Full Chapter
The Tree Hole was wide open.
It was the Tree Hole in the big tree growing behind the secret base.
Its abysmal darkness conjured a feeling it might stretch to another world.
She was there, looking.
From her eyes one could not see a single dip of emotion. For I was scared, I kept stuffing stones into the tree hole.
When this was done, everything would be fine—I thought, heaving a sigh, and turned my head around...
Through the crevice between the stones, she...Meiko was looking this way.
I was more and more scared, stuffing stones inside recklessly, for I could not throw stones at Meiko. It would have been much better if I hadn't said "I hope we could meet again" on that day.
Meiko was inside the Tree Hole.
From that day onward, she continued hiding inside, silently.