The final class bell rang, and my wandering consciousness finally snapped back into my physical body like a rubber band reaching its limit.
The students who had been practically comatose just moments before suddenly transformed into energetic human beings, all waiting with barely contained excitement for the moment our professor would finally exit the classroom. The volume of conversation in the room increased several-fold in an instant.
Students involved in club activities were already mentally preparing to pursue their actual interests, while members of the "Go Home Club" were enthusiastically discussing their post-school entertainment plans.
By the time I finished my classroom duty responsibilities, only a handful of stragglers remained in the room.
I quickly packed my bag and prepared to head to the swimming pool for my rendezvous with the water polo club.
As I walked through the school building corridors, I could hear the energetic cheering of various sports clubs drifting in through the windows—baseball, football, tennis, all conducting their afternoon training sessions with typical Japanese enthusiasm.
The melodious sound of an orchestra practicing in one of the nearby classrooms stood out distinctly among all the other athletic noise.
Intrigued by the music, I pricked up my ears to listen more carefully and found myself unconsciously peering into the room as I passed by.
Several girls were intensely focused on their flute practice, their lips pursed in concentration as they worked through their pieces. Something about the way their mouths moved while playing created a strangely captivating effect...
The dedication in their expressions is... mesmerizing.
And those lip movements are definitely having an effect on my concentration.
Focus, Ginjo. You have athletic responsibilities awaiting.
---
There are signs marking the entrance to summer everywhere.
As I approached the outdoor swimming pool, this thought occurred to me almost involuntarily.
It's the kind of thing that only energetic college students would notice—adults in business suits would probably walk right past these signals without a second glance.
Like it's some kind of secret code belonging exclusively to the world of youth.
The indicators were everywhere once you started looking: post-exercise perspiration from club sports, the appeal of ice-cold carbonated drinks and delicious frozen treats, the eye-catching coolness of summer uniforms, upcoming summer camps and various overnight activities...
There are always markers of seasonal change, but for some reason the summer signals seemed more numerous and obvious than any others.
Of course, the most significant harbinger was the longest vacation of the academic year—the summer break that every student anticipated with the fervor of people awaiting religious salvation.
Whenever students contemplated this possibility, excitement bubbled up from somewhere deep in their cores.
Splash! Splash!
The delightful sound of schoolgirls diving into the swimming pool one after another interrupted my philosophical musings about seasonal transitions.
The girls' youthful bodies integrating with the light blue pool water created the most thrilling summer atmosphere imaginable.
When I arrived at the outdoor swimming pool, the water polo club's training session was already in full swing.
The girls' outfits were slightly different today—about half the team members had switched to different colored swimming caps, creating a visual distinction in the water.
It appeared to be a group confrontation exercise designed as a rehearsal for competitive situations.
Splash... Splash...
The players in the pool maintained constant motion, their coordinated paddling creating a hypnotic aquatic melody.
"Kurizono, you're moving too slowly!" Lisa Shiraishi called out sharply.
Instead of watching the practice from shore as usual, Lisa Shiraishi had entered the water to participate directly in the training. While actively competing for ball possession, she simultaneously directed her teammates' movements.
After receiving the instruction, Kurizono rushed forward to defend against Shiraishi, but Lisa nimbly evaded her approach and then, facing the goalkeeper directly, launched herself high out of the water to score with impressive technique.
"Alright, switch to defensive formation! Move quickly!" she commanded after her successful goal.
Following her own order, Lisa Shiraishi swam back to her defensive half with the speed and precision of a bullet cutting through water.
Her swimming form was absolutely flawless—stroke frequency so rapid that even I, watching from poolside, felt genuinely amazed by the display of athletic prowess.
When she reached her designated defensive position, she executed a perfect stop and assumed a defensive posture. The moment she straightened her upper body in the water, she radiated such powerful presence that she seemed completely impregnable.
"Watch their passing lanes!" Lisa continued directing her teammates while positioning herself centrally to control the overall tactical situation.
"Heads up, she's about to shoot!" she called out.
At the exact moment Lisa issued her warning, her teammate had already identified a momentary weakness in her opponent's positioning, broken through the defensive line, and was preparing to attempt a goal.
But Lisa swam forward with incredible speed, appearing in front of the would-be scorer as if she'd somehow glided across the water's surface, launching herself high into the air to intercept at the crucial last second.
Violent splashes erupted across the pool's surface as the girls' faces were thoroughly soaked by the dramatic defensive play.
The girls, their bodies tightly wrapped in competitive swimsuits, continued their relentless struggling, scrambling, and colliding in the aquatic battleground.
At this moment, I wanted nothing more than to release a profound sigh of pure appreciation.
The next round commenced immediately, and Lisa Shiraishi found herself under intense defensive pressure as several opponents formed a tight circle to contain her movements.
Unexpectedly, she launched herself high above the pool surface and hurled the ball directly toward the goal in what appeared to be a desperate, potentially self-destructive maneuver.
What is she—
Wait. That's not a shot attempt
Her actual target wasn't a direct score at all.
She's setting up a play.
A teammate rushed into position, collected the ball directly in front of the goal, and scored easily with no defensive coverage.
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant tactical thinking.
Beep! Beep!
The electronic timer on the poolside announced the conclusion of this scrimmage session.
Without needing to check the specific score, it was obvious that Lisa Shiraishi's team had emerged victorious.
The players who swam out of the pool were either bending over with hands on their knees or looking up at the sky, everyone breathing heavily from their exertions.