Mio stayed after school to look for her missing eraser.

The classroom was quiet. Orange light came through the windows, and the desks made long shadows on the floor.

Ren was still there too. He was putting books into his bag very slowly.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Mio asked.

"No," Ren said. "I just do not want to go to cram school yet."

Mio laughed softly and looked under the last desk. Then she stopped.

A tiny lantern was glowing under the desk. It was no bigger than a cup, but warm gold light moved inside it like a small star.

"Is that yours?" Ren asked.

"No. I thought it was yours."

Mio touched the handle. The lantern shook once, and a small paper slip appeared beside it.

Ren picked it up and read the words aloud.

"One wish, but only if it helps someone else."

Mio looked at Ren. He looked away quickly.

"You have a wish, right?" she said.

Ren was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded.

"My little sister has a piano test tomorrow," he said. "She is scared. I want her to feel brave."

The lantern grew brighter.

Mio smiled. "Then say it."

Ren held the lantern with both hands. "Please help my sister play with courage."

The light rose from the lantern and flew out of the open window.

The next morning, Ren came to class with a surprised face.

"She played well," he said. "She said she saw a gold light on the piano."

Mio found her eraser on her own desk. Under it was a new paper slip.

"Kind wishes come back."

After that, Mio checked under the desk every Friday. She never found the lantern again.

But sometimes, when someone in class needed help, warm gold light touched the floor for just one second.