The Blue Bird

Higashigaoka Junior High School is in turmoil as one of the pupils Noguchi who had been bullied attempted suicide last term On the first day of the new term a substitute teacher arrives to take the second year class When the teacher Murauchi Hiroshi Abe introduces himself the pupils are surprised by his stutter He has a speech impediment Unable to speak eloquently Murauchi faces his pupils with words of truth His first instruction to the pupils is to return Noguchis desk and chair to the original place in the classroom Every morning Murauchi greets the empty desk Good morning Noguchi This causes a ripple beyond the classroom and among other teachers and parents but Murauchi will not stop doing it Eventually the day comes when Murauchi must leave