Time slipped quietly by, and before anyone knew it, half a month had passed since that gathering.
Campus life seemed to have hit the repeat button: classes, dismissal, and rest, day after day.
Akiyama Shin continued to maintain his quiet, regular routine. Most of the time, he was still absorbed in his own thoughts and observations, keeping a carefully measured distance from the bustle around him.
Yet beneath this seemingly uneventful daily life, subtle changes were taking place.
The change that surprised Akiyama Shin the most was the easing of tensions between Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo.
On the surface, Horikita Suzune still seemed cold and aloof, but Akiyama Shin keenly noticed that she no longer rejected every act of kindness or attempt at contact with almost obsessive determination.
This was especially true of Kushida Kikyo. The two of them seemed to have developed a strange sort of understanding.
They were hardly inseparable, but every now and then, he saw them exchange a few words between classes.
Or when Kushida Kikyo offered to share snacks, Horikita Suzune would accept in silence, despite her unchanged expression.
Kushida Kikyo's change was even more obvious.
Her hostility toward Horikita Suzune—whether it stemmed from the shadows of middle school or a clash of personalities—seemed to have truly diminished. It was no longer a superficial performance but a genuine acceptance. Was it because of the chance they'd had to share an umbrella in the rain?
Or was she really changing her mindset? For the sake of some longer-term coexistence?
Akiyama Shin wondered to himself but didn't dwell on it.
As long as it didn't interfere with his plans, he was happy to see things change this way. The only thing that hadn't changed was that Kushida Kikyo showed up at his Dormitory 501 almost every night, right on time.
Her passion and infatuation had not faded with time. If anything, they seemed to grow more intense.
At times, Akiyama Shin couldn't help wondering if she had already become immersed in the comfort and excitement that came with an intimate relationship.
But it didn't matter. He didn't dislike it, so he let things be. Still, their nightly revelry had eventually attracted some attention. One day, for instance, Chabashira Sae called him to her office and got straight to the point instead of beating around the bush.
"Akiyama, the dorm supervisor says Kushida has been coming to your room frequently."
She lit a slender cigarette and took a deep drag. Her expression, wreathed in smoke, held a trace of helplessness.
"I understand that high school students have raging hormones... But..."
She paused, her tone turning more serious.
"Make sure you take the necessary precautions. Don't let anything happen, or even I'll have a hard time covering for you."
Akiyama Shin nodded without changing his expression.
"I understand, Teacher Chabashira."
As for the other classes, Akiyama Shin had kept an eye on them too, thanks to the occasional updates from Kamuro Masumi.
Class A remained divided between the Katsuragi Faction and the Sakayanagi Faction, locked in a stalemate.
Day-to-day student life seemed to be going smoothly, but Kamuro mentioned that the Sakayanagi Faction seemed to be taking a more aggressive approach, while the Katsuragi Faction leaned toward caution and stability.
Akiyama Shin wasn't surprised. Class A's internal strife was a welcome development for him.
Under Honami Ichinose's leadership, Class B continued to steadily consolidate the class.
The atmosphere was united and positive, and they were making full use of the intelligence advantage they'd gained from Akiyama Shin.
The most interesting news came from Class C.
Through a new friend she'd made in Class C, Kamuro Masumi had learned that a boy named Ryuen Kakeru had apparently gained complete control of the entire class through violence and intimidation.
Control through violence... crude and straightforward...
It might work in the short term. It seemed Class C would establish some kind of order sooner than Class D, even if it was a twisted one.
By comparison.
Class D was still caught up in a spree of reckless spending.
One hundred thousand points weren't an inexhaustible resource for students with no sense of planning. Some of the big spenders were already running short on points after just half a month. Some had even started borrowing from classmates they were on good terms with in private just to get by. Foolish... but exactly what he wanted.
It was a Friday afternoon in mid-April.
Today was a day that had most of the boys in Class D restless with anticipation.
For the first time, swimming class was on the schedule.
For these hormonal teenagers in the throes of puberty, getting to admire their female classmates in swimsuits with an entirely legitimate excuse was undoubtedly a welcome bit of variety in their dull school lives.
The air in the swimming hall was filled with the smell of disinfectant and an inexplicable excitement.
The boys and girls changed into their swimsuits in separate locker rooms.
The boys' locker room was already buzzing, thanks to Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike.
"Hey, hey! Ike! I'm really looking forward to this!"
"This is our first chance to see the girls in our class wearing swimsuits without having to hide it!"
"I'm telling you, Kikyo's figure... She's absolutely top-tier!"
Yamauchi Haruki fumbled with his swim trunks, his face flushed with excitement and his voice booming.
"You don't have to tell me! And I think Karuizawa's pretty good, too! And Hasebe! Even in her uniform, I could tell she was stacked! Today, she'll be in a swimsuit!"
Kanji Ike was just as excited, spraying spittle as he spoke.
"Heh heh heh... I wonder what Sakura would look like without her glasses. She usually looks kind of plain... Maybe she's a hidden gem!"
"Could be! Could be!"
Their conversation was filled with vulgar thoughts and undisguised desire. Some of the boys around them joined in with hushed whispers and knowing smiles.
Ken Sudō didn't join the discussion, but as he listened and imagined what he might see in a moment, his face flushed slightly. He turned his head away, feeling awkward.
Yukimura Teruhiko had already changed into his swim trunks. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
Watching Yamauchi and Ike act like impatient monkeys, he showed no sign of hiding his disgust and irritation.
