"Hey, Onoda-kun, will you let us win?" Misumi said as we walked towards the starting positions on the right side of the pool. "Itou-san says she'll reward you if you do."
"Oh? Is that so?" I raised an eyebrow and glanced behind me, "I thought you were quite competitive, Maaya. Is it because this isn't a game?"
"No. I just don't like you getting frisky with other girls," Maaya retorted as she sharply gazed toward Umeda, who was already stretching at the starting position.
Since she didn't hear Maaya's words, the girl tilted her head in confusion, "What is it? Did Itou-san say something?"
I paused in my steps, waiting for Maaya to catch up to me before leaning closer and whispering, "I'm not going to get frisky with her during the relay, you know?"
Maaya's eyes narrowed skeptically as she glanced between Umeda and me. "But you're going to touch her during transitions," She countered as her voice became laced with possessive irritation. "Hands on her waist to boost her onto platforms, bodies brushing underwater--"
"Not intentionally," I interrupted softly, catching her wrist as we reached our starting positions. Umeda watched us curiously from her spot beside the pool edge. "Strategy only. My hands stay where they're needed."
"You know, you're so cute when you're acting jealous . Where did my tsundere Maaya go?"
"You shameless playboy. Then, I'll just beat you myself. Hmph. Don't blame me when I win." Maaya turned sharply towards Misumi, who was already stretching. "Misumi-san, we'll take the first leg. I'll handle the net barrier."
Misumi grinned. "Roger that! Leave the buoy corridor to me!"
"Alright, Umeda-san, looks like I have to match that jealous girl, can you let me handle the net barrier?" I asked Umeda as we stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
Umeda put on her swim cap and nodded, "Fine. But don't drag us down, Onoda-kun. I'm not losing to Itou-san today. Hehe. It's not every day I get to compete against her." Her competitive smile softened slightly as she added, "And... try not to make her more jealous? She's glaring daggers at me. What will I do if she starts looking at me as a thieving cat?"
"Just focus on winning. Leave the rest to me."
Umeda stared at me for a few seconds before nodding. After one last look at Maaya, she jumped into the pool to reach the Platform Alpha like Misumi.
Meanwhile, I stayed at the starting position with Maaya.
Since we're only a few feet apart, we could still whisper with one another.
"Maaya, do you fancy a bet?" I playfully asked, stretching my arms overhead.
"What kind of bet?" Maaya kept her gaze fixed on Misumi waiting at Platform Alpha, but her voice dropped low enough for only me to catch.
"Let's see. If we win, I'm going to keep you and your Nee-sama from getting picked up by your chauffeur after school. I'll take you two on a short date and escort you home myself." I grinned, watching Maaya's ears flush pink.
"Idiot, that's rewarding us more than you," Maaya muttered, though her lips twitched upward, possibly already imagining what kind of date we'd have later. "But fine. What if we win then?"
"Isn't that something you have to decide yourself?" I said, "Of course, if you intentionally lose just because of my attractive condition, if we win, that's cheating."
Maaya snorted softly, adjusting her goggles. "Fine. If we win... on top of your condition, you're also not going home tonight." Her gaze flickered to me, sharp and daring. "You're not just going to escort us, you're gonna stay at our place. Alone with me and Nee-sama."
Mhm. I knew she'd propose something like that. After all, it's a win-win for both of us.
However, that's going to be a problem for me... Although Nao had yet to tell me if they're coming to sleep over tonight, I could already expect that surprise at home. After all, she's going to bring the egotistic Azusa and the goofball Hanabi. Follow current novels on novel•fire.net
I guess I just have to win, right? Not that I don't want to stay with Maaya and Himeko, but I'm not going to lose intentionally.
"That's a very enticing bet," I said as I watched Maaya's beautiful smirk widen. The competitive fire in her eyes was immediately ignited.
I guess she really wanted me to stay with them for the night, huh? And she's conveniently not thinking about how she would bring it up with their parents yet. But that's Maaya for you. Impulsive and fiercely competitive.
"You two, stop whispering with each other!" Ryouko-san called out from the sidelines, tapping her clipboard impatiently. "Positions!"
Maaya shot me one last challenging smirk before crouching into her starting stance. I mirrored her as my muscles coiled like a spring.
As the whistle pierced the air, Maaya exploded forward in a flawless dive, slicing through the water like a blade. I followed half a heartbeat later, pushing hard to close the gap. Our gazes met underwater and she kicked harder, determined not to let me overtake.
I held the flag tightly as I dived deeper as we approached the net barrier. Without looking in her direction, I swam beneath the mesh, my strokes efficient despite my lack of technique. Meanwhile, Maaya quickly swam past the net with an elegant form. Enough to make me hear the amazed gasps from the spectators.
She reached Platform Alpha first, pulling herself up effortlessly as Misumi grinned and reached out to tag her hand and grab her flag.
Meanwhile, I reached the platform two seconds slower but Umeda was already poised wht a focused expression. She snatched the flag from me and dove without hesitation. The water swallowed her splashless entry.
Maaya and I watched from Platform Alpha as Misumi and Umeda navigated the buoy corridor. Misumi's technique was surprisingly agile. She twisted through the obstacles like an eel, her shorter frame an advantage in tight turns. Umeda, however, moved with calculated precision. It's like she already mapped her path while waiting for me at the platform.
She didn't waste a single stroke, her freestyle cutting through the water with surprising efficiency. Due to that, the two-second lead that Maaya had given Misumi evaporated halfway through the corridor. Umeda surfaced at Platform Bravo just as Misumi hauled herself onto the platform, her breath coming in pants.
As soon as they stood steadily above the platform, it became our turn once again. Maaya winked at me as she dove back into the pool without hesitation.
I followed immediately, not letting her get another lead. Underwater, Maaya's silhouette blurred ahead but somehow, instead of us reaching the buoy corridor that our partners navigated through, we ended up converging in the middle of the pool.
Maaya also didn't expect it as we almost crashed into each other. She instinctively kicked sideways to avoid collision but her leg hit one of the buoy anchors. The sudden impact jolted her rhythm.