Touching

The Water Park was bustling with people. The enormous wave pool roared with excitement, screams rang out from the waterslides, and sunlight shimmered across the outdoor pool. The mixed group from Class D and Class B quickly scattered, each heading for the attractions that interested them.

Ken Sudō, Kanji Ike, and Yamauchi Haruki were bursting with energy as they enthusiastically invited everyone to play beach volleyball, especially the girls from Class B, including Ichinose Honami and her friends.

"Come on, come on! Volleyball's the best way to beat the heat!"

"Yeah, yeah! Come play with us, Ichinose-senpai!"

"We need more players over here!"

They were acting far too eager and excited, their eyes darting around as they exchanged knowing glances. Ichinose Honami thought they were a little over the top, but didn't give it much thought. Assuming the boys were just trying to show off in front of the girls, she smiled and agreed, bringing two girls from Class B along to join Sudō's team. Hirata also called Kazama In and Ayanokoji over to join the opposing team.

The volleyball game began. Kazama In had exceptional athletic ability, with reflexes, jumping power, and strength far beyond ordinary. Even when he casually received the ball or spiked it, he made it look effortless, his movements crisp and clean. Soft exclamations of admiration rose from the sidelines. Ichinose Honami was just as lively on the court. She was a good athlete too, and her digs and passes were well executed.

During a fierce rally, Ichinose Honami lunged forward to save a tricky drop shot! She managed to get the ball, but the momentum threw her off balance, sending her crashing toward Kazama In, who was standing at the net ready to block!

"Ah!" Ichinose cried out.

Kazama In reacted instantly, turning sideways and reaching out to steady her.

But Ichinose came at him with too much momentum, and the two inevitably collided! Kazama In's arm caught her securely by one shoulder, but on the other side... Ichinose's full, soft chest, separated from him by only the thin fabric of her swimsuit, slammed squarely into the outside of his firm forearm!

For that brief instant, the contact was warm, soft, and springy...

"!" Ichinose Honami recoiled as if she'd been shocked! Once she regained her balance, her face turned red as a boiled shrimp, all the way to her neck and ears. She lowered her head, instinctively covering her chest with her hands. Her heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest, and she didn't dare look Kazama In in the eye. Her voice was barely audible. "I-I'm sorry, Kazama-kun! I didn't mean to!"

Kazama In's arm was still held out to support her. He could still feel the softness of that brief collision. A faint, almost instinctive physical reaction flickered in his dark eyes, but mostly he registered it as simple physical contact. He quickly withdrew his hand, his expression unchanged, and replied in an even voice, "It's fine. Nice save." He seemed not to realize there had been anything special about the "accidental" contact. Or perhaps, to him, it was just another part of a body collision, no different from bumping shoulders or arms.

Yet his overly calm reaction only made Ichinose feel more embarrassed. D-does he not feel anything? Or does he just not care? Her thoughts were a mess, and she was distracted for the rest of the game.

Kazama In, on the other hand, didn't give the little incident another thought. His gaze seemed fixed on the game, but he had already taken in every furtive move made by Sudō and the other two. The way they kept checking the time, glancing toward the women's changing room, and exchanging looks and clumsy signals... it was all perfectly transparent to him.

The plan to spy on the women's changing room is underway. Their method: create a distraction, draw everyone's attention away, then slip in during the confusion and plant a hidden camera. Kazama In assessed the situation calmly. He could easily expose them before they put their plan into action, or stop them outright. But he chose to remain silent.

There were three reasons:

1. The need for punishment: Sudō and the other two had repeatedly ignored warnings and needed a serious lesson. Letting them nearly succeed before making them fail—and even face consequences—would be far more effective than stopping them in advance.

2. An outside disruptor: He had a keen sense that another faction, likely Ryuen from Class C, was watching the situation and might even intend to exploit or sabotage the plan. Letting Ryuen intervene could lead to a more dramatic "lesson."

3. Keeping things under control: He believed the situation wouldn't ultimately get out of hand and that Sakura and the other girls' privacy wouldn't actually be violated. He was confident he could take control at the crucial moment.

The game continued, but Ichinose was clearly affected. Before long, one of the girls from Class B on her team clutched her stomach, looking uncomfortable. "Ichinose, I don't feel very well... I need to use the restroom."

"I'll go with you," another girl offered.

The two had barely left the court when they hurried back, their faces full of worry and confusion.

