A Novel🍂Farewell to my teacher🍂(お別れのとき)

日本語はこちら(↓)

I myself put this novel into English. 

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Chapter 1
October, the 60th year of Showa

" Why? Again? "

 The news was so sudden that I couldn't utter a single word. To be sure, I was thinking about that, but I was surprised to hear the news. 

" I sympathize with you, but it cannot be helped. Nobody is responsible for that. Your father is working hard in order that we can live our life. Please keep that in mind."

 My mother tried to console me without looking at me. 

 " I know, I know. But I must say goodbye to my friends."

 I said so as if to blame her. I could do nothing but cry. 

 "I am feeling lonely. You are always putting a priority on my father's work, ignoring me."

"Eriko, I am sorry. But we have to let your teacher know that we will move to another city. 

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Chapter 2 
October, the 60th year of Showa

 The next day my mother went to school and told my teacher Oosato-Sensei that we would move. 

" I am very sad and Eriko-chan may be feeling much sadder. I don't know how to tell my students." 

" I don't think that Eriko wants to tell her classmates that she must say goodbye to them. As they are in the second grade in junior high school, they are busy doing sports activity and studying after school. You have to tell them nothing about us." 

" I got it. I will do so as you told me. The most important thing is how you and Eriko-chan feel. I will tell my students about your family after you have moved." 

" Thank you for everything."

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Chapter 3
At night in October, the 60th year of Showa

" What did Oosato-Sensei tell you about me? "

" She said she was very sad." 

I couldn't believe her words because she always comlains of my behaviors. 

 To take examples, she says my skirt is too short and that I must stretch my back. I know better than such things. It is none of her business. 

 Besides, she says that I must study much harder. Oosato-Sensei is a music teacher and she is mere an old woman. I wondered if my teacher's major was Japanese, social studies, mathematics, science, or English. Studying music is not at all useful. She is too proud. 

" She just told you what she told everybody in her daily life."

" No, I don't think so. Oosato-Sensei is a very good teacher. She is always taking good care of you." 

"She is my classroom teacher and treated me as such." 

 My mother spoke well of Oosato-Sensei, which made me still more furious. 

Chapter 4
In the end of October, the 60th year of Showa

 The following day, I got to school at around eight as usual. 

"Good morning, Eri-chan."
Hitomi, one of my friends, greeted me. 

" Oh, Hii-chan. Good morning." 

 " I happened to hear your mother talking with Oosato-Sensei in the teachers' office yesterday. Your family will move to another city, right ? "

" Oh, you've heard of that. Will you keep that a secret? I hate to be treated as such and I don't want to feel lonely. Hii-chan, I trust you. Please be silent."

" I got it. But I want to see you off before you leave this city. On the last day… … 

"The last day? I won't die."

"Ha, ha. It is true. By the way, when will you leave?" 

"Next Sunday. My parents have not yet decided the definite time. But we'll leave before the noon." 

Chapter 5 
November, the 60th year of Showa

 Alas, this is the last day. I must say goodbye to this school. But it is Saturday today and I can go home earlier than usual. I hope I will be able to disappear as if nothing happened. 

 All I have to do is to tell Hii-chan when I will leave. 

"Mom, about what time will we leave tomorrow? Can you tell me?" 

"That depends on your father. As he has to drive a car for a long time, we have to go till ten in the morning." 

"I got it. I'll tell Hii-chan to come here around half past nine. Now I have to go to school." 

 This is the last time I walk on this street. It was in the fifth grade that I came to this town for the first time. Just three years have passed since then. Time flies. 

 I was in this town when I graduated from elementary school. I entered junior high school in this town. I met Hii-chan in this town. I expeienced a lot here. 

"Good morning, Eriko-chan. 
I was suprised to meet Oosato-Sensei. 
Why is she here? 
 Sensei, why are you here?

"Eriko-chan, it is the last day you go to this juinior high school. I want to go there with you. Do you mind if I go to school with you?" 

"If I am seen to walk with you, I'll be in trouble. Evereyone will look at us with curiosity."

I strongly insisted on not going to school with her in spite of myself. 

"I am sorry, Eriko-chan. I will go alone. Let's meet again in the classroom." 

"Good morning, Hii-chan." I talked to Hitomi. 

"Ah, Eri-chan. Good morning"
She looked slightly surprised. 

Hii-chan today is different from what she is, I thought. She is strange. But come to think of it, it is the last day we meet each other, which probably makes a strange atmosphere like this. 

"Hii-chan, please come to my house at half past nine tomorrow. We will get together."

"Eri-chan, I am sorry. I can't visit you tomorrow. I am terribly sorry," said Hitomi without seeing my eyes. 

"Hii-chan, how come?" 

"I am sorry, but I can't tell you the reason." 

I was disappointed to hear Hitomi's words. I must go and Hitomi and I will never see each other again. She has her own life. She maybe thinks I am no longer a friend of hers. 

When the last class was over, I went to the teachers' office in order to greet her and handed her the present I was told to give her by my mother. 

"I should have handed you this morning. This is the present for you from my mother." 

"Oh, thank you very much. Please say hello to your father and your mother. Sorry, I am busy now. Goodbye for now. Take care of yourself. " 

With that, Oosato-Sensei went somewhere.

I got sad. To tell the truth, I don't like Oosato-Sensei very much. But she was cold. Hii-chan seemed that she wanted to get away from me. Out of sight, out of mind. 

Chapter 6
X-day, November, the 60th year of Showa

At last, this is "the X day." Nobody comes here. I said goodbye to all yesterday. 

"We will leave in no time."

"Father, wait just a little."

I must say goodbye to this residence. Without any reason, I used the stairs, not the elevator. 

"How come you are here, Hii-chan."

All my classmates were here. All the boys and all the girls were looking at me.

"Let's sing a song, everyone. We practiced hard. Let's do our best." 

Oosato-Sensei produced a baton from her pocket and stood in front of her students. 

"Here we go."

🎵When the sun is going to set, 
you will leave this town in the light and the dark. I want to send my message to you🎵

My classmates began singing a famous song "Okuru-Kotoba" so suddenly that I was very much surprised. When it comes to music, Oosato-Sensei is second to none. They must have practiced this song yesterday after I went home.

🎵It is better to cry till you can't shed tears any longer than to put up with sadness with a smile.🎵

Tear after tear began to run.
I could not stop my tears from running. 

You are all cruel. You are so cruel that all I can do is cry. 

My parents also seems that they didn't know my classmates would come here.

After singing it, Oosato-Sensei looked back at me and said, "This is not the end. We can't meet each other at school. But you are my student even after graduation. Please let me know when you are in trouble. I will visit you." 

"Thank you very much all of you. Sensei, I don't know how to express my thanks."
With that, my father and my mother kowtowed. 

Chapter 7 
January, the 62th day of Showa

This year I couldn't receive Oosato-Sensei's new-year letter. She must be busy, I thought.

Instead, I received a letter at the end of January. The letter came from "Oosato Hisao."

"Eriko-san, my wife passed away last year. I would often hear her talk about you when you were one of her students." 

" To tell you the truth, she was suffering from cancer. Her doctor told her that she would not be able to live for a few years. Since then, she had realized that she wouldn't survive." 

"She must have thought about what she could do till she would die. She would always tell me "Eriko-chan is really a good girl. She is a pretty girl. My wife might be strict with you. Please forgive her." 

I couldn't stop tears from running on my cheek. 
"This is the very reason I hate Oosato-Sensei. Never ever will I accept her death. 

Afterword

I wrote this novel in November in 2021. I like it best of all the novels that I wrote. I hope that a lot of people will read this novel.