A week had passed since the start of the term, and Class D had settled into a rhythm—if it could be called that. Miyamoto Sōshi had already become an unmistakable presence in the classroom: the tall, lean muscular guy with a ponytail, rings on every finger, and tattoos peeking out whenever his shirt collar loosened. The kind of existence that made most students instinctively step aside but—strangely—also look twice.
They'd gotten used to him. Not fully comfortable, but accustomed enough not to flinch every time his shadow passed.
Kiyotaka Ayanokōji, sitting quietly at his desk that morning, looked as bored as ever. But he was listening. Sōshi noticed—he always noticed things around him, courtesy of ten years of parkour training and a life where being aware of your environment kept you alive.
This morning, the classroom was unusually lively for so early in the day. Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki had burst through the classroom doors like lottery winners, grinning like idiots, waving their hands as though announcing a festival.
"Today! Today's the day!" Ike practically shouted.
"Swimming class, baby!" Yamauchi pumped his fist.
Ayanokōji blinked once, his version of surprise.
Sōshi didn't react. He'd known—of course he'd known, since he was reincarnated into this world with memories intact. And he knew exactly how this scene would unfold.
Still, seeing it in person had its own ridiculous entertainment value.
Ike leaned over Ayanokōji's desk with a conspiratorial expression. "Ayanokōji! Listen! You won't believe this, but Sotomura came up with a genius plan."
Yamauchi nodded proudly. "We're gonna catalog the cup sizes of every girl in class! Beautiful, right? Ah, the dreams of men!"
Ayanokōji frowned lightly. "Catalog?"
"Record!" Ike corrected like it made things better. "Rank! Compare! And—listen carefully—bet!"
Yamauchi wagged his eyebrows. "We're placing bets on who has the biggest oppai in Class D."
Ayanokōji stared blankly. It was the look of a man internally sighing at humanity.
"I'm not sure that's—"
"Oi, Miyamoto!" Ike suddenly called across the room. "You in too?"
Yamauchi followed up quickly. "Yeah! You've been here a week now. You're basically one of the guys!"
It was true—they'd become less afraid of him after discovering he wasn't the type to pick fights for fun. His intimidating appearance had become background noise.
Sōshi shrugged with lazy amusement. "A little bet won't kill me."
Ike fist-pumped. "KNEW IT! The more the merrier!"
Yamauchi leaned forward eagerly. "So who's your bet on?"
Sōshi didn't even hesitate. "Airi."
The two boys froze.
"A-Airi? Really?" Ike blinked in disbelief.
Yamauchi scratched his head. "Huh. Unexpected pick."
Ayanokōji watched him with a tiny spark of curiosity—Sōshi could tell. Probably wondering why he'd picked the shyest girl in class.
Sōshi just smirked internally. Because I've seen the anime, the light novel, and Airi in real life now. And also because I already know the results—no need to bet stupidly.
But outwardly, he simply stretched, his shoulder muscles tensing under the school uniform shirt. A few girls sitting farther away quickly looked away after accidentally glancing at him—likely intimidated by the faint black patterns of tattoos peeking out around his collarbone.
…Swimming class is going to blow the rest of them wide open. Sōshi thought with a sigh. Class D saw part of his tattoos every day, but only glimpses. The pool… well, even if he kept his shirt on until the last second, sooner or later they'd see everything.
He could already imagine the whispers.
Who the hell is this guy?Yankee? Gangster?Parkour monkey covered in ink?
Too late to un-reincarnate now.
Before he could spiral into the absurdity of it all, a small shadow approached his desk.
"Um… Sōshi-kun…"
Airi Sakura, clutching her notebook to her chest like a shield.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"D-Do you… do you want lunch again today?" she asked softly. It had become their routine: she grabbed his lunch, he paid her back, and they ate quietly together. It helped her socialize without being thrown into large groups.
"Yeah. Same as usual." He flicked her forehead lightly. "Thanks."
Airi blushed shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "O-Okay."
Even Ike and Yamauchi looked envious but didn't dare comment, knowing Sōshi treated Airi differently from the rest.
The morning classes blurred by, and before long, lunchtime arrived. Airi brought over their trays as usual, stumbling slightly under the weight of both, and Sōshi grabbed them effortlessly with one hand.
"You'll drop these one day," he teased.
"S-Sorry…"
"Not a complaint." He ruffled her hair, making her cheeks glow pink.
They ate together in their quiet corner of the cafeteria. Airi was calmer around him—she always had been from the moment they met. Maybe because his intimidating aura made everyone ignore them; maybe because he treated her gently despite looking like a human warning label.
After lunch, the class headed toward the indoor pool facility.
And immediately, whispers filled the humid air.
"Miyamoto-kun's tattoos are… w-whoa…"
"Is that even allowed? They're huge…"
"He looks like he escaped a gang…"
Sōshi ignored them, rolling his neck as the warm air hit his bare upper body. His entire chest and back were covered in striking black ink—sharp, symmetrical patterns that hinted at long hours in tattoo parlors.
Kushida walked by, hands behind her back, smile bright. "Sōshi-kun looks… um… surprisingly artistic."
"Thanks, I guess," he replied.
Airi, in her swimsuited shyness, avoided looking at him entirely, face bright red all the way to her ears.
The chaos of the poolside continued as Ike and Yamauchi attempted (and failed) to subtlety glance at the girls. Hideo Sotomura had already prepared some kind of notebook before being intercepted by a teacher's glare.
When the girls realized something was up, many immediately wrapped themselves in towels or huddled, forcing Ike and Yamauchi's plan to collapse spectacularly.
"Damn it!" Ike groaned. "We were so close!"