"Ichinose! Something seems to be wrong with the women's restroom and changing room! There are a lot of girls gathered outside who can't get in. They say there's some kind of emergency cleaning going on inside? There's a 'Cleaning in Progress' sign outside, but something feels off!"

As soon as Ichinose Honami heard this, she grew concerned. A problem in the women's changing room affected every girl's privacy and safety. "I'll go take a look!" she said, starting toward it.

"Hey! Ichinose-senpai!" Kanji Ike immediately jumped in front of her, putting on a "concerned" look as he stopped her. "Don't rush! Maybe they're just doing some temporary cleaning! You know how hard it is for the cleaners in this heat! We're almost done with this game. Why don't we go together once it's over?" As he spoke, he gave Sudō and Yamauchi a signal.

Yamauchi hurriedly chimed in too. "Yeah, yeah! Maybe they'll be done in a minute! There's nothing we can do by going over now. We'd just get in the way!"

Sudō went even further, standing directly in the path leading to the changing rooms. "We'll talk about it after the game! After the game!"

Their attempt to stop her was so obvious that even Ichinose frowned, sensing something was wrong. She was about to say something...

At that standoff, several figures suddenly appeared around the corner of the passage leading to the women's changing room. They were Ryuen Kakeru, Albert, and Ibuki Mio!

Ryuen wore his trademark malicious grin, his eyes sweeping across the court with amusement and lingering for a moment on Sudō and the other two. He didn't even glance at the "Cleaning in Progress" sign outside the women's changing room. He simply led the others straight toward it.

What left everyone even more dumbfounded was what Ibuki Mio did as she followed Ryuen. As she passed the sign, she suddenly kicked it without warning!

"CRASH!!!"

The fake "Cleaning in Progress" sign went flying from the force of her kick, slammed into the wall with a tremendous bang, and then clattered to the ground!

The sudden violence and loud noise instantly drew everyone nearby's attention!

It also caught the attention of the people playing outside, who headed over. From a short distance away, they could see what had happened.

"What are you doing?!" one of the girls immediately demanded.

Ryuen ignored her. Facing the women's changing room, he spoke with a malicious grin, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Well, it sounds like they're having quite a time 'cleaning' in there. Need any help?"

That was as good as exposing the carefully laid trap Sudō and the other two had set—and it directed everyone's attention straight toward the women's changing room!

"Oh no!" Kanji Ike and Yamauchi Haruki turned deathly pale!

Ken Sudō was so frantic that his eyes went bloodshot! He knew Ryuen's interference had exposed the plan completely!

At that critical moment, Ken Sudō suddenly let out an extremely exaggerated scream. "Ahhh!!! My leg! My leg's cramping! It hurts so much!!!" Clutching his calf, he collapsed to the ground with a twisted expression, writhing and wailing in "pain"!

His over-the-top performance, especially after he'd just been full of life and blocking the way, was almost impossibly fake!

Ichinose Honami, Hirata Yosuke, Karuizawa Kei, and the others were stunned by the sudden turn of events! Horikita Suzune looked at Sudō rolling on the ground, then at the sign that had been kicked away and Ryuen's cold grin. Understanding flashed in her cool eyes, and her expression darkened.

Standing beside Ichinose, Kazama In watched the farce with cold eyes. Sudō's exaggerated "cramp," the triumphant malice on Ryuen's face, and the panic on Ike and Yamauchi's... Everything was exactly as he'd expected, even more "entertaining" than he'd imagined.

Ryuen's gaze passed over the confused crowd and landed precisely on Kazama In, who stood calmly by the court. He bared his teeth in a savage grin full of provocation and the unspoken message, "Pleasure working with you."

Kazama In met his gaze, his dark eyes completely undisturbed, as if he were watching a farce that had nothing to do with him. He merely raised his chin slightly, indicating the women's changing room. Beneath the sign Ibuki had kicked away, an inconspicuous miniature camera disguised as a cleaning tool lay still on the ground.

Ryuen followed his gaze, his grin turning even more vicious. He signaled to Albert. Albert's massive frame shifted without drawing attention, and his enormous foot "happened" to land on the miniature camera...

"Crack!" A barely audible snapping sound was drowned out by Sudō's wails and the girls' chatter.

The plan to spy on the women's changing room had been completely thwarted by Ryuen's malicious interference and Kazama In's watchful inaction, and it had been exposed to everyone in the most humiliating way possible. The summer sun still shone brightly by the pool, but a shadow had fallen over the scene—a shadow of stupidity, malice, and silent judgment.