The Everyday Warmth of Holding Hands

On the weekend, crowds surged around the entrance to Starlight Amusement Park, and the line for ticket checks stretched thirty meters.

Linnai wore a pair of flashing bunny ears and stood on tiptoe to look around.

"Wow, there are so many people. This could rival the food counter at Cafeteria Three at noon."

Sigelica pressed a hand over her pocket, the corners of her student ID digging into her palm.

Sigelica: (⇀‸↼‶)

"I can already hear my wallet crying."

"Is there anything left in your wallet to cry?" Aimis asked around her lollipop, shooting her a sidelong glance.

Sigelica didn't answer. Her gaze fell on Dania, and her throat tightened.

"Yaya, what you're wearing today..."

Dania wore the light blue floral dress, its hem falling just past her knees. Her hair was tied in a little bun, with a few loose strands resting against her forehead.

Linnai patted her own chest proudly.

"Pretty, right? Xixi and I spent an hour helping her pick it out last night."

"An hour?" Aimis pulled the lollipop from her mouth and looked Dania up and down. "Worth it. It's more feminine than your biker jacket."

"Say that again?"

Chisaki pushed up her glasses, and a new line of data appeared on her tablet.

"The change in clothing style increased attractiveness to the target individual by 37.4 percent."

"Speak normally," Sigelica snapped, glaring at her.

"She looks good. I'm telling the truth."

All four turned to look at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu wore his yellow vest, the same as always. With both hands in his pockets, he looked at Dania for two seconds.

"Mm, that fabric's easier to wash than sportswear. It doesn't pick up grease as easily."

Half the blush faded from Dania's face. Her lips twitched, and she didn't know what expression to make.

Dania: ( ´•_•` )

Linnai turned and glared at him.

"Teacher Zhou, do you work in the Logistics Department or the laundry room?"

"The Logistics Department oversees the laundry room."

Ignoring the chorus of complaints, Zhou Yu lifted the bulging canvas bag in his hand.

Linnai leaned over and tugged at the zipper.

"What did you bring? Are you moving house?"

When she unzipped it, she found a thermos, tissues, a folding parasol, mosquito repellent and a box of bandages, all neatly packed.

Linnai: Σ(°Д°;

"Bro, are you taking your daughter on a spring outing?"

"Better to be prepared." Zhou Yu zipped the bag shut. "Basic Logistics Department skills."

"What did you bring for yourself?" Sigelica asked.

"I don't need anything."

"So this whole bag is for her?"

Zhou Yu unscrewed the thermos and took a sip of goji berry tea without answering.

Sigelica looked at the huge bag, then at her own empty hands, and pressed her lips into a line.

A burst of screams pierced the sky in the distance as a roller coaster plunged from its highest point, its riders blurring into a string of shapes in the wind.

Linnai's eyes lit up.

Linnai: ✧(°∀°)/✧

"I want to ride that! 'Vertical Limit'!"

She hooked her arms around Aimis and Chisaki.

"You two are coming with me."

Aimis flexed her wrists.

"Sure. My bones have gone soft from sitting around eating porridge."

Chisaki had already pulled up a structural diagram of the roller coaster on her tablet.

"I can collect heart rate fluctuation data at close range under conditions of increased and zero gravity."

The three instantly reached an agreement and were already setting off.

After three steps, Linnai spun around and winked at Zhou Yu.

"Teacher Zhou, Yaya scares easily, so I'll leave the carousel and the teacups to you."

She grinned like a fox.

"We'll be right back."

Sigelica had just breathed a sigh of relief when Linnai grabbed her by the back of her collar.

"You're coming too. Help me film it for my Moments, and pay for the popcorn while you're at it."

Sigelica: (ꐦ°д°)

"I don't have any money!"

"That's fine. Put it on the tab and get Teacher Zhou to reimburse you later."

Before she could object, Linnai and Aimis grabbed her from either side and dragged her away, her desperate wails trailing behind them.

Only Zhou Yu and Dania remained where they stood.

