“I feel like I know. Teacher! There’s hardly anything left for Ivan!”

“Haha, you’re right. If you’re not gentle, the powder will all fall to the ground.”

“Tsk!”

The sound of the children’s conversations quickly diminished upon hearing that. Even in such a moment, one child continued to concentrate without shaking, applying force.

The first child to raise their hand stood up from their seat, anxiously starting to tiptoe.

“Nia, Nia finished everything!”

“Oh my, did Nia finish everything? Let me see.”

Nia, who had ground without a break, had finely turned the materials into powder. Nia received praise from the children and came back after sprinkling fertilizer on the seedlings with the first name written on them.

Then, watching her satisfied smile, Caesar laughed and asked, “Wow, Nia. Impressive. What happened?”

“Yeah. Caesar. Nia is strong.”

The child raised her voice more towards her friend Ivan.

Then, as Ivan, who was concentrating on grinding, blinked his eyes, Shal, who had not properly heard Nia’s sudden show of strength, brought his ears closer.

At that, the timid Nia couldn’t continue speaking.

“Oh, Annie…”

Nia, the smallest and thinnest among her friends, considered herself to have been ostracized due to her lack of strength in yesterday’s activity.

However, today’s class was filled with noisy mortar-pounding, and unfortunately, Nia’s small plan became water under the bridge.

But more importantly, Nia, who was leaving soon, had a story she must convey to her friends.

Soon, the child put her hand into her pocket, fidgeting with something, and smiled softly.

What Heath made for her yesterday was no longer a shabby piece of paper but a small doll resembling Nia.
Along with Heath’s small boast about giving paper as a gift, the doll resembling Nia was prepared. No matter how far away, the ancient magic was cast on the doll to mimic the actions whenever the owner wanted.

Hoping that this wonderful doll would fill her void and that her friends wouldn’t forget her, Nia, holding the doll created as a sample, shyly spoke.

“Uh, everyone, Ivan. After today’s class, Nia has something to say…”

However, the paper for the lesson echoed, covering the child’s small voice, and suddenly, the friends hastily started leaving the greenhouse one by one.

“Oh my! Ivan, Roy! Where are you going?”

“The class is over! Ivan, the bathroom!”

“Uh, ugh! Roy, too!”

“I’ll be right back, teacher!”

Ivan, Roy, and even Caesar.

The children hurriedly ran somewhere.

Emily, trying to follow the suspicious movement of the kids, was blocked by Evan as he said, “Looks like the kids are in a hurry, Miss Emily. Instead of that, could you please find where my seedlings are?”

It was a calm request from the child that seemed like he should follow the orders.

In the end, unable to refuse, Emily, along with Evan, wandered the field to find the seedlings.

Then, the remaining Nia, who was left alone, slowly took her hand out of her pocket.

‘Igo… because I didn’t use the fertilizer…’

In the dim face of the withered grass, the child’s discouraged expression. Despite looking disappointed to anyone, she forced a slightly uplifted smile.

Maybe it’s for the best to move away like this, rather than scratching at her heart as if it were self-hypnosis.

Thus, the child, not realizing that she was turning her heart into an affirmation, just continued to carve it.

Unbeknownst to herself, the children who turned away from their friend stood in a line, raising their heels one by one.

Then, carefully stepping forward, they headed somewhere.

Well-made flower arrangements, tables, and firecrackers.

It was a warehouse where devices used for the upcoming graduation celebration stage were lined up.

“Do we have to go this far? Roy, put more effort into it.”

“Roy, what are you talking about? We have to do this much so that Nia won’t forget us.”

“Ivan’s right. Work harder. The day she leaves might come any day now, and there are only a few days left until the vacation. So, you must show it on the celebration stage.”

The kids were tearing something apart, but then they were earnestly sticking things back together. Due to the wind, grass and paper stuck to their clothes and faces, and it was chaotic, with no warmth in the warehouse, and their hands were cold, but they didn’t care about such things.

‘I must send her off as the White Knight said. Ivan, you should never forget Nia. It’s easy to make new friends like Ivan. Ivan, you won’t lose! I’ll make sure you can’t forget!’

‘I won’t just send her away like an old maid…!’
“Roy’s arm hurts…!”

While Evan diverted Nia and Emily’s attention, the children who ran during break time were preparing for their own beautiful farewells for various reasons.