Chapter 99 Asahina Nazuna: Come on, let me see you!
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"Good afternoon, Asahina-senpai." Rin Matsuoka greeted Asahina Nazuna with a smile.
"It's really you~"
Asahina approached Rin with a cheerful smile, giving his arm a light pat as she got closer. "What brings you here? Are you planning to apply to join the student council?"
Ichinose watched the cheerful senior student pat Rin's arm with apparent familiarity, gently pursing her lips.
"Who is this senior? And why is she so close to Matsuoka-san? Isn't she the swimming club representative? She just introduced herself to us on behalf of the swimming club."
"Could it be that Matsuoka-san wanted to join the swimming club just because of this senior?"
Ichinose Honami's guess wasn't entirely wrong, but it wasn't completely right either.
Rin didn't want to join the swimming club just because of Asahina. He wanted to join for all the seniors in the club!
"Actually, Asahina-senpai, I don't plan on joining the student council. I'm interested in the swimming club, but you just said on stage that the swimming club doesn't accept male members. I got rejected before I even had a chance to apply." Rin said with a smile, shrugging.
"Junior, you want to join the swimming club?" Asahina looked a bit surprised.
At that moment, Akane, who had been observing them, spoke up, her tone tinged with disdain.
"The swimming club used to be open to both boys and girls," she began. "But ever since Nagumo became the student council's vice president, he imposed a rule on the swimming club that 'boys are not allowed,' claiming 'male members in the swimming club could pose unobservable safety risks to the female members.'"
"After that, Nagumo forcibly expelled all the boys from the swimming club."
"I don't know how much the student council had to do to soothe the resentment of those boys," Akane added bitterly.
"Ahaha, He eally went a bit overboard with that decision..." Asahina laughed awkwardly.
Rin rolled his eyes, realizing that the swimming club wasn't open to male members because of Nagumo, who was clearly abusing his position for personal reasons.
No wonder the brochure he received hadn't mentioned the swimming club's policy of not accepting male members.
It seemed Nagumo, as the narration had previously hinted, was Asahina's childhood friend. He had banned boys from joining the club and forced out those who were already members. Rin couldn't help but think that Nagumo probably didn't want other boys seeing Asahina in a bikini.
Haha, what a possessive guy.
Asahina teased Rin, saying, "Junior, if you want to join the swimming club, I can make an exception for you as the club president."
Ichinose Honami felt a twinge of jealousy.
"But you'll have to show me your physique first, junior."
Ichinose Honami immediately became flustered. She quickly protested, "Wait a moment, Senior! Why are you interested in Matsuoka-san's physique?"
Asahina, who was clearly enjoying teasing her handsome junior, looked at Ichinose with a playful smile. Seeing the shyness and nervousness on Honami's face, she leaned in closer to Rin and whispered mischievously.
"Junior, is she your girlfriend?"
"Not yet," Rin replied in the same quiet tone.
"Understood~" Asahina replied knowingly. She then turned to the visibly flustered Ichinose, and with a grin, explained, "Swimming is a physically demanding activity, and since I'm making an exception to let him join, I need to assess his physical condition first."
The reasons given by Asahina were so logical and irrefutable that Ichinose Honami's lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but she stopped herself several times.
Ichinose's reaction made Asahina feel immensely amused.
This junior girl's whole heart must be on Rin Matsuoka; otherwise, why would she be so anxious just because I want to see Rin's physique?
"Let's go. It's too crowded here. Come with me somewhere more secluded. I need to carefully check your body," Asahina said, waving her finger at Rin in a playful yet beckoning manner, signaling for him to follow.
"Well, Ichinose and Akane-senpai, I'm heading out now," Rin said, nodding to Ichinose Honami and Shiranami Chihiro before following Asahina with brisk steps.
Ichinose Honami watched Rin leave with Asahina, unease flickering in her eyes. She quickly turned to Shiranami, her expression resolute.
"Chihiro-chan, you should head to the literature club on your own for now. I have to follow Matsuoka-san. I feel like there's something… off about that senior."
"Eh?" Shiranami was stunned. Before she could even open her mouth to speak, Ichinose had already hurriedly left her side, quickly striding in the direction Rin had gone.
Shiranami felt like she was on the verge of tears. Truly on the verge of tears!
Ichinose Honami quickened her pace and soon caught up with Rin. She stepped up beside him and whispered urgently, "Matsuoka-san, are you really serious about joining the swimming club? I… I feel like this senior isn't exactly serious."
"It's just your imagination, Ichinose. Senpai is very serious," Rin replied, his expression calm and sincere.
To Rin, Asahina—a senior who liked to tease her juniors—was indeed serious in her own way.
For her to personally take time to ensure a junior who was interested in joining the swimming club met the physical requirements… well, what a thoughtful senior!
I, Rin Matsuoka, am the first to defend such a considerate senpai!
"Then I'll follow you!"
Rin looked at Ichinose Honami, surprised by her resolve.
Facing Rin's gaze, Ichinose Honami mumbled shyly, "If I… if I'm there watching, maybe this senior will restrain herself and not go too far with you, Matsuoka-san."
"...That's true."
Darn it, Rin suddenly felt a little annoyed with this little angel.
Under Asahina's guidance, Rin and Ichinose followed her to a secluded spot beside the gymnasium, where various pieces of equipment were stored. Basketballs, vaulting horse boxes, anti-fall mats… all sorts of sports equipment lay neatly arranged.
Asahina glanced at Ichinose Honami, who was sticking closely beside Rin, and with an amused smile, she urged Rin, "Come on, take off your shirt so I can properly examine your physique to see if you're suitable for the swimming club."
"Um."
Even though there were two beautiful girls around him, Rin wasn't shy at all. Calmly, he took off the white shirt he was wearing.
Rin, undressing without hesitation, wasn't the least bit embarrassed. But Ichinose Honami, standing beside him, immediately turned red with embarrassment instead.
She quickly covered her blushing face with her hands, and her watery blue eyes darted around nervously, unable to look directly at Rin due to her overwhelming shyness and flustered feelings.