"SWIMMING, huh." Ayanokouji quietly said as all five of us are walking towards a big yet empty pool. It's been exactly 56 minutes since our game.
He does say it as if he's excited or anything. But more like he kinda already know the outcome... Speaking of which...
It's weird that he didn't win. Of course it's not that I've played Volleyball like that, I just adapted to the playstyle. Ayanokouji, though at first as bad and gotten better, didn't seem to be exerting all of his force.
It's like he wasn't really trying to win the game.
"You sound like you're a bit cocky eh boy?" Benson...
Okay this is getting annoying.
"Yo, what are your names?" I asked.
Benson and Alex both look at me with the faces of 'Took him that long huh?'
"I'll start myself." Benson started. "Name's Endo."
Benson, now Endo, points to Alex who's name still isn't..named.
"I'm Inoue, pleasure to meet ya!"
He seems like an Inoue type of person.
"Anyway here's the pool guys." Endo stated
Oh yeah it's a big pool for sure.
Since me and Ayanokouji have already changed and really only have shorts and sandals on, there's wasn't a reason to change. However both Ebdo and Inoue said that they'll quickly go to the bathroom.
"Didn't ask for names huh." Ayanokouji stated.
"I mean, they already know who Horikita and I are." I responded.
"Yes, but what about specifically me?"
"You're invisible to them."
He did a heavy sigh before turning away from me to look at the pool.
Why was he so held up from that?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After they finished, we quickly got the game ready.
It was a best out of 3. In the case where its tied with 2/3, it will be a 2v2 race
First place would get 25 points.
Second place is 5 points
Third place is 30 points
And fourth is 25 points.
The number of points is weird but I think that's the point.
It's forcing us to use our brains into planning which spot is best to take for the two players.
Our best is for me and Endo to take first and fourth in case third doesn't work out.
"Quite the score points huh smart one?" Inoue asked Ayanokouji.
...strange wording he said.
"I'm not that smart but thanks." Ayanokouji thanked him. "I just wanted it so that there's some sort of twist to just swimming fast."
"Ehhh? Really?"
"Yes." He said without hesitation.
The positions are from first, left, to fourth, right.
Inoue was first, Endo was second,
Ayanokouji was third and I was fourth. Since it was the first round, Endo and Inoue were up first.
"Okay, ready set go." Horikita said rather monotone before she blew the whistle.
The first round began with Endo, with his tall and slim build, gliding through the water effortlessly, showcasing his natural advantage. Inoue, although more bulky and heavy, displayed the typical tremendous determination that was shown previously.
"I fell so sad..Inoue is not winning..."
"Yeah I think you'd knew that Ayanokouji."
"Oh, I did."
Then why make a swimming game with you and Inoue in one team?
Despite Inoue's best efforts and his determination-
He lost.
Endo's physical attributes propelled him to victory, earning him 25 points, while Inoue settled for 2nd place and 5 points.
It's not surprisingly as Inoue is significantly more heavier.
Though that doesn't mean he can't swim faster...it's not like he's built like Albert or anything. He's like Ayanokouji but with slightly more visible muscles.
As the second round approached, Ayanokouji and I prepared to face each other in a battle of skill and strategy.
"I hope you do good enough."
Good enough!?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ayanokouji's Point of View
Shinjiro possesses remarkable speed and agility as shown from the Deserted Island Exam and the Volleyball Match. I'm well aware of his strengths, so I devised a meticulous plan.
Just as the race began, I calculated the optimal pace I needed to maintain to ensure victory. I focused on maintaining a steady rhythm, conserving my energy for the final stretch.
Shinjiro though...well he's relying on his speed, surging ahead of me and pushing himself to his limits.
How despicable. Does he not have some sort of plan in mind? Exerting his stamina that quickly?
As the race continued on, he began to slow down more and more. Allowing me to overtake him in the final moments and claim first place, earning 25 points. Shinjiro himself, secured second place and 5 points.
Though he's not as disappointed as I'd thought him to be.
"Hey hey!" Inoue came running up to me. "It looks like were tied...again."
"I know." I silently said.
The real match would begin now.
Since this round is the part where strategy and planning is required, I already devised a strategy even before the game started.
"Inoue. I have a plan."
"Oh?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ready, set, go!" Horikita yelled and she blew the whistle.
