It’s an epilogue. Depending on the person, it might be better not to read it.
Please be cautious.
When the light settled, we were there.
“…Wow, it’s not a forest outside the window.”
Hagasaki, looking out the window, muttered with deep emotion.
“Did we…come back?”
The school building was enveloped in cheers, and the teachers, puzzled by what had happened, were tilting their heads.
…It seems we returned almost without any time difference.
The clock was pointing just past 5 PM.
The time was unchanged from when we were transported to that other world.
Then, with a flurry of activity, Katori, Hariu, and Kadomi entered the lab shortly after, followed by Toriumi and Kariya running in.
“…The atmosphere is different, huh?”
Kadomi looked around the lab with deep emotion.
Indeed, the loom that Maito used, the futons, the cooking utensils… they were all gone.
We were wearing our school uniforms for the first time in months. I never thought I’d feel nostalgic for the uniform I had gotten tired of wearing every day.
“We’ve really come back, haven’t we?”
Katori also went to look outside the window.
“Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when power lines would make me feel nostalgic.”
Hariu, standing next to him, excitedly looked outside as well.
“Eh, I want to see the power lines too.”
“Ah, I’ll take a look too… wow, they really are power lines.”
…Everyone, somewhat forcing cheerfulness, frolicked about, and then, shortly after, came to this conclusion.
“…So, where’s Maito?”
I thought maybe she got caught up with Akashi from the drama club, but even then, it was taking too long.
“Could it be that she messed something up?”
Hagasaki held his head. I wanted to do the same.
“No, rather, it’s probably… related to the compass pointing towards Maito.”
That’s right.
…I should have resolved that more thoroughly.
For better or for worse, she wasn’t normal.
But, even here, it shouldn’t matter if she’s not normal.
“…Shall we search?”
“Yeah, I’ll go check around the gym.”
Eventually, Kadomi and Hariu left the lab.
They couldn’t stand still anymore.
“Then, I’ll check around the entrance.”
“I’ll go to the 3rd floor.”
“Ah, then I’ll check around the nurse’s office and such.”
Katori, Toriumi, and Kariya also left.
“…What about us? Should we go too?”
Hagasaki didn’t move.
“…No, let’s wait. If Maito comes back, it’ll be here.”
President also stayed put.
We were here when we were transported to that world.
So, if Maito was to come back, it would be here.
“She wasn’t there…”
After a while, everyone returned, disheartened.
“…Could it be that Maito, alone… stayed in that world?”
“Stop, please stop…”
The more tender-hearted among us started to sniffle.
I couldn’t bear it anymore and stood up. It seems I’m more impatient than I thought.
…Wandering aimlessly around the lab, I noticed bags piled up in the corner.
It was our habit to place everyone’s bags there before starting club activities.
Among them, was Maito’s bag.
And inside it, a neatly folded uniform.
…It became clear that Maito had been left behind.
As the time for students to leave school approached.
“Hey, you guys, start cleaning up―… woah!? Eh, what happened!? Why are you crying!?”
The club advisor teacher came into the lab, surprised.
“Everyone’s acting strange today… Did something happen?”
…We looked at each other.
The teacher didn’t know.
He didn’t know what we did in that world, what happened there.
He didn’t know how much we supported that guy, and how much she supported us.
“Teacher, do you want to hear about it?”
The desire to tell someone was my own sentimentality.
“…Yeah, let’s hear it.”
But it wasn’t just me who was getting sentimental.
As I started to talk, little by little, everyone else began to chime in, and eventually, it turned into a situation where we were all sharing the story together.
We told the teacher about our experiences in the other world as if sorting out our own feelings.
Perhaps sensing something extraordinary, the teacher stayed with us even after the end of the school day had passed.
“I understand. …So, about Maito… um, sorry, I don’t remember that kid… But, I understand you’re waiting for her. However, it’s time to go home. It’s already past 7:30.”
After we had finished telling our story, the teacher said this.
The teacher didn’t remember Maito.
Maybe only we remember her.
“Just a little longer…”
Hariu, still slumped over the desk, didn’t move.
…No, no one seemed ready to leave their seat.
“…Teacher, we stayed until 8 PM before the science fair, remember? Can’t we wait a little longer?”
When President said this, the teacher looked troubled and pondered for a moment.
“…I, uh, left a notebook in the staff room. I’ll go get it. You guys should be gone by the time I’m back.”
With a wry smile, the teacher left the lab.
…I was grateful for such an accommodating teacher.
There was no way we could go home feeling like this.
The clock hands moved.
It was nearly 8 PM.
“…Shouldn’t we be going soon? It wouldn’t be good to stay much longer.”
Kariya said this uncertainly, to no one in particular.
“No way.”
His sharp refusal cut through the air, and after casting his gaze around without finding a place to rest, he muttered an apology to no one in particular.
“…I’m going home.”
Hagasaki stood up and walked towards his bag.
“Hagasaki-kun.”
“I! …I’m not satisfied either! But what do you want me to do!?”
Hariu’s reprimanding tone was met with Hagasaki’s outburst.
After shouting, Hagasaki seemed to realize he was lashing out and awkwardly looked around.
“…Sorry.”
“No…”
Understanding each other’s feelings, we all felt awkward as time simply passed.
Hagasaki, who said he would go home, stayed put.
…Maybe he just wanted someone to stop him.
“But let’s go home now. Then we’ll eat, sleep, and come back tomorrow morning. …Otherwise, Maito might get angry, right?”
Katori pulled Hariu away from the desk.
“Yeah, it feels like Maito would scold us if we kept waiting…”
At that moment, for some reason, we were all drawn to the door leading to the chemical storage.
It seemed like everyone felt the same.
Silently, we all watched the door.
…Then, without any apparent reason, it suddenly opened.
“I’m back.”
And just like that, she appeared… no, returned.
“Welcome back.”
…It was so unexpected that all we could say was, “Welcome back.”
That was all we managed to say.
But it seemed to make her happy.
With a relieved smile, Maito said “I’m back” once more.
