Final Chapter: Hello, Goodbye
That day, Sakuta Azusagawa stood in front of Minehara High School's gate, dressed in a suit. It was Monday, May 13th, and the weather was clear.
The time was 7:50 AM. Since it was early morning, there was no one else around. In about thirty minutes, morning assembly would start, and Minehara High School would be bustling with students.
Sakuta entered the gate, savoring the moment as he stepped onto campus, alone.
With every step along the path to the school building, he felt a sense of nostalgia.
Three years had passed since Sakuta graduated from Minehara High School. This was his fourth spring since enrolling in university.
As he approached the school building, he could hear the basketball team practicing in the gym, the rhythmic sound of bouncing balls, and the squeak of shoes on the court.
Hearing those sounds, he made his way to the faculty entrance, removed his uncomfortable dress shoes, put on indoor slippers, and climbed the stairs.
Following his memory of his high school days, he made his way to the faculty room, where a sign hung over the door.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.
"Good morning. My name is Sakuta Azusagawa, and I'll be working as a student teacher starting today. I look forward to working with all of you."
He greeted the entire room, loud enough for everyone to hear. The teachers turned to look at him, though most soon returned to their work.
One teacher in the back, however, raised his head.
"Oh, Azusagawa, you're here."
The teacher, who had been Sakuta's homeroom teacher for two consecutive years in high school, was now calling him over.
Sakuta approached his old teacher.
"I'm teaching math, though you're an English teacher, right?"
"The math teacher, Atsugi, doesn't have a homeroom. Go to my homeroom, Class 3-1, during assembly."
The teacher explained.
"Understood."
"I didn't expect you'd come back as a student teacher, Azusagawa."
The male teacher sat back, gazing up at Sakuta with a nostalgic expression.
"Are you surprised, Sensei?"
"No, I had a feeling you'd be back."
He smiled proudly.
"Azusagawa, do you have any special requests?"
"If possible, I'd like to be a club advisor."
"Which club would you like?"
"If it's still around, I'd like to join the Biology Club."
"It's still active. We can discuss it later."
The teacher replied, handing Sakuta the Class 3-1 attendance book.
"Understood," Sakuta replied as he took it.
When the homeroom period started, Sakuta was introduced as the student teacher, and he introduced himself to the class.
"My name is Sakuta Azusagawa. I'll be teaching math, but I'll only be with you during homeroom. Like you, I graduated from Minehara High School, so let's work well together."
As Sakuta spoke from the front of the classroom, the students gave a round of applause filled with an excited energy.
There were thirty-five students in the class, most of whom looked at him with curiosity, though a few pretended to be uninterested.
In the front row sat someone familiar—Shoko, now in her third year. She smiled warmly, welcoming Sakuta.
"Mr. Azusagawa, may I ask a question?"
As the applause faded, a student in the back raised his hand, a smiling boy who looked like the class clown. Sakuta glanced at the homeroom teacher for permission, and with a nod and an "okay" gesture, the teacher indicated it was fine.
"What's your question?"
Sakuta encouraged him, already guessing what the student would ask. After all, most students at this school probably knew who Sakuta was dating.
"Is it true you're dating Mai Sakurajima?"
The question was just as he expected, and Sakuta couldn't help but grin. The entire class watched him, some with mischievous glints in their eyes, while others looked on with pure curiosity.
Only Shoko in the front row gave him a "you're impossible" expression.
"It's true."
After a brief pause, he admitted it, and the classroom exploded with excitement. "That's amazing!" "No way!" The boys were thrilled, and the girls let out gasps and squeals. As a student teacher, it was a memorable start.
"All right, settle down."
Despite the teacher's call for calm, the classroom remained lively for quite a while.
The nostalgic sound of the bell signaled the end of homeroom. Sakuta and the homeroom teacher left the still-bustling classroom, heading to the first class. Just then, footsteps approached from behind.
"Sakuta-san."
Someone called his name, and of course, it was Shoko.
"Oh, should I call you 'Mr. Sakuta' instead?"
She stuck out her tongue playfully, correcting herself.
