Those Who Won't Enter the Water

On the attendance board, Hasebe Haruka's name already had three consecutive red leave markers beside it.

The Advanced Nurturing High School management system was quite lenient. Everyone had the freedom to choose, and no one questioned absent students about their reasons. But repeatedly missing swimming classes was definitely not a simple matter of laziness or slacking off. Tatsuya Sakuya saw that clearly.

Next week's swimming test offered a reward of ten thousand points. During practice sessions, almost every student was giving it their all, fighting for those ten thousand points. Only Hasebe deliberately kept away from the crowd, remaining outside the rhythm of training.

That night, after the lights went out in Room 217.

The phone screen lit up.

The notification bar showed a message from Airi Sakura.

Tatsuya Sakuya picked up his phone and saw the "typing..." indicator appear at the top of the chat window, then disappear. Nearly a minute later, it appeared again, only to vanish once more.

What was Sakura trying to do? Why was she always typing?

After repeating this three or four times, a long message finally popped up:

[Sakuya, sorry to bother you... I'm sorry for messaging you out of nowhere. Haruka... said she wants to take leave for next week's swimming test. I know she isn't really unwell. It's because some boys said some nasty things nearby during the last swimming class. I really don't know what to do... so could I ask Sakuya to help her? If it's too much trouble, then it's okay, I...]

The message cut off there.

At the end was a set of parentheses containing only a small line: "Sorry, did I say something strange?"

Tatsuya Sakuya looked at the screen without replying immediately, considering the whole situation.

There was no need to think too hard about it. It had to be idiots like Ike, taking advantage of the class atmosphere to stir things up and comment on a girl's body where she could hear them. Unable to deal with them, she had chosen to hide.

To them, it had merely been idle chatter spoken in a moment of boredom, forgotten in an instant. But for Hasebe, it had become a burden lingering in her heart.

Tatsuya Sakuya understood her predicament. Ever since enrolling, she had been someone who drew excessive attention in a crowd. Long-term rude verbal harassment had made her extremely sensitive about her figure, and the malicious teasing at the pool had been the last straw.

Without hesitating, he quickly sent a reply:

[I understand. Leave this to me. I can't guarantee I'll succeed, but I'll do everything I can.]

The response came almost instantly: a cartoon rabbit sticker bowing deeply, followed by a string of "Thank you!!!" It was easy to imagine how happy Sakura looked.

The following day, at exactly five in the afternoon.

Behind the eastern side of the teaching building stood a row of benches beneath plane trees. Fallen leaves blanketed the ground thickly, making it one of the few places on campus where someone could be alone in peace.

Hasebe Haruka sat alone at the innermost end of a bench.

She had straight, shoulder-length ice-blue hair, amber eyes, and a small beauty mark beneath her left eye.

Because she had developed far earlier than most, her strikingly full upper body formed an extremely eye-catching silhouette. The contrast was especially pronounced. Her legs, hidden beneath her pleated skirt, were slender and well-proportioned. Even loose clothing could not conceal the advantages of her exceptional figure.

Precisely because of that, Hasebe Haruka was always one of the most noticeable people in a crowd. She always wished she could be a little more ordinary, a little less conspicuous.

Her outstanding appearance and figure had not become assets. Instead, they had brought her far too much unnecessary trouble and distress.

Tatsuya Sakuya softened his footsteps and slowly approached.

Sensing footsteps drawing near, Hasebe Haruka looked up. Once she recognized him, a trace of wariness instinctively entered her expression.

"There's no one here. You came to the wrong place."

She coldly issued an order to leave.

"Sakura is worried about you."

Tatsuya Sakuya did not come any closer, maintaining an absolutely safe social distance.

"She was the one who asked me to find you."

"I knew it. I only told her where I was."

Hearing her best friend's name, more than half of Hasebe Haruka's guard fell away.

"She's always worrying about everything. You came to persuade me not to care about it, right? That they were just talking casually and didn't mean anything by it. I've heard that sort of thing plenty of times. I really hate it when people make dirty jokes about my body."

It was as though she had rehearsed every rebuttal in her mind countless times. She hated those jokes—no, she found them utterly revolting.

Tatsuya Sakuya did not rush to speak. He patiently waited for her to finish.

After a moment of silence, he said, "I wasn't planning to say any of that."

Hasebe Haruka turned her face slightly and glanced at him. His unexpected attitude left her unsure of how to respond.

"People like Ike and Yamauchi are just straight-up delinquents. What they did could even be considered sexual harassment. If you take a firm stance, you can report them to the school."

Tatsuya Sakuya tried to comfort her.

"Anyone would feel sick being stared at like that while wearing a swimsuit. You're not making a fuss over nothing. You're not the one in the wrong. The world is."

Hasebe Haruka looked back at Tatsuya Sakuya without saying anything.

"What kind of body you grow into is something your parents gave you. It isn't something you get to choose. Besides, they were the ones who disrespected you first. Behavior like that deserves a hard response. Running away again and again will only make bad people worse."

"Is that so?" Hasebe Haruka asked.

Seeing that the situation seemed to have eased somewhat, Tatsuya Sakuya went all out. "That's right. Just because a few brainless idiots barked at you, you're giving up your right to attend class normally. No matter how you calculate it, you're the one losing out."

After a long while, Hasebe Haruka finally voiced the deepest fear and helplessness in her heart, her voice extremely quiet. "...But as long as I stand there, I feel awful. That feeling... I hate it the most."

"I know."

Tatsuya Sakuya did not argue with her, nor did he continue reasoning with her.

"So I came to help you think of a way."

He pulled up his phone screen and held the schedule for the practice sessions and official test out before her.

"On the day of next week's test, change into your swimsuit beforehand, but don't take off your outer clothes. Go directly to the very top of the stands in the preparation area and wait there."

"That's the farthest point from the boys' line. Once the announcement calls your group, then you can go down and take the test."

He put his phone away. "Your total time exposed outside won't exceed two minutes."

"On test day, I'll be waiting on the boys' side. The area I can keep an eye on is limited."

Tatsuya Sakuya paused.

"But if you go and someone says something out of line right in front of you, you can come find me."

"Sakura really hopes you'll take part too. Whether you go or not is ultimately your decision. I won't make that choice for you. Recklessness is still closer to courage than cowardice."

There was no pressure in his tone.

"Just don't let a group of people who don't understand respect take away your freedom to participate in class normally."

Hasebe Haruka remained silent for a long time.

For the first time, she realized that all her avoidance had done was punish herself. Backing down would not earn her any respect; it would only allow malice to grow. The inferiority and resistance in her heart gradually dissolved, replaced by relief and courage.

"...I understand. I'll go."

Her voice was soft, but perfectly clear.

"You'd better keep your word then!"

After saying that, she quickened her pace, stepping over the thick fallen leaves as she walked away without looking back.

Tatsuya Sakuya watched her figure disappear.

He took out his phone, opened his chat with Airi Sakura, and typed two words:

[It's settled.]

The author is a new writer, and this is also my first time writing a Classroom of the Elite fanfiction.

If there are any problems with the novel, please point them out. I will do my best to revise them.

Feel free to offer any suggestions as well.

I'm getting ready to apply for a contract. Thank you for your support.