Chapter 1

I never thought that I would be reincarnated in a game

world. Living a normal life, growing old in the usual way, and
eventually passing away – that was the human life, the
everyday norm. I, too, was supposed to live in such a
manner.

However, I suddenly found myself reincarnated into the

world of an eroge with the title “I Was Robbed of
Everything.”

I wasn’t the protagonist but rather the man who would steal
heroines from that protagonist – Towa Yukishiro and Ayana
Otonashi.

Reincarnation brought confusion and doubt, of course, but it

was as if my consciousness gradually adapted to this world
through the body of Towa Yukishiro.

I haven’t spent many months in this world yet, but there’s a

certain feeling within my heart.

I want to protect the smile of Ayana Otonashi, the heroine

who is deeply familiar with the protagonist of this world. I
want to walk through life together with her.

No matter what troubles she carries or the mysteries hidden

in this world…. even if they are concealed in darkness, I will
definitely grasp them.
I believe that there must be a reason why I came to this
world.

“I… I should have resolved to do this.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

I wanted to know the hidden truths of this world and what

Ayana was carrying, but this overwhelming tenderness was
dissolving my determination.

“Since we’re alone, let’s take our time.”

I looked at the voice whispering in my ear.

The girl sitting next to me, Ayana Otonashi, held my arm

and smiled as she gazed at my face.

Today, after having an unusual lunch with my friend Aisaka,

I found myself with some free time and thought it would be
a good opportunity to gather my thoughts, so I came to the
rooftop alone.

“Towa-kun. You were here, huh?”

As I was leisurely lost in thought, the door opened, and she

popped her head in.

I can’t explain it, but there was no feeling of someone being

behind me or any sensation of being chased, so even
though she had a smile on her face, her sudden appearance
surprised me.

“Towa-kun… Towa-kun ♪”
As if to say, “Now that we’re alone, it’s my turn,” she closed
the distance between us and leaned in closer.

Even though I had wanted to get lost in my thoughts and

think about the future, the truth is that, deep down, I
desired more than anything to spend time with her. In such
a situation, resistance was futile.

“Maybe about twenty more minutes…”

“Yes, that’s right. We still have plenty of time to enjoy each

other, you know?”

Ayana blushed and her eyes were filled with anticipation as

she looked at me.

Her appearance was incredibly charming, and her allure was

overwhelming. I gently placed my hand on her cheek and
leaned in to kiss her.

“Mm… Kyuuu“

Hardly any students visit the rooftop, and apart from us,
there was no one around. Let’s put aside any complications
for now and, as she suggested, let’s enjoy this moment.

Her long, silky black hair was devoid of split ends, and not a
single strand clung to my fingers.

“Your hair, Ayana, is beautiful.”

“Thank you. It’s a lot of work to maintain its length, but if

Towa-kun says that, it makes all the effort worthwhile ♪”

Why is she so good at making me feel happy and

appreciated? I gazed into her jewel-like eyes.
Ayana still seemed to want more kisses, but to be honest,
continuing any further would be risky.

“Let’s head back now.”

“Huh? Are you sure we can’t stay a little longer? Besides,

isn’t ‘from now on’ what we’re looking forward to?”

“‘From now on’?”

“Yes, that’s right, ‘from now on’ ♪”

With her eyes glazed over, she exuded an even sweeter
atmosphere than before.
When I first recognized myself in this world, I was puzzled
by why she was so close to me. It almost felt nostalgic, even
if it was in the context of the current situation.

(On that day… my feelings for Ayana grew stronger.)

I can’t deny that I was influenced by the circumstances, but

back then, I genuinely yearned for Ayana. The events of that
day strengthened my feelings for her, and I had a clear goal
of wanting to be with her. But for now, I had to steel my
heart and distance myself from Ayana.

“Well, it is school after all. Not that I can say much,

considering I’ve been the one kissing…”

“Ehh~, but you went all the way with me in the audiovisual
room before, didn’t you?”

“?!?”

I opened my eyes to see the disappointment in her

muttered words.

While I’ve been re-experiencing memories related to Towa

and getting to know Ayana and the others, there were still
many things I couldn’t remember. What Ayana just told me
was like a bolt from the blue.

“Umm… about that…”

“Muuu…!”

I’m sorry to interrupt the cute and cuddly cheeks, but may I
say something? Hey, Towa! What are you doing in school?
School is a place to learn, not a place to do that kind of
thing, you know that!
No, no, if you’re told that you’ve been kissing at school,
there’s nothing much you can say. But still, I can’t help but
think…right?

