The Classmate Who Is Adored by Everyone Smiles Teasingly Only at Me-Chapter 1Volume 3 .5 - November Sun
November Sun 5
“…Well then, shall we start practicing swimming?”
“Eh, um, Sōma-san, is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, I’m fine. Really. Seriously. Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”
He was relieved that there was no chance of getting teased for blushing.
It was a relief that Chika was wearing a T-shirt.
Yes, it was a very good thing.
Yet, he had to admit, a part of him felt incredibly disappointed.
Regaining his composure, Sōma moved to a quieter corner of the pool to avoid disturbing other swimmers.
“――So, how much can you not swim?”
While doing warm-up exercises by the poolside, I asked.
“I’m not proud of it, but I can’t swim at all.”
Chika responded decisively as she rotated her arms.
“I have no experience playing in the water before, so I never had the chance to learn how to swim.”
“You’ve never played in the water? Does that mean you’ve never been to a public pool or gone to the beach?”
Chika nodded yes to Sōma’s question.
“That’s why coming to this kind of leisure pool is a first for me, and just being here is making me excited and nervous.”
“That’s quite rare.”
In the city where the two lived, there were public pools and, though a bit far, beaches.
It was quite unusual for someone who had lived here all their life to have never used either.
“When I was in elementary school, I used to go to the public pool all the time during summer.”
Well, the purpose wasn’t so much to swim as it was to enjoy the snacks on the way back.
“The reason lies with my parents.”
Chika began to explain, her face clouding over.
“As you know, Sōma-san, my parents are quite elderly. They were already around forty when I was born. In case of a water accident, they didn’t have the physical strength or confidence to deal with it.”
“…I see.”
If a child drowns, parents will desperately try to save them. However, not all parents have the strength or are good swimmers.
There are tragic accidents reported every year where parents try to save their children but both end up not making it.
Chika’s parents, feeling their strength wane with age, feared they would end up in such a situation.
“Since I didn’t have the chance to be around water when I was young, I somehow developed a fear of it. I’ve never worn a swimsuit except for school swimming lessons.”
This seems to be a serious case of someone who can’t swim
“And yet, you decided you want to learn to swim?”
“Isn’t it better to be able to swim than not?”
“Well, that’s certainly true.”
Knowing how to swim is never a disadvantage.
On the other hand, it’s not something that one absolutely must be able to do.
“And I also hate that I’m always being teased by Sōma-san.”
“Sorry about that. I didn’t think you’d take it so seriously.”
As Sōma bowed his head, Chika chuckled softly, then continued.
“Well, Sōma-san is just one reason. The other reason is probably a bigger motivation.”
“What’s that?”
“If I can swim, I can help my father or mother if they’re about to drown. Then, we could go to the beach as a family.”
“…I see.”
The thought was wonderful.
“Alright, I get it. I’ll help you learn to swim until you can do it.”
Feeling motivated to teach, Sōma jumped into the chlorinated water with a splash.
“Come on in, Chika.”
Encouraged, Chika tied the hem of her T-shirt tightly before cautiously entering the one-meter-deep pool.
“Ugh, I feel so light and uncomfortable.”
“That’s because of the buoyancy of the water.”
“I understand that, but…”
She raised a voice close to tears, looking around like a lost puppy separated from its mother dog. Her complexion also seemed a bit pale.
Her fear and discomfort with water appeared deeper than Sōma had imagined.
If she couldn’t alleviate this first, learning to swim would remain a distant dream.
“The pool isn’t that deep, right? You can touch the bottom, so it’s okay.”
He spoke in a calm tone, trying to reassure her.
“That may be true, but…”
“Look over there. Elementary school kids are playing. This pool is safe even for them.”
“But those kids can swim. I can’t.”
This is no good. Words alone won’t reassure her.
“Should we rent a float?”
“It’s better than nothing, but I still can’t feel safe. Plus, it’s a bit embarrassing for a high school student to use a float.”
“You’re being picky.”
A bit exasperated by the lame excuse, he wondered what to do next.
Words and tools seemed incapable of removing Chika’s anxiety. So what then…?
After a moment of thought, he spoke up.
“Hey, Chika, do you trust me?”
“Somewhat.”
“Somewhat, huh?”
Sōma was a bit shocked, and the girl puffed up her cheeks in anger.
“I haven’t forgotten how I was tricked into running last month. You said ‘just a little’, but it was ten kilometers.”
This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.
“I didn’t trick you. Besides, we only ran half of what was planned.”
It seemed this girl tended to hold grudges, whether about swimming or running.
“Well, if it’s not zero trust, I guess that’s good enough.”
When Sōma extended his right hand, Chika looked at it with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong with your right hand?”
“While we’re at the pool, hold onto my hand the whole time. If you slip or start to drown, I’ll pull you up and save you right away. This way you’ll feel safe, right?”
If neither words nor tools could reassure her, this was the only option left.
