It was at the end of November when I found the *omamori*.
On the stone paving beside the shrine’s approach, a small pouch with a red string had been dropped. It was embroidered with gold letters that read “Academic Success.” I hesitated for a moment before putting it in my pocket.
That night, I opened my math workbook. I couldn’t solve the problems. The next day, and the day after that, I still couldn’t solve them. I tried placing the charm on the edge of my desk, but nothing changed. I put it in my drawer, but still, nothing changed. I tried sleeping with it under my pillow. The next morning when I woke up, all that had happened was my workbook had fallen to the floor.
December. The results of the mock exam came back. My score had dropped since the last one.
Around the same time, a guy named Imamura, who was aiming for the same university as me, had a strangely panicked look on his face. He was searching all over as if he had lost something. He was also taking the university entrance exams this year. I overheard him complaining to a friend that his grades weren’t improving.
I didn’t tell Imamura about the charm.
With less than three weeks to go until the Center Test, my grades remained flat, while Imamura looked even more haggard.
On the day of the exam, I squeezed the charm in my hand. The fabric’s seams pressed into my palm. I felt like something was going to happen. The result was a rejection.
I went to sleep feeling like I wanted to complain to someone.
That night, I had a dream. In a white room, there was a man who looked like a city hall clerk. Documents were piled up in mountains. Without looking up, the man said:
“I am Toyama from the Department of Academic Success. I apologize that we could not fulfill your request. We are currently experiencing a heavy workload.”
* **Omamori (お守り):** A traditional Japanese amulet or charm sold at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. They are dedicated to specific deities and purposes, such as health, safe travel, or—in this story—passing entrance exams. Usually, taking an *omamori* meant for someone else or finding one on the street is thought to carry the previous owner’s luck (or misfortune).
* **Mock exam (模試 – moshi):** Practice tests heavily utilized by Japanese high school students. They are crucial for predicting a student’s national ranking and their statistical likelihood of passing the entrance exams for their specific target universities.
* **Center Test (センター試験):** A standardized national university entrance exam in Japan (now called the Common Test for University Admissions). It is a highly stressful, high-stakes event that largely determines a student’s academic and professional future, functioning similarly to strict university entrance requirements or foundational courses globally (such as the CBC for UBA in Argentina, or the SATs in the US).
—
【1分小説】拾ったお守り(17作目)
お守りを拾ったのは、11月の終わりだった。
神社の参道わきの石畳に、赤い紐がついた小さな袋が落ちていた。学業成就と金の文字で刺繍してある。僕は少し迷ってから、ポケットに入れた。
その日の夜、数学の問題集を開いた。解けなかった。翌日も、翌々日も、やっぱり解けなかった。お守りを机の端に置いてみたが、変わらなかった。引き出しの中に入れてみても変わらなかった。枕の下に置いて寝てみた。翌朝、目が覚めたら問題集が床に落ちていただけだった。
12月。模試の結果が返ってきた。前回より点数が下がっていた。
同じころ、僕と同じ志望校を受ける今村という男が、妙に焦った顔をしていた。何かをなくしたように、あちこちを探し回っていた。彼も今年の受験生だ。成績が伸びないと友達に漏らしているのを聞いた。
お守りのことは今村には言わなかった。
センター試験まで3週間を切った。僕の成績は横ばいのまま、今村はさらにやつれていた。
試験当日、僕はお守りを手の中で握った。布の縫い目が掌に当たった。何かが起きる気がした。結果は不合格だった。
誰かに文句を言いたい気持ちで眠りについた。
その夜、夢を見た。白い部屋に市役所の職員風の男がいた。書類が山積みだった。男は顔を上げずに言った。
「学業成就課の遠山です。ご希望に添えず申し訳ありません。業務過多でして」