Chapter 10: The Empty Seat and the Echo of Sorry
The sun rose like any other day.
Students filled the school gates with chatter and laughter, as if the world still spun normally.
Utsuro walked with a soft smile on her lips, the same gentle expression she always wore. In her mind, everything would return to how it used to be. Katsumi just needed time. He was confused, that's all. But soon, she thought, he'd come back.
She could already imagine it—Katsumi smiling again, hugging her back, writing silly little messages in their diary. Everything would be okay.
He just needs more time.
When she stepped into the classroom, she looked toward Katsumi's seat instinctively.
Empty.
But that was fine.
He'd come.
Right?
Class began like usual.
The usual buzz of morning announcements, the shuffling of papers, yawns, bored faces.
Until the teacher stepped in.
His expression was unreadable—serious, heavy.
He placed the attendance sheet down, and for a moment, just stood there silently.
Then, with a deep breath, he spoke.
"…Before we begin, I have an announcement."
The room grew still.
The teacher's voice dropped low, careful, shaken.
"One of your classmates… Katsumi Hoshikawa… was found dead this morning."
Gasps broke out.
Whispers exploded like wild sparks.
Utsuro's smile froze.
The teacher continued, trying to stay composed.
"He… he took his own life. He was found at home. He used a firearm. The condition of the body… it was… extremely severe. The police confirmed it was suicide."
The words hit like ice water poured on a crowd not ready to wake up.
Some students cried.
Others were stunned.
But the ones who had laid their fists on Katsumi only a day ago—froze.
Panic crept into their eyes.
What had they done?
The guilt hit them harder than any punch they'd thrown.
Their laughter from yesterday felt like poison in the air now.
The room felt heavier than ever.
And Utsuro… didn't say anything.
She stared straight ahead.
Not blinking.
Not speaking.
Just silence.
---
That afternoon, in her room, the silence continued.
She sat alone.
In her hands, the diary they once exchanged.
Still filled with doodles.
With little messages.
With memories.
And now, ghosts.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered.
Her voice cracked.
"…I'm sorry…"
Her hands trembled as she clutched the book to her chest.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry…"
She whispered it like a chant.
Over and over.
Her shoulders shook, her breath hitched.
"I didn't know… I didn't know it would go this far…"
She broke down on the floor, eyes red, face buried in her knees.
All she had wanted was for him to love her again.
But she had broken him instead.
She had pushed too far.
She thought… maybe watching him from a distance after the breakup would've been better.
Would've spared him.
But now—there was no going back.
No hugs.
No exchanged diaries.
No apologies that could reach him.
Only silence.
And an empty seat in class.
---
The End