A Day at the Pool: A Perilous Gaze

Following lunch, the fourteen of us made our way to the refreshingly cool swimming pool. A scattering of dazzling sunlight, piercing through the small square windows overhead, bathed the entire scene in a vibrant, youthful glow.

“Shall we head to the changing rooms on the second floor and slip into our swimsuits, everyone?”

“No time to lose, let’s make haste!”

‘Hm… I suppose my presence isn’t particularly required here… I’ll just settle down by the poolside.’

Just as I began to stride towards a plush lounge chair, an unexpected tug on my wrist halted my movement.

Turning around, I found it was none other than the diminutive Katagiri Mimi, her hand firmly clasping my wrist.

“What is it, Katagiri-chan?” Her actions utterly bewildered me.

“Hm? Are you planning to stay here all by yourself…?” Her slender, exquisite brows furrowed into a displeased frown, and she gazed intently at me, much like a small child scorned by a playmate.

“Katagiri-chan, my limbs truly aren’t very agile, you know…?”

“That’s not what I meant at all! What I meant was, you must accompany us to the changing room!”

“Eh, eh…? But why?”

“Mmmgh! No more questions! Just come with me!” Exerting considerable strength, she hauled me along, striding purposefully towards the second-floor changing rooms.

‘Wait, wait—’ ‘Though my lips pleaded otherwise, why did my body so instinctively follow Katagiri-chan’s lead…?’

Ultimately, I found myself, as if by some perverse wish, stepping into the women’s changing room…

‘Even having become a girl, I found it incredibly difficult to curb my ingrained habit of discreetly observing the alluring curves and graceful legs of other women.’

‘Their fair, luminous skin, their long, slender, jade-like legs, and those precious, exquisite treasures of moderate size yet perfect, golden proportion! Each element combined to form a painting of profound artistic beauty, perhaps even comparable to the famed “Court Ladies Adorning Their Hair with Flowers” from the Tang Dynasty.’

“Hm? Kamimura-chan, you’ve arrived? Perfect timing! Don’t just linger by the doorway; come right over! You can even give us your opinion on our swimsuits.” Ishii Yoshimi, brimming with enthusiasm, relentlessly urged me forward.

“Kamimura-chan, what’s the matter with you…? Why is your face flushed scarlet? Are you coming down with a cold? Should I take you to the infirmary…?” Chisaka Erin, noticing my unusual demeanor, rushed over with a concerned expression, pressing her cool hand against my forehead.

“I… I… no, I’m fine…” Chisaka Erin’s swimsuit, a pristine, immaculate white, symbolized purity in a way that I found profoundly alluring. In that very instant, my gaze, burning with intensity, fixated upon those ample peaks, almost as if I could pierce through them to behold the captivating vista beyond!

‘Chisaka-chan… just a little closer, a little closer! I’m on the verge of glimpsing the very crest of those peaks! I know this behavior is utterly depraved… but how can one, while alive, forsake desire, abandon the pursuit of such breathtaking beauty?! My upper body, without my conscious will, suddenly inclined forward.’

“Why is your forehead growing hotter…? Are you truly alright?”

“Just a little more, a mere fraction!” Abruptly, I felt a searing warmth within my nostrils, a precursor to an imminent gush. To avert my complete exposure, I instinctively clapped a hand over my mouth and nose without a moment’s hesitation.

“What’s wrong?! Are you genuinely feeling unwell somewhere?!” Chisaka Erin, observing my flushed face and peculiar behavior, inquired with heightened concern.

“No, truly, I’m perfectly fine! I’ve simply been indulging in too many spicy foods lately!” I stammered, hastily fabricating a plausible excuse.

“Hm… well, if you do feel any discomfort, please report it to me immediately, alright?”

“Understood! Thank you for your concern, Chisaka-chan!” With those words, she departed, taking my profound regret with her…

‘In the end… did I truly miss my chance…? Such a bitter disappointment!’

‘Thankfully, Chisaka-chan hadn’t noticed my lingering gaze; otherwise, she would surely have kept her distance from me… and then we wouldn’t even be able to remain classmates…’

“Anko-chan! Come quickly and tell me what you think of my swimsuit!” Osakabe Nanase, already clad in her swimwear, bounded over to me.

Her figure, in contrast to the previous one, exuded less overt sexiness and charm, instead emphasizing an endearing daintiness that evoked a sense of protectiveness.

“It’s absolutely adorable!” I replied to her, my voice imbued with genuine warmth and kindness.

“Hm… Anko-chan… did your expression just shift quite a bit…? You’re not… just humoring me, are you…?” Osakabe Nanase’s eyes, previously alight with anticipation, now clouded with suspicion.

“I’m not lying at all! Nanase-chan, you truly are the cutest person in the entire world~”

“Mmm~~ Anko-chan, you’re making me blush~” Her eyes grew hazy, her cheeks blossomed with a rosy hue, and she clasped her hands together, lowering her head bashfully as her legs subtly pressed closer.