The roar of voices suddenly seemed far away.

Dania let her hands swing at her sides, unsure where to put her fingers.

Zhou Yu glanced at her.

"Let's go."

He stepped forward first.

Dania jogged a couple of steps to catch up, settling half a step behind him at his side.

The sweet scent of cotton candy mingled with the savory aroma of grilled sausages in the heat rolling through the amusement park.

Dania's gaze was drawn first to the colorful carousel, then to the cartoon balloons floating overhead, before landing on a roadside stall selling enormous rainbow cotton candy. Her steps slowed along with her gaze.

Just then, a child on roller skates came barreling toward them, shouting, "Out of the way! Out of the way!"

Zhou Yu had already stretched out a long arm. He caught her wrist and pulled her toward him.

Dania bumped into rough fabric, the tip of her nose brushing against the sun-warmed, soapy scent of his yellow vest.

Her heartbeat thudded in her chest, thump, thump, thump, too fast to feel like her own.

The child on skates whizzed past the spot where she had just been standing, stirring up a gust of wind.

Zhou Yu's voice came from above her, carrying a hint of reproach.

"Watch where you're going. Don't just stare at the cotton candy."

"I wasn't just looking at the cotton candy..."

"Then what were you looking at?"

Dania kept her face buried against his chest, her voice soft and muffled.

"You too."

Zhou Yu: (﹁"﹁)

He didn't answer.

The wrist he held was burning hot. Dania moved her fingers, pressed her palm against his, and then, one by one, carefully curled all five fingers around his hand.

Zhou Yu's step faltered for half a beat.

He looked down at the hand, a size smaller than his, clumsily but stubbornly entwining its fingers with his. She held on tightly, her hand slightly cool with sweat.

He didn't shake her off.

His fingers closed around hers, enclosing that warmth completely, and adjusted until their fingers were interlaced.

The thin calluses on his palm brushed the back of her hand.

Dania buried her face even deeper.

"Zhou Yu."

"Mm."

"Your hands are so rough."

"From working with equipment."

"But they're warm."

Zhou Yu was silent for two seconds.

"Let's go."

He released the arm around her shoulders, but didn't let go of her hand.

"Come on, I'll buy you some cotton candy."

Dania followed half a step behind him as he held her hand.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dancing across his yellow vest.

His pace wasn't fast, just enough for her to keep up.

No matter how crowded it got, his broad shoulders carved out a small, quiet space.

Dania looked up at his profile. His brow was slightly furrowed as he scanned the lengths of the lines at the three stalls ahead.

"Zhou Yu."

"What is it now?"

"You're calculating which line is shortest, aren't you?"

"Basic Logistics Department skills."

Dania's lips curved upward. Her fingers curled in his palm, then tightened around his hand again.

"Tell me when you've figured it out. I'll help you line up."

Zhou Yu looked down and glanced at her.

"Why would you line up? You're in charge of eating, of course."

Dania murmured an "mm" and turned her face toward the cotton candy. The tips of her ears were bright red, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't suppress her smile.

Today's cotton candy was sure to be the most delicious sweetness in the whole world.

Behind a pillar not far away, Linnai aimed her terminal's camera at their joined hands.

The shutter made no sound.

Biting her lip, she typed a line and sent it to the encrypted group chat for the four of them.

[Operation Catch the Salted Fish, phase two status update: the targets held hands on their own. Repeat, held hands on their own. The Ferris Wheel Plan is launching ahead of schedule.]

Three seconds later, the group chat exploded.

Aimis: Aaaaaah, I'm still on the roller coaster! Don't send me stuff like that, I'll let go!

Sigelica: Linnai, didn't you say you wanted me to film you? Who are you actually filming?!

Chisaki: I recommend collecting data on palm contact area and grip strength. The current sample lacks precision.

Linnai pressed her terminal against her chest, her shoulders shaking.

The Ferris wheel was still lit up, and from its highest point, the entire amusement park was visible.

This salted fish wasn't getting away today.