The rain was not heavy that day.
Threads of rain fell on the Ninja Academy's eaves, making a sound as fine as fingernails lightly scratching paper. No lamps were lit in the classroom. The sky was gray, and the children by the windows had to lower their heads to read. Kiyo had leaned in so close that the tip of his nose nearly touched his workbook, until Morita Yu tapped him back with his pen.
"If you get any closer, the words will think you want to eat them."
Kiyo rubbed his nose. "I just can't see clearly."
"That's because you ruined the lamp wick yesterday."
"The wick bears some responsibility too."
Che sat toward the back, listening to them bicker as he twirled a pen in his hand. Its tip hovered over the paper for a long time before writing only four words: Old Records After the Rain.
Yamashiro Takuma had not arranged any sparring today. Takuya had not brought out copper trays or thin paper either. The two teachers moved desks to the front of the classroom, as if they were about to hold a formal lesson, yet they did not hurry to speak as usual.
Takuma placed a stack of old records on the desk. "From the day you enrolled until now, every one of you has accumulated records. Today, there will be no rankings, rewards, or punishments. We'll only look at the old records."
Kiyo asked quietly, "Could looking through old records be scarier than rewards and punishments?"
Che replied under his breath, "That depends on the teachers' moods. And whether the records hold grudges."
Rina sat in the front row, and her shoulders shifted slightly when she heard that. Saori glanced back at Che, her eyes seeming to say, Stop causing trouble. Che cooperatively shut