Bluff 1
Leading the way, Mayuzumi-san and the three of us arrived at the indoor pool located within the school.
“Ririka, I’m going to check something with a friend from the swim club. You two wait here, okay?”
Leaving us in front of the pool, the well-connected Mayuzumi-san zipped inside. Her assertiveness was truly frightening.
As they say, “Autumn days shorten quickly,” and it had already darkened outside the window.
I wonder how we ended up in this situation. Honestly, I’m really not keen on it.
As a personal rule, I tried to avoid meeting Tenjō-sensei outside of the classroom as much as possible. I was afraid of being suspected from the slightest bit of conversation, and there was a chance that our relationship could be exposed by our behavior.
When we were previously locked in the gym storage room, I was overwhelmed by the impulse to kiss her.
If Akira and Mayuzumi-san hadn’t come to our rescue, I don’t know what might have happened in various senses.
I learned the lesson that suppressing my feelings for someone is no easy feat.
“I wish Tenjō-sensei would just decline for us. Then we could go home today.”
Akira muttered beside me.
“Akira, I didn’t know you had a hard time with Tenjō-sensei.”
“Well, you know, she’s kind of perfect.”
Akira said with some difficulty.
“Is that so?”
“…Why the question mark? You see any flaws?”
Oops, a slip of the tongue. The objective image of Tenjō Reiyu is certainly as Akira described.
Few would doubt that.
The more I learned about her private life, the more I was surprised by the gap and drawn to her even more.
“Ah, no. It’s just a general statement that everyone has their weaknesses. No deep meaning.”
“Still, when someone as flawless as her speaks the hard truth, it makes you want to rebel for no reason. Remember, I got into an argument with Sensei when she pointed out my tardiness in the first term.”
“Does it strike a complex?”
“I don’t want to admit it, but yeah.”
“Actually, it’s you who have the guts to speak your mind to Tenjō-sensei, Akira.”
“Don’t you think getting emotionally snappy is rather childish?”
“Well, it’s best to avoid getting irritated and lashing out at Sensei when seeking advice.”
“If Ririka is the accelerator, then Nishiki is the brake. I rely on that.”
So Akira sees our presence like that.
“Maybe I should cover your mouth before you start howling, Akira?”
“I’ll sue you for sexual harassment if you touch me.”
I was glared at fiercely.
I didn’t have the courage for that. Physically, it seems to be a no-go.
“Now that we’ve come this far, we’re in this together.”
Akira made up her mind. Her manner was refreshingly and cleanly that of a former sportsman.
“What’s with that exaggerated expression?”
“Nishiki and I aren’t that close.”
“Don’t give off such a meaningful nuance.”
“But we’re more than just classmates, right?”
“I guess close enough to give each other wake-up calls?”
“People might misunderstand that.”
Akira seemed somewhat amused. Opportunities to hear the voice of the opposite sex upon waking up are rare.
“You just need to stop oversleeping.”
“It was Nishiki who offered the lifeline first. I didn’t ask for it.”
When she said that, it made me sound like a good guy overflowing with kindness.
In reality, it was for a more personal reason.
I intervened in the tardiness issue of Kuhouin Akira, hoping to solve the troubles of my neighbor, Tenjō-sensei.
Of course, I couldn’t possibly tell Akira about such behind-the-scenes motives.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m surprisingly heartless. If it gets too much, I’ll run away without hesitation.”
“I’m grateful for it. That’s enough for me.”
Akira didn’t seem particularly bothered.
“Nikki, Akiaki. We have a break coming up, so get ready by taking off your socks.”
Mayuzumi-san returned, her twin tails bouncing, and I followed suit, taking off my shoes and socks and carefully rolling up the cuffs of my uniform trousers.
The two girls, unconcerned about their skirts, quickly took off their socks as well.
“Nikki, don’t peek.”
“I won’t. If you’re concerned, maybe you should adjust the length of your skirt?”
“Tsktsktsk. Girls wear their skirts short for their own fashion. Nikki, you prude, just keep your eyes on Akiaki’s bare legs!”
“Ririka!?”
“Come on, Akiaki’s legs are kind of sexy, right? They’re slim but well-shaped. Right, Nikki?”
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With that said, I couldn’t help but take a good look.
“Indeed.”
“Don’t stare! And don’t agree!”
Akira blushed, bending forward and crossing her arms in an attempt to hide her legs. Of course, her arms could hardly block my view, and instead, the tightness around her chest was emphasized.
Moreover, Akira always leaves the top buttons of her shirt undone so her cleavage was clearly visible.
I hurriedly looked away.
“Wow! Sexy gravure pose! Akiaki, you’re giving too much service just because it’s in front of Nikki.”
“It’s not like that!”
“And her skin is so smooth and plump.”
Mayuzumi-san clung to Akira’s thigh like a stag beetle climbing a tree.
“Hyaa!? Ririka, stop it!”
“Ririka, you’re going to make me develop a leg fetish.”
“Just get off me! I’ll pull out your twintails!”
Akira was trying to pry Ririka’s legs off with both hands, as if they were performing a professional wrestling move.
Their relationship was something I couldn’t quite understand.
They had been in the same class since last year and hung out on holidays, but they didn’t have the typical cliquey atmosphere of girls. They would fight in the classroom and then play around like this.
It was this strange sense of distance that defined their relationship.
***
“Excuse me!”
Guided by Mayuzumi-san’s friend, we were led to the poolside.
“It’s kind of fun to walk by the poolside in uniform, isn’t it?”
I could relate to Mayuzumi-san’s words.
The sensation of wet soles, the feel of the floor, and the unique atmosphere that was damp yet not unpleasant—it felt special to experience this in uniform.
It was like stepping out of the everyday, or recalling the distant hint of summer.
Well, if Akira wasn’t sulking beside me, I could have immersed myself in this emotional mood.
“We’ll finish our business quickly and head back.”
“I know that. Now, where could Reiyu-chan-Sensei be?”
Tenjō-sensei, our club advisor, was nowhere to be seen on the poolside.
If not there, she might be swimming in the pool.
The club members swimming in each lane were all beautifully formed and swam faster than I had imagined. They moved quietly and smoothly through the water, barely causing any splashes.
Their regular yet powerful strokes were impressive to watch.
Indeed, the swimming of those who joined sports clubs in high school was on a completely different level compared to regular physical education classes.
Among them, my eyes were drawn to the person swimming in the farthest lane.
Swimming with the intensity of a real competition, moving through the water as if gliding beneath the surface with a grace that was almost elegant.