CH 3 (2/2)

This is an incredible way to set up the events. This kind of subsurface second person point of

view is Dazai Osamu‟s greatest magic. It is „resonance‟ between the author and his works.”

“Resonance?”

“Yes. Dazai was an author with polarized comments towards him. Even though to people who

dislike his works, his works are too dark, melancholic, and heavy. But to people who like him, he

is a very attractive author. One could not help but fall in love with him. In fact, following his

death, each year on the day of his death, his readers would hold a Outouki [TL note: a gathering

to mourn for his death]. Even up to this day many people still join the gathering. By having such

devoted fans, I think it shows he has qualities that few literature giants possess. [TL: I know the

last line is not translated properly, but this is the best I could do.]

Why do the fans love Dazai so much? It is because the readers can see their worries and pain

reflected from Dazai‟s works?

„Aa, I understand this. I am like this as well. This person is the same as me….‟ When the readers

read his works they often think like this.

Dazai‟s works have the magic to summon this resonance.

No matter who it is, everyone wants to be understood by others. Each person wants to seek that

special person.

Deviancy can be a scary thing. Loneliness too is very miserable. Dazai‟s works can often, at this

moment, directly converse with the inner hearts of its readers. As you flip the pages, you merge

with the author. Together you will experience the world of the story. Aaaa, it‟s like it‟s my own

story. The main character of the story is me…you just can‟t help but think like this.

According to legends, when Dazai was alive, his readers often wrote letters or diaries to him to

reveal their worries. Sometimes he even combined his readers‟ stories with his books. The story

about a normal girl‟s one day of life, „Joseito‟, was based on the diary of his reader, „Ariake

Shzuko no Nikki‟. Due to the influence of Dazai‟s works, even her writing style is similar to him.

It is quite believable if you say this is part of Dazai‟s works.”

“Shuuji Kataoka probably experienced the same resonance with „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟. Is that the

reason why he wrote this letter?”

“That‟s possible. Maybe he sees similarities between him and the main character. This is the

attraction and at the same time terrifying quality of Dazai‟s stories…when you are already in a

depressed mood, if you read this book, it is very likely that it will push you over the line and into

the darkest sea…”

Shuuji Kataoka too is enticed by Dazai, and fell into this painful state.

“But, this letter ended halfway. Would it be like „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟ and have second and third

handnotes?”

“Ku-shu, gosh. If that is the case, if his problem is not solved before the appearance of the

second handnote, he may really commit suicide.”

“Please don‟t say something that can jinx it.”

“But, just by reading his letter you feel as if you have nowhere else to go…No matter how

hungry I am I won‟t touch this letter. If I eat this poisonous letter, I too may want to kill myself.”

Tooko-senpai shuddered.

“Then who is S that he mentioned in the letter? And what about „her‟…does that mean Takedasan?

More importantly, where is Shuuji Kataoka?”

“That‟s right. This is the number one problem. We must see Shuuji-senpai as soon as possible. If

he really is planning to kill or commit suicide, we must stop him.”

“In the end…the only person who can do it is Takeda-san…”

The following day was a Sat.u.r.day, school was closed.

On the following Monday, during the break after the first period, Takeda-san, with her lively

footsteps, appeared outside the cla.s.sroom door.

“Konoha-senpai, could I have the letters now?~~”

To the giggling, happier than usual Takeda-san, I cut to the chase.

“Sorry, I can‟t write the letters. I need to know more about Shuuji-senpai, or else I can‟t write

them.”

The smile on Takeda-san‟s face disappeared. Her eyes looked like a puppy's that has been

abandoned.

“About Shuuji-senpai, could you tell me more about him? Please tell me everything you know

about him. I will write the letters after.

“…”

Takeda-san lowered her head.

Her fingers were twisted together, and she kept on flexing them.

“After school…can you come to the library? I will be waiting for you in the bas.e.m.e.nt book

storage room.”

The old spiral staircase creaked as I walked down it. At the bottom there was a grey door.

I knocked on it.

“Come in.”

A voice from inside answered.

As I slowly pulled the door k.n.o.b backward, I smelled a sweet scent.

It‟s not the smell of cream or chocolate- it‟s the smell of old books.

