Chapter 5 Part VI

Upon closing hours, Ichinose suggested going back before it became crowded which everyone agreed on. While the others were preparing themselves, I secretly snuck out to the poolside waiting for my visitor.

"Ah, I'm tired..."

Soon, Karuizawa appeared slapping my back.

"Good work, how was it?"

"It was as you said. I'm feeling really disgusted about it."

"Don't say that. You could say it's the hot blood of youth flying off the handle."

Karuizawa, who stood beside me, made a sound as if vomiting then gave a look at her surroundings.

"So how was it? Been a long time since you last went to the pool?"

"It's nothing, really. I don't really feel anything but..."                  

She examined the area once more worryingly.

"Even though it's a lie, I'm still seeing Hirata-kun. If I'm seen alone with you, weird rumours may start spreading, you know."

"Really? If I was as handsome as Hirata that may be so, though sadly to say, my presence is pretty bleak. We probably look like one of the groups who came to play at the pool."

This wasn't a situation where a boy and a girl being together would mean something suspicious. It would be different if it was evening at a bench nobody frequented. Since it was crowded it was easy to blend in. By the way, Hirata, who acted as the boyfriend, was nowhere to see at the pool. Probably busy with the club. I don't know about the soccer club practises but from what I've heard, he is one active guy.

"We were allowed to wear rash guards today, you saw some here and there, right?"

"Well, yeah. But are you alright with the money for this? Wasn't it expensive?"

"It's necessary expenses after all."

Karuizawa reached out her hand so I casually gripped it. I felt the hard texture of something on my palm. The whole ordeal didn't last more than one second.

"What are you planning?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you different from the others, you could have enjoyed your happy little youth if you let it go, right"          

I see. So we are moving the topic to what I was holding in my hand.

"Firstly, I have to make sure the class isn't disadvantaged for now. Even if it's a small thing, it may lead to mistrust between each other. That's what I want to avoid."                              

That's why I called her here. Letting her enjoy the pool was also one of my aims.

"Did you invite someone else today?"

"It's just me now. There were two others, but I had them disperse to have fun."                      

"A good call."

I began walking by the poolside. She hurried after me.

"Are you aiming for class A then?"

"You not interested?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Points are always good to have and I'd be happy to land a job but…"

With her hands in her pockets, she kicked the air.

"I'm not very interested in fighting those guys from class C, I think."

If she was to face them again, the memory of that incident will resurface, thus making her unable to show her true potential, unless the curse binding her is lifted.    

"I want to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"I don't know what the next exam will entail, but I will be preparing the arrangements for a certain plan."        

"Arrangements?"

While walking, blending in with the surroundings, I put the unusually important things into words. I haven't even told Horikita about it.

"To expel someone."

"——What?"

She froze for a second, maybe from not quite understanding what I said. Realising that I didn't stop, she hurried after me.

"W-wait, what did you mean by that?!"

"Exactly what I said. I'm going to force the expulsion of a first year. The idealistic ones would be those three girls who know about your past. If that won't work, then someone else. If that's impossible then—"

"T-then?"

"Then some useless humans from class D."

"You even understand what you are saying? It's not easy to expel someone in the first place."

"Is that so? Not really. I have such a way available to me right now."

I clenched my fist, making her turn her attention to it.            

"You mean, that what it was for…?"

"Depending on the situation I could get the expulsion in a swipe. Right?"

"B-but, wait a bit. How did it come to this? Didn't you make every effort to save him earlier?"

I did indeed rescue him from his expulsion crisis. But that was in the past when I didn't need to aim for class A. I'm preparing to make my way, even though it may be temporarily, to that class. Which means cutting away the useless existences is mandatory. As Horikita once told me.

"Even after saving Sudou, you are going to kick him off?"

"Nah, not Sudou. A human with his physical strength is important for the class."

There aren't many students in the other classes that have physical abilities comparable to him. Kouenji aside, Sudou, with his high potential, is an important existence.

"What will happen to our class points if someone is expelled…?"

"Well of course, the best option would be to expel someone from the other classes."

Though having said that, if someone from our class gets expelled, the rest would work their hardest to not undergo the same treatment. That wouldn't exactly be bad either.                

"You are horrible you know?"

"You should know that already, right?"

"…Well yeah."

I threatened her, my actions even approached rape. I don't think she has a good impression of me.

"How about consulting Hirata?"

"I wonder about that. Hirata isn't someone I can fully trust as of now."

"Eh?"

"You know about his past?"

"Ah, yes. He told me about it when I talked about my past. His friend commited suicide, right?"      

Indeed. He told me the story, as if he was regretting or repenting. That was probably true.

