'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
"...": Text to speech
In the blink of an eye, the promised day came the start of the last event of the summer vacation.
Today, the usual club pool venue appeared vastly transformed. The area was bustling with many students, and numerous food stands had sprouted everywhere. These vendors mainly served quick bites, commonly referred to as junk food.
Hot dogs, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and other similar foods were at the school event. Surprisingly, the senior students were in charge of it all. Some severe students smiled while they worked, and some happily worked away. There was a diverse range of students present at the event.
"Kagu-kun!" I recognized the voice.
I heard Ichihashi click her tongue, "I can't believe you're hiding the eye candy."
"Oh, great... It's starting," Mori deadpanned.
"Do not pretend you don't want to see Kagu-kun's muscles. After all, didn't you want to see him with his shirt off?"
I look at Mori, causing her face to turn red, "No...! That was you!"
"Oh, right... That was me," Ichihashi smirked, "What do you think of my swimsuit?"
'It looks nice on you.'
"What a nice display of flattery," Ichihashi smiled.
"Aren't you going swimming?" Mori asked.
I shook my head, 'I'm here for the food.'
"I got something you can eat," Ichihashi smiled seductively.
Mori karate-chopped Ichihashi's side, "Agh! My spleen!"
"I'm sorry about this idiot," Mori mumbled.
"Hey, Kagurazaka-kun," I turned and saw Onodera and Azuma.
"You look nice in your rash guard, Kagurazaka-kun," Azuma smiled gently.
'Thanks.'
"How does it feel being surrounded by beauties?" Ichihashi asked, getting closer to me.
'I feel fine.'
"I want a better reaction than that," Ichihashi hugged my arm, placing it between her breasts.
Soft...
Mori karate-chopped Ichihashi's side, "Ack! You hit me in the same spot!" Ichihashi released me.
"You better watch out, Kagu-kun. Nene-chan might be feisty in the bedroom," Ichihashi remarked.
You're asking to get hit because Mori was staring straight at her. I couldn't tell if Mori's face was red because of anger or embarrassment.
Mori started chasing Ichihashi, leaving me, Onodera, and Azuma alone.
~Timeskip~
Onodera, Azuma, and I decided to take a look around.
"What's going on over there?" Azuma asked, pointing at a large crowd.
'Volleyball tournament.'
"It looks like the first-years of Class B and Class C are playing against each other," Azuma said.
On the side, five first-year girls played volleyball while one rested with a blanket, "Is she sleeping?" Onodera sweatdropped.
Azuma and I nodded.
"Hey! Sana-chan! Kayano-chan!" A cheerful voice grabbed our attention. Nishimura Ryuuko seems to be running toward us.
Following behind her were Mori, Ichihashi, and Ishikura Kayoko, someone I hadn't talked to.
"Want to play volleyball with us?" Nishimura asked.
"I don't mind joining," Onodera answered.
"The same applies to me, but I'm not good," Azuma said.
"I prefer a different kind of physical activity," Ichihashi smirked, looking at me.
It seemed Mori understood what she meant because she raised her hand slowly.
~Timeskip~
"You challenged... Class A?!" Ishikura was in a state of shock.
"It'll be fine," Nishimura reassured her.
"We are going to die," Ishikura fell to her knees.
"Don't worry, we need to try our hardest to win!" Onodera cheered.
A whistle blows as the referee calls on Class D's team to enter the field.
"Hey," Andou greeted me.
"Yo, Kagurazaka-kun," Minamikita greeted me.
I waved at them.
"Were you watching the match? I bet you were enjoying the view," Andou winked.
'I enjoyed it. You did a good job playing.'
"Yeah, but I wish we won," Andou said.
"Eh, we tried our hardest," Minamikita said.
I brought my attention to Class A's and D's match.
"I got it!" The Class A setter receives a pass, setting the ball high in the air.
The sleepy player glanced at the ball before rubbing her eyes. Despite her grogginess, she quickly reached the net and jumped up. Her blanket, draped around her petite frame, resembled wings as she soared. With a powerful hit, she spiked the ball, sending it hurtling towards the ground.
