Chibi Maruko-chan: The Sweet and Innocent Girl

In the spring of third grade, Misaki Kinosaki transferred from Tokyo.

She got good grades, dressed well, spoke politely, and had just the right curve to her smile. Maruko thought the new girl seemed nice, but sometimes she also felt that Misaki didn’t quite seem like a third grader.

She sat next to Nakajima. He thought she was pretty interesting, though he couldn’t say exactly what made her interesting.

Changing seats, collecting homework, class monitor elections, borrowing books from the classroom library. Misaki always knew just when to do the right thing. She never fought for attention, but she never missed out on what she deserved, either.

The days in class flew by. Leaves fell in autumn, frost came in winter, and then spring returned. Some people argued and made up, some had crushes that went nowhere, and someone slipped a note into a borrowed book.

All those little secrets were hidden in gestures and glances, in words left unfinished.

Just like the girl who sat next to you in elementary school. Years later, you still remember that she once lent you an eraser.