Chapter 56-2
Ryosaku and Teacher Kitano walked side by side from the temple grounds onto the farm road in front of the temple grounds and began talking while walking slowly.
"Ryosaku-kun, regarding this matter with Teacher Suzuki... I'm sure you must have had a hard time. How are you feeling now...?"
"Yes. When Teacher Suzuki passed away, I was really shocked and it felt like my eyes went black. I'm sure everyone else felt the same way."
"Yeah. Of course, me too. Ryosaku-kun...I'm sure you've heard the old stories about me and Teacher Suzuki from Principal Nakano, and...I'm sure you already know ?"
"Yes, I heard that. Teacher, the current principal is a very kind and compassionate person, isn't he? The previous principal was also like that."
"That's right. Teacher Nakano was my teacher. Of course, he is still a reliable and honorable person. Even at this age, I still continue to learn from him. I still respect him from the bottom of my heart."
Ryosaku felt that he looked quite different from the silent teacher Kitano when he was Ryosaku's homeroom teacher.
"Ryosaku-kun, the reason I invited you to this bus tour this time...is because you were a special child to Teacher Yoshiko."
"Am I a special child...? Am I...?"
"That's right. On the day of the 6th grade graduation ceremony... after that farewell ceremony. I was also listening to you and Teacher Yoshiko talking.
I realized once again how much she cared for you and considered you to be as important as her real child. ”
"Teacher Kitano..."
"At that time, you were also talking about Minegishi-kun, a first-year student. Isn't that the kid you were talking about who used to play with you all the time during recess?"
"Yes. Mieko-chan... no, I got along really well with Minegishi-san."
"I was looking at you from the window of the staff room...and I felt so jealous. Just like me and Teacher Yoshiko back then, you and Minegishi-kun were even more close.'' It was a strange feeling, as if the sweet days of my childhood with Yoshiko Teacher were right in front of my eyes.That's really nice..."
Teacher Kitano said that and gently wiped her tears.
Ryosaku had never seen him cry before.
"Teacher...Actually, there is something I would like you to look at...It's a letter addressed to me from Teacher Suzuki."
"What, from Teacher Yoshiko...?"
"Yes. It seems that this letter arrived at my house around noon yesterday.My mother received it.Teacher...what does this mean?"
"Hmm. Yoshiko Teacher passed away on Tanabata day... Ryosaku-kun, I'm sorry, but could you let me read that letter too...?"
"···yes."
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
After reading the letter, Teacher Kitano looked up at the blue sky and felt a deep sigh.
A moment of silence passes between the two of them.
Ryosaku waited for Teacher Kitano's next words as he listened to the footsteps of autumn approaching and the cicadas, which had decreased noticeably, coming from the mountains and woods behind the temple.
"...Ryosaku-kun. Without a doubt, this is a letter written by Teacher Yoshiko herself. I'm sure she wrote a final message for Ryosaku-kun and Minegishi-kun on the morning of her death. I guess...Yoshiko Teacher...no, Yoshiko-chan, you...you're...!"
Teacher Kitano said that, turned his back to Ryosaku, and cried, his voice trembling.
"Teacher···."
Ryosaku realized once again that Teacher Suzuki was an irreplaceable and important person for Teacher Kitano... and gently placed his right hand on Teacher Kitano's back.
