Unlike the realistic bullets last time, this attack looked like something out of an abstract anime. Burning arcs of colored light warped space, like erasers wiping away pencil marks, and erased everyone who came near Chu Yuanqing.
That looked much better.
Kiriwake Yayoi's eyes curved as she smiled faintly. Her hand, which had formed a gun shape, smoothly shifted into a practiced hand dance. She looked as though she were greeting the audience, and her blue teddy-bear nail art made the gesture all the more cute and lively.
Down in the D-Class section, Liang Xiaoxiao looked at the girl surrounded by flowers with complicated feelings. She chewed on a huge sense of disappointment and loss, yet felt little jealousy.
Chu Yuanqing had never been hers, and besides, it was only normal socializing. For a girl as capable and kind as Chu Yuanqing to have lots of friends and be liked by lots of people was perfectly reasonable.
Liang Xiaoxiao had never expected things to go anywhere with Chu Yuanqing, nor did she think she had any right to ask anything of her.
Chu Yuanqing was indeed kind, but kindness didn't mean she was obliged to give of herself.
—Love was a precious and unique gift.
Liang Xiaoxiao only wanted to look at her a little longer and stay by her side for a little while. That was all she wanted, and she could only let herself want that much.
Because once she wanted more, some things would go off the rails and out of control.
Besides... she wasn't worthy.
A faint blush colored Ji Shuzhu's usually world-weary face. She kept reliving the heartbeat she'd felt in that instant, and her lips couldn't help curving upward. Excited and confused, she looked toward Chu Yuanqing and murmured to herself:
"Was that... the