"Maybe start with 'Mr. Azusagawa'?" he suggested.
Though Sakuta corrected her, Shoko just laughed it off, showing no intention of changing to "Mr. Azusagawa."
"Do you know each other?" the homeroom teacher asked, looking at the two of them with a surprised expression.
"We're close," Shoko replied, with a tone that suggested something more, causing the teacher to look confused for a moment.
"Then, you're aware of Makinohara's condition?"
The teacher suddenly remembered something important and asked.
"Yes," Sakuta replied briefly.
"Good. Makinohara is the president of the Biology Club, so you can speak with her about that matter from earlier."
"About what?" Shoko turned to Sakuta, intrigued.
"I wanted to experience being an advisor in the Biology Club."
"I was hoping you'd join as well," she replied.
"I didn't expect you to be the club president, Makinohara."
Sakuta's reaction made Shoko smile mischievously.
"I've been keeping it a secret just for this moment."
After finishing the sixth period, holding a homeroom session, and visiting the Biology Club, Sakuta's first day as a student teacher wrapped up around 5 PM, with the sky turning orange with the sunset.
After bidding farewell to Shoko and the other club members, Sakuta went to the faculty room to write his daily report, and by the time he finally left the school, it was past 6 PM.
The path to Shichirigahama Station was now devoid of students, allowing Sakuta to savor the feeling of having the school to himself as he walked alone. He took the Enoden back to Fujisawa, the same train line he'd taken throughout high school.
At Fujisawa Station, he joined the throng passing through the ticket gate. In addition to local residents, there were tourists at this hour.
Leaving the Enoden station, he made his way toward the north exit. On the elevated walkway, he noticed the lights of the electronics store when suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind, covering his eyes.
"Guess who!"
A familiar female voice spoke up.
"Is it Himeji-san?"
"Wrong!" The voice sounded delighted. The hands moved away, and when he turned around, he saw Sara, dressed fashionably.
"The correct answer is the newly-minted college girl, Himeji Sara," she announced, clapping excitedly.
Tomoe was standing behind her as well.
"Long time no see, you two."
"It's been two months since you quit the restaurant job, right? I think we last saw you at your farewell party. You've gotten older, Sakuta-senpai."
Tomoe looked him up and down, observing him in his suit, and giggled.
"Koga, you'll be looking for jobs next year, so make sure to prepare."
"Prepare for what?"
"To avoid looking like you're celebrating the Seven-Five-Three Festival," he joked.
"That's ridiculous."
Tomoe brushed it off with a laugh, though Sara jumped in with a different take.
"If it's Koga-senpai, it might actually happen. She was mistaken for a first-year today and recruited by a club."
Sara teased with a grin.
"That's because I was with you!"
Tomoe protested, insisting it wasn't her fault.
"Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what you wear next year."
"Then I'll be sure to avoid seeing you in a suit, Senpai."
"I'll send you a picture," Sara whispered.
"By the way, I'm surprised you and Koga went to the same women's university."
"It's a great place to study childcare."
"That's surprising too."
"Mr. Azusagawa, do you think I can't survive without guys to dote on me?"
"Not exactly," he admitted with a sheepish grin.
"I don't mind that the university doesn't have guys, since I have plenty at mixers."
She responded nonchalantly.
"Oh, but yesterday, Koga-senpai was more popular."
Sara glanced at Tomoe mischievously.
"Oh?"
"It wasn't a mixer! It was a traditional exchange event with another school!" Tomoe tried to explain.
"Didn't several people ask for your contact info?"
"They did…"
"It's just for future collaboration at school events…"
Tomoe trailed off, sounding embarrassed.
"I have to go to work now, see you!"
"Ah, wait, I need to go too!"
Sara ran after Tomoe, who had quickly walked off. But then Sara stopped as if she'd remembered something.
"Oh, did you hear about it from Dr. Futaba?"
"Hear what?"
"It seems like Take finally confessed to Dr. Futaba again."
"That's great news. I was just heading to the tutoring center."
"See you later," Sara said with a wave before she finally ran off to catch up with Tomoe.
