Ichi Shirai

Ichi is a fellow student at Mitsuo's school, introduced in Book 1. He is haunted by his past, and believes himself a murderer because when he played soccer one time, he kicked his ball out into the road. A woman named Natsuko ran after it to pick it up, and was run over by a truck while attempting to do so. Ichi continues to blame himself for Natsuko's death until Natsuko herself returns as a ghost through Mitsuo, to Ichi, telling him that she forgives him, and entreats him to stop feeling guilty and start playing…