Chapter 18
When Ryosaku woke up, he noticed that the poor physical condition he had been feeling had completely disappeared.
His head feels refreshed and his body feels lighter than before, as if nothing had happened.
Even his parents, who had such an abnormal appearance, started talking to him as if nothing had happened.
"Good morning, Ryosaku. It's already past school time. Get ready and eat."
Then, Ryosaku suddenly became worried about Mieko and was frustrated to eat breakfast, so he quickly finished getting ready and left the house in a hurry.
Ryosaku runs like a marathon runner.
On the way, Ryosaku catches up with his school group after passing K Shrine, but he doesn't join them and overtakes them.
As he passed the abacus cram school, turned the corner of the candy store, and climbed up the pedestrian bridge, he suddenly looked down at the road and saw the school group that Mieko usually joins walking toward him.
...but Mieko is not there.
"Mieko-chan, are you still at home?"
Ryosaku became irresistible and ran back down the pedestrian bridge. Then he runs towards Mieko's house.
A child in Mieko's school group looks suspiciously at Ryosaku, who has stopped.
Kaori, Mieko's older sister, also passed, but she glared at Ryosaku as they passed each other and walked without looking back.
Ryosaku senses Mieko's situation after receiving Kaori's piercing gaze, and is unable to ask her how Mieko is doing. And he had no choice but to look down and stand in front of Mieko's house.
