“We’re coming to the end. The last day of the project is approaching.” Misaki returned the book to her bag. “I’ve given all these helpful lectures, Satou, so you should be just about ready to become a model adult, right?”

Standing up from the bench, she said, “You understand now, don’t you? Why you’ve become a worthless person? Why you’ve become a hikikomori? You should understand by this point.”

I didn’t answer.

“If you think about it properly, you should definitely understand.”

Still seated on the bench, I looked up at her. The park was so dark that only her silhouette was illuminated. I couldn’t see the expression on her face.

“I’m nearly out of time. I can’t cause any more trouble for my aunt and uncle, so I’m going to leave town.”

Her tone was absolutely casual, so I listened to her calmly.

“Where are you going?”

“A city… someplace where there are lots of people; someplace where no one knows me; someplace where I don’t know anyone. That’s why, by the time I go, Satou… Satou, you have to become an outstanding person.”

I couldn’t tell where the discussion was going; then again, she was a girl who said terribly unreasonable things.

Dazed, I shook my head from side to side.

“That won’t change anything”, said Misaki.

“Okay, I understand. I’m fine now.” All I could do, at that point, was try to convince her of her success. “No, because of you, I really have been reborn. You should rest assured of that and start a life of your own in a new city.”

She still seemed somehow dissatisfied.

In an optimistic tone, I said, “Thank you! I owe you my life! Oh, that’s true! Want to take my stereo with you? It’s a necessity for living alone. If you want it, I’ll give it to you as a present…”

“That isn’t what I mean.”

“It isn’t what you mean?”

I waited patiently for her to continue, but Misaki turned her back on me without saying anything else.

I stood up, too. “Well then, goodbye.”

I started walking toward my apartment; as I did, Misaki called out. “No! Wait a second!”

“What?”

“Let’s go on a date. It’ll be your graduation exam to test whether you really have become an outstanding, socially adept person, Satou. Meet me at the station, Sunday at noon. And we’re definitely going, even if it rains!”

With this defiant declaration, Misaki quickly strode away.

Meanwhile, Yamazaki really was making a bomb. He had gotten hold of a bomb recipe from the Internet and was really, truly manufacturing a bomb.