Yuki was sitting on a bench near the training yards, watching a pair of sparrows hop around the grass.
Not doing anything else. Just watching them. Chin in her hands, elbows on her knees, pink hair falling over her eyes. She'd been there long enough that a third sparrow had landed on the bench next to her and didn't seem bothered.
"Yuki."
No response.
"Yuki."
The sparrow on the bench turned its head. Yuki didn't.
Ashara waved her hand in front of Yuki's face. Yuki blinked slowly, like she was surfacing from deep water.
"Ehh?"
"There she is." Ashara grinned. "Come on. There's a recital thing at the conservatory. Isendra's performing."
Yuki tilted her head.
"Isendra... the elf?"
"Yeah."
"The mean one?"
Mira snorted from behind Ashara.
"That's the one."
Yuki looked at the sparrows. Then back at Ashara. Then at the sparrows again. The third one had started pecking at a knot in the wood.