I think Ishikura was onto something about dying.
"What did I witness?" Andou stared in shock.
"A murder is about to happen," Minamikita answered nonchalantly.
Well, it was nice knowing you girls. I pray you to survive this encounter against a human-sized cannon.
Amongst the cheers, the girl lets out a big yawn before wrapping her blanket around herself again.
~Timeskip~
Yeah... Class D wouldn't stand a chance against Class A, who had a tired girl with a cannon.
I learned that the girl's name is Fukuyama Shinobu.
"Okay... maybe I was being a bit optimistic," Nishimura sheepishly smiled.
"You think?" Ishikura glared at Nishimura, who let out an awkward chuckle.
"At least we put up a fight!" Onodera wiped the sweat off her forehead.
"Speak for yourself..." Azuma grumbled.
She was targeted the most...
"Are you okay, Ruri-san?" She crouched down, poking the girl.
"My body wasn't meant for this kind of physical activity..." Ichihashi complained, trying to catch her breath.
She's fine if she can make a joke like that.
~Timeskip~
"What's up, dude?" Someone punched my shoulder.
I saw Nishino wearing a cute bikini.
'The sky.'
"Ha. Ha. Funny... but seriously... It's been a while since we've talked," Nishino said.
'That's true.'
"What have you been up to?" She asked.
'You know... surviving.'
"Sounds lame. Want to get some food?" She asked.
I nodded.
Nishino and I went to one of the food stands and got something to eat. Going over to a secluded area, we started eating our meal.
"So, what's with the rash guard?" Nishino asked.
'I want to wear one.'
"Don't want to show off your muscular body?" Nishino teased me.
'You need to pay me money.'
Nishino burst out laughing, "Damn, you would be rich."
I raised an eyebrow as Nishino explained, "Even with a rash guard, you can tell you have a toned body."
'Already been molested by a couple of girls.'
"Oh, poor you," she said sarcastically.
'It is sad for me,' I continue eating until I'm finished.
I noticed a certain silver-haired girl reading a book alone in the bleachers.
I got up, "You're leaving me."
'Aren't you the cute lone wolf?'
Nishino laughed, "I can't believe you remember that."
Nishino calmed down, "You're damn right I am!" Nishino smirked.
"Go on, this cute wolf will be okay!" Nishino gave me a thumbs-up.
Bleachers
I made my way into the bleachers and tapped on Shiina's shoulder. She turned her head, and her eyes lit up, "Hello, Kagurazaka-kun! Are you here to read with me?"
I nodded.
"Perfect," she closed the book she had before pulling out a different one, "You'll enjoy this one."
I sat down beside her. While we were reading, she spoke, "Umm... I need to ask... Have you been avoiding me?"
I turned to look at her, tilting my head. I was confused about why she thought I was avoiding her.
'No, aren't we reading buddies?'
She seemed to perk up and vigorously nod, "Yes!"
'Why would you think I'm ignoring you?'
"Well..." A blush started to form, "On the cruise ship... we slept on the same bed..."
Oh, right... that happened.
I shook my head, 'A lot of things were happening at the time...'
"I heard about that," she seemed to panic, "I didn't believe the rumors if you're thinking that did!"
'I wasn't thinking that,' I sweatdropped.
"Enough talking," Shiina said, "Let's get back to reading!"
~Timeskip~
I lost track of time of how long I was reading with Shiina. It should be the afternoon right now.
"Hello, Kagurazaka-kun. I wanted to thank you for getting Rika-san out of her room," I turned my head to the voice.
It was Yabu as she smiled gently.
'How is she doing?'
"She's slowly getting better," Yabu said, "I don't know what you said to her, but it seemed to work."
"Come on, shy princess! I believe in you!" I could hear Yamashita yelling.
"Stop with the stupid nicknames!" I heard Manabe complain.
"Never!" Yamashita yelled before dragging a shaking Morofuji over.
