Chapter 42 Part Three, Verse 43: Cicadas on the Eighth Day (43)

But today, as if there had never been any confession meeting at all, the question and answer similar to the first day was repeated.Back again to the question of whether you are a man or a woman. "I thought it should be a woman, but maybe, I'm not a man or a woman." Kumi said this, and was immediately questioned about the basis of this idea.Kumi couldn't answer that question. I was thinking blankly during the time when almost no one spoke.If I am not a woman and Mr. Akiyama is not a man, then the pain that I have been tortured in the past, and which I still cannot get rid of, will be gone? "Miss Nonomiya, what do you think?" Sarai asked.

"My thoughts may be naive..." I declared first, and then the thoughts in my mind blurted out, "If there is no distinction between men and women, I think it might be easier..." "It's not naive." Shalai said, "That is to say, if we can meet people with souls, our pain may be unnecessary. I am a woman, I am not young, and I am ugly. Don't you think that these thoughts that you are determined to believe in are actually superfluous burdens? As long as you are willing to let go, don't you think it will be much easier?" Everyone looked at her suddenly.Hearing this, I seem to finally understand the idea of ​​this place and the purpose of the study.Presumably the emphasis was on the soul rather than the body.They want to let us understand the existence of such things as souls through these two weeks of meaningless questions and answers.In my heart, I feel that what Sarai said is true, and at the same time, I feel that their ideas are nothing new.The study ended earlier than usual today, and the instructor announced that "the study is over".

According to Kumi's information, there will be an individual interview after the training, and it will be decided whether to stay here or not.This is purely a rumor, the five of us have not received any notice about tomorrow's itinerary. As soon as I got back to the room, the strange woman gave me Kaoru's belt.I could feel the relief on Kaoru's face when he saw me.In the first half of these two weeks, she didn't know how miserable she was crying, and thinking of the tear stains on Xun's little face made me feel distressed.Once the study is over, will I finally be allowed to stay with Kaoru all day long?

March 3rd Around nine o'clock in the morning, Eremia came to call us and told us to get in the van.I'm relieved that I don't have to be separated from Kaoru today.I put on a coat over the T-shirt that Home gave me, and got into the white pickup truck that was parked in front of the entrance with the four people who were going to study with me.Unlike the minivans that sell water and vegetables, this is an old Toyota HIACE. Sarai took the driver's seat, Eremiah took the passenger seat, and the pickup truck drove out.It is cloudy outside.From the car window, I looked at the yard that was too dark to see clearly when I came here.The fairly large yard is covered with sod and neatly manicured.No one was there.In the corner, white dolls are still lined up.There were neither flowers nor fruits for offerings, only about fifty smooth dolls stood in line.I find it creepy, but neither Kumi nor the other three seem particularly concerned.In the quiet car, only Kaoru's babbling can be heard softly.