Inside the tutoring center, students who had just finished classes gathered in the free space, chatting and laughing. A group of girls excitedly discussed new boyfriends and relationships.
"Oh, Azusagawa, looking sharp in that suit!"
The head of the tutoring center greeted Sakuta as he bought a can of coffee from a vending machine.
"I'm starting my teaching internship today."
"If you don't get the teaching position, you're welcome to work here."
"I'll do my best to avoid needing that backup plan," Sakuta replied with a grin, prompting the director to laugh as he headed back to the staff room.
Just then, a tutor wearing a white jacket emerged from one of the classrooms, handing off to the director. It seemed her class had just ended.
"Futaba."
As soon as Sakuta called her, Rio's eyes found him.
"So, you've started your internship today?"
She took in his outfit, understanding right away.
"Shoko contacted me earlier."
"What did she say?"
"She mentioned that your introduction was a big hit."
"Not bad for the first day, right?"
"If Shoko's happy, then that's what matters, isn't it?"
Rio moved to the vending machine, bought a bottle of coffee latte, and took a sip.
"Oh, by the way, Futaba."
"What is it?"
"Is there something you wanted to tell me?"
"Not really."
She averted her gaze, clearly hiding something.
"Toranosuke confessed to you again, didn't he?"
"…"
Rio gave him a sharp look, but her expression also held a hint of embarrassment, so it lacked any real force.
"I was worried about what would happen when he got sick on exam day and didn't get into his first-choice university. Luckily, he decided to re-take the exam and got into the school he wanted."
Sakuta truly hadn't known what to say when he heard Toranosuke hadn't passed initially. Given that Toranosuke had received the highest "A" rating on his mock exams, Sakuta felt relieved when he managed to get in after retaking the test.
"Have you responded to Toranosuke?"
"We had lunch together, at least."
She replied softly.
"Where?"
"The university cafeteria," she murmured, her voice almost a whisper.
"If you're dating, you could go somewhere nicer…"
"I agreed to go to Tsukuba with him next time."
She admitted this while looking off to the side.
"What's in Tsukuba?"
"I want him to take me to the Space Center."
"Sounds fun. Maybe I'll tag along."
"…."
Rio shot him a genuine icy glare.
"Just kidding."
"Ugh…"
She sighed deeply.
"Hey, Azusagawa…"
"Yeah?"
"Maybe it's time to give him a proper response on the third date?"
Rio's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red as she turned away.
"Seems about right," he agreed.
Knowing that Toranosuke had been interested in Rio for two years, Sakuta figured she could afford to take her time without worrying too much. But he kept that thought to himself.
The week passed, and on Monday, May 20, Sakuta woke up with Nasuno clawing at his face. When he stepped out of his room, he found Kaede making breakfast, with the smell of toast filling the living room.
"Oh, good morning, Brother."
"Good morning."
"You're off from your internship today and headed to university, right?"
"Yeah."
Sakuta took a sip of the coffee Kaede had made.
"Auntie Nodoka said she'd drive me when she leaves for work. Do you want to come along?"
"Sure, I have something I'd like to discuss with Toyohama, anyway."
Sakuta answered, taking a bite of toast.
Their ride to the university went smoothly, with Nodoka at the wheel. Kaede sat in the front seat while Sakuta sat in the back. The car was actually Mai's, though she wasn't there with them.
"Hey, Toyohama…"
"What's up?"
As they paused at a red light, Sakuta spoke up from the back seat.
"Is it true that Sweet Bullet will have a concert at Budokan?"
"Yeah."
Nodoka replied, her voice somewhat tentative.
"It was trending online yesterday."
"I've dreamed about this moment for a long time… It's finally coming true."
"Congratulations, Ms. Toyohama!" Kaede added from the front seat.
"Thanks. But it's also our farewell concert, so it's bittersweet."
Nodoka's subdued excitement was due to the fact that the concert would mark the group's disbandment.
"Oh, I'm definitely happy, though!" she said brightly before the mood could turn too heavy.
"So, what will you do after graduating from being an idol?"
"I think I'll head back home for now."
