Novel Full Chapter 2687 - 2687: The Result
Instead of seizing the opening, my first instinct was to reach out. I stretched my arms out, grabbing her waist as she flailed. I then had us surface as my arms wrapped around her securely.
Maaya gasped, coughing slightly as she clung to my shoulders, her competitive glare momentarily replaced by wide-eyed surprise.
“… Idiot, you could’ve used that chance to pull ahead,” Maaya huffed as she rested her chin on my shoulder while clinging tighter. Her racing heartbeat thudded against my chest as water droplets clung to her lashes, magnifying the conflicted frustration in her eyes. I could see it. She was angry at the stumble but she’s also happy that I caught her instead of taking advantage.
“Sorry, my instinct to protect my girl kicked in,” I murmured against her temple, my thumbs brushing droplets from her cheeks.
Her glare softened slightly as her cheeks turned pink before it hardened again as she shoved my chest lightly. “Don’t flatter yourself, idiot. And stop with this, they’re still watching.”
Ah. That’s right. Only then did I remember that we’re in the middle of the competition. As I looked around, all eyes were stuck staring at us floating in the middle of the pool. Misumi had covered her mouth as though preventing herself from giggling. Umeda, on the other hand, was holding her forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
As for Ryouko-san and everyone at the side watching us? Their reactions were priceless.
“Oi, you two. How long are you going to hold each other like that?” Satsuki grumpily hollered from the sidelines.
Maaya slipped away from my grasp with a splash, her cheeks burning crimson as she swam toward the remaining obstacles within the buoy corridor.
“Focus on the race, idiot!” She called out to me, holding off on sprinting until I caught up. We swam side-by-side through the buoy corridor and the short distance to Platform Bravo. Misumi and Umeda were already waiting for us.
Because of what happened, we arrived at the same time, making the transition awkwardly simultaneous. Misumi grinned as she tagged Maaya’s wrist before diving to reach the other end of the pool to plant the flag there.
“You know what, Onoda-kun? I’m amazed how you can still flirt with your girls on this occasion.” That’s all Umeda said before tapping and following after Misumi.
She didn’t wait for my reply. Most likely, she already knew how I would respond to it.
And just like this, our competition continued, when they both returned to Platform Bravo, Maaya and dove again to get the flags they planted.
Our time remained close with only a slight lead on Misumi’s part as she and Umeda navigated back to the Platform Alpha.
Because of that, the real decider became our return to the starting position. All four of us dove simultaneously from Platform Alpha, wading through the net barrier and surfacing for the last sprint.
Unlike Kushii, who got her leg tangled earlier, Maaya and I navigated the net barrier smoothly. We surfaced simultaneously, kicking hard toward the finish line. Water churned around us as we pushed our limits.
Maaya’s competitive streak burned bright as she didn’t want to lose her bet against me. Unfortunately for her, Misumi’s stamina was fading fast. Due to that, they slowed down on that final sprint, allowing Umeda and me to surge ahead.
At the same time as our hands touched the pool’s edge, Ryouko-san’s whistle pierced the air. Umeda surfaced beside me, gasping but triumphant, while Maaya clung to the ledge a fraction later, her chest heaving. Misumi slumped against the tiles, utterly spent.
“There was a mishap in the middle,” Ryouko-san announced, tapping her stopwatch, “but after deliberation, Onoda immediately rescuing Maaya counts as legitimate obstacle navigation. Therefore…” She paused dramatically, letting the tension build as Maaya glared daggers at me while catching her breath. “…penalty for both pairs has been waived. Team Onoda-Umeda wins by 0.8 seconds!”
Umeda pumped her fist silently, a rare grin splitting her face as she floated beside me.
Maaya slammed her palm against the water’s surface, sending droplets spraying across Misumi’s exhausted form. “Hmph. You really didn’t let me win, shameless guy.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll still take you on a date, right? It’s still a win.” I grinned, leaning closer to Maaya as we caught our breaths.
She shoved my face away with a wet palm, scowling. “Help me bring up Misumi-san first, idiot.”
“As you command, Maaya-sama,” I playfully responded like a servant before pushing off the ledge to help haul a wheezing Misumi onto the pool deck. Her limbs felt like overcooked noodles.
As the girl turned over, Misumi looked up at me with a pout, “You’re too much, Onoda-kun. You’re unforgiving even to your girl.”
“It’s a competition, Misumi. Besides… isn’t it fun to give it our all?” I grinned, hauling her upright as Maaya climbed out beside us.
Umeda floated nearby, watching with quiet amusement while catching her breath.
“Still… Ugh…” Although she looked like she still wanted to complain, Maaya grabbed the girl’s wrist and guided her back to where the eliminated students and other competitors were gathered.
After that, Ryouko-san approached us, before announcing that the five pairs that won the relay would receive extra credit for their physical education grades. However, the competition isn’t over yet.
Umeda and I joined the other four winning pairs and waited for Ryouko-san’s announcement. She cleared her throat before continuing, “The final round will not be a knockout relay. Instead…”
She paused dramatically to let the anticipation build. “Each winning pair will compete simultaneously in an obstacle course designed for two!”
“You’ll navigate a redesigned course. All while tethered together at the waist! Apart from time penalties, you’ll also be able to acquire time bonuses by collecting flags,” Ryouko-san announced.
Right. That’s what they planned. And that’s why Orimura-sensei got me paired with someone not connected to me.
While everyone started talking to their partners, Orimura-sensei and the other students who opted out of the activity returned from the indoor pool.
The woman’s gaze instantly locked on me the moment she saw me standing among the winning pairs. She walked towards Ryouko-san and grinned, “So we’re at the main event? Good.”
With that, she immediately jumped into the pool, creating the new obstacle course herself. She swam to the center and began rearranging the buoy corridor into a tighter maze while she instructed some students to assist her in placing additional flags on the platforms.
As we waited for her to finish, Umeda, standing by my side, nudged my shoulder.
“Onoda-kun, we can win this, right? Uhm… I don’t mind if you… put your hands on me. For the course, of course!” Upon saying that, she instantly glanced away, hiding the pink flush on her cheeks.