I Want You to Be the Class Monitor

"Then, the boys' group will start first!"

"Students in the first and second groups, please take your positions on the starting blocks."

"The rest of the girls' group, step back to the sides. Stay safe and don't interfere with the race."

The female teacher clapped her hands, her voice clear and commanding. "Before you get on the blocks, stretch your arms and legs one more time. Make sure your body is warmed up so you don't get hurt!"

Mazumi Mami stepped onto the starting block of the first lane, calmly assessing the situation as he did his final shoulder rolls and leg stretches.

"The world record for a professional swimmer in the fifty-meter freestyle is just over twenty seconds. Top-tier athletes can swim it in under twenty-two. If I go all out, I can easily surpass that level... but there's no need."

He calculated quickly in his mind.

"Controlling it at around twenty-five seconds will make me look decent without being too shocking. It fits my 'just recovered from a serious illness but still physically capable' persona."

He glanced at the other four boys warming up in the adjacent lanes. None of them looked like swimming specialists.

"Too bad Katsuragi Kohei is in the second group. I can't directly observe his speed as a reference. Otherwise, I'd just need to be slightly slower than him, ensuring he wins against me."

It wasn't that he didn't want the five-thousand-point reward, but compared to this "small gain," maintaining his persona and avoiding early exposure of his full strength was far more important.

Moreover, in his eyes, earning points through information gaps and strategy was far more efficient than competing for such a trivial reward in a sports contest.

A deeper thought surfaced in his mind.

"And... appropriate 'aid to the enemy' might not be a bad thing. If other classes, like Class B or Class C, can learn some intel about Class A through certain channels, feel pressure or even a sense of threat, that could actually be beneficial for us inside Class A."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes.

"Only when there's an 'enemy' breathing down our necks, when the class faces real competitive pressure, will the students crave a strong leader more. They'll rally tighter around the core, obeying commands for the sake of shared interests."

"If Class A remains carefree and smooth sailing, they'll quickly think having me as a 'leader' doesn't matter."

"Of course, this is just a temporary expedient."

Mazumi Mami's gaze turned deep and resolute.

"Once I've firmly secured my leadership position and fully integrated Class A into an efficient, loyal collective, I won't need this 'create a crisis' tactic anymore. By then, I'll have complete control over Class A. My will will be Class A's will. Any potential dissenters won't have room to exist."

Mazumi Mami thought silently.

"Young master, go for it! Young master's the coolest! Young master's number one in the world!"

Just as he was deep in thought, a spirited, ear-splitting cheer erupted from the girls' rest area.

There stood Chisato Nishikigi, having somehow found two towels and waving them like cheerleader pom-poms. Her ruby-like eyes sparkled as she unabashedly rooted for Mazumi Mami.

"Chisato..."

Runa Inoue pressed a hand to her forehead, her violet eyes full of helplessness. "Are you sure you're cheering for the young master, or are you just distracting him and making trouble?"

"Yeah, even if you're cheering, you don't have to shout loud enough for the whole swimming pool to hear..."

Walnut chimed in quietly, her face slightly flushed, as if she found Chisato's behavior a bit too flashy.

"Hehe, when you're cheering, you've got to shout to have impact! The louder the voice, the more sincere the heart!"

Chisato Nishikigi said with utter confidence, then grabbed Runa and Walnut by the hand. "Come on, come on! You two join in too! Young master, go for it! Young master's the coolest! Young master, go for it!"

Under Chisato's "enthusiastic kidnapping," Runa Inoue and Walnut exchanged a glance, but ultimately couldn't resist her and joined in the cheering.

Though their voices weren't as exaggerated as Chisato's, they clearly raised their volume, carrying sincere encouragement:

"Young master, go for it!"

"Young lady, please do your best!"

Three beautiful girls, each with a distinct style yet equally outstanding, cheered in unison for Mazumi Mami. The scene itself was incredibly captivating.

Soon, their enthusiasm infected the other girls around them.

"Mazumi-san, do your best!"

"Go for it! Mazumi-san's the coolest!"

"Class A boys, fight! Mazumi-san, fight!"

The girls' cheers rose one after another, heating up the atmosphere around the boys' competition area.

The other participating boys watched the spectacle with mixed expressions—part envy, part pressure.

"Oho, Mazumi-san, looks like you're pretty popular!"

The female teacher also noticed the commotion and teased Mazumi Mami with a smile. "You're definitely one of the most handsome boys in this class. How about it? Feeling the pressure? I'm really looking forward to your performance!"

Mazumi Mami snapped out of his thoughts. Facing the teacher's good-natured ribbing and the girls' cheers, he put on a perfectly timed smile—slightly shy yet brimming with confidence.