Nodoka's voice held a note of resolve.
"After being away for so long, it's about time. And, hey, say congratulations to Uzuki for me, too."
"You should tell her yourself."
The light turned green, and they continued.
"You're right."
Sakuta pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Uzuki.
"Congratulations on your concert at Budokan."
He hit send, and Uzuki's reply came almost immediately.
"I'll work to be as legendary as the grand champions at the Budokan!"
"Uzuki's gotten better at this," he muttered, amused.
"What are you talking about, Brother?"
Sakuta hadn't had a chance to explain when his phone rang—it was a video call from Uzuki.
He answered, and her face filled the screen.
"Uzuki, what's up? You're way too close to the camera."
"Make sure you come to the Budokan concert!"
Uzuki pulled back a little. She appeared to be in a car as well.
"If I can get tickets, I'll be there."
"You better! Here, say hi to Mom."
The screen shifted to the driver's seat, where Uzuki's mother was behind the wheel. "Stop bothering me while I'm driving!" she said, and the call abruptly ended.
"Classic Uzuki."
She never held back, regardless of the circumstances.
"Kind of funny, though," Nodoka said, actually laughing.
"Are you that happy?"
"I couldn't help but laugh when I heard you say 'trending.'"
Nodoka's laughter grew louder.
"True," Kaede chuckled from the passenger seat.
Nodoka dropped them off near Kanazawa-Hakkei Station about fifteen minutes before Sakuta's second class.
"Thank you, Ms. Toyohama."
Sakuta and Kaede waved as Nodoka drove away, and they leisurely walked toward the university.
Entering the campus, Sakuta spotted a familiar face up ahead.
"Good morning, Komi!"
Kaede called as she jogged up to her childhood friend, Kotomi.
"Good morning, Kaede. Good morning, Sakuta-san."
Kotomi also noticed him behind Kaede and gave him a polite bow.
"Good morning."
The three walked together along the tree-lined path.
"Did you finish your English assignment, Komi?"
"Not yet. Shall we work on it together today, Kaede?"
"Thanks for saving me!"
They continued chatting about class as they headed toward the main building. Since Sakuta's lab was in the other direction, they said their goodbyes there.
"I'm off to the lab."
"Alright. See you later."
Kotomi bowed politely once again as she and Kaede continued toward the main building. "You could be more casual with my brother…" "No way." "Why not?" they joked as they walked away.
Sakuta spent about an hour discussing his graduation thesis with his advisor in the research building before heading to the school cafeteria for lunch.
He planned to grab lunch during his break.
It seemed he wasn't the only one with this idea; at the cafeteria entrance, he ran into a familiar face.
"Azusagawa, what are you doing here? How's the teaching internship?"
It was Takumi Fukuyama, a fellow student in the Statistics program.
"Got the day off," Sakuta replied, and they walked into the cafeteria together.
"Nothing else to do, so you came to campus?"
"I came to confirm my thesis topic with my professor."
Sakuta ordered a Yokoi-cho rice bowl, and Takumi, standing behind him, told the cafeteria staff, "I'll have the same."
With their food in hand, Sakuta found a seat by the large windows, and Takumi took the seat across from him.
"What's your thesis about, Azusagawa?"
"'Universal Values Seen Through Social Media Comments: Their Relevance and Location in the Present.'"
"In simple terms?"
"What kind of people are we, collectively?"
"...Sounds like no easy task."
"That's why my professor told me to narrow it down."
"How so?"
Takumi asked as he took a bite of rice and sweet-spicy pork.
"I decided to focus on the universal values of teenagers, so my topic got approved."
"Got it. Sounds like a challenge, though."
"What about you, Fukuyama? What brings you here today?"
"Same—working on my thesis. I'm looking up references in the computer lab."
They continued talking as they quickly finished their easy-to-eat rice bowls.
Sakuta got a cup of tea from the drink station, took a sip, and returned to his seat.
"Oh, by the way, Azusagawa."
Takumi suddenly looked a bit more serious.
"What's with that face? Did your girlfriend dump you? Tough break."
"She did not dump me!"