The room was covered in dust. There were cobwebs all over the ceiling. Two or three

bookshelves were standing in the room, with many stacks of books lying on the floor.

This place was like a graveyard for books. In the middle of the crowded room there was a worn

desk and a chair. The lamp on the desk was turned on, and it alone illuminated the whole room.

Takeda-san was sitting in front of the table and was writing on something. With a „Pah‟ she

closed her duck notebook and quietly looked at me. Beside the notebook there was a coffee mug.

The drawing on that mug was the same as the notebook‟s- they both have a little duck on them.

“This room has c.o.c.kroaches and mice.”

A light smile appeared on Takeda-san as she said that.

I looked at the bottom of my feet with unease.

“That‟s why the other library a.s.sistants dislike this place and don‟t want to be here; I treat this

place as a secret room and often stay in here.”

“…Is, is that right.”

“Konoha-senpai, you dislike roaches?”

“…I don‟t think anyone likes them.”

“That‟s true, I‟ve never heard of things like c.o.c.kroach lovers club, or c.o.c.kroaches‟ enthusiasts‟

website.”

“…If I have to compare, mice terrify me more than roaches. When I was in elementary school I

once stayed in my aunt‟s rural home. One day when I woke up I saw a dead mouse next to my

pillow. When I s.h.i.+fted my body position, my face rested against the mouse‟s corpse. Even

though this turned out to be the doing of my aunt‟s cat…uhhh, now I am reminded of that

sensation.”

I shuddered as I recalled the still warm, blood soaked body of the mouse.

“Ah, that was a disaster. But mice „only occasionally appear‟, so there is nothing to worry about.

If one does appear, I will help you chase it away.”

With a thud, Takeda-san banged her chest with her hand.

“Thanks, I feel much better.”

“Ah, Konoha-senpai, would you like some tea?”

Takeda-san took out an orange water jug, twisted off the lid, and poured an amber colored

beverage into it.

“Here, this is roast tea.”

“You have a traditional hobby.”

“Hehehe, sometimes I sneak in here just to have tea.”

The thermal jug kept the roast tea at the best temperature; it was good.

“Thank you.”

I put the lid onto the table and, from my pocket, I took out Shuuji Kataoka‟s letter that Takedasan

loaned me yesterday.

“…First of all, you can have it back.”

“…”

Takeda-san silently received the letter. She slipped it into her duck notebook, and tightly held the

notebook to her chest.

“I apologize in advance if I am mistaken. I don‟t think the letter was meant for Takeda-san. It

was written to someone else, is that correct?”

Takeda-san‟s finger jolted.

“The letter does not contain the recipient's name. In addition, judging from the content, I don‟t

think the letter was written to you.”

“…That‟s right.”

Takeda-san muttered.

“Shuuji-senpai didn‟t give me the letter. I found it by coincidence in a book.”

“A book, from the library?”

“Yes, it was slipped in between Dazai Osamu‟s „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟. I was curious, so I read it

and was shaken by it. It bothered me a lot and I couldn‟t stand it, so I went to find Shuuji-senpai.”

“In the Archery Club?”

Takeda-san slightly hesitated, and then forcefully nodded.

“…Yes.”

“But the Archery Club does not have a member named Shuuji Kataoka…”

“No, Shuuji-senpai exists.”

She lifted her head and said intensely.

“It‟s true. Shuuji-senpai does exist.”

I don‟t understand.

Why does Takeda-san insist that Shuuji Kataoka really exists?

Also, what is the true ident.i.ty of the Shuuji Kataoka that Takeda-san claimed existed?

Or is Shuuji Kataoka invisible to me and only Takeda-san can see him? That‟s scary.

Takeda-san put the notebook back onto the table and kept her face down completely.

A strenuous silence filled this underground room.

I felt as if a mouse was squeaking near us. I tried to change the topic.

“Then, the opening of that letter has its dues from Dazai Osamu‟s „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟‟s content,

do you know?”

“…Yes. After I finished the letter, I borrowed „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku' and finished it as well.”

Takeda-san smiled weakly.

“But, I am an idiot. Even though I finished „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟, I am still unable to comprehend

the story. Why does this person feel so much pain…He is rich enough to hire house cleaners.

