Gu'e District, inside Tachibana Elementary School.
At Sakurako's suggestion, Kanzaki Shoji climbed over the wall with her and entered the school. However, the interior of the school, which has been abandoned for many years, looks dilapidated.
Under the leadership of Kanzaki, Sakurako came to a classroom with the door number saying "Grade 6, Group B".
"Did Godai once study in this classroom?" Sakurako looked at the small classroom curiously.
Shoji Kanzaki put down his bag, walked to the classroom window, looked at the snow-covered playground outside, and gradually fell into memories.
"I used to hear the sound of children reading aloud there. I still remember the bright smile of Godai playing with everyone. I never thought I would come here again."
Kanzaki's eyes were dim and he said as if he was asking himself: "If you think about it this way, maybe I am looking forward to that smile?"
Sakurako walked past the desks, not understanding why the middle-aged man in front of her suddenly said this.
Kanzaki looked at the scenery outside the window, his eyes becoming more and more confused, and he said as if he was confiding or talking to himself: "I have become a little confused about education. The superiors told me to follow the children's thoughts. Do what you want. Parents want me to improve their grades, but the children have no expectations for the future. What should I give to the children instead? Or is there nothing left to give? For what purpose? Teacher? You already don’t understand..."
He turned his back to Sakurako and answered the "prayer" he said before: "I thought about giving up being a teacher, so I prayed: If Godai can remember what happened today and come without taking the initiative to contact me, I think I will Teachers still have some meaning. Then keep doing it like this. On the contrary, if you can't see the fifth generation, give up this profession!"
"This is really not a perfunctory idea like a teacher!" Kanzaki Shoji suddenly laughed at himself, but his smile was full of bitterness and loneliness.
"It's okay to think like this occasionally, isn't it? Just think of it as a holiday for yourself." Sakurako smiled and comforted him, "Godai is really looking forward to meeting you, teacher. I think he has always respected you very much."
"How can a person like me be worth it? Now I want to know."
"The Fifth Generation, you must be using your 2000th skill right now and working hard,"
"2,000 skills? Yes, that's the one we agreed on!" Kanzaki Shoji seemed to have suddenly awakened some memories. He quickly came to the desk, opened his bag, found the picture album, and flipped to the one by Godai Yusuke. Page.
"Learn 2,000 skills by the year 2000. That's what he promised." Kanzaki stroked the album and said with certainty.
Sakurako said happily: "Then he did it, Godai!"
The Fifth Generation has fulfilled that agreement, so will the agreement with him still be far behind?
Kanzaki Shoji suddenly had the answer in his heart, and a smile finally appeared on his face, "It's an unexpected guy!"
"I did that because I wanted to work hard for everyone's smile. I think that's what Godai thinks."
Sakurako suddenly gave Kanzaki Shoji a thumbs up gesture and asked, "Do you know this?"
"This is, this is!" Kanzaki's expression suddenly became extremely excited. He trembled and made the same thumbs up gesture, and his eyes seemed to be ignited with the flame of hope.
"What's wrong?"
Kanzaki turned around without saying a word and walked onto the podium. Under the vicissitudes of life, the dilapidated classroom regained its luster, and the children sat neatly on the desks.
Suddenly the get out of class bell rang on the playground, and everyone ran out happily. Only a thin boy wiped his tears sadly... Everything seemed to have returned to 13 years ago.
"Yusuke Godai, do you know what this means?"
Kanzaki Shoji solemnly extended his thumb to the child.
"In ancient Rome, for those who were true to their word, people would match him with this action. You will definitely become a man who matches this in the future. It is indeed sad that your father passed away, but because of this, you should also be more responsible. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to be a man who works hard for the smiles of his mother and sister, and to always work hard for the smiles of others?”
The child raised his head with tears in his eyes, but stopped crying.
He just nodded firmly, raised his little arm and extended a thumbs up. Although he was sad, there was already a smile on his lips.
The picture was frozen here, and then slowly faded away like an ancient photo.
The bright classroom became dark again, and a bit of cold wind blew past the window.
Kanzaki Shoji returned to reality from his memories. Looking at the devastated classroom, he couldn't help but feel sad.
"Teacher...that's what the teacher thinks!"
He closed his eyes, and a tear fell from his eyelids, dripping on the album in his hand.
Sakurako sat silently below, looking at Kanzaki Shoji leaning on the podium, unable to say a word for a long time.
"Teacher!" A joyful call suddenly came from the door of the classroom.
"Godai!" Sakurako stood up from her seat and looked at Yusuke Godai and Ryusuke Higashino who appeared at the door in surprise.
Yusuke Godai could not hide his excitement and walked towards his teacher, but the injury on his left leg caused him to stumble and almost fall.
With a pair of big hands on his shoulders, Godai raised his head, and in front of him was the familiar and somewhat old face of the teacher.
Both hands stretched out at the same time, giving a thumbs up to each other. Yusuke Godai and Shoji Kanzaki looked at each other, with extremely real and brilliant smiles blooming on their two faces.
The agreement made after 13 years was completed at this moment, and the gesture that seemed to span time and space was deeply imprinted in everyone's heart.
Higashino Ryusuke watched quietly from behind. Even though he was just watching, he felt many changes in his heart.
The fifth generation protected the teacher's smile, and Kanzaki will choose to continue to protect the children's smiles.
It was precisely because he wanted to inherit this beauty that the fifth generation would have no hesitation. Ryusuke now has no doubt about his will to fight.
I don’t want to see anyone cry anymore, I want everyone to smile…
When Godai uttered those deafening words for the first time and transformed into a red empty self, the future was already destined, wasn't it?
The wind outside the window swirled happily, and a thin layer of white snow moved slightly in the wind, but it covered itself tightly and refused to show any of it.
that's true!
In this place, there are treasures buried that can be cherished for a lifetime...