As the race began, I positioned myself at the front of the pack, setting a fast but sustainable pace. This allowed Inoue to fall behind, but not too far, securing the last place. I want him so that securing first and last would make it so that we'd get 50 points.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shinjiro's Point of View
Ftom now in until the end of the race, ~~~ will signify a change in perspective.
Me and Endo battled fiercely for the top positions, we were both aiming to secure first and fourth place.
As the race progressed, Ayanokouji maintained his steady pace in front of me.
'I need it so that I'd have to overtake him. I've been maintaining my pace so I need to be faster.'
And so I quickly and aggressively gained speed. Since Ayanokouii was only a couple of meters infront of me, I easily passed him. I looked at him and he looks at me. It was like we were both observing eachother. Though as I continued to pass him, he doesn't speed up.
...Weird, wouldn't he try? He's still maintaining his pace, it's as if he's on cruise control..
Well maybe he doesnt actually care about winning this, perhaps he just wants some fun. Either way, I'll have to be alert. I could tell he has something on his sleeve. Needless to say, I am now in first place and assuming Endo is fourth, we're on our way to victory.
My strategy has to, hopefully, work. Me and Endo talked this through before the final race. I just hope he's doing well.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inoue seems to be maintaining his pace. He probably wants it so that he takes fourth place.
The sexual harasser told me that Ayanokouji and Inoue might use the same strategy as ours. But it seems like we've disrupted it.
Perfect. Those points are mine, boy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's almost the end.
I can distantly see the end of the pool.
With Shinjiro and Endo under the impression that they've won, I can efficiently destroy their ego.
I've already figured out Shinjiro's strategy. He wants it so that he'll get first and Endo last, securing a good 50 points overall.
I bet he's smirking right now at his success huh?
...
I'll wipe it off.
I quickly catch up to Shinjiro and was only a few meters behind him.
With the sound of me swimming, I'm sure he knows I'm directly behind him.
I'm exerting physiological pressure onto him. Now that he knows that a single mistake can cost him his place, as well as the fact that we're close to the "finish line", he's anxious.
He's starting to ruin his form. He's now going even faster at the water.
But that's the problem.
Since he already knew thag I was behind him since he overtook me, he's been using a lot of his stamina. Now that I'm directly behind him and pressuring him, he's using even more stamina.
How do I know this? I guess logic in a sense.
And also the fact he's slowing down. Considerably.
Now that he's closer and closer to me, I can do my final task of my part.
..."Wha?!" I faintly hear Shinjiro say as I speed past him.
Now that he knows that he's not winning this, his ego is likely crushed, him being shocked at the results also likely caused him to ruin his form completely.
I already know that Inoue secured his part. Though a bit bulky, it doesn't mean he can't be fast. If anything from my observations, he's faster than Endo in swimming.
I just told him to deceive Shinjiro's team and not to use all of his stamina. It's so I can give Shinjiro a boost of his ego and to tie the game.
Since I anticipated Shinjiro using the same strategy, Endo is likely really far behind of Inoue so Inoue can't stop and slow down to attempt to take fourth place.
Though that was my goal.
I've perfectly manipulated them into making that strategy, as 25 points for both first and fourth is easy and also the most obvious. He was probably either very confident in his speed, thought I wouldn't care about winning, or was too focused on getting the individual points himself, hoping that Endo would also maintain his role for getting fourth.
He could've also thought that if I were to speedup when he was catching up to me, that he'll just slow and take 3rd place. Making it so that they'll get 55 points from third and fourth place instead.
There's also the possibility that he's an idiot.
Regardless he can either be more determined to catch up to me or he gives up. Either way...
"Ayanokouji is now at first place, Shinjiro dropped to second. The finish line is near."
I win.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ayanokouji is now at first place, Shinjiro dropped to second. The finish line is near." Horikita said through her microphone.
Shit shit!
It's almost the end of the game and Ayanokouji has passed the sexual harasser.
We're gonna have to resort to Plan B.
If Ayanokouji has 25 points but Shinjiro has 5.
That harasser would have to drop to 3rd.
I'm too far away from Inoue. I won't be able to catch up to him.
He surprised me with the burst of speed he had too.
In the case harasser or I can't get to third,
We're screwed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Team... A has won the race."
They were screwed.
With me finishing first and Inoue in the third position, the combined score of 55 points surpassed Shinjiro's second place score of 5 points and Endo's fourth place score of 25 points. Their score only being 30 points.