"Then what is it?"
"I've decided to take a job in Hokkaido."
Hearing this, Sakuta remembered that Takumi was a senior.
"What kind of job and company?"
"I'll be working in the research department of a TV station. I'll be collaborating with outside firms to analyze viewership and audience satisfaction."
"Isn't that a little risky?"
"Why?"
"Your girlfriend works at that TV station as an announcer, right? She started last year."
"I was a little concerned too, so I asked her about it. She just said, 'What? I'm not in Tokyo, so it's obviously fine.'"
"Well, congratulations on landing the job."
Sakuta raised his tea cup.
Takumi raised his plastic cup, and they clinked them together.
"So, after graduation, we won't see each other much."
"Don't worry. Even if you stayed here, it'd probably be the same after graduation."
"Yeah, you're right."
The cafeteria entrance grew noisy as the second period ended, and students started filing in for lunch.
Without needing to say a word, Sakuta and Takumi picked up their trays, returned them to the collection area, and left the cafeteria before the crowd fully arrived.
"What are you up to next, Azusagawa?"
"I'm planning to look for reference materials for my thesis."
"Looks like we're headed the same way."
Together, they walked to the library.
Around 3 PM, Takumi said, "I've got work," and left, while Sakuta continued to gather materials for his thesis.
By the time he realized it, the sky was already darkening.
After printing the necessary papers, he left the campus before sunset.
He walked alone down the familiar road to the station.
As it was some time after the fourth period had ended, there were barely any students around.
It took only about three minutes to reach the station.
He passed through the ticket gate, climbed the stairs to the platform, and saw a familiar face waiting for the train.
Though there was no one else in line, Ikumi Akagi stood precisely aligned with the boarding mark on the platform. She sensed Sakuta's presence and glanced at him briefly before looking back straight ahead.
With a slight smile, Sakuta stood next to her.
"Long time no see."
"There are other spots to stand, you know."
She gestured to the other empty spaces around the boarding line.
"Are there a lot of practical internships for fourth-year nursing students?"
Sakuta ignored her comment and struck up a conversation.
It had been about a year since they last saw each other. Nursing students usually had separate classes starting in their second year, so it was rare to run into them on campus.
"It's about half the curriculum."
She replied in a flat, somewhat annoyed tone.
"Do you wear a nurse's uniform?"
"I do."
"Oh, I see…"
"Want to see?"
She asked him with a sidelong glance, unexpectedly teasing him as she held her phone in her hand.
"Absolutely."
"Here, take a look."
She held up her phone screen to show him.
The photo displayed was indeed of a nursing student in a practice uniform. However, it wasn't Ikumi.
"Why is this a picture of Kamisato?"
"Because I don't have any of myself."
Her response was completely matter-of-fact.
It was true—Sakuta could hardly imagine Ikumi taking a selfie in excitement over her first time wearing a nurse's uniform.
"She said she went to the amusement park with her firefighter boyfriend last week."
Ikumi showed him a photo that Kamisato had sent via messaging app. In the picture, Kamisato was wearing a pair of theme park mascot ears and eating popcorn with Yuuma.
"She didn't mention you?"
"We were all in the same class in high school, weren't we?"
"So, how have you been, Akagi?"
"What do you mean?"
She pretended not to understand.
"Any new boyfriend? Or are you back with anyone?"
"Nothing in particular."
A vague response, neither confirming nor denying.
"Well, ordinary is best."
"What about you, Azusagawa?"
"I'm doing great."
"That's truly the best."
The train arrived—a rapid service bound for Haneda Airport.
Ikumi took a step into the car with a faint smile on her face.
After transferring trains at Yokohama Station, Sakuta said goodbye to Ikumi and took the Tokaido Line back to Fujisawa.
Around 6:30 PM, the area around the station was bustling with commuters and students. People were transferring from the Odakyu Line to the JR Line, and vice versa.
Sakuta joined the crowd headed outside and exited through the north gate.
There was nothing else planned for the day.
Now, all that remained was to go home.
