Yuki was completely different, she already put it on before even coming here.

Opening my bag, I put the sun cream out of it and noticed a written letter on it.

"Kiyotaka, invite us for ice cream after we leave alright? It will push your popularity!"

Dang little sisters...They care way too much.

"Where is Yuki?"

"I believe that Yuki-san went to the kiosk with Mako-san."

"Dang..."

Now this is an uncomfortable problem. I will look like an idiot trying to protect my back with one hand full of sunscreen.

Should I get Akito to come here?

Well no, I am too lazy to walk 12 meters to the pool where they are located at.

Of course, I could also ask Hirata who was talking with Ichinose, but judging by their expressions, they were talking quite seriously.

Probably due to the problem that there are rumors spread that Ike and Yamauchi were caught spying on the girls.

And that there was a voice recorder attached to Yuki's bag.

There were several conflicts in which my class was involved directly.

And that is good.

"Ah, you want her to cream in your back? Should I do that, I mean, it's not that awkward for you, is it?"

Probably not, Alisa. But please, if Yuki sees this when she comes back it's officially over for me.

But it looked like she didn't care one bit and snapped the bottle from my hand.

"Sit please~"

Alisa ordered me to sit on the long side of the sunbed, and after I did so, she sat directly behind me.

Her ice-cold hands touching my back were quite uncomfortable at the start, but eventually, it was better.

No... It began to feel quite good.

Yuki for some reason was taking way too long. Maybe Amikura slipped due to the wet ground?

I should probably go and check once Alisa is done.

"You are ready to go~" Her voice reminded me of Mom's when saying this.

It somehow is weird and funny. As if she was raising me like I was a toddler.

"I will go check on Yuki."

"Do that~ I will probably sun myself a little."

As I stood up, I realized how Alisa protected me from a dangerous sunburn.

However, my main task, finding Yuki, was harder than I originally thought.

Somehow, she doesn't seem to be waiting in the kiosk's line. Or to be at the sunbed where Ichinose and Hirata are located.

Even though she was hardly noticeable among this many people, I still noticed that it was nearly impossible to find one brown-haired girl among these many.

...

If it wasn't for her rash guard. I noticed her sitting on a bench, next to Amikura with red knees.

Well, it just went as I expected. She probably slipped.

Even though neither of these two were crying one could immediately notice that something went wrong.

"Something happened?"

"Yeah, I slipped and I guess it is quite hard to stand up again."

She pointed at her left ankle which was a bit swollen with her index finger.

Yuki, just like always, was overplaying the pain with a forced smile.

"Huh? Slipped up?"

"Yes. Yuki-san slipped here and she wanted to sit down after. I was just about to get your help, but it seems like you already noticed that we took longer than usual."

"Thanks, Amikura. You can go back to the others."

"But shouldn't I help-"

"Your help is much appreciated, Amikura. But I believe I can do this alone."

"You can return, Mako-san. I am sure that Kiyotaka will help me out."

Amikura then proceeded to surrender and return to the others. A little frustrated obviously due to my tone.

As we were left alone, I sat next to my sister. A lot of conflicts have been going on between us recently. This means we lost a huge bit of trust since the reveal of the S-System.

It was only natural after all, this is the most important stage of our lives. And precisely in this stage, we are separated.

"Tripped?" I started the conversation, and she loosened up a little. Her forced smile disappeared as her lips were trembling.

"A little bit... Why did you come here?"

"I thought something happened. Perhaps my instinct was right for once. You need medical-"

"No, I think I will manage. The ground is slippery, yet rough. That is a deadly combination."

Indeed it is. Slipping and shoving up your skin, just like Yuki did must be easy here.

I wonder why the school does nothing about this safety problem, but I guess there is always a reason behind this.

"You sure? I could help you get back to the sunbed."

"Yes. However, you should go and play with Alisa after~"

"Don't worry about that. Even if I switch my attention towards her, you will remain the best girl."

"If you weren't this tall I would have slapped you for the nonsense you just said~"

Yuki said as we both stood up from the bench.

Her eyebrows were twitching, as she was probably feeling high amounts of pain from standing.

"You for sure wouldn't your little 150 centimeters won't even hurt a fly."

"H-Hey! Take that back!"

"Anyways, shall I carry you back or do you want to try to walk back?"

"...If we weren't in public... Well, I will give it a try. But don't get too far away I am quite scared of tripping again..."

It seems like she got a little traumatized from this slippy ground. Not that it's her fault in any way. I somehow agree with that, since it is a bit weird to walk on such a surface. Probably since I rarely go to the pool outside my free time in the white room.

Not that it's something new to me. Rather it's something I still couldn't perfectly adapt to.