(School? Is this like something out of an *roge… Oh, right,

this is the world of an *roge.)

With that realization in mind, I made my way back to the

classroom, trying to persuade Ayana.

Ayana was off to enjoy the remaining time with her friends,

and she headed in that direction.

As I watched her walk away, a male student approached

me.

“Were you with Ayana?”

Standing next to me was Shu Sasaki, the protagonist of this

world.

I nodded at Shu’s question, then headed to my seat. Shu

followed me.

“You disappeared right after lunch. I see, if she was with

Towa, that’s a relief.”

“Well, we were just talking for a bit.”

I didn’t tell him about the kiss or the deep conversation.

Originally, when I first recognized myself in this world, I had
the thought that I wouldn’t do anything for Shu and Ayana.
However, as I spent time as Towa, my thoughts on that
matter changed significantly.

I want to protect Ayana. I want to protect her smile. I’ve

become strongly determined not to let anyone, not even
Shu, take on that role.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

I averted my gaze from Shu.

While I continued my secret relationship with Ayana,

knowing his feelings… despite feeling guilt and superiority
in some ways, there was still a considerable burden in my
heart.

“…..”

But I still feel a not-so-slightly big tug in my heart.

I need to know what this strange feeling of having a lid on

my memory, not to say that it’s coming up to my throat, is
…… I need to know.

“Come on, it’s time to go back because class is starting

soon.”

“Oh, yeah, I got it.”

Shu walked away, and it became quiet again.

I’ve been thinking about this world almost constantly while

preparing for class, but concentrating on my thoughts isn’t a
bad thing.

When class began, I was diligently copying the content from

the blackboard into my notebook.

“…Eh?”
The words on the blackboard distorted, and out-of-place
words appeared:

Corner them …… corner them.

Make them suffer …… make them suffer

“…..What’s this?”

I reached up to rub my eyes, feeling like I might be tired, or

perhaps sleep-deprived. I muttered something under my
breath, and a classmate sitting next to me looked at me
with a puzzled expression. So, I managed to smile vaguely,
trying to dismiss it as a mistake.

“Okay, Yukishiro, try solving this problem.”

“…..Sure.”

I wondered if someone noticed that I had been spacing out.

However, as I turned to the blackboard and began solving
the math problem, I realized it was a bit of a challenge, but
with Towa’s capabilities, I managed to solve it correctly.

The teacher nodded in satisfaction, and just before I

returned to my seat, Ayana, who had briefly met my gaze,
was looking at me with a worried expression. I wondered if
she had noticed the earlier strange occurrence.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

I muttered that in my mind, but Ayana nodded quietly. It was

surprising that my thoughts had somehow reached her, but
with Ayana, it didn’t seem too mysterious.

I continued my thoughts while paying attention to the

teacher’s lecture and didn’t let any part of the class slip by
me. After class, it was time for afterschool.

“Phew~! I’m tired today!”

Right after the closing remarks, my friend with the shaved

head, Takashi Aisaka, said so.

“Good job. But you have club activities now, don’t you?
You’ll get tired from that.”

“Nah, I like baseball, so it’s no big deal. At least it’s

hundreds of times better than sitting in a chair listening to a
boring lecture.”

Well, that’s… certainly true, I chuckled.

As we chatted with Aisaka, a clear voice echoed from the

entrance of the classroom.

“I apologize for intruding. Is Sasaki-kun here?”

Not only Aisaka and I but also the remaining students in the
classroom turned our attention to the entrance.

Peering inside from the doorway was Iori Honjo, our student
council president, and one of the heroines in this world, just
like Ayana.

“Something wrong?”

“…No.”

I found myself staring at her, Iori…… It puzzled Takashi, and

I tilted my head.

I couldn’t help but think, not just about Ayana, but about
how all the heroines in this world, including Iori, were
strikingly beautiful. It wasn’t just her looks; her purity of
heart was evident when you spoke with her.

(There were exceptions, of course.)

Yes, there are exceptions.

Shu’s younger sister and mother, and Ayana’s mother, for

instance. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.

Iori is right in front of us, and Shu comes up to her when he

hears her name called.

After talking about something as it was, Shu went off with

Iori, so I guess he had to help her after school again today.

“So, are you okay with skipping club activities?”

“Well, that would be a problem. I’ll be going then.”