"Thank you for the encouragement, teacher and classmates. All I can say is, I'll do my best and live up to everyone's expectations."

"Good! That's the spirit!"

The female teacher nodded in satisfaction, then her expression turned serious as she raised the starting whistle. "First group of boys, on your marks—!"

Mazumi Mami and the other four boys bent over on the starting blocks, assuming the standard ready position, their eyes fixed on the lanes ahead.

"BEEP—!"

A crisp whistle cut through the air!

Almost the instant the whistle sounded, Mazumi Mami, like a coiled leopard ready to spring, pushed off with his legs, his body arcing gracefully through the air before slicing cleanly into the water with minimal splash.

Once submerged, he quickly adjusted his form, arms alternating in powerful strokes, legs kicking with force and rhythm, his entire body cutting through the water like a torpedo, propelling forward at high speed.

His movements were textbook and efficient, clearly the result of professional training.

The cheers from the poolside grew louder.

Twenty-five seconds later, Mazumi Mami's hand firmly touched the wall at the finish.

He surfaced, wiped the water from his face, and looked back—the other boys in his group, even the fastest, had only just passed the thirty-meter mark. The gap was obvious.

"Exactly 25 seconds! Excellent speed!"

The female teacher in charge of timing clicked her stopwatch, her face showing surprise and admiration.

"This level is close to the top among amateur swimmers. Mazumi-kun, have you ever considered pursuing a professional athletic career? Your entry, stroke rhythm, and turns are all very professional."

Mazumi Mami grabbed the poolside railing, easily hoisting himself out, and accepted a towel handed over by a classmate, offering a modest smile.

"Thank you for the praise, sensei. But for now, I have no intention of going professional. I have a lot on my plate with academics and other matters."

"That's a bit of a shame. With your foundation, if you trained hard, you might really make a name for yourself."

The female teacher sounded regretful but still reached out to help him up. "Still, everyone has their own path. Studies are important too. Alright, first group done. Second group of boys, get ready!"

Soon, the second group's race began. The situation mirrored the first group exactly. Katsuragi Kohei displayed equally outstanding physical ability and swimming technique, taking the lead effortlessly and leaving the other boys far behind, touching the wall at a time close to twenty-five seconds.

Mazumi Mami watched from the poolside, understanding in his heart.

"As expected, Katsuragi Kohei's physical fitness and motor skills are also excellent. Class A isn't lacking in individual quality at the top, but overall..."

His gaze swept over the other boys, panting and posting average results.

"The general physical level of the boys is indeed a potential weakness for Class A. In the future, if we encounter a group event that purely tests physical strength, it will be a major disadvantage."

"Alright, the preliminary rounds for both groups of boys are over. Mazumi-kun and Katsuragi-kun advance to the finals!"

The female teacher announced.

"But the finals can wait. Let them rest and recover first. Now, we'll start the girls' preliminary rounds! There are more girls, so the competition will take a bit longer. After the girls finish one round, we'll intersperse the boys' finals and the girls' subsequent rounds, alternating rest to avoid exhaustion. First group of girls, step onto the starting blocks!"

The poolside buzzed with activity again as the girls competed in their groups, cheers, applause, and occasional laughter filling the air.

Mazumi Mami dried himself with the towel and walked to the rest area to sit down.

Soon, Katsuragi Kohei also came over and sat in the empty seat next to him.

"Good work. Great swim."

Mazumi Mami spoke first, handing over an unopened sports drink.

"Thanks."

Katsuragi Kohei took the drink, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. His breathing had already calmed. "At this level, it's still pretty easy."

"I can tell. You have a solid physical foundation."

Mazumi Mami nodded in agreement.

"I'm just used to doing my best at whatever I can manage."

Katsuragi Kohei's tone was steady and earnest, carrying a simple sense of responsibility.

"That's a remarkable habit."

Mazumi Mami said sincerely.

He could sense that Katsuragi Kohei was the type to keep his feet on the ground and value practical action—a personality that often becomes a stable cornerstone in a team.

After a brief silence, Mazumi Mami got to the point, his gaze calm as he looked at Katsuragi Kohei. "Earlier, by the pool, it seemed like you had something to say to me. Is it convenient to talk now? Is it about the class?"

Katsuragi Kohei set down the drink bottle, sat up straight, and his expression grew more serious and solemn.

He looked directly into Mazumi Mami's eyes, without any beating around the bush, and said clearly and directly:

"Mazumi-kun, I hope—no, I believe that you should be the class representative for Class A."

His voice wasn't loud, but his tone was firm, carrying a decisiveness born of careful thought.

The noise by the pool seemed to fade away in that moment. The air between the two boys grew still and subtle, charged by this sudden, weighty declaration.