Chapter 38: Chapter 2 (Volume 2) – Regression over Progression?

Ah, it is a few days after midterms. I can finally take it easy now even though they still haven't released the results as of yet.

Well, I hope I can take it easy. 

Oh yeah, I forgot that today is our mixed swim class. We would be having a joint class with class 1-2 in the school pool. Such fun, if you know what I mean.

The time is 10am and in my best Irish voice, "Top of the morning to ya."

Ok, fine, maybe that was possibly offensive, so my apologies to any Irish person who can possibly read my thoughts.

I made my way to the male changing room in the swim facility.

It was like navigating a small maze. I think I'll just do the easy thing and just follow a group of people who already know the way.

None of my male classmates are near me, so I was pretty much solo until I met up with them at the pool area or at least in the changing room.

Finally, I found the male changing room and entered it.

Instead of familiar faces, I saw the students of class 1-2.

Well, this is awkward, but I am already here, so let's get it over with.

Slowly, I walked towards an empty locker and navigated through the crowd of strangers.

Some of them were already watching me from the corner of their eyes.

Hopefully, they don't start anything because I could possibly get tossed around the locker room wrestle style due to my slight handicap of not being able to fully use my right hand because of a finger fracture.

I changed into my school-issued black swim trunks, which are a knee length with the school's monogram on the left pant leg (a lion on top of a mountain).

I put on a t-shirt instead of going shirtless because I have no intention of swimming.

I sent one last text on my phone before putting it into my bag's front pocket and closing the locker.

I quickly made my way out of the locker and followed the signs that led to the pool area.

So they have signs for the pool but not signs that show the direction of the changing room? Who is the bright guy that implemented that idea? Did this person just assume that I would already come changed or that I would change at the pool area like a distasteful person?

Sigh. Never mind , maybe I am the lost cause for not being able to find a simple changing room with help.

Continuing to follow the well placed signs now, which led me down a wide tunnel.

I smelt chlorine. That means I am close to my destination.

Sure enough, I walked through a door and ended up in the pool area.

*Splash*

Some water flew a few feet before me.

Someone dived into the pool. Personally, I would give the form a 5/10 because it was more like a falling starfish instead of a graceful bird diving into the water to catch a fish.

I scanned the area. The two classes were separated. Class 1-2 is on the left side, and class 1-4 are on the right side.

Both classes' homeroom teachers haven't made an appearance as yet, which means this separation is more of a choice than an instruction.

I walked towards my class and looked at the females in their black sukumizu (one-piece swim suit). I have to say that they look great.

To my left, I saw Kaori walking out of the opposite tunnel from which I came out. So obviously she just came from the girl's changing room.

She wasn't dressed in her school swim suit or any swim suit per se. She wore light blue track pants and a long-sleeved light blue track jacket, basically our winter PE uniform. Maybe she is just not comfortable with people seeing her body.

I continued walking until I spotted Minori, who was sitting a little way from the pool to avoid getting wet by any stray splashes.

I redirected my route to her. She saw me approaching and slightly rolled her eyes.

Aww, she is glad to see me.

Now that I'm seeing her in this outfit,I must say that she is actually pretty nicely shaped.

Her breasts weren't too big or too small. They were just right. Imagine a full grapefruit but a bit smaller. In other words, your hands can comfortably grab it.

Hmm, her waist is rather slim, just what I would expect from a petite build. I wonder what her exact measurements are.

Yeah, I should probably stop thinking about this right now.

Finally, I reached her and took a seat.

"Well, you don't seem too excited about this mixed-class Minori."

She hugged her knees in an attempt to prevent students from looking at her chest area.

"You better not be watching me."

I quickly looked towards the pool instead of the left side of me where Minori sat down.

"You surely think highly of yourself since you assumed I was staring at you."

Whew, OK, that was a close call.

She side-eyed me in suspicion, "Sure, let's go with that."

I nervously but gently scratch the right side of my cheek with my left hand.

"Yeah, let's go with that."

She focused her attention on Kai, who was having fun in the pool with a couple of students from classes 1-2 and 1-4.

"I am still annoyed that we have to still stomach this traitor when he can potentially be a threat to us placing first or second in the next class clash."

I switched my seating still from both knees up to crossed legs and sighed.

"You're too impatient, Minori."

Minori replied, "What's that supposed to mean?"

I yawned, then stretched my arms.

"Drawing a definitive line between your enemies and allies is a good thing, but blurring the lines can also come in handy. An enemy and an ally can both work in the same way if you play it from the right angle. These are things you need to learn before you lead the others to that three-year win. "

Minori turned her head to me and replied, "The others? Why do you sound so detached?"

