Cote: Elite in Action

"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." — John Lennon

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While I was changing in the locker room, I mentally prepared for our first swimming class. Not many high schools include this kind of class in their curriculum, so it seemed both curious and different to me.

Shibata, one of my classmates, looked me up and down with a look of astonishment.

"Damn, Osawa! Are you preparing for a bodybuilding competition or what? Where did you get that body?" he exclaimed, his eyes scanning every muscle.

"I like to stay in good shape," I replied with a smile.

"This is more than good shape, it's insane," he added, still impressed.

Kanzaki, who was nearby, joined the conversation.

"Your body looks like it's been trained from a young age," he commented, noticing the muscle definition.

"I've always been an active person," I said, though the truth was I had been very active in the past, maybe excessively so.

"That body of yours seems perfect for fighting. Do you know any martial arts?" Kanzaki asked with curiosity.

"Well, yes. I practiced MMA and Krav Maga for quite a while," I admitted.

"Krav Maga? What's that?" Shibata asked, intrigued.

"Krav Maga is a self-defense system developed by the Israeli military. It focuses on simple and effective movements to disarm and neutralize threats quickly. It's easy to learn and apply in real-life situations, so anyone, regardless of age or fitness level, can practice it and defend themselves if necessary," Kanzaki explained in an expert tone.

"Wow, that sounds like something out of a textbook, but you're right. Anyway, hurry up and get changed, we don't have much time," I said, urging them to hurry.

After changing, I stepped out of the locker room and was impressed by the size of the pool. Most of my classmates had finished changing as well.

"Wow! I didn't expect you to hide that body under the uniform," I heard Amikura-san say beside me.

"Well, as they say, don't judge a book by its cover," I replied with a smile.

"But wow, you have an incredible cover," she said, looking me up and down.

"I could say the same," I responded, returning her gaze. Her slender, well-defined body was quite attractive.

"Can you stop flirting in public? It's uncomfortable to watch," Himeno interjected from my left.

"Come on, Himeno, we're just joking," I said with a smile, but I noticed how she scanned me with her eyes.

"Are you planning to take down a bear with that body?" Himeno asked, half-jokingly.

"Well, it would depend on the type of bear and if I could use any weapons," I said, bringing my hand to my chin in a thoughtful gesture, which drew incredulous looks from both.

"You know I'm joking, right?" Himeno added.

"Sure, how could I defeat a bear? " I said, laughing to myself. I was clearly joking, or maybe not so much...

The professor called us at that moment, interrupting our conversation.

"Everyone, please gather around," he said. "I assume most of you know how to swim, so we're going to do something interesting: a swimming competition. The winner will receive 5000 private points."