Formation (2)
Sakuya showed up several more times after that. Every time she appeared at the pool, cheers and shouts of encouragement rocked the entire venue. It was definitely not just the school staff making noise. Everyone could feel her popularity and stature firsthand. Tae-il even tilted his head, wondering if the pool water was churning not from its natural flow but from the roars.
Rena stuck out her nose at Sakuya's popularity, which seemed ready to pierce the ceiling.
"Hmph. As expected of Sakuya. The hype lives up to the name. In terms of popularity, she could even stand toe-to-toe with me."
"Whoa. Hearing you say that, Rena-chan, feels so weird."
"Really? I was just imitating Iris."
"Ugh! I don't do that, Rena-chan!"
"Heh heh."
Rena covered her mouth and shrugged her shoulders. Tae-il felt the same. Iris flushed red and denied it vehemently, but her smug demeanor unmistakably resembled Rena's a little.
"Whoa, looks like all the swimmers are out."
"Yeah. Gonna start soon?"
"Don't ignore me!"
"Don't lose to Honjo, Iris!"
Unlike the heated spectator stands, the pool deck felt as cold as if a winter wind had blown through. Tae-il, with Rena hugged against him, eyed the swimmers around Sakuya suspiciously. Goggles made expressions hard to read, so he couldn't say for sure, but he often caught competitors flinching whenever the crowd cheered for Sakuya.
"Hey, those girls in the lanes next to Sakuya... don't they seem kinda deflated?"
"Huh? You're right, Shin-chan. Unlike Sakuraba, their shoulders are all slumped."
"Well, what can you do when your opponent's Sakuya? They should be grateful just to lose to her, right?"
Rena launched into a speech about the so-called "honorable defeat." She wasn't wrong. The Interhigh participants were serious, but compared to pros, they inevitably fell short. They might be tense on an unfamiliar stage or intimidated by the fervent cheers. Even pro matches had home and away teams for a reason. Technically, other Gunma schools should have home advantage, but the atmosphere here was unmistakably Yuuma High's turf.
Students from other schools had no home crowd boost.
"No kidding?"
Iris, her head naturally resting on Tae-il's shoulder, casually crossed her legs and thumbed at the wildly cheering fan section.
"Hear that cheering? Even I'd get intimidated. Right?"
"Yeah, fair point."
Matches banned loud noises or instruments during races, but entrances were fair game. The deafening cheers every time Sakuya entered or waved shook the eardrums and seemed plenty intimidating to the other swimmers. To her lane neighbors, Sakuya might be an insurmountable wall.
Team events could've rallied competitors, but sadly, swimming was mostly individual except for relays. A lonely battle bearing the school's expectations alone.
And as expected.
100m butterfly. Sakuya took first place effortlessly again. Without her freestyle rival this time, the gap between her and the rest was especially glaring.
"Hmph. Serves 'em right."
"Rena?"
Tae-il peeked over Rena's shoulder, nestled in his arms, as she watched something on her phone—not Sakuya's results.
"What video you watching?"
"Some old team coach evaluating Interhigh swimmers. Total boomer crap."
Tae-il asked for details, and Rena exploded, ranting about the guy in the video.
"He's total trash. Said Sakuya's body suits gravure modeling more than swimming, that chasing records is a reckless challenge when she won't hit 'em anyway...!"
Tae-il got why she called him a boomer. In modern Japan, where even "okama" was taboo, this guy's outdated take on Sakuya was infuriating.
Tae-il confiscated Rena's phone and handed it to Iris. "Don't watch that crap. We'll celebrate big with Sakuya later. Make her forget idiots like this ever existed. You got this?"
"Of course!"
Rena beamed and nodded. It was just prelims, but Sakuya had set a meet record. Whatever clout that coach had, she'd already shut him up.
"Shin. What should we get Sakuya as a winner's gift?"
"Hmm..."
Tae-il's first thought was manga drawing tools—tied to her dreams. Rena drew manga too, so she'd know better. But he couldn't recommend rashly; if Sakuya hadn't outed her otaku side, he had to respect that.
He settled on a compromise. "Sneakers?"
"Sneakers?"
"Sports ones from a good brand run pricey. We pool money and buy together?"
"Sounds good. She'd love it."
"And we're doing dinner tonight. That'll be plenty for her."
"Dinner... what does she even like?"
"Dunno? Probably eats anything."
Rena flinched at Tae-il's recollection of Sakuya's appetite.
"R-right, she's a total big eater..."
"Sakuraba's a big eater?"
"Yeah. Unlike that fake-glutton gloomy girl, she's the real deal."
"Th-that time was, you know...! Ughhh!"
When stressed, nothing beat a punching bag. Rena smirked as Ayane groaned, unable to retort.
Tae-il gently took Ayane's hand as she gritted her teeth for a comeback.
"You two, quit fighting and focus on cheering. Lots of our school's swimmers still coming up."
"Tch..."
"Pfft. Says the loser."
"Rena, please stop provoking..."
"Okay, okay."
"Heh heh."
Tae-il wiped sweat, mediating Ayane and Rena's spat, while Iris leisurely chuckled from the sidelines. If they always bickered at this level, it'd be kinda cute.
When's this meet ending?
Iris's bored gaze returned to the intense pool action—framed that way, anyway. She wasn't into swimming, so watching wasn't fun. She'd rather YouTube guitar tutorials. But prelims had twice as many events as finals, tying her here till afternoon.
