Kentaro watched as Tenka's lips trembled, the words caught like glass shards in her throat. She wasn't usually like this. Tenka was the confident one, the anchor of the group, always able to put things into perspective, no matter how dire. But right now, she almost looked… Ashamed.
He could only stand there, his chest heavy, heart thudding against his ribs as if it was trying to break free.
"S–Shaula…" Tenka finally forced out, her voice cracking. She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes glancing anywhere but him. "She's…"
Kentaro felt his body tense. Every second she dragged this out felt like a knife twisting deeper. Ever since Shaula vanished, she'd haunted his thoughts, her laughter, her strange habits, the way she slipped into his life so seamlessly. Now Tenka's hesitation only confirmed what he feared: this wasn't going to be something simple.
"Tell me, Tenka." His voice was raw, desperate. "Is she okay? What's going on? What did you hear?"
