I'm back.

Sorry once again for taking this long with the one-shots – things are still VERY hectic with me so the fact I'm here after so long at least should tell you I haven't given up?

While it's been 3 months since an update, that wasn't an intentional 3 month wait. Instead, it was more that things aligned and I was able to do this update within 3 months. I think, going forward, starting from next chapter, I probably won't post a chapter until I've finished the chapter that is currently in draft (which wouldn't be next chapter given the backlog as I like to be ahead of what I've writing and posting). I've committed myself to this, but I also think it would give an insight into how long it takes me to write…not that it really matters either way when you guys just want the content.

So, keeping that in mind, here we are once again with the originals!

It's really weird, given the idea I have for this original as I've never done something like it before. Although I say that, as you read that opening statement and tilt your head, I want you to look at this one-shot and just enjoy it for what it was, whether you can or cannot see why I think this one-shot is something I've never really written before.

Whatever the case though, I think the best way to start that is the start with the Q & A:

emiforce29: Sometimes the fake outs work pretty well, right?

xellos540: Thanks so much for your kind words; they really mean a lot! I'm glad that although Yuriko might not be your favourite thing that you still got something out of it. We will have to see what future chapters of this hold! But I do have to agree; sometimes I do make chapters too long so it's definitely something that I'm working on fixing!

elementalgaming30: I'm glad that I got the feeling of a slice of life romance across; part of what this one-shot is about is getting that feeling across. But thanks so much for the compliments, they really mean a lot – I'm glad that you liked it!

craytherlay: As long as it was amusing, that's all I can ask for. But Touma's class really is a gathering of strange creatures, isn't it?

whwsms: …Maybe they will blast off at the end of next chapter? I will say though that for the purposes of the one-shot, Accelerator was always female so there's no 'knowledge' that she was gender flipped.

Observadorcha: Jajaja, ¿quién sabe cómo reaccionaría Accelerator? Pero oh, esa es una idea bastante interesante con el cambio de poder de Mikoto y Touma. Sin embargo, tengo la sensación de que la historia simplemente cambiaría, siendo Mikoto la que sería el foco de la historia, ¿sabes?

5queso: Thanks so much for the kind words – Yuriko really does need more attention! Hopefully this chapter allowed me to deliver on that.

Dreamers8: Thank you for managing to make it this far and having a great time. I hope that the structure and the changing stories didn't affect you too much! As for another chapter on genderbent Touma, it's definitely something that I'm thinking about!

BlueJack22: Well, you know me – anything flies really.

Yue Best Waifu: Thanks so much for the kind words – I think me breaking the 4th wall tends to depend on the chapter as there are some that I do it for and others that I don't.

fencer29: Maybe the true age of Komoe is the biggest secret of Academy City of all?!

Guest: No, it's not rude. I completely agree with you!

Fremea2: Oh God, Aogami as the final boss… Who knew there was something so horrific and challenging?! Don't even start with Kakine having fallen for Touma; that would be way too horrific too! However, in the story, it would only be Touma who was gender bent and no one else – otherwise it would basically just be the same story as Index but with reversed gender!

Darkrai Mier: Here we go!

Pedro: You mean…a Touma idol story?! The ideas are already cooking…

WwEpsilonwW: I have, in my mind for last chapter, this scene where the focus is on Yuriko and Komoe and you see little Touma in the background having a cry, haha.

superboy813: Thanks so much for the kind words – I'll try and keep things like that for the Rumour! People talking things out during the Rumour?! Madness. As for your question, yes, Othinus can use Magic now and could technically return herself to her Magic God state. However, the fact that she does not do so is more because of a personal restriction she placed on herself after her experiences with Touma. As for how the story will end…I can only ask you to keep on reading to find out!

And the thanks to you, the reader. There are a lot of words I can say to you for the support you have given me over the years or just by reading this. In a way, I thank you with words that I put onto the page, but apart from that, I really just want to add the extra ones of Thank You so you know how much you are appreciated. Because you are.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get this show on the road. I hope you do what you always do when it comes to this sort of thing!

Enjoy.

Mr Question Mark.


A Torrent of Natural Forces. Wet_Reporting.

"…The weather forecast today hit so far off the mark, it isn't funny."

Misaka Mikoto stared in surprise at the Academy City in front of her, noting how barren it was despite the time of day. Although it was strange to see the streets basically empty on a school day, the reason was obvious to anyone just from looking at the weather outside.

It was pouring.

No, worse than that, it was windy as well.

The combination of the two weather events was a clear sign to stay indoors and relish the wonders that electronic devices could give you. While there were surely people who did that no matter what the weather was, for those who usually went outside, today was just one of those days where nothing would motivate someone to go outside.

It seemed that even criminals took a break on days like this, seen in how one Shirai Kuroko had not even bothered waiting up for Mikoto when school was out, teleporting straight to their dorm to get into the shade of the dorm room and 'warm it up'. There was something suspicious there to be sure, especially since Shirai would never pass up the chance to walk home with Mikoto. That in itself made Mikoto less than eager to get home but with the weather being what it was, she really had nowhere else to go to otherwise relieve her of the boredom that had taken over her.

She had debated making Shirai wait for her a bit longer than usual, especially if she was planning something. For instance, she could hang out with someone else from Tokiwadai like Kongou Mitsuko or even her other friends like Saten Ruiko and Uiharu Kazari. However, with the weather being what it was, the others she had tried to go home with or do something with had given their reasons why they could not participate and spend time with Mikoto.

She had nothing against them for that; she was merely wanting to avoid whatever Shirai had planned and throwing herself into the lives of others for her own convenience was nothing more than her own selfishness. If they did not respond in kind, then it was just an issue of a number of factors and Mikoto was sure dislike of her personally was not one of them.

It was just that kind of day.

Dreary, cold, wet and just overall depressing.

It was strange how the weather could so totally change a person's mood. Plants photosynthesised but given how people were generally active when the sun was out, Mikoto felt that maybe there was a bit of plant within everyone. When the sun was out, it felt like the world was a bit livelier and when it was pouring with rain and windy like it was now, everyone seemed to hole up in their shells and avoid the world altogether.

The otherwise busy stress of Academy City seemed eerily lifeless as Mikoto stood under the shelter of the convenience store roof.

She had not gone inside just yet; the manga chapters released weekly had come out yesterday so there was no point in re-reading them. The hype and the excitement Mikoto had for next week's chapters were what kept her going and besides, as she never bought the magazines the chapters were in and just read them in the convenience store, pushing her luck and re-reading the chapters was something she could not afford to do. Sure, there were other convenience stores in Academy City, but she had the one she always visited and the one where she was allowed to get away with what was otherwise behaviour that was insulting to the author.

If she wanted the manga volumes, she would go out and buy them. The small extras within the volumes themselves were nice perks, but for Mikoto, just reading the chapters in the store without buying the volumes was just as good. Thus, in order to keep the peace and to not push things too far by re-reading the chapters, she had not gone into the convenience store.

