Handkerchief Snowball (3)
At that moment, Ronari from a few weeks ago flashed through my mind, and I nearly burst out laughing. Back when we'd stormed into the principal's office together over our roommate assignment. Just grabbing her collar had earned me a death glare. And now here she was, reaching out first. Tremendous progress.
Well, that had been an accident, and this was class. She probably figured she had no choice. I took half a step closer to her.
“!”
She flinched, but this distance felt right. We needed to be close enough that our shoulders wouldn't tense up while holding hands. I clasped her outstretched hand like a handshake. Hers was a little cold, a little stiff. And smaller than I'd imagined—mine could probably swallow it whole. Hard to believe it belonged to a mage strong enough to hurl people around.
I spoke first. “I'll send first. Receive it.”
“…Yeah.”
I focused the mana flow into our joined hands. Not shoving it all in at once, but like digging a tiny tunnel through a sandcastle. I slipped delicate threads of mana into the narrow gap first, patiently waiting for it to part on its own. Ronari wasn't used to this sort of thing. It would take time, naturally.
Several seconds passed with just that slim connection between us. Finally, I felt her tension ease, the path opening up. I'd fumbled quite a bit my first time, too. What a talent. Calling the academy's top student “talented” might sound ridiculous, but it was still impressive.
The mana path linking us relaxed and widened. I gradually increased the flow to match.
“Eut…”
Ronari let out a surprised groan. Damn, thought I'd dialed it back. I quickly cut off the supply. She looked up at me, sensing the interruption.
“…?”
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeah… fine. No problem… keep going.”
“Your hands are sweating.”
“!”
She yanked her hand back on reflex and wiped it on her sleeve. She looked flushed, too.
“Here, your handkerchief.”
I tried to hand back the one she'd given me earlier, but she waved it off.
“No…!”
It was hers anyway—no need to refuse. I pocketed Ronari's handkerchief and offered my empty hand again.
“Your turn. Don't need to be gentle sending to me.”
“…”
She slowly laid her hand over my palm. Even after I told her not to hold back, she opened the path with the exact same delicate precision I'd used. As she did, she murmured, “You seem used to this…”
Well, yeah.
“Done it plenty. Not bragging.”
“Plenty…? When? Where? With who?”
Her questions made it awkward to dodge. No real reason to hide it, so I told the truth.
“Mostly Belica. After Master taught me mana control. The feel of opening someone's path was fun, so we'd mess around with it sometimes.”
“…”
That was when she leaned in suddenly and snatched my other hand. Her face twisted in dissatisfaction as she asked, “…So you've done this too?”
Before I could ask what she meant, the answer came through my palm. A mana path opened toward her from our newly clasped hands, pulling my mana along. Now one hand drew her mana into me, the other sent mine to her. Her flow sped up a notch. To balance, I matched it wordlessly.
I was honestly impressed. First time, and she handled it like a pro. Even with our skin touching, opening her path to draw my mana was no small feat. Such precise control—maybe she could even force it without consent. I could sense that potential.
We traded mana through our hands like snakes biting each other's tails. But she kept accelerating the flow. Pure mana or not, too fast and who knew what might happen. Time to stop.
“Ronari.”
“…”
Deep in concentration, no response. I called again.
“Ronari.”
Only then did the circulating flow begin to slow.
“Haa, ha…”
She panted, worn out. Even for her, syncing mana with me couldn't be easy. Natural enough.
“Time to sto—”
As I started, she gripped tighter. The path was closed, but she wasn't letting go.
“Wait… haa… just a sec…”
Her shoulders heaved with each ragged breath. She wanted a moment, but lingering would spell trouble. Practice was wrapping up around us anyway.
“Ronari.”
“Haa… yeah?”
“Hands sweating again.”
“…!”
She pulled away quick and wiped on her sleeve.
…And done. Why sweat bullets over this? Guess the top student got competitive about something trivial. Kinda threw me.
Then she asked, “How was it…? Me.”
