Kana sat stiffly on the sofa, feeling Irielle's sharp gaze drilling into her. She tried to calm the tension with a nervous laugh, raising her hands slightly.
"W-Wait, it's not what you think! I can explain everything—"
"Explain? No messages, no updates. And then you come back smiling? Do you have any idea how worried we've been? AND NOW YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN?"
Irielle's voice was dangerously soft, yet every word carried weight.
Kana winced under the accusation, quickly shaking her head.
"I-I wasn't ignoring you! I really wasn't! I wrote a letter to explain, but—"
Before she could finish, Irielle leaned in even closer, her grip on Kana's shoulders tightening until Kana struggled to breathe.
"Irielle—! I… can't… breathe!"
Kana squeaked, her face turning slightly pale.
Just then, Lysera, who had been silently watching from the side with crossed arms, finally sighed and stepped in.
"That's enough, Irielle. If you suffocate her, we'll never get an explanation."
