“Do I really have to do this?”

“You’re asking that now? We’ve already made all the plans.”

“But no matter how much I think about it, this doesn’t seem right…”

A sigh escaped Amelia’s lips.

Why was Siwoo so hesitant now?

Instead of scolding Siwoo, Amelia decided to convince him.

“I told you. Since you can’t monitor Arte yourself, I have to do it in the end.”

“I know you’re more suitable for monitoring Arte… But this is a crime.”

Siwoo’s eyes wavered with anxiety.

Yes, it’s a crime.

And a very bad one at that.

A male student entering the girls’ changing room deserves condemnation.

On top of that, going through a female student’s belongings?

If caught, there’s no excuse.

At that moment, you immediately become a sex offender.

Expulsion is certain, and your future life will be ruined.

Even now, if Siwoo monitored Arte and Amelia searched through her things…

“Don’t worry. I’ll make a loud noise if someone else approaches the changing room. There’s no way you’ll get caught.”

“Do we really have to do this…?”

“Didn’t I already tell you not to worry so much? It’s only a crime if you get caught.

‘Even if you don’t get caught, a crime is still a crime.’

Siwoo wanted to retort but soon closed his mouth.

Yes.

Even if you don’t get caught, a crime is still a crime.

No one knows about Arte Iris’s criminal behavior except for me and Amelia.

To obtain evidence of that criminal behavior…!

Siwoo steeled his resolve.

To obtain evidence of the crime.

Amelia has already decided this is the best way to proceed.

If it’s unavoidable, it’s better to get it over with quickly.

“…Alright.”

“Good. That’s the spirit. Let’s go quickly. Arte is waiting.”

Siwoo tried to suppress the guilt in his heart.

***

“Ugh. Do I really have to wear this…?”

[Why? It’s pretty.]

“But I don’t want to wear something like this!”

Arte felt resentful.

She had clearly asked Lyla for a swimsuit with little exposure.

What is this?

[…But this swimsuit still seems to have less exposure than a bikini.]

“It may expose less than a bikini, but…!”

What I wanted was a one-piece swimsuit.

You know, like those leotard-style competition swimsuits you see in web novels?

With a modest school-swimsuit kind of vibe and little exposure.

That’s the kind of swimsuit I wanted.

When I checked the swimsuit I received this morning, I was devastated.

[Most heroines just wear bikinis, though, so isn’t this a compromise since it shows less skin? It’s too late now anyway.]

“…”

I gazed glumly at the swimsuit in my hands.

Yeah, it’s not a bikini.

Technically, it is the one-piece swimsuit I wanted.

…Except for the parts exposing skin here and there.

“And why is there nothing on the back at all?…Cost-cutting on material?”

It is a one-piece swimsuit.

Aside from the plunging neckline and open back.

The fact that it thoroughly covers the butt area is almost more infuriating.

They spared some modesty after going to such extremes on the back.

“Did Lyla really think this had little exposure…?”

[Probably? All the heroines just wear bikinis, after all. So this has a similar vibe…? Being a heroine candidate probably influenced her thinking.]

They make a fair point.

So I can’t really blame Lyla.

I should have just gone and bought one myself.

Instead of embarrassingly asking her to…

“Arte, what are you doing over there?”

“Ah, Amelia.”

Amelia called out to her.

My gloomy mood lifted a bit.

Amelia was the only friend I was close to at the academy.

Haha, see, I’m not a loner!

And with such a pretty and kind heroine as a friend!

“Let’s head in. If we don’t shower now, we’ll be late for class.”

“Oh, ah…just a moment…”

I’m not ready yet…!

But my feeble protest was drowned out as Amelia led me by the hand into the changing room.

“…Wow, your breasts are bigger than I expected.”

“Haha…really?”

“Mine are barely there…here, share some with me.”

“There’s no way that could happen…”

“Tsk.”

Trudge, trudge.

After finishing the shower, I dragged my feet weakly towards the pool.

I’m so tired…

Amelia seemed unusually tense today.

She was oddly clingy.

Come to think of it, why has the Author been silent since earlier?

They would normally be chattering away.

Taking advantage of having come out before Amelia, I whispered softly to the Author.

“…Author?”

[Yes, yes?!]

“Why are you so startled? I was just wondering why you were so quiet.”

[Oh, it’s just… I was wondering if this really is a web novel. The heroines actually do touch each other’s breasts in the shower scenes, huh…]

“…Just what did you see exactly?”

I can guess what the Author is referring to.

In web novels, there’s often that kind of thing, right?

The heroine with small breasts goes “Eii, eii!” while groping the one with breasts bigger than her head.

The big-breasted heroine screams, and the guys nearby let their imaginations run wild after hearing it.

But we didn’t grope each other’s breasts at all.

It was all just normal…well, not exactly normal.

I did fumble around a bit while showering with my eyes closed.

And it took some time since Amelia was helping me.

Even though I’ve gotten used to my own body to some degree, seeing someone else’s naked form was a bit…different.

I wondered why the usually talkative Author was so quiet, but were they jotting notes to use as material?

