Masterpiece: One final Test

Chapter 7: Competitive waters.

The classroom buzzed with energy, an odd sight for a Monday morning. Most students would normally drag themselves through the start of the week, but today was different. Ike and Yamauchi had brought a contagious enthusiasm that had spread through the room like wildfire.

"Yo, Ayanokoji!" Ike called out, waving as I walked in. He and Yamauchi were hunched over a desk, their faces alight with a mix of mischief and glee.

I approached them cautiously, curious despite myself. "Good morning," I said, my tone flat but polite. "You seem...excited."

Yamauchi leaned closer, grinning like he'd just won the lottery. "You bet we are! Swimming starts today. You know what that means, right?"

I stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Girls in swimsuits!" Ike interjected, practically bouncing in his seat. "It's gonna be the best. Day Ever!"

Ah, yes. Predictable.

"But that's not all," Yamauchi said, lowering his voice as though he were sharing state secrets. "We've got a plan. A foolproof one."

I raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.

"Enter the genius himself—the Professor!" Yamauchi gestured dramatically toward the far corner, where Sotomura sat hunched over his laptop. He was typing furiously, his spiky black hair bobbing with each keystroke. When he noticed the attention, he looked up briefly, adjusted his shiny glasses, and gave a quick serious nod before returning to his screen.

"We're gonna, uh, collect some data," Ike said, grinning sheepishly. "Y'know, for science. Rankings and stuff."

"Rankings," I repeated, though I had a sinking feeling I already knew what he meant.

"Yeah, man!" Yamauchi said, lowering his voice even further. "We're betting on who's got the biggest, uh, you know... assets." He waggled his eyebrows, as though his vague wording wasn't already obvious enough.

Ike snickered, nudging Yamauchi. "The Professor's handling the logistics. We'll keep it on the down-low, totally discreet. And you—" he pointed at me—"should totally join in. What do you say, Ayanokoji? Place a bet with us!"

I considered their proposal. Morally reprehensible? Absolutely. Utterly idiotic? Without question.

Their enthusiasm, however, was unwavering, and I could already imagine the chaos this scheme would unleash. The only logical course of action was to distance myself as much as possible. Still, I couldn't help but glance toward the back of the classroom, where Sudo had just arrived and was tossing his bag onto his desk.

"Excuse me," I said, walking away before Ike and Yamauchi could rope me into their madness.

Sudo looked up as I approached, raising an eyebrow. "Yo, Kiyo-bro. What's up?"

I lowered my voice slightly, leaning closer. "Ike and Yamauchi invited me to join their... operation. What should I do?"

Sudo blinked, then grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. "Aw, man. Those guys are dumb as hell sometimes. Let me guess—they're schemin' somethin' about the swim class?"

"Correct," I said.

Sudo shook his head, his expression a mix of exasperation and embarrassment. "Man, that's just askin' for trouble. If I were you, I'd steer clear. You don't wanna be anywhere near that mess when it blows up."

"I see."

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Do what you wanna do, bro. But if you're smart you'll let those idiots dig their own graves. Ain't worth the drama or the risk of getting caught... and probably lynched."