Capturing the Moment
Just as I was about to change into my swimsuit, I froze, feeling an intense gaze burning into my side. It wasn't Shine or Rain; both of them were already busy changing into their own suits. Feeling the heavy weight of that stare, I turned my head. There stood Appleton, clutching her camera tightly, her eyes sparkling with a familiar fervor. It was a look I had grown all too accustomed to. Seeing how desperately she wanted to take a photo, I spoke up.
"Um, are you trying to take a picture?"
"Ah—! N-no! That's not it..."
Flustered by my question, Appleton hurriedly hid the camera behind her back. Even if we were friends, having someone photograph me while I was changing was a bit much. In the end, Appleton gave an awkward chuckle and set her camera down on the bench in the center of the room. Relieved, I slowly began to undress.
One by one, the layers of fabric slipped away, exposing my pale skin once more. As I hooked my fingers into the waistband of my underwear, I couldn't help but blush. It was just a normal change of clothes, but the mere thought of Appleton standing right there made me incredibly self-conscious.
But I didn't have time to hesitate. Shine and Rain were already slipping into their swimsuits. I moved quickly, reaching down to my feet. Stepping out of the pure white fabric, I watched it fall onto the pile of clothes before immediately pulling on my swimsuit.
The fit wasn't much different from what I had experienced during the swim club trial. Taking a slow breath to steady myself, I gave the fabric at my hips a slight tug. The tight swimsuit adjusted, settling into a neat, flattering fit.
"A-are you all done changing?"
At Appleton's words, I did a small spin in place. The cold floor chilled the soles of my feet, and my softly falling hair tickled my back. Everything seemed to be in order.
"Yeah."
Rain and Shine had also finished changing into their swimsuits.
"U-um... so, would it be o-okay if I took some photos?"
Appleton asked, her hands trembling as she reached for her camera. Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light—a look strikingly similar to the one Shine sometimes gave me. Feeling a bit uneasy, I gave a hesitant nod.
The moment she got my permission, Appleton hoisted the camera. The large, cold-looking lens was aimed straight at me. Seeing my reflection in that massive lens made me feel incredibly self-conscious. Maybe it was the way the swimsuit fit; clinging tightly to my skin, it barely felt like I was wearing anything at all. It felt as though I were standing stark naked in front of the camera.
I wondered what Rain and Shine were thinking. When I glanced sideways, I saw both of them proudly puffing out their chests. Unlike me, they weren't shrinking back at all.
"Jeff! Strike a cool pose!"
Striking poses in front of a camera while feeling practically naked was easier said than done. I lowered my hands to cover my exposed white thighs, as Appleton's camera was pointed right at my legs.
"Ah. I can't see them like that... But wait, this is actually pretty good too..."
Appleton's mouth moved non-stop. She kept muttering her thoughts aloud as she watched my movements, constantly requesting different poses.
"Mmh..."
After snapping photos of me for a while, Appleton finally turned her camera elsewhere. Now it was Rain and Shine's turn. The two of them posed effortlessly, just like they always did. Watching them carry themselves with such confidence left me utterly speechless.
"Um... aren't you guys embarrassed?"
At my question, Rain tilted her head and asked back.
"Why are you embarrassed, Jeff?"
"W-well, because..."
I mumbled, finding it hard to put into words.
"Jeff."
"Yeah..."
"It's common sense for friends to change clothes together."
"I-I guess so."
"And it's totally normal to ask if your new clothes look good on you, right?"
"Y-yeah..."
I nodded at Rain's words. She closed her eyes and raised a finger, looking as if she were about to impart some profound, life-altering wisdom.
"So there's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about right now, is there?"
"But taking pictures is a bit different."
"Wrong, Jeff. If the situation itself isn't embarrassing, why would having a picture taken change anything?"
"B-but someone else might see Appleton's photos."
Rain shook her head at my concern.
"Appleton, are you planning on showing these photos to anyone else?"
"No way!"
Appleton vigorously shook her head in a panic.
"See? You heard her. So there's no reason to be embarrassed."
Was that true? I tilted my head, pondering Rain's words. Surprisingly, it sounded somewhat logical. I guess she really is an adult, I thought, unable to help but nod at the wisdom that clearly came from her years of experience.
I decided to accept Rain's logic. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. This is completely normal. Once I convinced myself of that, I felt much more at ease.
Shine was also nodding, seemingly in agreement with Rain's reasoning.
After snapping photos for a good while, Appleton nodded in satisfaction and began reviewing them. Most of the pictures taken this time were sent to Shine and Rain's phones. I also had a few of my favorites sent over to mine.
"Now I want to take pictures of you guys swimming!"