Every time his father goes to Tokyo, he always buys presents for his family. His siblings, friends,

and teachers all like him. He is smart and writes many fun works. Women love him; some are

even willing to die with him. Why would he feel he is so shameful that he does not deserve to

live? This is-too strange. He rants too much. There is no point in living so painfully.”

A grievous expression appeared on Takeda-san‟s face. Her eyes shone with loneliness. Halfway

through her talk, she lowered her head. Her shoulders were shaking greatly, her lips continued to

slowly s.h.i.+ft.

“…That‟s all I can think of, I am so useless. I am so dumb. It‟s true, I am really common, and

my head is not good, I am useless. Dazai Osamu and Shuuji-senpai‟s yearning for death, even if I

spent a lifetime thinking about why, I still wouldn‟t understand. I read „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟ from

front to back 5 times, yet I still don‟t understand…so at last, all I could do is cry.”

Takeda-san‟s grief quietly stained my chest.

To understand the person you love.

But is unable to.

Unable to understand the pain the other person is going through, I once had that experience.

Takeda-san‟s throat, as if trying to swallow her tears, gave out „thumping‟ noises. Then she took

the duck mug with her hands.

“…This cup, was a birthday present from my friend; s.h.i.+-chan is my best friend. She differs

from me. She is very smart and competent…She said I am like this duck, I always look clueless,

and am always tripping in places that have nothing to trip over...

I know that I am just a common idiot….but I really want to help Shuuji-senpai. Anything I can

do for him, I will do my best to complete it.”

Her fierce determination can be seen through her tone.

At least in Takeda-san‟s heart, Shuuji-senpai does exist. Takeda-san really does love Shuujisenpai.

Seeing such a show of emotion from her, I cannot find anything to counter.

“I don‟t understand „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟ either.”

I could only say this.

Takeda-san lifted her head and, with her close to breakdown, close to crying, looked at me.

Her lips shook softly.

Would Takeda-san come and take refuge with me, just like what she did on that rainy day? I

wondered.

But, all I could hear was a soft squeak from her throat. Both ends of her lips rose and she smiled

at me.

“Eheh, ehehe…….That‟s why. In the eyes of commoners like you and I, those who are born into

a wealthy family and still feel ashamed of themselves…they really do look stupid. Ehehe”

She tried her hardest to squeeze out a smile, but it did not feel cheerful at all. At last she started

crying again.

“Konoha-senpai…your, senpai‟s face, I like it.”

“Wh- why all of a sudden-”

Her tear covered yet smiling face looked at me, then slowly said:

“Konoha-senpai‟s face….looks very beautiful, very gentle.”

Even though I had been mocked that I look like a girl before, this is the first time someone said I

was beautiful. I was becoming fl.u.s.tered.

“Takeda-san, that‟s a strange thing to say.”

“Eheh, I need to ask Konoha-senpai for a favour. Tomorrow after school, could you accompany

me to the Archery Club?”

Takeda-san‟s voice was so forceful that I was taken aback.

“Please come with me to the Archery Club. I will take you to Shuuji-senpai.”

◇ ◇ ◇

S is dangerous.

S sees through everything.

S will destroy me one day.

One day, I will be killed by S.

What a blissful occurrence that will be!

◇ ◇ ◇

That night, in my own room, I repeatedly read „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟, and I fell into deep thought.

(The Archery Club does not have someone called Shuuji Kataoka. So who does Takeda-san plan

to show me? Or have I been mistaken all along?)

Despite being a few years since I read „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟, I still think the story is so hopelessly

distressing. Nevertheless, perhaps I have grown more mature in the past few years, so I can sort

of relate to the main character‟s thoughts.

Ahh, when I noticed that I am thinking „Ah, I thought of that before‟ or „The main character is

the same as me‟, I was startled.

(Yikes, have I fallen for Dazai‟s magic as well?)

“Konoha, the phone.”

My mother called me from downstairs.

I lifted the extension; The caller was Tooko-senpai.

“Ku-shu, h.e.l.lo, Konoha-kun?”

It‟s probably because she forced herself to go to school before, Tooko-senpai‟s cold got a lot

more serious today. By the second period she had to take sick leave and went home. Before she

went she, with unsteady steps, came to find me.

“I will leave Chia-chan to you. Don‟t put too much emotion into it. Don‟t bully Chia-chan. If a

ghost appears, escape as fast as you can. If anything happens phone me immediately, here is my

phone number.”