It couldn't been successful without Inoue though. I needed him to secure the third position and he did so magnificently.
As I got out of the water, I noticed there was yet again, a small crowd that was watching. Seeing then game has officially ended, they started applauding.
Seems like Horikita's loud voice through the microphone sent them here. This pool is public fo course, but was pretty empty, used for swimming races.
Eh, pool was only 500 meters long.
As the others got to the end and began coming out of the pool, I see Horikita from the far distance still observing us.
"I guess she's still bamboozled from our performance, eh?"
Inoue came up behind me as he said that. What's with him randomly appearing to people? He's like a stealthy guy.
"I'm surprised your plan worked. You're very smart!"
"Not really. Horikita intelligence seems to have been influencing me."
"Yeah but the plan you told me was amazing!"
"I'm no strategical person. That's Horikita. I'm just the one who follows orders."
"Well, it's no surprise. A leader has to have a smart and reliable person to aid them."
"Eh...yeah. but I wouldn't be able to do this if Horikita was here. She gave suggestions to both me and Shinjiro on how to win. Just so we could be equal."
"Huh...I see..'
Inoue seem to be kinda agitated but didn't question it further.
As we arrived back to Horikita, she applauded all of us.
"Good job."
... That's all?
"I mean, Wouldn't we be the one thanking you? You know, you suggested them two some good ideas to win." Inoue stated.
Horikita looked toward me and I immediately gave her the look to go along.
"I...um yes. They're not good at those but they're good at following my orders."
Looks like she caught my meaning.
"Hmm okay." Endo began talking. "Well it's best if we dry off so we can go do the final one." He said and he and inoue began walking away from us.
...
'Ayanokouji-kun, what was that for?"
"So they wouldn't know me or Shinjiro's abilities."
"I see. My apologies. Shall I try to get a empty and isolated spot to play that idiotic tic-tac-toe game?"
"Yeah go ahead." I said before Horikita left.
Now it was just me and him.
"Go figure, you did had a plan." Shinjiro claimed.
"Yes. And I could see you knew what it was."
"It looks like I was too focused on individual success and securing first and last, right?"
"Not exactly."
He showed a confused face.
Sigh. I'll have to explain huh.
"You had the strategy to secure first and last place, however you fell under my hands. You've forgotten that I've made the rules."
"First and last are usually the most looked upon in a score. With both being 25, it'll be a straight plan to get those in order to add up 50 points."
The plan looked like it would work, as that means second and third would add up to 35 points.
However he's forgetting about the score for third place.
"Third place contributes to 30 points. I assume you thought about getting 30 and 25 points to get 55 points, though it would be considerably difficult so you settled for the easier plan."
"But since you likely ordered Endo to be as far behind as possible from Inoue, when I overtook you, you was already tired from your low stamina. You couldn't stop and wait for Inoue to past you either. You were forced to be in second."
"Endo couldn't catch up to Inoue either. Although Endo won the first round, Inoue could've easily overtaken him."
"...What?" Shinjiro said mindlessly.
"I made Inoue fool you and Endo into thinking he was slow. It worked especially given how he looks 'bulky and heavy'. Endo was likely surprised when Inoue felt him catching up to him and had a burst of speed."
Given how he was in the Volleyball game, he can be pretty fast. Endo just has a taller figure, more experience and good blocking.
He could've easily beaten Endo if he has the same experience as Endo.
"I also just conserved my energy and kept my pace. You however was so focused on getting first, you used a lot your energy from the start and used even more of it to overtake me. You tired yourself out, though probably because you're not that amazing at swimming."
I'd thought he'd be able to keep up but swimming requires more energy than running.
Who knows, maybe it's because he's been constantly active from that Volleyball match and the match we had for the second round.
"In simpler words, I tricked you, you used too much stamina, Endo was too far and I made Inoue trick you. You was focused on the goal rather than inspecting your opponents and see what they're up to. You should've used an open mind. Thought about what they were during and use logic."
I walked away from him while uttering a sentence.
"Please use this as advice to fix your mistakes."
Now... Super Tic-Tac-Toe.
It's an interesting concept he said but we don't know anything about the rules.
Although he may know how to play...
"I will win yet again."
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Shinjiro knew he'll lose but was focused on not losing to the point he disregarded Ayanokouji.
And so Ayanokouji still outsmarted him lol
Word Count: 2667 Words