Swimming Lesson

At the start of the new week, a new subject appeared on Class D's schedule that excited quite a few people: swimming.

The news spread on Monday morning when the sports representative posted a notice in the corner of the blackboard. Yoshida was the first to crowd over to read it, and after finishing, he turned and shouted at Sudo, "Hey, Sudo! We've got swimming on Thursday! Finally, we don't have to be cooped up in the classroom!" Sudo, who had been slumped over his desk catching up on sleep, lifted his head at the word "swimming." Before his eyes were even fully open, he grinned. "For real? That's awesome."

The classroom instantly erupted into a buzz. The boys discussed how big the pool was and whether they could stay to swim a bit longer after class, while the girls gathered in small groups; some worried about the style of their swimsuits, while others laughed, saying it didn't matter since the school issued the same ones to everyone.

Kanzaki Toru sat in the back row by the window, twirling a pen as he watched the excited crowd. His gaze drifted inadvertently to the corner in the front row—Airi Sakura's back was noticeably stiffer than usual. Her shoulders were hunched tight, her neck tucked slightly downward, and the brim of her hat was almost pressed against the desk.

Swimming class. For most students, it was a fun way to relax and play in the water, but for her, it was likely equivalent to a public execution. She would have to wear a swimsuit in front of the entire class, standing where everyone could see her, with nothing to hide behind. No hat to wear, no corner to shrink into, no oversized school uniform to bury herself in.

Kanzaki Toru withdrew his gaze and didn't walk over. In situations like this, comfort was useless.

Thursday arrived quickly. After the second period in the afternoon, the boys and girls of the class headed to the changing rooms on opposite sides of the gymnasium. Kanzaki Toru changed into his swim trunks and walked to the poolside, draped in the white towel issued by the school. The indoor pool was larger than he had imagined, with standard twenty-five-meter lanes and comfortable water temperatures. Sunlight filtered through the skylights, casting shimmering reflections across the water.

The boys were already splashing around. Sudo dove into the deep end with a massive splash, soaking Yoshida on the deck. Yoshida cursed as he jumped in to chase Sudo, while the surrounding boys cheered and egged them on. Kanzaki Toru stood near the back of the pool deck, his eyes sweeping over the water until they landed on a familiar figure—Yosuke Hirata. Even in this rowdy environment, he maintained a moderate level of participation, laughing and joking with a few others without drawing too much attention. He was the type who blended into the group without seeming out of place.

About three minutes later, there was a stir from the girls' side. They emerged from the changing room one by one, all wearing the school-issued dark blue one-piece swimsuits. Some were wrapped in towels, while others walked out directly, their varying skin tones standing out at the intersection of steam and sunlight.

Kanzaki Toru found Airi Sakura in the crowd. She walked at the very back, her arms tightly crossed over her chest, her towel wrapped securely around her. She wore no hat and no glasses—swimming didn't allow for eyewear. Without those two pieces of "armor," her face was completely exposed. Those violet eyes, usually hidden beneath the shadow of a hat brim, were squinting slightly due to her nearsightedness, looking both lost and flustered. Her skin was fairer than any of the other girls, appearing almost blindingly pale against the dark blue swimsuit. Her figure was slender, the curves not particularly pronounced, but because she was so thin, it made one want to take a second look.

She walked to the very edge of the pool corner and stood still, head bowed, her hands never leaving her chest.

A few girls walked over to her and kindly asked if she wanted to join them for warm-ups, but she only shook her head in a panic. The girls didn't press the issue and walked away.

Just as Kanzaki Toru was preparing to enter the water, someone appeared beside him.

Suzune Horikita. She was wearing her swimsuit with a towel draped over her shoulders, her black hair tied into a simple ponytail at the nape of her neck. Compared to her usual cold demeanor, this attire gave her a more natural, everyday air. She stood there, her gaze also fixed on Airi Sakura.

"She's very nervous," Horikita said.

"Understandable. For her, swimming class is no less difficult than a special exam."

Horikita didn't respond, turning to him instead. Her violet eyes seemed brighter than usual, reflecting the light from the pool. "I've heard about what happened behind the gymnasium. You're more capable in a fight than you look."

"I didn't fight. I just said a few words."

"Being able to make second-years back down with just a few words is rarer than being able to fight." The corners of Horikita's mouth moved slightly, but the arc was so small it was hard to tell if it counted as a smile. "But you can't help her today. In the water, no one can bear the gaze of others for someone else."

Kanzaki Toru was silent for a moment, then said, "She doesn't need help. She needs someone to be by her side so she doesn't have to face everyone's eyes alone."