Following that, she wrote her phone number on my right hand with an oil-based marker.

“Ku-shu, ku-shu. That‟s great, you got home alright. Why didn‟t you phone me? I was worried

that you might have been eaten by a ghost. Ku-shu”

I was lying on my bed and looked at the phone number Tooko-senpai wrote on my hand.

Even if she didn‟t write it, I could have found her phone number in the club member list

(because there are only two members). Knowing that, however, Tooko-senpai still grabbed my

hand and, with tears in her eyes due to her constant sneezing, very solemnly wrote on my hand.

Tooko-senpai‟s hands were unsettlingly hot and damp from sweat.

“Because you are still on your sick bed, I thought I shouldn‟t bother you. How do you feel now?”

“I am fine already. Anyway so how did the talk with Chia go?”

This person‟s definition of „fine‟ is absolutely untrustworthy. As I recalled her past reckless

actions, I told her of the incident with Takeda-san.

When Tooko-senpai heard that Takeda-san and I were going to go to the Archery club, Tookosenpai

was shocked.

“Maybe Shuuji-senpai‟s ghost will appear! Konoha-kun, you must not forget to bring salt [TL

note: In traditional j.a.pan, salt is used to chase away evil „beings‟].”

Why does she always think of ghosts? Do you befriend ghosts? If there exists a book eating

monster in this world, I suppose it wouldn‟t be strange for ghosts to exist as well.

I told her that after I reread „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟ I seemed to have fallen for it a bit. She sneezed,

and then started to chuckle:

“I too fell into the dark with the main character when I was in a baaaaaaaaad mood. Dazai‟s

magic is truly very fierce.”

“Tooko-senpai, you actually get depressed from time to time as well?”

“Yeah, when I was told that I have the Love Daisatsukai.”

“Hahaha”

“And when everyone was eating fruit sundae, but only I thought it tasted horrible…”

This time I didn‟t laugh. Foods that everyone thinks are delicious—to Tooko-senpai, they are

just tasteless inorganic objects.

Just like the main character of „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟, who is unable to experience the emotion

others can feel, and thus was tortured by it; foods that others find delicious, and yet you alone

taste nothing. This is very lonely.

Tooko-senpai sneezed again, and cheerfully said:

“So I used my imagination to imagine myself eating a delicious book, and say „Wha, so

delicious‟.”

“Because you are the bungaku shoujo.”

“Ehen, that‟s right. Ah, but about „Ningen s.h.i.+kkaku‟, there is one part I couldn‟t understand.”

“Which part?”

“This part-‟I do not know the feeling of an empty stomach‟. I tried my beeeeest to imagine it, but

I just couldn‟t understand that feeling…Aha, I have been chatting with Konoha-kun for so long, I

am starting to get hungry again. Ku-shu!”

“…”

Even when she has a cold; even when she is in a bad mood; Tooko-senpai always behaves like

Tooko-senpai.

I told her to consume more Vitamin C to fight the cold, and then I hung up.

A book that is filled with Vitamin C…What would that book be like?

On the following day, perhaps due to her condition, Tooko-senpai did not come to school.

After cla.s.s, Takeda-san came to my cla.s.sroom to meet up with me.

“Then, let‟s go, Konoha-senpai.”

She seemed so happy, it was as if we were going to an amus.e.m.e.nt park.

“What the, Inoue is going on a date?”

“No way, nope.”

I only smiled and rejected the leers from my cla.s.smates.

Kotobuki-san was still staring at me coldly. „And he claimed he was not going out with her.

What a liar [TL note: the original word is a slang/saying- I am too lazy to explain it. Suffice to

say it means liar.].‟ She must be thinking that.

Under the influence of Takeda-san‟s pulling, I stepped out of the cla.s.sroom.

“Then, is Shuuji-senpai really in the Archery Club?”

“You‟ve come already, and you are still asking that question? Everything is perfect!”

Perfect? What‟s perfect!?

With unease loomimg over me, we came to the Archery club.

“Excuse me~~~, we are here to observe~”

At the entrance of the practice ranch, Takeda-san loudly declared.

“Hey, Chia-chan, long time no see.”

“Hey hey you‟ve even brought your boyfriend with you. Big bro is really surprised, Chia-chan.”