"Why are girls so cautious?!" Yamauchi whined.
"Because you two are idiots," Horikita said bluntly.
Sōshi snorted.
While Ike and Yamauchi sulked, Ayanokōji stood off to the side stretching quietly. Horikita approached him with her usual cold expression.
"You seem unexpectedly fit," she observed, eyes narrowing. "Do you work out?"
"No," Ayanokōji replied smoothly. "Genetics."
Horikita raised an eyebrow. "I see."
Sōshi overheard and smirked. This guy lies so casually, it almost sounds like the truth.
Kushida skipped over to join the conversation, bright as sunshine. "Horikita-san! Let's warm up together!"
"Declined," Horikita answered instantly.
Kushida's smile twitched for a fraction of a second. "Ahaha… of course."
Meanwhile, Sōshi wandered to the deeper end of the pool, feeling bored. He flexed his shoulders absentmindedly, the ink on his body shifting like living shadows. Airi, sitting hesitantly nearby, perked up when he came closer.
"Um… Sōshi-kun… you're not going to swim already, are you?"
"Nope," he replied. Then, with zero warning—he scooped her up bridal-style.
"KYAA—?!"
And tossed her straight into the pool.
A huge splash followed, Airi surfacing in shock, hair flooding over her face.
"S-Sōshi-kuuuun!"
"You looked like you needed it," he said with a rare grin.
Several nearby girls gasped. Some of the guys laughed. Ayanokōji glanced over, expression unchanged but clearly entertained.
The teacher blew the whistle sharply.
"CLASS D! LINE UP!"
Swimming lessons officially began.
The girls swam first, divided into two groups. Horikita sliced through the water with clean strokes, finishing second overall, while Kushida—despite her cheerfulness—placed fourth. Kayano Onodera, with her athletic build, took first place with ease.
When the girls finished wringing out their hair, Horikita walked over to Ayanokōji again.
"You don't seem particularly fast," she remarked coldly.
"I'll aim to not be last," he replied simply.
Horikita actually frowned at that answer. "That isn't admirable."
"But it's realistic," Ayanokōji countered.
Sōshi overheard and chuckled. Horikita turned toward him. "Something funny?"
"You're competitive as hell," he replied.
"And you're nonchalant to a fault," Horikita returned.
"Guilty."
Finally, it was the boys' turn.
The boys were separated into three preliminary heats. Sōshi didn't swim in them because he'd been placed in a different category due to his physical fitness assessment—something about ensuring "balanced competition." In truth, the teachers probably didn't want a tattooed, parkour-built student accidentally overshadowing or intimidating others.
The races played out predictably:
Koenji Ryūji swam like a creature born in water, finishing first with an arrogant flick of his hair.
Sudō Ken was second—furious but accepting.
Hirata Yōsuke's smooth athleticism earned him third.
Ayanokōji quietly took tenth place—comfortable, average, invisible.
When the races ended, the teacher dismissed the class to free time in the water.
Kushida approached Ayanokōji, smiling warmly. "Ayanokōji-kun! You were amazing today!"
He blinked. "I placed tenth."
"But your body is surprisingly toned!" she said. "I didn't expect that at all!"
In the background, Sōshi scoffed. He'd heard this same praise earlier from Horikita.
Ayanokōji scratched his cheek. "Genetics."
Kushida blinked. "Eh? You said that to Horikita-san too."
He simply nodded.
Meanwhile, Sōshi climbed out of the pool, water sliding down the ink on his chest, earning more whispers. He grabbed Airi—again—lifting her effortlessly with one arm as she sputtered.
"W-Wait—no more tossing!"
"Fine," he said. "But hold onto me if you're cold."
Airi froze like a statue before gently clutching his arm, her face steaming red.
"...Miyamoto-kun really is a scary-looking softie," someone whispered nearby.
He ignored it.
The swimming period eventually ended, and everyone returned to the locker rooms. As Sōshi tied his ponytail and dried off his tattoos, Ike complained loudly from the side.
"I can't believe our plan totally fell apart!"
"Girls are too cautious…" Yamauchi muttered.
Sōshi walked by and flicked both their heads.
"Ow!"
"You were doomed from the start," he said. "You two act like predators sniffing after prey. Anyone would get suspicious."
Ike slumped. "Ugh…"
Ayanokōji approached with his usual calm expression. "Maybe next time, don't plan something that would get you expelled."
"True," Sōshi added.
Yamauchi groaned. "You guys are no fun…"
When they left the pool area, Airi trotted up behind Sōshi, holding her bag shyly.
"Um… Sōshi-kun…"
"Yeah?"
"Y-Your tattoos… are… um… beautiful."
He paused.
Airi fumbled her words immediately. "N-Not in a weird way! I mean—they suit you! They look… cool. Um… I-I'll stop talking."
He reached out and gently tapped her forehead. "Thanks."
Airi smiled softly.
The rest of Class D drifted back to their homeroom or the cafeteria, talking about the races, the gossip, the disasters, and the antics of the day.
And while the others talked…
Sōshi walked quietly beside Ayanokōji, who asked in a low tone:
"You didn't seem bothered by everyone staring."
Sōshi shrugged. "I've lived with these for ten years. People stare. People whisper. Doesn't change who I am."
Ayanokōji looked at him with mild interest. "That's strong."
"Or numbness," Sōshi replied.
Ayanokōji gave the faintest of smiles. "Either way… you fit the class more than you think."
Sōshi chuckled. "Thanks. I think."
The day ended with sunlight streaming through the windows, laughter fading down the halls, and Class D—chaotic, ridiculous, flawed—bonding little by little.