Pool Date

The morning light stirred Hoshino from his sleep.

He reached out with his right hand to grab his phone, confirming the time: 6:30 AM.

Although he had gone to bed past midnight, Hoshino's internal clock, honed over many years, ensured he would wake up at the same time regardless of an alarm.

He tried to sit up, but his left side was being weighed down.

Hoshino didn't want to startle her, so he simply turned his head to admire Arisu's sleeping face. After about ten minutes, an ill-timed sound rang out—the growl of a stomach reminding him it was time for breakfast.

Though the sound wasn't loud, it was enough to wake Arisu, who had been resting her head on Hoshino's chest.

She opened her drowsy eyes, stared at Hoshino's face just inches away for two seconds, blinked twice, and finally grasped the situation.

"Good morning, Arisu."

"Good morning... Akira."

Perhaps because she wasn't fully awake or for some other reason, Arisu's voice was slightly raspy.

"What time is it?"

"Six-thirty. Do you want to get up?"

"No. Thanks to someone, I'm exhausted. I intend to catch up on my sleep. This will be my first time sleeping in on a Saturday."

"Um, sorry."

"Akira doesn't need to apologize. It was my own overconfidence; I couldn't exercise restraint. Like this, hmm~"

She tilted her head up slightly and pursed her lips. Hoshino understood, leaned down, and kissed her.

After they parted, Arisu was still a little breathless. She licked her lips and smiled.

"I've really improved quite a bit, even though it was so stifling at the beginning. Yet, I still want to kiss you."

Her pale purple eyes locked onto Hoshino's.

"I love you, Akira."

"I love you too, Arisu."

"That's why I'm so happy right now. However—"

She spoke softly, then suddenly changed her tone.

"Akira, please keep your love for me to words for now. No more actions."

She swatted away the hands that were acting up on her body, then rolled over and moved away from Hoshino.

"Alright, get out of bed immediately. There are biscuits and cereal in the cupboard; you can have those for breakfast. Leave as soon as you're done before I change my mind. After this, I might not be able to support your date today with one hundred percent of my heart like I am now."

She pushed Hoshino off the bed, then curled up toward the inside, ignoring him further. Within moments, her breathing leveled out, and she drifted back into a dream.

Falling asleep so quickly—it seemed she really was exhausted.

Hoshino whispered a goodbye and, skipping breakfast, left Arisu's dormitory.

If someone saw him coming out of a girl's room early in the morning, it would be difficult to explain regardless of the excuse. Fortunately, because it was so early, he managed to return to his own room without running into anyone. Truly lucky.

Back in his dorm, Hoshino chose to satisfy his hunger with instant noodles. After eating, he lay on his bed and let his mind go blank.

At 9:40 AM, Hoshino got up, finished getting ready, and stepped out of his room with his bag.

His destination was the indoor swimming pool located at Keyaki Mall. He arrived at 9:50 AM.

While still some distance from the pool entrance, Hoshino spotted the two people waiting there and quickened his pace.

"Good morning."

Hearing Hoshino's voice, the two sitting side-by-side on a bench chatting looked up.

"Hoshino-kun, good morning..."

"You're too slow. Isn't it basic etiquette to arrive before the girls?"

Sakura on the left raised a hand to greet him softly, while Hasebe on the right complained with a look of dissatisfaction.

"Sorry, sorry. But honestly, before I came, I wasn't entirely sure if you two would actually show up."

Hoshino pressed his palms together in a sincere apology. Sakura waved her hands in a panic, saying it was fine. Hasebe let out a "hmph" but didn't dwell on it further.

"With everything that happened so suddenly, everyone in class is feeling frazzled. Let's just treat today as a way to clear our heads."

During yesterday's morning assembly, Teacher Chabashira had announced a series of shocking items. Especially as students of Class D, it was only natural to feel chaotic under the dual impact of "losing point income" and "having no guaranteed future."

Yesterday afternoon, Hoshino had sent separate messages to Sakura and Hasebe via his phone, inviting them to the pool this morning. This all stemmed from a bet between Hasebe and Hoshino during swimming class a few days prior.

Simply put, Hoshino had claimed he was good at swimming and could easily beat Sudo if he took it seriously, while Hasebe thought Hoshino—who had been skipping swimming class by choosing to observe—was just bragging.

"Just to ask, neither of you seems to have brought a swimsuit."

Both of them were empty-handed, with no bags in sight to hold clothes.

"Ai-chan and I don't intend to get in the water."

"Eh? Why? I never heard anything about that!"

Regardless, Hoshino gave an exaggerated response first.