"Hello," Yamashita waved.
Manabe followed behind with an annoyed expression, "Oh, great... It's you."
'Why are you mean to me?'
"Because I hate you," Manabe deadpanned.
Yamashita wagged a finger, "Typical tsundere."
Manabe grabbed Yamashita's face and started pulling her cheeks, "I'm getting tired of you calling me that!"
"Have mercy on this fair maiden!"
Yabu giggled at the interaction.
"H-Hello, Kagurazaka-kun..." Morofuji said, avoiding eye contact.
'How are you feeling?'
"I'm... doing better..." She shyly answered.
We could hear a wave of cheers rising, "They're being rowdy," Manabe said.
A person and a ball fluttered toward the sky as a spike violently hit the opponent's court. They appeared to be playing volleyball in the pool.
One is a standard pool you can swim in whenever you like. One of them is something like a flowing pool. Finally, the last one is a pool geared towards amusement and is a sports-use pool. It seems to have a transparent court that you could stand on. Currently, a competitive volleyball round is taking place in the sports pool. A crowd of girls surrounds the area, most unfamiliar to me.
We got a closer look, and there were Ayanokouji, Horikita, and a few others from Class D, and Ichinose, Kanzaki, and Shibata.
"He's amazing," Sudou praised.
There was a male student with a conspicuous aura. At first glance, that slender composition of his would seem delicate. But on his body, one could see a six-pack. But what stands out most of all from him is the blonde hair that flows gently whenever he moves intensely and the extremely prepared look on his features. And it seems most of the female students, too, had their eyes stolen away entirely by this handsome man.
"That's the type of guy I hate the most. It's not like he's that talented or putting in that much effort. He's just in the winning camp because of his good looks," Ike said venomously.
"I don't want to agree with the pervert, but it seems like a douchebag," Manabe muttered.
"Things are getting quite lively, aren't they? He alone rules over that place."
"It looks like it. I don't know what year he is in."
"That man is the 2nd year Class A's Nagumo-senpai. He's extremely popular amongst girls," Kushida explained.
"Nagumo..."
"The current vice-president and the man who will become the student council president next year. He's brilliant," Ichinose said.
So, he's one of the people that were asking about me...
As we conversed, Ichinose overheard Nagumo's name and responded. When Ichinose mentioned the "Student Council," Horikita, who stood beside me, reacted subtly. Whenever Nagumo made a move or showcased his abilities, high-pitched screams of excitement filled the air. Although other matches co-occurred in the pools, most girls only had their eyes fixed on Nagumo.
"Despite his popularity, I don't know him at all. Do you feel the same way, Ayanokouji-kun? While he may have impressive physical abilities, they don't seem all that remarkable compared to his level of popularity. The student council president would far exceed him in this aspect." Horikita said.
Please leave it to Horikita to say something bold.
"Yes, the student council president is amazing, so there's that. In this school's history, the current student council president can almost be said to be the most talented one ever. He has the same last name as you, Horikita-san, doesn't he?"
"It seems so, yes."
Thank you for pointing out the obvious.
It seems she has no intention of answering here, but Horikita shrugs it off.
"There are rumors that he is just as capable as the student council president. President Horikita and Vice-President Nagumo competed for the position during last year's elections for student council president. Vice-President Nagumo was said to have held his own despite being a first-year student then," Ichinose said.
"Watch out!" Someone yelled.
Ayanokouji's POV
We turned our heads in unison toward the voice, only to see a high-speed ball approaching in our direction.
It was heading toward a tired girl with a blanket. Wait, why does she have a blanket at the pool?
"Fukuyama-san!" Ichinose yelled.
Kagurazaka was the closest to Fukuyama when he grabbed her with his left hand, pulling her to the side. He managed to catch the approaching breakneck-speed ball.
A loud snapping sound reverberated around the place as Kagurazaka held the ball.
The cheerful pool became dead quiet from the spectacle.
"Nice catch, kouhai," Nagumo walked over to Kagurazaka, "Could I have the ball back... Kagurazaka-kun."
