her mouth. Didn’t she find that filthy? Well, surely someone with such hygiene attitudes wouldn’t smoke in the first place. After being informed of the no-smoking rules, Sanagi obediently read on the bed. Kousaka wondered what kind of book she was reading and tried to look, but the writing was too small to tell, and a leather cover obscured the front of the book. Kousaka opened his book again. But he couldn’t focus on the words, and staring at the blank space on the page, began to think about things unrelated to the book’s contents. Ultimately, what did that Izumi person hire me for? What kind of role was he expecting me to fill for Sanagi? Izumi was saying he “wanted me to look after a kid.” And then said to “be friends with Hijiri Sanagi.” And it seemed she didn’t diligently attend school much at all. From all of these, maybe it was proper to assume that my intended role was “someone who, as a friend, can help the school-skipping Hijiri Sanagi return to school.” But then, Izumi’s use of the word “suitable” made me wonder. I can’t imagine I’d be considered “suitable” if what you want is someone who can guide a delinquent student. Though granted, I might be a superb bad example. Or maybe I should look at it more simply than that. Maybe Hijiri Sanagi’s parents indulge her, silently