‘ACTUALLY – I’D LIKE YOUR advice on something.’
Masamune had begun a serious conversation around four o’clock, an hour before the castle was due to close.
He was speaking to all of them while they relaxed, chatting. The Wolf Queen had departed at some point, taking her slice of cake and the unopened present from Rion.
Advice on something – that sounded a touch formal from Masamune.
‘What?’ said Aki.
Masamune stood up in the centre of the group. The rest were sitting on the floor or lying down, hands behind their head.
He held his right elbow tightly with his other hand. Kokoro noticed how hard he was gripping it. Masamune didn’t usually do tension.
‘Advice?’
They seemed doubtful.
‘I was wondering … if you all … just one day … if you could, during the third semester … school …’ Masamune went on.
His voice sounded painfully husky, and he was avoiding their eyes. He broke off and looked up at them.
‘Could you come to school? Just for one day. One day would be enough.’
A chorus of gasps.
Masamune gripped his elbow harder.
‘My … parents told me … to think about … going to a different school … starting in the third semester.’
A pain shot through Kokoro. She remembered her mother, in the food court at Careo, asking her, Do you want to change schools?
It was because the second semester had finished, Kokoro thought.
Kokoro’s situation was a bit different. But this might not be the first time the idea had been discussed in Masamune’s house, as his parents had been criticizing public school teachers for quite a while.
‘I’ve always dodged the idea, but now things are getting real. My dad said that during the winter break he was going to put my name down for a private junior high.’
‘So you’d start in a different school for the third semester?’ Fuka asked. Masamune nodded.
‘But maybe that’s a good idea, don’t you think?’ Ureshino said, sounding solemn. ‘I’ve been thinking about it too. That it’d be easier to just move somewhere else and start again in a new class.’
‘I was thinking about it, too. But you know, if you’re going to change schools wouldn’t it be better to do it later, when the new school year starts? I would never consider moving so soon, in the third semester of this school year.’
Masamune usually had quite a condescending manner, and Kokoro couldn’t believe how mild and feeble he had become. She knew he was describing real feelings – that he’d been driven to the point where he had to leave.
Kokoro knew how he felt.
But being a transfer student at a new school in the middle of the academic year – that was a different story altogether.
‘And also – I hate the thought.’
Masamune seemed to be making himself angry.
‘If I start at a different school then it’s likely I won’t be able to – come here any more.’ The others chewed their lips in silence.
They knew exactly what he was trying to say.
They’d only be able to keep visiting the castle till the end of March. But if they were to lose even that precious diminishing time …
‘So I told my father I didn’t want to switch to a private school yet. I said instead I’d try going back to Yukishina No. 5 Junior High.’
Masamune had started speaking more quickly, as if trying to justify himself.
‘I’d go on the first day only. That would be enough. I’ll tell them I gave it a try, but couldn’t take it, and that’ll delay them sending me to a new school until April, when the new school year starts.’
‘And you want all of us to go into school then because …?’ Aki asked.
Masamune’s face tensed up, eyes darting between them. ‘I was just hoping … that all of you could … come into school on the same day as me.’ Masamune hung his head. This wasn’t like him at all. ‘You don’t actually need to go to your classroom. You could just go to the nurse’s office, or the library. They’ll think it’s progress that you’ve even made it in.’
‘There’s even an expression, going straight to the nurse’s office, isn’t there?’ Subaru said, and Masamune looked up.
‘I’ve been wondering this for a while,’ Masamune said. ‘Why were we all summoned here from the same school – Yukishina No. 5 Junior High? I was thinking there must be some reason. I don’t know if the Wolf Queen intended it that way, but I was thinking we could all help each other.’
All help each other.
Masamune’s eyes looked super serious, on the verge of tears.
Kokoro gazed at his expression and felt the weight of his words. And she remembered how at the food court with her mother she’d scanned the walkway, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of them. How she was waiting for someone to round a corner and she’d be able to wave to them. How she was fantasizing about it – how great that would be.
‘So it wasn’t advice you wanted, but our help,’ Subaru said. He gave an exaggerated shrug and waved the voucher card Masamune had given him. ‘Is this Christmas present a bribe, then? To convince all of us to help you?’
Masamune looked at Subaru stiffly. ‘I know I have a lot of nerve asking this,’ he said curtly, ‘but …’
‘OK. I’ll go,’ Subaru said. ‘I’ll be waiting in the classroom on the appointed day.’
Masamune’s eyes widened hopefully.
‘I’m in Classroom 3 in Third Year. If you go to your classroom and you feel you can’t take it, you can come to mine. I haven’t been at school for a while, but I might score some points if a younger student starts to suck up to me.’
‘I might not be able to stand going back into a classroom,’ Aki said. Her tone was sharp as usual, though it didn’t sound like she was angry. ‘Though if it’s only to the nurse’s office …’
‘I think it’ll be fine if you hide out there. The teachers should allow it.’
‘Me too,’ Kokoro burst out.
Mum and Dad will be so happy if I tell them I’m going to school, she thought. They’ll warn me not to overdo it, but I know they’ll be relieved. With Sanada-san around, I’ll skip the classroom and go straight to the nurse’s office. Actually, my parents might feel better if I do that.
Above all, the thought of meeting the others outside the castle made her jump with joy.
She knew how Masamune was feeling. I feel so sorry for those loners! Sanada-san had said about her. The words still smouldered inside her. She wanted to show them she was no loner. I too have friends. And in other years. These kids are all my friends!
And Masamune must feel the same way.
I might not have any friends in my class, Kokoro thought, but because all of us are supporting each other, I can go into school.
‘Then I’ll go to the nurse’s office too,’ Fuka said, as if completing Kokoro’s thoughts. ‘When is the opening ceremony at school? What day should we go?’
‘January the tenth,’ Masamune said quickly, as if half afraid of the date and half anticipating it. His eyes looked even more tearful.
‘Gotcha,’ Fuka said. ‘During the holiday break I’m going to go to juku again from my grandma’s house, so I won’t be at the castle for a while, but I’m on board. The tenth – I’ll be there, I promise.’
‘Can I – think about it?’ Ureshino’s beady eyes flitted around. And then he quickly added, ‘I’m not saying I don’t like the idea of being there for each other. That’s not it. It’s because at the beginning of the second semester, the day of the opening ceremony, I went into school and had that terrible experience.’
Kokoro thought of the day Ureshino had turned up covered in bandages.
‘So my mum might not let me. Sorry,’ he muttered, and looked over at Masamune. ‘If I’m allowed to go though, I will. Is that OK?’
‘Yeah,’ Masamune nodded. He gazed down, as if unsure where to look. ‘Thank you, guys,’ he said. His voice cut out at the end. He bowed his head one more time, just slightly. ‘Thank you. I mean it.’
‘I envy you people. I can’t join you.’ Rion’s eyes reflected his words, and he looked a little sad. ‘I’m envious you’re going to meet up outside the castle.’
Kokoro’s heart leapt, as if taking wing, at those words. Her chest still felt shackled by the fear, but her heart beat fast at the thought of seeing all of them waiting together in the nurse’s office, dressed in their school uniforms.
It’ll be fine, she thought.
We’re going to support each other.
We’ll fight – together.