A Magical Reunion: Celebrating a Decade of Friendship with My Beloved Students
I left the house as it started to rain, so I took an umbrella and went to Hankyu Arashiyama Station to pick up the two of them. They were standing under the station roof, trying to avoid the rain. Then, perhaps noticing me, they waved at me enthusiastically. I waved back. It was our first reunion in ten years. The images of the two 15-year-old girls in school uniforms had vanished, and they had now transformed into very attractive women.
Since neither of them had an umbrella, the three of us squeezed under mine, giggling and shrieking like schoolgirls as we dashed to my house. It was as if they’d instantly reverted back to their mischievous 15-year-old selves.
After school, Aina, a sophomore, ran to me beaming. “Mr. Kira, look!” she exclaimed, pulling out her mock exam results. She’d done well in everything, but her English score was outstanding. “You worked so hard!” I praised. Her face lit up with pure joy, a moment I’ll never forget.
Aina is now running her own cram school. She handles a wide range of tasks, from recruiting students to hiring and managing instructors. She also teaches math and English herself. She is very popular with her students, and she loves them dearly. She is living a very fulfilling life.
Wakako was a sporty woman who belonged to the soccer club in high school. She was also good at English, and she was the first to answer any English question I asked in class. Thanks to her, the class had a great rhythm, making it very easy for me to teach.
Wakako studied abroad in the Netherlands during her university years. She is currently working as a graphic designer. Her current boyfriend is American and is temporarily back in Washington DC. She is looking forward to visiting him in America around May.
Aina and Wakako were my students when I taught English at Kyoto Bunkyo High School. Despite my less-than-thrilling lessons, they were cooperative, cheerful, and actively participated in class. Ten years have passed since then. I am truly grateful and deeply touched that they remembered me so well and even took the time to come and see me.
We had a “sukiyaki party” to celebrate our reunion after ten years. When we toasted with champagne, I was deeply moved to realize that they were old enough to drink alcohol. I was also thrilled that Naoko hit it off with them so well, and we had a wonderful time together.
