Chapter 85: Swimming lessons(3)

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The whistle blew, and Aya and Mizuki dove into the water, a flurry of splashes and churning foam as they took off with surprising speed and intensity. ‘Whoa! What’s with them? Why are they so serious?!’

I’d been so preoccupied with my own swimsuit-related anxieties that I’d momentarily forgotten about their rivalry. I quickly followed them into the pool. I was a little worried about my swimming skills; it had been a year since I’d last swum as Kurosawa Rina. But as soon as I entered the water… it felt… natural.

‘…I feel so… light?’ I kicked off from the wall, my arms pulling, my legs kicking, my body gliding through the water with surprising ease, like a sled on smooth ice, a stark contrast to the other students, who seemed to be struggling against the resistance of the water.

‘…Is this… because I’m… flat-chested…?’

The thought stung, but I pushed it aside, reminding myself, ‘There’s no way I’m faster than Aya or Mizuki…’

So, I increased my speed, just a little, and then… my body shot forward, the water parting effortlessly, Aya and Mizuki, despite their competitive churning, receding in my wake.

‘Wait… am I… too fast…?’

A sudden surge of competitive spirit flared within me. ‘Alright! Let’s do this! It’s now or never!’ I pushed harder, the water a cool, refreshing caress against my skin, my movements growing stronger, more fluid, a rush of adrenaline sharpening my senses, and as I reached the far wall, turning smoothly to head back, I glanced at the adjacent lanes. No one. ‘…Am I… in first place?’

I couldn’t believe it, but I didn’t slow down, my body, as if guided by muscle memory, moving with a practiced ease, my strokes efficient and powerful, my breathing rhythmic, my every movement propelling me forward, the water a seamless extension of my own body. It was exhilarating.

I touched the wall at the other end, then surfaced, gasping for air, my lungs burning, and looked around… I was alone.

‘Huh? Where’s everyone? Aya? Mizuki?’ And then, two splashes erupted beside me, and Aya and Mizuki surfaced, their faces a mixture of surprise and… disbelief.

“Haa… haa… R-Rina…?”

“You’re already back…?” They’d been so focused on their own competition, they hadn’t noticed me. I chuckled awkwardly, scratching my head, slightly embarrassed by my unexpected victory. “Hee hee… I guess I’m a bit faster than I thought…?”

Mizuki’s jaw dropped. “Rina-tan, you’re amazing! You’re so fast!”

“I… I didn’t know… it just… happened…”, I mumbled, feeling a strange mix of pride and embarrassment. Just moments ago, I’d been mortified by the swimsuit, but now, I was slightly embarrassed by my own skill.

“Rina… don’t look so smug,” Aya said, a hint of playful annoyance in her voice, and Mizuki grinned, poking my side. “Rina-tan’s all confident now~! And she was so shy about her swimsuit earlier!”

We laughed, climbing out of the pool.

****

We repeated the freestyle laps three times, as instructed by the teacher. While I’d initially been nervous and embarrassed, I swam confidently, my body moving effortlessly through the water.

“Wow… Rina-tan, you’re amazing~!” Mizuki said, out of breath.

“I can’t keep up with you, Rina.” Even Aya admitted defeat.

“Hee hee!” I grinned, enjoying the praise, especially from Aya and Mizuki. After the last lap, the teacher clapped his hands, gathering our attention.

“Good work, everyone! Cool down in the water for the rest of the class.” We stretched and relaxed in the pool, the cool water soothing our tired muscles.

Time had flown by. I felt a pang of… something… disappointment, almost… as the whistle blew, signaling the end of class. Swimming… it had been surprisingly… enjoyable.

“Alright, everyone, out of the pool, showers, and then back to the classroom!”

“Yes, sensei!!” We climbed out of the pool and headed towards the showers.

The shower stalls, each one enclosed by frosted glass doors, with individual showerheads, were almost… luxurious, a stark contrast to the communal showers I’d been used to in Korea. I entered one of the stalls, placed my gym bag on the shelf, removed my swimsuit, and turned on the water.

Shhhhhhh—

The warm water, the rising steam… it was relaxing, soothing my tired muscles as I let my mind wander, replaying the events of the day. ‘That was… fun.’

The initial swimsuit embarrassment had faded, replaced by… a pleasant exhaustion as the tension drained from my body. And as I stood there, lost in thought, my gaze drifted towards the adjacent stall… and I froze.

‘…Is that… Aya…?!’

The frosted glass obscured the details, but the silhouette, illuminated by the bright lights, was unmistakable, the elegant curves of her body clearly visible through the translucent material: the graceful slope of her shoulders, the curve of her breasts, the slender line of her waist, the long, elegant lines of her hips and legs.

‘Ugh… this is too much…!’ I inwardly cringed, but I couldn’t look away, my gaze fixated on the alluring silhouette. Aya was always elegant, graceful, but this… this was… different.

‘…Beautiful…’ I thought, a small, involuntary smile playing on my lips, my face burning, my mind a hazy blur of… something. Even with my past life’s memories, this was… overwhelming. My past and present selves… why did they both like girls?

Aya was… so beautiful…

I felt something warm trickle down my nose. I wiped it with the back of my hand… red.

‘…A nosebleed…?!’ Seriously?! I was having a nosebleed because of… Aya. I quickly turned away, splashing cold water on my face, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop. ‘Calm down, Rina… no one will notice…!’

Shhhhhhh— I kept the water running, hoping the cold would stop the bleeding, my eyes closed, focusing on calming my racing heart. ‘I’m doomed… what am I going to do if this happens every time we have swimming lessons…?’ I made a mental note to never shower next to Aya again, but the image of her alluring silhouette, so close, so… tempting, lingered in my mind.

It had been a very… dangerous swimming lesson.

****

After finally regaining my composure, I changed back into my uniform and headed to the locker room with Aya and Mizuki. But as I was changing, a wave of dizziness washed over me.

“Ugh…” The room spun. Aya, noticing my swaying, placed a steadying hand on my shoulder, her voice filled with concern.

“Rina, you look pale. Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine… just a bit dizzy…” I forced a smile, but my legs felt weak.

“Are you sure? You look really pale,” Mizuki added, her concern evident, and I knew I couldn’t keep pretending. So, with their support, I stumbled towards the infirmary.

Lying on the infirmary bed, the nurse checked my pulse. “It’s anemia. Did you eat lunch?”

“I… I had a little…”

“And you probably exerted yourself during swimming class. Here, take this and rest for a bit.” She handed me an iron supplement, the metallic smell making my stomach churn. I swallowed it with a large gulp of water.

‘Ugh…’ I grimaced. I hadn’t even taken iron supplements when I had my period… and now, a nosebleed?

Aya… so beautiful…

I rested in the infirmary for a while, then, feeling slightly better, returned to the classroom. The swimming lesson incident seemed to have passed without further complications. Three weeks until finals. Summer at Takamari Academy was passing quickly, each day a mix of ordinary school life and the extraordinary reality of my relationship with Aya.