"The winner for the right to play Maleficent in the upcoming play is…"
Mr Tachibana drew the syllables out like a magician teasing the reveal. The drama room went so quiet you could hear the lights hum and the faint rasp of paper against paper as someone shifted their script. Heat pooled under the stage lamps; the air smelled faintly of old varnish and dust baked by generations of performances. Kentaro felt his pulse in his ears, thud… Thud, his thoughts split cleanly down the middle.
If Yura wins, that bond between us might pull a memory thread loose. If Kira wins… Maybe I can pull her a step away from Cradle and a step closer to us.
All that collided at once as Mr Tachibana finally stopped smiling and spoke.
"For reasons, only because her personality fits the character just a tiny bit better, I'm giving this win to… Yura."
