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The next day was May 21—the start of midterms.

Sakuta’s job was to hand out the test sheets.

And monitor the exams so no one cheated.

The rest of the time was just sitting quietly, listening to the sound of pencils on answer sheets.

Finally, the bell rang, ending the test.

“Okay, pencils up,” he said, and they passed the answer sheets to the front.

He’d always been on the other end of the testing process, so being the teacher was certainly novel. A very different feeling from the more personalized lessons at the cram school.

There were only three subjects today—English, Japanese, and math.

So when the third period ended, a sense of relief hung over the room. All the tension drained from the students as they talked about how they’d done, or how badly they’d done. Most were just glad it was over…

Post-test vibes hadn’t changed since he was a student here.

End-of-day homeroom wrapped up, but quite a few students stuck around anyway—clearly putting off getting ready for tomorrow’s testing.

“Get on home and crack those books,” he said, leaving the room. He heard some grumbles behind him but paid them no mind.

Sakuta had a lot on his plate. He had to get back to the faculty office, write up a report, and give the teacher in charge a breakdown of his day.

He hurried on down the hall.

Most rooms had similar numbers of lingering students, all dragging their feet.

But he passed two rooms with no one inside.

Both were unused classrooms.

He assumed the next would be the same—but heard a voice inside.

“Like I said, no one believes me.”

A grim tone.

He peeped in and saw a girl on her own.

She’d been talking to someone, but there was no one else there.

“I’d love to do something, but…”

She was still talking.

To empty air.

“What’s wrong?” Sakuta asked, leaning in the door.

“?!”

The girl nearly jumped out of her skin.

“……”

She spun around and then froze.

In the silence, there was a cheery voice from the hall. “Oh, Sakuta-sensei! Byyyye!”

Four boys from Class 3-1 were shuffling past. The others joined the first, chorusing, “Byyye!”

The first one was the same boy who’d asked him if he was dating Mai Sakurajima when he’d just started student teaching. This boy took a look inside the room and saw the girl standing there.

“Better not get involved withher. She sees ghosts!” he whispered.

With that, he and the other boys went off, laughing about something else.

Sakuta was alone in the hall.

And the girl alone in the classroom.

“Uh, I’m a student teacher…”

“Azusagawa-sensei, right?” the girl said, getting ahead of him.

It was obvious her guard was up.

“You’re well-informed.”

“You’re famous.”

“Because of Mai?”

“……”

The girl just nodded.

“Can you really see ghosts?”

“Better not getinvolved.”

Clearly, she’d heard the boy’s whisper.

“But there’s one here now, right?”

“……Huh?”

His question seemed to surprise her.

“……Can you see him?” she asked hesitantly.

“Afraid not. But Idobelieve you.”

“……”

She wasn’t sure what to make of that. Or what to do next.

“If you want, I can lend an ear.”

“……”

She was still dithering.

“I’ll be teaching here until next Friday.”

“……”

No answer. She was just standing there, thinking.

“That’s all I wanted to say. Sorry to interrupt.”

With that, he turned to go.

“Wait!”

“……”

He turned back, and the girl took a step closer to him.

“I’m Rin Ebina. Class 3-2.”

“Sakuta Azusagawa.Blooming Taro, and the highway rest stop.”

“Can I…trust you?”

Rin Ebina looked right up at him. Her eyes wavered with fear and consternation. And a dollop of hope.

“I’m trustingyou, Ebina.”

The rest was up to her.

He looked her right in the eye, hoping that message got across.

And her expression seemed to ease a bit.

When Sakuta left Minegahara that day, it was just past one—and the sun was still high in the sky. It gave off a pleasant, warm light.

He was starting to sweat a bit in his suit, so he took the jacket off at the railroad crossing. Loosened his tie, too.

No sign of any students around.

The tests had wrapped up in theAM, and they were long since back home.

A train slowly rolled by, and the gates came up.

He crossed the tiny bridge over the creek, and Shichirigahama Station was right in front of him. A tiny single-rail station. Just the gates standing there like scarecrows.

He tapped his card on them.

After school let out, this station would be packed with students, but for now, it was empty.

He put his things and jacket down on a bench and stood next to it, waiting for the train.

It was a relaxing atmosphere. Time passed slowly.

After a ten-minute wait, he heard the clatter of the railroad crossing.

A minute later, the train showed itself.

It rolled slowly to a stop.

The doors opened.

He picked up his belongings and went to get on the train.

But out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that jogged his memory.

A woman getting off the train, one car down.

Sakuta paused on the platform.

Shoulder-length hair, worn half up.

A military jacket over a dress.

She was about his age.

“Doors closing,” a station staff person announced.

This train was bound for Fujisawa. Sakuta should be boarding it.

But his feet were glued to the platform, refusing to budge.

He couldn’t even wiggle a toe.

Only the upper half of him would move.

His eyes turned toward the half-up girl.

He got a clear look at her.

The train doors closed, and the departure bell rang.

The half-up girl caught his gaze and looked his way.

Their eyes met.

She frowned, clearly baffled.

That was a natural reaction.

Only the hairstyle and clothing matched.

Everything else about her was nothing like the girl Sakuta knew.

No teardrop mole below her eye.

“What, you know him?” the woman next to her asked.

“Nope, never seen him before.”

Her gaze slid off his face, and she tapped her train pass to the gate, leaving the station.

Sakuta didn’t watch her go.

Weirdly, he wasn’t disappointed.

He was just laughing at himself.

If she knew he was starting to see her in total strangers, she’d tease him for it. Laugh in his face. Ask “Did you miss me that much?” with mischief in her eyes.

He could see her doing just that, and that’s what made him laugh.

He put his stuff back on the bench, shrugging off the error. The train to Fujisawa had just left, and he’d be here for a while until the next.

While he waited, Sakuta pulled a pair of wireless headphones out of his jacket pocket. He put them in his ears and fired up the music app on his phone.

With practiced ease, he picked out a song from his list of favorites.

A Touko Kirishima song.

It was called “Turn the World Upside Down.”

This was the full version she’d left right before leaving on her journey.

A lot was wrapped up in that song.

“I bet you’re still out there singing somewhere.”

The smile on his lips was warm.

“Singing this song.”

Sakuta’s finger tapped the play button.

I’m glad I met you.

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