She could have gone inside and waited for the rain to stop and the wind to die down but given how it was like right now, Mikoto seriously doubted anything would improve in due time. Hanging out in the convenience store for shelter when she would not buy anything would be the same as loitering.

Even if Mikoto felt it was fine to a degree given the weather outside, she did have the image of Tokiwadai Middle School to uphold. Not only that, but she was a Level 5 and there were very few people in Academy City who did not know her on sight. The need to protect the image not only of a high class girls' school but also of the prestigious status Level 5s held was something Mikoto constantly had to think about in her life, much to her annoyance.

Those types of things were better suited for someone like Shokuhou Misaki, who had the aura of a fine lady without even trying. It pissed Mikoto off to think about the difference between her and Shokuhou when it came to things like this. Shokuhou could pull it off almost easily whereas Mikoto had to constantly be on the lookout of the things she said and did.

If there was anything Mikoto knew though, loitering in a convenience store and smiling stiffly at the employee who clearly wanted to go home and not have to deal with anyone in this weather was one way to taint the image of both her school and of Level 5s. Sure, she went to this convenience store to read manga without buying the volumes so her image was already tainted, but she was not willing to destroy it any further.

Which meant that with nowhere to hide and nowhere to rest, Misaka Mikoto knew she would have to be forced to go to the Tokiwadai Middle School dorm in District 7.

Whether it was the weather or merely because of what she felt was waiting for her back at the dorm, Mikoto felt the annoyance of having to make the trip fill her. There were days where she envied Shirai for her power and this was one of them. Complaining about it was not going to help, especially when there were plenty of people who envied her, but that did not stop Mikoto from thinking those things.

"…Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained! It's not going to get any better no matter what I do so it's time to just get going home!"

To encourage herself, she spoke out loud and without further ado, stepped out from the shelter the convenience store was giving her and into the wind and rain.

She regretted it almost immediately.

Despite being Academy City made and with the numerous perks it had, the cheap umbrella Mikoto had bought (which, naturally, had a Gekota design) did not stand a chance. The moment the wind was caught underneath, it almost ripped right out of her hands.

"W-Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Mikoto cried out in pure shock, gripping the handle with as much force as she could as the rain pelted on her now exposed form. The chill from the water and the wind bit into her skin like knives and she grit her teeth. Moving back into the shelter was going to get her nowhere when she did not know when the rain was going to die down. She had taken this step forward and now that she had, while regretting it immensely, she had to make sure she committed to the goal she had set herself.

Misaka Mikoto was not a quitter, that was for sure.

Even if a day like this made her want to be one more than anything.

Cursing that her dorm room was in the direction where the wind was blowing, meaning she had to fight against it to get to her dorm, Mikoto grit her teeth as she moved against the wind and the rain. With each step she took she made her way forward but, given she was focused entirely on moving forward, it was unavoidable that she stepped in puddles and was sprayed slightly by the cars moving along the roadside.

Within mere minutes of her having left the shelter of the convenience store, she was already drenched to the bone, holding onto the umbrella in the hopes it would protect her from getting even more wet even if she felt that was basically impossible. The rain splashing against her, the way her socks squelched inside her shoes; it was with gritted teeth that Mikoto realised her foolishness belatedly.

(What is up with this weather? You can barely call this 'bad weather'! It's like the chaos theory behind weather just decided to throw everything it has against Academy City. This is basically a typhoon!)

Mikoto spat out mentally, rising her head above her umbrella a bit to see past it and whether there was any shelter ahead of her she could hide behind. She regretted it instantly as the water from above blew against her face and brought a chill that coursed through her entire body. Spitting out the water that came into her mouth, she turned her eyes hurriedly around her, looking for somewhere to take shelter.

Her image could be damned right now.

She was wet, exhausted and just wanted to go home. The trio of factors that added to her irritation meant she only had the desire to get out of the rain and did not care what impression she gave of Level 5s and Tokiwadai Middle School. Even if she knew she was going to get lectured for this, there were just some things she could not compromise on.

She spotted her salvation just a few metres away; a shop had closed early because of the weather and it had a small overhanging roof. Mikoto guessed it was a café or a florist or something like that just based on the overhanging roof but didn't care.

On any other day, she would have made her way straight there.

But the moment her eyes spotted the person also standing underneath the roof, sopping wet just like her, even she had to pause.

Although this was just another meeting with just another person, the fact she could not feel the slightest bit of excitement upon seeing this person was just something that made Mikoto who she was. The feeling racing through her made her smile and made part of her irritation (but not all of it) waste away as she came out of her momentary trance and basically ran over to the overhanging roof.

She had thought today could not get any worse. She had felt the weather was going to reflect her mood and she would stay depressed and bitter for the entire day.

Yet this one meeting was all it took the entirely override that. The emphasis her heart placed on the person dripping wet and soaking was just that powerful; enough to make everything negative just the slightest bit positive. It was with a slight skip in her step at the person she was racing towards that Mikoto made her way to the overhanging roof.

She had never expected to meet that person in this way today.

But then again, it was the fact she had never planned to meet that made the meeting all the more worth it.

Racing through the rain, Mikoto raced underneath the overhanging roof, panting and wiping the rain from her forehead. As she stopped, she realised how heavy her clothes felt after absorbing so much water but still did not hide the internal smile she held in her heart.

And she spoke.

"So, you idiot, you got caught in this too?"

Kamijou Touma, whose oh-so-familiar spiky hair seemed a bit flattened, turned to the voice who spoke, jumping slightly at it. He seemed to relax upon seeing Mikoto but at the same time seemed to stiffen as well.

If there was someone who had it worse than Mikoto right now, it was Kamijou. While Mikoto had been soaked in the rain, it looked as though Kamijou was more than 90% water. It dripped from his entire body and streamed down from his face. His bag next to him looked as though it had been entirely waterlogged and the source of why he was so soaked was clear in the umbrella by his side that looked more like it belonged in the garbage.

Unlike Mikoto's, this umbrella had clearly not survived the intense weather and with the way its prongs stuck out and its covering was ripped in too many places, the lost cause of the umbrella made Mikoto feel some pity for the boy…while also making her feel a bit better about herself and her own situation. Dripping wet, Mikoto tried her best to play it cool but decided it was not worth it; she was just too wet to pretend nothing was bothering her.

"Ah, it's you, Misaka."

The reply Mikoto got back tugged at her heart in its own small way.

She could clearly say she had feelings for Kamijou Touma (even though she would never say that to his face out of pure embarrassment).

However, it was clearly not returned.

It stung a bit that that was the case but, as strong as ever, Mikoto frowned a tiny bit in response and acted as naturally as she could.

"What's up with that boorish reaction?"

"Huh?" Kamijou, soaked to the bone, tilted his head to one side and hopped up and down. Water sprayed from his clothes and body with a squelching sound, the rain pouring down being the only other sound between the two. "It's just you, though. Did you want a fanfare or something?"

"…No. But I at least deserve something more than 'It's you'."