Yuki slowly got old of the area of my elbow, and we slowly began walking back to where I came from. However, I almost forgot something. It was the drinks Yuki and Amikura were supposed to get.

"Do you still want to get some drinks? I mean, we easily have the time, after all, we barely arrived around fifteen minutes ago and you already injured yourself."

"I don't think it's completely my fault, I suppose that I am just unlucky today. You seem to be living life as a guy having this many beauties around you. Pretty sad that Horikit-san decided to dump us today, I bet you would have then got on your knees to thank me for this~"

"If you want, I could easily throw you into the water with the injury and wait until you drown."

"H-Hey! Don't abuse your luck! Also, I think this is getting told to you pretty often. So I would like to repeat these words to you. 'Kiyotaka-kun, you should smile a little bit more. Ты выглядишь мило, когда это делаешь' remember?" [You look cute when you do.]

Alisa once said that during our sleepover yesterday. It was quite awkward for me, who was still pretending to not understand Russian. But Yuki directly noticed that it was teasing material for her to abuse when she needed to.

"I am sorry Yuki, but I forgot almost every Russian word in my vocabulary."

"This was now the biggest lie I've ever heard. There is no possible universe in which you, out of all people forget something crucial."

Dang, sometimes praise sounds like an insult. But I don't think that it was that crucial for me not to forget.

"Pretty cheeky not gonna lie. But well, I will try. Yuki, can I ask you something? It's troubling me lately. Since you are in Class B, what is your guy's relationship to Class C?"

"Huh? Class-C? Well, just like everyone else's. It's a bit concerning how their leader already declared war on every class this year. I guess that person is really after the position of Class-A and got butthurt after being told that he was less worthy according to the school's rules."

"Ah, thanks."

To her information, we still didn't get any threat from Class-C, probably because we still have zero class points. But as a part of Class-B's leadership, she has to take responsibility if they lose to Class-C. And a loss would hurt her pretty heavily since this was the first time she had been under high pressure.

Just like everyone else, she loses composure much quicker than anyone else does.

Even though we were siblings, I could detect a shield rising when she was around me lately. After all, it's all or nothing here. But for now, Class-C's plans are pretty bad news to me, and intercepting them would be my highest priority. After all, once they are done with Class B they will jump over to lower Class D further.

Am I doing this for Yuki, Horikita, and Alisa? No. Rather for my selfish desire to have absolute superiority.

"Kiyotaka, I think, that you guys' will face huge problems with Class C as well. Of course, I am trying to stay objective, but as of now, you are not standing a chance. Your plans to involve Alisa-san are scaring me a little."

"How come that you think Alisa-san is worthless to me?"

"... Forget that. Let's talk later. It's problematic if someone eavesdrops on our conversation. I will sit down on my sunbed. Can you go and get some drinks for me?"

"Sure thing. What did Amikura want?"

"She wanted just some lemonade. Shibata wanted coke and I guess that Akito-kun wanted some Sprite."

"Sure thing, I will get you some ice there if they have some. Also, don't walk in the wet areas without any flip-flops. Except you want to end like this once again."

"Eh, toxic... Anyways, dear brother. I want you to not spend too many points. There is no reason to do so, I could pay for them if you want."

"No."

Why should I seriously let my sister pay? Who does that? Besides, she already injured herself, and there was no reason to annoy her with points once again.

"Alright..."

So I went and got to this kiosk where Yuki failed to reach it earlier. But honestly, these stairs here are sure slippery. No wonder she fell, they were too lazy to position a warning shield at all.

Now she could sue them if we were allowed to leave school grounds, but perhaps that would be a little exaggerated.

But, money is money.

Anyways, arriving there, I was getting surprised by a certain person. She was probably out here with her friend group. More like every girl in our class. After all, she enjoys being the center of attention in our class.

"Suou-kun?"

"Yes? Seems like you as well decided to come here..."

"Hmm? That is only natural I believe. After all, summer is about to start and right now it's already way too hot. Are you here with anyone besides your sister?"

"How come that you think that I am always with my sister?"

"Are you not?" She giggled a little, destroying my confidence in some short seconds of conversation.

"Yeah, but I guess that is something that everyone thinks now huh? Well, Akito, Shibata, Alisa, and Haruka are here as well. How about you? Who are you here with?"

"Just as usual. Hirata-kun, Chiaki-chan, Maya-chan, and ... well that's it. Kei-chan didn't join us today strangely. But I am quite surprised how Kujou-san decided to join you guys. Usually, whenever I ask her out, she is occupied..."

"Don't worry about it too much, she barely joined us because Yuki wouldn't have left her alone if she didn't join us."

"Ah, Yuki-san? I guess we are a little alike." No. You aren't as messed up in the head as Yuki is. After all, you don't hide under my bed when I wake up to scare me.

