"Mashiro... Mashiro, wake up! The sun's already shining on your butt!"
Rita carefully moved closer, tugging at the corner of the blanket to reveal Mashiro's little face. Her head was curled up against the edge of the desk, and her lips moved as though she were muttering something in her sleep.
Looking at Mashiro Shiina, Rita reached out and gently nudged her smooth, delicate shoulder. It felt softer than milk beneath her hand. At last, Rita's efforts had some effect. Mashiro's long eyelashes fluttered, and she murmured in a dreamlike voice, "The sun... the sun won't come out anymore!"
Her rosy lips moved slightly, and Mashiro buried her little head back into the blanket.
"Get up already. If you don't, you'll be late for school. Today's your first day at that school!"
Rita nudged Mashiro again, but the girl was sleeping like the dead and showed no reaction at all. Instead, she even said from beneath the blanket, "I don't want to go to school..."
"Then don't draw manga either."
Hearing Mashiro Shiina's words, Rita replied expressionlessly.
"No!"
Rita's words... seemed fairly effective. The moment she finished speaking, Mashiro's body jolted. She raised her overly slender, pale arm and rubbed her sleepy eyes with her long, delicate fingers, struggling to open those large, beautiful eyes that resembled cherry blossoms.
After staring blankly for about a minute, focus finally returned to Mashiro's pupils. She slowly lifted her head and looked at Rita with those excessively pure eyes.
"Rita..."
Mashiro slowly called Rita's name.
"What is it?"
"Big meanie."
Mashiro mumbled softly.
"Alright, get up already!"
Rita did not take it to heart.
"Okay, I know. I'm getting up."
With a vacant expression, Mashiro braced both hands on the floor, then slowly crawled forward on all fours like a little kitten.
Speechless,