Swimming Lesson

 The pool has a large window overlooking the surroundings. And the floor of the pool is lower than the cafeteria which also has a large window that gives a better view. And at the pool’s floor, and at poolside, are three people in swimsuits. They have yet to take a dip in the pool as Daichi orders the other two swimmers, “Time to do some warm-up stretches. Follow my lead.” Daichi bends his waist as the two others follow. After some other various exercises, they enter the pool. “Breathing exercises,” he says as his whole head submerges underwater and bubbles float above it. More moments pass and Daichi strikes up a question to Juusaki, “You would like me to teach you how to swim?” Juusaki nods in response. “Then, we will start with some practice kicks. Here,” Daichi points, “put your hands on there and kick the water as strong and fast as possible.”

“Copy that,” Juusaki starts with weak kicks and throttles up to strong, but fast kicks.

“Woah, you already are good enough!” Daichi remarks, but Suzimiya is uninpressed.

“Really? I could do better than this,” Suzumiya boasts.

“Sure, but he is good for a beginner. Alright, next up. You hold on to this swimming board and propel yourself with only kicks, pool width-wise,” Daichi instructs and Juusaki promptly obeys. “Good, that’s fast. Now come back.” Daichi bobs his head in satisfaction. “You got a talent for swimming, Juusaki.”

“Him? How do you even see talent in him? He is literally below average!” Suzumiya exclaims. “But I don’t think I’ve ever seen a beginner that’s instantly below average. If he isn’t a talent, then I do not know what is.”

“What’s next, Daichi-san?” Juusaki asks.

“Alright, we practice the basic arm strokes…”

A few minutes pass and Juusaki has learned and practiced how to do the most basic swimming strokes from Daichi.

“Is it my turn now?” Suzumiya impatiently asks.

“Not yet. I and Juusaki have to race first.”

“What? You don’t have to! He is a beginner and you will decide to race him?”

“Yes, of course. Since he got the hang of the basics, it’s time to teach him speed. This is important for survival too, is it not?”

“It is… but what swimming strokes will you use to race?”

Daichi faces Juusaki, “We will race at the full length of the pool and two laps. The first lap is the Dolphin kick, and the second is freestyle. You got it?”

“Two laps? That’s too much for him!”

“I am only doing this to show him that experience is master. You do the countdown, Suzumiya.”

“Alright.”

Juusaki and Daichi go to their respective lanes right beside each other. They start in the pool instead of at the diving board.

“Three… two… one… go!” Suzumiya yells and the two start with no delay, but Juusaki moves first.

As expected, Daichi takes the lead, but not without Juusaki having a faster reaction time. But Daichi retakes the lost distance in seconds. Right now, they are swimming parallel to each other. Daichi is parallel to the wall while Juusaki is parallel to the rope that divides the pool into two sections. Unexpectedly, Juusaki speeds up and reaches the end of the pool, and stands upright. Turning his body, he starts with the starting swimming position and pushes himself off the wall with his legs. Juusaki passes by Daichi who is just now finishing his first lap. Juusaki looks behind and notices Daichi do a maneuver that quickly inverts him to swim in the other direction

“Script 513 generated,” Juusaki’s AI tells him.

Juusaki swims forward while kicking his legs to propel him, but he isn’t doing the arm strokes Daichi taught him to. Instead, he is using the rope to pull himself.

“Hey! That’s cheating!” Suzumiya shouts as Juusaki approaches the end of the pool.

It took a short moment before Daichi arrives and finishes his second lap.

“Daichi, he cheated.”

“Cheated, how?” Daichi asks.

“He used the rope and pulled himself along!”

“What?” Daichi narrows his eyes at Juusaki. “Juusaki, is this true?”

“Indeed, I pulled myself with the rope to swim faster,” Juusaki obliviously answers.

“That’s not swimming at all! Are you an idiot? Are you taking this seriously?” Daichi bombards him with questions.

“But it’s survival swimming, is it not? In survival, one must be resourceful to survive.”

“But this is a race, and it’s not like you are drowning or swimming away from a shark!” Daichi sighs. “We will race again, but this time, don’t use anything else, but your body!”

“Daichi?” Suzumiya stares at Daichi in shock. “That sounded a bit—”

“S—shut up, okay? I didn’t mean it that way, and you know it!”

They restart the race, and Suzumiya counts down, “Three… two… one… go!”

Because of Juusaki’s faster reaction time, he takes the lead in the first lap, but Daichi is not so far behind. When Juusaki approaches the opposite end of the pool, he commands his AI, “Execute Script 513.”

They both go underwater to invert themselves and kick themselves away from the wall. This time, Daichi starts to catch up as Juusaki noticeably slows down, and at the last second, he takes the lead from Juusaki and wins the race.

Daichi emerges from the water breathing heavily, but Juusaki in comparison isn’t. “T—that… was a good race. I’m impressed. You got the talent for this. But of course, the one with more experience wins. Anyway, why did you suddenly slow down? Did something hurt?”

“No, I was simply just observing your legs’ movement underwater.”

“You… what?”

“Simply put, I slowed down so I can analyze your legs’ movement and apply the technique you used for my own.”

“Wait… so if you hadn’t slowed down, you would have won?”