“?”
“Not bad for a first try… right?”
Her shy smile was girlishly bashful one moment, innocently triumphant like a kid who'd caught a huge beetle the next. So very Ronari—and yet not. Didn't know she had this side. Like discovering something new.
“You did great.”
That was all I said.
After practice, the professor ran through a quick theory recap verbally before dismissing us. Plenty of time before the next class. Other students scattered to lecture halls or wherever. I figured I'd head back to rest, but Ronari grabbed me.
“Wait…”
“What?”
“That thing from earlier… I wanna try one more. Can you help?”
“Sure. Which?”
“Did you feel it? Opening the path first and pulling your mana. I wanna try that. Totally new sensation…”
Yeah, that piqued my interest too. Could probably force open a path and drain mana that way. Sounded risky just hearing it—but that's what made it tempting. A mage's curiosity kicking in, naturally.
“Okay.”
I reached out, but she said, “Can we sit? Felt like it takes stamina…”
She sat first and offered her hand. I took it and settled beside her. Doing this on the grass stirred childhood memories. Back then, Belica and I'd sit face-to-face, palms together, swapping mana for fun. Academic reasons now, but doing it grown-up felt weird.
Lost in those thoughts, her path showed no sign of opening. Mentally prepping? As I turned to check, her soft fingers suddenly slipped between mine.
Wait.
For a brief moment… she held my hand, fingers interlaced. No mana exchange. Nothing. Just that. In the silence, only her pulse traveled through our warmth.
Then she let go and shot up. “Y-yeah, better quit! Too dangerous on second thought! Forcing into someone's mana path…!”
“…If you say so.”
“Yeah! I'm heading back first! Thanks for helping!”
And Ronari bolted for the lecture hall.
“…”
I sat there alone, fidgeting with my right hand. The one linked to her moments ago. Her warmth lingered like a burn.
What was that?
Whatever. Time to move. I stood, brushed off my pants.
…Next classroom? What was next class? Oddly hard to recall. Really oddly.
I shoved my hands in my pockets and wandered toward the lecture building.
……
Belica poked my cheek. “Full of energy this morning, now why so zonked? That sleepy?”
I blinked lazily. “Dunno. Maybe my side's throbbing from your hits.”
“Such a baby~ Aww, want more of my loving care?”
“Professor Ruda. This guy's yapping so much it's disrupting class…”
Belica clapped a hand over my mouth and played it off with a laugh. “Ahaha… what're you saying? Nothing at all, everyone. He's just not right in the head~”
Luckily for her (unluckily for me), Ruda hadn't caught it. Near the end of the last period, she'd wrapped up class and was giving class-wide announcements.
“Next week, pop quizzes on all core subjects. Belica Simoni—you especially need to watch it.”
Her name called, Belica's face melted like slime.
“Eek…”
“What kinda reaction is that when your homeroom prof's looking out for you? Want another smack?”
Her face hardened like golem stone. Voice too. “No…! So grateful for your warm guidance and mercy! Loyalty! Loyalty!”
Laughter erupted from the class. Ruda quieted the room.
“And the weekend after, as you know, the freshman welcome ball. You're seniors this year—must feel different. Anyway, announcing that next week too, so moving on… You all know about tomorrow's ranking tournament without me saying.”
She glanced at Belica again. “Oh, and last thing. Bel, you aware of your ranking tournament opponent?”
“Me? Psh~ You know me. Too lazy to check. Just go up and brawl, right?”
“Better confirm this time. Your matchup changed.”
“Changed?”
Only two reasons for ranking tournament changes: roster shifts or…
“Yeah. Someone called you out.”
All eyes on Belica. Ruda read from what looked like an official notice.
“Challenge match application. Applicant, ranking 5th. Adelia Spencer.”
“Whoa!”
Gasps all around.
“Target: Belica Simoni. Current rank…”
Ruda paused for effect, then grinned like it was gonna be fun. “4th.”