"Ibuki-chan was my best friend back in middle school. We were both members of the girls' swimming club," Akane hooked her arm around Ibuki Asaba's, her voice full of nostalgia.
Ibuki Asaba smiled and nodded, a soft light of remembrance appearing in her eyes, "Yeah. Back then, we practiced together in the pool every day. We wouldn't go home until it got dark after school."
Akane also sighed with emotion, "Yeah, we were always competing for first and second place. I never thought that later on…"
"We'd end up in last and second-to-last," Ibuki Asaba tugged at the corner of her mouth, revealing a helpless bitter smile.
She lowered her head and glanced at the prominent curves on her chest, which were still difficult to conceal beneath her jacket.
Then she looked at Akane opposite her, whose full chest was in no way inferior to hers and was even somewhat more so.
Ibuki Asaba sighed softly, "It's all because of these two burdens. Carrying this much weight through the water, how could we possibly swim faster than other people?"
"Alright, alright," Akane patted the back of her hand and smiled reassuringly, "No matter what, they're still a part of our bodies. There's no need to dislike them this much."
Ibuki Asaba smiled too, "Yeah. What's past is past."
"These two unnecessary burdens may attract a lot of criticism, but sometimes they're also very popular with other people."
"They're really both laughable and hateful, speechless and helpless."
"Wow!", Akane deliberately drew out her tone, a sly light flashing in her eyes, "As expected of the new idol who's so popular right now. Ibuki-chan has matured a lot. Even the things you say offhandedly are so philosophical now."
"Stop it!", Ibuki Asaba playfully slapped Akane's arm, her cheeks turning slightly red, "Don't make fun of me!"
"By the way, you suddenly called me back to school today. What exactly did you want me to do?", After fooling around with Akane, Ibuki Asaba asked her doubtfully.
Akane said with a smile, "Nothing much. I just wanted to catch up with you. And, while we're at it, how about we go swimming together?"
"I guessed it. Before you came, I even swam a few laps by myself!", Ibuki Asaba smiled proudly.
But then she asked Akane in confusion, "By the way, Akane-chan, I remember you quit the club in the end, didn't you? I heard that you didn't join the swimming club in high school either?"
Akane nodded, a trace of nostalgia passing through her eyes before she once again smiled brightly and said frankly, "Yeah. Just like Ibuki-chan, I was troubled by the burdens on my chest."
"After entering high school, I even started to be afraid of swimming. Sometimes I didn't even dare go near the pool."
"But later, I found my confidence again and even surpassed myself, just like Ibuki-chan now~"
Ibuki Asaba's eyes lit up, her face filled with surprise, "Really? Then congratulations, Akane-chan!"
A look of emotion appeared on Ibuki Asaba's face. After all, the circumstances the two of them had faced back then were extremely similar.
Both had been deeply troubled because their chests had developed too much and affected their swimming, and in the end, both had chosen to quit the swimming club and give up something they had once loved.
Yet she never expected that Akane would pick it up again.
"Akane-chan, how did you do it?", Ibuki Asaba was very curious about how Akane had overcome the problem she herself had once given everything she had to overcome but still failed to solve.
"It was Hikari-kun's support and encouragement. With his help, I was able to accomplish all this. So, I'm really grateful to Hikari-kun," Akane smiled and turned around, naturally hooking her arm around Hikari's.
She rested her cheek against his arm, her eyes full of sweetness and dependence. The happiness on her face almost seemed to spill over, and it made Ibuki Asaba feel somewhat dazzled.
Seeing Akane looking completely immersed in being in love, even with a slightly lovestruck air about her, Ibuki Asaba inexplicably felt a little uncomfortable.
She pursed her lips and couldn't help speaking, her tone carrying a hint of concealed concern and doubt, "Akane-chan, did you really overcome your natural burden and get back to your previous swimming speed? I've never heard that being in love can have such a magical effect~"
Hearing the obvious doubt in Ibuki Asaba's words, Akane not only didn't get angry, but smiled even more happily.
Her tone was certain and proud, "Everything I said is true. And with Hikari-kun's help, my swimming speed didn't just recover. I'm even quite a bit faster than I was before~"
"Really? I don't believe you," Ibuki Asaba had already begun to suspect that Akane was lying to her.
Because she herself also had a large weight of an H cup or above, she knew very well how much of a negative impact these two burdens could have on swimming. So she really couldn't believe that Akane could swim faster than before.
She even suspected that Akane had been deceived by Hikari and had become completely lovestruck.
Facing Ibuki Asaba's doubts, Akane never got angry. Instead, she said with a smile, "I knew you'd be suspicious, Ibuki-chan. That's why I specifically asked you to meet me at the swimming pool."
"We can get in the water and race right now. Then you'll know whether what I said is true or not, won't you?"
Ibuki Asaba smiled and shook her head, "I've been busy with idol activities for more than a year now. Although I still make time to go swimming, I've long since neglected my training. So it'd be normal if I couldn't beat you."
"Of course," Akane smiled and nodded in agreement, but immediately continued, "For the sake of fairness, I can not use my arms and race you using only my legs. And if we compare the round-trip times, wouldn't that tell us whether I've actually improved?"
"Hmm? Akane-chan, are you serious?", Ibuki Asaba's eyebrows drew tightly together as she stared at Akane in confusion.
Everyone knew that swimming without using your arms and relying only on your legs would cut your speed and efficiency by almost half.
It was like changing from normal running to slowly walking on tiptoe.
For most swimming strokes, the legs were basically there to assist with propulsion and balance, while the arms were the core driving force of swimming.
Yet Akane was now saying that she wouldn't even use her arms and would race her using only her legs.
This was no longer simply overconfidence. Ibuki Asaba suspected that Akane had become so deeply immersed in love that she had lost her mind.
Facing Ibuki Asaba's doubts, Akane only smiled confidently, "There's no point in saying more. Rather than talk so much, why not just start swimming? Ibuki-chan, since you're so doubtful, wouldn't you know once we have a race?"
"Then let's race!", Hearing the provocation in Akane's tone, Ibuki Asaba immediately agreed.
As their jackets came off, the two beautiful girls, wearing tight-fitting racing swimsuits, appeared together in front of Hikari.
Both Akane and Ibuki Asaba had exceptionally full chests, at least H-cup or above.
The two graceful figures, standing side by side, formed an extremely pleasing sight.
"Hikari-kun, could you be our referee?", Before getting into the water, Akane turned to Hikari.
"Okay," Hikari nodded in agreement.
Seeing the two large-busted girls in swimsuits enter the pool and take their positions, Hikari opened his mouth and began the countdown.
"Three, two, one… Go!"
As the final syllable of Hikari's countdown fell, Ibuki Asaba pushed hard against the pool wall with both legs, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow.
She moved both arms forcefully while maintaining a good rhythm, continuously swimming toward the finish.
Perhaps because the rare competition had stimulated her adrenaline.