As I watched Aisaka leave the classroom in a panic, Ayana

came to my side as if to replace him.

“Shall we go home?”?”

“Ah…sorry, I’m going to go to the bathroom for a moment.”

I walked out of the classroom, thinking with a wry smile that

I wasn’t going to wait for Shu.

On the way, I passed a Senpai who was one year older than
me, which is rare on this floor, but I didn’t pay much
attention to it and went straight to the bathroom.

“…Fui~”

After I had washed my hands, I looked at myself in the

mirror.
My body in this world …… Towa Yukishiro has a neat face,
but Towa’s reflection in the mirror is giving me a somewhat
distracted look.

I gently reached out my wet hand and touched my reflection

in the mirror.

But of course, the reflection of me in the mirror only

performs the same action.

“….Really, what am I doing”

I laughed bitterly at myself for doing something so stupid,

taking advantage of the fact that I was the only one there.

On the way back to Ayana, I wiped my hand with a

handkerchief and remembered the letters I saw in that
class.

“… corner them… corner them… torment them… torment

them…”

As I just said it out loud, it certainly seemed that way to me.

At that time, I was surprised by the suddenness, but in the

end I thought it was just my imagination, but I don’t know
what to do… This phrase strangely sticks in my head.

It’s like the feeling you get after listening to a memorable

song.

(I don’t get it. …… but I guess the fact that it’s bothering me
like this means there’s something to it. It’s worth
remembering, I guess.)

When I returned to the classroom thinking like this, the

senior I had passed earlier was standing in front of Ayana.
“Hey, Otonashi-san. Could you please make some time
now?”

“I don’t have time for this. Please leave me alone.”

“Don’t say that. You’re alone now, aren’t you?”

“……”

The interaction between Ayana and a Senpai is enough to

understand what’s going on.

It’s not hard to imagine that he has the energy to come all
the way to the classrooms of the lower grades based on his
charming appearance, but if possible, I would like him to at
least realize that he is causing trouble to the girls.

“Ayana”

“Ah, Towa-kun!”

Wait and see? I’m not going to do that.

The remaining classmates looked at me with relief, and

Senpai looked at me in surprise in response to Ayana’s
voice.

“Sorry. I kept you waiting for a while.”

“No, it’s totally fine.”

Ayana smiled and, as if Senpai didn’t even exist, she slung

her bag over her shoulder and lined up next to me.

“Hey, wait, Otonashi-san—-“

“Senpai, it seems Ayana doesn’t have that intention, so

please give up.”
“Ugh…”

Though my tone remained soft, my gaze sharpened,

carrying the meaning that I wanted him to consider her
feelings and the inconvenience he was causing.

Senpai let out a small click of his tongue and glared at me,
but he must have realized – we were not the only students
left in this classroom, and Ayana’s friends were also present,
directing disapproving looks at him. Senpai finally
understood the situation wasn’t in his favor and hastily left
the classroom.

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes♪”

◇◆◇◆

Afterward, I walked down the hallway with Ayana.

Her expression had completely changed from what she had

shown to Senpai, and she seemed to be in high spirits, with
a continuous smile on her face.

(I’m sure… she must have received confessions from

various people in that manner.)

This time was just a summons, but if you counted it as a

confession, there must have been quite a few… Ayana was
such an attractive girl that many boys wouldn’t leave her
alone.

And above all, because of my past, I can’t help but feel a

little satisfaction in seeing Shu’s predicament, which makes
me think I’m a terrible person.
“…Hmm?”

While walking in the hallway with Ayana, I noticed Shu and

Iori carrying heavy bags.

Although they didn’t notice us, I couldn’t help but wonder if

their bags were too heavy and watched them intently.

Should I offer to help… I thought, but strangely, my legs

wouldn’t move.

(Why…?)

I was perplexed about why my feet wouldn’t move.

However, Ayana was the one who took my hand.

“Towa-kun, Shu-kun and Iori will be fine, so let’s head

home.”

As soon as I heard Ayana’s words, my legs, which had

seemed glued to the ground, began to move.

It was as if her gentle warmth in the palm of my hand and

the reassuring tone of her voice were whispering to me that
I should just trust in her.

The farther we distanced ourselves from Shu and Iori, the

more the discomfort I had felt earlier disappeared, and by
the time we left the school building, I no longer had
anything to worry about.

“What are we going to do now? Are we heading straight

home?”