I laughed a bit, "What do you mean?"

She twisted her lips to the side and said, "Sounds like you plan on leaving soon."

I jokingly replied, "Maybe I am."

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Minori looked upwards at the light fixtures on the roof, "You know, that's not a funny joke."

I gave her a slight pat on her shoulder, "You shouldn't focus on that right now. You have a three-year war to win. If it makes you feel any better, I was just joking about potentially leaving."

The truth is, Minori, even the little jokes have some truth to them.

Minori left me sitting there to go do something. I guess the topic didn't sit right with her.

Getting up now, I walked towards the pool and sat at the edge of it.

Pretty smart for a person who doesn't want to get wet, huh?

Just my feet were in the water, just lightly kicking around.

I wonder why both of the teachers aren't here as of yet. Is this basically a free period?

My eyes darted down towards my feet. There was a female's hand holding onto my left shin.

"Ok, that's very funny, but can you release me now."

"Aww, you're no fun," said a female voice.

The pool's water surface broke, and out popped Yuka Higashi like a jack in a box.

I looked down at her, "I figured it was you. Nobody else would go out of their way to do that."

Yuka floated on her back, "Well, you make me sound like a real weirdo."

"You are still the same weirdo I met back in the Workshop's front yard."

Yuka pouted her pink lips, "And I can't say the same about you. Seems like you changed a bit."

I paused.

"Change is good, right? Shows progress in life."

Yuka countered me by saying, "All change isn't good progression; sometimes it's regression in disguise."

"Hmm, are you telling me that I have somehow gotten worse in your eyes?"

Yuka then swam towards me and said, "Lend me a hand."

She moved to the edge of the pool now, and she used her upper body strength to pull herself half way out of the water.

Water dripped off of her body as she stretched her arm out to me.

I quickly shifted my eyes to the left to avoid looking at her cleavage and her nipples that were seemingly printing out of her school swim suit. 

I sighed then got up, in a crouching position, and pulled Yuka out of the pool with my left hand.

We stumbled a bit and then stood face to-face.

We're measuring our height now. I got significantly taller than she did; nothing like our almost equal height during our first meeting.

She noticed it and said, "Well look at you finally towering over me."

I flicked her forehead with my left index finger and replied, "Aren't we supposed to be enemies or whatever? What happened to *cue the dramatic music* making me submit to you?"

Yuka wiped her hands and face on my t-shirt and said, "I do plan on crushing you eventually, but right now there's no need. You already have your hands filled with class 1-1 and possibly class 1-3."

I looked at Genji swimming in the pool with a few other classes.

"That's a bad strategy. You should always take every advantage when it comes to crushing your enemy."

I then walked away while she followed behind me.

A couple of female students from class 1-2 walked past us.

Yuka then said, "Ayano, are you going to use your towel?"

Ayano stopped in her tracks and said, "Oh no, you can have it."

She then handed Yuka a light green towel before she and her friends left. They observed me, then gave Yuka a thumbs up.

Heh? Did I just get the friend stamp of approval?

Yuka then wrapped herself in the towel before taking a seat next to me.

I left out a big sigh once again, "If you keep this up, then your secret admirer may blow a fuse."

Yuka laughed a bit, "Masaki is a calm guy. I don't think he will do that."

I can feel Masaki's stare on the back of my neck, but hey, I'll just have to trust what Yuka says regarding her own classmate.

Yuka leaned in a bit then asked me, "Are you using that girl I always see you with?"

Pardon me?

"What do you mean?"

Yuka shrugged a bit. "You heard me."

I wiped my hands on the towel Yuka wore, then replied, "I don't consider it using her. I am just giving her the tools she needs in order to win because I see a bit of myself in her."

Yuka chuckled a bit and said, "Well, that's funny coming from a liar and manipulator such as yourself."

"It's true that I am a massive liar and manipulator. I even lie to myself at times just in case there's someone reading my thoughts."

Yuka smirked and turned to me, "Dante Sato and Dante Kaneko are two very different people. One is cruel and manipulative. The other is trying to grow out of that and experience things like a normal teenager. It's a shame that you are put in an environment where you have to embrace one side more than the other to survive." 

I got up from my seat, "I still have no idea why you've been so interested in me since day one."

Yuka looked up at me and said, "It's something I'll save for a later date. Just remember that whenever we go against each other in a class clash. I want to face Sato and not the soft person you are right now."

I will continue to push forward with my goal of treating this as a regular school. I still want to experience pure freedom and bliss, so if anyone stands in my way of that, I will show no mercy. Starting with my brother Yuu Kaneko whenever the occasion calls for it.

 

 

 

 

 

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