Chapter 02
The Mystery of Always Being in the Same Class
When they arrived at school, a special bulletin board had been set up in the schoolyard, and the students who had already come to school were gathered around it.
On the board were posted the names of all the students in each class, along with the names of their homeroom teachers.
Manami and Reiko hurried to find their own class.
“There it is—Class Three!”
Reiko was the first to spot her name.
Manami then searched through Reiko’s class list for her own name.
“See? I knew we’d be together again!”
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
The truth was, ever since elementary school, they had never once been placed in different classes. Neither of them had gone to kindergarten or preschool, so their first experience of school placement started with grade school. And from that very first year, they had always ended up together.
Why? Well, it all seemed to trace back to an incident Manami had caused when they first entered elementary school.
Back then, spirited little Manami simply couldn’t accept the idea of being separated from Reiko—the friend who had been by her side since she was three. When they were assigned to different classes, she flatly refused to accept it.
So, Manami would constantly wander over to Reiko’s class and sit right beside her, refusing to move.
Each time, the teacher would send her back to her own class, but soon enough, there she was again—back in Reiko’s seat.
One day, the exasperated teacher finally snapped:
“If you can’t listen to what the teacher says, then you don’t have to come to school at all!”
The moment Manami heard that, she declared, “Fine then—I’m going home!” and walked right out of the classroom.
Of course, shadowing her as always, Reiko stood up and said, “Me too! I’m going home with Manami!” and followed her.
The teacher assumed that, being children, they’d cool off and come back the next day. But they didn’t.
Nor did they come back the day after.
Worried, the teacher finally phoned Manami’s home. It was her father, Eijirō, who answered—and he calmly informed the school that Manami would not be attending.
And it wasn’t just Manami who had changed.
That very evening, a meeting was held between Eijirō, Reiko’s mother, and the two teachers. The teachers explained that if the children didn’t follow the rules, the school couldn’t function.
Eijirō agreed in principle.
“I’m not demanding that you forcibly change her class,” he explained. “It’s simple: if my daughter says she doesn’t want to go, I won’t make her. If one day she decides she wants to, I certainly won’t stop her either.”
The teachers pressed the matter: it was the parents’ duty to send their children to school. But Eijirō wouldn’t budge. “Then just put them in the same class,” he insisted.
The teachers refused, and the discussion reached an impasse.
Thinking they’d get nowhere with Eijirō, the homeroom teacher turned to Reiko’s mother for help. But she was troubled. Normally she would have agreed at once—but her situation was different.
Ever since she had moved in next door to the family, Reiko had spent much of her time being looked after at Eijirō’s house. Not only that, but Manami’s family had gone so far as to give Reiko piano lessons—something her parents were deeply grateful for.
Because of this sense of obligation, when Eijirō had insisted that neither girl attend preschool or kindergarten, Reiko’s mother had gone along with it.
But this was different. Elementary school was compulsory education. She couldn’t just dismiss it so easily. So the meeting ended unresolved, and the two girls still didn’t go to school.
Three days later, the principal, vice principal, grade leader, and the homeroom teachers all gathered at the house. But again, the talks went in circles.
Finally, frustrated at the lack of progress, the principal decided to appeal directly to Manami.
“I believe that if we explain things properly, the children will understand,” he said.
But Eijirō only smiled faintly and replied,
“Principal, this is a difference in values. You say Manami is wrong for not following the rules. But I say it’s worse for the school to try and tear apart the bond between these children.”
The principal bristled at the hint of mockery in Eijirō’s smile.
“Sir, this too is education. It’s about teaching children to follow rules, to learn social order.”
Still smiling, Eijirō countered,
“Rules and society, if they’re only imposed from above, just drive children away—just like Manami now. Rules and society should be about human connection. Without that, how can anyone live happily?”
The principal raised his voice slightly:
“Your words are impressive, but this too is education!”
“So be it,” Eijirō said calmly. “I’ll leave it to the children.”
“Sir, children would always prefer to stay at home!” the principal shot back.
Eijirō looked him straight in the eye.
“Then go build a school that children want to go to, and come back for her then.”
He then turned to Manami.
“Manami, do you want to go to school?”
“No. I’d rather stay home and play the piano.”
The principal tried a gentle approach.
“You like piano, don’t you? You can play piano at school too.”
But Manami pouted.
“No! I don’t like the teachers—they’re mean! I don’t want to play for them!”
No adult could listen to such words without feeling hurt.
Eijirō quietly added,
“You see? We’re not worried. She’ll grow up to be a kind, respectable person at home with us.”
The principal tried again.
“Manami, there are so many friends waiting for you at school.”
“My only friend is Reiko. I don’t need anyone else!”
“Manami, it’s the law,” the principal pressed. “In Japan, all children must go to school. You understand, don’t you?”
“No! The teacher told me I could go home if I didn’t listen!”
The teacher flustered, quickly apologizing:
“I’m sorry, Manami. That was wrong of me. Please come back to school.”
“Only if Reiko is with me too?” Manami asked, brightening.
But the teacher could only say,
“Reiko’s in another class, but you can see her at recess.”
“Then I’m not going. I’ll stay home and play piano with Reiko!”
The principal tried another tactic. “Reiko said she’s going back to school tomorrow.”
Manami fell silent, then muttered,
“If she wants to go, she can. But I won’t. I only need Grandpa and Grandma.”
The principal kept pressing, but finally Manami burst out, nearly in tears:
“I said I’m not going! School is stupid! Everyone just does the same boring things. I’m going to stay home and play piano!”
The adults could only sit in silence.
At that, Eijirō smoothly moved the meeting toward a close.
“Manami, why don’t you play something for our guests before they leave?”
“No! I don’t like them!”
Still, after a bit of coaxing, Manami sat at the piano. Softly, she began playing a Chopin nocturne.
The tender melody swept through the heavy atmosphere, filling the adults’ hearts with astonishment. At six years old, she played Chopin. The teachers exchanged incredulous looks.
When she finished, the principal praised her warmly:
“Thank you. That was wonderful. You’ve made me feel better.”
“Really? Then come again when you’re tired, and I’ll play for you.”
“Would you? Then, can you forgive us for being mean?”
“Sure, I forgive you!”
“Then will you come to school, if you’re with Reiko?”
“…I’ll think about it.”
The principal nodded, then turned to the other teachers.
“Let’s put Manami and Reiko in the same class.”
The teachers were shocked.
“But Principal, the other parents won’t accept this—”
“It’s fine. We should listen to the children’s wishes—not the parents’. It’s still the first week of school. Adjustments can be made.”
And so, with the principal’s decision, Manami and Reiko were placed in the same class.
From that time on, Manami and Reiko were never separated again.
Maybe the teachers feared that if they were split, Manami would simply stop coming to school. Or maybe they just wanted to avoid another uproar.
Whatever the reason, even into middle school, the two of them were always together. And the two girls were content with that.
