A laugh sounded throughout the hallway.
It took Dr. Naboru a moment to realize that the girlish laughter did not come from her. She, too, paused. Her forehead, burning gold, pressed to the window as she tried to peer down the hallway. Seeing nothing she craned her neck at an almost unnatural angle to look the other way.
"Wait, stop! Don't!"
He did not recognize the voice, but he knew she did.
"Turn that camera off! Come on, seriously!"
"Oh, smile, Ami-chan!"
"Minako, if you don't put that camera away I'm going to—Hey! Mako-chan!"
"No more books! No more studying! We're having fun!"
More laughter poured out, several girls now. Voices overlapped as they shouted. Someone was demanding cupcakes. Music came distantly.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door. Dr. Naboru could see the tears on her face. The red glow diffused once more to pink, though that remained, and her silver hair slowly settled around her. The hand on the glass curled into a loose fist as she listened.
"Okay, we need to have a toast!"
"You want toast? You just had a cupcake!"
"No, odango, a toast. With glasses and drinks and—"
"You want to drink toast?"
"Ami, you take over."
Ever so slowly, she slumped down to the ground. With her head pressed against the wood and her eyes closed she stayed there, just listening. The recording lasted a few minutes more, jostled and confused and punctuated with more voices and more laughter.
The quiet lasted much longer.
