Long ago, someone once said, If you can dream it, you can do it. If you are able to dream it, then it can be realized.

If the words of the man who created that famous mouse character are true...

‘Then perhaps I can live a wonderful student life.’

I take pride in the fact that I am currently enjoying a wonderful student life, but that does not mean it will continue forever.

Humans tend to mistakenly believe that the happiness they have now will never leave them, but that is nothing more than escapism.

And someone like me who thinks about things like this is probably just another person engaging in escapism.

"Ayanokōji-kun!"

Wearing a school swimsuit and shaking the two abundantly grown fruits on her chest, Ichinose ran along the poolside.

Yes... even though it is only April, we are currently having swimming class.

And right now the freestyle time measurements have finished and it is free time.

I am sitting on the poolside with only my feet dipped in the water.

What? Why am I doing that?

Is there any reason other than that it feels good?

"What is it? Ichinose."

Thinking it would be bad for both my mind and body, I responded while averting my gaze from Ichinose.

After all, I cannot exactly ignore her.

"Everyone is playing tag together in the pool right now. Ayanokōji-kun, want to join?"

"...What is tag?"

"—Huh?"

It seems I have exposed my ignorance again.

"Ayanokōji-kun, you don't know tag?"

"I'm embarrassed to say it, but I am not familiar with that word. What kind of thing is it?"

"Um... first you choose someone called the 'oni', the person who chases everyone. Then everyone else runs away so they don't get caught. Do you get it?"

The oni... the one who chases.

And the others are the ones being chased.

I see. I understand the general idea.

"Yes, I understand. I would like to participate."

If Ichinose and the others are doing it then it must be something ordinary high school students do.

In that case I should approach it like a kind of social training.

"Everyone! Ayanokōji-kun is joining!"

When Ichinose called out to the members who had been playing around in the pool, everyone's gaze stabbed into me.

"Oh! It's our singing ace."

"Ayanokōji-kun seems like he can do anything."

"He has that vibe of someone who could casually break a Japanese record while keeping a calm face."

Wait a moment.

I cannot do something like that.

And saying I can do anything is seriously overestimating me.

"I feel like I'm receiving excessive expectations."

"Of course you are. Ever since the karaoke the other day where you kept getting high scores everyone treats you like some kind of superhuman, Ayanokōji-kun."

Ichinose reinforced it.

But I didn't need that reinforcement.

Should I have held back at karaoke?

I had too much fun and ended up singing normally...

"Alright then, I'll be the oni! I'm in the soccer club after all!"

At that point Shibata volunteered to be the oni.

Now that I think about it, when we talked before he said he was in the soccer club and was friends with a student named Hirata from Class D.

"Then run!"

When Amikura shouted that, the students around us began scattering.

The pool at Kōiku is fifty meters long so it is quite spacious.

Even if someone is in a sports club, if it becomes a battle of endurance the runners should have the advantage.

Thinking about that in the corner of my mind, I also began swimming like the others.

"Wait, Ayanokōji!"

After drifting around slowly for a while, a thunder-like voice echoed through the pool.

It was so loud the water seemed to vibrate... or at least it felt that way.

"I'm definitely going to catch you!"

When I looked behind me, I saw Shibata doing a crawl stroke at explosive speed.

I couldn't see his eyes clearly but from his attitude and voice I could tell he was burning with determination.

"...I guess I'll run."

I started swimming again and escaped at a speed that would keep Shibata from catching me.

After a while, I allowed myself to be caught.

Shibata looked satisfied.

"Looks like even against you, Ayanokōji, I win when it comes to swimming!"

"As expected from someone in a sports club. My stamina can't keep up."

"I train after all. My leg muscles are the strongest!"

Apparently in tag, when someone gets caught that person becomes the next oni.

So following the rules I became the next oni.

"Alright, I'm running! Good luck!"

"...Hmm, who should I target?"

If I go with the obvious choice I should target one of the boys participating like me.

However, targeting Amikura and Ichinose who burst out laughing when I got caught earlier would not be bad either.

Which should I choose...

"Kya haha! Mr. Oni, over here! Follow the sound of the clapping hands!"

Keeping a cheerful rhythm, Ichinose and Amikura laughed.

At that moment I decided on my target.

"Alright, decided."

Muttering quietly, I lowered my face toward the water surface.

Then I accelerated all at once.

Kicking the water with my legs and breathing as I swam, I locked onto the two ahead of me.

"Kyaaa! He's coming!"

"Ayanokōji-kun is fast!"

Follow the sound of the clapping hands, huh.

There really are many things in this world that I don't know.

* * *

After school.

"Wow, Ayanokōji-kun was fast. Though not quite as fast as Shibata-kun."

After school, when I was about to go home Ichinose invited me to walk back together.

She is usually very busy after school but apparently she had some free time today.

Since I had no reason to refuse, we ended up walking together.

"Well, yes. I wouldn't say I'm particularly good at it but I thought I could do it reasonably well."

I gave a safe response.

It would be troublesome if she misunderstood anything.

"Didn't you say something like that during karaoke too? Ayanokōji-kun really is amazing."

"Not really. Just because someone is good doesn't mean there aren't countless people better than me."

"But still. Even if someone above you exists, the one standing in front of me right now is you. I think you should have more confidence."

Ichinose really is a good person.

Honestly, I worry she might get tricked by scammers in the future.

"Thank you. Though it seems to me that Ichinose has plenty of confidence herself."

"That's not true. I entered this school through recommendation and studying for that was really difficult. I wouldn't say it was easy and when I see people who surpass me with less effort it makes me lose confidence."

Surpassing someone with less effort.

If someone sees that, they might think of the other person as a 'genius'.

In fact, when it comes to talent I might indeed surpass Ichinose.

"...But I think the ability to make an effort is also a talent given by God."

Before I realized it, those words had come out of my mouth.

"...Huh?"

Ichinose also showed confusion on her face.

She probably did not expect to hear something like that.

"From what you said, Ichinose, you continued making an effort until the end, right? Even if you lost your way or worried about things, there are not many people who can still face forward. If that other person is a 'genius of academics', then Ichinose can be called a 'genius of effort'. I think the one who should have confidence is you, Ichinose."

"...Haha, Ayanokōji-kun really is amazing. You're probably the only one who could say something like that."

Ichinose muttered.

"Is that what you call being naturally oblivious? No. Maybe that's a talent too. Thank you, I feel a lot better now."

After a few seconds of silence, Ichinose showed a warm smile.

"I'm glad if I was able to help."

"Oh right. Before we go back, want to stop by the convenience store? Let's eat ice cream."

"Ice cream?"

"This feels like déjà vu!"

Imagining a block of ice in my mind, I followed after Ichinose.