The Kikukawa sisters stayed in their embrace for a while longer before Yuu let go—just in time to avoid making Kyo break into a sweat.
"I'm heading to the bookstore now. Are you coming with me, or do you have other plans today?"
As they left the study, Yuu did a quick check to make sure she had everything—bookstore keys, phone, wallet—all safely on her.
Kyo, meanwhile, dashed into the kitchen. She carefully washed and put away the cup her sister had used to pour her drink, then grabbed her actual personal cup, refilled it with water, and plopped herself onto the couch.
"I'm not going today," she said, pulling out her phone and showing Yuu a LINE chat. "Uika-nee shared a planetarium with me. I'm not super interested in that, but apparently, there's a brand-new aquarium nearby. I want to check it out."
At the mention of "aquarium," Yuu's reaction changed instantly. Her hands froze mid-motion as she turned to look at Kyo.
Seeing the way her sister's eyes had narrowed in suspicion, Kyo waved a hand dismissively. "It's just an aquarium, Nee-san. There'll be glass walls separating me from the water. You don't need to worry so much—you're being overprotective again."
"I don't think I am. Your self-control in this area is terrible."
Yuu's response was unexpectedly firm, a stark contrast to how she usually indulged Kyo. "Forget everything else—every time it rains, no matter how many times I remind you to take an umbrella, you always end up running straight into the downpour."
She strode over, cupping Kyo's face in both hands, forcing those sea-blue eyes to meet hers.
As Yuu gazed into them, she could almost see the illusion of Kyo submerged in deep waters, as if at any moment, she would dissolve into foam and disappear into the endless ocean.
"Nee-san, not so hard."
The soft complaint jolted Yuu back to reality. She hadn't realized how tightly she was gripping Kyo's face—her hands had unconsciously pressed down, leaving behind two distinct red marks on her sister's cheeks.
But Kyo didn't pull away. Instead, she placed her own hands over Yuu's, gently massaging them, helping her sister ease up.
"I told you, you're being overprotective," Kyo murmured, her voice soothing as she felt Yuu's grip finally relax.
"...I just can't help but worry." Yuu let go, only to immediately reach out and rub the red imprints on Kyo's cheeks, feeling guilty. "Are you going alone?"
"Mm-hmm."
"I'll tell the staff the bookstore is closed for today—" Yuu started, turning to grab her phone, only to be stopped by a small tug on her sleeve.
"Didn't you just say I should do what I want to do?"
Kyo tilted her head up at her sister, her blinking eyes brimming with unshed tears—just enough moisture to glisten, making her look heartbreakingly pitiful.
"You little brat, don't even try that! This is different—"
Kyo wasn't nearly strong enough to physically stop Yuu, but Yuu didn't dare use force either.
Letting out a long sigh, Yuu covered her face with one hand while lifting Kyo off the couch with the other, effortlessly placing her on her feet in front of her.
"Fine. You can go to the aquarium. But if you come back with even a single sign that you got soaked, then for the rest of the break, you're coming to the bookstore with me. Every. Single. Day."
In the end, she still gave in.
"There'll be staff there, and the water's separated by glass. What could possibly happen? And what if I just get sweaty—does that count too?"
"I don't care."
"You're impossible—!"
...
Seriously, Nee-san worries too much.
To avoid having her vacation freedom revoked over something as stupid as sweat, Kyo had to make some wardrobe adjustments today.
She ditched her usual dress shirt and long pants in favor of borrowing a T-shirt and shorts from her sister.
Because of their height difference, the oversized T-shirt practically covered her entire lower body, nearly reaching her thighs. The athletic shorts, which were meant to be three-quarter length, ended up looking more like knee-length pants on her.
But at least this outfit was breathable. I shouldn't get sweaty so easily in this.
Although she did have a bit of a history with these situations… wasn't Yuu's reaction still a bit too intense?
Kyo had originally wanted to criticize her sister for being too overprotective, but after thinking about it… she did have a habit of catching colds after getting soaked in the rain.
A slight pang of guilt crept in.
No, no—there's nothing to worry about. Aquariums are completely safe. The fish are always behind glass walls, right?
…Not that she was particularly interested in the fish themselves.
When Kikukawa Kyo watched fish swim, what captivated her wasn't the fish, but the currents they created as their tails sliced through the water.
With air-conditioned trains and a careful choice of shaded paths, she managed to reach the aquarium before she started sweating too much.
As she stepped into the main hall and bought her ticket, she eagerly rubbed her hands together, anticipation building.
The moment she entered the first exhibit hall, a wave of humidity greeted her.
Stretching from the floor to the ceiling was a massive glass wall, and beyond it lay an expanse of shimmering water—so vast and deep that, for a second, it felt as though she had stepped into the ocean itself.
This newly built aquarium was known for its penguin exhibits. Even in just the first hall, a dozen or so penguins swam inside the enormous tank, some gliding in groups while others moved independently.
In the crystal-clear water, they rippled like black-and-white waves, their sleek bodies slicing effortlessly through the currents. Their wings fluttered in gentle, rhythmic motions, tails swaying in perfect sync. Splashes danced around them as if parting a path for their journey.
The humid air, the boundless stretch of water, the muffled roar of unseen currents echoing through the room—
Kyo froze.
Every sensation—the sounds, the sights, the faint dampness in the air—was deeply, overwhelmingly pleasurable. It was as if her brain had begun to melt into liquid dopamine, soaking her consciousness in pure euphoria.
Excitement thrummed through her veins.
She stepped closer to the massive tank, unconsciously reaching out toward the deep blue before her—only to be met with the cold, solid surface of the glass wall.
Standing at the very edge of the water, with the light refracting through its rippling surface and casting shifting patterns around her, Kyo felt as though she were being drawn in—captured within the ocean's embrace.
A wave of tranquility washed over her, yet beneath it lurked a strangely familiar breathlessness, settling deep in her throat. She absently reached up to touch her neck.
With only a thin wall separating her from the vast expanse of water, she slowly walked along the edge, fingertips trailing across the cool glass.
Good thing this wall is here.
"Mommy, look! You can feed the penguins here!"
A child's excited voice pulled Kyo out of her trance.
Turning her gaze, she saw a feeding area where visitors could offer pre-prepared food to the penguins. Unlike the enclosed tanks, this section was merely separated by a railing, beyond which stretched a massive open pool where the penguins could swim freely.
And then—
When Kyo came back to her senses, she was already leaning over the railing.
Her body was tilted forward, her weight precariously balanced—on the verge of tumbling straight into the water.
"No—!"
A sudden force yanked her back.
She was pulled away from the railing, her balance thrown off, and the next thing she knew—
She hit the ground, landing in an unceremonious heap.
"...Tomori?"
The person who had just dragged her away—now also sprawled on the floor beside her—was none other than Takamatsu Tomori, former vocalist of CRYCHIC.