For the next few days I was without my usual partner. While Kiriyuu-kun was absent, I paired up with Hitomi-sensei during our ongoing happiness discussions. I did not dislike this new arrangement. In fact, I relished it, but I still could not help but be concerned about the rumors surrounding Kiriyuu-kun. I was particularly concerned because if the rumors were true, there was a chance it was related to the scene I had witnessed. And Kiriyuu-kun’s gentle father did not appear to be the sort of person who would do such a bad thing.
It was six days, with the weekend in between, before Kiriyuu showed up at school again. When I migrated from the library to the classroom, just before Hitomi-sensei’s arrival, I saw him climbing up the stairs.
“Good morning, Kiriyuu-kun.”
I waited until he reached the same level as me before greeting him. Perhaps he did not know I was there because he looked at me, eyes wide and shoulders trembling. He looked like he might jump out of his skin on the spot.
“K-K-Koyanagi-san.”
“Been a while. Were you on vacation?”
I could only hope. However, he just hung his head, and gave no reply.
“I understand how you feel,” I said, and when he did not respond, I kept talking. “It’s really hot in Japan right now. I wish I could go somewhere cooler.”
He lifted his face a little and looked at me, but still said nothing.
When I entered the classroom, no one said anything to me as usual, or even looked my way. However, when Kiriyuu-kun came in, all conversation stopped and all eyes turned on him.
It should have been a blessing, having everyone’s attention on him, but instead it felt like a cold wind. I wondered if Kiriyuu might just freeze to death. Despite my worries, there was no chance for this to happen as Hitomi-sensei soon entered. That was just like her, always punctual. As she came into the classroom, greeting us loudly and drawing the class’s attention, Kiriyuu and I took the opportunity to slip to the back and take our seats.
I thought that Hitomi-sensei might have some explanation as to why Kiriyuu-kun had been out of school, but she did not say anything. She gave her morning announcements as though Kiriyuu had not missed a single day, then left the classroom again.
“Hitomi-sensei!”
I ran after her as she departed. She did not show the same surprise that Kiriyuu-kun had earlier. Perhaps she knew that I was following her, and that I wished to ask her a question. She smiled when she turned around, but I could see the sort of serious expression adults made when they had something unpleasant to say.
“What’s the matter, Koyanagi-san? Are you having trouble looking over your math homework for next period?”
“No, my homework is perfect. But Sensei, there’s something I want to know.”
“What…?”
“It’s about Kiriyuu-kun.”
Although she was still smiling, she bit her lip and took me to an unoccupied classroom down the hall. I never minded having a secret conversation.
She crouched down to meet my eye, and whispered in a voice much softer than usual. I was finally going to learn something. I listened with rapt attention.
“Have there ever been times when you didn’t want to come to school?” she asked.
“Every day,” I replied. “But I still come, because I want to grow smarter. And because I like seeing you.”
She gave a complicated smile. “Well then, I’m sure you have days when you absolutely don’t want to come, like the last day of summer vacation, and Mondays, right?”
Surely enough, there were plenty of times at the end of weekends and vacations when I had wished that I could use magic, and so I nodded. When I did, she nodded back.
“Right? So it takes a lot of courage and power of heart to come to school on those days.”
“And delicious sweets.”
“Yes, indeed. So, even though Kiriyuu-kun had to take some time off from school to do some important things, it took a lot of courage and heart for him to come back today after all that time away, you know?”
“I get it.”
All the more for a coward like Kiriyuu-kun, I thought.
When I nodded, she smiled happily.
“I might be able to prepare some delicious sweets for later, but in the meanwhile, Kiriyuu-kun will need allies in the classroom to help him summon up that courage and strength. I want you to be one of those allies.”
“But I was never his enemy.”
“That’s true. So I want you to stay as you are, then. Just talk to him, and sit next to him, and eat lunch with him, like you always do. Can you do that?”
“I can do that much. It’s not like he’s sprouted a horn out of his head.”
She tittered. Her expression was like the one she had worn when I gave my presentation on observation day. “I’m glad I can count on you. If Kiriyuu-kun still seems like he’s having a hard time, even with your help, come and tell me, okay? He probably won’t be able to tell me himself.”
“Because he’s spineless.”
“That’s not it. He couldn’t have come to school today if he wasn’t courageous.”
Kiriyuu-kun? Courageous? I could not accept this from her words alone, but I still nodded and bid her farewell.
What was this important business that Kiriyuu had needed to attend to? I pondered it as I returned to the classroom. I decided to ask him about it later. Hitomi-sensei told me to act normal around him, so that much should be fine.
When I entered the classroom, I could feel a chilled air circulating around Kiriyuu-kun. I approached him to break through that cyclone.
“Excuse me,” I said, pushing aside Kiriyuu-kun’s drooping bangs.
He looked utterly shocked, but I had cleanly parted his hair, allowing me to get a clear look at his forehead. Sure enough, I found nothing there. I took my seat, and he looked at me with surprise and curiosity.
“Hitomi-sensei was making such a serious face I was worried you might’ve sprouted a horn. It’s good that you don’t have one. Sorry for the surprise.”