Kikukawa Kyo and Takamatsu Tomori walked side by side along the massive aquarium wall that stretched across the entire exhibition hall, following its path as if tracing the course of a river.
Kyo walked closest to the glass, tilting her head as she moved, observing every shift in the water's current, listening to the ebb and flow of the waves. Under the deep, sapphire glow, her figure seemed to blur, her edges dissolving into the water's reflection—like she could fade away at any moment, drawn into the endless tides.
Tomori took in the sight before her—Kyo and the water, shimmering as one. Almost instinctively, she tightened her grip on the hand holding hers.
They continued walking like this, but gradually, Kyo's steps began to slow. Tomori, lost in her own thoughts, didn't notice at first that their positions had reversed—she was now leading Kyo forward.
It wasn't until Kyo came to a complete stop that Tomori finally realized something was wrong. Feeling a sudden resistance, she turned back in surprise.
Kyo stood still, her gaze locked onto the water, completely unfocused. Even when Tomori called out softly, she didn't react.
"Kyo?"
Growing uneasy, Tomori tugged at their linked hands. It took a few firm pulls before Kyo finally stumbled slightly, snapping back to reality.
"Ah, sorry. I thought I saw someone waving at me… from the other side of a river."
Tomori stiffened. "Wait, you mean… the Sanzu River—?!"
Panic flashed across her face as she hurriedly patted Kyo all over, as if making sure she was still solid, still standing here, not fading away toward some distant underworld.
"It was just a joke, Tomori."
The sensation of being prodded and nudged all over made Kyo laugh, a burst of genuine amusement breaking through. "Hey, that tickles—alright, alright! I admit I shouldn't have made that kind of joke with you."
"Are you sure it was just a joke?" Tomori looked up at her, anxiety still written all over her face, her eyes slightly red at the corners. "You… don't look well. Is it because of me?"
To be honest, it hadn't just been a joke.
What she had seen wasn't some small river, but an endless, open sea.
She had been sinking, pulled deeper and deeper into the depths, the crushing pressure from all sides closing in. Her ears rang, her throat was filled with seawater, and there was not a single breath of air to be found.
Kyo touched her neck. It wasn't just an illusion—the suffocating feeling had seized her lungs, her windpipe, forcing her body into deep, gasping breaths, as if she had truly been drowning.
It wasn't the first time this had happened since that accident by the sea when she was a child.
She had nearly drowned once.
And yet, rather than fearing water, she had become someone who relied on it too much.
How strange.
"How could it be because of you, Tomori? If anything, it's because you're here that I wasn't dragged across the Sanzu River just now."
"…Are you really joking or not?" Tomori's expression grew more troubled. She was too slow—too clueless—to tell when Kyo was being serious. Her thoughts tangled in frustration, and before she knew it, she had already fished out another band-aid.
Kyo blinked.
If last time she took out a band-aid, it was to stick it on my face after slapping me… then where does she plan to put it this time?
Her curiosity won out, and since she wasn't actually injured this time, she made no move to stop Tomori from applying the band-aid wherever she pleased.
She watched as Tomori carefully peeled the backing off the sperm whale patterned band-aid. After hesitating for a moment—checking to see if Kyo would refuse—Tomori gently pressed it against the side of Kyo's throat.
Right over the spot where the suffocating sensation had been the strongest.
Oh?
Tomori's that perceptive? She pinpointed exactly where the illusion had affected me the most?
In the process, Tomori's small hands inevitably brushed against Kyo's skin.
Her fingers, soft and hesitant, skimmed over Kyo's neck, where the faint pulse of her carotid artery throbbed beneath the surface—subtle but unmistakably present. Their touch overlapped with the rhythm of Tomori's own heartbeat, their pulses blending through that brief connection.
"Haha… that tickles."
Tomori's touch was too light, the barely-there sensation more of a teasing tickle than anything else.
Unlike last time, when Tomori's hands had hesitated over her face, this time they landed on an even more sensitive spot—her neck, a place rarely touched. The reaction was immediate, a shiver she couldn't suppress.
The sudden burst of laughter from Kyo startled Tomori, making her instinctively retract the hand she had outstretched, but Kyo grabbed it before she could pull away.
"I knew you'd try to back out again, Tomori." Before Tomori could react, Kyo had already positioned herself, preparing for her next move. "I'll hold still, so please, go ahead."
Kyo guided Tomori's hand back to her exposed, smooth neck, gently pressing it against her skin. Kyo's pinky finger subtly tugged at the collar of her shirt, removing the last tiny barrier to Tomori's actions.
It was so moist…
For some reason, Kyo's skin felt damp, and as soon as Tomori touched it, her fingers became wet.
"Ah, it's just sweat," Kyo explained with a casual laugh. Despite wearing a loose, breathable T-shirt, the time they had spent together had made her sweat a fair bit—fortunately, it wasn't enough to leave her drenched.
Is it really just sweat? Tomori thought, feeling the touch wasn't sticky at all. It was more like the dew on stones she kept at home, the kind that would form in the morning and feel cool to the touch when picked up and pressed against your face.
Tomori felt a warmth in her own body, too. She was starting to feel a bit flushed, and the thought of resting her face against Kyo's neck crept into her mind.
But not now. Kyo was still struggling with discomfort… Tomori's amber eyes fixated on the trembling, ever-changing blue veins beneath Kyo's skin, slightly pained by the sight.
The band-aid won't stick if there's moisture.
Tomori carefully used her fingers, gently rubbing a small patch of skin on Kyo's neck, trying to dry it enough for the band-aid to adhere.
It didn't take long before she succeeded. However, because Kyo's skin was so delicate and soft, it had turned slightly red from Tomori's gentle rubbing, the flushed mark now clearly visible.
Tomori bit her lip and applied the whale-shaped band-aid she had already prepared.
"Does it help… the band-aid?"
To her surprise, it did help. Kyo touched the band-aid on her neck in disbelief. Even though it was physically just a band-aid, it seemed to alleviate the suffocating feeling she had been experiencing.
But when her fingers brushed over the pulse of her carotid artery, she realized that her heart had started to race, too.
Her heartbeat was pounding heavily, but this time, it didn't feel like the usual reaction when she was in the "water state."
"Tomori, you're amazing. I feel so much better now."
Tomori, who had been holding Kyo's hand tightly, let it go and sighed in relief. "I'm glad…"
"Do you want more? I still have clownfish and tiger shark ones."
Kyo, clearly excited that her band-aid was useful, started rummaging through the leftover ones that Tomori had initially rejected, seemingly eager to continue helping Kyo feel better and completely relieve her discomfort.
Really…? Is there anyone who could dislike such a girl? Anyone who can last 30 seconds without liking Tomori must be some kind of god, right?