“No doubt.”

“What!?”

“You have to be joking,” Suzumiya jumps into the pool. “If you are that confident you would have won against my teacher, then you should race against me.”

“Then, let’s race.”

“Wait! Suzumiya, you haven’t warmed up yet!” Daichi reminds.

“Don’t worry. You said experience is master, right? So if he experiences defeat with him trying, then he will realize that we are more skilled than him.” “I just want to deflate his ego,” Suzumiya mutters.

“That’s true, but warm-ups are important!”

“Hachiko-kun,” she faces him, “you dared insult and cheat my teacher, but I’ll give you an advantage since you are a beginner. I’ll let you countdown and signal when we start. Same mechanics. Two laps.”

“Got it,” Juusaki nods.

The two ready their positions in the pool, and Juusaki starts the countdown. “Three… two… one… start!” Juusaki takes a deep breath before submerging.

This time, Suzumiya has a faster start, and Juusaki falls behind, but not too far behind that it guarantees his loss. They reach the end of the pool and start to invert themselves simultaneously, but suddenly Suzumiya experiences difficulty with one of her legs and struggles to swim. She quickly emerges from the water flailing her arms around. “Gah! My leg! It’s cramped!”

“Suzumiya!” Daichi runs but slips on the poolside and falls to the pool unhurt, and starts swimming toward her.

Juusaki does a complicated turn while still swimming in the pool and takes Suzumiya into his arms and his head emerges from the water.

Suzumiya squeals surprised by the contact. “H—how!? W—what are you doing!?”

Juusaki lays Suzumiya at the poolside while in the pool and climbs afterward. Daichi arrives at the spot of the incident but realizes no one is there. “What?” Daichi looks around and sees Suzumiya laying at the poolside. “Dang goggles. Where are they when you need them?” Daichi climbs by the pool ladder and rushes to Suzumiya’s side and notices her face blushing. Out of concern, Daichi asks. “Are you okay? How is your le—” He looks at Suzumiya’s legs and notices Juusaki massaging both of them. “Wai—! What are you doing!?”

“Suzumiya-san, where does it hurt? Here? Here?”

“Ah!” Suzumiya reacts when Juusaki squeezes a spot on her right leg. “Right there!”

“Wait-wait! Let me do that! I’m her teacher anyway!” Daichi shoves Juusaki’s hands away and replaces them with his. “She’s okay now. Let me handle this. Thank you.”

Juusaki stands up and looks at both of his hands. “I’ll go get towels and water,” he says as he leaves. Juusaki arrives at the table where they set the things and glances at the door noticing something. He sees two heads behind an open crack in the door. He quickly approaches the door that leads to the hallway, and sees the two stalkers, “Kawamoto-san, Itou-san, what are you doing here?”

“Eek!” They react as they flee some distance, but Juusaki holds them back with his hands.

“Stalking again, aren’t you?”

“N—no! Why would I ever stalk you? Don’t be so assuming!” Nana retorts.

“You had a good time, huh? Massaging a girl’s legs.” Misaki says with a cold voice.

“No! I didn’t enjoy it at all!” Juusaki averts his eyes, “It was just first aid, first aid!”

The two girls stare at Juusaki.

“Pervert!” Nana blurts out.

“I don’t want to hear that from a stalker.”

Nana’s eyes go wide and she opens her mouth to argue back, but fails.

“Now I know now why you wanted to buy a swimsuit. It was to chance at a girl,” Misaki says coldly.

“Why… you—- but, why are you guys wearing swimsuits?” Juusaki asks and the girls look away from him.

“N—no reason at all!” Nana bends downwards.

“None of your business at all!” Misaki snaps.

“That’s true, but please leave me alone, stalkers.”

“Hachi—!”

Juusaki interrupts them both with a loud snap. “First, you stalk me at the mall. Second, you waste my time at the mall. Third, you stalk me again at the pool. Fourth, you waste my time again at the pool. Now I ask you to leave me alone, perverts.” Juusaki briskly walks away and slams the door shut.

“That Juusaki is…” Misaki groans.

“I—I mean, he is right, but why did he go through all this trouble?” Nana asks.

“I’m pretty sure it’s because of that girl.”

“No way… He is seeing her?”

“Yeah…” Misaki snaps out from her trance, “You jealous?”

“What!? No! Of course not!” Nana rapidly shakes her head.

Meanwhile, inside the pool, Juusaki gives the towels and bottles to Daichi and Suzumiya. “Thank you for teaching me and letting me trouble you with myself.” He boys.

“No, no. It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault anyway,” Daichi assures, “I’m glad you have learned well. It’s evident.”

“Suzumiya-san, I’m sorry for the trouble I have caused you.”

“Yeah, you caused me trouble—”

Daichi lightly chops Suzumiya’s forehead, “That’s not how you accept an apology. It’s alright Juusaki, she forgives you.”

“Wha—?”

“I’m glad. Thank you for the invaluable lessons you have taught me. If you may, I will take my leave now,” Juusaki bows slightly.

“Hey!” Daichi calls Juusaki and he looks back, “Don’t forget to shower first!”

“Understood, Daichi-san,” Juusaki says then turns to head away as his face expresses satisfaction.