bubblegum princess

chapter forty seven

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the end of the beginning:
CLOSE TO YOU !
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SEIREN'S room looked like the aftermath of a storm, scattered with open scrolls and crumpled papers marking attempts at perfecting her work. Her brow furrowed in frustration as she reviewed yet another set of notes, tapping her pen against her lip absentmindedly. The weight of graduation bore down on her, her usually neat hair now tangled as though reflecting the whirlwind of thoughts running through her mind.

Every so often, she'd pause, glancing out her window as if hoping the familiar sight of her friends might pass by, grounding her in a reality where they'd still all be together. But the quietness in the room seemed to remind her that soon, they'd each embark on their own paths . Seiren shook her head with a sigh, reaching for yet another scroll, determined to focus, if only to push away the lingering ache of impending change.

Seiren winced as a sharp pain throbbed between her eyes, forcing her to squeeze them shut momentarily. She had been reading and writing for far too long, the strain causing her vision to blur intermittently. She groaned softly, reaching out blindly towards her desk, her fingers fumbling through the air and across the scattered papers.

Her fingertips grazed over the rough texture of her glasses, and she let out a relieved sigh, quickly slipping them on. The familiar clarity returned, the once-blurred texts now sharp and legible again. Seiren leaned back slightly, pinching the bridge of her nose before muttering under her breath, "I need to stop pushing myself like this."

But even as she thought it, her eyes drifted back to the notes sprawled across her bed, the weight of unfinished tasks and looming deadlines compelling her to pick up her pen once more.

"Sei? You there?" Sakura's voice was soft as she rapped lightly on the oaken door. Hearing no reply, she pushed it open with care, stepping inside the room. Her breath caught when she saw Seiren.

The usually composed girl was a picture of disarray. Her once-tamed hair, which Sakura remembered as neatly curled and shining, now stuck out in wild directions, as though caught in a gust of wind. Her smile, always warm and present, was completely absent, replaced by a tight frown that deepened the tired lines on her face. Even her striking emerald eyes—always so full of life—were rimmed red and puffy, as though she'd been fighting back tears.

Sakura hesitated, feeling the weight of the scene before her. But she pushed forward, her voice laced with concern. "Oh darling, what happened?"

Seiren's lips quivered, her expression crumbling under the weight of her frustration. She released a loud, dramatic whine, one that filled the room and broke the tense silence. "Everything!"

The outburst was so raw that Sakura couldn't help the soft giggle that escaped her lips. She quickly masked it, but it was enough for Seiren to latch onto her emotions with renewed fervor.

Gripping a hefty stack of papers in her hands, Seiren thrust them towards Sakura's face. "Do they even care that this stack of homework would kill a student?" she shrieked, her voice rising with exaggerated despair.

Sakura stepped back slightly to avoid the avalanche of paper but reached out to gently take it from Seiren's trembling hands. She gave the disheveled girl a reassuring smile. "Oh, Sei. Is this what's got you all twisted up? Come on now, it's nothing we can't handle."

Seiren groaned, slumping back into her chair. Her head tilted up towards Sakura as she mumbled, "It's not just the homework. It's everything. I'm losing my mind!"