‘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.

III: Third Semester: Goodbye

III

THIRD SEMESTER: GOODBYE

January

Kokoro: 7th grade Classroom 4

Ureshino: 7th grade Classroom 1

Fuka: 8th grade Classroom 3

Masamune: 8th grade Classroom 6

Subaru: 9th grade Classroom 3

Aki: 9th grade Classroom 5

THEY EXCHANGED ESSENTIAL INFORMATION about their classrooms, except for Rion, who of course lived abroad.

They promised if anything happened, they’d escape to the nurse’s office.

If the nurse’s office didn’t work out, then they’d go to the library.

If the library wasn’t looking good, then the music room.

And if none of those worked, they’d make a run for it.

Run out of the building, back home, and escape through the mirror to the castle.

They worked this all out in time for 10 January.

THE DAY BEFORE THEY WERE due to meet was a holiday, Coming-of-Age Day, when twenty-year-olds across the country celebrated reaching adulthood.

Kokoro’s parents stayed at home that day, but Kokoro chose a moment when they wouldn’t come up to her room and slipped through the mirror into the castle. She wanted to confirm with Masamune and the others their promise to meet up at school. The others seemed to be doing the same, for most of them were also there, escaping their parents’ watchful eyes.