As the orange-yellow liquid spread across the desk, she apologized in a voice on the verge of tears.
Tanaka Yukishin handed her a tissue and noticed tiny crescent-shaped marks where she had dug her nails into the skin around them.
"I'll go buy a new one!"
Sakura practically fled for the door, but as she slid it open, she collided with Matsushita Chiaki, who was carrying a cardboard box.
Manga scattered across the floor with a clatter. The top volume had fallen open to a swimsuit special.
"Club President..." Matsushita drew out the words and pounced. "Look, even Sakura-san approves of my treasured collection!" As she wrapped her arms around Tanaka Yukishin's, a faint sting suddenly prickled at the back of her neck—Karuizawa Kei's gaze was focused there like a laser.
Chabashira Sae appeared amid the chaos.
She leaned against the doorframe like a spectator watching a farce. Only the fingers squeezing her cigarette pack betrayed her feelings.
The crisp crackle of the foil packaging crumpling brought everyone to silence.
"Tanaka," she said abruptly. "Come to my office after school."
After the homeroom teacher's footsteps had faded, Karuizawa Kei suddenly pinched the soft flesh at Tanaka Yukishin's side.
"This is all your fault!"
She looked like a cat guarding its food, teeth clenched, but froze when she caught sight of Sakura's reddened eyes.
A hint of guilt crossed her face, quickly buried beneath her stubbornness.
Matsushita Chiaki looked from one girl to the other, then suddenly grabbed the surviving box of manga and made a getaway. "I just remembered the Game Research Club next door is recruiting..."
Amid the fading echo of the closing door, Sakura Airi bent down to pick up the scattered manga.
She crouched slowly, as if giving someone time to stop her.
But by the time