Chapter 87 - 87: Why Do I Deserve a Reward?

Haru had no choice but to get up. If he stayed lying down any longer, no matter how strong his self-control was, as long as he continued talking to Utaha, his perspective would remain… problematic. For example, due to the angle, he'd end up looking like "Doreamon." But the moment he stood up, every girl present turned their gaze toward him in unison. Thanks to his years of training and his nearly level 2 [Steel Body], his tall and well-built physique was defined, each muscle exuding the raw appeal of masculinity—youthful, powerful, and undeniably striking. Even Utaha found herself momentarily stunned. Yui and the others blushed, yet they couldn't bring themselves to look away. Only Yukino and Kato Megumi remained unfazed. The former had long since grown accustomed to it, while the latter simply wasn't the type to show her thoughts on her face. The atmosphere at the swimming pool shifted slightly. However, Haru remained perfectly composed. He struck a ridiculous "Popeye" pose and joked, "Since we're all members of the Photography Club, I'll allow you all to enjoy the view for free for one minute. After that, I'll have to start charging!" "Pfft, as if anyone wants to look at you!" "I wouldn't mind paying, though." "Hashimoto, stop saying weird stuff! Didn't you see the look in Yukinoshita's eyes just now?" With Haru's playful interruption, the mood lightened once again. The most energetic ones were, unsurprisingly, Hashimoto and another girl, followed closely by a still-blushing Yui. Because of Yukino's overwhelming presence, Yui had long since given up on any romantic thoughts about Haru. But stealing a few glances? That should be fine. By the poolside, a neatly arranged collection of colorful float rings had been prepared in advance. Upon Haru's reminder, the girls eagerly picked out their favorite colors and hopped into the water. The only ones still on land were Yuu, who had zero motivation to move, and two others: Utaha and Yukino, who sat leisurely by the edge, dipping their legs into the pool. "You two aren't getting in?" Haru asked. Haru straightened his posture the moment he saw the scene unfold. A battlefield of jealousy? That shouldn't be the case… right? "I'll get in the water a bit later." Utaha remained unhurried, resting her hands on the edge of the pool. Her well-developed upper body leaned forward slightly—an undeniably alluring and elegant posture. Yukino, however, was much more direct. "Rather than swimming myself, I'd rather watch you swim." Haru deliberately smirked. "Could it be that you've already found out about my reputation as the greatest swimmer in Shinjuku?" "Why Shinjuku?" Utaha raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Haru put on a serious face. "It's called modesty. If I claimed to be the best in the entire city, you'd both gang up on me." "How stupid." ×2 Both girls spoke at the same time. They instinctively glanced at each other before turning away—completely natural, without a hint of awkwardness. Utaha, however, suddenly recalled her previous loss to Yukino. To prevent herself from dwelling on it, she changed the topic. "So, you're actually good at swimming?" Haru puffed out his chest. "Whether it's butterfly, freestyle, breaststroke—even dog paddle—I excel at them all." Yukino gave a faint smile. "Dog paddle sounds exactly like the kind of technique you'd specialize in." "Was that a personal attack?" "I was merely making an objective observation." After that, Yukino turned to Utaha for the first time that day. "Senpai, do you not enjoy swimming?" "No, I was just thinking about something." Utaha shook her head. Yukino understood immediately. "The suggestions you sent me the other night were interesting. I also think that adding more details, as you proposed, would enhance the film. But even now, while we're out here relaxing, you're still focused on your script? It seems you've found a new direction." Utaha sighed inwardly. She had been telling herself to forget about that night, yet Yukino brought it up again. But then again, she knew Yukino wasn't the type to keep bringing up the same topic just to rub it in. She had already won that time. And she had won beautifully. From what Utaha knew of her, Yukino probably did find her suggestions useful. "Are we really going to talk business while we're supposed to be having fun?" Haru stepped in. He knew getting these two to shake hands was nearly impossible, but at the very least, he wanted to be the buffer and make sure they didn't start arguing. "I care about other things more than swimming," Utaha admitted. Haru turned to Yukino. "You too?" Yukino lifted her fair chin slightly. "Have you developed memory issues? I just said—I'd rather watch you swim." "So should I take