A Day of Hope and Aquatic Debates

“Ding-dong… Ding-dong.”

“Good morning, everyone! It’s morning already, seven o’clock sharp! Time to rise and shine, sleepyheads!”

“Now, go out there and give it your all today!”

“Mmm~” I stretched my limbs languidly, a sweet, kitten-like purr escaping me as a wave of comfort washed over my body.

Last night had undoubtedly been the most peaceful sleep I’d experienced here, free from any tormenting demons or external disturbances.

It is widely acknowledged that sleep stands as one of life’s indispensable spiritual balms. Immanuel Kant, the renowned German philosopher, once asserted: ‘Three things help to alleviate the toils of life – hope, sleep, and a smile.’

So, with hope and a smile, I resolved to make the most of this day.

****

“Swimming…?” I stood frozen in place, my mouth full of unchewed bread, resembling a charming little hamster.

“Yes, indeed! The sun is out today! It’s the perfect weather for a swim!” Katagiri Mimi brimmed with anticipation and excitement for the idea of swimming.

Indeed, upon waking this morning, I had noticed a sliver of sunlight piercing through a tiny gap in the window, which was otherwise sealed shut by steel plates.

“How long has it been since I last went swimming…? I can’t even remember…” Chisaka Erin mused, her chin propped in thought.

“Ah… You’re right, we’ve been cooped up in this place without any proper exercise. Today’s a perfect chance for a good workout!” Even the Ultimate Athlete, Akahira Yuusuke, felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of swimming.

“Given this scorching weather, swimming is my absolute favorite activity!”

“Then let’s set the time for this sweltering afternoon!” The one who boldly declared the time wasn’t one of us girls, but the passionately energetic Suzuki Minoru.

“Huh? ×4”

“Y-yee… I suddenly don’t feel like swimming anymore…”

“What? Where did all my enthusiasm go? How did it turn into dread in an instant?” Ishii Yoshimi’s face turned purplish from a strange discomfort.

“You are not allowed to just join the girls’ group without permission!!” Katagiri Mimi exclaimed, her face paling as she addressed Suzuki Minoru.

“How can this be…? Can’t we all just swim happily together? I want to mingle with everyone…” He whined, pouting like a child.

“No, you, can’t! This is girls’ exclusive time; you are not allowed to intrude!” Ishii Yoshimi fiercely retorted.

“What?! Why can girls swim in the pool but boys can’t? No way! If you put it like that, it only makes me want to go even more!!” Akahira Yuusuke, always fiercely competitive, couldn’t tolerate such an affront.

“Exactly, exactly! I’m also incredibly eager to swim in the pool! Do you have any idea how much I love aquatic sports?!” Akino Atsushi, unusually steadfast, expressed his strong desire.

“Right? We guys are all so eager to swim! Don’t we have the right to enjoy the fun of water sports?!” Suzuki Minoru passionately voiced his opinion, his fighting spirit ignited.

“Tch! While agreeing with you irks me… I don’t mind cooperating this time. Consider it for the sake of us boys!!” Akahira Yuusuke reluctantly conceded.

“Since everyone is vehemently opposing the girls’ stance, I, too, will step forward as a male representative to refute their point!” Takagi Masahiko, who had been quiet until now, could no longer hold back and joined them.

“Haha! This is getting interesting! It can’t be helped; I’ll join in too!” The moment the tall, burly Kitajima Kazumitsu stepped forward, the entire male contingent’s morale visibly soared.

“Um… Actually, it’s fine, really… As long as the boys don’t do anything strange, everyone can swim together, right?” This was Takahashi Aki’s most righteous statement yet! I wholeheartedly agreed!

“I concur with Takahashi Aki’s perspective. Both boys and girls have the right to swim in the pool; after all, we’re all classmates. There’s no harm in swimming together,” I stated my opinion calmly.

After all, my ‘previous self’ had also yearned to swim with girl classmates! That ‘previous self’ couldn’t fulfill that wish… But now! As a girl, I could finally grant my ‘previous self’ that very desire!

“I… also hope everyone can… play together…” Osakabe Nanase nodded softly.

“…Sigh… You lot are truly exasperating… Fine, fine, as long as nothing weird happens.” Ishii Yoshimi, out of sheer helplessness, had to accept their participation.

“However! If I catch anyone making any strange moves, I will represent justice and eradicate evil!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on everyone’s every move.” My offer was met with puzzled looks from the others.

“Eh? Kamimura, isn’t that supposed to be my duty?” Habara Kazuhiro asked, looking at me with surprise.

“What does Kamimura mean by that…? Don’t you want to swim…?” Katagiri Mimi seemed utterly bewildered.

“Ah… I’m terribly sorry, everyone… My limbs aren’t quite cooperative today, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to go for a swim…” I offered them a forced, wry smile.

“Ah… What a shame… I was hoping to get a glimpse of Kamimura’s figure!” Amemiya Wakaba voiced her regret, her face filled with disappointment.

“Yes… I’m also deeply disappointed…” Katagiri Mimi sighed mournfully.

“It’s alright, Anko-chan, you can always swim next time!” Osakabe Nanase, out of sympathy, specifically tried to cheer me up.

“Indeed, seeing everyone happy is also a pleasure I enjoy; there’s no need to worry about me.”

“Damn it!!! It feels like a dessert missing after a meal, coffee without milk, a performance lacking its star—an utterly profound sense of discomfort! I had been looking forward to swimming with such anticipation, but now my desire to swim seems to have plummeted by more than half…” Suzuki Minoru’s expression was incredibly dramatic, a mix of regret, sadness, frustration, and agony.

‘What enables you to deliver such a tragic performance in a mere second…?’

“Speaking of which… haven’t we forgotten something important…?” Takahashi Aki suddenly spoke up.

“Something important?” Akahira Yuusuke looked at her, puzzled.

“Ah! It’s bikinis!!! How can such essential swimwear be missing?!” The one declaiming so grandly was, once again, Suzuki Minoru.

“Ugh… Anything that comes out of your mouth is never good!” Ishii Yoshimi muttered, pressing a hand to her forehead, utterly speechless.

“Now that you mention it, we really don’t seem to have any swimwear!”

“What are we going to do?! I don’t want to give up halfway…” Katagiri Mimi’s spirits instantly sank.

“Yoo-hoo-hoo-hoo~! No need to worry about swimwear! As your headmaster, I shall personally resolve the troubles in my beloved students’ hearts!” Monokuma suddenly materialized out of nowhere, as if by magic.

“What?! You can help us?” Akino Atsushi looked incredulous.

“Of course, of course~! Bringing joy to students is a headmaster’s duty, after all~ Each of your swimsuits has already been prepared by me~ They’re waiting in the changing rooms at the swimming pool~” As soon as it finished speaking, it scurried away.

“In that case, everyone, let’s head straight to the swimming pool!” Ishii Yoshimi was already impatient to go.

“Yay! Time to play in the water~” Osakabe Nanase’s joyful expression was already beaming on her face.`, 1358, 1374,