Alina missed two days of school.

The day after the group photo, Alina took a rare day off from school. The reason was that she was not feeling well. She left the school with a sickly look on her face.
The day after the day she missed school. She was absent again. Same reason. I thought about calling her, but decided not to at the last minute. I thought it would only make her unhappy.
Tsuru was also worried. Do you know anything about Alina? I had no answer.
But I can at least guess. It was the timing of the group photo. Was there something in the picture that made me sick? I looked like a bright, youthful third grader to me.

And the third day after Alina stopped coming to school. Finally she came to school.
I was talking with Makoto when I caught a glimpse of Alina walking down the hallway.
I stood up as if I had been awakened.

I'm sorry, I'm going to the bathroom.
'You don't look like you're going to the bathroom. ......'
I'm going to South Sudan.
'Go on your own. ......'

Makoto replied with a look of dismay on his face. There are only about three minutes left in recess, but I feel the urge to talk to her right now and leave the classroom.
I walk out into the hallway and move my head around like a schoolboy watching out for cars in the crosswalk. Alina was just about to enter the classroom.

'Alina! Wait a minute!

When half of Alina's body disappeared into the classroom, she stopped and stepped back.

'What?'

Alina is as expressionless as a pebble lying around. She doesn't look well, but this is the normal Alina, the tongue-in-cheek Alina.

Are you feeling all right? You were out of school for two days, weren't you? A cold?
'Yes. No problem. I just got sick seeing you.
'That's good. The cranes were worried. Something might have happened. Are you sure you're all right?
'As for my physical condition.
'You sound like you've had problems other than your physical condition.'
'Yes, it is.
What happened?'
'I can't remember the last two days.

The bell rang.
The bell rings to end recess, cutting off our conversation.
You don't remember anything from the last two days? I was going to ask about that. But the bell signaled her to go into the classroom. It was as if frozen time had been set in motion by the bell.

I have no memory of the past two days.

The lingering echoes of her words ripple through my brain. I don't understand. What happened?
I stood in the hallway until my teacher talked to me.



Lunch break.

I think back to Alina's words, gazing blankly at the war-torn stall.
I wondered if it was possible to have no memory. And for two days. If I experienced such a phenomenon, I'd probably think I was in a time leap.
Such science fiction is a technology that has not yet been established in this world, so I can only be delusional. However, she does not lie. It could have really happened.
As I watch the students wiggling their hips and fighting for the bread, I get a tap on the shoulder.
Hakuna was standing by my side. My heart rate immediately increased.

What's wrong?
'It's been a while since we've talked.

Yes, it is. It's been a while.
I couldn't even make eye contact with her since she said she liked me.

'About Alina, Comet, do you know anything?

It was about Alina's absence for two days.

'All I heard was that she wasn't feeling well.
But I don't think so. Someone saw Alina after school the day before she left. She looked really worried. She said it didn't seem like Alina. Comet, did you do something?
'I didn't do anything, I didn't do anything! I've been treated worse.'
'Really? You two are good friends, so you must have gotten carried away and said some terrible things.''
'Me and him are supposed to be good friends, ...... anyway I didn't do anything! They're the ones saying terrible things. Basically, they don't treat you like a human being.
If that's the case, it's fine, but take good care of Alina. Alina-san, you're surprisingly sensitive.
'Is that so? What makes you think that?
A woman's intuition?
'Don't be like Dr. Red Grass. ......'

As for the fact that she has no memory, she did not mention it, but Shirana has a hunch that she took a leave of absence due to something other than her physical condition. She would not think it was amnesia, though.

So, have you come to buy bread again?
'Yes. But here we are. I can't get close, so I just stand by. It's horrible, like zombies butchering dead flesh.


'Comet, you don't seem to like conflict.
'Yes, it is. I hate conflict. By the way, the man I admire is Martin Luther King Jr.
'Hmm? It's like a comet.

With that, Hakuna left. The Hakuna I knew so well, her skirt fluttering in the air, was running away from me.
I wonder who Shirana Namiki is to me.
A girl friend is a good description. Nothing more, nothing less.

Who am I to her?

I wonder if one day I will understand.