Chapter 83: Swimming lessons

Mizuki’s subdued mood persisted throughout the week. And then… it was P.E. class.

Changing into my gym clothes in the locker room was routine now, more of a chore than a source of excitement or embarrassment, especially since Mizuki, still in a low mood, hadn’t been teasing me lately. The day seemed to be progressing peacefully.

As we stood outside the gym, waiting for class to start, the P.E. teacher clapped his hands, announcing, “Alright, everyone, as you know, swimming lessons start next week. Make sure you have the school swimsuit. You can’t participate without it.”

A murmur rippled through the class, and I felt a twinge of… something… anxiety, anticipation.

‘Right, swimming lessons in the summer…’ We didn’t have swimming lessons in the summer in Korea; it was usually just self-study time, or we’d do other sports. But here… especially at a school like Takamari, bound by the traditions and routines of the novel… I had to follow the curriculum.

‘Swimming lessons… Mizuki and Aya… in school swimsuits…?’ The thought, and the images it conjured, especially considering their… figures, made my face burn.

‘No, no! Stop it, Kurosawa Rina!’ I glanced at Mizuki, who was listening to the teacher’s announcement with a strangely… troubled expression. She still seemed to be in a low mood.

My gaze drifted to Aya, who met my eyes and smiled faintly, as if she’d read my thoughts. “…Rina, your face is red. What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing…” Aya, as always, seemed unfazed, and Mizuki, beside her, finally smiled, her usual playful self returning.

“Rina-tan wears her heart on her sleeve~” she teased, and I blushed even harder, grateful for Mizuki’s return to normalcy, even if it meant more teasing.

Swimming lessons… I was worried. My past life memories were still so strong… seeing girls in swimsuits… would I… react inappropriately?

****

That evening, as soon as I got home, I asked my mother, “Mom, do I have a… school swimsuit?”

“A school swimsuit? The Takamari one? I don’t think we bought one.”

“Ah… right…” So I’d have to buy a new one. I couldn’t just reuse my old one from Hinamizuka Middle School. That one was brighter, more colorful, unlike the typical navy blue school swimsuit, the “sukumizu.”

“Don’t they sell them at the school convenience store?”

“Oh… right!” The convenience store most of my classmates frequented. I hadn’t been there since… well, never, actually. Aya and Mizuki seemed to avoid it, preferring the quieter convenience store outside of school, and I, tagging along with them, hadn’t had a reason to go. They both disliked crowds.

****

The next day, during lunch. “Um… could you two come to the school convenience store with me during lunch? I need to buy a swimsuit…”

Aya thought for a moment, then nodded. “…Now that you mention it, mine’s a bit small. I should get a new one too.”

Mizuki, who had been leaning back in her chair, her chin resting on her hand, grumbled,

“Ugh~ our school swimsuits are so boring~. I wish they were cuter~”. But then she stood up, walked over, and linked arms with me, a playful grin on her face. “But for Rina-tan~! I’ll gladly accompany you~!”

I was relieved. Mizuki seemed to be back to her usual self. I didn’t know the details of what had transpired between her and Hina; the novel hadn’t delved into the specifics of their interactions.

But Mizuki’s mood had definitely improved.

After lunch, we headed to the convenience store inside the school. It was my first time there. While the upscale restaurant had been intimidating in its elegance, the convenience store was… surprisingly ordinary.

‘I’ve gotten so used to Takamari’s extravagance… I’m surprised by a normal convenience store…’

“This place is always crowded,” Mizuki commented, frowning slightly at the throng of students milling around the entrance, most of them, like us, there to buy swimsuits for the upcoming swimming lessons.

“Sorry… Mizuki.”

“It’s okay~! Anything for Rina-tan~!”

We entered the store, and there they were, the school swimsuits, neatly packaged in plastic, hanging on a rack. The typical navy blue “sukumizu,” so often depicted in anime and manga.

“…” I was supposed to wear this?

I hesitated, a strange mix of reluctance and anxiety washing over me. I remembered imagining Aya and Mizuki in swimsuits… My face burned, and I quickly looked away. ‘Seriously, I’m not a teenage boy…’

“Rina-tan, having trouble choosing a size?” Mizuki’s teasing voice startled me.

“You’re petite, so~ maybe a small? Or… maybe a medium?” she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“N-No! A medium should be fine…! My gym clothes are medium.”

“Hmm~ that’s the same size Aya wore in middle school~”, she said, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Just then, Aya interjected, “Mizuki, stop teasing her. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

“Aw~ where’s the fun in that? Aya-ring doesn’t have to worry about sizes, since she’s an XL~”

“…Ugh,” Aya mumbled, her face, even her ears, flushing crimson. It was rare to see her so flustered. She quickly grabbed a swimsuit with an XL tag and turned away. “Don’t… say things like that out loud…”

“Hee hee, sorry, sorry~” Mizuki grinned, picking up a size L swimsuit, and I slowly reached for a medium.

Mizuki leaned closer, whispering in my ear, “Rina-tan, is your face red because you’re imagining me and Aya-ring in our swimsuits~?”

“Whaa?! N-No way!” I covered my face with my hands, my cheeks burning, and Mizuki giggled, then darted towards the cashier. I pouted, but I wasn’t really angry.

I glanced at Aya, who was pointedly covering the XL tag on her swimsuit. “Should we pay?”

“…Yeah.”

We walked towards the cashier, hand in hand, the convenience store crowded with students during the lunch rush. We waited patiently in line. Stepping outside, the summer heat felt even more oppressive. I couldn’t… I couldn’t imagine Aya or Mizuki wearing… that.

“…Rina, your face is red. Are you okay?” Aya asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

“I-I’m fine! Really!” It wasn’t because I was imagining them in swimsuits! Definitely not!

****

Back at home, I ripped open the packaging of the swimsuit and tossed it onto my bed. “Ugh…” I was supposed to wear that.

Honestly, even the girls’ uniform, the skirts, the frilly clothes… they all felt… slightly strange, a lingering discomfort from my past life as a male.

But this… this was on a different level. The swimsuit was the final boss, a five-star difficulty level.

But I had to try it on, to check the size, to see how it… worked. I carefully removed my uniform and, before changing into my pajamas, put on the swimsuit. There was… a thin white liner… in the bottom part… it seemed to double as underwear… and there were small pads in the chest area…

So I was supposed to wear it… without underwear? That made sense; wearing underwear under a swimsuit would be… weird. Wasn’t it even in the school rules? I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, removed my underwear, then pulled the swimsuit up, the smooth, stretchy fabric clinging to my skin, adjusting the straps, positioning the chest pads…

“…Ugh.”

And then I opened my eyes, and the sight in the mirror… took my breath away.

“Uh… uhm…” My face burned. The dark navy blue fabric clung to my body, revealing every curve, every contour, and the name tag on the chest… it was mortifying. Wasn’t this… for little kids? Had I chosen the wrong size?

It looked so normal, so cute, on other girls… why did I feel so exposed? I stared at my reflection, then quickly turned away, my face burning, unable to bear the sight. ‘I really… have to wear this next week…?’

Mizuki and Aya… in this… The thought made my face burn even hotter, and I slapped my cheeks lightly, trying to snap myself out of it.

“Calm down, Rina. It’s just… girls…” I muttered to myself, but it didn’t help.