Chapter 4: Blue Sky Pool
Blue spring has arrived.
That is to say, the arrival of pool class.
The girls’ reactions to entering the same pool at the same time are varied, but I haven’t seen anyone openly criticize it yet.
Are they resigned because it’s a class requirement, or do they simply not care much about it?
Remi was grumbling, “This is really the worst. Why do we have to be with the boys? What are the teachers thinking?” but as a boy, I find it quite delightful.
Given the current social climate, it wouldn’t be surprising if co-ed pool classes went extinct soon, but according to Hanazono, “I was in co-ed classes in middle school too.”
Apparently, schools are quite behind the times.
“Should we go peek at the changing room?”
While changing into swimwear in the classroom, Minegishi Tarou, a member of Miyagi’s group and the PE committee member, spoke with an amused expression.
Miyagi folded his removed shirt neatly and gave a wry smile.
“That stuff seriously isn’t a joke in high school, so cut it out.”
“Well, yeah. Damn, but the boys’ dream is right there…!”
While watching Miyagi and Minegishi having their amusing conversation, I called out to the shirtless Takeru.
“By the way, you went home with Yuzuha yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Ah, yeah. She was such eye candy, I was so happy. After that we went to karaoke, and Yuzuha-san was seriously good at singing!”
“Haha, she’d probably be happy if you told her that.”
“Really? But yeah, she’d probably be pleased.”
His usual cheerful laughter gives me some relief.
—That group is probably the same type as the group I was in.
Yesterday, Hanazono’s reference to Yuzuha’s group was unmistakable.
The boys who were with Yuzuha at that time were Miyagi, Minegishi, and Takeru.
But at least Takeru doesn’t seem to have approached her with vulgar intentions.
“I knew it! I believed in Takeru!”
“Whoa, what’s that about!”
When I pat-patted Takeru’s shoulder, he leaned back looking a bit embarrassed.
It was needless worry after all. Probably the other two as well.
“No, I believed you were different.”
Seeing Takeru moving away saying “Don’t suspect me randomly—and suspect me of what!” I raised the corners of my mouth and took off my shirt.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
The gray concrete is storing the heat of the sunlight.
The June outdoor air was a bit chilly in swimwear, but the slight warmth transmitted through my bare feet helped ease that.
Upon entering the poolside, I felt the urge to dive in. Memories from elementary school days probably drive me to feel this way.
Having to suppress this impulse while sitting cross-legged listening to the teacher’s talk is a kind of torture.
Everyone’s expressions are excited, giving a real sense that summer is approaching.
We moved to the far side of the poolside and lined up in four rows by name order.
While each of us sat cross-legged waiting for the teacher, it happened.
One of the boys let out a cheer.
Two girls had entered the poolside.
Takano Youko, Sudou Maki.
The gyaru from Yuzuha’s group. And the girls who are the reason why the girls in Class 2 are considered the best.
The boys say:
“Those two are seriously cute too. It’s incomprehensible that they don’t stand out more.”
“But when you see them lined up like that, it’s quite a sight. If they went to other classes, they’d probably be the top two.”
Their comments are quite reasonable.
The leader of the gyaru group, Yuzuha Yui.
The elusive shadow idol, Hanazono Yuuka.
The transfer student who appeared like a comet, Nikaidou Remi.
These three have started being called the grade’s top 3, and Takano and Sudou are only hidden behind them—if they moved to other classes, they’d definitely be at the top, according to the boys’ recent consensus.
Black-haired short-haired Takano, brown-haired long-haired Sudou.
These two are said to be strong-willed like Yuzuha, but I know they’re surprisingly kind.
If their good personalities become apparent eventually, they might become even more popular and destroy the whole “top whatever” concept.
While I was lost in thought, Sudou noticed the boys’ heated gazes.
As soon as Takano noticed too, she openly frowned, “Ugh, boys, don’t look this way!”
“Oh no, we’re busted!”
The boys all sat down in unison.
Facing the two gyaru who looked ready to shower us with angry shouts, Takeru frantically placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Yoshiki! Get Takano and the others under control, you’re on good terms with them, right?!”
“Huh?! We’re not on good terms at all, those two are just kind so they make the atmosphere pleasant—”
“That’s amazing! Yesterday, those girls treated me like a slave!”
“Seriously?!”
When I expressed surprise, Miyagi, who was sitting diagonally in front, turned around and answered bitterly.
“That’s because they figured out Takeru was targeting Yuzuha, wasn’t it? Unlike you, Yoshiki, we’re on the side that Yuzuha likes, so I think that’s why Takano and the others gave us better reactions.”
