Bittersweet Sayonara

One day, I was just working at my desk grading a seemingly endless amount of worksheets. There's a tap at the staff room door. It's one of the third years. For the sake of privacy we'll call him Sho. In Japanese schools, students must state their name, class and purpose before entering the staff room. Once a teacher says it's okay to enter, they proceed.

Iwanga Sho of 3-3. I've come to see Nakamura-sensei. May I please come in?

Nakamura responds with a stern and short, "hai"

He walks to her desk and she tells him that the letter from the highschool he applied to has arrived. Sho gets tense and reponds with a "hai" "okay."

The sound of his voice worries me and I look up from my desk and the dear boy is nervous beyond belief. His life would either change or stay the same and I could tell he was trying to prepare himself for whatever answer. He and the homeroom teacher walk into the principal's office. Everyone continues working. I look towards the room wondering what the will be the outcome.

I go back to grading. My eyes get droopy and my mind grows tired from writing, "Great job" for the millionth time. I go up and get some tea. As I coming back to my desk, Sho, the homeroom teacher and the principal come out. The principal asks for everyone's attention; Sho has an annoucement.

We all stand and face him.

Nervous, and trying to downplay his happiness, Sho says,

"I've been accepted into the Omura High School."

"Omedetou Gozaimasu! Congratulations," we all say with great excitement!  I'm smiling from ear to ear, but then suddenly I feel a sting of oncoming tears. In that moment, I realized that my student would be leaving the school. The third-years were leaving, moving on to the next step of their life. It was bittersweet moment. Happy that they've achieved this step, but sad that I'd have to say goodbye a magnificent group of students.