It still hurt to remember what Miori and her boyfriend had done to her here last spring.

But today, no one was around. And it was another season.

She could hear the sound of lessons taking place inside the school. The sound of teachers lecturing. Not many students speaking, though.

She slipped off her shoes in front of the cubbyholes at the entrance where students stored their outside shoes.

The action was so familiar, but as she located her cubbyhole, an invisible force made her chest tighten.

She felt a gaze from the side, and when she glanced over, her eyes widened.

The other girl’s eyes widened, too. It was Moé Tojo. The girl who lived two doors away on her street.

They were both speechless.

Tojo-san was wearing a jersey and carried a school-approved satchel. She seemed to have just arrived too. She was as pretty as ever – with her perfect nose and her round eyes with a touch of light brown, an almost European look.

If there had been plenty of students around them, Kokoro could have looked away, but it was just the two of them.

A physical pain ran across her shoulders, down her back, through her entire body.

And she was reminded, Ah – this is how it feels.

She had intended never to forget the pain, but now she realized she had actually begun to forget. Until last May, she’d had this sensation every single day. Her stomach heavy and aching.

I don’t want to go in, she shouted inside. But then Tojo-san made a move.

She suddenly reached out to retrieve her slippers from her cubbyhole. She put them on, averting her eyes from Kokoro, and without a word started walking briskly down the corridor. Heading towards the stairs that led to her classroom.

Moé had left her behind, completely ignoring her.

Her figure grew smaller before she disappeared up the stairs. She’d definitely given Kokoro a good look. Those mesmerizing, doll-like eyes, which Kokoro once felt so compelled to stare at, had swiftly blanked her.

So you’re back, eh?

She’d been expecting some remark, even if it was sarcastic. Just a word or two.

Things around her started spinning.

Her breathing grew shallow. As if she were in water, drowning. Moé had once delivered handouts every day from school, she thought, but now she can’t even say a word to me?

Why would she be here at the school entrance at this time of morning? This is the only time I could bear to come in. But you – you can just march in any time you want.

She’d been so looking forward to seeing Masamune and the rest, but that happy anticipation now began to wither. Someone, help me! She felt weak as she leaned against the cubbyholes.