Suzune Horikita glanced at him, then turned and walked toward the girls' side. She stopped in front of Airi Sakura. Sakura looked up, squinting due to her nearsightedness, and it seemed to take her half a second to recognize who was standing before her. Her body instinctively tensed—Horikita's presence in the class was a source of pressure for anyone.

"Do warm-ups with me," Horikita said. "I'll teach you if you don't know how."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Sakura froze, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something but couldn't get it out. Horikita didn't wait for an answer; she walked right beside her and began stretching. Her movements were standard, crisp, and clean, completely indifferent to the gazes directed their way.

Sakura hesitated for a moment, then cautiously mimicked her movements. She didn't dare look around, keeping her eyes fixed on Horikita, following along move by move. Her motions were clumsy, but at least her body was moving.

Kanzaki Toru watched this scene, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Suzune Horikita was cold as a blade on the surface, but at certain moments, her coldness could become a form of support. Because she wasn't "gentle," you didn't feel the need to be grateful or to offer anything in return when she stood by your side—you just had to follow her lead. For someone like Airi Sakura, this was likely the least suffocating way to receive help.

"Kanzaki-kun."

A gentle voice rang out from behind him. Kanzaki Toru turned to find Kikyo Kushida standing there, tilting her head at him with a smile. She also had a towel draped over her swimsuit, and her short hair was tied into a small ponytail, making her look fresh and clean.

"Why are you standing here all alone? Aren't you going in?" she asked.

"I was just about to."

"Then let's go together!" After saying this, Kushida handed her towel to a nearby girl and walked toward the pool deck with an easy, natural grace. Her figure was well-proportioned, her movements natural; there was no shyness, nor any deliberate showiness. Several people consciously cleared a path for her, watching as she dove into the pool with a beautiful form. The splash was minimal, her movement clean and efficient.

Kanzaki Toru entered the water as well. The temperature was comfortable. He leaned against the pool edge, watching Kushida swim a lap with ease. Wherever she went, the laughter of girls and the whistles of boys followed. She surfaced, waved and smiled at everyone, then glanced in the direction of Airi Sakura.

"Sakura-san, aren't you coming in? I can teach you!"

Her voice was loud enough for half the pool to hear.

Airi Sakura stood by the edge, her body visibly stiffening. Horikita stood beside her, glanced at Kikyo Kushida, but said nothing.

"I, I'm not really..."

"It's okay! If you can't swim, you can learn. Come on, come on!" Kushida had already swum to the edge and reached out a hand to Sakura, her smile as bright as the spray under the sun.

Sakura's face flushed bright red. Several pairs of eyes around them turned toward her at once because of Kushida's shout. Some were curious, some indifferent, and some clearly impatient. She stood there, caught in a dilemma, her fingers gripping the edge of her towel until her knuckles turned white.

Kanzaki Toru's gaze crossed the water, remaining fixed on Sakura. Then, he pushed himself up from the pool edge and walked step by step toward that corner.

Halfway there, he happened to see Kikyo Kushida glance in his direction. She still wore that gentle smile, but amidst the shimmering light of the pool, that smile seemed to carry a different layer of meaning.

Then, Kushida lightly pushed off the pool wall, rose from the water, told Sakura "It's okay, take your time," and turned to join the other girls in their play.

When Kanzaki Toru reached Sakura, her shoulders were still trembling slightly.

"What's your prescription?"

Sakura blinked, looked up, and squinted at him. Without her glasses, her violet eyes looked much larger, slightly out of focus due to her nearsightedness, reflecting the light and shadows cast by the pool's skylights.

"...Four hundred."

"That's definitely hard to see with," Kanzaki Toru said. "People who can't see well get nervous more easily. Walk along the wall; there's a row of handrails over there. Go down slowly and try the shallow end first."

"...Aren't you going to tell me not to be afraid or something?"

"Fear is fear. Telling you not to be afraid won't actually make you not afraid." Kanzaki Toru placed a towel on the bench by the pool. "The handrail is on your left. Walk until you reach the third support pillar, then go down; there are steps there."

He turned and walked away as soon as he finished speaking.

At the other end of the pool, Yosuke Hirata seemed to have noticed the situation as well. He stood among a group of boys, glanced toward the corner, then naturally looked away to continue chatting with his classmates. Like Toru Kanzaki, he did not walk over—there were already enough people by the poolside.

After a while, Airi Sakura moved step by step along the handrail toward the shallow end. Suzune Horikita stood by the pool edge; she didn't urge her on, simply standing there like an unmoving, silent landmark.

