I read the names Keiko and Sugawara 
Names without furigana are really confusing. At least we can be sure about Izumi-san, I suppose?
It’s hilarious we managed to each have a different reading for every name 
From now on, the woman is 恵子. It’s forbidden to write it in English.
The english Wikipedia page for the book gives the protagonist‘s name as Keiko Furukura. I tried to skim the plot description for other names without actually reading anything, but could not spot any.
Mind. Boggled. 
O… oh, that link says えいこ is a reading, not えこ. I guess I was calling that person wrong the whole time 
has flashbacks of the conversation about えい vs ええ “of course you can hear the difference”
Welp, I guess I was wrong.
Both are potential readings!
Aaaaaaah.
Well, things are going to be awkward until I can hear someone say that person’s name again.
Finished! I was honestly truly surprised how much I liked reading this. I can just about comfortably read through it without looking anything up and only a few things I don’t quite get, which is amazing. And I really appreciate the narrative voice in this.
As someone has said, the main character is super well established, with both the first scene in the book, as well as all the flashbacks.
I’m super excited to keep reading this now and I already feel like this is going to be my favourite Japanese book I’ve read yet. 
Ps: Thanks everyone for the discussion on that sentence with the age check earlier. That was super helpful and something I didn’t even pick up on while reading. I think I initially took it as the ‘his finger stops as he looks over and she notices that’ version.
After she’s finished serving the customer who bought cigarettes etc… she says 朝という時間が、この小さな光の箱の中で、正直に動いているのを感じる。
What’s she saying? the morning time… inside this box of light…moving around in it earnestly? The morning was about moving about in this little box of light which is the コンビニ？
When Keiko is asked if she doesn’t feel sorry for the little bird and she replies with the above line, is she saying’why? after all its dead’ - because she doesnt see why she should feel sorry for (or dig a grave for) something that’s quite dead. Or does she mean why she should feel sorry for something being dead because after all, everything dies? Or is there not enough in that line for us to tell which of the two she means?
When the teacher is having a breakdown of sorts… does keiko pull down the teachers skirt and pants or her own? the teacher’s i think but am not sure? and her explanation for it : 大人の女の人が服を脱がされて静かになっている is that when women’s clothes are taken off they grow quiet? 脱がされた is clothes being taken off by someone? and does the other teacher really walk in on this female teacher standing stunned with her skirt and her pants around her ankles?? 
and the last line of this week’s reading : 私は「治らなくては」と思いながら、どんどん大人になっていった。
how do we put the bold bit in english? her incurability? the fact that she wouldn’t be cured? why is that phrase hanging off at the は? Is there something I’m meant to understand in how that’s put in the brackets and isn’t a complete phrase?
It’s 正常, not 正直. And yeah, she probably means the konbini with the 光の箱. The morning is moving (I interpreted it as “the morning is passing”) normally in this little box of light (the store), she feels.
It implies “治らなくてはならない”, so she was growing up thinking about how she had to get cured.
先生に走り寄ってスカートとパンツを勢いよく下ろした = she approaches the teacher and pulls the teacher’s clothes down. And yeah she explains that when someone undressed this woman in a movie she became quite. Ah, no idea what kind of movie that is.
She doesn’t get why you would waste some perfectly fine food (which is such a rare find) by burying it. The なんで is about burying. (It’s not clear on its own, you have to keep reading to get it)
Same here! I wasn’t sure of the 原 part, but I read the name as すがわら after some quick research.
It’s けいこ according to the English version’s Amazon page.
Me too! Hopefully we’re not disappointed.
I assumed the パンツ were panties, not pants, as I believe that’s the most common meaning. Someone feel free to correct me if I’m making a bad assumption.
yes, i’m sure its panties. the teacher couldn’t have worn a skirt and pants together. i just said pants instead of panties because of how they write it パンツ.
Ah yes, of course!
That’s actually what they are called in some English speaking countries…
I can’t believe I’m discussing this on a public forum… 
From the Japanese dictionary on OSX (スーパー大辞林):
努力・尽力・期待が空しくなって残念に思う意を表す。「―知らせてやったのに」「―楽しみにしていたのに雨で流れてしまった」
I would translate this definition as “to feel regret that some effort or expectation has come to naught.” I don’t think there’s a particular word that captures this feeling in English.
By the way, as soon as it becomes feasible, it’s a great idea to look things up in a Japanese-Japanese dictionary. Even if you have to also use a J-E dictionary. It’s a great way to help shift your understanding deeper (not mentally translating).
Reading the beginning of the book, I got the distinct impression that the narrator is a psychopath. Anyone else?