How’s Ren?

"How's Ren?" That was the first question Isolde asked after classes started again, which was about a month after the earthquake first struck.

Leonel sighed. "He's fine. Not dead. Still alive."

The worry in her eyes intensified. "That bad . . . huh?"

"I would, too, if I lost my parents without warning like that," replied Leonel.

Isolde went quiet for a moment before saying, "Maybe a vacation is all he needed. To get his mind off everything. We have a private rest house on White island. Maybe we could all go there this winter break."

"You want to swim this winter?"

Isolde shrugged. "It feels as hot as summer right now. Does it matter, even if it's supposed to be winter? There's not even a single speck of snow."

She made sense. After all, Isolde was already wearing a loose cotton shirt, airy pants, and a portable air conditioner around her neck, yet she was still sweating a lot.

A sheen of sweat glistened on the surface of her skin, and she was also panting a little.