บท 26: The Pool

As the final bell echoed through the stale air of the classroom, the students, suffocating in their own boredom, found solace in the prospect of freedom. Yasushi, too, felt the weight of monotony lifting as the teacher dismissed them.

Amidst the shuffling of feet and murmurs of dismissal, Xinyi lingered behind, her gaze fixed on Yasushi. "Hey, are you free now?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of anticipation.

Yasushi, caught off guard, shook his head with a small smile. "No, sorry. I already have plans," he replied, his tone gentle yet firm.

Xinyi's arms crossed in a subtle display of disappointment, her lips forming a soft pout. "Oh, I see," she murmured, her eyes flickering with fleeting disappointment. "I wanted to treat Mr. Hero to a meal, but perhaps another time. Bye for now," she said, masking her disappointment with a casual wave before sauntering off.

Jingliu, who had been observing the exchange from a distance, felt a twinge of irritation at Xinyi's playful wink. It was a subtle gesture, yet it carried a weight of unspoken implications, leaving Jingliu to stew in a mix of curiosity and annoyance.

As the classroom emptied, leaving only Yasushi and Jingliu behind, he approached her with a casual air. "Ready to go?" he inquired, his voice carrying a hint of eagerness.

Jingliu met his gaze with a steady stare, her expression revealing the weight of responsibility. "We still have an hour of in-school service before we can leave," she reminded him, her tone tinged with a sense of duty.

Yasushi's brow furrowed in a moment of forgetfulness, his eyes widening in realization. "Ah, yes. I almost forgot about that," he admitted, a hint of resignation in his voice. "Well then, let's finish this task before we go," he concluded, a sense of duty settling over him as they prepared to fulfill their obligations.

+-+

Yasushi let out a faint sigh, his gaze drifting towards the daunting task that lay ahead. The expansive swimming pool stretched out before them, deserted except for the echo of their footsteps against the tiled floor. Today, it was their responsibility to clean it, the swim club having taken a rare day off.

"This is going to take more than an hour. We're in for a long haul," Yasushi remarked, his hand gripping a brush by his side.

Jingliu, her eyes scanning the vast expanse of water, nodded in agreement. "Yes, we're supposed to finish this today, aren't we?" she confirmed, seeking affirmation from Yasushi.

"That's the plan. They want everything in order for the club to resume its activities tomorrow, especially with the upcoming tournament," Yasushi explained, a trace of weariness in his voice. He let out another sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly. "You should go change, or at least put on something more suitable. We're going to get dirty doing this. There should be spare swimming gear for you."

"And what about you?" Jingliu questioned, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I managed to borrow swimming trunks from the teacher earlier since I didn't have mine. Anyway, start as soon as you're ready. There should be instructions by the pool," Yasushi directed, already heading towards a sheltered area to change into the borrowed attire, his steps quickening with a sense of purpose.

After changing into his borrowed swimming trunks, Yasushi strolled towards the pool steps, where Jingliu stood, her school uniform still clinging to her frame. Yasushi, clad only in his trunks, caught her attention, prompting a puzzled expression from Jingliu.

"Isn't it cold?" she inquired, her eyebrows arching in confusion.

Yasushi shook his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Not really. Ginsukimura has these special heaters running during winter, so it's like we can be in our underwear or even naked inside buildings," he explained casually. "Plus, there are indoor beaches and pools here, so we can still feel like it's summer despite the city's chilly facade."

His words sparked a glint of curiosity in Jingliu's eyes, her interest piqued by the idea. Sensing her intrigue, Yasushi continued, "How about we explore a few of these places? It's still early in winter, so it's not too cold yet, and the snow outside isn't too heavy." His suggestion hung in the air, inviting Jingliu to consider the possibility of escaping the winter chill within Ginsukimura's unique indoor summer sanctuaries.

Jingliu's eyes gleamed with excitement as she nodded eagerly in response to Yasushi's suggestion. His smile, warm and inviting, danced across his face as he spoke, "Then let's plan for that tomorrow, right after our one-hour service. But... why are you still in your school uniform?"

Caught off guard by the question, Jingliu blinked before responding, "My school swimsuit is underneath my school uniform."

Yasushi's understanding nod was accompanied by a thoughtful remark, "I did mention we might get a bit dirty during it, so we can use the showers. It might be better for you to take off your uniform now to avoid getting it messy."

Jingliu considered his words for a moment, her gaze fixed on him with a mix of curiosity and contemplation. Yasushi mirrored her expression, both of them lost in their own silent thoughts. Eventually, Jingliu acquiesced with a nod, peeling off her uniform to reveal her school's swimsuit underneath, a navy speedo.