The club members all ran to us and intimately greeted her. Takeda-san seems to be a frequent

visitor here.

(So Takeda-san always comes to the Archery Club to see Shuuji-senpai…)

I am becoming more and more confused.

The club members brought two chairs for us, so Takeda-san and I sat down.

Whenever someone hit the red center target, Takeda-san would cheer:

“Uwha, that‟s great~, nice~!”

And she would clap.

In the middle of the process, the fully changed Akutagawa-kun saw me. A strange expression

appeared on his face.

I nodded at him, he also greeted me back. Judging from Akutagawa-kun‟s personality, I don‟t

think he would gossip to our cla.s.smates. Nonetheless, if he mistakes the act of me coming along

with Takeda-san to see them practice, I would still be pretty embarra.s.sed.

I quietly asked Takeda-san:

“Hey, who is Shuuji-senpai?”

“I am looking for him. Ah, that person!”

Following the direction she was pointing, I saw the person she was pointing to was Akutagawakun,

who was pulling the bow string towards him. His back was straight and expression was

serious. He looked very cool.

“Eeeeh, Akutagawa-kun was Shuuji-senpai?”

“Eeeeeeeh? Does Konoha-senpai know him?”

“We are cla.s.smates. Why is Akutagawa-kun Shuuji-senpai? Akutagawa-kun is a 2nd year

student. Also he is a strenuous person that has never even joked once in his life.”

“Aa, he does give you that feeling. He is probably a pract.i.tioner of Stoicism.”

Takeda-san just kept on giggling.

“It‟s not him! I only wanted to tell Konoha-senpai that he is the best of the Archery Club.”

*zubantsu*

The arrow Akutagawa-kun shot hit the red center.

“Kya~~~~! Amazing! It was dead center~~~~!”

Takeda-san jumped up and cheered.

“Hey, hey, he is very skilled!”

I was getting a bit irritated.

“~~~~Tsu. Takeda-san, we are not spies from other schools‟ archery clubs, nor are we members

of the Journalism Club who are interviewing club members for our newspaper articles.”

“I know that. Chia and Konoha-senpai came here to see Shuuji-senpai.”

“Then where is Shuuji-senpai?”

“That…”

Takeda-san sweeps through the ranch once with her eyes.

“h.e.l.lo, everyone [TL note: the original word is 後輩諸君 (Kohai Shokun), which translates to

„all you juniors‟]! Are you guys practicing hard?”

Four or five adults came over here.

“Ah, Manabe-senpai!”

“h.e.l.lo everyone, we graduated senpai have come to visit~”

“Good day, Manabe-senpai!”

“Oi, have you gotten any better, Kas.h.i.+wagi?”

“Yes. I practiced with the instructions senpai gave me, and the arrows really do fly straight when

I do that!”

“Good! Show it to me later.”

“Please do!”

“Soeda-senpai and Rihoko-senpai, long time no see as well.”

“Yo, we are here to bother you guys again.”

“Fufu, it‟s been such a long time. So nostalgic~~~”

“Rihoko-senpai I heard the expected delivery date is around next year, congratulations!”

“Thank you. It‟s a bit early to say that. I quit my job last week, so I am free these days. I will

come visit you all next month as well.”

“Hey hey, is that all right, Rihoko? Don‟t push yourself!”

“Ufufu, Manabe-kun is always so worried.”

They seemed to be past graduates who came back to see how their kouhai were doing. There was

only one female among them; the rest were males.

“I heard that every month the past alumnus would visit and mentor current club members.”

Takeda-san explained to me.

“The handsome guy with the moustache at the ends of the mouth is Manabe-senpai. Ten years

ago, he was the captain that led the club to second place in the national finals. Every now and

then he summons his former teammates to help mentor these students.”

“You know a lot about it.”

“Because I come here often. I can be said to be the cheerleader of the Archery Club.”

Takeda-san said proudly. Aah, we are getting off topic again. When will I finally meet Shuujisenpai?

At that instant-

“Shuuji….!”

A terrified shout reached my ears.

I hurriedly looked around.

Has Shuuji-senpai finally appeared?

But no matter where I looked, I couldn‟t find a suitable candidate.

“What Shuuji! Don‟t be stupid!”

