Chapter 30
Ryosaku, now in sixth grade, was given a "new job" during lunch.
At K Elementary School, the sixth graders are in charge of serving the school lunches for the new first graders, taking turns every day.
After this "work" began, Ryosaku entered this nostalgic classroom for the first time since that day when Teacher Suzuki told him about Mieko's transfer.
Ryosaku was able to get up close to the new first-year students waiting for their school lunch to be served, and although he couldn't sense the same "scent" as Mieko from these new juniors, he gradually regained that "nostalgic" feeling.
Ryosaku's classmates, who are also in charge of serving meals, quietly and calmly complete their quota, while Ryosaku calls out to each one of them through his mask.
"Oh, be careful not to spill the side dishes."
"Stew, can I have a little more...?"
And like this.
Ryosaku quickly became popular with the new first-year students.
Both boys and girls have loved Ryosaku and called him "School Lunch Brother".
Ryosaku himself was surprised by this "happy change," as he had never had any other children interested in him other than Mieko.
...Eventually, Ryosaku begins to spend his breaks with them.
Boys and girls alike mingled with each other and played tag or hide-and-seek with Ryosaku, and Ryosaku himself treated them as cute "younger brothers" or "younger sisters" and had a great time.
However, Ryosaku never reached the point where he felt the same level of "love" for them as he did for Mieko.
Eventually, they got tired of playing with Ryosaku, and the group lost one person, then two, and the last remaining cutest girl gradually left Ryosaku.
...Not a single child followed Ryosaku until the end.
After school, Ryosaku notices that there are no new first-year students left in the schoolyard.
Like Mieko, who was waiting for him every day, there was no other child who was always waiting for him to get home from school in the schoolyard.
There was not a single child who could take her place.
And Ryosaku remembers the nostalgic Mieko...the dear Mieko he went home with, holding hands, as if it were only now.
"Mieko-chan, I wonder how you're doing...I wonder if you're feeling better now..."
Ryosaku murmurs in the empty schoolyard where no one is around.
"Mieko-chan, how are you...? I...I'm lonely."
...A number of teardrops fell onto the dry sand of the schoolyard.