If Sakuya swam every event, it'd be more fun.
Sakuya didn't show. After men's butterfly came backstroke, breaststroke, and finally the relay. Iris straightened up—waiting game over.
Yuuma High touched first, advancing easily amid cheers. Sakuya and teammates bowed lightly to the crowd before heading to the locker room.
En route, Sakuya locked eyes with Tae-il and flicked a finger-heart his way.
Men's roars erupted, assuming it was for them.
But one person knew better. Ayane seethed alone.
"Shin-chan! That finger from that wench just now...!"
"Haha."
Tae-il could only cover Ayane's mouth, minding stares.
"Shin, stop blocking her mouth. I'm suffocating."
"Mmph! Pwah! Who's one to talk, Honjo? If you're suffocating, get out of Shin-chan's lap!"
"Me? Why? Who are you to say? Got a problem? What if I do—whaaat?"
"Gyaaah!"
Ayane writhed at Rena's brazenness but prepped a counter. Tae-il begged Iris, spectating like it was someone else's fire.
"Help me out here..."
"How about a lap pillow for Ayane?"
A lap pillow. Ayane exploited childhood friend perks for casual skinship, but lap pillows were rare even for her. She'd love Tae-il's.
Tae-il blinked at Iris's idea. "Lap pillow? Suddenly? I don't mind..."
"I object."
"Why are you objecting, Honjo!"
Rena, hogging Tae-il's lap, vetoed. Ayane, dreaming of it, protested hard.
Rena ignored her, countering absurdly.
"Her head stinks."
She pinched her nose. Ayane looked mortified at the out-of-nowhere claim.
"It doesn't! I wash morning and night!"
"For real? Change your shampoo. It reeks. Right, Iris?"
"Me? I dunno..."
Iris panicked at the hot potato.
"Liar. You don't smell this?"
Was she serious? Rena blinked back, baffled.
"It doesn't! Shin-chan said Ayane smells super nice before! Right, Shin-chan!?"
"Uh..."
Tae-il mumbled awkwardly.
"Ayane's shampoo brand... we use the same at my place...?"
"...!"
Rena froze. Childhood friends even panicked the same.
She blurted desperately. "S-see? Body odor varies person to person. So gloomy girl, find one that suits you..."
"Cheap excuse!"
Rena pivoted fast. Wrong premise entirely.
"N-no, I didn't say you stink to Shin! For real! I actually like Shin's smell!"
"Ahaha..."
Tae-il dry-smiled at the unexpected confession. Rena doubled down desperately.
"For real! Want proof? How...!"
They say elites smile even in sorrow. Tae-il smiled. Tears threatened, but he smiled. Smiling brings happiness, right? Good thing—he'd been smiling more lately.
"Sakuya. Lunch plans?"
"Just a calorie bar."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Big dinner tonight."
"Heard from volleyball seniors. Got a boyfriend?"
"Haha."
Sakuya brushed off the senior's teasing as always—with a laugh. No clear answer. Just an ambiguous nod that usually led to...
"Aww. Young love. Wish I had one."
...misunderstandings. Perfect for naturally deflecting rumors.
"You're popular too, senpai."
"Not like you."
The senior wryly smiled, drying her hair. Others had left; just them now. Both had long hair.
"Hey. Is dating that great?"
"Forever alone?"
"Dated a few times. You?"
"Same."
"Your reaction says it wasn't fun."
"Same as you, senpai."
Teen romances were like that—easy to start, easy to shatter, leaving scars. Adults reminisce fondly later, but they weren't there yet.
"How about now?"
"Good. Not sure why, but it just feels good."
Sakuya smiled shyly. Towel hid it, but the senior laughed knowingly. "Lucky."
Wish I had that. Dream come true.
"Heading out."
"Take care."
"Yep. Probably back before 1."
"Don't push."
"Not. Coach already warned us—big self-funded dinner tonight, eat moderate."
She chuckled. Yuuma sports clubs were elite self-managers. Victory hunger wasn't just the coach's. His hype was just fun banter.
"You staying?"
"Yeah."
"Fine now, but next time, mind others. Newbies next year idolize you."
"Got it."
"Good prelims. Crush finals?"
"Yep."
Senior gone. Alone, Sakuya dried her hair, then flopped on the bench.
"Haa."
Long. Interhigh too long. Time without Tae-il too long. Way too long.
"Gonna go nuts."
She covered her face with her arms, chuckling bitterly. Unlike volleyball, no time to meet Tae-il today. Announcer called; leaving the wait room, her heart pounded.
Sakuya was nervous—not from past Intermid blunders in swimming, but purely because of Shin Tae-il.
"His hair grew out that time..."
Honestly, his messy bangs and back were iffy. She wanted to trim them her way.
"Don't they care...?"
Seeing him, she felt like a gem ignored by those around—especially Ayane.
"Hoo."
So yeah, first spotting him surrounded by those girls cheering pissed her off a bit. She swam full throttle in rage—and accidentally set a record.
"Wonder what he's doing now...?"
Lying there, she pulled her phone from her tracksuit.
Text so he wouldn't feel burdened? Or call for a boost? Happy dilemma.
Either way, just acting would make it real.
Sakuya closed her eyes.
"Tae-il. Tae-il. Tae-il. Shin Tae-il..."
Savoring quiet, practicing his name smoothly for reunion. Then realized: best practice was the real thing.
"Can't wait. Gotta call."
A call for his energy. Sakuya bolted upright and dialed Tae-il.