"…It's Misaka Mikoto, the #3 Level 5 of Academy City and the one and only Railgun who also has around 10,000 Sisters?"

"You could have stopped at the first point instead of breaking out into a full explanation!"

"W-What are you so angry about?! What do you want me to say!? I was treading carefully given that a single shock from you could turn me into an instant barbeque but no matter what I say, it triggers you!? Ah, such misfortune!"

Kamijou cried out while trembling and backing away from Mikoto, his right hand outstretched just in case.

"I'm used to you being you Misaka but in this weather, you being you is equal to instant death for me. Even a high schooler with bad grades like me knows that water conducts electricity. And I'm covered in so much water that I feel more like an amphibian than a mammal so please, whatever you do, can't you cut me some slack and let whatever issue you have with me pass?!"

"Why do you just think I'm going to attack you out of nowhere?!"

"Do we need to go over almost every single encounter we've had?! This Kamijou-san has learned from past encounters to know that when our eyes meet, a battle must occur! And it's the type of battle where fleeing is not an option!"

"S-Stop freaking out and spraying water everywhere! You're getting me wet!"

Mikoto cried out in protest at the energetic actions of Kamijou who, despite being soaked to the bone, still had the energy to move and act as he usually did. That was amazing in itself as Mikoto had not really wanted to do anything prior to meeting Kamijou but even so, the energetic actions were ones that meant Mikoto suffered as a result.

Kamijou seemed to calm down after being told what he was doing as Mikoto backed away, throwing everything she was holding onto the ground and looking at herself as she continued to drip with water.

"A-Are you kidding me!? I'm already wet enough as it is and – A-Achoo!"

Mikoto could not hold back the sneeze that came from her mouth, spraying even more water everywhere in the process. The sneeze made her realise just how cold she already was. She shivered, holding her arms to her side now she was out of the rain. In a way, getting out of the rain made her realise just how soaked she was and it was prioritising herself that came over dealing with this idiot.

Mikoto sniffled and stared at herself. Water dripped from her hair and she knew just by looking that she was a lost cause when it came to getting dry in any way, shape or form.

Still though, never the quitter, she stared at herself and grimaced.

"Honestly, it's one thing after another today…" Mikoto grumbled as she grabbed the edge of her skirt and lifted it up, grabbing it and trying to ring it out as best she could. Unfortunately for Tokiwadai, they did not really have long skirts meaning that unless you customised and wore stockings or your socks really high, the biting wind against her legs cut into her deeply.

Grabbing the skirt and ringing it out, Mikoto was surprised how much water came out. She paused for a moment as she lifted up her skirt, narrowing her eyes as she stared at Kamijou. A wave of heat came to her face as she realised the position she was in, with her skirt being lifted up, and although she wore pants, the action was still embarrassing. Still, her health came over anything that this perverted idiot was probably thinking!

Kamijou stared back at her but with the fact she was wearing shorts, it seemed Kamijou was otherwise not interested in the girl. Mikoto had a hard time determining whether he was not interested in her because he knew her so well or because he could not see her panties but the lack of reaction that came from him despite how Mikoto felt about it slightly annoyed her.

"…Don't be getting any ideas. If I don't do this, I'm going to be bed ridden tomorrow."

Mikoto spat out with some red on her cheeks as she looked at Kamijou, but the spiky haired boy waved his hand back and forth.

"Believe you me, I'm not going to get any ideas."

"Can't you get a little bit embarrassed at what I'm doing?! You know how much I'm withholding myself when I'm doing this in front of you?"

"Again, what do you want from me?! Feeling anything for you is a crime! And besides, I'm in the exact same boat so the same can be said for you! Don't you get any ideas!"

"What are you even – "

The reply that came from Kamijou was so nonchalant given the embarrassment Mikoto was swallowing (even though she was wearing pants it was still bad) that she shot back a retort, but the action Kamijou made next entirely threw her off course.

He took off his shirt and jacket.

It was hard and he clearly struggled with the weight but underneath the overhanging roof of the café or florist or whatever, Kamijou Touma, with barely any hesitation, was taking off his clothes in front of Misaka Mikoto. The girl felt the redness on her cheeks erupt to cover her entire body, the girl trembling as she stared at the now shirtless boy in front of her.

The way the water rolled down his exposed stomach and chest seemed to sparkle for some reason. Furthermore, the way he lifted the shirt off his head and took a dep breath of fresh air was somehow erotic even though Mikoto did not know why or how it was the case to her. The only thing she knew was that she stood stunned as she stared at Kamijou, unable to move, unable to turn her eyes away and unable to prevent herself from staring at his exposed body.

He wasn't exactly muscular but nor was he entirely unfit. It looked like the boy had a bit of muscle going on underneath those arms of his, but it was not the extent that his muscles were bulging or that he had a six pack or four pack of abs. Still, if you looked closely enough, and something that the water running down his body seemed to suggest, you could see the formation of something there all the same.

The bare chest of a boy in his adolescence was in front of Mikoto. Even though this was a sight she had seen numerous times before from guys in swimsuit shops trying on briefs or from manga, this was something entirely different.

The mere sight of the boy's bare chest sent waves of heat coursing through Mikoto and a redness to come onto her face so fast she felt as though she were exploding. Unable to process the thoughts racing through her mind, she let out weak words.

"…W-What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

Again, the way Kamijou was so casual would have pissed her off. But instead, the way he turned his head her way and brushed some of the water from his hair (entirely normal things) made her stare even more at his bare form.

"I'm doing the same thing as you. I mean, look at me." Kamijou spread out his arms and waved over his body with an exasperated sigh. "I'm more soaked than anyone can dream to be. Figures that my misfortune would mean my umbrella looks like it took a beating from the #1 when it's both windy and raining. You may be worried about being well enough tomorrow but I've already given up on – Are you even listening?" Kamijou asked his question to which Mikoto jumped at the words.

She had not been.

She had lost Kamijou at 'look at me' and as if some part of her brain had taken that to be permission, had done exactly that. As if she were burning the sight in front of her into her mind's eye, Mikoto vowed to never forget this sight. It was not exactly the perfect body of a teenager, but beauty was in the eye of the beholder.

For Mikoto, it was not that he was ripped that bothered but rather the fact of who was in front of her that made her heart beat so much faster. She stumbled over her words and tried to speak, managing to get some out after a few tries.

"Wh-What are you stripping for?! How does getting dry necessitate stripping?! A-Are you a pervert?!"

"M-Misaka!? This is what I was scared of, you're spraying sparks everywhere! Please, have mercy!"

Kamijou cried out as he danced on the spot at the sudden sparks Mikoto was letting loose without realising it. He trembled like a mouse might in front of a lion, Mikoto trying her best to control her rampart emotions but finding she was struggling to control her beating heart.

"I-It's what you get for doing something so random and unnecessary in the middle of the day without warning me! Are you an idiot?! No, I already know you are. P-Put your clothes back on!"

