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Today was, as Nene was willing to put it, scorching hot.
In fact, it was so hot today that she had settled changing into her white PE shirt and shorts, and she didn't even bother on putting her stockings on because of the crude weather.
Yep. It was that bad.
It was lunch time, and it seemed like the academy was gonna spontaneously combust from all the heat. Oh, how she wanted to just jump into the campus pool and cool down there, but she wouldn't wanna risk turning into a fish in front of everyone.
Ah, screw that. Students and some of the staff were inside the school busy trying to cool off, so they probably wouldn't notice at all.
That's how she found herself standing in front of the pool, feet just about to step into the cold, refreshing water, when—
"Yashiro!"
"Waaah!!" Nene lost her balance, about to smack against the water, but luckily a pair of hands pulled her back just in time.
She grumbled as soon as she heard Hanako's laugh, looking at him with a glare. "Stop startling me, Hanako-kun!"
"Sorry, sorry! What were you even doing here? Isn't it too hot for you to be outside?" He let go of her, letting her back on her feet.
"I wanted to take a dip in the pool."
"Eh? You do know people are probably gonna see you turn into a fish... right?"
Nene groaned. "Yes, I know! But it's too hot right now, and if I don't find anything to cool off I think I'm gonna catch on fire, or something."
"You're exaggerating." Hanako wasn't able to dodge the elbow jab on his throat.
Wait a second. She blinked, her mind remembering something. When Hanako had caught her from falling down into the water, she had taken note of how cold his body was. Like, real talk, considering he was a ghost, his whole being was as chilly as ice.
Perfect for a weather like this.
Maybe it was the heat getting into her brain or something, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Hanako lifted himself back up from the ground, groaning in pain from the jab on his throat. "That hurt, Yashiro—" He didn't even have time to speak again when the girl suddenly pulled him by the front of his gakuran and nestled her face by the crook of his neck.
His lips quivered into a thin line, face turning into different shades of red. Was the heat so bad it made her lose her marbles or something?
"Yashiro... what are you doing?" He managed to choke out, swallowing nervously.
"Mmm... Cooling myself off." She slurred her words, seemingly too comfortable to talk properly. Hanako, for one thing, felt like malfunctioning.
She was now sitting on his lap, arms hooked around his waist, face hidden on his neck. Her shirt was practically clinging dangerously close to her skin from the sweat, and on top of that... her exposed ankles.
Was it possible to die while being dead at the same time? Because that's how it felt like.
To say this position was rather compromising was saying a lot of things to him.
Ah, but isn't this what you wanted? Some part of his brain mocked him, and he had to agree. It wasn't as bad as it seemed, anyway. An excuse to cuddle with Nene, at the same time helping her out! It was a win-win situation.
"Nene, Nene!!" Unfortunately, fate must seemed to really really hate him right now, because look who finally decided to show up.
Shit. Not again.
"Nene! Let's play!" Tsukasa excitedly flapped his arms about, a black Mokke sitting on top of his head mimicking his movements.
"Can't... too hot." Nene replied, earning a pout from the boy. Hanako chuckled at that.
"She's busy cooling off." Hanako explained, feeling a bit more confident now. Tsukasa observed them for about some seconds, which was rather unnerving.
Nene squeaked when something heavy suddenly jumped onto her, and something cold nuzzling against her cheek. She saw a mop of black hair and the glimpse of a black seal.
"T... Tsukasa-kun... what are you doing...?" She couldn't really fight him off when it was so dang cool and comfortable right now, and Tsukasa in the mix just cranked it up.
"I wanna cool off Nene, too! It's no fair if Amane's the only one who gets to do it!"
"Tsukasa, let go. You're squishing her." Hanako scolded, but it was rather ironic that he himself was now tightening his grip around Nene.
"Don't wanna."
"Let her go."
"No."
"Let her go."
"Nah."
"Boys..." Nene interrupted before things could get any worse. "Please... keep it down. It's too hot for this."
"Yes ma'am." The twins simultaneously replied, and neither of them spoke any further words after that.
The black Mokke, along with some pink Mokke that appeared out of nowhere, took their time just sitting nearby watching the two ghosts cuddling close to that radish-legged girl, right next to the pool. The sun continued to bare it's scorching rays at them, but neither seemed to be as uncomfortable as opposed to before.
Well, at least she didn't have to turn into a fish this time.