"Then let's start with the boys!"
"Students in Groups One and Two, please take your places on the starting blocks."
"Everyone else in the girls' group, move to the sides. Stay safe and don't interfere with the race."
The female teacher clapped her hands and called out in a clear, ringing voice. "Before you get on the starting blocks, loosen up your arms and legs a little more. Make sure you're warmed up so you don't get hurt!"
Mazumi Mami stepped onto the block at Lane One. As he finished his shoulder rolls and leg stretches, he calmly assessed the situation.
"The world record for the professional men's 50-meter freestyle is just over twenty seconds. Top swimmers can finish in under twenty-two. If I went all out, I could easily beat that... but there's no need."
He quickly ran through the numbers in his head.
"Keeping it around twenty-five seconds will make me look like a decent swimmer without being too astonishing. It'll fit my 'recently recovered from a serious illness, but still in decent shape' image."
He glanced at the other four boys warming up in the neighboring lanes. None of them looked like dedicated swimmers.
"Too bad Katsuragi Kohei is in the second group. I can't use his speed as a direct reference. Otherwise, I'd only need to swim a little slower than him and make sure he beat me."
It wasn't that he didn't want the five thousand points, but compared to this small gain, maintaining his image and avoiding revealing all his abilities too soon mattered more.
Besides, in his eyes, earning points through information advantages and strategy was far more efficient than competing for a small reward in a sports event.
A deeper thought surfaced in his mind.
"And besides... a little 'helping the enemy' might not be a bad thing. If other classes, like Class B or Class C, could learn some of Class A's information through certain channels and feel pressured, or even threatened, that might actually be good for Class A."
A shrewd glint flashed in his eyes.
"Only when there are 'enemies' hot on our heels and the class is facing real competitive pressure will the students be more eager for a strong leader. They'll gather more closely around the core and follow orders for their common interests."
"If Class A is always secure and everything is peaceful, they'll soon feel that they don't need me as their 'leader' at all."
"Of course, this is only a temporary expedient."
Mazumi Mami's gaze grew deep and resolute.
"Once I've firmly secured my leadership and fully united Class A into an efficient, loyal collective, I won't need this 'manufactured crisis' tactic anymore. By then, I'll have complete control over Class A. My will will be Class A's will. No potential dissenters will have any room to survive."
Mazumi Mami thought to himself.
"Go, young master! You're the best, young master! You're number one in the world!"
Just as he was lost in thought, a spirited cheer rang out from the girls' rest area, loud enough to shake the rafters.
Chisato Nishikigi had somehow found two towels and was waving them like pom-poms. Her ruby-red eyes sparkled as she cheered for Mazumi Mami without the slightest restraint.
"Chisato..."
Runa Inoue put a hand to her forehead, her violet eyes full of helplessness. "Are you sure you're cheering him on and not distracting him and making things harder for him?"
"Yeah. Even if you're cheering him on, you don't have to yell loud enough for the whole pool to hear you..."
Walnut chimed in quietly, her cheeks a little red. She seemed to think Chisato Nishikigi was being a bit too conspicuous.
"Hehe, of course you have to cheer out loud to make it count! The louder you are, the more sincere you are!"
Chisato Nishikigi declared, then grabbed Takina and Walnut by the hand, one on each side. "Come on, come on! You two join in, too! Go, young master! You're the best, young master! Go, young master!"
Under Chisato Nishikigi's "enthusiastic kidnapping," Runa Inoue and Walnut exchanged a glance. In the end, they couldn't resist her and joined in.
Their voices weren't as outrageous as Chisato Nishikigi's, but they were noticeably louder now, and full of sincere encouragement:
"Go, young master!"
"Young lady, do your best!"
The sight of three beautiful girls, each with her own unique style, cheering Mazumi Mami on together was captivating in itself.
Their enthusiasm soon spread to the other girls around them.
"Go, Mazumi!"
"Come on! Mazumi's the best-looking!"
"Go, Class A boys! Go, Mazumi!"
The girls' cheers rose and fell, heating up the atmosphere throughout the boys' competition area.
The other boys in the race watched the commotion, their expressions complicated, caught between envy and pressure.
"Hey, Mazumi, looks like you're pretty popular!"
The female teacher had noticed the stir as well. She teased Mazumi Mami with a smile. "As expected of one of the best-looking boys in the class. So, feeling pressured? I'm really looking forward to seeing how you do!"
Mazumi Mami came back to himself. Faced with the teacher's good-natured teasing and the girls' cheers, he offered a perfectly measured smile, a little shy but still confident.
