Poolside Confrontations

The atmosphere in Class D was buzzing with energy. The long-awaited swimming class had finally arrived, and the boys—especially Ike and Yamauchi—were practically vibrating with excitement.

"Dude, I barely slept last night!" Ike grinned as he smacked Yamauchi's shoulder.

"Right? It's finally time! Swimming class means girls in swimsuits!" Yamauchi cackled.

A few girls shot them unimpressed glares, while others simply ignored them. Meanwhile, Ayanokoji, as usual, remained indifferent to their antics, simply observing from his seat.

Kudo Shinichi, seated nearby, sighed internally. These idiots never learn.

Inside the boys' locker room, Sudou confidently stripped down, revealing a well-trained physique built from his basketball training. The contrast between him and the others was obvious.

"You're pretty bold, Sudou," one of the students commented.

"In sports, you can't get flustered," Sudou shrugged, slipping into his swimwear.

Kudo changed quickly, not paying much attention to the others. He was more focused on what kind of chaos Ike and Yamauchi were planning.

As the instructor's whistle blew, students started heading toward the pool.

The students gathered poolside, stretching and warming up.

"Wow! This school is insane! The pool's even better than the city one!" Ike marveled.

"Yeah, yeah, but where are the girls?" Yamauchi muttered, eyes scanning eagerly.

"Probably still changing," Kudo remarked dryly.

A few minutes later, the girls finally arrived, catching the attention of the boys.

"Kushida-chan, Kushida-chan, Kushida-chan…" Ike mumbled, his eyes practically sparkling.

Kushida, ever the social butterfly, was greeted with cheers, while Horikita, despite her good looks, received less attention due to her cold demeanor.

Then came the teacher's announcement.

"We'll be holding a 50-meter freestyle competition. The winner gets 5,000 points, and the last-place student will take supplementary lessons," the teacher declared.

The skilled swimmers cheered, while the weaker ones groaned.

One by one, students took their turns racing. Kouenji, with his ridiculous speed, easily dominated.

As the students prepared for their turn, Horikita's gaze fell on Ayanokoji, who had just removed his shirt. She raised an eyebrow.

"Ayanokoji-kun, do you exercise?" she asked curiously.

Ayanokoji blinked. "Huh? No, not really."

"You say that, but… your forearms and back muscles are well-developed. That's not normal for someone who doesn't train," Horikita remarked.

Ayanokoji simply shrugged. "Guess my parents blessed me with good genes."

Horikita frowned slightly, unconvinced.

Kudo, observing this exchange, smirked. "Genetics, huh? I doubt it."

Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Kudo stepped closer, his sharp gaze scanning Ayanokoji's hands. "Your knuckles are slightly worn—not something you'd see on a casual athlete. And your shoulders and forearms are toned, but not in the way a weightlifter's would be. They're built for precision and control rather than raw power. I'd wager you've trained in some form of martial arts."

Horikita looked pretty intrigued. 

Ayanokoji's expression remained unreadable. "You're quite observant."

Kudo smirked. "It's what I do."

Before the conversation could continue, a familiar voice cut in.

"Well, well. The great detective is at it again?"

Kudo turned to see Miyano Shiho, already in her swimsuit, watching with amusement.

"What's this? Inspecting each other's bodies now?" she teased.

Kudo sighed. "It's not what it looks like."

Haibara smirked. "Relax, I believe you… mostly."

He rolled his eyes. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Maybe," she said with a knowing smile.

Before Kudo could respond, the instructor's whistle blew, signaling the next race.

While the swimming competition went on, Kudo noticed Ike and Yamauchi whispering to each other, eyes darting toward the girls' locker room entrance.

Seriously? These idiots…

He casually walked over, hands in his pockets. "Oi."

The two flinched.

Kudo smiled. "You guys seem pretty excited. Something on your mind?"

Yamauchi chuckled nervously. "Oh, you know, just… uh, enjoying the weather?"

Kudo's expression didn't change. "You're planning to peek, aren't you?"

Their guilty expressions confirmed everything.

Kudo sighed dramatically. "You do realize this school has hidden surveillance cameras, right?"

Ike stiffened. "C-Cameras?!"

Yamauchi swallowed. "That… that can't be true."

Kudo smirked. "Think about it. This is a high-end institution. Do you really think they wouldn't anticipate something like this? If the school caught you, it wouldn't just be personal punishment—you could lose class points for everyone."

Ike paled. "C-Class points?!"

"That's right," Kudo said smoothly. "And knowing the school's strict policies, you might even get expelled."

That was all it took. The color drained from their faces, and they quickly abandoned the plan.

Kudo smiled in satisfaction. And that's how you manipulate idiots.

Ayanokoji, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. "Interesting approach."

Kudo smirked. "People don't listen to reason. But fear? Fear works wonders."

Ayanokoji gave a slight nod.

Meanwhile, Shiho watched the exchange, shaking her head in amusement.

"Kudo-kun," she mused. "Always playing detective."

Kudo crossed his arms. "It's not playing if I'm right."

Shiho chuckled. "Fair enough."

As the swimming class went on, laughter and friendly competition filled the air, making it just another ordinary day at school—for most, at least.