'Does it bother you? That you 're not going to be able to attend the Kyoto exchange event with your classmates, I mean. '

There 's a faint crackle of static in Tsumiki 's voice from the phone. Even so, it does nothing to hide the note of concern in the other girl 's words. Shiki can already imagine her expression 'the faint crease between her brows, the way that Tsumiki would bite lightly at her bottom lip.

'Yes and no, ' Shiki responds truthfully to her friend 's concern. 'I 'm not particularly interested in the event itself. So, in that respect it genuinely makes no difference to me, whether or not I am attending as a representative of the Tokyo school this year. But at the same time, it 's ' a little irritating. '

'Yeah, I think I can see how that might be irritating, '

Tsumiki hums.

'Especially if you 've been looking forward to hanging out with your friends! And you 've been so busy with missions recently, Shiki. '