Or you don't go to some random girl who doesn't want to join you at lunch break every single time to annoy her.

...Well she does, but not on the same methods.

"Maybe you two are a bit alike after all. However, do you enjoy it here?"

"Yeah, I do! You guys seem to have fun as well, judging by the fact what Akito and Shibata-kun are doing in the water."

Turning around in curiosity, I saw these two special species of monkeys wrestling in the water. And almost everybody in the pool is watching, giving them as much space as possible. You really couldn't leave them alone for more than twenty minutes, could you?

I bet they are wondering why they get told to leave in two hours.

"...Seems like it. It's your turn."

"Huh- Ah thank you." She quickly proceeded to order some drinks, as she was the next in line, she then ordered, and as I listened to her order, she was given the option to let these drinks be handled directly at her sunbed number.

Seems like I could need that service...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bonds and Betrayals~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After ordering our drinks, I was told they would arrive in around five minutes at Yuki's sunbed. This means Yuki will get to accept them and I finally have free time at the pool.

I put off my T-Shirt which I put on after getting sunscreen on by Alisa.

Just as I did this, Akito immediately noticed, and well, as he waved to me, some students quickly shifted their eyes to me and my body, they locked in and then many other students did so as well.

Even the princess did. With princess, I mean Alisa, who was getting called like that by many guys in our class, and funnily enough, after the first swimming class, there was some sort of cult built around her and Kushida. Probably due to their looks.

"They are looking at you~" Yuki mumbled, as she looked at me sadistically.

"Seems like your big brother is getting a little bit uncomfortable," I said, as I was perfectly describing my situation. Even though I have a body that is at its physical peak, it was still weird to get looked at, which gave me a look of shape.

As I slowly approached the pool, I sat down on the edge of the pool, letting my left foot dive into the water, testing its temperature, and what should I say, it's a refreshing cold.

"So the winner is against Suou?" Akito said, who won the fight, making me look like the final boss.

"Seems like it, good luck on him, Miyake," Haruka whispered to herself.

About the topic of Miyake and Haruka... They are just perfectly matched. Yuki and I already had this conversation about them one week ago.

It seems that they even grew closer. Now there is a dilemma building up inside my head. Should I let Akito win and make him impress everyone else? Or should I win to impress my sister and Alisa?

I am confused. If I just had the cool and objective brain of Horikita right now... 

My best friend or me...

Me or my best friend...

"Good luck, Kiyotaka."

Miyake held his palm out, there were now far fewer people in the pool, rather they were watching from their sunbeds, creating a really interesting atmosphere.

As I shook his hand, the art of surprise caught me, not even two seconds after and I was locked in a triangle. Under water as well, means there is no reality in which I could still win this.

However, as well as he surprised me, I surprised him even more, with the power of holding your breath for a very long time.

He slowly released his grip after like 50 seconds, waiting for any signal, then, he somehow started panicking, as he tapped my shoulder in panic.

The perfect situation for playing Death.

Just as he pulled my head out of the water, he was beaten by his weapons, or so I thought as he escaped the choke.

"Dang... That was scary not gonna lie..." He laughed

"dude?! How did he survive that?!"

All kinds of jokes were made to my surprise of mine. But to be honest, no normal guy would have had a chance against Akito in such a playfield. I am genuinely impressed by how Shibata still managed to not lose for this long.

"I surrender. You drained my stamina pretty bad." I said, raising my arms and lowering my head.

"Dude...I was about to say the same... Seems like I won by luck huh?" He said between his breaths.

This fight was probably a disappointment for the viewers, but I guess this was enough to make my surrender seem natural.

"You are not weak, I think I did quite well, but well I take the medal of being able to keep up... sort of," I said, as the fight was lost for me. But at the same time, I was able to impress most of the crowd to still keep up. Akito also impressed everyone since he went two rounds straight and still won both.

A win-win situation I got out of this huh? See people, this is the perfect balance of winning and losing at the same time. Of course, Akito was at the end of his stamina reserves, since water wrestling takes up pretty much all of your stamina after two rounds.

This means I could've easily won. But nobody would believe me anyway, no need to work it out.

Miyake and Shibata then leaned their backs on the edges of the pool, composing and regenerating.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bonds and Betrayals~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[A/N] The Next chapter is finally done, it took a bit too long, to be exact four days since the last release, and I am a bit scared that the next chapter will come in a week or so, which is pretty unnatural for me.

Originally I planned on posting two chapters a week, but here I am barely posting one a week huh? Of course, I will surely continue this story until it ends.

[L/N spoiler ahead]

Also, I am quite excited since Kinu settled the end girl debate with Horikita in Y2 V10 lmao.

Also, what do you guys think of Ichinose targetting Kei and Horikita protecting her every round?