Koharu Minami stayed awake afterward, though she did not utter a single sound. She said her goodbyes to Tomoko, who was still unconscious by the time she left, and went to school. It was her normal, daily routine, but she knew something had changed.
When she arrived at school she was still earlier than everyone. A faculty member was waiting for her, and she was led by her toward a single room.
"Behave yourself here," said the faculty member. She then turned around and closed the door behind her, leaving Koharu on her own devices. She pulled out her phone and checked the young hour, with her chest supplanted by suffocation.
'What is this room? Why is she here at this time of the day? Why should she stay here alone?'
Then Koharu remembered.
She stood still for a while, motionless, then in her silence she walked toward an empty chair and sat before the desk. She did not truly believe in God, nor the Buddha, nor any higher being above her.
Yet, if her being here would alleviate Tomoko's burden somehow, if being here would have Tomoko recover faster, and if being here would make Tomoko healthy again, then she would spend her time heras long as she could if she had to. With both hands clasped together, as if she was praying, she kept that feeling close into her heart and prayed.
It did not matter if she was clumsy, or if she did not have the rights to, or if she did not have the purest of intentions. She had to, she needed to, pray with all she had. Her entire body was shivering as every hair in her body stood up. Her eyes were full of tears and her face was filled with delirium. No matter who she had prayed to, be it God, Buddha, or some other being, as long as Tomoko was healthy again.
As long as her sins could be forgiven.