The next day.
"Ah... yesterday's hotpot was amazing... right, Kuroko? Kuroko?"
Under the blazing afternoon sun, a chestnut-haired girl lazily yawned. Despite the stifling heat sapping her motivation, just recalling the previous night's cheerful dinner with everyone instantly lifted her mood.
Behind her, a twin-tailed girl with tea-colored hair responded only with a brief "Mm," her brows furrowed in deep thought. For once, she didn't follow up with her usual chatter.
The two were none other than Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko, just after school.
Unlike most outside schools, Academy City's classes ended earlier, giving students plenty of time to train their esper abilities—something far more valuable than sitting through theoretical lectures.
"Uh... Kuroko, what's wrong with you?" Misaka turned around, puzzled by her partner's expression. "You look like you're brooding."
"I simply can't believe it!" Once asked, Kuroko's words burst forth like a dam breaking. "That Juufuku Miho is only a Level 2 esper!"
"Juufuku... who?" Misaka blinked.
"..." Kuroko slowly raised her head, giving her Onee-sama a weary, speechless stare. It was the look of someone who had long given up trying to understand the logic of her beloved senior. "Sigh... Onee-sama, please. Have a little awareness. You know, the thick-eyebrow girl."
Misaka awkwardly rubbed her cheek under that gaze. She hadn't forgotten the incident—it was just that she hadn't bothered remembering the girl's name.
"But that's impossible, isn't it? That seamless invisibility—it's way beyond what a Level 2 should be capable of," Misaka muttered, recalling the thick-browed girl from yesterday.
"Well, according to the [Bank], she really is listed as Level 2," Misaka mumbled to herself.
"Yeah, that's exactly what Judgment's been puzzling over. It's not like she could've just leveled herself up out of nowhere, right?" Kuroko said half-jokingly, remembering a certain senior's earlier comment.
After several minutes of unproductive speculation, the two sighed in unison. Misaka shook her head and smiled. "Since we can't figure it out, let's take a break. Maybe relaxing will help us think more clearly."
"Eh?"
...
"So, you two thought of me?" Selene, maintaining her usual graceful demeanor, stirred her bowl of shaved ice with poise, smiling kindly at the two girls before her.
"Hehe, well, your ability is really convenient, you know?"
"And you even learned to use Uiharu Kazari's guilt-tripping tactics, huh? Where are the others?"
"Uiharu and Saten will be here soon."
Ten minutes earlier—
Under the shade beside a shaved ice stand, Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto each held a cup of strawberry shaved ice, savoring the rare coolness as they exhaled in relief.
As the icy sweetness melted on her tongue, Misaka suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Wait, doesn't Selene have a sub-ability that controls temperature...? Just thinking about it stirred a rare sense of envy in her heart.
Among all Level 5s, Selene probably had the widest range of sub-ability applications—and as a Gemstone, she could use her powers however she pleased.
The thought lingered in Misaka's mind. On such a sweltering day, having that kind of temperature control would be amazing.
Should I invite her? But no—if she only invited Selene, it would seem too obvious. Maybe I should ask Uiharu and Saten to come too.
Once the idea formed, she acted immediately. Misaka invited everyone to meet up. Though Selene sensed there was something the girls wanted from her, and didn't really feel like going, Uiharu Kazari insisted—claiming it was to thank Selene for treating them yesterday.
And she'd made it sound so serious. If Selene refused, it would mean she was looking down on commoner food. With that hat firmly placed on her head, Selene couldn't find a single reason to decline.
Now, watching the two Tokiwadai girls happily enjoying the cool air she provided, Selene couldn't help but grumble inwardly. Seriously? I've been reduced to an air conditioner...
Perhaps feeling a little guilty about her ulterior motives, Misaka avoided eye contact, instead focusing on rapidly spooning shaved ice into her mouth.
In an instant, a wave of icy cold exploded in her mouth and spread throughout her body. The tart sweetness of the strawberries added a pleasant sting that made her shiver involuntarily. Her brows furrowed as she pressed a hand to her forehead, lips puffed out in an adorable pout.
"Honestly, Onee-sama..." Seeing the scene before her, Shirai Kuroko couldn't help but laugh. "...So unladylike." After teasing Misaka, she took a big spoonful of shaved ice herself—and immediately regretted it. Her entire body trembled violently as she stomped her feet in tiny steps.
"You're no better than me!" Misaka chuckled, watching her partner's reaction. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind.
"Selene-senpai! Misaka-senpai! Shirai-san!"
They turned around to see Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari approaching with cheerful smiles. The moment the two girls stepped into Selene's cooling field, they shivered in delight.
As they walked closer and spotted the strawberry shaved ice in the others' hands, their eyes lit up. "That looks so good!"
Moments later...
"Uuuh..."
Selene could only sigh, watching Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari join Kuroko in their foot-stomping ice-induced agony. How is this even contagious...
"You all know eating it too fast gives you brain freeze, and yet you still do it," Selene said helplessly, rubbing her temple.
"But that's what makes it summer!" Misaka laughed, then glanced at Selene curiously. "Hey, Selene, I noticed you're eating so fast, but you're totally fine."
"Maybe it's just a difference in physiology. Even though it's cold, I don't really feel it as much."
"That's kind of a shame. The chill is part of what makes summer, you know. Even though it hurts, you can't help wanting another bite," Saten said, eyeing Misaka's bowl. "That's strawberry flavor, right?"
"Mm-hmm. Wanna try some?" Seeing Saten's curious look, Misaka smiled, scooped up a spoonful, and held it out to her.
"Really? Then I'll take you up on that!"
Stare~! Watching this scene unfold, Shirai Kuroko's eyes widened in horror, her pupils shrinking dramatically.
"Then, as thanks, Misaka-senpai, how about you try mine?" Saten said cheerfully, scooping from her own cup and feeding Misaka a spoonful. "It's lemon flavor."
"Ah—!!!" Kuroko's scream pierced the air as Misaka casually ate the bite offered to her. The sight of Saten feeding her beloved Onee-sama made her blood boil. Even Selene, who had been teasing Uiharu moments earlier, turned her head at the commotion.
There it was—Saten Ruiko feeding Misaka Mikoto shaved ice, the spoon still between Misaka's lips.
Selene sighed knowingly. "A truly sinful woman..."
Beside her, Uiharu Kazari covered her eyes while peeking through her fingers, her expression caught between shock and fascination. "Wow... it's like watching a new world unfold..."
"You... you... what are you two doing?!" Kuroko shouted, staring at them in despair. "Isn't that basically a—"
"Uh... we're just comparing flavors," Saten replied, completely oblivious to what she had just done.
"C-comparing... flavors..." Kuroko's voice trembled as a storm erupted in her heart.
Comparing flavors?! That's a thing?! Her mind raced at lightning speed, her brow twitching violently. I can do that too! It's not too late! If I do it now, I can still—
Without hesitation, Kuroko scooped up a spoonful of her own shaved ice and held it out toward Misaka with a forced smile. "Th-then... please, compare flavors with me too!"
"...Aren't ours both strawberry?" Misaka blinked, confused by Kuroko's sudden enthusiasm.
"..." At that moment, Kuroko swore she could hear the sound of her heart shattering. Frozen in disbelief, she slowly sank to her knees and banged her forehead against the table.
"Baka! Baka! Baka! Kuroko, you fool...!!!"
...
The atmosphere grew painfully awkward.
Eventually, everyone parted ways—except for one utterly dejected Shirai Kuroko, who trudged behind Misaka Mikoto with a vacant stare.
(It was a day where only Kuroko was wounded.)