Futile

The two of them walked in silence until they reached the area near the school.

Ksenia was so angry her chest felt tight, yet she was unwilling to let the night end in such an atmosphere. They stopped beside the ice rink closest to the dormitories.

In spring and summer, this was an ignored patch of grass. But in winter, the school sent trucks to spray it with water, freezing it layer by layer into a place where students could skate and sled.

Normally, the rink closed at nine, but for some reason there were still more than a dozen people playing inside today. Ksenia watched the students circling the rink on skates, then suddenly turned her head. "Was it something very important?"

"...What?"

"The call you got earlier."

"Not really," Hesta answered. "The little girl from the family I used to live with has her birthday tomorrow, she—"

"Is there something very important lately? Something so important that you have to keep your phone by your side at all times, and if you miss it, the consequences can't be undone?"

"...No."

"Fine." Ksenia lowered her gaze. "You should have put your phone on silent before going into the theater with me today—not vibrate. Silent, understand? If someone called you at a time like that, you shouldn't have immediately run outside... You could have waited until the movie was over to call them back."

Hesta nodded quickly.

"And if you had something so urgent that you absolutely had to keep your phone beside you at all times," Ksenia raised her head, "then you shouldn't have come out with me."

Before Hesta could apologize again, Ksenia shoved her hard in the shoulder. "Stop saying sorry. I'm sick of hearing it. Don't you have anything else to say?"

"...Are you free the