"Honestly... how vulgar!"
"I really don't understand what's so fascinating about a woman's appearance. A person's true worth comes from continually improving their knowledge and character!"
At that, Yamauchi Haruki immediately shot back in annoyance.
"Huh...? What would a bookworm like you know, Yukimura? This is youth! Youth!"
Kanji Ike chimed in as well.
"Exactly! You're just sour because you can't get any! If you've got the nerve, don't look later!"
Just as the argument was about to turn personal,
Hirata Yosuke hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over, wearing his usual gentle smile.
"All right, all right. Let's not argue."
"Swimming class is for exercise and relaxation. Respecting one another is the bare minimum."
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji quietly stood in a corner, expressionless as he changed into his swim trunks, as if nothing around him had anything to do with him. Only his unfocused eyes occasionally swept over the arguing boys, taking note of their reactions.
Just then, a rich, unhurried voice rang out, dripping with undisguised disdain.
"Oh~ What an unbeautiful bunch of boys~"
Everyone looked toward the voice and saw that Koenji Rokusuke had already changed. Wearing nothing but a pair of tight swim briefs, he made no attempt to hide his superb, muscular upper body, as flawless as a Greek statue. His pale skin, well-defined pectorals and abs, and smooth, powerful muscle lines all showcased the results of his long and rigorous training.
He casually held a small mirror in one hand and elegantly stroked his dazzling golden hair with the other. His narrow eyes swept over Yamauchi and Ike, his voice tinged with pity.
"If you're nothing but ugly beasts, driven by hormones and constantly thinking about mating with the opposite sex, then that's truly a shame~"
His gaze then passed over the others and settled on Akiyama Shin, who was quietly taking off his T-shirt.
"But I believe Akiyama Boy isn't such a lowly creature~"
Akiyama Shin paused at being singled out and looked at Koenji, slightly at a loss for words.
What was with this guy now?
He folded his T-shirt and put it in his locker, revealing his figure.
Unlike Koenji's visually striking muscular build, Akiyama Shin's body was more the type that looked slim in clothes but muscular without them. His muscle lines were clean and defined, with distinct eight-pack abs and a V-line, but he wasn't overly bulky. Every muscle seemed carefully sculpted, gathering explosive strength in a balance of power and beauty.
Though he wasn't as exaggeratedly muscular as Koenji, he still drew surprised and envious looks from several boys nearby.
Akiyama Shin ignored Koenji's teasing and didn't join the conversation. After changing into his swim trunks, he simply opened the locker room door and walked out.
Koenji watched Akiyama Shin leave, then gave a quiet laugh.
"What a cold-hearted boy~"
When all the students of Class D had gathered beside the pool,
as expected, stifled gasps of admiration and whispers broke out among both the boys and the girls.
On the boys' side,
nearly every gaze focused on the girls.
Kushida Kikyo wore a one-piece swimsuit that perfectly showed off her slim yet curvy figure.
Her impressive bust in particular left Yamauchi, Ike, and the others staring, nearly drooling.
Karuizawa Kei also wore a one-piece swimsuit, which outlined her healthy, well-proportioned figure.
She had a hint of girlish playfulness and confidence.
But the biggest surprise came from Hasebe Haruka. Her blue hair was tied up in a high ponytail.
Her astonishing figure became the center of attention almost instantly, leaving countless boys gasping.
"Hasebe... That figure... It's insane..."
"Kikyo! Just as I thought, she's the best!"
The boys' comments were almost entirely unrestrained.
The girls' reactions were more complicated.
Most of them were disgusted and revolted by the unabashedly leering looks on Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike. They shot the two boys scornful looks.
"Disgusting..."
"Can someone do something about their eyes..."
"Perverts!"
At the same time, their attention couldn't help but be drawn to some of the boys.
Koenji Rokusuke's nearly perfect physique went without saying. He was practically a walking hormone dispenser.
Akiyama Shin's lean, well-proportioned body, brimming with strength, was just as eye-catching. His cold, distant air only added to his appeal.
Horikita Suzune looked at Akiyama Shin, a hint of unmistakable surprise flashing through her cool eyes.
"He... You'd never guess from looking at him normally... He actually..."
She instinctively looked away, the tips of her ears growing warm.
Kushida Kikyo noticed all the girls staring at Akiyama Shin and secretly felt pleased.
That's my man!
Wang Meiyu looked at Akiyama Shin, her little face blushing, her eyes full of shyness and admiration.
Even Matsushita Chiaki, who usually didn't pay much attention to this sort of thing, took a few extra looks and murmured to herself,
"Hmm... He's surprisingly well-built..."
Hasebe Haruka boldly looked Akiyama Shin up and down, a playful smile on her lips as she called out,
"Wow! Akiyama-kun! You've got a great body~"
Although Karuizawa Kei pretended not to care, she occasionally glanced in his direction too.
Even Sakura Airi, who was sitting in the stands and not taking part in the swimming lesson, too shy and timid to join in, couldn't help sneaking a peek at Akiyama Shin. She quickly lowered her eyes again, her heart beating faster.
Just then,
the male teacher in charge of the swimming lesson clapped his hands, a hearty smile on his face, and called out loudly,
"All right, all right!"
"You boys and girls in the prime of adolescence, with your hormones raging! The time for admiring each other is over!"
"Now that you've all had a good look, let's officially begin today's swimming lesson!"
Before you continue