Mikoto turned her head frantically from side to side to see if there was anybody watching but unlike for Academy City at this time of day, there was no one. And even if there was, they didn't stop and stare at Kamijou, continuing to run out of the rain and never sparing Mikoto and Kamijou another look. Kamijou didn't seem to think what he was doing was that bad anyway and with a look of trepidation, stared at Mikoto while ringing out his clothes.

An amazing amount of water, something that could have filled at least a litre bottle, came out as Kamijou rose an eyebrow at the way Mikoto was acting.

"Are you serious? It feels more like I'm carrying double this shirt's weight, it's absorbed that much water." Kamijou replied rationally, without even thinking twice before he paused, staring at Mikoto who had forgotten about her own state and how drenched she was. He stared at her for a moment before his eyes went wide and sparkled in a dangerous way that reminded Mikoto too much of someone else she knew.

"Oh?"

Kamijou's voice held interest and with the way he stepped forward, it was clear there was something on his mind he could not ignore.

"Oh? Oh, oh, oh!? What is this?! Don't tell me, Misaka, that you haven't seen some guy shirtless before? I'd heard that Tokiwadai was full of girls who were sheltered but you never gave off that impression at all. But to think it was the case?!" Kamijou stepped forward, a grin on his face as Mikoto stepped back, moving into the rain behind her.

She immediately regretted it but turned her head to the side, crossing her arms and trying her best to look as proud as she possibly could.

"H-Hah?! What are you even talking about? O-Of course I've seen some boy without clothes before. All those fashion magazines I see when I'm out and about show more skin than you're showing now. D-Don't think for a minute that you and that unimpressive thing you're showing me is going to get my heart racing!"

"I was trying to get back at you, but instead you got back at me!? And with a comment that actually has enough bite to cut deep into the soul of someone who at least thought he was a bit above average?! …Well, it's not like I care anyway."

Kamijou replied without a care in the world and continued to ring out his clothes, as if he was not really bothered by what Mikoto had said. The frantic Mikoto just stared at him, trembling all the same as she gave voice to the concerns she had in her heart.

"W-What's with that reaction!?"

"What with you today Misaka? Do you want me to freak out over every little thing there is? I don't really mind what you think of me and my body. It's mine, not yours, so it's my problem and not yours. I do think I could put on a bit of weight but with all the running around I do, that's really not going to happen. Ah, my future is a bit like the rain you see. Flowing and going on, eventually going to end up down the drain. Drain, rain, drain, rain."

Kamijou seemed to have lost it a small bit as he hummed to himself (while shirtless) and rung out his clothes. The wind and the rain battered against the overhanging roof with loud noises and Mikoto went silent as she stared at Kamijou who continued to ring out his clothes without caring what Mikoto thought at all. Grabbing the edges of her skirt and continuing to ring them out in the silence that overcame them, she paused for a moment before speaking again, unable to take her eyes from his bare form.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Freezing. I feel like my balls are shrivelling up."

"Did the rain wash away the filter in that tiny brain of yours?!"

"O-Oh shit! I was so caught up in thinking about my misfortune that I said the first thing that came to mi - Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"

Given Kamijou was holding the clothes he had to ring out in his hands, there was nothing protecting him from the slight sparks that struck his wet body. With an oddly girly scream, he collapsed to the ground and convulsed, rolling along the ground underneath the overhanging roof. That may have sounded like it was better than the rain, but with the concrete trapping all the cold air, it was probably colder than the outside air.

Mikoto huffed and puffed, her cheeks red as she felt she was sweating more than any water dripping down her face.

"How do you delve so deep into your thoughts that you start to think things like that?! Actually, I don't want to know. I don't want to know so don't even bother explaining it to me!" Mikoto cried out and covered her ears with her hands, Kamijou rising from the ground while twitching a tiny bit.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh… What a day… It's one thing after another with this…"

"That's my line. Sure, you were the last person I thought I would see today but seriously, you have no idea how fru – A-Achoo!"

Mikoto sneezed once more, pausing for a moment before shivering. She brought her arms close to her and rubbed her sides, her teeth chattering as she came to realise just how cold she was.

This was not going to work.

Sure, dealing with her skirt was one thing, but the reason why she was so cold was because of the water her shirt, not her skirt, had absorbed. Leaving her shirt wet in this state was not exactly good for her health when the only thing she wanted was to go to her dorm and have a nice hot shower. However, right now, with the weather being what it was, that was just not an option.

Whether she liked it or not, Misaka Mikoto would have to lose her shirt and ring it out if she wanted to lessen the chance of going out into the rain and getting even more soaked. Even though it would not entirely get rid of the water, having the wet shirt on in this state was going to be nothing but disastrous for her health come tomorrow.

Sure, there was also the fact she was hanging around outside with the chilly wind still biting into her and the fact she was not heading indoors to be warm. Those facts could not be denied but they only added to the reality that Kamijou himself had demonstrated.

Mikoto had to get rid of her wet clothes and substitute them for dry ones. Or, at the very least, dryer ones.

Let's focus on one particular part of that statement, shall we?

Mikoto had to get rid of her wet clothes.

Ergo, to some extent, she had to strip if she wanted to limit the chances of a super cold coming to her tomorrow.

(No.)

Mikoto shivered from the cold, but she used every last cell in her brain to reject the idea that had come to mind.

(I refuse.)

"A-Achoo!"

(I absolutely refuse! Th-There is no way I'm going to remove one article of my soaking clothing just so I can stay a little bit drier. N-Not in front of this idiot. There is no way I would be able to survive the embarrassment. I was OK lifting up my skirt because I'm wearing pants, but I draw the line at taking off my clothes!)

Mikoto felt the chill racing through her become almost overwhelming but she did not care. There were just some things she had to protect as the #3 Level 5 and her dignity was one of them. Even if Kamijou was the only one who saw her strip, that was more than enough for Mikoto to want to end herself right then and there.

The fact such an idea came into her head was proof enough for her she had been spending too much time with Shirai and this idiot to be good for her. Their lack of intelligence (clearly the latter's) was infecting her as well!

"Achoo!"

The sneeze that came from Mikoto was louder than the others. Kamijou, who had recovered and was beating the side of his soaking shirt and jacket against the walls of the café/florist to get the water out stared at her in surprise. He shivered himself given he had no shirt but the fact he was not sneezing illustrated that he was just cold and did not have the lead up to a cold that Mikoto did.

"Misaka? That sounded pretty bad."

"Sh-Shut up. How can you stand this weather and choose to be shirtless? Aren't you worried about getting sick tomorrow?" Mikoto asked, trying not to show the thoughts that had entered her mind and desperately trying to force them out. Kamijou tilted his head and also got some water out of his ear in the process.

"I said this before, but I'm basically already there. I can imagine myself never getting out of my bathtub come tomorrow so trying hard and hoping I'm not going to get sick is pointless. I just know my misfortune is going to dictate that I'm going to have my hopes crushed if I try and avoid being sick so I'm not even going to try!"

The idiot had basically thrown himself under the bus and the way he was so serious when he said something so depressing was rather impressive. No, that stream of water coming from his eyes looked sort of odd so maybe there was a part of Kamijou that hated himself for accepting his misfortune for what it was.

