Toki-chan!

Toki-chan!

Toki-chan!

Toki-chan!

Suzu

Were you able to see the class listing?

Yeah! I'm in the same class as you again.

Really? Yay!

It's because we have similar grades.

Right!

But if we were smarter, we could get into class 1.

Eh~ Toki-chan, you want to be in class 1? Class 1 looks tough.

My friend, "Suzu", who I've always been with since kindergarten,

And I always go places together,

We discuss our small worries,

And sometimes even have fights, but those don't last for long.

Both Suzu and I are bad at long distance running and the long jump,

And onions in our hamburgers,

We like the same color and flowers...

We know lots about each other.

By the way, about the 2nd year finals!

What score did you get on math?

Eh!

Toki-chan, I thought you already forgot about that.

I remember! So, so, what score?

Be honest!

42 points...

What about you?

I won! 46 points!

Oww...!

Toki-chan, normally you say something before you do that.

Suzu, you're the one who, after the English final during 1st year, 2nd semester

Suddenly flicked me in the foreheard.

Damn~

I'm definitely going to get a higher score than you on the 3rd year, 1st semester finals.

That's impossible. Both of us can't concentrate.

...Yeah.

The Sound of A Head Hung Down、As A Bell First Part Note: Suzu = Bell. However, the title uses a different word that also means bell. (It can also mean cold too.)

In our high school, the classes are shuffled each year.

Since there are that many people at the school,

I get nervous from all the unknown faces at the start of a new term.

Ummm...

Can we eat together?

Ah

You 2 are always eating together.

And we don't have any other friends.

This class is full of guys.

Sure!

Right?

Yeah.

Come eat with us.

Eh, really?

I'll go bring some chairs.

In our final year of school, we got some new friends.

Even in class, we were together.

I was still unsure about my future path,

But I idly thought that Suzu was the same.

Toki

Suzu

We have the day off tomorrow. Why don't we go see a movie?

A movie?

Yeah.

Which one?

Ah, it's a sequel! I know this.

I saw the original.

What do you think, Suzu?

I didn't see the original, but I wonder if that's ok.

It's fine! This one has a different character?

Hmmm.

Ah...

Tomorrow, I'm going to a relative's wedding.

Eh, Toki-chan, you can't come?

No.

I see. Then how about next week...

You 3 go.

Tell me your thoughts about it next week.

Leave it to us!

Toki-chan

Yeah?

Ummm...

Nevermind.

Suzu

She didn't go play with other people aside from myself that much, so, maybe,

Both Suzu and I

Were a little

Bewildered.

Even though we were high schoolers,

Maybe I thought we were somehow still like children.

We definitely couldn't become adults so easily.

So, at the beginning of next week, Suzu was just like...

Good morning.

Ah, Toki, good morning.

Welcome back.

How was the wedding?

Good morning

Toki-chan

Just like...

Just like a different person.

Hey~ Suzu definitely looks better without her hair braided~

Really?

Yeah.

The worker at the drug store we went to on Saturday said the same thing.

Ah

It's fine, isn't it.

Toki-chan

Did you already do... the book report for the summer vacation homework?

Did I do it?... Summer vacation is already over.

Yeah...

Did you not turn it in yet?

I completely forgot... Though I read the book...

Eh~

You should turn it in fast.

Yeah... I was going to go to the library to do it after school today...

So Toki-chan, you can go home first.

H...

How about I stay with you?

Will you be ok alone?

Why don't I tell the teacher?

Ah...

Umm...

Ok, I'll go home first.

Ok.

Sorry.

Ah

The weather forecast this morning

Didn't say that

It would rain tonight.

Rain.

I wonder if Suzu brought an umbrella.

I bet she didn't.

I'll tell Suzu that we should go home together.

With my folding umbrella, I headed towards the library.

I shouldn't have gone there.

Please be quiet.

Library Committee Members

Ah

"So Toki-chan, you can go home first."

"Go home first."

I should have gone home first.

I'm hungry.

Huh, where's Suzu?

I haven't seen her.

Me neither... maybe she went to the bathroom.

Ah

Wasn't she "called out"?

Ah, again?

Eh...! Called out?

Did Suzu do something?

Is she at the teacher's lounge?

Nono

By a boy.

Suzu's gotten really popular lately.

...I see.

Suzu is cute and popular.

I had never looked at her like that before

So now it was like I was listening to a conversation about someone I didn't know.

Ohh.

Ah... But

It seems like Suzu has someone she's going out with.

I don't... really know, but probably...

Toki, you don't know that person?

Eh... why?

Because Suzu discusses everything with you.

That's not true.

She's never gone out of her way

To talk to me about that.

In this somehow uncomfortable situation,

Half of the 2nd semester went by like this.

Neither her nor I had anything we excelled in like this.

So if this was, possibly, a dream of hers,

I wanted to support her.

There was no reason not to support her.

Eh, that's great. Congratulations.

Suzu, congratulations.

Thank you.

Congratulations!

Suzu, I heard you got an award?

What's going on?

Suzu got an award for her essay.

Congratulations.

An award?

Suzu, is writing your specialty?

Not at all... But I like writing.

That's nice~ It'll be good for college.

Ah

Toki-chan!

So, the teacher submitted it without me knowing to a prefecture contest.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

But it's not big of an award.

Toki-chan?

...What's going on?

What's going on?

Hey, Toki!

Ah!

Ah~ That's great, an award...

Right!

Suzu was the only one from our school.

Toki-chan?

I...

From that day on,

Couldn't speak in front of her anymore.

Toki, let's go home.

Ah... I

Have somewhere I need to go.

Gradually,

I stared avoiding her and those around her.

I wonder how I look in those sad eyes.

I wonder how I looked at the start in those downturned eyes.

I thought that if I couldn't speak, then I should write a letter.

Though I didn't think I could express myself very well to her.

For some reason, I can't speak in front of you.

So it's hard to see your face.

I can't speak with you anymore.

I'm sorry for suddenly ignoring you.

I'm sorry.

This is just

An excuse... I can't tell her this.

I can't give her this letter.

It would hurt her unnecessarily.

Do I hate her?

Why? It's not like we had a fight.

If we fought, then it would still be ok. I wouldn't hate her for that.

Her and I are different people, so it's natural that we have "differences", but...

Maybe I

Can't forgive these "differences"...

I'm such a petty human.

Toki-chan!

Ummm...

Are you free next Sunday?

How about we go shopping together?

Finals are over.

I want a muffler.

...How about it?

Suzu, just leave her alone.

Toki's being gloomy lately.

Or rather, she's cold.

In my throat

I feel there are lots and lots of words stuck there.

They are apologies and excuses and selfish feelings.

But one of them

Just one of them

Is what I want to tell her.

Ah, it's almost graduation.

It's fine if I can't talk to her any more after that.

So I have to say this one thing before graduation.