"Thank you for the encouragement, teacher, and everyone. All I can say is that I'll do my best and won't let you down."
"Good! That's the attitude!"
The female teacher nodded with satisfaction, then grew serious and raised the whistle in her hand. "Boys in Group One, take your marks—!"
Mazumi Mami and the other four boys bent over on the starting blocks, taking up proper starting positions with their eyes fixed on the lanes ahead.
"Peeep—!"
The sharp whistle cut through the air!
Almost the instant it sounded, Mazumi Mami launched himself like a leopard springing from its crouch. His legs drove hard, and his body arced gracefully into the water with barely a splash.
Once in the water, he quickly adjusted his posture. His arms alternated in smooth strokes, his legs kicked with power and rhythm, and he surged forward like a torpedo, cutting through the water at high speed.
His form was clean and efficient, clearly the result of professional training.
The cheering from the poolside grew even louder.
Twenty-five seconds later, Mazumi Mami's palm touched the wall at the finish.
He surfaced, wiped the water from his face, and looked back. The fastest of the other boys in his group had only just passed the thirty-meter mark. The gap was clear.
"Exactly twenty-five seconds! That's an excellent time!"
The female teacher responsible for timing pressed the stopwatch, her face showing surprise and admiration.
"That's already close to the very best among amateur swimmers. Mazumi, have you ever considered becoming a professional athlete? Your entry, stroke rhythm, and turns are all very polished."
Mazumi Mami easily climbed out using the pool ladder, accepted a towel from a classmate, and smiled modestly.
"Thank you for the praise, teacher. But I don't have any plans to pursue a professional career for now. I have a lot to focus on with my studies and other things."
"That's a shame. With your natural ability, if you trained hard, you might really make a name for yourself."
The female teacher sounded regretful, but still reached out and helped him up. "But everyone has their own path, and studying is important too. All right, Group One is finished. Boys in Group Two, get ready!"
Before long, the second group's race began. The results were much like those of the first group: Katsuragi Kohei displayed equally impressive physical fitness and swimming skills, taking the lead and leaving the other boys in his group far behind. He touched the wall in a time close to twenty-five seconds.
Mazumi Mami watched from the poolside, understanding the situation.
"As expected, Katsuragi Kohei has excellent stamina and athletic ability too. Class A's top students aren't lacking in individual ability, but overall..."
His gaze swept over the boys who were panting and had turned in ordinary times.
"The average boys' athletic ability really is a potential weakness for Class A. In the future, if we face a team event that's purely about physical strength, we'll be at a serious disadvantage."
"All right, the boys' two preliminary heats are over. Mazumi and Katsuragi are through to the final!"
The female teacher made the announcement.
"But there's no rush for the final. Let them rest and recover first. Now it's time for the girls' preliminaries! There are more girls, so their races will take longer. Once one round of the girls' races is done, we'll fit in the boys' final and the remaining girls' heats. Everyone will take turns resting so no one gets too tired. Girls in Group One, take your places on the starting blocks!"
The poolside grew busy again as the girls took turns competing in their groups. Cheers, applause, and the occasional burst of laughter filled the air.
Mazumi Mami dried himself off with a towel and went to sit in the rest area.
Before long, Katsuragi Kohei came over and took the empty seat beside him.
"Thanks for the effort. You swam really well."
Mazumi Mami spoke first and offered him an unopened bottle of sports drink.
"Thanks."
Katsuragi Kohei took the drink and twisted the cap off. After a sip, he had already caught his breath. "That level of effort was still pretty easy."
"I could tell. You've got a great fitness base."
Mazumi Mami nodded in agreement.
"I just try to do my best at whatever's within my abilities."
Katsuragi Kohei's voice was calm and earnest, carrying a simple sense of responsibility.
"That's a very admirable habit."
Mazumi Mami spoke sincerely.
He could tell that Katsuragi Kohei was the practical, down-to-earth sort who valued getting things done. People like him often became a steady foundation for a team.
After a brief silence, Mazumi Mami got to the point, looking calmly at Katsuragi Kohei. "Back on the poolside, it seemed like you wanted to say something to me. Is now a good time? Is it about the class?"
Katsuragi Kohei set down his bottle and straightened up, his expression growing more serious and formal.
He met Mazumi Mami's eyes and spoke clearly and directly, without beating around the bush:
"Mazumi, I hope—not, I think you should be the class representative for Class A."
His voice was not loud, but his tone was firm, carrying the resolve of someone who had thought it through.
The noise around the pool seemed to fade away in that moment. The sudden, weighty words left the air between the two boys quiet and charged.