Kanao Can't Communicate

•~chapter fifty-six: sweat~•

As the summertime began to roll around once more, many of the students longed for their air conditioned homes instead of being stuck in the stuffy building that was Kimetsu Academy.  The sun beat through the windows, and even the students that retreated into the shade of the hallways could feel its blazing heat.

But there was one person who was more nervous than anyone else. Her body was drenched in sweat from the sweltering heat and the clothes that clung to her body were practically soaked. As people passed close to her, she dodged them, not wanting to touch them with her sticky, sweaty arms.

Her name was Riko Hayashida. She was in Tanjiro and Kanao's class, but she wanted to keep her sweaty self out of the way to avoid potential embarassment for herself and her classmates.

"I... am so hot!" she panted to herself, tugging at her uniform's collar. "And, oh, how I hate, hate, hate the summer uniform! I wear the vest so that it will cover up the gross sweat stains, but then it makes me sweat even more! And if I take it off, everyone will see... eek!"

She almost crashed into a guy that was walking down the hall with his friend, and had to jump, dodgeball-style, out of his way so that she wouldn't touch him with her sweat. As she scurried past, the guy looked dejected that she avoided him.

"Oh, no guy would ever like a sweaty girl!" she moaned to herself. "At least I avoided touching them with my damp body... but the effort of dodging him made me sweat more!"

She was looking forward to getting into the classroom with air conditioning, but she was absolutely mortified when she stuck her hand out into the classroom only to feel a blast of sunny, hot air. The air conditioning was busted, and although there was an occasional hiccup of cold air, the room remained submerged in a sweltering heat that made Riko sweat bathtubs.

I have to evacuate to the restroom... she thought nervously, slipping out of the hot classroom. I have to take my anti-perspiration gear... she added as an afterthought, taking a small can of spray from her bag.

She walked out of the classroom, sniffing herself and hoping she wasn't smelly, but suddenly...

"Hello, disciple Kiko!" a certain, rowdy boy shouted. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and the squelching noise was what terrified her the most.

"Kyahhhh!" Riko shrieked, pressing down hard on the spray bottle's nozzle because Inosuke had scared the living daylight out of her. That action shocked Inosuke too, and that was saying something, because that boy was scared of nothing. He recoiled because that deodorant spray was cold, and he was shocked even further when Riko bolted down the hallway, screaming, "You wouldn't understaaaaaaaand!"

She sought refuge in the girls' bathroom, panting as she mopped her sweaty face with her hand. Relieved, she brought the spray bottle up to her wrist and...

Click?

Her eyes widened, and she pressed down on the nozzle harder, her panic mounting as no mist came out of the bottle. "I used it all on Inosuke! No!"

Riko was in a state of internal turmoil and panic, as she leaned over the bathroom sink, trying desperately not to throw up. She had forgotten her sweat wipes at home... if she dried her clothes, she would smell like dry sweat... at that rate, her homework that she gave back to the teacher would be illegible and sweaty.

While RIko suffered at the bathroom sink, none other than Kanao and Kiyoko walked into the bathroom. Kiyoko was happily talking, and Kanao was happily listening.

"Oh, Kanao... you're not sweaty at all!" Kiyoko was giggling. Kanao, eyes wide as always, nodded in protest.

Riko didn't hear Kanao and Kiyoko chatting at all, for she was too deep in her own despair. She only looked up when Kiyoko, looking concerned, offered her own bottle of deodorant.

"O-oh, thanks Nishiyama-san, I'm okay..." Riko insisted, backing away. But, as if the universe was mocking the poor, sweaty girl, she backed too far... right into Kanao, and making another squelch noise with her sweaty shirt.

Riko gasped and collapsed to the floor in a deep bow. "Ahhhhh! K-K-Kanao-san! I'm so so sorry!" she shrieked.

As she looked at the ground, traumatized and ashamed. But she gasped as she felt a delicate touch on her sweaty shoulder - it was none other than Kanao, looking at her with concern.

"Y-you don't... mind that I'm so sweaty, Kanao-san?" Riko gasped, looking at Kanao like she was an angel descended from above.

Kiyoko jumped into the conversation as Kanao shook her head. "Nah, everyone sweats!" she said.

To anyone else, this statement might not hold that much meaning. But for Riko, that made her feel over the moon. And as Kanao handed over her own deodorant spray, Riko didn't feel so insecure anymore.

"Thank you..." she said. And at that moment, Kanao became friends with Riko. 39 friends down... 11 to go.

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Bonus:

"Ahhh..." Riko groaned, basically spraying half the bottle of deodorant spray all over herself. Kanao and Kiyoko just stared with deadpan looks in their eyes.

Don't try this at home, kids.

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Wow, two chapters in two days? You guys are spoiled... just kidding. It was kinda short, but I hope you enjoyed!