To grant Appleton's request, we stepped out of the changing room. The pool area was still completely empty. It was a quiet, peaceful space where only the wet slaps of our footsteps echoed.
"Is it really okay to use the pool when Ms. Sharona isn't here?"
I hesitated, staring at the massive pool. However, Shine and Rain didn't seem to have any intention of waiting for Sharona.
"Jeff, let's start our warm-up stretches."
I nodded at Shine's suggestion and spaced myself out. Appleton immediately raised her camera.
"Ready... start!"
The warm-up began at Shine's cue. The three of us perfectly remembered the routine Ms. Sharona had demonstrated just once. We went through the stretches with flawless precision, extending our arms and legs to loosen up our muscles. My body, moving fluidly, suddenly flinched. My right hand was stretched straight up toward the ceiling, while my left hand rested on my hip. But contrary to my hesitation, my body naturally transitioned into the next pose, bending as far to the right as possible. In doing so, my exposed armpit was fully revealed to Appleton's camera. She didn't miss the moment, her fingers clicking the shutter furiously.
"T-this really is a bit weird!"
My face flushed instantly. Reflected in the water's surface, a pale girl was shrinking back in embarrassment. I tucked my hands under my armpits and squatted down right there. My face felt so hot that I wanted to dive into the water this very second.
"Jeff, we're not done with the warm-up yet."
The warm-up ground to a halt because of me. Shine looked at me, let out a soft chuckle, and slowly walked over. Her arms gently wrapped around my neck. Lowering herself to meet my gaze, she spoke softly.
"Is simply warming up really that embarrassing?"
"Y-yeah..."
"It's just exercise. Don't you think you're the one being weird, Jeff?"
"A-am I the one being weird?"
"Yeah. Everyone does it. Ms. Sharona was the one who taught us, after all. If what you're saying is true, does that mean our teacher taught us something wrong?"
I slowly shook my head. There was no way such a kind teacher would teach us something inappropriate.
"Jeff, showing your armpits isn't something to be ashamed of."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. Look."
Shine raised her arms to show me her own armpits. Staring at them, I swallowed hard.
"Want to touch?"
Shine's words slipped out so casually that, before I knew it, my hand was reaching out. My fingertips slowly brushed against her pale, soft skin. Startled by the sensation, I quickly pulled my hand back.
"I... I was the one being weird, right?"
"Yeah."
I nodded at Shine's response and stood up. Turning to Appleton, I spoke.
"B-but please don't take too many pictures. It's... a bit overwhelming."
"Okay! I got it!"
The warm-up resumed, starting right from the armpit-exposing stretch where we had paused. In the end, we managed to finish the entire routine.
The moment the warm-up ended, Rain dashed toward the pool. After a flurry of tiny footsteps, her small body launched into the air. Suspended in mid-air, her golden hair fanned out behind her, making her look like a little chick spreading its wings to fly. After a brief moment of suspension, she plunged straight into the water. Splash! As Rain broke the surface, tiny droplets of water scattered in every direction.
"Jeff, you didn't forget the promise we made earlier, right?"
"Ah. Yeah, that we wouldn't use that in the water."
Hearing my reply, Shine smiled softly and gently wrapped her arms around me. Before I could even process my confusion at her sudden embrace, she whispered softly in my ear.
"You'd better take a deep breath."
Before I could even ask what she meant, my body, held fast in Shine's arms, began to tilt backward. My gaze swept up toward the ceiling, and our white hair tangled together, spreading out like a halo.
Plunge! Bubbles rushed past as the bright overhead lights shattered into shimmering fragments beneath the surface. The light reflecting through the water made both Shine's hair and mine glow with a brilliant white luster. The way her hair drifted behind her back made it look like a pair of wings.
The lukewarm water enveloped my entire body. Pressed tightly against each other, the water flowing between our stomachs made Shine's warmth feel even more pronounced. Once we were fully submerged, Shine released her hold on me. The moment I was freed from her embrace, the lukewarm water rushed into the empty space between us. The water felt cold against my flushed skin. Feeling a sudden pang of regret at the loss of her warmth, I reached my hand out.
Shine didn't take my hand. With her white wings of hair trailing behind her, she floated toward the surface like an angel ascending to heaven. I followed her, breaking the surface of the water.
"Were you disappointed?"
As soon as I cleared the water, Shine asked with a teasing smile. Unable to answer her, I ducked back beneath the surface. My hand naturally rose to touch my lips. I didn't want to let her see how disappointed I actually was.
Meanwhile, Rain, who had been the first to dive in, was busy showing off her impressive swimming skills. Perhaps because of the camera, she was leaping in and out of the water like a dolphin in a show. Appleton watched her, absolutely thrilled, snapping away.