But given what the boy was doing, what he was saying was completely the opposite to it.

"…If you aren't even going to try and avoid being sick, then why are you trying to get the water out of your shirt and jacket?"

"Because it weighs more than it should when it's full of water. I can't be bothered wasting that much energy in this rain by wearing clothes that are more work for me when I want to get home. I've already done my socks and my shoes but look at them; they're soaked already."

"Y-You idiot! Of course they are!" Mikoto replied with some energy, a rather energetic response coming from her. The surprised look from Kamijou indicated he did not understand what he had done wrong.

"What do you mean, 'of course they are'? Do you know how much time I spent trying to get the water from the soles of my shoes?!"

"Didn't you realise it was going to be a waste of time in the first place? Of course if you start at the bottom of what you wear it's going to get wet again since the water from the clothing above your shoes and socks is going to drip water into it! Do you not understand the basic principles of gravity and water flow?! You should have started from your jacket and shirt at the beginning."

Kamijou's expression slowly turned into one of realisation and then into one of shock as he realised what was basic common sense. He stared down at his shoes and socks, which were wet just as he had said and noticed how the water from his pants was leaking into it. The reality of the situation and the waste of time made itself clear; if he had started from him shirt, then pants and then shoes, while he would have not eliminate all the water, he would have saved himself a lot of work.

"…Such misfortune."

Kamijou fell to his knees, a depressing aura coming over him from the weather. You couldn't cure idiocy was the expression that came to mind, but the point of the matter was that Mikoto had already isolated what she needed to do to stay dry. If she wanted to avoid wasting time and get dry as soon as possible, she needed to get rid of her soaking top and get them dry ASAP.

Given she was wearing a jacket, this idiot could not see through her top, but if she would be taking it off anyway, it would not make any difference.

The choice was between staying dry and getting sick.

The pros of the former were obvious. After all, she would be able to not feel like crap tomorrow and she would be able to face tomorrow with some energy instead of lying in bed and allowing Shirai to wait on her hand and foot. That was surely going to lead to some to some incident or another, however, the cons were that she would have to bare herself in front of this idiot.

The other alternative was not stripping and allowing herself to get sick. The pros of this were that she would spare any embarrassment from this idiot but would also mean she would get sick. And that would lead to her roommate, one perverted Teleporter, probably missing the day off school and attending to her sleeping and sick form which would surely result in one scandal or another.

Stripping in front of Kamijou Touma or letting Shirai Kuroko attend to her sick form. She was not sure which one was more dangerous and it was definitely a threat that her Level 5 self would not be able to overcome so easily. But those were the consequences of the choices in front of her, Mikoto trembling as she stared down at the depressed Kamijou who had finally managed to overcome his depression (he had recovered quickly) and managed to get as much water from his shirt and jacket as possible.

The world seemed to change and Mikoto saw various words materialise in front of her, as if allowing her to visualise her options and understand what she had to do.

Strip.

Do Not Strip.

Which one…?

(Which one do I chooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose?!)

Misaka Mikoto had faced many choices in her day and age, even more so than a normal student of Academy City, but none of those choices had seemed as desperate as the one she was making now. It was a matter of life and death. While she could just choose to flee, heading out back into this weather in the state she was now was tantamount to choosing the Do Not Strip option; resulting in her getting sick and having to be dealt with by Shirai Kuroko.

Mikoto collapsed to her knees, gripping her head and focusing so hard she felt like she would burst a few brain cells.

What was she supposed to do!?

What option was she supposed to choose to protect her dignity, her name and her status as a Level 5?

"M-Misaka!? Hey, are you alright?! Call me what you like and think what you want of me, but you're the one still wearing those soaking clothes of yours! Are you sure you're not the idiot?"

Kamijou approached her, although to Mikoto, each step he took was like it was in slow motion. The choices, what she needed to do, the future consequences and what would be in store for her all flashed before her eyes like it was her final moments, the brain of the #3 Level 5 analysing it all at once, sorting it and reaching the fundamentally conclusion that only a genius could make.

Yes.

She had chosen to - !

Kamijou Touma reached out to touch her fallen form but she grabbed him before he could manage to do so. He seemed to flinch at the touch given he was still wet but a look of relief crossed his face upon realising that Mikoto was fine. However, that soon changed as he spotted the look on Mikoto's face and how it was directed at him.

"K-Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"

Screaming like a victim in a slasher film might, Kamijou reacted in the only way he knew how. The scream was ignored by Mikoto who, with bloodshot eyes, spoke her demands to her hostage.

"Give me your jacket."

"W-Why!? What have I done? O-OK, maybe I went too far with the balls joke, but that's what it seriously feels like to me right now!"

"Wh-What the hell are you saying?! Stop being an idiot and just give me your jacket!"

"Can you explain to me why?! Because the look on your face makes me think the first thing you're going to do with it is strangle me."

"If I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."

"What's with that line that sounds like it came out of a shounen manga or a light novel? It doesn't make me feel any more relaxed given that it's true though! If you're going to kill me anyway, can I at least understand the reason why?!"

"I'm not going to kill you! I just want your jacket!" Mikoto protested, finding the boy in her grip was squirming and trying to get away. He stopped at her words though, staring down at her with a frown.

"…Why?"

"Y-You don't need to know! Just give it to me!"

"Y-You know, I'm flattered and everything, but it doesn't have my scent or anything. The rain washed that all away."

Mikoto felt like she was going to have a heart attack just from that one comment Kamijou said with a deadpan stare. As if she had a fire lit underneath her, her entire body exploded with heat which she felt crawling up to her face.

"W-WHAT!? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING!? Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-YOUR SCENT!? WHO THE HELL WOULD WANT TO HAVE ANY OF THAT!?"

"…I can at least dream there is someone out there who would want a tiny bit of it, can't I?"

Kamijou replied in a pitiful voice with some more water coming from his eyes, but Mikoto felt as though her heart would explode right then and there from what had been said. N-No, she needed to focus! She had to cast aside all impure thoughts and any extra reasons she had of wanting that jacket!

Despite her body feeling like it would explode with heat, there was nothing she could do stop the natural reaction she had to the cold overtaking her body.

"A-A-A-A-Achoo!"

Gripping Kamijou, Mikoto sneezed. Kamijou flinched given he was without a shirt, but stared at Mikoto for a small while, seeming to join together the dots within his head. He was silent for a moment before sighing, putting the jacket in front of him and handing it to Mikoto.

"Honestly, would it kill you to be a bit honest every now and then? You ought to do something about that pride of being one of the only Level 5s in Academy City, Misaka. One of these days, you're going to find yourself having to ask something but being unable to ask it."

"Sh-Shut up. The last person I want to hear that from is you, who goes off and does things all by himself."

Mikoto snatched the jacket from Kamijou, wrapping it around herself and finding it was barely warming her up. Given it had previously been soaked, that was natural but somehow, the faint warmth it was giving her seemed to be warmth that overpowered the cold that had pierced her previously.

