Target Acquired - VOLUME 1

CHAPTER 11 - "Pool Time, Part One"

"If he's looking for a pool, there's one at the main campus!" Ritsu suggests cheerfully. I've been a bit sidetracked recently, so I don't really know her much. From what I can tell, the Ministry has a stick up their asses and built an A.I. to plow down Korosensei. Didn't work. Go figure.

I groan and brush sweat off of my forehead. Nagisa smiles at me and waves his phone, showing me Ritsu dressed in a swim team uniform. "Cute," I say. "But it doesn't change the fact that it's like the Sahara out here."

"Psh," Karma scoffs, trying to hide his own discomfort with the weather. His face is flushed. Damn, he needs the pool Korosensei's looking for more than the rest of us!

"Look at you, hot stuff!" Nakamura teases, brushing past him and moving next to me. He rolls his eyes and brushes through his hair. Even after dropping down here, he's still trying to be cool.

"Speaking of hot stuff," Nakamura starts. She pokes my arm with her elbow, winking. "How goes you and Asano?"

"Fine," I respond calmly. Let's not start this shit again. Karma walks up to the right side of me, nudging Nagisa out of the way. Great, I've been cornered.

"Just how fine?" Karma asks, grinning.

"Fine enough," I say under my breath, rubbing my forehead tentatively. If I don't find a way out of this conversation, I'm going to get a headache.

Karma leans forward and gestures something to Nakamura. She nods her head and pulls out her phone like a woman on a mission. She quickly pulls up an app and skims through it. Before I can escape, she thrusts her phone at me, grinning.

I blink my eyes a few times to see what I'm supposed to be looking at. "Are you serious?!" I squeal. "There's no way I'm wearing that!" Nakamura's phone is opened to a costume shop website.

"Oh, come on!" Karma laughs, blocking me from getting away from the two of them. "Don't you want to make your old pals hear some money?"

"Not with a cheap-ass maid costume!" I protest loudly, attracting the attention of a few of our classmates. I don't even want to know what this conversation would sound like out of context.

"But what about Asano? Don't you want to make him happy?" Nakamura inquires sarcastically. She moves next to Karma, effectively blocking me as well.

"Yeah, but..." I trail off, not wanting to give them any more satisfaction.

"But...?" Karma urges. He's starting to pull his phone out. I take the opportunity to push past the two of them.

"Oh, forget it!" I squawk, throwing up my hands in exasperation. "You both are insufferable!"

As I storm away from them, I can hear them give one another a high five and begin to plan another prank. God, they need leashes.

I take a deep breath and can't help but smile at the scenery around me. Lush, green grasses, tall trees shadowing over my classmates and I, and... what's that noise? A trickling, flowing sound reminiscent of a stream fills my ears. No way!

Korosensei, who's been leading us for the last ten minutes or so, turns around and wears his constant yellow grin. He laughs and declares, "Alright, we're here!" My classmates and I perk up immediately.

"Behold!" he exclaims, using one of his tentacles to pull aside a tree branch. It reveals a beautiful, clear pool of shining blue water. The sun reflects off the water, and fish scurry from current to current. It's a fairly big pond that will definitely prove to be fun for my classmates.

I sigh as some of the boys jump into the water, pulling off their shirts on the way. "What's wrong, Megumi?" Korosensei asks. Huh? He's in an entirely different outfit - that of a lame lifeguard.