Even if they parted ways, even if they couldn't see each other. As if it had all transformed into a gentle story of but one line.

Surely the flower and the moon would rest forever in her heart.

"We got scared a little, too, but it was a good summer vacation," Tohko said.

"Maki said the same thing. You two are on the same wavelength."

"What?! We are not. Forget I said that."

Tohko pouted intensely.

After complaining for quite a while, her eyes turned suddenly gentle and she murmured, "But...I won't forget it," and smiled. "After all, you were here with me, Konoha."

Her words, her look, both made my chest squeeze tight.

"I won't forget it, either. You getting me here with a telegram, getting kicked in the head all those times, being forced to buy you presents for your birthday that was almost six months ago, lending you money to buy souvenirs..."

"I'll pay you back," Tohko whined again.

We walked in that mood toward the pond.

When I'd been in peril yesterday, it had been pitch-dark, but tonight the moonlight streamed between the trees and created a fantastical atmosphere.

"We might run into Yuri and Akira's ghosts here."

"Geez, Konoha, I can't believe you're trying to scare me. I'm not going to fall for it."

Tohko giggled.

"Ah, on a perfect moonlit night like this, Yuri and Akira's souls might want to come down to earth and go on a date!" she said excitedly, swinging our clasped hands slightly.

Soon the pond opened up beyond the trees.

The surface of the water drank in the moonlight and glittered silver. It was as if there were a moon on the surface of the earth, too.

Tohko was probably so moved she couldn't put it into words. She opened her mouth slightly beside me.

Just then- Splash!

The sound of water clapped against our ears.

That was too big to be a fish...The thought was just crossing my mind when waves rippled on the water's surface and a silver spray rose into the air. Through the sparkling drops, I could see a coupled shadow embracing.

A girl with long, wet hair had her arms around a man's neck, and the man was pulling the woman's body against his. They were entangled, kissing.

Neither of them were wearing clothes!

It was just the briefest moment that I was able to make out that bizarre scene.

That was because a cloud obscured the moon and in a moment the two were hidden behind a veil of darkness.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeee! It's theeeeeeeeem!!"

Tohko shouted and jerked her hand out of mine and ran from the scene.

"It's a ghost, a ghost, I saw Yuri and Akira's ghosts! Noooo! If you're gonna possess someone, take Konoha, not meeee!"

After Tohko abandoned me and fled, she went back to the house, buried her head under the blankets, and spent the whole night shuddering.

"Now what? I saw a ghost. No, no, no, what if they come here?"

When the sky began to lighten finally after all this, she said, "Get up, Konoha, get uuuup."

She shook me the way she had the day before.

"Hurry up and pack. I can't stay in a place like this another night. Let's go home."

"What? Right now?! I mean, dressed like that?"

Tohko was dressed in her school uniform.

"This is how I was dressed when I was brought here. Hurry, Konoha. The ghosts might cooooooome."

Tohko hurried me along, half sobbing, and I was stuffing my things into my bag when Maki came in.

She looked as if she'd had a morning bath with a towel wound around her hair and wearing a robe. She had alluring red marks around her collarbone and chest-maybe they were bug bites?-and I didn't know where to look.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"We're going home now, good-bye."

At that, Maki grinned.

"My, my, you're that scared? Did you see a ghost, perchance?"

Tohko jumped in shock.

"N-n-n-n-no, I didn't. There's no such thing as ghosts. I just remembered there's an alumni meeting for the book club today! Everything ready, Konoha? Okay, let's go."

"Are you taking the train back? I'll have someone drive you."

"That's okay."

"Do you have money?"

"Ryuto brought me some."

"Ah. I'll see you next semester, then."

Maki watched us go with a crafty smile, her arms still crossed.

"Tohko, if you have money, then could you give me back what I loaned you at the souvenir shop?"

"After we get back to safety."

As we started out the front door, Tohko hurrying me along, a voice called out behind us.

"Hey, Tohko, Konoha, ya leavin' already? And what's with the uniform, Tohko?"

Ryuto appeared wearing jeans and a raggedy tank top, his hair wet.

"Ryuto? Did you stay the night here? Didn't you go into town?"

"Y'know, there was all this stuff goin' on."

An ambiguous smile came over Ryuto's face.

"I'm going home a little early, but you're coming back, too, before the second semester starts. Not dillydallying with girls."

"You're the one who called me out here and everythin'."

I deeeeefinitely understood the feeling behind his wry smile.

Taking him aside, I complained, "Ryuto, you knew what would happen to Tohko if I wrote those words."

A playful glint came into his eyes.

"So ya tried it? It was worth me teachin' ya. She's had a weakness for lush, kinda old-fashioned words since forever. When she ate Bed of Dead Leaves or whatever by Mori Mari, she danced around all happily and sang 'The Raccoons of Shojoji Temple.' So I didn't lie to ya."

She definitely had danced around singing the drumbeats from that song, but...

"Ryuto! What are you saying to Konoha?!"

Tohko must have sensed that it wasn't anything good and raised her voice.

Ryuto shrugged, a mischievous look on his face.

"Well, look after Tohko for me, will ya, Konoha?"

With that he gave my back a push toward Tohko, then waved and watched us go.

Geez, why can't you take her home? You live in the same house.

As Ryuto grinned, I noticed that he had the same bug bites on his neck as Maki, but- "Konoha, come on! The train's gonna leave..."

Tohko called to me, and I ran off.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming."

In the immaculate morning light, the book girl was waiting for me, pouting, her hands on her hips.

Summer vacation was over and we went back to our lukewarm, placid, cozy everyday lives.

In later years, Maki bore a child and even got married.

Her fiance was not someone her grandfather chose, but rather someone that we all knew and thought, No way!

But Maki chose him as her partner of her own free will.

I will rest my hand from my work and look back upon that summer.

To the fact that she was always there, in the cool billows of the breeze, in the brilliant light, on the path illuminated by the moon.

To the way she smiled cheerfully, her long black hair hanging loose, her delicate body clothed in a white dress.

And then her white profile, her eyes lowered sadly, as she held a secret in her heart that she couldn't tell me...

When I imagine the secret conflict and sadness that jolted inside her heart that summer, my chest tightens with warmth and melancholy.

The final promise I shared with her as she went to graduation, the shred of hatred she left me with, the pain-they all reawaken sweetly.

The transformation had already begun that summer.

Like a flower, like the moon, like a dream-that summer truly was special.

I look at a clock and see that it's already three in the afternoon.

She's probably getting tea ready in the kitchen. From time to time, I can hear the sound of pattering footsteps or the sound of drawers opening and closing.

She was fired up, telling me, "Today I'll make lemon pie. It's sour and delicious."

I gave her a copy of my key, so almost every day she comes to this apartment that's my office-slash-home and looks after me.

She's tried to convince me before that it was a lot of trouble for her and maybe she would just move in. Our friends often needled us, "You oughta just marry her."

Soon the door will open and she'll call me over.

I put the manuscript I'm working on aside, close the word processor, and stand up.

"You will not know me."