"We only came here to puncture the tall tales Aki was spinning. Don't get the wrong idea—this isn't a real date!"

"Shock, devastation..."

Hoshino put on a look of utter astonishment, even letting the backpack he was carrying drop to the floor.

"Drama queen!"

Hasebe spat at him, then turned and grabbed Sakura's hand.

"Airi, let's go. Don't pay any attention to this guy."

She pulled Sakura along, heading straight into the swimming complex. Seeing this, Hoshino hurriedly took a few quick steps to follow behind them.

Oh well, even if I can't see them in swimsuits, at least I can appreciate their casual outfits. That's rare enough in its own right.

Both of them were loners without friends. Hoshino was certain he was the first boy to see them in casual clothes since the start of the school year.

Hasebe's outfit today was quite relaxed: a pure white T-shirt topped with a light cardigan, paired with wide-leg trousers and white sneakers.

She was already one of the top beauties in Class D; even without a single accessory, she still possessed a natural elegance.

Sakura was wearing a light pink dress that fell past her knees. Her style was much the same as usual—the same dowdy hairstyle and non-prescription glasses. Plus, the way she walked with her head down and shoulders hunched completely sealed away her heaven-defying looks and figure. Standing next to Hasebe, she looked a bit like an ugly duckling.

In truth, Hoshino knew that the hidden idol side of Sakura was just as stunning as anyone else's. Even without dressing up, if she just summoned the confidence and cheerfulness she had as the idol Shizuku, she would be a completely different person.

Would that day ever come? The day this reclusive, timid girl became strong and cheerful?

Perhaps it was worth looking forward to. Hoshino didn't dislike the process of "raising" someone.

Entering the pool area, perhaps because it was still early, there weren't many people inside. It was worth noting that Hoshino noticed most of the people in the pool were couples.

"Well, I'm going to go change. You two wait for me, okay?"

With that, Hoshino headed toward the locker rooms. Sakura and Hasebe walked toward the benches in the rest area by the poolside.

Just as Hoshino reached out to open the locker room door, it was opened from the inside. Hoshino locked eyes with the boy standing there.

Class A, first year, Katsuragi Kohei.

The boy's name flashed through Hoshino's mind in an instant. The two had never interacted before, but the reason he could recognize him so quickly was because he had very distinct features.

Katsuragi was tall and sturdily built, and due to some medical condition, he was bald, which made him stand out. Anyone who had heard of him would recognize him at a glance.

According to Arisu, this man possessed a level of intelligence and composure that belied his appearance, and while his physical fitness was excellent, his academic ability was equally impressive. His only flaw was that he was too upright and rigid; he was "the kind of person who isn't even fun to bully."

A month into the school year, Class B and Class C had long since established their leaders. Class D was a scattered mess, though they had students like Hirata and Kushida who could command the students' opinions. But the situation in Class A was different from the other classes; it wasn't that they lacked a leader, but rather they had two. The students were divided into the Sakayanagi Faction and the Katsuragi Faction, neither side willing to submit to the other.

Hoshino stepped to the side, clearing the doorway. Katsuragi gave him a slight nod and walked past him with a steady, measured gait.

"Katsuragi-kun—"

Just then, a boy came jogging out of the locker room, calling Katsuragi's name. However, upon seeing Hoshino standing to the side, the boy seemed to realize something.

"Totsuka, do not shout in public, and do not run. These are basic manners."

"I'm sorry, Katsuragi-kun..."

Katsuragi first reprimanded the boy named Totsuka. Totsuka scratched his head apologetically and then leaned in close to Katsuragi, his voice low, though Hoshino could still hear him.

"Katsuragi-kun, that boy... that's Hoshino Akira."

"I know."

Katsuragi replied in a deep voice, not looking at Hoshino.

"But..."

"Enough, Totsuka. Causing trouble for others like this only lowers your own standing."

"I, I understand..."

"It's no matter, Katsuragi-kun. I am the childhood friend of Sakayanagi Arisu, who is at odds with you, so it's only natural for Totsuka-kun to be wary of me."

Hoshino said with a smile. Katsuragi replied calmly.

"Sakayanagi-san and I simply have some differences of opinion; we are not in an antagonistic relationship."

"In that case, could I ask you to look after Arisu? After all, she is a delicate girl, and her legs are not very convenient."

"We are classmates; helping one another is only natural."

"That is truly wonderful. Thank you, Katsuragi-kun."

Katsuragi nodded to Hoshino once more before leaving with Totsuka in tow.

"Boring."

So that was it—this was the "man who isn't even fun to bully."

Hoshino felt the same way.

"I never expected two grown men to actually come to the pool together."