meeting is by chance, but parting is natural

It's Friday - the last day of the Japanese school year, and here I am, hiding out in the staff room. Other teachers are hiding out as well, since they're also leaving the school this year too.

So even though the teachers leaving the school have known for at least a couple weeks that they'd be transferred to another school, it's kept a secret from students until the very last day of school. Even other teachers don't find out until a few days beforehand. Students only find out in the final assembly, when all the students are seated, and the doors open to reveal the lineup of leaving teachers. 

Poor kids. Reality TV-like dramatic reveal aside, it must be quite traumatic to only find out then who's leaving. At least with Reality TV there's the prospect of fifteen minutes of fame and the chance of monetary compensation at the end of it all.