"In that case, did his friend's suicide lead him to become a defective student and end up in class D?"

"Eh——?"

"That wouldn't be the reason for a smart and popular person like him to end up in our class."

It would have been understandable if he had lots of absences and low grades like Karuizawa, but I haven't heard anything like that of him. No traces of it either. Thus I can't trust him at this stage.

"So that's why you asked my about my past yesterday…"

"To assess Hirata's situation. A trauma in the past doesn't equal a seat in class D."            

After confirming that with Karuizawa I was convinced she was a trustworthy person. The problem is with Hirata. He would be very difficult to deal with. I have no idea if he speaks the truth or lies so I have to figure him out discreetly.

"You are really extracting answers from me when you don't even tell me anything."        

"Hmm?"

"You are not normal either. Something must have happened to you as well, that's what I think."

"Not really."

"That's a lie."

Nothing. There was no bullying like in her case, there was no attempted suicide like Hirata's beloved friend either.

"I know it from looking at your eyes. You can even kill people without hesitation, that's what I feel from you."

"So violent. Nothing that dramatic happened in my past either."

It was truly nothing. So little I cannot even talk about it. Just a "Pure White" existence. Her eyes was gripping onto me as she watched me. She was probably quite interested in the continuation. There was no doubt that holding onto this would affect the later events.    

However—. What are you going to do with it? As if to answer the feelings behind this question, I clenched my fist even harder. The plastic made a screeching sound as it was bent and mangled.

"W-what?"

I went to a garbage bin close by and threw away the plastic bits.

"I won't expel anyone from class D. I need to go back to my group. Thanks for today."

"That's fine too, I guess…"

"Let's return then."

It was approaching the closing hours and the students were flowing out from the changing rooms. Which group you belonged to influenced when you left. The group returning before closing hours like Ichinose, the group that returned once the time was up or the group leaving right before it closed. I wonder which group is the fastest.

We were, on the other hand, seeing the leaving back of the students off. After a while, there were none left except for the pool lifeguards.  

"Not leaving yet?"

"You know the answer already so why ask? I have some circumstances on my own to consider when changing."

She said, in a bit frustrated tone, as she patted her jacket on the part that hid the scar. She couldn't show this to anyone. That's why she couldn't use the congested changing rooms. That being said, she couldn't go home without changing. Thus being the last to change was the only solution.

"You can swim in that competition swimsuit, right?"

There would be no need to worry about her scar drawing attention.

"It looks so lame so that's impossible, no way! I already hate it when we have to wear it during lessons, why do I have wear it during my spare time too, so lame."

Seems the girls have their own kind of hardships to consider. For Karuizawa who feared dropping in the class caste system, a swimsuit that showed little was a necessity.

"You like swimming?"

"Ha? Well, I don't exactly hate it."

In that case she could at least swim.

"How about taking a swim? There are nobody here except for the lifeguards and they are busy cleaning up."

She probably aware of the congestion so she wouldn't blame me for it immediately.

"I'm fine…"

"Come on."

"As I said… I'm fine already!"

"You will be fine being seen with that swimsuit of yours."

"That's not the problem, why do I have to show you my swimsuit…?"

It seems that was her problem. In that case, should I use a more forceful method to let her swim?

"That's an order."

Once those words came out, she glared harshly at me.

"You really are the worst, I hate you!"

"You decide on whether to obey or not, which would it be?"

"...okay then."

She unwillingly followed my forceful order. Her lips pouting in dissatisfaction. She removed her rash guard and left it on a chair. I looked at her swimsuit appearance. She was standing with her back facing me, not intending to turn around.

"Maybe I will have to wear this swimsuit for the rest of my life…"

She couldn't use the other kinds even if she liked them. Her scar would draw attention and she feared she would be asked about it. I moved close to her and forcibly grabbed her arm.

"W-wa, wait!?"

Then I pulled her towards the pool and pushed her into the water. Splash! The water sprayed. A lifeguard heard the splash and came towards us with a megaphone in his hand.

"We are closing! Please leave now!"

"Puhaa! What are you doing!"

As the angry face of a girl surfaced, I gave her my hands.

"Did you have fun?"

"You think being pulled into the water is fun?"

She grabbed my hand without hesitation. Then she pulled me towards her, in other words, into the water. I didn't resist, I just let her pull me down. Even so, I made sure to not crash into her as I fell. The even bigger splash would surely be enough to enrage the lifeguards even more. Watching the lifeguards rushing in, Karuizawa laughed. She then caught sight of me surfacing and then pushed me down, sinking me into the water again. I think it was very childish even for me, but seeing her smiling face for just a little moment made me think it was worth it after all.