Chapter 22: Some birds are destined not to be caged.
It was clearly summer.
The sky was a flawless blue, bright sunlight weaving with the wind through the dense camphor branches, falling onto the car windows in dappled white patches, warm and gentle.
Yet the instant Jakui Rinrincho’s words landed, a moonlit chill soaked into the marrow of the bones, then surged straight up the spine.
Someya Sara: “QAQ.”
C-can we reconcile?
She already knew she was wrong. Really.
Right now.
Are you kidding me?
Looking at the girl’s stunned expression, like the dumb rabbit that ran head-first into the stump in the old fable, Xiao Nuosang desperately wanted to roast her but held back.
[Baby…]
[She’s just scaring you. I already wiped your phone clean; there’s no evidence left. Just keep insisting you didn’t do it, casually mention Hoshiori Tsukiyo a few times, and I guarantee these three will lose interest in you and go torment the heroine instead.]
As Xiao Nuosang spoke, all three pairs of eyes settled on the girl.
[Baby.]
[You can do it!]
…
“I… everything I said is true!”
The girl took a deep breath, lowered her head slightly to avoid their gazes, and stubbornly continued, voice stiff.
“You can ask Tsukiyo-nee; she’s my girlfriend. She’ll prove I’m innocent.”
So please go find Hoshiori Tsukiyo.
Please, please, I beg you.
“Heh…” Someone suddenly laughed.
Warm, moist breath brushed the shell of her ear, making the skin there itch and flush a pretty pink.
“Girlfriend—?”
The word was drawn out, lazy and careless.
…Kanzaki Sumire.
Someya Sara bit her lip. At the same time, she felt their gazes grow even hotter than before. For some reason, her other senses had sharpened several times over. Every breath, every degree of body heat, every faint rustle of clothing, every different scent from their hair; everything was transmitted to her with painful clarity.
Someya Sara felt something was wrong.
But before she could think further, the front seat creaked. Someone leaned closer…
Jakui Rinrincho.
“How could we trouble little Tsukiyo with something like this?” She took the phone from Aizen Sou Hazuki’s hand, turned it off without even glancing at the screen, and tossed it onto the back seat.
Then she leaned down, gently pinched Someya Sara’s chin, and forced her to look up.
“I want to see exactly how long Miss Sara plans to keep playing innocent.” Jakui Rinrincho murmured. Half blood-red eyes, half glittering in the sunlight, reflected the girl’s pale, timid face woven with confusion and tears.
Someya Sara felt utter despair and wanted to cry again.
Why…
Why won’t these people listen?
She already said she didn’t do it!
Why won’t they believe her?!
No way, no way, no way! Idiots, idiots, idiots; stupid perverted blond idiots!
…
Clearly, our Miss Someya Sara was so angry she’d already unleashed the Nail Palace Triple.
And as everyone knows, when someone gets angry enough, they’ll do anything. So, in her blind panic and desire to yell, Someya Sara’s hand found the door handle and came up with the brilliant idea of escaping.
What follows is the complete record of our Miss Someya Sara’s fight for freedom, titled:
《Someya Sara’s Failed Redemption: Some Birds Are Destined to Be Caged》
↓
Act I
“Bang—”
Someya Sara, eyes resolute, shoved the door open with all her strength!
#Max volume, perfect effect!
#Successfully drew all three’s attention!
#A miracle!
Act II
Someya Sara used Struggle + Escape!
#Flawless! Broke free and started running!
Someya Sara happy.JPG
Final Act
Someya Sara forgot she was blind. She hadn’t taken more than a few steps before she tripped over the curb and crashed heavily to the ground.
#Someya Sara recaptured.
Worth noting: the one who caught her was, once again, Kanzaki Sumire.
Legendary Birdcatcher.JPG
It didn’t even take effort. Kanzaki Sumire simply scooped her up; the girl’s toes left the ground instantly. By the time Someya Sara came back to her senses, she was back on the seat, with Kanzaki Sumire’s arms still wrapped around her waist… probably to stop another escape attempt.
Someya Sara: “QAQ!”
*
The girl was light, the perfect loli package: delicate, fragile, easy to push down.
Being held felt wonderful.
Soft, warm.
A gentle, dove-like swell at her still-developing chest. Kanzaki Sumire inevitably brushed that spot and caught the fresh, sweet-tart orange scent on her skin.
Yet Someya Sara was still confused.
Eh…
Didn’t I just get out?
How am I back inside again…
…
Thus the equation holds:
Idiot = Someya Sara = little cake.
Light, sweet, begging to be tasted.
“Ahem…”
Having “accidentally” touched somewhere she shouldn’t again, Kanzaki Sumire’s mind went blank. Not knowing what to do, she cleared her throat, glanced at Jakui Rinrincho, then at Aizen Sou Hazuki, and said stiffly,
“Rinrincho, Hazuki-nee, you don’t expect me to keep holding her forever, right?”
Aizen Sou Hazuki said nothing.
Jakui Rinrincho pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses and replied calmly, “You don’t actually have to keep holding her.”
Kanzaki Sumire: “…”
She seemed choked by the words. After an awkward few seconds of silence, she muttered, “W-what if she tries to run again?”
Jakui Rinrincho leaned back in the middle seat and smiled faintly. “With the way she is, where do you think she could run to?”
Kanzaki Sumire: “…”
Fair point.
At that moment, Aizen Sou Hazuki suddenly crouched in front of Someya Sara, tilting her head up with a smile to gaze at the girl’s face. So cute, really so cute; just like a rabbit. The mere sight made a fierce desire burn inside her, to torment the girl until she broke, to see what kind of captivating expressions she would make.
“Hey.”
Unconsciously, Aizen Sou Hazuki reached out, fingertips brushing the girl’s lashes. Her voice was feather-soft, coaxing.
“If little Sara keeps lying… my lab happens to be short one beautiful human specimen right now.”
Normally Aizen Sou Hazuki was always smiling, making people feel she was gentle, someone you couldn’t help wanting to pour all your grievances to. Right now, she wasn’t smiling. Those pale purple eyes were utterly serious for once, ringed with circle after circle of dangerous aura.
“Choose for yourself, little Sara.” The soft sigh dissolved into the air.