Her thoughts were becoming sharper—clarity struck like a sudden spark, illuminating every minute detail in her vision.
The woman who had crashed into her lay breathless, her small frame rising and falling rapidly from the exertion of running. Her short, ashen-purple hair had come undone from the impact, strands scattering across the ground. Amber eyes, wide with lingering shock, trembled slightly like those of a startled animal, flinching away the moment they met Kyo's gaze.
Despite her delicate build, her grip on Kyo's clothes was surprisingly strong—almost as if she feared Kyo would throw herself back over the railing the moment she let go.
It had been a long time since she last saw Takamatsu Tomori.
Kyo could feel it—her heart pounding in her chest, blood rushing through her veins, as though her entire body was flowing.
If this were a novel or a movie, this reaction would be described as the classic symptoms of falling in love.
But Kyo knew better.
This was nothing more than the heightened state she entered when exposed to too much water—a kind of overstimulation. The way her heart seemed to race at the sight of Tomori? Just a trick of the suspension bridge effect.
Still… if her waterlogged state made her reactions appear similar to falling in love, then wouldn't indulging in her current impulses count as an experiment in simulating romantic emotions?
"Um… uh…"
Tomori was clearly flustered but still managed to speak with sincerity.
"K-Kyo… why did you—why were you trying to jump into the water just now…?"
Kyo didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she propped herself up slightly, adjusting her angle to better meet Tomori's gaze. But the moment their eyes met, Tomori instinctively turned her head away again.
Once.
Twice.
On the third time, when Tomori fully averted her face to escape Kyo's pursuit, Kyo simply straddled her.
Now, there was nowhere left to run.
You're worried about me, so why are you avoiding me?
Kyo was just about to voice the thought when a staff member interrupted.
"Hey, you two! What happened here? Are you hurt?"
Kyo blinked, tilting her head slightly before flashing an innocent, angelic smile.
"No problem! Sorry for the trouble," she said sweetly.
The combination of her harmless expression and naturally soft features instantly dispelled any concern. After a few words about being careful, the bystanders dispersed.
Looking back down, Kyo found Tomori's flushed face now burning a deep crimson, her blush having spread across her entire face.
I wasn't putting my full weight on her, so she should still be able to breathe just fine…
"Are you embarrassed, Tomori?" Kyo pressed further.
Ah, poor little Tomori—her originally pale pink cheeks now glowed a rich scarlet. Her slender frame twitched slightly, making a weak attempt to squirm away.
The movement—trapped between Kyo's legs—felt… odd.
Ah.
"Ah, my bad," Kyo murmured, suddenly snapping out of her little bubble. "This isn't exactly the best position for a conversation, huh?"
She swiftly got up, releasing Tomori.
As Tomori remained on the ground, taking a moment to gather herself before standing, Kyo used the time to reflect on her own behavior.
Her waterlogged state had made her a bit too excitable.
Her thoughts had become unnervingly clear, yet at the same time, they had lost all restraint—like a dam that had been broken. The moment an idea surfaced, it simply happened, manifesting instantly in both words and actions.
Just this morning, Nee-san had talked to her about fully expressing her emotions—and here she was, already putting it into practice.
Though, to be fair, it wasn't entirely intentional.
Is this a good thing?
Kyo couldn't guarantee that every impulsive thought racing through her mind right now was harmless—especially when it came to her and Takamatsu Tomori.
Thinking back to her conversation with Soyo, she had asked about Tomori and Taki's reactions to CRYCHIC's breakup. Apparently, Tomori blamed herself for Sakiko's departure.
If she wasn't careful and ended up mentioning CRYCHIC or Sakiko…
Smack!
A sharp clap startled Tomori, who had just managed to stand up. She instinctively pulled her hands to her chest and looked toward the sound—only to see Kyo, both palms pressed hard against her own cheeks.
That was close. She had almost actually said something to Tomori about it.
She did want to understand Tomori's feelings toward CRYCHIC better, but given how fragile this little creature was, blunt questioning would only make her run away.
W-why is she hurting herself…?
Tomori's embarrassment from earlier was shoved aside, replaced by renewed concern. She had already been worried about Kyo's strange "jumping into water" behavior—now that worry doubled.
Should she give Kyo a bandage? But there wasn't an actual wound…
Tomori hesitated, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small tin. Inside was a collection of bandages, all decorated with marine animal patterns.
Slowly, she reached out toward Kyo's reddened cheek. Between being squeezed hard by Kikukawa Yuu this morning and now being slapped by Kyo herself, the skin had turned an especially deep shade of red.
"This is from the Marine Life Series, Volume 4—clownfish, tiger sharks, flounders, sperm whales…"
It was a sudden, disjointed comment, but Kyo immediately understood that she was listing the animals printed on the bandages.
"Thanks, Tomori," Kyo said, gently pushing her hand away. "But I don't really need these right now."
Besides, there were way too many bandages in that tin. Was she planning to cover every single red spot on her face?
Rejected…
The moment Kyo refused, Tomori visibly deflated, her head drooping as she stared at her withdrawn hand.
I really am useless, huh?
Sakiko didn't need me, and now Kyo doesn't either…
It's my fault Sakiko left the band. It's my fault CRYCHIC, the place where I first felt understood, where I first glimpsed hope in humanity—ended up broken.
Dark thoughts quietly took root inside her, twisting into guilt, inferiority, sorrow, and confusion.
She wanted to run.
To flee from Kyo, who didn't need her.
Tomori turned, about to bolt—
Only to be yanked back in an instant.
She barely had time to react before she found herself completely trapped.
Her back pressed against the railing of the penguin feeding area, her sides were blocked by Kyo's arms, gripping the metal bars on either side. And in front of her—
Kyo stood so close she could feel her breath.
Those bright, dazzling eyes were locked onto her, making her feel like a tiny bug caught in the shadows—too insignificant to withstand their overwhelming radiance.
"I don't know why you suddenly want to run," Kyo said, her voice laced with something undeniably teasing.
"But you didn't even reply to my LINE message, Tomori. You read it, though."
Kyo watched as Tomori's face burned red again. And just as she tried to squirm away—
Kyo closed in further.
The space between them shrank, nearly pressing them together.
"You're not getting away that easily."