April's Swimsuit Episode

Sunday, with nothing better to do, Seishiki Otonashi lazed around in the dorm all day, casually scheming a bit with Nagumo Miyabi.

Then came Monday—back to work and school, as they say in Cantonese. Otonashi felt like Monday was a day of suffering...

Arriving at the classroom, why were the boys in such high spirits today?

"Swimming class?"

Checking the week's schedule on his phone, there was swimming class in April? That was pretty rare.

April's rain was called 'Rape Blossom Rain'—the drizzling rain that fell from March to April when the rapeseed flowers bloomed. The rainy season shouldn't last too long. Next year might be worse, but Otonashi still looked forward to summer rain.

"Come to think of it, it hasn't rained much lately..."

Was some strange causality interfering? How bizarre.

Some of the boys huddled together, whispering about topics only guys knew. They were all hot-blooded adolescent males—normal behavior, as long as it didn't bother the ladies.

Suddenly, Otonashi's mind wandered, fantasizing about Tamiya Emi's great figure in a swimsuit—

He immediately shook his head, refusing to let his brain sink into such filthy thoughts.

The frequency of his brainwaves kept reminding him, emitting a dry, low noise like a broken radio, poor signal reception. Thoughts of love... negative thoughts.

[?A? ?s?i?l?e?n?t? ?b?l?e?e?d?i?n?g? ?c?o?r?p?s?e?,? ?u?n?w?o?r?t?h?y? ?o?f? ?l?o?v?e?.?]?

Empty brain matter, endless junk files, love's definition blurred, locked away in a safe by someone.

"They're way too excited, aren't they?"

Kohei Katsuragi looked up at the gathered group of boys.

"Isn't that fine? That's what adolescent boys should do, right? As long as they're not causing trouble or harassing the girls."

At least those guys weren't openly discussing the girls' bodies, and their chat wasn't full of vulgar talk. Even if it was, they kept their voices down to avoid being overheard.

Otonashi propped his head on his hand and flipped open his copy of Alice in Borderland.

"That may be true, but I don't see the need for that much excitement."

Kohei Katsuragi reviewed his textbook, chatting idly with Otonashi.

"Huh? Could it be that Kohei Katsuragi is... impotent?"

"What did you say!?"

For the first time in his life, someone had roasted him like that. Katsuragi's face flushed red with anger.

"I just think that as a student, the main priority is studying. Discussing pointless things like this has no meaning!"

"Well, I'm pretty excited. Seeing swimsuits this time of year gives a kind of refreshing thrill!"

At that moment, an ill-timed voice cut into their conversation.

"My, my, Classmate Otonashi, what's this? You look like a cute boy, but inside you're actually a perverted closet lecher?"

Oh no! Where did Classmate Sakayanagi pop out from? Otonashi admitted he was startled—she was such an elusive young lady. His earlier comment was practically a pervert's line! He had to go on the offensive, or everyone in class would think he was a closet lecher, and that'd be the end!

"Classmate Sakayanagi, I think you're a lot like Hanako."

"And what's that?"

Sakayanagi Arisu heard a fresh term she'd never encountered before and showed some interest.

"A child ghost who loves scaring people and dragging them into the girls' bathroom. Feels pretty similar to your personality, Classmate Sakayanagi."

Sakayanagi Arisu's mouth twitched.

"What a thoughtful metaphor, [Sei][shi][ki][O][to][na][shi]."

Her smile shifted into a deathly smile unique to women. Even though she and Otonashi were about the same height, she radiated a terrifying aura. She emphasized each syllable of his name...

"Aaaah! Sorry, sorry! Waaah!"

Otonashi immediately performed a perfect dogeza right there on his chair.

Kohei Katsuragi watched this modernist, absurdist theatrical performance and sighed.

"Are you two putting on some over-the-top manzai act?"

(Otonashi's Mini Encyclopedia: Manzai is a Japanese stage comedy style, similar to Chinese cross-talk.)

Some hot-blooded idiot boys were showing off and comparing their muscles.

The indoor pool hall was equipped with a temperature control system, and the fifty-meter pool seemed to be heated too. Could it be used for swimming even in winter? That would probably make it the home turf of the Swimming Club.

Otonashi changed into his swimsuit in the teacher's office bathroom as usual—a Zippered Men's Swimsuit. He wanted to wear swim trunks like the other guys! But the muscular, middle-aged swimming teacher had grabbed him and handed him this suit instead.

