Sender: Sakura Airi.
Message: [Toudou... I'm sorry...]
Only three words with no context and an ellipsis, yet they hit Toudou Shizuka's heart like a stone.
He replied immediately: [Sakura? What's wrong? Where are you?]
A few seconds later, a reply popped up: [Library... the usual place...]
Toudou Shizuka got up at once and said to Kobashi Honami, "I'll be right back."
Before she could respond, he hurried toward the familiar corner of the Periodical Section.
Sakura Airi was curled up in a Sofa Chair. Even her oversized Black-rimmed Glasses couldn't hide how pale she looked or the deep guilt on her face.
She clutched her schoolbag tightly in both hands, her knuckles white with the strain.
When she saw Toudou Shizuka, she shrank back like a startled rabbit. Her lips moved a few times, but no sound came out.
"Sakura?" Toudou Shizuka sat down beside her, his voice very soft. "What happened?"
Sakura lowered her head. Her oversized glasses slipped down a little, revealing her red-rimmed eyes.
"Toudou... I'm... I'm sorry..." Her voice caught in her throat, thick with tears and a stuffy nose. "Our class... Kushida... she... she got Last Year's Real Questions... She sent them to everyone this afternoon..."
Toudou Shizuka listened quietly without interrupting.
"I... I wanted to... to..." Sakura's voice grew fainter and fainter, nearly drowned out by her sobs.
"I wanted to tell you... or... let you see them... But... Kushida got them... They're for all of Class D... I... I can't..."
She suddenly lifted her head, and tears finally spilled from her eyes. Behind her oversized lenses, her face was full of pain and conflict...
"Toudou's helped me so much... and I... I can't do anything for you... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Toudou Shizuka looked at the girl, torn apart by loyalty to