His gaze briefly traced the curves of her figure before turning away, a silent acknowledgment of her voluptuous figure and ample assets. "I'll take care of the deep end; you start here. Use these cleaning supplies, and there are instructions to guide you on what to do and when," he instructed, his tone matter-of-fact as she nodded in understanding.

"I'll get started then," he announced, turning on his heel to begin his task.

"Have you done this before?" she inquired as Yasushi walked away, a note of curiosity in her voice.

"Yeah, something like that," he replied cryptically, making his way toward the deep end where his own set of supplies awaited him.

What he didn't reveal was his history — a memory buried beneath the surface of their interactions. Back in their first year, a foolish escapade by their classmates had resulted in a weekend punishment: cleaning the swimming pool. Those who dared skip faced harsh repercussions, a fact that ensured the entire class, including Yasushi, dutifully showed up to scrub the pool clean.

+-+

After two hours of relentless labor, they paused for a break. Yasushi returned bearing sandwiches and drinks from the cafeteria, approaching the bench where Jingliu sat, visibly dirty and drained. He offered her a sandwich and a drink, his expression a mix of amusement and concern.

"You look like you've been through a war. How's it feel to put in so much work after school?" he teased, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he observed her weary state.

Jingliu shot him a tired glare but accepted the sustenance he offered, her hunger overriding any other emotions as she dove into the meal without a word or glance in Yasushi's direction. The ravenous way she devoured the food hinted at her exhaustion and hunger, a silent testament to the physical toll of their efforts. Yasushi chuckled softly, joining her in the meal, sharing a moment of respite amidst their toil.

As they wrapped up their break, Jingliu rose from the bench, stretching her fatigued muscles. "I want us to finish this in two hours. The sun's setting, and I checked earlier; it'll be six in the evening soon," she remarked, a sense of urgency in her voice.

Yasushi joined her, nodding in agreement. "Sure thing. We're almost there; all that's left is to scrub the middle section, rinse it, and drain. Then we can call it a day," he explained, earning a satisfied grunt of approval from Jingliu.

"Let's get to it," Jingliu declared, her determination palpable as they dove back into their task. With methodical precision and swift movements, they tackled their work, each step bringing them closer to their goal.

As they neared the end of their labor, they converged in the middle, synchronized in their actions as they scrubbed away without hindering each other, a testament to their seamless teamwork.

Their brief respite from work was shattered when Yasushi accidentally collided his brush with Jingliu's, prompting an unamused glance from her. Without missing a beat, she retaliated, playfully bumping his brush in return, sparking a lighthearted brush fight between them. However, their playful banter was short-lived.

As Jingliu took a step forward, she lost her footing on the sudsy surface and began to teeter forward, a look of surprise flashing across her face. In a split second, Yasushi reacted, releasing his brush and lunging to catch her. He managed to break her fall, but in doing so, he too lost his balance and ended up slipping, his back hitting the ground as he slid down the pool's edge, a trail of suds following his descent.

The scene culminated in both of them sprawled in the dirty water, covered in suds and laughter bubbling up from their shared mishap. Amidst the chaos and absurdity of the moment, they found joy in their shared misfortune, laughter echoing across the empty pool as they reveled in the unexpected turn of events.

Yasushi's laughter subsided first, replaced by a pragmatic suggestion. "Let's... clean up. You go ahead; I'll take care of washing and draining the pool," he proposed, his tone tinged with a hint of responsibility.

Still chuckling, Jingliu nodded, slowly rising from the pool's edge and making her way towards the girl's changing room, Yasushi trailing behind her. As she disappeared into the sanctuary of showers, Yasushi set to work, swiftly rinsing away the lingering suds and initiating the pool's drainage system with a press of a button.

"Remarkable how technology has advanced in this world," he murmured to himself, a brief pause in his tasks as he surveyed the now mostly clean pool. "The rest can be handled by others; this should suffice," he concluded, satisfied with his efforts.

However, as Yasushi attempted to access the boy's changing room, he was met with a locked door, his brow furrowing in confusion. Hastening back to the pool's edge, he realized that the school had darkened, indicating that they were likely the only ones remaining, save for the janitor.

With a resigned sigh, Yasushi muttered to himself, "I'll... just..." His gaze drifted towards the girl's changing room, contemplating his options. Stepping closer to the door, he called out, "Jingliu!"

Jingliu peered out from the girl's changing room, her gaze meeting Yasushi's. "Yes? I haven't showered yet..." she replied, her tone curious yet hesitant.

Yasushi shifted uncomfortably, his unease evident as he posed his request. "The boy's changing room is locked... Do you think I could, you know, use the girls'?" he asked, a touch of apprehension in his voice.

There was a brief silence as Jingliu regarded Yasushi, her expression unreadable. Then, with a sudden decisiveness, she reached out and clasped his wrist. "Alright. Let's shower together," she declared, before pulling him into the girl's changing room without further hesitation.