บท 35: A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
The swimming competition was announced to begin shortly, and the atmosphere in the gymnasium buzzed with anticipation.
Hikigaya Hachiman, having opted out of participating, found himself leisurely standing in the corner with other non-swimmers. They watched with varying degrees of interest as the competitors prepared themselves on the pool deck.
The girls' race was up first. As soon as Kikyo Kushida stepped onto the starting block, she effortlessly captured the attention of every boy in the room.
Kushida was the darling of Class D, adored by all for her charm and her looks. Naturally, she was the center of attention.
Even one of the infamous "Three Idiots," Kanji Ike, couldn't hide his excitement. He ogled at Kushida, his heavy breathing causing discomfort among the nearby girls.
Hachiman stood to the side, observing the scene with a mix of resignation and distaste. The boys were acting as if they were in the middle of mating season, and he could only sigh inwardly.
What annoyed him most was seeing Ayanokoji, of all people, getting caught up in the frenzy. Hachiman was at a loss for words, unsure of how to even begin to mock him for it.
Meanwhile, Suzune Horikita also took her place on the starting block. Although her beauty elicited some reaction from the boys, her cold demeanor meant that few gave her more than a passing glance.
"Alright, let's begin!"
With the blow of the coach's whistle, the girls' race commenced and ended in the blink of an eye.
In the end, Suzune Horikita secured second place while Kikyo Kushida came in fourth. The winner was a professional swimmer from the swim team, a girl named Onodera.
Despite the results, the boys' focus remained firmly on Kikyo. The moment she climbed out of the pool, a swarm of admirers surrounded her, vying for her attention. Their eager fawning drew the ire of the other girls.
Hachiman couldn't have cared less about any of this, but noticing Horikita's steely gaze, he reluctantly made his way over to her.
"It's a shame you only got second place," he said casually. "Though considering you were up against a pro, it was pretty close. You're not secretly a robot in human skin, are you?"
"What nonsense are you spouting now, you loser who didn't even bother to compete? You've got some nerve talking like that," Horikita shot back, her sharp tongue losing none of its edge despite her obvious fatigue.
"I'm just not good at everything," Hachiman replied, glancing over at Ayanokoji, who was still mingling with the boys around Kushida.
Despite pretending to be captivated by her, Ayanokoji's demeanor and his overly muscular physique hinted at something more dangerous beneath the surface. It was enough to make Hachiman wonder if Ayanokoji might actually be a robot disguised as a human.
Before long, the boys' race began.
If Kikyo Kushida was the most popular girl in Class D, then the most popular boy was undoubtedly Yosuke Hirata, who had unofficially become the class leader. His presence on the starting block drew loud cheers from the girls.
The other boys wore expressions of disgust but dared not voice their jealousy, knowing the gap in ability between themselves and Hirata was undeniable.
However, Ken Sudou, one of the class's top athletes, stepped up to the challenge, squaring off against Hirata in the race.
Sudou clocked in at 25 seconds, while Hirata finished at 26 seconds.
"Awesome, Sudou! Thanks for taking that guy down a notch!" Ike and the others shouted in excitement.
Despite his loss, Hirata's popularity remained unaffected. The girls continued to flock to him, showering him with concern and praise, while glaring at the jealous boys with disdain.
As tensions between the boys and girls escalated, Hachiman stood back, uninterested in playing the hero.
But just as it seemed a confrontation was inevitable, a greater distraction emerged, overshadowing everything else.
"Please, don't fight over me. I belong to everyone. Watch closely now, and see how someone with real talent swims."
Koenji Rokusuke suddenly stepped forward.
Apparently, his ears were wired differently from everyone else's, as he mistook the cheers and arguments for adoration aimed at him.
Unlike the other students, who wore standard school swimsuits, Koenji was clad only in a tiny pair of briefs.
"I don't care about winning, but I hate losing even more."
With those words, he leaped into the water with perfect form, cutting through the pool with a speed that left his classmates speechless.
Sudou and Hirata were left far behind.
"23.22 seconds…" The teacher in charge of timing stared at the stopwatch in disbelief.
Koenji emerged from the pool, his expression serene. He casually brushed back his hair, not even out of breath, as if he hadn't exerted himself at all.
Without a doubt, Koenji was the victor of this impromptu showdown.
"Koenji and Sudou were both really fast!"
The unexpected sound of a girl's voice brought Hachiman back to reality.
Despite his earlier detachment, he was caught off guard when he realized the voice was directed at him.
"Kushida?"
Kushida had somehow slipped away from her fan club and appeared at his side, clearly intending to strike up a conversation.
What could he say?
His internal alarms were blaring, warning him to be on high alert around this girl.
"You seem to be avoiding me," Kushida remarked, her expression one of puzzled innocence.
"No, I'm just not used to talking to girls. It makes me a bit shy…" Hachiman lied without hesitation, trying to play it cool.
He had a feeling that angering this well-endowed girl would bring nothing but trouble.
"Is that so? But I've seen you talking with Horikita quite often…"
"I wouldn't say we're friends," Hachiman quickly clarified, not wanting to give the wrong impression. "We just happen to sit near each other, so we chat now and then."
"Is that right…" Kushida's eyes seemed to light up at his words. "In that case, could I—"
Stop!!
Hachiman's internal alarms were now screaming at full volume. He began frantically searching for an excuse to escape this rapidly deteriorating situation. Could he fake a stomachache to get out of this?
Fortunately, before anything else could happen, one of the "Three Idiots" made a timely, if obnoxious, intervention.
"What the hell are you doing, Hikki?!"
Ike barged in, wearing a face twisted with jealousy and anger, inserting himself between Hachiman and Kikyo.
Did you just call me by my middle school nickname? Do you want to die, Ike?
Hachiman's tolerance for Ike was nonexistent, and his face twisted in annoyance, his disdain barely concealed.
Kushida, however, smiled sweetly and corrected him. "No, no, Ike-kun, his name is Hikigaya, not Hikki. It's important to get your friends' names right."
"Ah, Kushida-chan…"
Ike's anger melted away as he basked in the glow of Kushida's attention, his face showing a foolishly contented expression.
To Hachiman, it looked less like a friendly interaction and more like a sheep playing with a wolf, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as he watched the scene unfold.
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