"What did she tell you?" — Sayo stopped me near the stairs after class.
The voice is quiet. The face is calm.
Too calm.
— We talked.
— Have you talked?..
"She heard me. That's enough.
Sayo was silent.
Then she smiled a little.
"So you... chose her again?"
I looked at her directly.
"I always chose her, Sayo.
Her face seemed frozen.
Not a smile. No surprise.
Just... emptiness.
—I see,— she said.
— Everything is clear. I was a fool.
She whirled around.
I thought she was going to leave.
But after a step, she stopped.
"You know, Kurume…
— …
— People don't always get what they want.
Sometimes... they have only one way left — to break what's in the way.
I tensed up.
"Is that a threat?"
Her voice turned as cold as ice. "It's... a promise."
And you'll regret turning away.
She walked away.
Light gait, even posture.
As if nothing had happened.
But I knew it wasn't the same Sayo who came to our class at the beginning of the year.
Later
I was sitting at the table.
I tried to do my homework.
Unsuccessfully.
Every cell inside said,
"She's up to something. And these are not just words."
I didn't know what to expect.
But I could feel the storm coming.