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Chapter 2 I Get Selective Mutism
Changing School Again
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[My Family's Future Course]
As I mentioned earlier, I moved from Kansai region to here in the 4th grade, because my father transferred to another hospital. My family shared relatives' house near the hospital and expected my father to recover from his illness.
Unfortunately, my father passed away. What was worse was that I got selective mutism in new school and was severely bullied. But my mother didn't know I suffered from such anxiety disorder.
After my father's passing, my mother and relatives decided on my family's future course.
a) My family will move again and live in a new house.
b) The new house will be near relatives' house. Relatives said that they will help us.
c) We will not return to Kansai region.
d) We will move to outside this school area in order to change school, because Tomishige is bullied in the school.
e) Mother will work part-time.
I had mixed feelings about the decision, especially "We will not return to Kansai region." When I was in Kansai, I wasn't a mute child. So, I wanted to return to Kansai and restore my life again. But there was no guarantee that returning to Kansai made me a normal child again. If I went back to Kansai but my selective mutism wasn't cured, how my former classmates and homeroom teacher would feel about me? I would not bear to be looked at with curiosity.
[To Neighboring School]
As a result of house hunting, my family moved to C elementary school area, near A elementary school area where we shared my relatives' house. Of course, I changed to C school. C school was my father's alma mater.
This transfer was a godsend for me. Leaving school meant that I could escape from stressful environment where many classmates bullied me. What's more, I got a chance to change from a timid selectively mute child to a fearless child.
But there was no guarantee that I would not be bullied in new school again. Another anxiety was that C elementary school was in the same junior high school area as A elementary school. I would reunion with bully when I went to junior high school.
a) A elementary school: I would transfer from this school.
b) B elementary school: A school where M, a friend of mine who protected me from bullying, transfer to.
c) C elementary school: I would transfer to this school.
d) D junior high school: Most children who graduated from A, B, and C elementary school go on to this school.
[New School Term]
It was the first day of the third term. My new school life in C elementary school started. I didn't want to be a selectively mute child again in this school. I went through school gate with hopes and fears.
(To be continued)
Index of SM story
