‘One of the guys said to me, Hey, if you’re not going to treat us any more when we go out, then I don’t want to hang around with you. The other guys smirked and laughed. And so I lost my temper and hit him, and they punched me back. And that’s how I got hurt.’

The group said nothing, and Ureshino went on with his story.

‘I was the one who threw the first punch, according to them. Things have really escalated now. My parents are talking about suing them or something, and I have no idea how it’s going to play out. Teachers at the School are worried about me, too. They’re the only ones, you know, who’ve said anything to me, like, Ureshino-kun, what do you want to do now?

‘So.’ Ureshino’s voice became a little wobbly. He suddenly turned to face Masamune. ‘Don’t get all high and mighty, and ridicule private support groups as though you’re above it. The teachers there – they’re the ones who really listened to me.’

Masamune glanced awkwardly away. Fuka spoke up.

‘What did you say to them?’ she asked.

‘When?’

‘When they asked you what you want to do, what did you say?’

‘I said I didn’t want to do anything,’ Ureshino said. ‘I told them I wanted to stay at home by myself. I didn’t even want my mother to be there. I’m OK with going to the School sometimes, I said, but mainly I just want to chill out at home. And with my injuries, they let me do that.’

‘But you did want to come to the castle?’ said Fuka.

‘Is that wrong?’ he asked.

‘No – it isn’t,’ Masamune answered in Fuka’s place.

Everyone turned to look at him.

‘You had it tough, didn’t you,’ he said curtly, an unusually serious look on his face.

After they’d heard Ureshino’s story, it was nearly time for the castle to close for the day. They stood in front of their mirrors in the grand foyer and said goodbye.

‘Well, see you tomorrow,’ Aki said.

‘Yeah, bye now,’ they said to each other. As if it were the natural thing to do.

NOT EVERYONE WAS THERE EVERY day. After they’d dyed their hair, Aki and Subaru were often absent. She wasn’t sure how to put it, but to Kokoro the two of them seemed to talk about more superficial subjects these days.

Kokoro was especially surprised when Aki told her she had a boyfriend.

Fuka and Kokoro weren’t used to the subject of boyfriends, and Aki seemed to enjoy watching them squirm. ‘He’s not my first,’ Aki added, and the two younger girls recoiled even more.