Toru Kanzaki leaned against the pool edge, watching the scene.

The water was warm, and sunlight filtered through the skylight, dancing in ripples across the surface. Sakura was treading water in the shallow end, her hands never daring to let go of the railing. Yet, from the moment she entered the pool, her tension had eased slightly. In the water, everyone only showed their heads and arms; no one was more conspicuous than anyone else.

He closed his eyes and opened the illustrated guide in his mind.

Airi Sakura's page remained quietly lit, her favorability at 70. There was no change, but a new note had appeared in the status bar: "Attempting to break out of comfort zone in a public setting." Suzune Horikita's page was taking shape, the favorability bar still flickering.

There was one more detail. In the pool, the moment Kikyo Kushida looked toward him, her page in the guide seemed to flutter slightly. No numbers, no notes, just a faint movement.

He opened his eyes. Kikyo Kushida was playing with several girls in the deep end, her smile bright and flawless.

Toru Kanzaki took a deep breath and submerged himself, letting the pool water cover his head.

All sounds in the water became muffled and distant, save for the splashing from a corner far away and the sound of his own heartbeat. When he surfaced, he happened to see Airi Sakura let go of the railing and walk two steps toward the center of the shallow end. The water only reached her waist; she stood there, squinting at the blurred surface of the water in the distance, a faint curve appearing at the corners of her mouth.

It wasn't a smile; she was simply breathing.

But to be able to breathe normally in open water under the gaze of so many people was already a huge step forward for her.

Toru Kanzaki watched her, a faint curve also appearing at the corners of his mouth.

He stayed by the pool for a while after the swimming lesson ended. Students left one after another, leaving only a few still showering. As he wrung out his towel, a figure appeared beside him.

Kikyo Kushida.

She had already changed into her school uniform, her hair still slightly damp, a towel in her hand. The setting sun shone through the windows of the swimming center, gilding her silhouette.

"Kanzaki-kun, you're really kind to Sakura-san."

It wasn't an interrogation, nor was it sarcastic. It was just a very ordinary observation, her tone as gentle as always.

"I wouldn't say that. I just said a few words to her."

"That was more than just a few words." Kushida tilted her head to look at him, her eyes curving. "Throughout the swimming lesson, even though you didn't go near her, you were always keeping an eye on her condition. Not everyone has that kind of observational skill."

Toru Kanzaki looked at her quietly.

"So I was thinking," she said, draping the towel over her shoulder and turning toward the door, "if one day I needed help, would Kanzaki-kun watch over me like that too?"

She walked into the sunset after saying this. Her back was light, her steps nimble.

Toru Kanzaki watched her silhouette disappear into the halo of light at the swimming center entrance, then wrung out his towel and hung it on the bench. Two meanings. This statement could be a sincere probe, or it could be a calculated attempt to win him over. He wasn't the only one watching Sakura during the lesson. She was, too. She was observing Sakura, and she was observing him. She had packaged her observations in a half-joking remark, simultaneously closing the distance and keeping an ace up her sleeve.

He walked toward the locker room. In the guide, Kikyo Kushida's page fluttered again. The favorability bar still lacked a number, but a vague outline began to emerge in the title bar.

He stopped and focused his attention on that outline.

The outline hadn't fully formed, but he could faintly discern the shape of a tag. Beneath that tag was a line of extremely fine text, the strokes blurry and indistinct: "Boundary between surface and interior awaiting confirmation."

Toru Kanzaki closed the guide and walked into the locker room. Surface and interior. Indeed, Kikyo Kushida was someone with a "surface" and an "interior." The surface was a gentle angel; as for the interior—he didn't know yet. But since the guide placed this note here, it meant its judgment aligned with Horikita's intuition.

He changed into his school uniform and walked out of the swimming center. Outside, the sky was approaching dusk; some people were still playing soccer on the field, but the crowd had thinned. Airi Sakura was walking back to the dormitory alone, clutching that camera. She had changed into her uniform and put her hat back on, but her gait was lighter than usual.

Perhaps the sense of accomplishment from the swimming lesson was still at work. He watched her walk into the girls' dormitory, then turned and headed in the other direction.

Today's swimming lesson confirmed three things for him. Airi Sakura was breaking out of her comfort zone; though slow, she was moving. Suzune Horikita had leadership, but her methods were rigid. Kikyo Kushida was the most noteworthy variable in Class D at the moment.

He also confirmed one more thing—water could hide many things, but it could also bring many things that were originally hidden to the surface.

And after this lesson ended, the things hidden beneath the surface of the pool were beginning to float up, bit by bit.