Chapter 206 Business Partnership
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Excuse me, my name’s Ichijou. Is Ayase Rin-san available?” Haruto asked at the front desk, lowering his voice a little.
”Ah, the manager? Please wait just a moment,” the receptionist replied with a polite nod.
Haruto stood inside the gym managed by Rin. It was his first time here, and while waiting, he glanced around the bright lobby, taking in the clean atmosphere and scent of fresh towels.
”Haruto-kun! What’s going on all of a sudden?” Rin called out as she stepped out, her voice cheerful but slightly surprised.
”Sorry for dropping by unannounced,” Haruto said with a small bow. “I completely forgot about the business partnership we talked about last time.”
Back when they’d first discussed the idea, Haruto had been a little too distracted by Rin’s… charms. The conversation had ended before they reached the important points.
”So you came all the way here just for that?” Rin asked, tilting her head slightly.
”If we’re moving forward with it, I thought I should check the facilities properly,” Haruto said, his tone serious now.
”Manager! What’s a business partnership?” the receptionist asked, leaning in curiously.
”It’s not official yet!” Rin said quickly. “I’ll be in the office for a while—can I leave things to you?”
”Yes, ma’am!” the receptionist replied with a salute-like motion.
Haruto chuckled softly as he watched the scene. The girl really did have a lot of energy.
”She’s so lively. That’s nice to see,” he said with a smile.
”She works really hard,” Rin replied warmly. “Honestly, she’s a huge help.”
Inside the office, Haruto explained the idea again.
The core of the partnership was to refer clients from his massage parlor to Rin’s gym for rehabilitation. But there was another important point: the use of the pool for recovery therapy.
For example, when Nana—who had paralysis in her lower body—began practicing walking again, water-based rehab would be incredibly effective. To make it feel like natural recovery, they needed a proper facility like this gym.
”The benefit is that there’s a fixed monthly fee,” Haruto said, placing a simple document on the desk. “But of course, it’ll get busier than before.”
”If it’s unlimited access with a flat rate, that might be a bit much, right?” Rin asked, tapping her finger thoughtfully on the paper.
”Of course, we’ll set a limit on users per week or month. If it goes over, they’ll pay extra,” Haruto explained clearly.
”In that case, it’s a very appealing offer for me,” Rin said, then looked up. “But are you really sure about this?”
”Definitely. It’ll help my senpai, and honestly, it helps me too,” he replied with a sincere smile.
From there, the two of them discussed the finer points: limits, pricing, and how patients from both the massage parlor and Miyoshi Clinic would be introduced to the gym.
”I’ll give you a quick tour,” Rin offered, standing up. “Are you really going to experience it yourself?”
”If I’m going to send people here, I need to understand the place myself,” Haruto said, already rolling up his sleeves a little.
”Fair point! Then let’s start with the reception—where that energetic one is,” she said with a small laugh.
They began the tour from the reception, passing through the changing rooms, rest area, restrooms, and finally came to a set of heavy double doors.
The moment they opened them, a familiar sharp scent hit Haruto’s nose.
”Wow… that chlorine smell really takes me back,” he said, smiling faintly.
”It reminds me of the day we met in high school,” Rin said softly.
”I remember… but, Senpai, is that really what you always wear?” Haruto asked as she walked ahead.
”I said I’d change, didn’t I?” Rin replied, glancing back over her shoulder.
Haruto waited outside the pool entrance. A few moments later, Rin stepped out, just as he was about to say something—and his words caught in his throat.
”Of course I’m wearing a swimsuit if I’m showing you the pool,” she said matter-of-factly.
”Yeah, but… aren’t those spats-style swimsuits more common these days?” Haruto asked carefully.
”I’ve always worn this type. I’m just more comfortable in it. The other staff wear the spats kind,” Rin said, adjusting the strap of her competition-style swimsuit.
Haruto didn’t say it out loud, but seeing her in that classic form-fitting suit made him quietly happy.
(Why isn’t a gym with an instructor like her more popular… especially when she looks that good in a swimsuit?)
”Well then, let me show you the rest,” Rin said, waving him to follow.
She walked him through the disinfectant pool, the 25-meter lanes, a smaller heated pool, and the shower area.
For a gym managed by a single owner, the facilities were more than enough. But as Haruto tested out the equipment and looked around, something felt off.
He’d heard this place focused on water exercise and swimming, but it wasn’t a swim school. It also wasn’t specialized in water walking, underwater stretches, or even guided rehab.
Instead, it was just a facility where members could use the pool however they liked after joining.
(But since it’s Senpai’s gym, it’s not my place to say…)
Still, Haruto could clearly see why Rin was working so hard.
There weren’t many members. But the system she built allowed it to function with only a few staff. That meant three people had to maintain all this equipment on their own.
(The hardest part must be… the cleaning.)
Rin had chosen this business style herself. But to fix the deeper issue, there was really only one path: increase the number of customers, raise income, and hire more staff.
(Anyway, I should head home for today… I’ll think more about it later.)
Notes:
• Rin – Second-year member of the swimming club; currently experiencing a physical problem that Haruto may help solve.
• Nana – The one dating Haruto before she goes to Hokkaido.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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