that as a challenge?" "If you insist, then yes." "Alright then. As a newcomer, I shall humbly accept this challenge from the great Yukinoshita second daughter." With that, Haru stood up and began stretching. Yukino did the same. Her pale skin reflected off the glossy floor tiles as she moved through her warm-up routine—methodical and composed, her grace reminiscent of a swan. Seeing them both getting serious, Utaha blinked in surprise. "Wait, you two are really doing this?" "Well, since he's so eager, I don't mind entertaining him." Yukino's tone was calm and indifferent. In truth, she simply wanted to observe Haru's physical condition up close. But there was no need to say that out loud—after all, he was the one who challenged her first. "Should I be the referee, then?" Utaha asked as she stood up. "That would be fine." Yukino had no objections. As long as Utaha didn't do anything to annoy her, she had no reason to be unkind to this defeated senpai. Word of their match spread quickly, and the other girls soon gathered around, pausing their own fun to watch. After all, who wouldn't love a good show at this age? Especially when it was a showdown between their president and vice president. "Good luck, Yukinoshita-san!" "Vice President, we believe in you!" Amidst the cheerful voices of the girls, Haru sighed in exasperation. "Why is no one cheering for me?" "Because you're a guy! You already have a physical advantage—why should we root for you?" Their logic was flawless. Meanwhile, Kato Megumi, floating on a swim ring, approached Utaha and whispered, "What's going on?" "I'm not entirely sure either," Utaha admitted. "They were just talking, and somehow it turned into a competition." She was even more confused than Megumi. In her impression, Yukino wasn't the type to act impulsively. Is there some reason I don't know that made her want to compete against Haru? Her gaze shifted between the two. With no clear answer, she simply chose to appreciate Haru's physique instead. His body was well-built. His abdominal muscles were defined. Based on that night in the park, he definitely had the strength to lift me effortlessly… Utaha's thoughts began to drift, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. By the time Haru and Yukino finished warming up, they each took their positions at the starting line. Utaha stood between them, while the other girls sat or lounged at the edge of the pool, ready to enjoy the show. "The race will be from here to the other side and back. Alright, now that the rules are set—get ready… three, two, one, go!" At Utaha's signal, Haru and Yukino both dove into the water simultaneously. Haru had always been a proficient swimmer. Back when they were kids, he had gone to the pool with Yukino countless times and had even taught her how to swim properly. As two splashes broke the surface, shimmering droplets scattered through the air. Both swimmers moved with remarkable speed and precision. But this side-by-side competition only lasted for about four seconds. After four seconds, Haru stopped holding back. He picked up his pace just slightly. And that small burst of speed was all it took to leave Yukino behind. Gasps and murmurs erupted from the crowd. "Whoa, he's fast!" By the time Haru reached the far end of the pool and started heading back, everyone watching noticed something unusual. "He's not coming up for air?" Kato Megumi asked, unable to hide her surprise. Utaha, equally shocked, furrowed her brows. "If I remember correctly, he hasn't lifted his head even once since he dove in, has he?" "Yeah, he's been swimming underwater the whole time," Yui chimed in. Utaha tapped her forehead, trying to recall her knowledge on the subject. "The world record for holding one's breath underwater is 24 minutes and 3 seconds, set by a Spanish freediver named Aleix Segura. But that was under completely different conditions." Megumi nodded thoughtfully. "Haru isn't just holding his breath—he's maintaining that state while moving at high speed." As they discussed, Haru had already returned. Since this was just a casual competition, no one had thought to time him. A few moments later, Yukino finally finished her swim as well. She stood up in the water, droplets sliding down her delicate face, her beauty undiminished. "This is what they call the power of a swimming prodigy," Haru said smugly. Unexpectedly, Yukino didn't shoot back at him. Instead, she appeared deep in thought. "I see… your physical abilities are almost on par with a professional athlete." And that was with him holding back. Utaha, standing nearby, added, "He never came up for air." Yukino blinked, surprise flashing in her eyes. "I thought he was sneaking in breaths somewhere. He really didn't?" Everyone nodded in confirmation. For a