Two weeks had passed since the entrance ceremony. The cherry blossoms had nearly all fallen, and the fresh green around the Kasumigaoka housing complex was deepening. The riverbed of the Nishina River, too, gleamed verdant under the spring sunlight. 紗彩(さあや) sat at the table, positioned beside Rimoto. Dinner had been cleared away, and it was past 8 PM. The kitchen bulb cast a faint glow over their hands. "I don't get this part again." Rimoto set down his pencil. An arithmetic worksheet. Addition with carrying. 紗彩(さあや) leaned in to look. In the column for 8 + 6, Rimoto had written "13." "It's 14. When you add 8 and 6——" "I know, I know!" His voice cut her off. Rimoto erased the number hard with his eraser. Over and over. The corner of the worksheet was starting to tear. 紗彩(さあや) opened her mouth to say "take your time," then stopped. (I said the same thing earlier. And still, he's frustrated again.) Every time she tried to teach patiently, Rimoto only grew more anxious. She honestly didn't know what to do. She'd tried the method of counting with blocks on her fingers. She'd even drawn pictures to visualize it. But Rimoto's face remained tense. "That's enough!" He pulled back his chair and stood. The worksheet caught the air and slid off the edge of the table. "Rimoto——" "I'm tired today." With only that, he walked toward his room. His small back disappeared around the corner of the hallway. 紗彩(さあや) remained alone before the table. She picked up the worksheet. 8 + 6, 9 + 7, 7 + 8. Every answer was wrong by just a little. He hadn't quite grasped the concept of carrying yet. (Maybe my teaching method is wrong.) The moment that thought surfaced, a flood of other thoughts rushed in. If only he could go to cram school. If only she could afford a tutoring service for after school. But that cost tens of thousands of yen a month. With a take-home of 140,000 yen, after rent and food, there was almost nothing left. (If I had money, I could do better by him.) The instant that thought appeared, 紗彩(さあや) felt disgust with herself. She didn't want to blame it on money. But the reality was there. The laughter of kindergarteners spread beneath the large zelkova tree. Morning time at Komorebi Nursery School. 紗彩(さあや) watched the five-year-old class playing outside, but her mind was still caught on last night. After putting Rimoto to bed, she'd stared at that worksheet for hours. In the end, she'd found no answer. "紗彩(さあや), what's wrong?" Horikawa Setsuko had come to stand beside her. The sixty-two-year-old director, with her salt-and-pepper short hair, looked perfectly natural in her apron. Her eyes were always calm, and today they looked straight at 紗彩(さあや)'s face. "Oh... sorry, I was spacing out." "The children are over there, so it's fine. Is something on your mind?" She hesitated for a moment. But she always ended up telling this woman the truth. "Rimoto is... struggling with arithmetic. No matter how many times I teach him, it doesn't seem to get through." "I see. Is it carrying, or something earlier in the process?" "Carrying. I've started to not understand how to teach it myself..." Horikawa nodded and thought for a moment. The zelkova leaves swayed in the wind, and the dappled sunlight moved slowly. "You don't have to carry it all alone. Why not talk to his homeroom teacher?" At those words, 紗彩(さあや) felt a little uncertain. "But... wouldn't that be a bother to the teacher?" "A bother? That's their job." Horikawa turned to face her. There was nothing accusatory in her eyes. "You always hold back too much. I think it would be good for you to learn to ask for help a little more." "... Yes." She couldn't quite respond properly. But Horikawa's words fell straight into the depths of her chest. In the afternoon, when the children went down for their nap and the nursery room grew quiet, 紗彩(さあや) looked at the sky through the hallway window. White clouds drifted slowly across the blue. Beneath this sky lay Kasumigaoka Elementary School. Rimoto was in class right now. Kitazawa was watching each student carefully. (I'll consult with Kitazawa-sensei.) She decided. And at the same moment, something strange stirred in her chest. She'd only decided to ask for advice, yet somehow she felt unsettled. Her cheeks felt slightly warm. (What am I thinking?) It was for Rimoto. That was all. And yet, when she remembered Kitazawa's voice——that quiet, earnest voice——her breathing somehow became a little uneven. 紗彩(さあや) placed her hand on the window frame of the hallway and turned her gaze back to the sky. The shape of the clouds had changed without her noticing. After coming home, 紗彩(さあや) couldn't bring herself to make the call. While preparing dinner in the kitchen, she picked up her smartphone several times and set it down again. The number for Kasumigaoka Elementary was in the school distribution app "Manabi Connect." She only had to open it. And yet, she couldn't seem to take that final step. (What if he thinks it's strange? Calling about something like this?) Rimoto hadn't come home from after-school care yet. In the quiet 2DK apartment, only the sound of the stove echoed. The evening sun streaming through the south-facing balcony cast a long, thin shadow across the flooring. She opened Manabi Connect. She tapped the phone number. The phone rang three times. "Yes, Kasumigaoka Elementary School." It was the reception desk. 