Kiriko had been in the party of the entertained, listening attentively to hear what became of Kozue's brother, the cat, and the tree, when Kou burst in. Her reaction was somewhat delayed as she sat and tried to puzzle out what had just happened - Kozue hadn't been to his room since earlier, after all, so they couldn't have been fighting. She got to her feet after Kozue, murmuring to her friend not to mind him, then stopping to look over her shoulder at what was spread out on the table.
Photos. She leaned closer. Photos of Kozue? And Reizo. And Kozue's dress on the floor, and Reizo's arm around her shoulders, and the two of them laughing, leaning in for a kiss, passing by what looked like a love hotel. Her mouth was as round as Kozue's and she snatched up the picture she'd just dropped, looking closer for some evidence of fakery, superimposition, anything.
Finding none, she snapped her head up and looked around. The little snake couldn't be far.