moment, all eyes were on Haru. Anticipating their reaction, he simply grinned and pointed at the pool. "How about I jump in right now and hold my breath? You guys can come back tomorrow to check on me." His joke was met with a chorus of eye-rolls. Clearly, no one was taking him seriously. After climbing out of the pool, Yukino sat down beside him, using a towel to dry herself off. "The average person can hold their breath for over thirty seconds. With proper training, it can be extended significantly." Utaha nodded in agreement. She was well-versed in such knowledge. Then, in perfect sync, both girls turned to stare at Haru, their gazes brimming with curiosity. "Could you two stop looking at me like that?" Haru said, throwing her own usual words right back at Yukino. Utaha glanced at Yukino. "With how well you know him, you don't happen to have actual data on his lung capacity, do you?" Yukino's response was clinical. "Breath-holding ability is related to lung capacity, but it's not a direct measurement." Utaha kept her eyes locked on Haru. "That makes sense. Without formally testing it, we can't get accurate data just from today's race." "Hold up!" Haru had to cut them off. Why did it sound like they were planning to dissect him? The two of them might be rivals, but when it came to something that piqued their interest, they were surprisingly in sync. Yukino looked at him with patient eyes. "Do you have something to add?" Haru raised his hand as if calling for order. "I think we should drop this topic. We came here to have fun, not to conduct scientific research." Then, smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere, he smirked. "If you two are so interested in competition, why don't you race each other instead?" "I refuse." Yukino declined without hesitation. Utaha smiled sweetly at him. "Both Yukino and I have a competitive streak. If we really were to race, we'd have to do it properly, following professional standards. And clearly, none of us came prepared for that today." Yukino had a different take. "It's not just about equipment or venue. The biggest issue is that we don't have a qualified referee." "I can be the referee," Haru volunteered enthusiastically. After all, he had no complaints about watching two beautiful girls swim. Utaha's smile didn't waver. "Are you sure you wouldn't be biased toward Yukinoshita?" Before Haru could even respond, Yukino spoke first, her tone cool and unwavering. "I don't need his bias. I can win on my own." Then, as if to reinforce her point, she added, "The members of the Photography Club aren't suitable as referees either. Given their connections to us, they wouldn't want to offend anyone." "I could serve as an impartial referee," Kato Megumi's voice suddenly chimed in. When did she get here? x2 Both Yukino and Utaha turned their heads in surprise. Sitting quietly to their right, Megumi hugged her knees, her expression calm and composed, looking as cute as ever. Haru, ever the considerate one, offered an explanation. "She arrived about ten seconds ago." "You saw her?" Yukino and Utaha exchanged another look of disbelief. Haru nodded confidently. "Of course. My perception has always been exceptional." Everything relied solely on his own ability—it had absolutely nothing to do with [Auto Aim Lv6]. Megumi cast a glance at Haru, seemingly pleased. As someone who was often overlooked, it felt nice to finally be noticed. Utaha crossed her arms, the motion accentuating her already stunning figure. "I just realized… rather than competing against Yukinoshita in swimming, something else has caught my attention even more." Yukino, too, was now staring at Haru. Her gaze clearly said: How did you do that? Haru simply flashed a smug smile. "My grandma once told me—listen with your heart, understand with your soul. It's obvious neither of you were paying attention." A textbook example of how to offend two beautiful girls in a single sentence. Utaha shot him a glare. "And which grandma told you that?" Yukino responded just as flatly, "He's just being his usual idiot self." Haru raised both hands to his chest, then slowly spread them apart. A stance reminiscent of a legendary Dust Release technique. And right in front of both girls, he had the audacity to declare, "If you're bad at something, just practice more. If you can't handle losing, don't play." Two pairs of beautiful eyes instantly turned deadly. And then— Yukino kicked him straight into the pool. Utaha let out a dramatic sigh. "What a shame. You beat me to it." Resurfacing from the water, Haru showed absolutely no remorse. Instead, he grinned and asked, "Why are you rewarding me?" Yukino and Utaha: "???" Meanwhile, Megumi rested her chin on her hands, studying Haru with admiration. "You're really brave, Amamiya-kun."