Secrets Are Better Be Hidden

Chapter 4

The boys were loudly discussing their breast size betting pool when Murayama entered the classroom. At first he didn't seem to notice, sitting down quietly at his desk. But as their crude talk continued, a look of distaste crossed his face.

"Pardon me, but don't you think wagering on our female classmates' bodies is rather demeaning?" he spoke up.

The group turned to Murayama in surprise.

"Come on man, don't be a buzzkill," Ike said. "We're just having fun."

Murayama's frown deepened. For a moment, a hard glint seemed to enter his eyes. I tensed, wondering if he might lash out at them. But then he took a breath and the darkness passed.

"Perhaps so, but might I suggest directing your amusement to more elevated pursuits?" Murayama said evenly.

The boys scoffed. "Yeah right, whatever. Are you betting or not?"

Murayama stood silently for a beat. I could tell he was still bothered, but he merely inclined his head politely. "I'm afraid I must abstain. Now if you'll excuse me."

He retreated to his desk, outwardly composed but a muscle in his jaw twitching. I watched him, fascinated by this brief glimpse beneath his mild surface. What had stirred in him at the boys' crass objectification? It seemed wise not to push him too far.

"Man, what a prude," Yamauchi muttered. The rest quickly lost interest in Murayama, returning to their betting pool.

I wavered, but decided to join in, not wanting to miss this chance at friendship. We were placing wagers when class began, much to the girls' chagrin. But I kept glancing back at Murayama, troubled by the disquieting change I'd witnessed.

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“Well, it looks like everyone can swim, for the most part.”

“Of course, sir. Back in junior high, people called me ‘the flying fish, you know.”

“I see. In that case, I’ll have you start competing against each other.
We’ll separate groups by gender. Fifty-meter freestyle.”

“C-compete?! Are you serious?” Ike cried.

“I’ll give out a special bonus to the first-place winner: 5000 points. The
student who comes in last place, however, will have to take supplementary lessons. Get ready.”

The skilled swimmers cheered with joy, while the less confident students groaned.

“Because we don’t have very many girls, I’ll split you into two groups of five people, and the student with the fastest overall time will be the winner. As for the boys, I’ll look at the top five finishing times and then move on to a final round.”

I’d never imagined that the school would award points as a prize. Perhaps this was a way to light a fire under the students. Rather well thought out, I had to say. Excluding the observers and the one student who couldn’t swim, there were sixteen boys and ten girls competing. The girls started first, while the boys sat on the sidelines, filled with excitement as they cheered…

The swimming competition continued, with Kouenji handily beating Sudou in their one-on-one race.

"Tch, beginner's luck," Sudou muttered, though he didn't seem fully convinced.

Kouenji merely flicked his wet bangs arrogantly. "I'm afraid natural talent played a role as well."

Next up were the final heats to determine the remaining top finishers. Ike practically drooled watching Kushida stretch in her swimsuit.