Wow, wow, wow... what a sight to behold. Though the view was beautiful, Otonashi couldn't get excited at all. His excitement threshold seemed way too high...

In the end, his gaze still landed on Tamiya Emi. She was chatting with a group of girls led by Nishikawa Ryoko.

"Got a crush on Tamiya?"

"Gyah!"

He nearly fell into the pool, but Morishita Ai caught him by the waist.

"Don't scare me like that, Classmate Morishita! Are you some kind of Hanako Number Two?"

"Hanako? Why would I be that little shrimp. If we're going by height difference, I'd have to be the Slit-Mouthed Woman or the Eight-Foot Woman or something."

"Let me go already, jeez."

Morishita Ai dragged Star Color like a puppy to the safe zone before letting go.

"By the way, Classmate Morishita, have you ever heard the truth behind the Eight-Foot Woman urban legend?"

"The truth about the Eight-Foot Woman? Otonashi, tell me quick!"

Classmate Morishita Ai is interested in these ghost stories? Seems like a standard trait for a radio-wave girl...

"Ahem, listen up. The so-called Eight-Foot Woman was actually a Beautiful Country soldier stationed in Neon cross-dressing. The soldier was tall and big, going around looking for little boys. That 'pop pop pop' sound was actually 'BOY, BOY, BOY' calling out."

Morishita Ai's mouth twitched, completely unable to understand what the hell this guy was saying.

Star Color got a flick on the forehead from Morishita Ai.

"Ow ow ow ow."

"What a terrible joke."

"How is it terrible? It's super funny."

Just then, Katsuragi helped the teacher gather everyone, lining them up in boy-girl rows.

"Satoshi Satonaka is feeling unwell, and Sakayanagi Arisu can't exercise. Both have permission, no one's skipping."

Kohei Katsuragi dutifully reported the situation to the teacher. What a 'good class president' indeed.

"In that case, I'll mark everyone present. You're the first class to have swimming this morning, so don't slack off! Everyone who's fine after warm-ups needs to get in the water. I want to see what you've got."

Whoa, swimming? I can't do it at all...

Star Color's head was spinning. Floating on the cold water surface, he really wanted a floatie.

The girls whispered among themselves.

"Whoa, so cute..."

"Unexpectedly a bit sexy, Otonashi-kun."

Ladies... I can hear you, Star Color thought, what kind of weird comments are these.

Though Star Color couldn't swim, he had a surefire method: tilt his head back and flatten his body. The only problem was not knowing where he'd drift to... If he ended up in a raging river, he'd have to leave it to fate. Forget it, trusting heaven and his own luck was a sure path to death.

Suddenly, Star Color felt something black surround his vision...

He bumped into something... So soft...

"Ah--ah--"

Crap! By the time Star Color realized it, it was a full-on pervert incident! This kind of fanservice should be left for harem light novel or galgame protagonists. In real life, this was a huge disaster!

Floating on his back in the pool, drifting along, and accidentally bumping into a girl's butt—how could the police ever believe that excuse?

"Classmate Yamamura, I'm sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to!"

Come to think of it, Classmate Yamamura seemed like a background character in the class? While observing people, he hadn't noticed any signs of her wanting to make friends. More like the crowd deliberately kept their distance from her?

No, Miki Yamamura seemed like a poor soul bound by fate... Her destiny only turned when she encountered someone chosen by heaven. A pitiful person controlled from birth, unable to live as she wished.

(Miki Yamamura's inner monologue: From kindergarten, elementary school, to middle school, she had no real friends. A ridiculous setting of always being alone.)

"Ah--Otonashi-kun... um... that... sorry!"

"Huh? It's clearly my fault? Why are you apologizing?"

Watching the small blush creep onto Miki Yamamura's face, Star Color felt the situation flip.

Star Color was a bit dazed. Was this girl... completely unable to socialize? Not talking to people had already given her a bit of a stutter?

"No... it's my fault... I'm sorry, I was in your way."

What kind of self-deprecating character are you? Gah, she seemed like the type who couldn't handle boys and would easily get into big trouble. The terrifying vibe of someone easily tricked out of her chastity, common in adult manga!

(This refers to a humble personality, not a mean one. 'Humble girl' has two meanings.)

Star Color took her hand.

"Ah--Otonashi-kun."

"It's my fault. Classmate Yamamura is completely not at fault! Don't treat yourself with such self-deprecating thoughts."

This guy... it's like he's not acting at all. Star Color inwardly complained that his own acting skills were ant-level compared to hers.