me, while sending this one to the frontlines, taking advantage of her open, straightforward nature. •›’ƒ–Š‹œ‡†™‹–Š–Š‹•‰‹”Žǡ™Š‘•‡ƒ‡…‘—Ž†ǯ–”‡…ƒŽŽǡƒ† ƒ•™‡”‡†ǡDz‘–”‡ƒŽŽ›Ǥ‡Œ—•–”ƒ‹–‘‡ƒ…Š‘–Š‡”›‡•–‡”†ƒ›Ǥdz The virtuous and honest girl seemed to accept my response at face ˜ƒŽ—‡ƒ†•ƒ‹†ǡDzƒ›ǡdz„‡ˆ‘”‡”‡–—”‹‰–‘–Š‡”‹‰‘ˆ•–—†‡–•Ǥ I had no qualms about lying in this situation. To protect myselfȄand –‘’”‡•‡”˜‡›…Žƒ••ƒ–‡ǯ••‡…”‡–ȄI saw no other choice. Because our connection was directly linked to her incurable illness, I suspected she would back up my story, no matter how much trouble she typically liked to stir up. For now, at least, the fuss was over. When the fourth and final hour of –‡•–‹‰™ƒ•‘˜‡”ǡˆ‡Ž–Ž‹‡ǯ††‘‡™‡ŽŽ‡‘—‰Š‘–Š‡‡šƒ•–‘Žƒ† somewhere a little above the class average. I helped clean up the classroom without having to communicate with anyone, then I began packing up my things. With nothing else I needed to do, I planned on going straight home. The nice thing about exams was getting home before the afternoon. I was ƒŽ‘•–‘—––Š‡…Žƒ••”‘‘†‘‘”™Š‡ǥ Dzƒ‹–Ǥƒ‹–—’ǡȏŽƒ••ƒ–‡ƒ ‡–Ž‘‰‹–ŠȐ-—Ǩdz I turned and saw the faces of all my classmates, one smiling from ear to ear, and the rest watching us with suspicion. I wanted to ignore both sets, but I was only going to get away with ignoring the latter. The former was walking toward me, and I waited for her. Š‡•ƒ‹†ǡDz‡ǯ”‡•—’’‘•‡†–‘‰‘–‘–Š‡Ž‹„”ƒ”›–‘†ƒ›Ǥ‰—‡••–Š‡”‡ǯ• •‘‡™‘”–‘†‘Ǥdz I could sense the waves of relief from our other classmates. Dz‘‘‡•ƒ‹†ƒ›–Š‹‰–‘‡ǡdz•ƒ‹†Ǥ DzŠ‡Ž‹„”ƒ”‹ƒ–‘Ž†‡‡ƒ”Ž‹‡”Ǥ”‡›‘—„—•›ǫdz Dzǯ‘–„—•›ǡŒ—•–Ȅdz Dz‡–ǯ•‰‘–Š‡Ǥ–ǯ•‘–Ž‹‡›‘—ǯ”‡‰‘‹‰–‘•–—†›ƒ›™ƒ›Ǥdz –Š‘—‰Š––Šƒ–™ƒ•ƒ”—†‡–Š‹‰–‘•ƒ›ǡ„—–•Š‡™ƒ•ǯ–™”‘‰ǡ•‘™‡– with her. †‘ǯ–…ƒ”‡–‘‰‘‹–‘™Šƒ–Šƒ’’‡‡†ƒ––Š‡Ž‹„”ƒ”›‹‰”‡ƒ–†‡–ƒ‹Žǡ„—– basically, she just wanted to poke fun at me. Earnestly, I asked the librarian what work we had to do, and she and my classmate both just laughed. If it ™‡”‡ǯ–ˆ‘”–Š‡ǡ…‘—Ž†Šƒ˜‡‰‘‡•–”ƒ‹‰Š–Š‘‡ǡ„—–™Š‡–Š‡Ž‹„”ƒ”‹ƒ apologized and brought out tea and sweets, I begrudgingly forgave her.