Chapter 334: The Scent of Youth
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 334: The Scent of Youth
It’s hot.
I know the end of spring is approaching, but for it to be this hot… I wonder if I’ll just melt while walking down the street once summer arrives.
Until just a few days ago, all I saw were cloudy skies every day. Just as you’d expect from a shitty game like DokiAka, the weather is completely extreme.
Most of the students at the academy were in their summer uniforms.
It was because the weather had turned hot so suddenly.
The same went for the faculty and staff. They were all dressed as if summer had already arrived.
“So hot…”
Miyuki lamented beside me, chugging the ice water in her hand.
Through the sleeves of her short-sleeved dress shirt, I could see her fair skin.
We touch skin almost every day, but this kind of subtle exposure always turns me on.
“Looks like there’s a swimming class today, huh?”
Unaware of my gaze, Miyuki looked around with interest.
Among the students wearing first-year name tags, a few were entering the building clutching the navy-blue swimsuits provided by the academy.
The so-called school mizu.
Is the essential element of summer finally making its appearance?
It’s not summer yet, but still, I’ve waited a long time.
The design for the boys was a pair of boxy shorts, but I couldn’t care less about that.
What was important was the girls’ swimsuit… and it wasn’t the old-style school mizu that covered the hips, but a design that revealed everything.
I’d have to see it being worn to be sure, but just from a glance, it looked like a pretty daring design.
It’s impossible not to get my hopes up. This is where DokiAka sometimes shows its god-tier game potential.
I wonder if Hiyori’s class has swimming today.
If so, I’ll need to acquire a class schedule through a secret channel.
Or I could just ask Hiyori directly.
“Is this the first swimming class of the semester, then?”
“I guess so. They said the second-years will have it soon, too.”
It’s an elective, so Miyuki will obviously skip it.
If she’s managed to overcome some of the trauma from that incident, I’d love to take the class with her.
The heat of youth, unfolding secretly in the waters of a swimming pool… Just imagining it makes me happy.
“Oh? Tetsuya-kun! Over here!”
Miyuki, who had been talking to me, raised a hand high for Tetsuya, who was just entering the school gate.
Spotting her, Tetsuya also broke into a wide grin and waved back.
His shaggy hair was gone, making him look refreshed.
He wasn't a bad-looking guy to begin with, and since he’s been working out lately, he looks quite manly.
As Miyuki grabbed my arm and led me toward Tetsuya, the guy’s expression hardened slightly when he saw her skinship with me.
That gloomy aura of his, like it's etched into his very soul, is still there.
That’s his problem, right there.
I went to the classroom with the two of them, and after sending Miyuki off—who said she had to stop by the student council room—I sent a message to Renka through AniShare.
[Do the third-years have swimming class today too?]
A response came back almost immediately.
[Why the hell are you messaging me about this on here?]
The harsh words made my head spin.
I could almost see Renka’s face turning red in real time.
[Is that not allowed?]
[Of course not. We made a promise.]
[Wasn’t the rule just that I couldn’t mention Ino-chan?]
[Playing with words again. You’re seriously trash.]
[I’m doing this because I like you, so please try to understand.]
Renka read the message but didn’t reply.
She must be flustered and embarrassed by the confession that came out of nowhere.
I chuckled, imagining her true feelings showing so plainly, and continued tapping on my phone.
[So, do you have swimming class or not?]
[I don’t know.]
[You really don’t know?]
[They said we don’t.]
[You always have to twist your answer at least once.]
[What do you mean, twist my answer? I didn’t know either, so I just asked a classmate. Don’t just assume things. It’s annoying.]
[I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the club room today.]
[You think saying that will scare me? Get lost. Don’t message me again.]
With that final notice, Ino-chan’s status switched to offline.
Why are conversations with Renka always so much fun?
After pondering this recurring question once more, I imagined her and Chinami in their swimsuits.
Renka has such long, slender limbs that she would definitely look good.
As for Chinami… I can’t quite picture it.
I have a feeling she could be cute, but also subtly sexy.
In any case, a new event has appeared in my gradually dulling daily life, and my collector’s spirit is fired up.
Collecting every CG in a dating sim is the golden rule.
No matter what, I’m going to see it.
* * *
Tap, tap.
Something with a pointy end was tapping my shoulder.
Wondering what it was, I turned around to see Hiyori standing there with her signature cheerful smile.
I was just looking for you. Perfect timing.
With that thought, I said.
“Yo.”
“What’s with that line?”
“I’m returning your greeting.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“You were about to, so it counts, doesn’t it?”
“No? You have to respond after I say it.”
“Then go ahead.”
“Later. Where are you headed?”
“The school store.”
“Why are you always going to the school store?”
“Aren’t you the same?”
“That’s true. But don’t the second-years have swimming class?”
I was just wondering how to bring it up, and here’s Hiyori helping me out… She’s a true angel.
“They said we’ll have it soon, but I don’t know when. You guys start today, right?”
“Yep. It’s during 6th period.”