“Come to think of it, Miyagi and Minegishi were surprisingly well-liked. Even considering that, I feel like only I got terrible treatment… Wait, what if I’m actually liked too? Maybe I was just being teased?”
“Then test it out. Takeru, stand up.”
At Miyagi’s command, Takeru stood up straight.
At that moment, thunderous criticism flew from the two gyaru.
“Sit down! Don’t look this way!”
“Miyagi gave the order, didn’t he? He’s nasty and creepy and not funny!”
“Ah, Yui, don’t come yet. The monkeys and the big monkey are lying in wait.”
It seemed Miyagi hadn’t expected arrows to fly at him too, as his cheek twitched.
Takeru also pretended to cry while sitting down dejectedly.
And since Takeru started hitting my back resentfully, I made up my mind and stood up.
Across the pool, our eyes met with the two gyaru.
Sunlight reflected off the water surface shone between us.
Takano was the first to speak.
“…Oh, Yoshiki? Yui is already back there, so wait a bit.”
“Yoshiki’s pretty active too, isn’t he? Standing up is fine, but you should contain that obvious behavior to just us.”
Sudou’s exasperated but somehow favorable comment made me freeze up.
I certainly feel a difference in their reactions, but the fact that the two gyaru are grinning is somewhat suspicious.
As I voluntarily sat down feeling this way, I heard amused voices saying “Ah, he sat down” and “Just like Yui said.”
The moment I realized I’d been set up by the gyaru group, resentful complaints flew from the boys.
“Why do you seem fine?!”
“The ‘being friendly with Yuzuha’ filter is too strong, seriously share that with us! We want to get along with them too!”
“No, you heard the last part, didn’t you! They heard Miyagi’s conversation and deliberately gave good responses! Even if we fight among ourselves, it won’t change anything, and you’ll just miss the main event. Don’t you regret missing other people’s swimsuits—”
As I rambled on and shifted my gaze, the girls were all entering the poolside at once.
One of the boys held his head at that sight.
“Whoa, when did Yuzuha get here?! And the other girls too—”
“See, I told you!”
Apparently, Takano and Sudou were the advance guard.
Having relatively high tolerance for embarrassment, they probably came to the poolside first to attract us boys’ attention.
It seemed their plan was for the remaining girls to dash across the poolside while we were arguing, and the girls slipped past the boys’ gazes.
If the teachers had been there, it would have been a situation requiring immediate attention, but the gyaru’s scheme succeeded, and Hanazono Yuuka and Nikaidou Remi, who were the boys’ targets, were positioned at the back of the line and became invisible.
“Damn, where’s Nikaidou? They hid ger!” “Do they think we’re going to do something? We don’t have that kind of courage…!”
Miyagi, who might actually do something, turned toward me.
“Yoshiki, it’s your turn. Go!”
“What do you think I am? There’s no way I can go to a place like that!”
While arguing with the boys’ leader, honestly, I understood the feeling painfully well.
I really wanted to see Hanazono’s swimsuit too.
While the other boys started peeking obviously, I strained my eyes while remaining seated.
If I observed through the gaps between the boys, it should be difficult for the girls to spot me.
But Hanazono seemed to be sitting in a physically invisible position, and when I was starting to give up halfway, PE teacher Kagami-sensei appeared at the poolside.
The boys all crouched down and straightened their line as if nothing had happened.
Next to Miyagi, Minegishi let out a voice.
“Kagami’s hot.”
PE teacher Kagami-sensei is twenty-eight years old.
She’s a strict teacher who also serves as the student council advisor.
She seems sensitive to the word “around thirty,” and there’s a famous incident where she shut out Minegishi in the hallway when he teased her during health class. Seeing a high school student being sent out to the hallway was quite a sight.
That Kagami-sensei vigorously turned her gaze toward us boys, and Minegishi pulled his face back.
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
BUY THE SOURCE MATERIAL TO SUPPORT THE AUTHOR !!!
Kindly click on the green button above and contribute to filling the green bar if you’re interested in having another LN from the request page translated. Also, every donation is being used to purchase the source material and to fund more English translations.
Please consider joining my Ko-Fi membership. By becoming a member, you’ll also gain access to 2-10 additional chapters of all of the novels from this site translated into English. Last but not least your support will also assist me in upholding the translation quality and speed. For more information, please follow the link.
Donation for faster release is always welcome
Additionally, I am now accepting translation requests.
