A space suddenly opened up on the desk in the Office of Academic Affairs.
The Gray Booklet had sat in that empty spot. Now only an impression remained, a faint mark like the one left when someone lifted away a stack of pages. Iruka stood beside the desk, the Academic Affairs Director sat opposite him, and Mizuki stood by the window, still holding the pen he always wielded so steadily.
"The vacant classroom booking form, the red stamp for temporary activities, and the sheet tucked into the student records." The Academic Affairs Director opened the document envelope. "Three matters. Which would you like to explain first?"
Mizuki's expression did not change right away. He glanced at Iruka first, then at Naruto, as though checking who in the room would be the first to leap up.
Naruto stood by the door, his clenched palms growing hot. He was not supposed to be here today, but Iruka had asked him to stay, saying that anyone being written about had a right to hear the explanation. Che was there too, leaning against the doorframe. Even Kiyo had stayed away, worried that the Office of Academic Affairs would be too stuffy.
"The tucked-in sheet," Mizuki answered first. "That was only a draft I slipped in while organizing the records."
"A draft with numbered entries?" Iruka pushed the evidence bag toward him.
Mizuki lowered his head. At the sight of those few short lines, his brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
"Teaching observations need numbers."
"And 'response' and 'alone' are teaching observations too?" Che asked.
Mizuki looked at him, his smile thin. "You pay close attention."
"Because I'm being watched," Che said. "You get used to it."
The Academic Affairs Room fell quiet for a moment after those words. The Academic Affairs Director did not interject. He