It was a resounding slap. The kind that resettled the brain, causing a reboot of the brain's function.
The kind that made one realize that they were doing something wrong.
It was the same for Renji. The sting exploded across his cheek like a firecracker going off inside his skin, sending a shockwave through his jaw that made his teeth rattle and his vision blur for a split second.
He staggered back a step, one hand flying up to clutch the burning flesh, fingers pressing into the hot, throbbing mark aftermath of the impact.
His ears rang with a high-pitched whine, the sound drowning out Haruka's gasp from behind Kaori.
Suddenly, the air in the room thickened and everything became so hot and suffocating as Renji stared at Kaori's face.
He saw her cold dark eyes blazing with a fury that could cut through diamond. Then it hit him.
In that moment, as the pain sharpened his focus, he realized the grim, unbelievable truth staring back at him from her angry gaze.
It didn't work.
