She reached out to grab a plastic water bottle, but dropped it clumsily. ‘Sorry,’ she muttered, picking it up from the floor, and as she held it against her chest, her face suddenly felt flushed and hot. There was no need to apologize. And her voice might have been too loud.

A man who looked like an office worker passed silently behind her, and though he didn’t brush her back, she flinched all the same. She now only met people at home, or the other kids at the castle, and she found it hard to believe that someone she didn’t know could come so close.

It all came down to one thing.

Fear.

She was absolutely terrified of the convenience store.

Clutching the water bottle, so pleasantly cool against her chest, Kokoro realized something.

This was impossible.

She would never make it to the shopping mall.

WHEN SHE WENT TO THE castle in the late afternoon, Fuka wasn’t there.

Neither Aki nor Fuka was in the dining room, so she went to look in the Game Room. ‘Fuka was here this morning, but I think she might not come back for a while,’ Masamune informed her.

Kokoro had dashed out of the convenience store as if running for her life, randomly grabbing a box of chocolates, and now she stood here, sweets in hand, not knowing what to say.

‘She said she has to go to a summer school her parents chose. For about a week. A short, intensive course. They want her to catch up at school.’

Kokoro felt as if someone had slugged her in the head.

Summer school, to catch up at school. The same suggestion her parents had made, which had been weighing on her ever since.

She’d intended to ask Fuka and the others what they planned to do about their schoolwork. It felt like Fuka had suddenly stolen a march on her. Her stomach began to ache again, and she felt anxious.

‘What about Aki-chan?’

‘I dunno. Could be in her room?’

Today, unusually, Masamune was alone in the Game Room. Neither Ureshino nor Subaru had come over.

‘Ureshino often doesn’t turn up, and Subaru said something about going on a trip with his parents,’ Masamune explained. ‘Since it’s the summer holidays and all.’

‘I see.’

She remembered how sick she’d felt at the convenience store today. Subaru struck her as strangely mature, able to go on a trip.

‘What are you doing about schoolwork, Masamune-kun?’

‘What? You’re asking this genius?’ His tone was nonchalant. ‘Didn’t I tell you before about the juku? I still get good grades.’

‘Really?’

Kokoro left the room. As he watched her walk out, Masamune called, ‘Hey, you know what? FYI, all that stuff you study at school? None of it will help you in the real world.’

‘Guess not,’ Kokoro replied, and headed to the dining room.

SHE PLACED THE PRESENT FOR Fuka on the dining-room table.