Passing by the electronics store, he left the busy station area, descended the elevated walkway, crossed a nearby intersection, and walked over the bridge above the Sakai River. By then, everything around him had fallen quiet.
He strolled up the gentle slope, and a van passed him. It was a white van—Mai's manager's car.
The brake lights came on as the car stopped about twenty meters ahead.
The door opened, and Mai stepped out from the back seat.
She exchanged a few words with the driver, then closed the door, leaving Mai behind as the car pulled away.
Sakuta was now close enough to greet her.
"Welcome home, Mai-san."
"I'm back. And welcome home to you too, Sakuta."
They began walking side by side.
"How's filming going for the Taiga drama?"
"Very well. The cast is strong, the crew is reliable, and the shooting schedule is solid. I'm booked from Monday through Friday."
Mai said it in a matter-of-fact tone.
"You sound happy."
"It's fulfilling, but it's a shame I had to take another year off from college."
"Maybe I should stay back another year too."
"You're graduating this year, remember? You're going to be a teacher, right?"
"If I pass the exams."
"You have to work hard on that part."
Mai said firmly, reminding him.
"Yes," Sakuta responded obediently, prompting Mai to smile with satisfaction.
"How's the teaching internship going?"
"The students call me 'Mr. Sakuta' and really admire me."
"Isn't that just their way of mocking you?" Mai laughed, teasing him.
"Thanks to dating you, Mai, I'm super popular."
"That's good to hear." Mai smiled again.
"Though they keep coming to me for relationship advice, which feels a little weird."
"Isn't that a good thing? You must be enjoying it."
"Well, yeah, I am," Sakuta admitted. He hadn't quite reached the same level of fulfillment that Mai felt, but he did have a positive outlook on his goal of becoming a teacher. There was definitely a sense of accomplishment in it for him.
"By the way, Mai, have you had dinner?"
"Not yet."
"Then I'll whip something up. Want to eat at my place?"
"Sure, let's cook something together."
Chatting about these everyday things, they headed toward the apartment building.
The next day, May 21st, marked the beginning of the midterm exams for the first semester.
Sakuta was tasked with distributing the exam papers.
As a proctor, he patrolled the classroom to prevent any cheating and listened to the soft sounds of mechanical pencils writing on answer sheets until the exam time ended.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.
"All right, time's up," Sakuta announced, collecting the completed answer sheets as they were passed forward from the back row.
This was a new experience for Sakuta, who had only ever been on the student side of exams before. Being in the teacher's role felt different from his one-on-one tutoring work at the prep school.
Today's exams covered English, Japanese, and Math.
The classroom, having just finished the third period, was filled with a mix of relief and exhaustion. Students expressed themselves with a variety of comments—"That went well," "I couldn't write anything," "I'm doomed…"—capturing the post-exam mood that hadn't changed since Sakuta's own high school days.
After the homeroom session, some students still lingered in the classroom, clearly avoiding the thought of tomorrow's exams.
"Better get home to study," Sakuta called out as he left the classroom, ignoring the groans of protest behind him.
He had his own tasks to complete. He needed to return to the staff room, fill out the daily report, and update the homeroom teacher on the day's events.
He walked briskly down the corridor.
In most of the classrooms, a few students remained behind, chatting away. However, he passed two classrooms that were completely empty.
Assuming the next one would also be empty, he was surprised to hear a voice.
"I told you, no one believes me…"
It sounded serious.
He peeked into the classroom and saw a female student sitting alone.
She was clearly talking, yet no one else was there.
"I want to fix it, too…"
She continued, seemingly talking to herself.
"Is everything okay?" Sakuta called out from the doorway, unable to suppress his curiosity.
"!"
The girl jumped in surprise.
She turned to look at him, momentarily frozen.
At that moment, a cheerful voice came from the hallway.
"Oh, bye, Mr. Sakuta!"
Four male students from Class 3-1 passed by, one after another. The lead student—the same one who had asked during his introduction, "Is it true you're dating Mai Sakurajima?"—noticed the girl standing alone in the classroom.
"Better not get involved with her," he whispered to Sakuta, "she claims she can see ghosts."
