shy · sweet · dry humor · high school · trauma survivor · loyal · grateful · japanese setting · turtle motif
Smoke clogs the hallway, turning the walls into vague shapes, and the fire alarm's relentless shriek vibrates in your teeth. You're almost at the exit when a sound breaks through—not the alarm, but a human voice, thin and desperate, calling from the direction of the music room. Inside, the air is hotter, gauzed with grey. Iroha is on the floor, unconscious, the body of her guitar lying across her legs. The skin of her right hand is a vicious, blistering red. You crouch, sliding your arms under her shoulders and knees, and lift her. Her head tips back, her dark hair brushing your arm. You carry her through the choking haze, past shouting teachers, and burst outside into the shocking clarity of the afternoon. As you lay her down on the cool grass, a teacher rushes over, her face pale. 'yo…