Chapter 27
On the day of the graduation ceremony.
The gymnasium where the ceremony was held was crowded with not only children and teachers, but also many parents and people involved in the ceremony.
Ryosaku felt an unbearable pain in the "crowd noise," which was strangely loud and different from the noise of the previous day.
Furthermore, there are other people's smells that Ryosaku usually cannot smell...the artificial smell of perfume that his parents put on his skin, the dizzying smell of hair pomade, and the feeling of loneliness. The acrid and extremely unpleasant smell of insect repellent emitted from the suits that had been pulled out of the wardrobe turned the already crowded and stuffy inside of the museum into an even more intolerable environment for Ryosaku.
Before he knew it, Ryosaku was wandering around the hall, which was filled with a sense of confinement, in search of that nostalgic ''Mieko's scent.''
"Mieko-chan...isn't there. She's nowhere to be found."
Ryosaku's eyes then turned to the area where the first-year students had politely settled into their seats.
...There is no Mieko's "scent" here either.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
When Ryosaku took his assigned seat on the far left, his heart suddenly started beating faster.
His breathing became increasingly labored, and his limbs began to tremble.
Ryosaku's eyes emit a hollow light, just like ''that time,'' and then they begin to become cloudy.
"No, I'm feeling lightheaded..."
Ryosaku senses a sign that the hateful "monster" that landed on his shoulder back then is beginning to appear again.
Ryosaku then grimaces in pain as he gradually increases.
Just when Ryosaku was about to be captivated by the monster, someone's right hand was gently placed on Ryosaku's left shoulder.
In his hazy state of mind, Ryosaku turned around and saw Teacher Suzuki smiling calmly at him.
(...Ryosaku-kun, it's okay. I'll fight alongside you.)
The teacher's gentle and powerful message certainly reached Ryosaku's exhausted heart.
By the time the teacher took her seat, Ryosaku's disturbing "state" had returned to the calm state he had been in before he entered this venue.
...The "monster" has left.
Ryosaku was saved yesterday... and again today by Teacher Suzuki's warm and compassionate heart that melted the ice.