Nagumo's smile was malicious while he stared at Kagurazaka.
The atmosphere felt tense as Kagurazaka stared back at him.
"Do you know him, Kagurazaka?" I asked.
I was curious about if he knew who Nagumo was.
Kagurazaka shook his head.
"Hmm, not much of a talker, huh? Want to join us in a friendly game of volleyball?" He asked.
~Timeskip~
I can't believe I got dragged into this by Sudou and Kanzaki... Why must I suffer?
I'm standing on the volleyball court with Sudou, Hirata, Kanzaki, Shibata, and Kagurazaka, facing off against Nagumo and five second-years.
Two people acted as referees, one first-year and second-year. Unfortunately, the first-year student was already sleeping on the job before the match began.
"I'll let you serve first," Nagumo said, tossing the ball over the net.
Kagurazaka was the one to catch the ball, making his way back to serve.
"Wipe that smug grin off that douchebag's face!" Someone yelled.
Kagurazaka gently tossed the ball into the air before running and jumping.
A loud snapping sound could be heard, and the ball turned into a heat-seeking missile.
Everyone was rendered speechless as they tried to process what happened. Nagumo and his team didn't move as they were in a state of shock.
3rd POV
"Mori-san..." I said.
"What is it?" Mori asked, staring in disbelief.
"That was hot," Ichihashi smirked.
Mori sighed, "You're hopeless..."
"Holy shit, did you see that?!" Andou said, shaking Minamikita.
"I did."
'Kukuku, what a freak,' Ryuuen thought.
'It looks like you're more dangerous than I realized,' Katsuragi thought.
Ayanokouji's POV
"Point to the first years," Fukuyama announced.
I'm not surprised that the sound woke her up. It was loud.
"Hell yeah!" Sudou seemed fired up.
Nagumo and his team adjusted their positions as Kagurazaka served the ball.
He used the same style as last time but hit it a bit softer. When the ball crossed the net, the ball dropped.
The student tried to react, but he was unable to save it.
"Point to the first years," Fukuyama announced.
The score was 2-0, with us up by two points.
~Timeskip~
Hirata and Shibata rubbed their sore arms, having to pass and block a lot. Meanwhile, Sudou and Kanzaki were panting heavily, putting in the work.
Kagurazaka seemed to be slightly sweating, and the same goes for me.
I was supposed to be the setter, but Nagumo has made it his mission to spike the ball at me. Kagurazaka wasn't safe from Nagumo's spiking either.
Nagumo was getting frustrated with me and Kagurazaka saving every spike.
"Go, Kagurazaka-kun! You can do it!"
Would you look at that? Kagurazaka has a small fan club.
"Let's go, Hirata-kun!" Hirata's harem is cheering him on.
"Let's go, guys!" Well, at least Ike, Yamauchi, and the other guys are cheering for us.
"You're doing great, Ayanokouji-kun!" Shibata said, wiping sweat off his forehead.
"It's beginner's luck," I answered.
"Is it, though?" Kanzaki asked.
"Yes."
"You seemed to be accustomed to volleyball," Kanzaki told Kagurazaka.
'I watched volleyball before.'
"Of course, you would answer that," Kanzaki said.
"Come on, guys! They are serving," Sudou was laser-focused.
The score was tied 23-23.
One of the upper-level students served the ball, sending it barely over the net.
Shibata managed to dive and save the ball. It would be veered over to the other side when Kagurazaka jumped and set the ball.
He dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way. Sudou ran and jumped into the air, spiking the ball.
It was out of bounds...
"Damn it..." Kagurazaka patted Sudou on the back.
Nagumo had a cruel smirk for some reason.
The same second-year student served the ball, and it was with the same result. This time, Kagurazaka dove and saved the ball.
It went veering over the net, where Nagumo was ready and waiting. He jumped and seemed to be aiming his spike at Kagurazaka, still lying on the ground.
Nagumo spiked the ball...
Kagurazaka made a last-second decision. He dove a bit forward while on the ground.