紗彩(さあや) straightened her posture slightly. "[serious]Um, could you please transfer me to Kitazawa-sensei from Class 3-2? This is Rimoto's mother." "One moment, please." Hold music. 紗彩(さあや) held the receiver and looked out toward the balcony. The riverbed of the Nishina River was dyed orange. Kitazawa's classroom, too, was bathed in that same evening sun right now. "Thank you for calling. This is Kitazawa." The moment she heard his voice, something leaped in her chest. A low, composed voice. "[serious]This is Rimoto's mother, 紗彩(さあや). I'm sorry to call so suddenly." "No, it's fine. What can I help you with?" "Rimoto is... struggling with carrying in arithmetic. I've been trying to teach him at home, but it's not going well... I was hoping I could consult with you about it." Her words faltered a little. She wasn't sure if she'd explained it well. But Kitazawa answered immediately. "I understand. How about tomorrow after school, at 4 PM? We can talk in the classroom." It was instant. No hesitation. "... Thank you so much. I appreciate it." She hung up. Her heart was pounding clearly. This was wrong. She'd only made an appointment to consult. She was only going to meet the teacher about Rimoto. So why was she—— The front door opened. "I'm home!" Rimoto burst in, still wearing his backpack. His face showed none of last night's irritation. His cheeks were slightly flushed from playing with friends at after-school care. 紗彩(さあや) pushed the phone call to the back of her mind and returned to preparing dinner. After the meal, once Rimoto had brushed his teeth and changed into his pajamas, 紗彩(さあや) sat on the edge of his bed. "Rimoto, tomorrow I'm going to talk to your teacher, okay?" "Your teacher... Kitazawa-sensei?" "Yes. I thought we'd have him help us think about arithmetic." Rimoto was quiet for a moment under the covers. Perhaps he was remembering last night. That night when he'd left the table and gone to his room. "... Will I get in trouble?" "You won't get in trouble." "Really?" "Kitazawa-sensei doesn't get angry, I think. He's a teacher who really thinks things through." Rimoto stared at the ceiling for a while. 紗彩(さあや) sat beside him and waited. "... Then, Mom, do your best." It was a small, mumbled voice. But he'd definitely said it. Something warm bloomed in 紗彩(さあや)'s chest. (Do your best, huh?) This child always said something important at the crucial moment. Holding back tears, 紗彩(さあや) gently stroked Rimoto's head. His soft black hair fit perfectly in her palm. "Yes, I'll do my best." Rimoto closed his eyes. Soon his breathing deepened into sleep. Children fell asleep so quickly. 紗彩(さあや) watched his sleeping face for a while. Round cheeks. A small nose. His eyelashes trembling faintly. She had to speak properly for this child's sake. She knew that. But——Kitazawa's voice echoed in her mind again. "How about tomorrow after school, at 4 PM?" That unhesitating way of responding. She returned to the living room and sat on the sofa. The night of the Nishina River spread beyond the window. On the other side was Kitazawa's apartment. The Minagi district. Beyond the river. On a night like this, what was he doing? (Why am I thinking about that?) 紗彩(さあや) shook her head. What should she say at tomorrow's meeting? Where exactly was Rimoto struggling with arithmetic? What kind of practice had she been doing at home? When did Rimoto resist? There were things she needed to organize. She took out a memo and began to write. ——Many mistakes with addition that requires carrying. ——Tried teaching with blocks and fingers at home, but even if he understands in the moment, he forgets by the next day. ——Gets emotional when he's anxious. As she wrote, she felt a little calmer. Organizing Rimoto's struggles showed her that she had been observing him carefully. At least that much, she was doing right. She took a deep breath. (I'll speak properly tomorrow. For Rimoto's sake.) Beyond the window, across the river, the city lights spread in scattered points. A quiet night. Somewhere in the Kasumigaoka housing complex, a window still had its light on. Someone was still awake. Just knowing that somehow felt reassuring. 紗彩(さあや) folded the memo and tucked it into her pouch. Tomorrow after school. In the 3-2 classroom. That room where the Nishina River was visible from the window. At the time when the evening sun streamed in, she would face Kitazawa. (It'll be fine. It has to be fine.) She told herself that. But beneath those words, a small flutter of excitement remained, and——紗彩(さあや) couldn't quite pretend not to notice it.