Mikoto held the jacket to herself a bit more closely, but even then, it was not eliminating the full cause of the problem; her wet clothes. She herself realised this and it was with a red face that she realised what she was going to do next.

"Turn around."

"…What?"

Kamijou seemed entirely lost as he stared at Mikoto in his jacket. His lack of comprehension was clear in his face but right now, Mikoto did not think she would survive explaining what she was going to do.

"Turn around."

"Misaka-san, isn't this the thing I was just talking about? Namely being honest and saying what you need to say otherwise no one is going to understand you? The basics of communication are – "

"Turn around and don't look at me. If you flinch or so much as even twitch towards me, I'll kill you. Understand?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Kamijou, being obedient when it mattered the most being one of his good points, turned around and stiffened, unable to move or say anything in response to the chill he felt from the words and the expression of Demon Lord Mikoto. The girl (or demon) in question looked around her and at the café/florist she and this idiot were hiding under; there was a small indentation in the middle of where they were which Mikoto assumed was the entrance to the shop itself.

That would be her destination and where she would achieve salvation.

"Come with me."

"Where are we – "

"What did I say about turning around?!"

"T-To not do it, ma'am!"

Kamijou cried out whereas Mikoto's face was so red given what she was going to do that she felt that dying on the spot would be a perfectly good alternative. Grabbing the boy's pants (as he had his back facing Mikoto, this meant she had to loop her fingers through the belt and as such had her fingers close to his butt) she dragged him so he was standing right in front of the indentation that led to the entrance with Mikoto being in the small gap in the entrance.

What this meant was that Kamijou was effectively standing guard while Mikoto was crouched down in the indentation, unable to be seen by anyone else given Kamijou was standing in front of her.

Yes.

This was the ultimate solution she had devised!

With Kamijou standing guard, she could freely take off her clothes without anyone, even this idiot, seeing her. And with this relatively dry jacket (that somehow seemed warmer than it should have been) covering her, she would be able to avoid catching a cold while removing what was chilling her to the bone.

Of course, that relied entirely on this idiot and him being able to follow her instructions to the letter.

"You better not move from that spot. You hear me?!" Mikoto snapped at the boy once more as to make sure he did not move and expose her form to the world outside. Kamijou on the other hand had other ideas as to how he would respond.

"Y-You're not sniffing my jacket all over right now are you?! Were you secretly a hidden pervert this entire time?"

"I-I'M NOT SNIFFING YOUR JACKET! WHO THE HELL WOULD EVEN DO THAT!?"

"Why are you shouting?!"

Mikoto ignored Kamijou, instead focusing on herself and her wet form.

Was she doing this?

Was she really going to strip in this small enclave with the boy she had fallen in love with, shirtless, being the only one protecting her from the outside world?!

Yes.

Yes, she was.

All so she could not get sick and have to face whatever Shirai Kuroko would do to her in her moment of weakness.

When it came to the potential for avoiding such an incident and swallowing some embarrassment, she knew what she would choose. Even though it was a neck and neck decision, there was only one thing she knew her desire for safety would choose!

Mikoto, swallowing her embarrassment, glanced at the back of Kamijou protecting her. There was a familiarity there in how Kamijou was standing with his back (even if it was bare) facing her and she felt a small bit of longing and embarrassment knowing she was alone with the boy she had feelings for.

While she could have stared at that back all day (not that she would ever admit that), there was still something she had to do now. Something she was glad Kamijou was facing away for.

Taking off the jacket slightly, such that she could still feel its warmth, Mikoto reached with her arms to slowly pull off her own sopping wet jacket. She could feel its wetness on her skin and it made her shiver but slowly freeing herself from its chilly confines felt like liberation. The freedom it gave her made her sign in relief, only for her to realise the chilliness of the weather now she was slightly exposed, pulling Kamijou's jacket closer towards her.

The warmth it gave her was one that made her realise in contrast how bad the weather was outside. She stared at the bare back of Kamijou and felt some pity given he had already given up on not being sick but feeling the chill herself made her realise how bad it was for him.

At least, it should have been. If there was any obvious indication he was uncomfortable being shirtless, Mikoto could not see it. Whether it was just how he was built or because he had been through so much, the cold seemed to do nothing to him so Mikoto was unsure whether he was human or not given his state of undress.

Whatever the case, even if this idiot had given her his jacket, with his somewhat dried out shirt lying off to the side where it would not absorb any more water, the whole reason Mikoto had taken it was to get dry herself. Just taking off her jacket and covering herself with that idiot's would do little to solve the problem at hand.

Taking off one layer had been enough to make her want to collapse from embarrassment, but it was this final layer she knew she could not keep on herself for long.

Her shirt was not as soaked as her own jacket had been but the water that had gone through it had meant part of her bra was seen through the material. That in itself made Mikoto cover herself up a tiny bit more as she stared at the idiot protecting her but the only thing she saw was his back.

It somewhat annoyed her that he made no attempt to peek at her form but given her previous threat, that was understandable. Still, the complex nature of the maiden's heart meant that although she was saved from any further embarrassment, Kamijou not turning around even to catch a slight glimpse meant he truly had no interest in her or her body.

(I know I said don't turn around, but can't you at least pretend there was some hesitation when following that command? …Jeez.)

Mikoto did not want to think about why she was so bothered that Kamijou had no interest in her or her body, but in the larger scope of things with her getting sick from her wet clothes, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was getting rid of this final layer and freeing herself from the confines of the clothes she wore.

Staring at the boy's back to ensure he did not turn around whatsoever, Mikoto slowly unbuttoned her shirt. Her wet jacket she tossed to the side with a wet 'plop'. The sound it made clearly revealed how much water it had absorbed and Mikoto wanted nothing else but to be freed from her wet clothes.

Each button she undid allowed freezing air to tickle against the bare skin, but it also meant she was not carrying the instigator of any colds; her clothes. Mikoto shivered as she undid all the buttons, holding the jacket against herself to protect her now exposed skin as she took off the shirt entirely.

Hurriedly, she wrapped the jacket around her, throwing her wet shirt onto the ground beside the jacket with another wet 'plop' and bringing her knees up to her chest. She could feel the material of her bra against them and it was with a sigh that she let the warmth of the dryer clothes cover her. Still, realising the situation she was in, Mikoto could not deny the redness that had come onto her face which was not one indicative of a fever.

How had it turned into this?

She knew exactly how, the thought processes leading to this and how she would rather this than letting Shirai have her way with her, but at the same time, it felt like every moment she was like this was one that would crush her very soul.

She was only doing this until the rain was finished, or at least let up. It wasn't going to be like this for the rest of the day, that was for sure, so the time limit she had to endure this embarrassment, while unknown, was not going to be as bad as whatever time Shirai would have to do things to her. It was that positive thinking that Mikoto used to focus on the situation at hand.

(That's right. This is only a temporary thing until the rain dies down! I'm only wearing this jacket until the rain isn't so bad that I can go outside and go back to the dorm. I'm not going to stay here for a long while so there's nothing that bad to worry about!)

