tuationhavedevelopedifhehadfessedhislovetoSayokobeforeTakatsukihadfessedhis?TothisJunpeicouldfindnoanswer.Allheknewforsurewasthatsuchathingwouldneverhavehappened.

    Heheardthesoundoftearsfallingoami,anoddlymagnifiedsound.Foramoment,hewonderedifhewasgwithoutbeingawareofit.ButthenherealizedthatSayokowastheonewhowasg.Shehadhungherheadbetweenherknees,andnow,thoughshemadenosound,hershouldersweretrembling.

    Almostunsciously,hereachedoutandputahandonhershoulder.Thenhedrewhergentlytowardhim.Shedid.Heedhisarmsaroundherandpressedhislipstohers.Sheclosedhereyesaherlipspart.Junpeicaughtthestoftearsanddrewbreathfromhermouth.Hefeltthesoftnessofherbreastsagainsthim.Inside,hefeltsomekindofswitgofplaces.Heevehesounditmade—likejointscreaking.Butthatwasall.Asifregainingsciousness,Sayokomovedherfacebaddown,pushingJunpeiaway.

    "No,"shesaidquietly,shakingherhead."Wetdothis.Itswrong."

    Junpeiapologized.Sayokosaidnothing.Theyremaihatway,insilence,foralongtime.Thesoundofaradiocameinthroughtheopenwindow.Itularsong.Junpeiwassurethathewouldrememberittillthedayhedied.But,infact,tryashemightafterthat,hewasneverabletorecallthetitleorthemelody.

    "Youdonthavetoapologize,"Sayokosaid."Itsnotyourfault."

    "IthinkImfused,"Junpeisaidholy.

    SayokoreachedoutandlaidherhandonJunpeis."ebacktoschool,O.K.?Tomorrow?Iveneverhadafriendlikeyoubefore.Yougivemesomuch.Ihopeyourealizethat."

    "Somuch,butnotenough,"h