‘When I told him it wasn’t your fault, I was convinced of it, but I was still worried whether he’d believe me or not. I wasn’t sure I’d properly explained how frightened you really were, that maybe he hadn’t understood, but it took courage to say that.’

Her mother reached across the table and took Kokoro’s small hands in hers. ‘Do you want to change schools?’ she asked.

‘Change schools?’ At first the meaning didn’t hit her. She felt her mother’s cool palm holding hers and then it came to her – she was actually talking about transferring to a different school.

Kokoro’s eyes widened.

The idea had occurred to her before. Sometimes it seemed like a great idea; at other moments, like a backward way of thinking, as if she was running away. There were students from elementary school days that she really liked. It frustrated her to think the likes of Miori would force her to leave. Miori and her gang would never regret what they did, and the anger and embarrassment made her sick to her stomach, picturing them laughing over how they were the ones who had got rid of her.

Until now, though, it hadn’t seemed a realistic option. Even if she’d wanted to transfer, she hadn’t thought her mother would allow it.

But now, her mother explained it. ‘If you want to transfer to a different school, Kokoro, I’ll look into it. It might mean going further away, but let’s research it together – whether there are junior highs in the next school district, or private junior highs, that you could attend.’

But Kokoro was still anxious that even in a new school, she might still fail to manage. Transfer students stood out, and her new classmates might soon discover that she’d run away from her old school.

Still, the possibility remained that she might actually fit in to a new school, as if nothing had ever happened.

It was certainly a sweet-sounding prospect. More than anything, her mother seemed on board with the idea, which gave her a warm, soft feeling inside. Her mother recognized her daughter wasn’t going to be hopeless for ever.

‘Jingle Bells’ continued to peal out from the sound system, interrupted by cheerful announcements of Christmas sales.

‘Can I … think about it?’ Kokoro asked, thinking of her friends in the castle.

Going to a new school was a tempting idea, but it did mean losing her status as a student at Yukishina No. 5 Junior High. She may well lose the right to visit the castle, and not be able to see anyone there ever again. She could not bear the thought.

‘Of course,’ her mother said. ‘We’ll think about it together.’

Afterwards, Kokoro went food shopping with her mother.

She spotted a box of assorted chocolates. ‘Can we get this?’ she asked. She wanted to take it to the Christmas party.