Mikoto thought that to herself, but at the same time, came to realise one thing.

This was not going to last forever.

She would not get this chance again.

Meaning that if she ever wanted to get a whiff of the scent of the boy she had fallen for, now was the time to do it.

Mikoto realised the embarrassing nature of the thought the moment she had it, but she could not help herself. This idiot had been the one to plant that idea within her head, so it wasn't her fault she was thinking about it! It wasn't her fault that the one and only thing covering her right now was something that just so happened to have this boy's scent on it. It couldn't be helped if she decided to breath through her nose and caught some of that scent, could it? Surely not. Breathing was just a natural thing to do and necessary for survival. Whether you did it from the nose or mouth did not matter.

That was right.

It was just inhaling through the nose.

Nothing more and nothing less.

It was this idiot's idea in the first place and had nothing to do with her own decision, so there was nothing for her to feel guilty about whatsoever. Nope. Nothing at all.

Even so, Mikoto stared at the bare back of the boy in front of her, bringing up the edges of the jacket covering her. She stared at that back intently, making sure it was not ready to turn and catch what she was doing, as embarrassing as it was. But with the temptation and the necessity to breathe, whether it be through the nose or mouth, there was no way Mikoto could not help herself.

When it came down to it, she was just a maiden in love.

And it was with the mindset of such a person that Misaka Mikoto brought the edges of the jacket to cover her nose and mouth, letting the warmth of it reach her as she slowly, truly slowly, took a deep –

"A-Achoo!"

"IT WASN'T MY IDEA AND I'M NOT A PERVERT!"

Mikoto, realising the nature of what she was doing, pushed the jacket away from her, red faced, but blinked once. There was only one person in front of her who was capable of that sneeze and it was with guilt that she rose her head from the jacket she was wearing and stared at said person.

Kamijou said nothing, his arm moving and despite not seeing it, he was clearly rubbing his nose. No, when Mikoto stared a bit closer, wasn't that boy shivering in the cold just as Mikoto had been?

It was entirely natural and something Mikoto had done herself. After all, with her wet clothes, she had wished to get rid of them as soon as possible to be free of the cold and be warm. The same was said for Kamijou as well; although he had given up on the idea he was not going to get a cold tomorrow, he had still tried to beat the water from his shirt and jacket. Mikoto had selfishly stolen the latter and threatened him, meaning he could not cover himself up with the former either.

It was entirely normal for the wish to stay warm to be within Mikoto's mind but the realisation of how selfish she had been and how naïve she had been by taking Kamijou at his word that he had accepted he was going to get sick tomorrow filled her with a strong guilt and slight hatred at herself. As a Level 5, no, as a person, she knew she was a bit self-centred but upon realising the extent, she cursed herself for how thoughtless she could be.

In the end, she could not tell this boy was suffering behind the scenes, even on a small scale. Despite this boy literally saving her life and dealing with an issue that should have been hers to deal with, here she was, unable to help him deal with something small.

Whether it was just her mindset or the mindset of everyone else, Misaka Mikoto wanted to believe she was not a bad person. She wanted to believe there was something good within her that she gave to others and others gave to her in turn, but just looking at what she had selfishly done right now made her realise just how ironically true something Kamijou had said to her was.

She was not honest at all when it came to him.

She was not the person she should have been to him when he had given her so much and done things for her when she had been at her darkest.

She was just a girl who was lost in her emotions and did as she liked with him. Although that was partly twisted, in a way, it was the most honest she ever was with a person by letting her see the parts of her that she would rather keep hidden and not show to anyone else. That showed the link she wanted to maintain with that boy, one where she did not have to hide anything and was completely honest with him when it came to her personality, but the downside to that was that Misaka Mikoto also had to show how twisted she was as well in the process.

The bad came with the good.

And despite Kamijou Touma giving her nothing but the good, it seemed that time and time again, Mikoto always gave him the opposite despite him deserving so much better.

"(Why…)"

Mikoto huddled the jacket close to her, whispering words into its fabric.

"(Why am I like this with you? Damn it.)"

"Huh? Did you say something, Misaka?" Kamijou asked, tilting his head slightly but not turning around fully, just as he had been requested. The fact he was trying to play off the fact he had just sneezed bit into Mikoto. There were things she wanted to say to him, but they were only words that consisted of telling him he was an idiot and that if he was cold, he should have said so.

Was that the type of person Mikoto wanted to be in his eyes? Was that the type of person she wanted to turn into for him?

"…What are you doing?" Mikoto asked, her voice soft. "Are you planning on staying shirtless in this weather forever? You're going to catch a cold."

"I've already given up on that. This Kamijou-san is already bed ridden for the majority of tomorrow, I can tell you that."

"It doesn't mean you have to get any worse by standing out there like that. H-Here…you can share your jacket with me. B-Body heat is one of the best ways to stay warm in weather like this, right?"

Mikoto knew how embarrassing the words she was saying were, even if they had the logic and rational of a good suggestion behind them. However, that did not mean much when her face was as red as a tomato and she could barely stare at the boy's back as she made the suggestion. Yes, she knew that as she made this suggestion she was currently only in her bra, skirt and gym shorts, but when compared to Kamijou who was in a totally worse position and bearing with it, that was nothing.

Kamijou flinched at the suggestion, starting to turn around but stopping short before he made the full turn.

"…Are you feeling alright?"

"? Why do you ask?"

"What happened to the whole 'I'll kill you' bit?"

"That was before I realised how badly you have it compared to me. Not to mention I was only thinking of myself. …Sorry." Mikoto spoke the words softly underneath her breath and with the sound of the rain outside, it was hard to tell if Kamijou heard them, but the way he lowered his head and the jovial tone he spoke back with made it clear he had heard each and every word.

"See? You can be honest when you want to be. Although this is exactly the type of honesty that benefits me which is fine with me. If you're OK with us sharing a jacket, then I'll just – "

Kamijou had already started to turn around to look at her but stopped mid-sentence as he spotted Mikoto holding the jacket close to her, with her knees close to her chest and with her wet jacket and shirt off to the side. He just stared at her for a moment before his own face started to turn red, the boy trembling as he managed to form shaky words.

"M-Misaka…why are you sitting there with nothing covering your top half but my jacket?"

"I-It's not like I want to share this with you! But my clothes were just as bad as yours and while you can just take off your shirt and be alright with it, I have no such luxury!"

"What does that have to do with taking off the top half of your clothes?! Is this that thing where you're so strong that you start losing clothes in proportion to your strength?! Is the Science side full of perverts like the Magic side is?!"

"I have no idea what the hell you're blabbering but get underneath this jacket right now! I don't care if you've already given up on yourself getting sick but seeing you out there in this weather like that is making me feel bad! So help me, if you decide to resist, I'll make you get underneath here by force if I have to!"

