A Bookmark in Autumn[3] (
Publication[]
"A Bookmark in Autumn" was first released on December 4, 2023 in Japan. It was published as part of the special edition of Novel 1.[4] Unlike the rest of the novel, which is an adaptation of the manga, most of "A Bookmark in Autumn" takes place during the autumn before Indou Hikaru's disappearance and provides new content exploring the Tsujinaka family dynamics. It has not been officially released in English.
Plot[]
Yoshiki returns home after school to find Kaoru in the living room and realizes she hasn't gone to school. They discuss an upcoming project she'd have to do at her school, Third Elementary. He almost asks if it's really okay that she hasn't been going, but holds back the question and goes upstairs to his room. Kaoru had stayed home from school after getting the flu. She'd recovered and gone back for one day, which slowly turned into only attending one or two days during the week, and then eventually, not attending at all. Yoshiki realizes that this is "chronic absenteeism".
That night, when Kaoru goes to take a bath, Yoshiki asks his mom if she's okay since she's been taking time off from school now and then. It's explained that she's been having a hard time going ever since her classmate and best friend, Yurie-chan, transferred out because her family moved away. This leaves Kaoru with little motivation to catch the 6:45am bus into Kibogayama. Their mother doesn't want to force her to go when she's not feeling up to it. Privately, Yoshiki still worries because the longer she's absent, the more she'll fall behind academically and the harder it will be to make friends later on. He's also concerned about how the villagers have been talking about Kaoru, and how his mother feels having to face them every day when they think poorly of her.
Past 11pm that night, Yoshiki overhears his mother and father arguing downstairs in the kitchen when he goes to use the toilet. Their mom is asserting that Kaoru doesn't need to be forced to go to school because she's not cooped up inside all day and she is still eating properly. However, Yoshiki notes that her tone is now different from how she said it to him at the dinner table – now, she seems to be asking "Do you really think it's okay?" Toshinori replied that it's fine, in an irritated and careless tone. Their mother questions whether he's really thinking about Kaoru's wellbeing, and this escalates into a much louder argument. Yoshiki reflects on his parents' situation. Their mother often wants to exchange opinions with their father about their lives and their children's lives, but he always only offers up surface-level, one sentence replies. This frequently causes arguments between them. The argument ends with their mother storming out the sliding door.
When his father finds Yoshiki leaving the bathroom, Yoshiki goes back to his room without a word to him. He frets over the fact that their neighbors definitely heard the argument, and people would definitely bring it up to his face, asking what's been going on. He hates that the other villagers can persistently observe him and his life, and make unsolicited comments to him.
The next day, Yoshiki and Hikaru bike to school together until Uncle Jin'emon offers them a ride in the back of his pickup truck. He asks if Yoshiki wants to get Kaoru here so he can drive her up to Kibogayama too, since she hasn't been going to school lately. Flustered, Yoshiki gives vague responses until Jin'emon puts his hands on the wheel without a word and they begin the drive.
During the drive, Yoshiki and Hikaru joke around and he asks about Kaoru not going to school. Yoshiki explains it's because she can't get up in the morning and she misses her friend who transferred. Hikaru sympathizes with her, remembering how hard it was catching such an early bus as a child. Yoshiki almost says that he liked it because it was with Hikaru, but panics and holds the words back. However, Hikaru expresses the same sentiment seconds later, adding that he feels bad because Kaoru has to make the trip all alone. Hikaru optimistically says that missing school won't kill her – as long as she's doing alright at home then it isn't really a problem, and if they're worried about her studies then he will teach her. Yoshiki jokes that Hikaru wouldn't be much help with academics anyway.
Yoshiki remembers that his parents will probably fight about the matter again, and his father would keep taking his anger out on things again, and neighbors would still keep an eye on them, and people like Jin'emon would still make backhanded comments to him. But to his own surprise, he repeats Hikaru's words that as long as she's doing alright, it's fine. He thinks about Kaoru, this time putting himself in her shoes. He manages to realize that it would be much harder than ever before to find the motivation to wake up and take the bus if his best friend wasn't there anymore. He decides that skipping school would be natural, in that case.
The following summer, like always, is extremely hot. Yoshiki and "Hikaru" bike to school together. Jin'emon passes by them again and offers a ride. He says that as an older brother, Yoshiki should be giving Kaoru a scolding for not going to school. When the boys get in the pickup bed and they start driving, "Hikaru" asks him to clarify what "chronically absent" means and whether it really applies to Kaoru. Yoshiki confirms that she does miss more days than she attends. "Hikaru" points out that she always goes with their mom to her workplace to do simple tasks to help the business. "Hikaru" also repeats the same thing that the real Hikaru said – that missing school isn't going to kill her. Yoshiki continues to reflect on the difference between Hikaru and "Hikaru", and what their future holds.
References
- ↑ Kadokawa: 光が死んだ夏
- ↑ Yen Press: The Summer Hikaru Died (Novel)
- ↑ Title is an unofficial translation by enter-text.
- ↑ Kadokawa Shoten: 光が死んだ夏 特装版