A cold-blooded amphibian.

"Wow! Its so beautiful!", she exclaimed as she investigated the cycle. It had stripes of glossy white on a premium red polish all through the bike, it had gears and the tyres looked wider than normal. It had a small backseat, where a black helmet sat peacefully, strapped on it.

"I know right!", he beamed. "My sister gave it to me as a gift!"

"Eh!? Kanako-kun you have a sister!", that news came as a plot twist for her. She didn't know he had a sister. "You didn't tell me about that!"

"I forgot.", he smiled, "I have one elder sister. She comes home once a month or so for a few days in between work. But this time, she got a huge break. Well... she usually sleeps around during that time so... yeah."

"Hmm... I see..", she said reflexively, going circles around the cycle, inspecting it carefully. "This is a very sturdy bike!", she commented, before going behind it and grabbing the helmet from the backseat.

"She takes good care of you, doesn't she?", she asked, before going in front of him and gently putting the helmet on his head. She could hardly reach him, even when she was up on her toes. He was lost in thought, trying to think the time his sister took care of her. He could hardly find any.

"Eh... I don't think so.", he laughed with concern, while Ayane strapped the helmet to his head.

She giggled. "It looks good on you."

"T-thanks... I guess", he looked away. Blood rushed in his face. His mind was clouded. Ayane was quickly changing herself. Once she was acting like a child, in another time she was acting like a mother. He was flustered.

"Lets get going, shall we?", she proposed, giggling, while she walked ahead, taking the lead, while Kanako tagged along.

Kanako looked far into the horizon. Something was bothering him. Its about the weather. "It surely doesn't look good. The sea is unusually calm."

"Is that so?", Ayane looked ahead too. "Its calming in a way, isn't it?", she gazed at him with his shiny new bicycle that he was pushing along with him.

He grinned. "Calm before the storm, literally.". Ayane giggled, walking ahead. She was looking down, a little bit saddened. Her moon coloured hair swung in the bypassing wind, making her scent mix with tears cool, humid atmosphere.

"What's wrong?", Kanako asked, concerned.

"It's nothing.", she smiled looking back, contrary to her emotions. She paused for a bit, looking away from him. "You don't really have to worry about me now. You don't have to walk me to my house every day. You want to ride your bike, don't you? You don't need to feel guilty for not walking me to my house for one day."

She was looking back from Kanako, so she couldn't see his face. He didn't answer as well. It was not like she didn't want to walk with him, she enjoyed it every time. But she knew he had to have his own time. He can't waste so much time on her. She closed her eyes, saddened, as she concentrated on the sounds of the distant waves and the rumbling of the dark clouds.

She was cold. All the cold air was numbing the exposed parts of her body. Sometimes she wonders if she is really human, a hot-blooded creature or a cold-blooded amphibian.

Then she felt something through her wrist. It was... warm. Unusually warm. Very warm. It was comfortable. That heat sent down shivers down her cold body. She felt fingerprints on her wrist.

"Eh?!", she opened her eyes. Kanako's face was just in front of hers. She flushed out quickly.

"Its time for a princess kidnapping!", Kanako said jokingly, giggling. He hopped on his bike, ringing the bicycle bell. "What are you waiting for? Hop on!"