I Am Honkai

The Next Day.

"Ah... the meal yesterday was so satisfying... right, Kuroko? Kuroko?"

Under the strong sunlight, a chestnut-haired girl lazily yawned. Although the hot weather made one feel unmotivated, the thought of having hot pot with everyone yesterday instantly lifted her spirits.

Behind her, a girl with tea-colored twin tails responded simply with a "hmm," then frowned deeply again, unusually silent and lost in heavy thought.

These two were Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko after school.

Unlike schools outside, students in Academy City usually finish school early, providing plenty of time to practice their abilities, which is considered more important than listening to theoretical lessons at school.

"Uh... Kuroko, what's wrong?" Turning to see Shirai Kuroko's furrowed brow, Misaka Mikoto asked curiously, "Why the gloomy face?"

"I simply can't believe it!" It would have been better not to ask. When questioned, Shirai Kuroko immediately opened up. "Shigefuku Shoho is only a Level 2 esper!"

"Who is Juufuku Miho?" Misaka Mikoto asked, puzzled by Kuroko's remark.

"..." Shirai Kuroko slowly lifted her head, looking speechlessly at Mikoto, seemingly at a loss over Onee-sama's thought process. "Sigh, Onee-sama, please pay more attention... she's the one with the thick eyebrows."

Misaka Mikoto felt a bit embarrassed under Kuroko's gaze. She hadn't forgotten the incident, just the name.

"But that can't be true. Such flawless invisibility seems way beyond Level 2, right?" Saying this, she couldn't help but recall the thick-browed girl from yesterday.

"But I remember [The Library] records that she is indeed Level 2." Misaka Mikoto muttered to herself.

"Yes, that's what our Judgment is pondering. It can't possibly be genuine self-improvement, can it?" Shirai Kuroko remarked jokingly, recalling a senpai's words.

Unable to clear her head after pondering for a while, with everything remaining speculative, Misaka Mikoto shook her head with a smile and changed the topic, "If we can't figure it out, let's take a break. Maybe a change of pace will help us find the solution!"

"Huh?"

...

"So, you thought of me?" Selene elegantly stirred the shaved ice in her hand, smiling kindly at the two in front of her.

"Hehe, isn't your ability quite handy?"

"You've even learned to have Uiharu Kazari put a hat on me. Where are they?"

"Uiharu-san and Saten-san will be here shortly."

Ten minutes earlier.

Sitting under the shade of a tree beside the shaved ice shop, Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto each held a cup of strawberry shaved ice, enjoying a rare moment of coolness and each sighing with relief.

Eating the shaved ice, savoring the fleeting chill, Misaka Mikoto suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Doesn't that person have a branch application for temperature control? Thinking this, Misaka Mikoto felt a rare twinge of envy. Is she the Level 5 with the most branch applications? She's also a Gemstone, using her ability freely.

In the scorching summer heat, having such a temperature-control ability would indeed be convenient! she thought.

Why not invite her over? No, inviting only her would be too obvious. How about inviting Uiharu and Saten too?

Once she decided, Misaka Mikoto immediately invited everyone to gather. Selene had sensed they needed something from their conversation. Though she didn't want to come, Uiharu Kazari dragged her along.

Her reasoning was sound, claiming that to repay Selene's treat yesterday, they should treat her to food today, and if she didn't come, she would be looking down on commoner cuisine. With that claim, Selene couldn't find any reason to refuse.

Watching the two in front of her enjoying the cool environment she provided, Selene couldn't help but tease. Wow, they're treating me like a central air conditioner.

Perhaps feeling guilty about her selfishness, Misaka Mikoto hid to the side, saying nothing, and just kept spooning shaved ice into her mouth.

Instantly, a burst of cold exploded in her mouth and spread quickly, combined with the slightly tart taste of strawberries, causing Misaka Mikoto to shiver, frown, press her forehead, and pout, looking very cute.

"Onee-sama, honestly..." Seeing this, Shirai Kuroko chuckled. "...Not elegant at all." Then she scooped a spoonful of shaved ice into her mouth, and her reaction was even bigger than Mikoto's. She shuddered violently and couldn't help but stamp her feet in small steps.

"You're just the same." Seeing Kuroko's reaction, Misaka Mikoto laughed, and just then, a familiar voice came from behind them.

"Selene-senpai, Misaka-senpai, Kuroko!"

The two turned and saw Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari approaching with bright smiles. As they stepped into Selene's cooling field, both shivered slightly.

As they came closer, seeing the three holding strawberry shaved ice, their eyes lit up. "It looks delicious."

Later...

"Wuwu…"

Selene looked speechlessly at Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari, who were stamping their feet with Kuroko, and couldn't help but rub her forehead. How could it spread from person to person like this?

"Knowing that eating it so quickly causes brain freeze, yet doing it anyway." Selene sighed helplessly.

"That's what summer is all about." Misaka Mikoto laughed and then asked curiously, "Hey, Selene, you eat such big bites without reacting."

"Perhaps it's a matter of constitution. Although it's cold, I don't feel it as icy."

"Isn't that a pity? After all, that's the feeling of summer. Even knowing it'll be freezing, you can't help but eat it like this." Saten Ruiko looked curiously at the shaved ice in Misaka Mikoto's hand. "Is it strawberry flavor?"

"Uh-huh. Want to try it?" Seeing Saten Ruiko's curious look, Misaka Mikoto smiled and scooped a spoonful of her strawberry shaved ice to Saten Ruiko, who nodded.

"Really? I won't be polite then."

"Stare~!" Seeing the commotion, Shirai Kuroko was shocked, her pupils widening in disbelief.

"In return, would Misaka-senpai like to try mine?" Saten Ruiko scooped a spoonful from her own shaved ice and smiled as she fed it to Misaka Mikoto. "It's lemon-flavored."

"Ah~!!!" Seeing Misaka Mikoto eat the shaved ice from Saten Ruiko's spoon without hesitation, Kuroko's eyes widened further, and she let out a pained scream, drawing Selene's attention from teasing Uiharu Kazari.

She saw Saten Ruiko feeding Misaka Mikoto the shaved ice, especially with Mikoto holding Ruiko's spoon between her lips.

Having a hunch about what would happen next, Selene sighed with emotion, "What a sinful woman."

"Wow~" Uiharu Kazari beside her was covering her eyes but peeking through, as if seeing a whole new world.

"You... you... what are you doing?!" Kuroko shouted, looking at the two with despair. "Isn't this a—"

"Uh... we were just comparing flavors." Saten Ruiko, oblivious to having achieved Kuroko's lifelong dream, answered, baffled.

"Comparing... flavors." Hearing this, Kuroko's body trembled with excitement, her heart in turmoil.

She... she did it that way? Kuroko's brain raced, her brow twitching madly. This was the biggest miscalculation of her life! If Saten can do it, then so can Kuroko! It's not too late! As long as she does this... Kuroko can...

Kuroko immediately scooped a spoonful from her shaved ice and offered it to Misaka Mikoto, a sweet smile on her lips, "W-would you compare flavors with me, too?"

"...Aren't yours and mine both strawberry?" Misaka Mikoto, not noticing Kuroko's true intentions, asked curiously.

"..." Hearing this, Kuroko felt as if she heard her heart shatter, standing still before suddenly dropping to her knees, pressing her forehead to the ground, and wailing.

"Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Kuroko, you fool... ahhh!!!"

...The atmosphere grew awkward.

In the end, the gathering dispersed, leaving Kuroko trailing dejectedly behind Misaka Mikoto. (Only Kuroko had a bad day.)