Chapter 50
That night, at the end of the difficult days since he broke up with Mieko, Ryosaku wrote a letter to Teacher Suzuki, who had given him comfort and relief, expressing his honest feelings towards his kindness.
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「 Suzuki-Teacher, how are you...?
Half a year has already passed since Teacher left K Elementary School.
Thank you to my teacher for being so kind to me...Thanks to my teacher, I was able to overcome the difficult and lonely days that followed Mieko-chan's departure from school.
Today I heard from Principal Nakano that you and Teacher Kitano were very close when you were in elementary school.
You were like my beloved Mieko-chan to Teacher Kitano...
I don't think it was just a coincidence.
I believe that God probably made Mieko-chan your student.
Teacher Kitano was a very strict and scary homeroom teacher for me, but he was actually a very kind boy.
After all, you called him "Onii-chan" and adored him.
I've loved Mieko-chan ever since the day we met. I still love her.
She was so cute and adorable...
Mieko-chan was very close to me, but at the same time, she valued her own friends.
She was very different from me. Unlike her, I've always shut myself up in my own world and avoided everyone...
On the day you passed away, I was able to open up to my classmates for the first time.
I'm sure you were the one to mediate between us.
You promised me that you would write to me when Mieko-chan gets better.
I've been waiting for a long time, but the letter never arrived.
However, since you are so sincere and kind, I can see that Mieko-chan still hasn't been able to regain her energy because of me, and even though the Tanabata Festival is coming soon, she's still depressed.
Maybe...Mieko-chan entered a new school with a gloomy feeling, didn't make any good friends...maybe she was being bullied...I even thought about it.
It's all my fault.
Mieko-chan didn't do anything bad at that time.
It was wrong for me to get depressed and try to embarrass Mieko-chan...I felt like I was acting out of place.
Why did I do such a terrible thing to her?
She adored me so much that she never came home after school and was waiting for me... Even on the day of the Tanabata festival, she said she wanted to be my princess. . .even though she wrote me a derogatory message.
But instead of blaming me, you...my teacher gave me words of encouragement.
On the day of my sixth grade graduation, you even said to me, "You're like my child."
I liked my teacher.
Maybe I was in love with you, not as a "mother", but just like Mieko-chan.
When I heard that you had been single for a long time...I even thought that when I grow up, I want to be your husband.
I...if I ever meet Mieko-chan next time, I'll cherish her.
I'll definitely make her happy...I promise.
I won't let Mieko-chan feel lonely and sad anymore.
While thinking about my teacher and waiting for the day I can meet Mieko-chan, I will do my best every day without neglecting my studies and interacting with everyone.
Teacher...I'll be able to meet you again tomorrow, right?
This is such a crappy letter, but I tried my best to write it.
I wanted you to see me and Mieko-chan become friends again...that's all I regret.
However, if I can meet Mieko-chan again and become good friends again, Mieko-chan and I will definitely go to see you...my teacher.
I have an early day tomorrow, so I'll go to bed now.
Good night, my teacher.
September 22, 1982 8:00 pm Ryosaku Takada 」
