You Will Regret This Ichinose! [20]
But first, he needed to resolve a certain problem.
Ichinose!
It had to be said—Ichinose Honami had thoroughly figured out Uesugi's personality. She was convinced he'd try to weasel his way out of swimming, so from the moment class ended, her eyes were glued to him.
Despite the piercing gaze, Uesugi walked forward with his usual calm demeanor.
This is a problem. Even if he repeated his usual trick of heading to the nurse's office to seek shelter from Hoshinomiya-sensei, Ichinose would likely drag him back herself. It wasn't like before when the teachers weren't paying attention during class.
Feigning illness during swimming class would only land him in the observation group. Knowing the PE teacher, as long as it wasn't a significant issue, that would be their solution—something Uesugi found worse than just swimming a few laps.
The most important thing now was to shake Ichinose off his trail, come up with some random excuse, and skip class entirely.
The timing? When the girls went to the changing room. There was no way she could keep her eyes on him the whole time.
Perfect plan!
Satisfied with his strategy, Uesugi stroked his chin and strutted toward the changing room with his swimsuit in hand.
Seeing this, Ichinose smiled contentedly and followed him inside her own changing room.
Inside the changing room, Uesugi didn't rush to change. Instead, he held onto his swimsuit and began silently counting.
10, 20, 30… 60.
That should do it. She's probably changing now. Time to slip away!
With confident strides, Uesugi headed toward the door of the changing room. Just as he reached for the handle, two hands landed on his shoulders from either side.
"What are you doing, Kanzaki, Shibata? Let go of me."
"Sorry, Uesugi. Ichinose just texted us and told us to keep an eye on you so you wouldn't sneak away," Shibata Sō said with an apologetic expression.
Looking at the two, Uesugi tried shaking their hands off while exclaiming in frustration, "What did she promise you? Whatever it is, I'll double it!"
"Give it up, Uesugi," Kanzaki Ryūji replied coldly, tightening his grip. "Even if Ichinose hadn't asked us, we'd still have done this. You can't just play games all day—you need some exercise too."
Shibata, seeing Uesugi's resistance, joined Kanzaki. One on the left and one on the right, they effortlessly dragged him back into the changing room.
"Heartless traitors! Betrayers of trust!" Uesugi roared, struggling all the way.
His wails of protest echoed throughout the changing room.
The Class B students nearby didn't even bat an eye. In fact, they found the whole thing rather entertaining.
…
"In short, this guy tried to escape, so we brought him back," Kanzaki summarized to Ichinose, who stood smiling faintly. Uesugi sat slumped on a chair, utterly defeated.
"As expected, he doesn't give in easily. Thank you for your hard work," Ichinose said, expressing her gratitude to Kanzaki and Shibata with a small wave.
Ever since Uesugi had blatantly skipped class last time, Ichinose had learned her lesson and sealed off every escape route this time around.
Now fully dressed in her swimsuit, Ichinose Honami approached Uesugi and crouched down in front of him, her gaze meeting his.
"Uesugi-kun, this time, I win. So no skipping class anymore, okay?"
Her soft, fair legs bent gracefully as her long golden-pink hair cascaded to the floor. Her delicate features, coupled with the faint scent of shampoo and body wash, created a picture of elegance.
But none of that caught Uesugi's attention. He clenched his teeth and admitted begrudgingly, "A deal's a deal."
Since Ichinose hadn't forced him back to class last time, Uesugi couldn't just ditch again after being caught red-handed this time.
Hearing his reply, Ichinose's smile brightened. Standing up, she extended her hand to Uesugi.
"Let's go to class together."
…
The PE teacher, a robust man who looked like a walking muscle gorilla, stood at the front.
Damn it. So much for hoping he'd be some frail guy.
"Does anyone here not know how to swim?" he asked.
"It's okay if you don't. Just raise your hand—by summer, I'll make sure you learn!"
His confident tone left no room for doubt.
Most Japanese students had some level of swimming training, so no one in Class B raised their hand.
The teacher scanned the group before nodding.
"I don't know how other teachers conduct their classes, but in mine, I expect everyone to take this seriously. Swimming is a skill that will absolutely come in handy one day."
The teacher's firm declaration marked the start of the session.
After a short swimming competition, the students were given free time.
"How about a match, Kanzaki? I'm pretty confident in my athletic ability."
"I'll pass. It's just swimming. No need to wear myself out," Kanzaki replied dismissively.
Floating lazily on his back, Uesugi watched the two talk from a distance.
Such lively guys. How are they not tired yet after all that swimming?
In contrast, Uesugi remained motionless, letting the water carry him as he stared up at the ceiling, listening to the gentle sound of the water.
This swimming class is strange.
Unlike other teachers who were more lenient, the gorilla-like instructor had started the session with rigorous training.
If the goal is just to make students better and more competitive, why not align this with the other teachers' pace? Waiting until the S-System's reveal would yield better results.
Could it be a matter of timing?
Recalling the teacher's words, "By summer, I'll make sure you learn." Uesugi deduced that there was likely going to be a water-related special exam in the summer. To ensure the students' safety, rigorous training was necessary now.
Based on this, coupled with the intel from the "nice senior," Uesugi began piecing things together.
The exam couldn't be held on campus. While the school sat on an island, forcing the students to swim as a group was unlikely. Any exam not involving swimming could also be ruled out.
Survival on a deserted island?
Suddenly, an inexplicable voice resonated in Uesugi's mind.
"My adventure is nearing its end—now, it's your turn, young one!"
The voice surged through him, filling him with adrenaline.
"I'm ready!" Uesugi shouted, standing up with a splash. He dove forward, swimming furiously to the other side before turning around and doing it again. Back and forth, he swam with determination.
Class B watched in stunned silence.
"Hey, Shibata, what's up with Uesugi?" Kanzaki asked, elbowing Shibata in confusion.
"How should I know? I play soccer, not… whatever this is." Shibata rolled his eyes.
"Have I been too hard on him lately?" Ichinose murmured worriedly, watching Uesugi's sudden outburst.
Meanwhile, Himeno Yuki from the observation group rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching Uesugi.
"That guy… he actually looks pretty cool when he swims," she muttered.
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T/N: heh