I'm Being Threatened by My Sister's Ex-girlfriend. (GL) - Chapter 16

The professor is ill, and therefore, the following lectures will be canceled for the next three days. Blah blah blah.

We stood together, staring at the notice board for canceled lectures.

Three names of professors around our age were listed vertically. Maybe they got food poisoning from oysters or something. Worst of all, it was just before the required language lecture for my first period. The morning sun streamed in through the automatic doors, casting light on the dark bricks of the campus building’s entrance floor.

Hayasegawa pulled out his phone and checked his messaging app.

“There’s a message. Five minutes ago.”

“That’s too late,” I muttered.

It didn’t really matter. Hayasegawa shrugged his shoulders in response to my complaint.

“Well, today’s a lost cause. But that means tomorrow we’re done by noon.”

To my left, Todo nodded.

“Yeah, we’re all in the same boat.”

If “everyone” meant just the four of us, then that was accurate. The canceled lecture was extremely popular due to its low credit requirements, and most literature students were enrolled. We all exchanged glances, a silent “What should we do?” hanging in the air.

“Alright.”

After a brief pause, Hayasegawa spoke up.

“How about we go to a love hotel? Just the four of us.”

A girl we didn’t recognize, walking from the counter, suddenly froze with wide eyes. Her face, which clearly wasn’t used to makeup, turned beet red, like a boiled octopus. She quickly clutched her tote bag to her chest and hurried past us, glancing nervously at our group.

She definitely misunderstood us.

“Aya-chaaan…”

Todo pouted.

“I know her. Do you think she knows us?”

“Sorry.”

Well, love hotels are kind of sketchy places, but they do have excellent soundproofing and surprisingly good omelets, so we mainly use them for wholesome purposes. We play board games that Hayasegawa brings—Catan, Machi Koro, and the like. Playing board games with close friends is, in my opinion, one of the most fun things in the world.

“Hmm…”

But Todo, putting her finger to her lips, came up with a different suggestion.

“I’d rather swim. And actually, I’m a little low on cash. How about we go to a public pool?”

She made a direct pitch, “It’s cheap!”

Price is definitely important.

Hayasegawa asked, “A pool? Not the beach?”

“It’s going to get crowded, and when there are four beautiful women together, the guys trying to hit on us get annoying.”

Her comment was full of self-confidence. When she looked to Ninomiya for agreement, Ninomiya just nodded casually and said, “Maybe.”

Ninomiya Raika was the type of person who looked great with a short haircut. Her arms, toned from her sports background, and her calves, shaped perfectly from wearing shorts, were impressive.

But she wasn’t just your average sporty girl. She had a certain melancholic air about her. She was someone who fit the setting of a sunset over the ocean more than a blazing midday sun.

Once, in a drunken state, I had told Todo something similar, and she had smiled brightly and agreed with me, saying, “That’s what makes Raika so charming.” So, I think my assessment was spot on.

“We went to the beach last year, so we all have swimsuits,” Ninomiya added.

I remembered the only swimsuit I had, buried deep in a color box, and felt a little sick.

“I only have a bikini…”

“Ah,” Hayasegawa squinted.

“The one with all the frilly ribbons on it, right?”

“What’s with that old man-like review from the Showa era?”

“It’s got that frivolous design.”

“You just went further back in time…”

I had bought that bikini on a whim—college student, beach! It was a youthful mistake. I couldn’t help it. It was my first time going to the beach with friends.

Either way, that bikini was more suited for a night pool than a public swimming pool. It might even give young people the wrong idea about training their bodies.

“So, I’m just—”

“Tsuguno-chan!”

Suddenly, she squeezed my hands tightly.

An angel was looking at me. Her perfectly curled, voluminous eyelashes sparkled in the morning sunlight, shining through the glass.

She tilted her head slightly.

“…Shall we go?”

Before I knew it, I found myself nodding. It was probably hypnosis. Those eyelashes were suspicious. Were they natural?

“So, we’re going to the pool.”

Since it was a special occasion, I mentioned it during the night’s stream.

“Sounds good!”

“I haven’t swum in five years.”

“Tsuguno-chan, what kind of swimsuit will you wear?”

“I see we have another old man from the Showa era here…”

Even through the comment section, something was starting to show.

“What kind of swimsuit are you wearing?”

“You can’t just ask politely and expect an answer. I’m not telling you.”

After dragging the joke out for a bit, I finally replied, “An orange bikini with lots of frills.” The viewers seemed excited by that.

The next day.

The cloudy sky above the arena had a strange, ominous feeling. Large buildings usually give off that kind of vibe when they’re under a gray sky, so it was probably just in my head.

We formed a line of four and, chatting and laughing, snuck into the changing room. The smell of chlorine tickled my nose. It was a nostalgic smell. It reminded me of elementary school swimming lessons. For a moment, I thought I saw Ninomiya furrow her brow.

I checked the rubber band I received at the front desk: 405. I walked along the vinyl floor, looking for the locker with the same number. “This way,” Hayasegawa called out.

Now we were lined up in a row. I pulled the key from the slit in the rubber band and opened the locker.

The two former swim team members quickly undressed and changed into their swimsuits. Both of them wore dark blue competitive swimsuits. It felt unfair.

I put my bag in the locker and hesitated.

“What are you hesitating for?” Hayasegawa asked.

“Well…”

I fidgeted with the orange fabric in my hands while glancing at Hayasegawa, who was changing beside me. Then I quickly looked away, my face flushing. That was close. The curve of her figure was just about to reveal itself in full.

No, nothing was actually wrong, though.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the strap of her bra peeking out. If I wasn’t careful, I might say something stupid like, “Wow, they’re so big, I bet you could carry melons in there.” That would be very inappropriate.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a little ridiculous. If this girl was standing next to me, no one would be looking at me, even if I was wearing the most out-of-place bikini.

I quickly stripped off my clothes and put on my swimsuit.

The moment I took off my bra, I subtly glanced at Hayasegawa. She had turned her face away and was carefully adjusting her goggle strap.

“Sorry, I kept you waiting.”

“No problem. Let’s go.”

We walked side by side toward the shower area. Toudou and Ninomiya were nowhere to be seen. They must’ve already gone ahead to the poolside.

Hayasegawa was wearing a one-shoulder monokini. In other words, her back was wide open. Seeing her smooth skin made me unconsciously sigh.

“Hayasegawa…”

“What?”

“Your back is really beautiful.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, Hayasegawa straightened her back, spun around 180 degrees, and started walking backward. She was surprisingly graceful.

“What’s with the random compliment?”