The ball made an impact against his back, but the ball was in the air.
"It's still live!" Sudou yelled.
Hirata ran, dove, and hit the ball into the air while Sudou spiked the ball.
It was a point to us. The score was tied at 24-24.
Hirata was serving the ball, sending it barely over the net. A second-year dove for it, sending it back to us.
Kanzaki hit the ball up, passing for me to set it. I attempted to put the ball, but I fumbled it.
Kagurazaka was already moving to correct my setting mistake.
He spiked the ball...
Exclamations of "Oh my god" and "He hit the Vice-President in the face" filled the court.
Nagumo laughed it off, "I'm fine, everyone!" His eyes landed on Kagurazaka, "That was a nice spike."
In response...
Kagurazaka flipped him off.
Gasps could be heard from the crowd.
"What a rude first-year!" Someone from the crowd said.
Murmurs started to break out, but Nagumo flashed an innocent smile, "It's alright! It doesn't bother me."
Nagumo's eyes were filled with hatred as Kagurazaka stared back at him.
Nagumo slightly stumbled. It looks like the spike to the face did a bit more damage.
We were up by one point, and we could finish the game. An intense rally began.
Kanzaki dove for the ball, and I set the ball. Kagurazaka jumped into the air as two upperclassmen attempted to block it.
Kagurazaka had nowhere to spike, but he still spiked.
"Out," the second-year said.
"In," Fukuyama announced.
Well, this is making things interesting. It looks like the referees are disagreeing.
The second-year student glared at Fukuyama while she yawned in response.
"It grazed his arm while he blocked," Fukuyama said, pointing at the second-year student.
There was a distinct red mark on the student's arm.
"It would still be a point for the first years because Kagurazaka-kun didn't touch the net," Fukuyama said.
"End of the game," Fukuyama announced, "The winner is the first-years.
We won the game with the score ending at 26-24.
There was silence for a moment before cheers broke out, with Class D being the loudest.
"Fuck yeah!" Sudou seemed the most excited.
Hirata gave me a high-fived while Kanzaki and Shibata fistbumped.
Kagurazaka sat down on the court.
~Timeskip~
Kagurazaka's POV
After the game of volleyball, I was feeling slightly tired.
"Kagu-kun, you did an amazing job!" Ichihashi made her way over to me with a few other girls.
"Kagurazaka-kun, you need to join the volleyball club," Andou said, seeming determined for me to join.
I shook my head.
"Got shut down immediately," Minamikita commented, giggling.
"It didn't hurt to try," Andou shrugged.
"Might I add that you looked hot while you were playing," Ichihashi smirked seductively.
Mori was about to hit her until I stopped her. I faced Ichihashi before picking her up.
She gasped, "Oh my, will you take me before everyone?"
I stopped at the ledge of the pool before throwing her in.
There was a splash before she surfaced, "Mmm, I like it when you're rough," she said without a hint of shame.
I felt a tap on my shoulder, causing me to turn around. Fukuyama stood swaying from side to side while she was drowsy.
A tired smile appeared on her face, "Thank you... for protecting... me... zzz..." She fell asleep while standing.
"Oh, that's another one," I looked back at Ichihashi, and she was smiling.
~Timeskip~
It was evening when someone approached me, "Hello, kouhai."
It was a beautiful and charming young girl with long platinum blonde hair and crimson eyes.
"Do you mind chatting with this beautiful woman?" She smirked.
Oh, this is the narcissist...
I nodded.
She got closer, "I'm the beautiful and amazing Kiryuuin Fuuka. Let me tell you something, Kagurazaka-kun."
"You caught my interest, especially your display at volleyball," Kiryuuin's smirk widened.
She traced her finger down my chest, leaning in close, "I hope you can continue keeping my interest."
"Show me what you got," she whispered.
What have I got myself into?
References for Nishimura's, Ishikura's, and Fukuyama's looks
Nishimura Ryuuko
~~~
Ishikura Kayoko
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Fukuyama Shinobu