The Narcissist

Before long, Sato returned from the changing room with towels for the two of them.

Matsushita stubbornly kept Hoshino crouched off to the side with his back turned, treating him just like a suspect. Sato helped Hasebe climb out of the water, wrapped her up in two large towels, and then led her to the changing room.

"Hey, Matsushita, can you let go of me now?"

With only Hoshino and Matsushita left by the pool, Hoshino spoke up. Matsushita slowly released him.

"That was pretty harsh, Matsushita. Treating me like a criminal and all."

"Because you're a perverted sex maniac! Hasebe looked like that, and you couldn't be allowed to see her."

"Isn't that a bit much? I don't remember doing anything that would make you misunderstand me like that."

"It's not a misunderstanding. Your mind really is full of dirty thoughts!"

She hesitated, then spoke in a barely audible voice.

"You just... got excited down there, didn't you...? I saw."

"What was that, Matsushita?"

"I didn't say anything. Forget it!"

"I actually heard you."

"Then don't ask!"

Matsushita angrily lunged at him, but then seemed to realize something and stiffly drew back.

"You really are observant, Matsushita."

"Because it was really obvious."

"So I wasn't wrong about what I said last time."

"...You jerk, do you have to talk dirty with every girl?"

Matsushita said irritably, then moved a little farther away from him.

"Whose fault do you think that is? A sexy girl in a swimsuit was standing right next to me just now, so now I have to hunch over and cross my legs, and I can't stop my mind from wandering."

Matsushita's face flushed red before his eyes. She and Sato had come to the pool to have fun, so of course they were wearing swimsuits. She'd been so focused on Hasebe, soaked through, that she'd forgotten she was wearing a swimsuit that showed plenty of skin, too.

Compared to the more voluptuous Hasebe and Sakura, Matsushita was slimmer, and the one-piece swimsuit she'd chosen only emphasized that. Her slender waist and long legs were quite eye-catching.

Matsushita said nothing, and Hoshino decided to quit while he was ahead, keeping quiet to give her some space.

"I didn't expect you to be such a good swimmer."

"I'm pretty confident when it comes to swimming."

"Come to think of it, something seems a little strange. You came to the pool with two girls, but you're the only one who got in the water, and neither of them even brought swimsuits."

"That's because..."

Hoshino told her the truth, giving her a general explanation of what had happened.

"I see. Hasebe does have some common sense."

"...Yeah. And you, Matsushita, have common sense too, yet here you are in a swimsuit alone with me. Aren't you worried I'll give in to my animal instincts and pounce on you?"

Hoshino threw caution to the wind and said it outright. Matsushita studied him warily for a while.

"My assessment is that although you're lecherous, you won't lose your reason. We're in public, so it should be safe enough."

"Thanks for the assessment, Matsushita. It would've been even better if you hadn't moved closer just now."

Matsushita snorted and didn't answer.

"By the way, I didn't expect you and Sato to come to the pool either. You both chose to sit out swimming lessons."

"Shinohara wasn't feeling well that day. Maya and I were just keeping her company. Besides, I didn't want the boys in class staring at me."

"So you picked a holiday morning, when the pool would be less crowded? Just like us."

"Hmph, I'm nothing like you. You're a scumbag who's dating two girls at once!"

"Didn't I just explain why we came here?"

"That was just a trick to lure girls in. Even your cramp in the pool was part of your act. Do you really think I couldn't see through it?"

"Oh, I thought I made it pretty convincing."

"If you really were as good at swimming as you acted, you wouldn't have panicked like that over a cramp, let alone a broken leg."

"Uh, I think you'd still panic if you broke your leg..."

"So your cramp was all an act. Am I wrong?"

"Mm, you're half right. I planned to fake it, but I didn't expect to actually get a cramp. The drowning part afterward really was an act."

Hoshino faced Matsushita with an easy smile, showing no sign of panic.

"Lying a little in ways that are easy to see through can lighten the mood and give people something to talk about. That was my goal. I think I handled it with just the right amount of restraint. At least Hasebe must have seen through my act too."

As he spoke, Hoshino stood up. His calf, the one that had cramped earlier, no longer hurt. He stood by the pool and began warming up properly this time.

"You're saying... Hasebe saw through your tricks too? But she still jumped right in to save you."

"Yeah. Her choice makes me think, 'Could she actually like me?' But in the end, it brought our date to an abrupt end. What an intriguing twist."

"Hmph. Thinking other girls like you for no reason. You really are a narcissist."

"Personally, I don't think 'narcissist' is an insult. I think I'm handsome, cheerful, smart, and talented. I think I'm the kind of guy girls like. Is there anything wrong with that? I think everyone should see themselves that way. Believing in yourself is the first step toward growing."

Matsushita stared at Hoshino, a little stunned. She hadn't expected him to suddenly say something like that.

And it actually seemed to make sense?

"Of course, there's no denying that everything I've said about myself is true. I really am the kind of guy girls fall for. Hasebe, Sakura, Sato, and even you, Matsushita—you'll all fall hopelessly in love with me. But don't worry, Matsushita. No matter how many girls like me, I'll always save a place for you in my heart."

"Enough! Stop spouting nonsense!"

Matsushita shouted at him, her expression dark. But when Hoshino flashed that infuriating smile again, she didn't feel as sure of herself as she acted.

"Actually, Maya does seem to like him... That silly girl only cares about looks, and Hoshino really is kind of handsome... And Sakura barely ever talks to girls, but she agreed to come out with him. She must like him too? Could Hasebe be the same...?"

Matsushita wondered to herself, and the more she thought about it, the less Hoshino's words sounded like nonsense.

"No, no matter what, I'm absolutely not going to fall for this lecherous, lustful jerk!"

Matsushita shouted in her head, then shook hers, trying to dislodge the image of a little boy that had appeared in her mind.

Just then, Sakura finally returned from the dorm, carrying a paper bag with her clothes inside. Matsushita took the bag and went to bring it to Hasebe, who was waiting in the changing room. Although Sakura looked as if she could hardly catch her breath, she stubbornly insisted on going along.

"What about me? I can help too."

"Why are you butting in when girls are changing?"

Matsushita didn't even turn around. Her furious shout cut off Hoshino's offer. Sakura, standing nearby, was startled by her outburst and froze in place.

"Is that so? What a shame, Sakura. That's the end of our date today. Please apologize to Hasebe for me."

"D-date..."

One particular word Hoshino said struck Sakura. She murmured it under her breath, and it was hard to tell whether she'd heard anything else he said.

"Can't be helped. Please look after her, Matsushita."

"You don't have to tell me that."

Matsushita glared at Hoshino, then came over and took Sakura's hand.

"See you next time. Matsushita, I have a feeling we'll have some great conversations in the future."

Matsushita didn't reply. She led Sakura away without looking back.

Hoshino gazed thoughtfully after them.

"Looks like I really did remember right. Matsushita, you're welcome to come test me again. After that, what sort of conclusion will you reach?"

He leaped gracefully into the water, stretched both arms forward, and swam at incredible speed to the other end of the pool using only his legs.

As he lifted his head above the water to breathe, Hoshino couldn't help wondering:

Was he even more pathetic, swimming alone at the pool, than Katsuragi and the other guy, who were hanging out together?