‘And I don’t think there’s anyone with the first name Masamune in eighth grade, either. Aki-chan, Fuka-chan – I’m trying to think if I know them. What are their last names?’

‘Their last names …’

Instinctively, she knew. She knew it for certain. Not in her mind, but in her gut. They’re not here.

Why she knew this, she wasn’t sure. She became convinced she would never be able to see Masamune and the others in their world outside the castle.

‘Masamune,’ she said quietly. ‘What am I supposed to do?’ And she felt that she was about to cry.

What the hell? Are you trying to show me how heroic you are by saying you’ll go in with me, even with all that crap that happened to you? Are you trying to show me how hard it will be for you?

She remembered Masamune’s snarky reaction.

Masamune had agreed to come because he thought they’d all be there too.

This means we’ve betrayed him.

A picture came to her, clear as a bell, of Masamune alone, dazed, in the nurse’s office. She felt like making a run for it in search of help. And then someone said her name:

‘Kokoro-chan.’

It was a soft voice. She turned around. In the doorway stood Ms Kitajima.

She reached out a warm hand and touched her shoulder, and all Kokoro’s tension drained away.

‘Ms Kitajima …’

A faint sound came out of her, as if air from deep in her throat were being expelled, and then Kokoro collapsed to the floor. With a crack, everything went black.

WHEN SHE WOKE UP, MS Kitajima was still there, sitting next to her.

Kokoro felt the scratch of the starched bedcover over her as she lay on a bed in the nurse’s office. The warmth of the space heater was not far away.

She looked around to see if maybe another student was in the other bed. But she didn’t sense anyone else beyond the partition.

‘Are you OK?’

Ms Kitajima looked into her eyes.

‘I’m – OK,’ Kokoro said, less to report her condition than because she was embarrassed to find someone gazing at her as she lay there defenceless on her back.

She’d never fainted before. She had no idea how long she’d been out. Her throat was parched, her voice hoarse.

‘Ms Kitajima?’

‘Yes?’

‘Why are you here?’

Ms Kitajima’s smiling eyes met Kokoro’s.

‘I came over because your mother told me you’d be at school today.’

‘I see.’

She came because she was worried.

Kokoro and Ms Kitajima were alone in the office.

Ms Kitajima must have been keeping in touch with the teachers at the school, coordinating things.