At the other end of the palace, led by their teacher, the children passed through winding corridors and returned to their rooms.
Everyone was quiet along the way. The children looked somewhat tired. Close friends held each other's hands, but no one spoke, each lost in her own thoughts.
At first, Eleven walked alone at the front of the group, until she noticed that Kiki seemed to have been following behind her all along—standing two or three steps away, her gaze fixed in Eleven's direction.
So Eleven slowed down, gradually retreating from the front of the group to the middle. Throughout this, Kiki never passed her, remaining several steps away. As long as Eleven swayed her body a little more, she could catch a glimpse of Kiki in the corner of her eye.
Some premonition made Eleven nearly hold her breath. She immediately pretended to crouch down and tie her shoelaces, letting herself fall all the way to the back of the group. This time, Kiki did not stop to wait for her, but slowly followed at the rear. When Eleven caught up again and kept changing positions, Kiki always stayed close.
Eleven suddenly felt at a loss. A secret hope rose in her heart, and all her previous anger and resentment were temporarily cast aside. Yet she bit her lip, not knowing what to do.
Would Kiki suddenly come over and put an arm around her?
Would she walk over as though nothing had happened—just as she had rushed into the auditorium not long ago and smiled at Eleven without warning—and quietly say something?
All of Eleven's attention was fixed behind her until the dormitory corridor abruptly appeared before her. She wailed inwardly—Kiki and she were in different rooms now. Once they reached the dormitory, they were bound to