5.
The club room sank into the abyss of its own story. Their pens never stopped, ink crawling across the floor, seeping into the walls.
But in a fleeting moment, a spark flared in Haru's eyes. She gripped Hinata's hand tightly, whispering, her voice trembling. "If we keep going, we'll vanish with Kana."
Hinata's green eyes wavered, but she nodded. Aoi froze, pen still clutched atop the desk. Nagi lowered her blood-and-ink-smeared arm.
The room's air stilled for a breath, Kana's glowing body the only pulse in the darkness. Her indigo eyes, deep enough to swallow them whole, met Haru's as she stepped forward and took Kana's hand.
"Kana, please. Come back to us."
Kana's lips quivered, the words on her skin flickering, fading slightly. She gazed at the club members, shaking her head faintly.
But Hinata wrapped her arms around Kana's shoulders, Aoi grasped her wrist, and Nagi touched her back gently. As their hands met her skin, the ink bled, trickling down like tears. Kana's body trembled, and she closed her eyes.
"The pool… water might wash it away," Nagi murmured.
The members exchanged glances, supporting Kana as they left the room.
The school was hushed in the summer night, starlight glinting off the windows. They hurried through the corridors, across the courtyard, toward the outdoor pool. Kana's naked body shimmered in the starlight, the club members' uniforms stained with sweat and ink.
At the poolside, a warm night breeze rippled the water, stars twinkling in its reflection.
The pool's surface was clear, glowing as if it held a galaxy. They sat Kana on the edge, gazing at her. Black words still coiled across her collarbone, abdomen, thighs, but under the water's reflected light, they began to fade.
"Kana, we'll wash it all away. We'll make you a blank page again," Haru said, shedding her uniform to reveal a navy school swimsuit.
The suit clung to her sweat-dampened skin, gleaming faintly. Hinata, Aoi, and Nagi followed, stripping to their matching swimsuits. Their skin bore ink stains, but it glowed youthful under the stars. They dove into the pool, water splashing into the night sky.
They guided Kana to the shallow end, surrounding her. Haru reached out first, touching Kana's shoulder. She poured water over her, the ink dissolving, spreading black tendrils across the surface. Haru's fingers traced Kana's collarbone, scrubbing the words with care, almost obsessively.
Kana shivered, her breaths growing warm. Her indigo eyes locked on Haru, shimmering with a blend of gratitude and allure.
"…Stop," Kana's voice was sweet, echoing over the water.
Hinata slid her hands along Kana's back, washing the ink from her spine. Her bold fingers scrubbed firmly, moving as if in reverence. Kana arched, her hair fanning across the water's surface.
Aoi took Kana's arm, pouring water slowly from wrist to elbow. Her gray eyes focused, erasing each word methodically. "We'll make you clean," she said, her voice low, fingers tightening around Kana's arm.
Nagi knelt at Kana's thighs, pouring water gently. Her silver hair, wet and sparkling in the starlight, framed her face. Her fingers moved like a paintbrush, tracing from Kana's knees to the insides of her thighs with delicate care. Kana trembled, a soft moan escaping her lips.
The pool water darkened with ink, swirling as if swallowing the stars.
Their hands roamed Kana's body—shoulders, chest, abdomen, waist, legs—washing tirelessly. Their movements harmonized, Kana's skin glowing in the water and starlight. As the ink vanished, her skin regained its original pale clarity.
"Thank you, everyone. I'm back… you don't need to do any more," Kana's voice was clear, the last of the ink slipping away.
She embraced them, their bodies entwining in the water. Haru, Hinata, Aoi, and Nagi felt Kana's warmth, clasping each other's hands. Their swimsuits clung wetly, their skin radiant in the summer night. The pool's surface cleared, mirroring the starry sky once more.
But at the pool's bottom, a faint black shadow stirred. The ink was gone, yet something writhed in the depths. For an instant, a deep abyss flickered in Kana's eyes.
She smiled, whispering to the others. "Let's write together again, okay?"
They laughed, climbing out of the pool. Their footsteps echoed on the poolside, the summer breeze drying their hair.
Across the courtyard, the club room's window glinted briefly. Kana ignored it, linking hands with the others, walking under the stars.
On the ink-tainted surface of the pool, the stars continued to twinkle.