"B-B-B-B-But you're wearing nothing but a br – "

"I'm swallowing a lot of embarrassment just asking you this, so you're going to get underneath this jacket with me whether you like it or not, so we can keep each other warm. Think of it like that if you have to. I-It's not like I want to have you next to me warming me up in this weather. But if I'm the only one with the jacket and you get a cold when I did nothing to help you out, then it will leave a bad taste in my mouth! That's all there is to it! AND I DIDN'T SNIFF YOUR JACKET BY THE WAY!"

Mikoto basically threw out the words from her mouth in a massive stream of words that barely strung together, leaving Kamijou standing there with a somewhat surprised expression on his face, although it was just as red as Mikoto's. There were various things the two of them wanted to say to this, but the awkwardness of the suggestion and the embarrassment they had from it meant neither party could find the words to say.

The shock of the situation was clear in Kamijou's lack of comment to what Mikoto had said and the sudden shouting of Mikoto. The only sound that came between the two of them now was the sound of the rain outside, Kamijou feeling a chill run through him and realising that if he stayed out here without anything covering him, it was only going to get worse. Reluctantly realising what Mikoto had suggested was the best for both in part because it warmed them both up, Kamijou still battled within himself internally at what he was about to do.

The small voice representing his voice of reason and the other being the adolescence of Kamijou went back and forth in a dialogue that would have made any philosopher toss in their grave. However, ultimately, the end decision of Kamijou who was still red faced was to gulp, shiver and avert his eyes from Mikoto.

"A-Are you s – "

"HURRY UP AND GET UNDER HERE!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!"

Mikoto, just as red faced as Kamijou, basically screamed due to her embarrassment. Kamijou, realising that unless he acted quickly he was going to get some heat from Mikoto zapping him, approached the enclave where Mikoto was and slightly taking the edge of the jacket covering her. She reluctantly let go and Kamijou, turning his head away such that he did not see her bare skin and the bra underneath, wrapped the edge of the jacket around him so it was covering their shoulders.

While the jacket now covered them though, the distance between the two of them was such they were not touching. Although the plan had been to share body heat and the jacket, it was only the latter that was shared. Mikoto slowly stared at Kamijou with a dead expression who tried not to look at her due to his own embarrassment.

"Are you being serious? After what I just had to swallow, you can't go the distance?"

"You might be unable to show your chest but the adolescence within Kamijou-san right now is going overboard! You want me to just go the distance and close this gap!? Fine then, let me show you the determination of someone who had to face the #1! Oraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Kamijou screamed to let loose every single part of his brain and moved to close the distance between them, Kamijou sitting right next to Mikoto and covering the jacket over them both. His cold skin, which made Mikoto realise just how much he was enduring, made the Level 5 jump slightly but eventually, the warmth of his bare skin went to Mikoto's bare skin. The redness of their faces might have had something to do with why there was so much heat transferred, but that was another issue altogether.

Sitting there underneath the enclave of the café/florist or whatever (neither really cared anymore), Kamijou Touma and Misaka Mikoto sat out of the rain, huddling together with their body heat being the only thing against them. Neither said anything, the closeness the two of them were sharing being more than enough for the Level 5 as she stared at the Level 0 out of the corner of her eye.

She had never been this close to him and shared this space with him before.

It felt like a dream and it didn't even feel like the weather was that bad anymore. The pitter patter of the rain against the roof, the wind against them and the smell of the rain (it was just the rain mind you and had nothing to do with the smell of the boy next to her) were small sensations that gave the sense there was a tranquillity found in the world right now that was not otherwise felt when the weather was entirely different.

It was quiet and the sounds of nature were the only things being made known.

It was just the two of them, together and sharing warmth in this world that felt like it was only ever going to be the two of them.

Was it the weather or the fact it was just the two of them that made Mikoto do what she did next? Or was it the fact that what Kamijou had said about being honest had gotten to her more than she would have liked?

Mikoto did not know and did not question it.

The only thing she knew was that the next moment, her head was leaning against Kamijou's shoulder.

"M-Misaka…san?"

"This is for warmth. Warmth! Nothing else so don't get any ideas, understand?!"

Mikoto basically yelled out but with her head where it was, she did not see Kamijou's expression. Nor did she want to as that meant Kamijou could not see hers in much the same fashion.

The awkwardness of what was happening and the heat transferal silenced both parties, but it was only a short while after Mikoto had rested her head on Kamijou's shoulder that he sighed and spoke.

"What a day."

Nothing else was said between the two of them as they huddled together close. Nor was there anything else that was needed to be said as the Level 5 and the Level 0 sat close to each other, lost in the world that was pouring down water like there was no tomorrow.

It was miserable weather, that was to say the least. Mikoto had felt the same when she had started the day and everything that had happened to her only proved her point that she could barely stand this weather and it made her feel like doing nothing and seeing nobody.

But it didn't have to be like this.

Was it not the rain that had given her this moment? Was it not the rain that had given allowed her this meeting with this boy and allowed her the chance of what she was doing now? When all was said and done, the sun and the 'good' weather would not have given her such an opportunity, that was for sure.

And for this opportunity, Misaka Mikoto could not help but smile as she felt the warmth of Kamijou Touma reach her along with the redness of her embarrassment reaching her cheeks.

No matter what anybody said, Mikoto came to realise something that day.

The rain was not that bad.

It was not that bad at all.


And there we have it!

So, what did you think?

I'm not sure if you noticed what made this 'different' and 'something that I've never really done before' but if you look closely, you'll find that despite the theme of rain and 'depression', I didn't go into that at all and just focused on the nature and connection between two characters. It might feel as though I've already done that before, but I sort of felt this was entirely different. What did you think? Was it the same as something I've done before or was it something entirely new to you?

To be honest, I was going to do something along the lines of a discussion to meet the theme of 'rain' being 'depressing' but at the same time, I wanted to move outside of that and how the rain can also be a good thing. Personally, when it comes to weather, I prefer the rain so maybe there was a bit of myself when it came to this chapter? Whatever the case, as you can see, there was no 'point' to this chapter, just a lot of back and forth and embarrassing moments between a boy who has already condemned himself for his misfortune and a girl who cannot help but be interested in him despite that. In this chapter, I just wanted to have the final scene being Touma and Mikoto close together and sharing warmth, watching the rain. Sure, the journey to that was pretty hectic in its own right but I hope you found this chapter made you laugh in the parts that were meant to and made you smile in the parts that were meant to as well.

Overall, there's not much to say for this chapter which also goes into the whole 'something new' theme I was going for. There was no point of discussion, just a boy and a girl talking and spending time with each other, and nothing else. I guess that sort of feel is definitely something that suits a 'one-shot' feel more than some of the other chapters which make up a larger story.

What you think of this, I will leave up to you, but I only hope you enjoyed.

And as always,
Review if you please.

And I'll see you when I see you and I won't if I don't.

Come to think of it, this chapter was surprisingly lewd. When you break down the end scene, aren't the two of them sitting in a small space next to each other and not wearing shirts? I was going for innocent but in the end, I'm questioning if either Mikoto or Touma were pretty perverted in their own right…