With that, the boys walked off, laughing, leaving Sakuta alone in the hallway.
Inside the classroom, the girl stood by herself.
"Oh… I'm the student teacher…"
"You're Mr. Azusagawa, right?" the girl said, her wary tone revealing her unease.
"Looks like you know me pretty well."
"You're famous around here."
"Because of Mai?"
She nodded silently.
"I heard you can see ghosts. Is that true?"
"Maybe it's best if you don't associate with me," she replied, clearly having overheard the boy's comment.
"But isn't there someone else in this classroom?" Sakuta asked.
"…Huh?"
She looked surprised, evidently taken aback by his remark.
"Can you see them, too?" she asked hesitantly.
"No, I can't. But I believe you."
The girl looked unsure, a bit bewildered as she gazed at him.
"If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"…."
She still seemed uncertain.
"I'll be here as a student teacher until next Wednesday."
"…."
She didn't respond, standing still as if she were contemplating something.
"That's all I wanted to say. Sorry for interrupting."
Sakuta turned to leave.
"Please, wait."
"…."
He turned back, and she stepped toward him.
"I'm Rin Ebina, from Class 2-1."
"I'm Sakuta Azusagawa. 'Azusagawa' as in Azusagawa Rest Area, and 'Sakuta' as in blossoming flowers."
"Can I… trust you?"
She looked at him with eyes filled with anxiety and doubt, but also a glimmer of hope and expectation.
"I believe in you."
He meant it sincerely, leaving the decision up to her.
She visibly relaxed a bit, her expression softening.
Sakuta left Minehara High School around 1 PM. The sun was high in the sky, and the warmth made wearing a suit slightly uncomfortable, so he removed his jacket and loosened his tie while waiting at the railroad crossing.
There were no students around.
With exams ending in the morning, everyone had already gone home.
The train passed by, and the crossing gates lifted.
He crossed a short bridge over a waterway, and Shichirigahama Station came into view. A single-track station with only one ticket gate, resembling a lone scarecrow.
He tapped his IC card to enter the station.
During school dismissal, the platform would normally be packed with students, but now it was empty.
Sakuta placed his belongings and jacket on a bench and stood waiting for the train.
The quiet, leisurely atmosphere made time seem to pass slowly.
After about ten minutes, the familiar sound of the crossing alarm filled the air.
Soon, the train pulled into the station.
It slowed to a stop, and the doors opened.
Sakuta picked up his belongings and jacket, preparing to board.
Just then, he caught sight of a familiar figure from the corner of his eye.
A woman with shoulder-length hair stepped off the train from a car further down.
Sakuta froze in place on the platform.
She was dressed in a familiar style: a long dress with a military jacket.
She looked to be about his age.
"Doors closing," the station attendant announced.
The train was headed for Fujisawa, the one he was supposed to take.
But Sakuta felt as if his feet were anchored to the platform, unable to move.
His legs wouldn't move at all.
Only his upper body could move.
Sakuta's gaze followed the shoulder-length-haired woman who had just stepped off the train.
Her figure was clear in his line of sight.
The train doors closed, and with a broadcast announcing its departure, it began to pull away from the platform.
The woman with shoulder-length hair seemed to notice his gaze and looked toward him.
Their eyes met.
Then, with a puzzled expression, she furrowed her brow slightly, as if wondering what was going on.
It was a natural reaction.
Only her hairstyle and clothing were similar.
The atmosphere she exuded was entirely different from the "her" Sakuta knew.
She also didn't have the beauty mark below her left eye.
"What's wrong? Do you know her?" asked a woman standing beside the shoulder-length-haired woman, looking at her with curiosity.
"No, I don't know him," the woman replied, breaking eye contact with Sakuta and tapping her IC card at the ticket gate as she left the station.
Sakuta no longer watched her as she walked away.
He felt no sense of disappointment, only an ironic smile at himself.
If "she" knew that he had mistaken someone else for her, she would surely laugh at him. No, she would definitely laugh. "Oh, you wanted to see me that badly?" she'd say, teasing him in that playful way of hers.