Of course, I know the Author doesn’t simply transcribe events from this world directly but alters things to some extent.

That’s understandable since they can’t fully grasp Siwoo’s way of acting.

But I just couldn’t comprehend it at all.

Just what kind of filter did the information go through on its way from the eyes to the brain for them to perceive it like that?

It was baffling.

“Ah, Amelia. Over here.”

“Mm.”

While conversing with the Author, I called over Amelia, who had exited the changing room.

… As expected of a heroine straight out of a novel, wearing a white bikini as if it were only natural.

The pure white bikini gave off a strangely lewd aura.

There’s no way I could wear something like that!

“Everyone, pay attention! Before the swimming lesson, I’ll explain some precautions!”

Ah, it’s starting.

… I’m feeling a bit excited.

Aside from when I was little, I haven’t enjoyed playing in the water.

Since I’m in this situation already, I may as well try to have some fun.

***

“Ex-excuse me, teacher. I need to use the restroom for a bit…”

“…Hm? Oh, sure. Go ahead. Come to the classroom if no one is back when you return.”

Siwoo grimaced while clutching his stomach and breaking out in a cold sweat.

Seeing his state, the teacher seemed to easily guess the situation and promptly excused me.

Since he had just demonstrated swimming proficiently, they probably thought he didn’t need more practice.

As soon as he reached the empty hallway, he relaxed his grimacing expression, but the cold sweat still flowed.

That part wasn’t just an act, after all.

‘… I’ve really gone too far to be able to turn back now.’

It’s time to sneak into the girls’ changing room.

“No one’s around, right…?”

In one quick motion, Siwoo swiftly opened the door and slipped inside the changing room without hesitation.

As Amelia said, hesitating would only make me look more suspicious.

Brazen confidence is key.

That was the only advice she had given.

“Phew, phew…”

For some reason, it smells different from the boys’ changing room.

No, that can’t be right.

It must just be my imagination.

“Arte, Arte… There she is. Arte Iris.”

Finding Arte’s locker wasn’t that difficult.

They were arranged in alphabetical order by name.

And Amelia’s locker was right next to it, so it had to be right.

…For some reason, it smells better than the boys’ lockers, though.

The strange thoughts kept surfacing, so Siwoo hurriedly opened and rifled through the locker.

Neatly organized clothes.
Trying his best not to dwell on the black leotard, Siwoo began rummaging through the clothes.

“…Why isn’t it here?”

But strangely, no matter how much he searched through the clothes, he couldn’t find any kind of device anywhere.
There were just clothes, some cash, and a smartphone.

Siwoo began growing increasingly anxious.

He had thought he would find it quickly, but over ten minutes had already passed.

If it took this long, the class could end.

He had slipped out after the class had started to some degree, trying to find an appropriate time.

“Arte! Let’s go together!”

“…!”

As he anxiously searched for the device, Amelia’s loud voice called out.

The voices of students who had approached at some point.

He had been so focused on searching that he didn’t notice.

When he finally checked the time, twenty minutes had already passed.

He had failed.

Sensing his failure, Siwoo hurriedly tried to get up and leave.

But when in a rush, mistakes happen.

The floor of the pool changing room is always wet and slippery.

With water always around, it can’t be helped.

That’s why teachers tell you not to run in the changing rooms.

…The price of not heeding the teacher’s warning was dire.

Crash!

He fell with a loud noise.

Siwoo wouldn’t be seriously injured just from a fall as a human who can wield mana.

The problem was time.

“Arte, was that fun?”

“Yes, it was enjoyable.”

Before long, he heard Amelia, Arte, and the other students outside the changing room.

It was too late to try leaving the changing room now.

…Oh, what do I do?

There was no time to think.

Siwoo decided to hide his body in the most concealed place possible.

“It would be nice if we had another swimming lesson.”

“We probably will. Having a pool but not using it much would be a waste.”

“Hehe, you’re right.”

It’s over. Siwoo sensed it.

Without thinking, he had climbed into an open locker.

Yes, into Arte Iris’s locker.

How was he supposed to escape from here?

It was a huge mistake.

Not only had he snuck into the girls’ changing room, but now he would be labeled a pervert sniffing a female student’s belongings inside her locker.

“…Mmm.”

And adding to his misery, there was actually a really nice scent, making it even worse.

Not perfume, but the indescribable natural scent of the opposite sex.

From the leotard covering his face, he could smell Arte’s fragrance.

“Ah, Arte. Sorry, I need to use the restroom. Will you come with me?”

“Huh…? Go ahead. I’ll wait for you.”

“Aw, why not? Won’t you go with your friend?”

“I suppose…? Yeah. Since we’re friends. Okay.”

…!

Unintentionally, an opportunity had presented itself to Siwoo.

Arte had gone to the restroom with Amelia.

The female students had changed clothes and left.

Now was his chance.

He burst out of the locker like a bullet.

After confirming the empty hallway, he went straight to the boys’ changing room.

Siwoo finally grasped his pounding heart in the quiet changing room and held back tears.

He had survived.