“That‟s impossible!”

Other graduates also shouted with horror in their voices.

Where? Where is he?

Suddenly I smelled a mixed scent of sweat and tobacco. Someone, with both his hands, grabbed

my face and swung it upward.

That moustached man, with his wide open eyes, stared at me. He is one of the graduates,

Manabe-senpai.

“Shuuji…”

From Manabe-san‟s mouth I both smelled a scent of tobacco and heard his coa.r.s.e voice.

With his eyes, he just stared at me as if he wanted to swallow me alive.

I was stunned.

Shuuji is me?!

He means that I am Shuuji Kataoka?

Manabe-san finally removed his hands from my stiff face.

“Wrong person…right?”

The fire in his eyes disappeared. He started to frailly mumble to himself.

“That‟s right…Shuuji was already……Sorry, you look very similar to our friend. Are you a new

club member?”

“No, I am a second year student. Today I am here to observe the club practice.”

I don‟t know when, but all the graduates have now surrounded me. They looked at me as if they

were looking at a ghost.

As these stares are directed towards me, I am confused and don't know how to react.

What's with their eyes? Furthermore, he said that I look identical to Shuuji Kataoka. What is

going on?

The female senpai, with a gloomy tone, muttered:

“He really looks like Kataoka, but Kataoka is taller…but their faces are almost the same. He is

like Kataoka‟s little brother. Hey, what‟s your name?”

“I…Inoue Konoha.”

“Konoha….what a strange name, but it‟s cute at the same time. Konoha-kun, do you have

relatives that have the last name Kataoka?”

“Hey, that‟s enough. Rihoko.”

However, another graduate that wore a suit and gla.s.ses, a seemingly very smart man, continued

on where Rihoko stopped.

“But the similarities are striking. Perhaps Konoha-kun is related to Shuuji in some way.”

“They are not as similar as you claim. Maybe it‟s because we all have not seen Shuuji for so long

that our memories are getting fuzzy. That‟s why we mistook someone who is moderately similar

as very similar.”

“That makes sense…Maybe it‟s just as Soeda said.”

“Manabe-kun…”

A grim expression appeared on Rihoko-san‟s face.

“Excuse me,” I asked without warning, “what kind of person is Shuuji Kataoka?”

All the graduates looked at me. After that, they looked at each other with difficulties.

“Kataoka-kun was a very baffling person.”

Rihoko-san suddenly said.

“He was laid back, always fooling around. Whenever he opened his mouth, he always joked.”

“Enough, Rihoko.” Manabe-san stopped Rihoko from talking any further. Then he smiled

bitterly at me:

“Shuuji was a member of the Archery Club. He was around the same year as us.”

Same year!

Then this means Shuuji-senpai and Manabe-san etc. are all alumnus of the same Archery Club.

Shuuji Kataoka does exist.

Except he does not exist in the current Archery Club; he existed in the past Archery Club.

I subconsciously took a glance at Takeda-san. Takeda-san‟s eyes were also wide open, except

she was staring at the alumnus.

What? Takeda-san didn‟t know Shuuji Kataoka was a graduate of this school? She didn‟t know

anything about him, yet she fell in love with him? How is that possible?

“Then, where is Shuuji-senpai now?”

The Shuuji Kataoka, who always felt „My concept of happiness differs from the norm of the

world‟s, and this makes me feel as if I am slowly being eaten away”; therefore he chose to play

the part of a clown. What is he like?

Standing beside me, Takeda-san lightly gasped.

Manabe-san‟s face grew darker and darker.

“No one can meet Shuuji anymore. Sorry, this is not a happy topic, so I don‟t intend on

continuing. I apologize for scaring you, Konoha.”

“Then let‟s continue on with the practice.”

The gla.s.ses wearing alumni good-naturedly shouted. No one is talking about Shuuji-senpai

anymore.

All the graduates have moved away to mentor the kouhai. Only Takeda-san and I remained

stationary.

Takeda-san‟s face was stiff. Her eyes were fixed on the center of an arrow target.

Her eyes were razor sharp- as if she saw her hateful enemy.

“Takeda-san”

I called her with my voice. Only then did she turn toward me with an awfully hollow expression:

“……Sorry. Shuuji-senpai didn‟t come today.”

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