Sakuta could easily imagine the scene, and it made him smile wryly.
To cover for his mistake, he placed his belongings back on the bench. Since the train to Fujisawa had just left, the next one wouldn't come for another ten minutes or so.
While waiting, Sakuta took a pair of wireless earbuds from his jacket pocket. After carefully putting them on, he opened the music app on his phone.
With practiced movements, he selected a song from his favorites.
The artist was Touko Kirishima.
The song was called Turn The World Upside Down.
It was the final version of the song she had left behind before her departure.
A song imbued with all her feelings.
"She must be singing this song somewhere right now," he thought, the wry smile on his lips naturally transforming into a genuine one.
"Singing this song…"
Sakuta's finger pressed play.
I'm so glad to have met you.
Writing the final chapter of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai moved me deeply.
Speaking of which, I had faces on the ceiling of my childhood bedroom too.
The house where I grew up is gone now, but before it was torn down, I should've checked to see if the faces were still there.
Looking back, I don't have any particular memories of puberty being challenging. But that's probably just because I wasn't aware of it, caught in the whirlpool. From an objective standpoint, maybe it wasn't easy.
As an adult, I sometimes encounter movies, novels, and comics that I loved as a child and find myself wondering why they moved me so much back then. Perhaps it's like the "monster on the ceiling" metaphor. That's what I suddenly thought.
I'm thrilled to have been part of this work to the very end.
Thank you all.
Rascal Does Not Dream Series – Script Composition by Masahiro Yokotani
Director of Ao Buta's Message to the Author
I've forgotten my initial impression of the young man Sakuta Azusagawa, but after reading Yume-Miru, I must have found him intriguing.
I liked his attitude of "I don't care about the atmosphere!" Reflecting on my own student days, while I wasn't as outspoken as Sakuta, I remember feeling that "I just can't act like everyone else…" It was a wandering feeling, a reluctance to conform as a student, so I resonated with his stance of maintaining distance from those around him.
Perhaps that's why, though it was work, I was able to wholeheartedly commit to adapting Ao Buta into an anime. It has been a joy to handle this project for years.
During the production of the anime, we held script meetings called "beating sessions." Mr. Kamoshida attended every session and always faced Mr. Yokotani, the scriptwriter, and me with a smile, ready to answer all of our questions.
In a way, each week, we had what you, the readers, might envy—a private interview with Kamoshida-sensei himself. This was to ensure that we captured the finely detailed portrayals of Yume-Miru as accurately as possible for the anime adaptation.
It was like reading his climbing guidebook, describing how he climbed the north face of Everest without oxygen, while the rest of us tried to recreate his route to the summit. But each week, as we drafted the script, he had already reached the top, waiting for us at the summit. So, it was as if Kamoshida-sensei was both there and not there—he was our Schrodinger's Kamoshida.
Even though the Ao Buta novels are complete, Sakuta, Mai, and the others will surely continue living their lives.
And to the author who completed the Ao Buta series, Kamoshida-sensei, I offer these words:
"Kamoshida-sensei, congratulations on finishing Ao Buta. Thank you for bringing Ao Buta to the world. You've done an incredible job!"
…But wait, don't you think there's more to be said?
Wouldn't it be strange to leave it like this?
"What about the honeymoon?"
"What happened to Rio afterward?" Or, "I'd like to know what Tomoe's up to after graduation."
"Will Toyohama become a teacher?" "What path will Kaede take?" "And… what about Miori and Sakuta?"
Dear readers, don't you want to know what happens next?
I'm one of you.
Director of the Rascal Does Not Dream Series – Soichi Masui
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dear Friend
By Hajime Kamoshida
Dengeki Bunko
October 10, 2024
© Hajime Kamoshida 2024
Based on the original work:
Rascal Does Not Dream of Diaferando
First Edition – October 10, 2024
Publisher: Naohisa Yamashita
Published by KADOKAWA Corporation
Inquiries
. /(Select "Inquiries")
Please note that some inquiries may not be answered.
Service available only within Japan.
Japanese text only
Binding: Yuji Ogikubo (METAMANIERA)