"I've made up my mind, the next mission is EXERCISING!"

Hanako raised a brow.

Soft melodies flowed past Nene's lips as she hummed and mopped the restroom floor, as though her little moment of determination hadn't just startled every living being (and the dead) within ten feet radius of her spot. She was strangely in good spirits despite the activity she was carrying out, something she'd claimed to despise – well, next to transforming into a fish, that is.

The Mokke that was formerly struggling in Hanako's clutch saw the opening, shouting something along the words 'chance to freedom!' and hopped off of his lap in haste. But his attention had long been shifted for him to care.

"Exercising?" Hanako questioned.

"Mm! Last night I found some photos of girls with slender legs on SNS and they all exercised regularly. So I'm going to do the same during the holidays, and maybe finally," Nene exhaled a dreamy sigh, "I'll become every man's dream girl!"

He floated over to her, pretending to ponder over the possibility with a hand tucked under his chin.

"Are you sure that'll actually work?"

"Of course! Don't you think it'll be great, Hanako-kun?"

"I don't know, I kind of like the radish ankles."

"Eh?" Nene tipped her head to the side.

"Makes it feel better to hug."

Hanako adopted a deeper tone to his voice with the last part uttered, his arms naturally circling around Nene's small frame from behind. He didn't even need to see her face to know that she wore a flustered expression, cheeks flushing deep red. That, accompanied with the slight trembles of her body in his embrace.

Nene had always been easy to tease.

"W - Who would hug ankles when they're hugging somebody?!" Nene drove her elbow backwards in a swift motion, hitting him square in the chest, to which he reacted with a grunt. "Hanako-kun is mean!"

Hanako merely gave a chuckle in response while Nene positioned herself to be in the farthest corner of the restroom, playing the avoiding game until her nerves calm.

He'd decided then to leave her be.

Something far more concerning had been circling his mind. He dragged his finger along the blade of his knife, finding himself fall victim to his thoughts as his gaze remain fixated on the subject of his dilemma. Even a boy like him was well versed with fate, and the fact that it was not something that was avoidable, or changing. That knowledge alone should be a driving force for him to go on with his days carefree, yet with each passing second that he spent by her side, and every laughter that she let out, he wished that fate could indeed be rewritten.

"Ouch." Hanako casted his eyes down. He could barely catch sight of the droplets of blood oozing from his skin before Nene came running and covered them with her handkerchief.

"Are you okay?"

The sulky expression that was etched on her face had been replaced by one of worry. Her hand cradled his own in a manner so gentle he hadn't felt in years.

It was even worse to his mind when she poured her care and affection onto him like this.

"Yeah!"

Hanako flashed the brightest grin he had to spare.