it now. Momoe is the only girl in class who knows."
At least the accident hadn't disfigured his handsome face. That was a small mercy.
"Got it. I won't tell anyone. If you ever need me to help cover it up, I'd be happy to."
Since Momoe Rokkaku was a girl, having a boy help keep the secret would probably make things a lot easier.
"Really? Thank you so much, Amasawa!" Satoshi Satonaka grasped his hand, looking thrilled.
Maybe it was because he'd just been swimming, but Satonaka's hand was as soft and delicate as a girl's. His features were also more delicate than most girls', and now he was smiling happily.
If Amasawa Yuto hadn't just seen his bare upper body, he might have wondered what gender he was.
"I don't think your classmates will judge you for this. Sakayanagi is in a similar situation, isn't she?"
"I still can't match Classmate Sakayanagi's abilities. I feel awful thinking everyone might see me as an outsider. I'm worried I won't be able to get along with them."
He hurriedly waved his hands. "Ah, I'm not saying everyone's unkind. Shijo and Yoshida are both really nice. I'm just not confident in myself."
"It's okay, Satonaka. It takes a lot of courage and resolve to talk about a physical imperfection. I hope that one day you'll be able to show it off like a medal. At least, the way I see it, a scar isn't a flaw in life. It's a mark the soul leaves on the body to keep on living."
Satonaka listened, stunned, his face turning faintly red. "Somehow... you really don't seem like someone our age, Amasawa. You're so cool and mature. I... I'll do my best, Amasawa! And... could I talk with you more from now on?"
"Of course."
"Thank you, Amasawa!"
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