Amikura Mako does not say a single word.
Renjiro and Mako remain exactly the same. After school, Mako drags him to a cafe.
Monday brings a heavy, continuous rainstorm. Water sheets against the tall glass windows of the classroom and turns the sky a dull, depressing gray.
Class B behaves exceptionally well. The students sit up straight and take detailed notes. They respect the teachers but human nature guarantees occasional slips in discipline during long lectures.
During the second period, a strict-looking male teacher covers ancient history. He writes complex dates on the chalkboard with loud, aggressive chalk strokes. Dust floats gently through the air.
In the middle row, Watanabe leans across the narrow aisle.
"Did you buy the new fighting game?" a boy whispers while keeping his voice incredibly low. "I stayed up until three in the morning playing the online mode."
"Not yet," another boy whispers back as he shields his mouth with his left hand. "I spent my points on a new pair of sneakers. We can go to the arcade later if you want."
The chalk stops moving.
The male teacher lowers his hand and slowly turns around. His sharp eyes lock directly onto the two boys. The entire class holds their collective breath. Everyone expects a harsh scolding, a demand for absolute silence, or a threat of detention.
The teacher stares at them for three solid seconds. Then, he turns back to the chalkboard and resumes writing the historical dates.
He ignores the disruption entirely.
Renjiro rests his chin on his knuckles. He just stares at the back of the teacher's suit jacket.
Tuesday arrives with bright, oppressive sunlight. The afternoon heat makes the classroom feel sluggish and tired.
Fourth period features English grammar. A young female teacher paces down the center aisle. She reads a long, boring passage from a classic English novel. Her voice is monotonous and puts half the class to sleep.
Near the front row, Chihiro Shiranami keeps her head down. A soft, blue light illuminates her lap. She hides her smartphone beneath her desk, her thumbs tapping rapidly against the glass screen.
"Chihiro," Yume hisses from the next seat over. "Put that away right now. She is walking right toward us."
"Hold on, I just need to send this cat sticker to the group chat," Chihiro mutters, her eyes glued firmly to the screen.
The English teacher stops walking and stands right next to Chihiro's desk. The glowing screen is completely visible from her towering angle. The teacher looks down. She definitely sees the phone.
"Please turn to page forty-two and review the verb tenses," the teacher announces calmly. She steps right past Chihiro's desk and continues her slow pace toward the back of the room.
Chihiro lets out a massive sigh of relief and slides the phone into her skirt pocket.
Then, Wednesday arrives.
The calendar on the front wall reads April 8th.
The final chime of the day rings out. The metallic sound signals the end of the last period. Students immediately push their chairs back.
Desks scrape violently against the polished floor. The noise level spikes as thirty-nine teenagers prepare to leave the academic building.
To Renjiro's immediate left, two male students pack their bags.
"I need to hit the convenience store before we go back to the dorms," Minami says while shoving a heavy textbook into his backpack. "I ran out of toothpaste this morning."
"Just buy the expensive mint one," Sumida replies and slings his bag over his shoulder. "We have thousands of points. We can afford the premium stuff."
"Actually, I found something weird yesterday," Minami drops his voice slightly and leans against his desk.