‘Indeed, a charming loli can be just as captivating as a voluptuous figure!’

“Anko-chan, don’t rush off just yet; aren’t you going to get your swimsuit? You might need it sometime, you know?” Osakabe Nanase gently tugged me towards my personal locker.

“Well…” In truth, I harbored an inexplicable reluctance towards the idea of wearing a swimsuit myself… the locker before me remained unopened as I hesitated.

“Oh… it has black butterflies, how intriguing. The style is quite… provocative!” Unbeknownst to me, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, Osakabe Nanase had already opened my locker and murmured aloud.

“Hey?! How could you just… look at my swimsuit without permission!” My cheeks involuntarily began to burn crimson.

“But Anko-chan looked at my swimsuit too, didn’t you~ Hehe… a fair trade, one for one~!” Osakabe Nanase, with a playful glint in her eye, impishly extended her tongue.

Compelled by a potent surge of curiosity, I, too, found myself scrutinizing my black swimsuit.

‘…This, this is simply too revealing! Why is there so little fabric? How is this any different from going completely unclothed?!’

‘No! I must return this perilous garment to its rightful place for safekeeping! I could vividly envision that donning such an item would undoubtedly imperil my very life!’

Moments later, everyone, now clad in their swimsuits, eagerly plunged into the swimming pool.

“Ah~ what a truly magnificent sight~! No words can adequately convey the sheer bliss I feel in this moment~” Suzuki Minoru, his arms spread wide, gazed upon the scene before him with an expression of pure rapture.

“If only you, too, would grace us with such an incomparably beautiful swimsuit… even a single glimpse would allow me to die without a trace of regret…” He intentionally softened his voice, his impossibly gentle eyes turning to meet mine.

“Is… is it truly that exaggerated…?” From my perch on the lounge chair, my lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

“These words spring from the deepest recesses of my heart, utterly devoid of falsehood. You are, in my eyes, the epitome of beauty. What transgression lies in desiring to admire the lush, enchanting figure of the most exquisite person? Indeed, all men in this world ought to feel such a passion.” Uttered by Suzuki Minoru, these words somehow retained a peculiar elegance, and surprisingly, I felt not a shred of revulsion…

“…I regret to say, I am still unable to wear a swimsuit.” I endeavored to project an air of complete nonchalance.

“…Is that so? If you harbor such reservations, then I, too, must reluctantly abandon my aspirations…” Suzuki Minoru mused, before executing a graceful leap into the water and swimming away.

‘I found myself at a loss for words, simply… I didn’t want anyone to worry about me… nor did I want them to witness my unsightly scars. Thus… to conceal myself with elegant attire… was all I wished for.’

Beholding everyone laughing and playing together, their faces alight with joy, filled me with immense solace. Indeed… to witness them so carefree, so harmoniously engaged, brought me the deepest comfort imaginable.

Takagi Masahiko, with a keen intuition, sensed my gaze upon him. His cheeks, without his conscious will, once again suffused with a crimson blush, his eyes darting restlessly, seeking any refuge from my sight. Each time I witnessed his bashful demeanor, an involuntary smile would grace my lips.

‘How I wished this day would never conclude, that this moment could stretch into eternity…’

Suddenly, a torrent of water erupted, drenching me in an instant.

“Kamimura-chan, why the long face? Are you… perhaps brooding over something unpleasant…?” The culprit behind the sudden deluge was none other than Katagiri Mimi.

“Um… I was merely contemplating what we should have for dinner tonight.” I feigned deep thought, resting my chin in my hand.

“Then feast upon this colossal splash!” Osakabe Nanase declared, stirring up an even larger cascade of water and sending it surging towards me.

“Ugh?!!” The deluge struck me almost entirely, my clothes instantly becoming sodden and clinging tightly to my skin. The voluptuous contours from my chest to my abdomen were flawlessly accentuated, my upper body’s figure mercilessly unveiled for all to behold…

“Ah… Kamimura-chan’s figure is indeed as magnificent as I’d anticipated~” Takahashi Aki observed me with a knowing, mischievous grin.

“Mmmgh! Just you wait until I’m older; I’ll give you a proper squeeze!” Osakabe Nanase, a mix of indignation and embarrassment, furiously thrashed the water.

“How truly enviable…” Arisumi Momoko couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

Among the boys, nearly every face was flushed crimson, and none dared to meet my gaze directly.

“!!! This, what manner of… sacred relic! A divine artifact!” Suzuki Minoru, as if having stumbled upon some priceless treasure, swiftly propelled himself through the water to my side. There, he dropped to one knee in a gesture befitting a knight swearing fealty, and declared, “My exquisite lady, pray allow me to touch your plump— *Pfft*!!!”

Before he could utter another syllable, my right hook sent him sprawling.

‘Hm… I certainly wouldn’t be falling for that trick again.’

Just like that, a delightful day slipped by, its fleeting passage unnoticed by any of us…