Chapter 194: Those with girlfriends and those without girlfriends both fell silent!
Time flowed swiftly onward, and soon it was the afternoon.
After the first class ended—
"Everyone, please gather your swimsuits and head to the gymnasium!"
The class's Physical Education Committee Member, nimble as a monkey, bounded onto the podium. He clapped his hands twice to capture everyone's attention before announcing with great enthusiasm. The swimming pool was located behind the main gym building, and students were to change into their swimwear in the gym's changing rooms.
"Oh, oh—!"
"GOGOGO!"
The prospect of seeing the girls in their school-issued swimsuits had some of the boys howling with excitement. Of course, it wasn't just the boys who were eager; a number of the girls were equally enthusiastic.
Naturally, there were also those who felt troubled—such as Gotou Hitori. She had, of course, brought her swimsuit, but she found it far too revealing for comfort. At this moment, she was agonizing over whether she could simply skip changing altogether.
She usually wore her uniform for regular P.E. class, so wouldn't it be fine to just wear her clothes for swimming class too? Wouldn't it? The girl fretted nervously.
Kasumigaoka Touji retrieved a cloth bag from his desk and stood up. Noticing Kitagawa Marin pulling out a similar bag from her own desk beside him, he asked curiously, "Kitagawa-san, haven't you been issued a school swimsuit yet, right?"
"Ah… that's right!"
Kitagawa Marin looked at Kasumigaoka Touji and responded, lifting the bag in her hand with a smile. "This is from my previous school. Anyway, high school girls' swimsuits are all the same standard style, so it shouldn't matter."
"That's true."
Swimsuits from junior high through high school were nationally standardized. At most, the colors might vary slightly between schools, but the cut and design were universally identical.
After this brief exchange, the two moved to join their respective groups.
Just as he was about to leave the classroom, Kasumigaoka Touji paused, turned back, and looked at Gotou Hitori, who was still frozen in her seat, wracked with indecision. He called out, "Gotou-san, let's go together."
"H-Hai!"
Startled by being addressed, Gotou Hitori instinctively responded. She stood up and shuffled toward the door.
"Eh? You didn't bring your swimsuit?" Kumin Tsuyuri, noticing her empty hands, blinked and asked in her soft voice.
"…I did bring it."
Gotou Hitori clasped her hands in front of her, fingers tightly intertwined, as she answered haltingly.
"Then you should take it with you."
"Consider this another form of courage training," Kasumigaoka Touji suggested, looking directly at Gotou Hitori.
His words seemed to strike a chord. Gotou Hitori was momentarily startled, thought it over, and surprisingly found the logic sound. She hesitated.
Kani Nayuta also chimed in. "You should bring it."
"You used to do P.E. in your uniform… hmm," she paused slightly before continuing. "You can exercise in your uniform, but you can't get into the water in the clothes you're wearing now. The teacher might get upset, you know."
"Uh…"
Gotou Hitori's expression stiffened upon hearing this. She, too, felt Kani Nayuta had a point. So, in a voice barely above a whisper, she said, "Please wait for me," before turning and scurrying back to her desk to retrieve her swimsuit.
Once she had it, the group finally left the classroom and made their way toward the gymnasium.
…
The sky outside was still overcast. Today's forecast had been cloudy with a chance of light rain, though it didn't seem like precipitation was imminent in the short term.
"Well then… see you in a bit."
"See you."
Kasumigaoka Touji and Kani Nayuta exchanged a brief wave before quickening their pace and entering the boys' changing room within the gymnasium.
By now, many students were already in the process of changing into their swimming trunks.
And some of them…
Were rather mischievously comparing the sizes of their… ahem… equipment!
"Wahahaha—! So tiny! Kuriyama's thing is like a little caterpillar! Everyone, come look!"
"You idiot! Die!! Just die!!"
"Victory is mine!"
"Hahaha… As expected, mine is the mightiest!" The Physical Education Committee Member stood completely naked, chest puffed out, hands planted on his hips as he surveyed his surroundings with an air of triumph.
The scene was, to put it mildly, a feast for sore eyes—in the worst possible way.
'These idiots…'
Kasumigaoka Touji felt the corner of his mouth twitch involuntarily. He found an empty locker, placed his bag inside, and began changing into his swimwear.
Then…
He sensed several gazes secretly sweeping over him. When those peeking eyes landed on his clearly defined eight-pack abdominal muscles, they couldn't help but widen in shock.
······
Someone even let out an audible gasp!
"Is that for real?! Kasumigaoka-san… he's that ripped?!"
"I had no idea!"
"I'm so jealous… those abs!"
"A hidden master!"
"…"
The Physical Education Committee Member, who had been proudly showing off, touched his own faint, barely-there ab lines and asked with curiosity, "Kasumigaoka-san, do you work out regularly?"
"No."
Kasumigaoka Touji neatly folded his shirt into the locker before turning to answer.
"Then… how did you get those?"
The Committee Member blinked in confusion, wondering if they were remnants from past training.
...
Hearing this, Kasumigaoka Touji casually ran a hand over his own midsection and replied in an offhand tone, "Playing with my girlfriend for two hours every night—they just developed naturally."
"Wh-what…!?"
Upon hearing this, both those who had girlfriends and those who didn't fell into a stunned silence.
The Physical Education Committee Member's eyes widened to the size of saucers. He took an involuntary step backward, his face a mask of disbelief. He raised a hand, pointing a trembling finger at Kasumigaoka Touji. His mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to ask, 'Just what kind of 'playing' are you doing?!' But he ultimately held back, fearing the answer might be too painful to bear.
Because he didn't have a girlfriend—!
"D-damn it!"
"Is this… where I lost?" The Physical Education Committee Member slammed a fist against a nearby locker, his face contorted with sheer frustration.
The classmates changing nearby were startled by the sudden noise, then turned to look at him with expressions of pure innocence.
Kasumigaoka Touji paid no further mind to the Committee Member's dramatic reaction. He continued undressing, preparing to put on his swimming trunks.
Once again, a few covert glances swept over him from various directions, as if their owners were trying to regain a sense of confidence by making comparisons elsewhere.
Kasumigaoka Touji felt a distinct chill from these looks, but he said nothing. After all, people's eyes were their own. If they wanted to look, let them look!
He had more than enough… capital in that department to feel confident about!
Kasumigaoka Touji was quite self-assured on this point.
"…"
A short while later, under the collective, dumbfounded gazes of the group, he calmly exited the men's changing room…