“Miyamizu was really cool yesterday, huh.”

“Uh-huh. I didn’t think she had it in her.”

“Her personality’s kinda changed, though, yeah?”

“U-um, people are lookin’ at me…”

“Well, what did you expect? After what you pulled yesterday, they can’t help it,” says Saya.

“ ‘What I pulled yesterday’?” I ask, sitting down.

Saya peers into my face, looking puzzled and worried.

—You know… durin’ art yesterday, when we were sketchin’ that still life.

Huh? You really don’t remember? Again? Honestly, Mitsuha, are you okay? You and me were in the same group. We were supposed to be drawin’ the vase and the apples—y’know, the subject that doesn’t make any sense. Except you sketched a landscape instead. Well, that bit doesn’t matter. Anyway, Matsumoto’s group was behind us, and they were talkin’ nasty, the way they always do.

What, you want to know? Um, well, about the mayoral election.

Huh? Details? Oh, you know, how the town administration is all just figurin’ out how to hand out subsidies, and it’s the same no matter who does it, but how there are “some kids” whose livelihood depends on it, et cetera. Dumb stuff like that. When you heard them, you said, “That’s me they’re talkin’ about, right?” So I said I thought it probably was. I mean, if you ask me, I’m gonna answer, right? Then, Mitsuha, what do you suppose you did?

You seriously don’t remember? You kicked the desk with the vase on it right toward Matsumoto’s group! And with a great big grin on your face! Matsumoto and the others got scared, and of course, the vase broke, and the whole class went dead quiet. Actually, you gave me the chills, too!

“Wh-wh-what in the world?”

I turn pale. After school, I run straight home. Yotsuha and Gran are in the living room, drinking tea without a care in the world. Glancing at them out of the corner of my eye, I run up the stairs, shut myself in my room, and open my classics notebook. Who are you? it still reads. I turn a few more pages.

My skin crawls. Now there’s a whole two pages filled with small letters in the same handwriting. First, in big letters, Mitsuha Miyamizu. Then there are lots of question marks around it and bits of personal information about me.

Year 2, Class 3 / Teshigawara , friend, occult geek, dumb but a good guy / Sayaka , friend, quiet, kinda cute

Lives with her grandma and her little sister Yotsuha / Way out in the sticks / Her dad is mayor / She’s a shrine maiden? / Sounds like her mom is dead / Her dad doesn’t live with them / Doesn’t have many friends / Has boobs

Then, in larger letters, What the heck is this life??

I stare at the notebook. I’m trembling. The scenery of Tokyo shimmers in my mind, as faint as a rising haze. Cafés, a part-time job, guy friends, walking home with someone…