I had predicted it would be either 4th or 6th period, and I was spot on.
Getting into the water when it’s hottest feels good and makes the class more enjoyable.
By the way, our Hiyori should probably never become a secret agent.
She just tells you everything.
“Outdoors?”
“Uh-huh. They said the indoor pool is still being prepared.”
The outdoor pool is next to the gym.
It’s located higher than the gym… meaning the elevation is higher, but it’s still possible to see it somehow.
At this point, it’s like God himself is spoon-feeding me the CGs to collect. I can’t let his expectations down.
“You and Mitsushima must be really excited, huh? You wanted to join the swimming club, didn’t you?”
“Just a little. But I think it’ll be boring if it’s all just strict lessons.”
“They’ll probably give you some free time.”
“You think so? By the way, Senpai.”
“What.”
“Can you lend me 100 yen? I forgot my wallet.”
Now she’s even hitting me up for money.
I let out a dry laugh and asked.
“You came all the way here knowing you didn’t have your wallet?”
“I just realized now. Please lend me some so I can buy a Suichu.”
Hiyori clasped her hands together and held them out to me, her apologetic smile looking incredibly refreshing.
It made me want to conjure up money just to lend it to her, but I had to resist the temptation.
It’s all an act. An act to get what she wants.
I can’t let myself be charmed this early on.
Taking a 100-yen coin from my pocket, I placed it in her hand and said.
“Pay me back 200 yen.”
“Isn’t that some serious price gouging?”
“Take it or leave it.”
As I moved to take the coin back, Hiyori quickly curled her fingers into a fist.
“Is it okay if I pay you back with a Suichu?”
I knew she’d say that.
It’s not like I was serious about her paying me back anyway, so I just shrugged my shoulders in acceptance.
“Do whatever you want.”
With a bright smile, Hiyori took the lead, urging me to hurry.
She seems to be in a good mood, and I hope it’s because of me.
But isn’t she curious about the skinship with Miyuki she saw the other day?
If I were Hiyori, I’d be so curious I’d just ask outright… but she’s beyond the realm of common sense, so I’d better just keep my mouth shut.
* * *
Here’s something I didn’t know: our class had PE for 5th period.
Outdoor PE, right before Hiyori’s swimming class?
Could this be anything other than fate?
Actually, even though I was making a big deal out of it, it wasn’t that surprising.
Outdoor classes for different grade levels overlapped several times a day.
It was a common occurrence, but the fact that this monumental swimming class coincided with my own class was still something to be happy about.
And for some reason, the students in my class seemed particularly unruly today.
The volleyballs and basketballs we used were scattered all over the gym, and the badminton shuttlecocks were also strewn about carelessly.
This meant I could buy some time under the pretext of cleaning up. A very good sign.
It’s pathetic of me to go this far just to see some girls in swimsuits, but what can I do? School mizu are a matter of grave importance.
It’s the fault of all the love-comedy authors who created this cliché by putting so much effort into the swimsuit artwork.
With that bit of self-justification, I, who had been lazing around in a corner of the gym, sluggishly got up as class was about to end.
Afterward, I went and stood in front of Miyuki, who was gathering the students in the center of the gym, to kill time. When the teacher came in on schedule and dismissed the class, I started putting the scattered balls into a cart, pretending to clean up.
“What’s this? What’s gotten into you?”
Finding my proactive efforts to clean the gym incredibly strange, Miyuki, who was on her way to the shower room, approached me with wide eyes.
I wonder how that look in her eyes would change if I told her I was deliberately dawdling like this to see Hiyori in her swimsuit.
I’m curious, but let’s not say it.
“I’m bored. The balls go in the outdoor storage, right?”
“You can just put them in the indoor storage.”
“Just give me the key.”
“Okay. I wish you were bored every day.”
“Stop saying weird things and give me your towel.”
“Why the towel?”
“So I can smell it.”
“Oh, seriously…!”
Taken aback by my sudden pervertedness, Miyuki slapped the storage key into my hand, shook her head, and went into the shower room.
Thinking how much I liked that she still gets flustered despite seeing this side of me all the time, I pushed the cart of balls and left the gym.
After leaving the cart in the storage room, I scanned my surroundings and started walking.
My destination was, of course, the outdoor pool where Hiyori would be.
The closer I got to the pool, the louder the bustling sounds from that direction became.
I thought they’d be in the middle of class, but did they get free time?
Or is it before class starts? Judging by the time, the latter seems more likely.
Pushing down my pounding heart, I walked up the slope that was starting to get damp, and the noisy outdoor pool came into view.
Inside the fenced-off area were dozens of students.
Some were doing warm-up exercises, some were girls walking awkwardly as if embarrassed by their swimsuits, and there were groups already fooling around.
In that place, which was overflowing with the bright feeling of youth, I spotted Miho, who was already in the water, and Hiyori, who was sitting on the edge of the pool, stretching her upper body.
Putting aside all the flowery words that come to mind, and to put it simply: it was worth making the effort to see.
That’s what I think.