Although the extra water Sakiko had provided allowed Kyo a temporary respite, it wasn't long before she slumped again, looking utterly wilted.
Thankfully, Sakiko had refilled Kyo's oversized water bottle earlier. Taking frequent, small sips helped Kyo remain constantly hydrated. Even though sweat endlessly trickled down her body, her mood remained surprisingly cheerful.
Finally, morning classes ended, and everyone started packing up their things, ready to head to the cafeteria or open their lunchboxes.
Seeing Kyo show no reaction to the lunch bell was unusual. Normally, she wasn't the kind to stay in the classroom during break—usually she'd eagerly drag Sakiko to the cafeteria.
Or sometimes, if she'd made soup that morning, she'd bring it to school. On those days, she'd wait patiently for Sakiko, looking like a kindly old lady, one hand behind her back, the other holding a thermos of hot soup, sipping slowly with a serene smile.
"Kyo, let's go eat lunch," Sakiko said, walking over to her friend's side and gently tapping her shoulder.
"It's too hot... No appetite." Kyo stayed sprawled—not directly on the desk, but instead with her cheek pressed awkwardly against the cap of her standing water bottle, leaving noticeable marks on her skin.
"You still need to eat something. It's not good to leave your stomach empty for too long," Sakiko advised earnestly. Before she'd secured her current steady income, Sakiko had learned this lesson the hard way, enduring hunger until she couldn't bear it any longer, only then buying cheap bentos to save money.
It didn't take long before she'd realized this habit was harmful—irregular meals caused stomachaches and exhaustion. She promptly returned to regular meals, even if those meals weren't significantly bigger than before.
Some things simply weren't worth cutting, no matter how tight money was...
Nowadays, thankfully, she didn't need to worry about food costs. The Haneoka cafeteria was affordable and tasty, and Yuu-san had recently given her a pay raise at the bookstore, allowing Sakiko to even start saving a little.
Seeing Kyo still reluctant to move, Sakiko thought for a moment and coaxed her gently again, "The cafeteria has air conditioning, you know. Even if it's crowded, it's definitely cooler than the classroom."
"Hmm..." Clearly swayed by this point, Kyo slowly rose from her seat. As she did, Sakiko noticed two distinct wet marks on the desk where Kyo's arms had been resting, along with scattered droplets all across its surface.
Those scattered droplets were from Kyo constantly seeking out any cool spots on the desk amid the blistering heat, absorbing their coolness entirely. The two larger, clearer marks formed when Kyo finally stopped moving her arms to avoid sweating even more.
"I think…" Sakiko began, taking in the watery mess on the desk and then Kyo's sweat-drenched clothes and glistening skin, "you really need to change first. You'll catch a cold if you sit under the AC drenched like this."
Kyo glanced down at her thoroughly soaked outfit. Her usually lightweight clothes were now heavy and troublesome, accentuating every curve of her figure due to the extra weight of the moisture. When she stood, her pure white blouse rebelliously tugged downward, adhering closely to her body, as though water had formed an alliance with gravity, betraying its owner yet lovingly clinging to her form.
Fortunately, the vest she wore over her shirt prevented things from becoming entirely inappropriate.
Digging through her bag, Kyo took out a dry towel and another shirt.
"Well, my top is easy enough to fix. A shirt's a shirt—the difference between my regular clothes and our uniform isn't huge. But changing my skirt would stand out too much, and I don't feel like getting lectured by the disciplinary director."
Saying this, Kyo twisted her hips gently. Her skirt had also grown heavier, less bouncy than usual, yet she still managed a small spin, briefly revealing her lightly flushed knees.
It was an iconic movement—every girl who ever wore a skirt, short or long, had done this at least once, enjoying how the skirt flared and fluttered like a butterfly's wings.
But when Kyo made this movement, it instead evoked an image of a pebble dropping into a tranquil pond, causing a brief splash before quickly vanishing. Yet, something intangible lingered, subtly altering the atmosphere around her.
It was Kyo's unique, effortless beauty, like gentle ripples on water—far less noticeable than a splash, but more natural, peaceful, gradually permeating the surroundings.
These subtle "ripples" captured Sakiko's attention entirely, causing her to blush slightly and avert her gaze.
Kyo, completely absorbed in checking how soaked her skirt was, failed to notice Sakiko's reaction.
"Looks fine, actually. I'm glad the uniform's a skirt; at least it won't trap my entire legs inside."
After some thought, Kyo decided not to change the skirt at all.
"Sakiko, wait here. I'll go change in the restroom," Kyo announced, clutching her towel and clean shirt. She started to step away but stopped abruptly, "Oh, Sakiko, could you refill my bottle again?"
Glancing at the now-empty bottle on Kyo's desk, Sakiko wasn't the least bit surprised. Once again, she mentally recalculated just how much water Kyo drank each day, quietly amazed at the sheer quantity.
"All right."
While Kyo slipped away to change, Sakiko grabbed the water bottle and went to refill it.
Once both were ready and had cleaned up their things, they met again at the bottom of the classroom building.
Kyo wore fresh, dry clothes, but she hadn't returned her vest to her bag. Instead, she carried it loosely in one hand.
Outside, the scorching sunlight made it feel like stepping out of the shade would incinerate them instantly.
"Hehe, this is exactly why I kept this!" Kyo proudly placed the vest on her head, holding it aloft as if it were a makeshift umbrella. She looked oddly similar to someone caught unprepared in sudden rain, but in her case, it was protection from the relentless sun.
Sakiko stared blankly at Kyo's inexplicable pride, uncertain how to react.
"What's wrong, Sakiko?" Kyo blinked innocently, noticing Sakiko's steady gaze. "Or did you want to join me?"
She tugged playfully at the vest above her head, but the vest was clearly too small; no matter how tightly they squeezed, it couldn't possibly shelter both of them.
"Come on?"
---
T/N: omgggg this is what i missing my daily yuri dose