“Well, wouldn’t that be a bit boring?”

“So, does that mean… you want to spend more time with
me?”
Ayana playfully placed her index finger on her lips and said
it with a hint of charm.

No matter what gestures she made, she always looked

stunning, and as if it were the most natural thing in the
world, I nodded in agreement.

“In that case, let’s make this date a memorable one!”

“Yeah.”

That’s right… let’s enjoy my date with Ayana to the fullest.

However, we hadn’t decided on what to do or where to go,

so we would likely be wandering around with Ayana
following her whims today.

As we walked a little further from the school gate, I noticed

the track and field club members running.

It seemed like they had just finished running outside, and

among them, I spotted a familiar face.

“Oh, Ayana-senpai and Yukishiro-senpai!”

Despite running and being out of breath, cheerful greetings

came from Mari Uchida – our junior, and one of the heroines,
just like Ayana and Iori.

“Hello, Mari-chan. You’re working hard, I see.”

“Yes! I always give it my all! That’s my motto!”

Mari, who continued to move her legs as if doing high knees

even after stopping, was like a bundle of energy. When I first
talked to her, I thought the same thing: her boundless
cheerfulness was infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Hey, where’s Shu-senpai?”

“He’s helping out with the student council.”

“…..Mumu”

Mari blatantly looked dissatisfied with my response, but it

suited her because she had an inherently cute face, and any
expression she made only emphasized her cuteness.

“Hey, Uchida! We’re still in the middle of practice!”

“Oh, right! Well, then, both of you, let’s talk again

sometime!”

“Sure.”

“Fufu, I’m looking forward to that.”

After seeing Mari off, we headed towards the bustling

downtown area.

As I mentioned before, we didn’t have a clear purpose, so

we were just going to spend time walking around aimlessly
with Ayana.

(…But, you know, that’s not so bad either.)

Just being with Ayana made my heart leap with excitement.

What can I do for her… it’s not that serious, but I can’t help
but wonder what I could do right now to make her even
happier. What should I do?

“Oh, are you two on a date, Onii-chan and Nee-chan? How

about some takoyaki?”
As we walked together, a guy making takoyaki called out to
us.

Takoyaki… hmm.

I felt a bit hungry, so I looked at Ayana and she nodded,

saying we should go for it.

“Alright, we’ll take eight pieces, please.”

“Sure thing. How about mayonnaise?”

“Definitely!”

“Got it!”

Takoyaki without mayonnaise is unthinkable, after all!

So, we received the piping hot takoyaki from the guy and
sat down on a nearby bench.

We both blew on them to cool them down, being careful not

to burn ourselves, and it was no surprise that eating them
was a bit of a struggle due to the heat.

“Hot… it’s hot!”

“Yeah, hot… hot!”

We both exclaimed it’s hot as we tried to roll the takoyaki in

our mouths without burning ourselves.

Despite being hot and not easy to eat, the taste was truly
exceptional.

Soon, we finished all eight pieces of takoyaki and relaxed

with a cold drink in hand.
“Towa-kun.”

“What is it?”

“Thank you for what you did earlier.”

“Earlier… Ah, you mean about that senpai?”

“Yes.”

It seems her thanks were for what happened with that

senpai.

It wasn’t as if things had escalated into a physical

altercation, and that guy backed down immediately, so it
really wasn’t something to be thanked for.

I reached out to touch Ayana’s cheek naturally while I

continued speaking.

“No need to thank me. I knew that Ayana was bothered, and
above all, I couldn’t just let that happen right in front of
me.”

“I see♪”

Ayana happily loosened her cheeks and enclosed my hand

with her own, savoring the touch as she held it in place.

“Can we stay like this for a while?”

“Of course.”

If it’s a princess’s request like that, I can’t say no.

But… Ayana is indeed a strange girl, or rather, she

possesses an astonishing level of charm, almost at a
bewitching level.
Although it’s not something I don’t care about, I find myself
thinking that I can just let go of everything and enjoy a
carefree life as Towa Yukishiro.

(That must be an easy path… simply living as Towa Yukishiro

without thinking about anything… it’s probably the entrance
to a sweet daily life.)

As a human, it’s only natural to choose the easier path if

one exists instead of a difficult one.

However, something inside me screams that it’s not right—

so I mustn’t become a passive, drifting entity.

“Ayana, may I take the lead this time?”

“Eh?”

I gently released my hand from her cheek, placed it on her

shoulder, and pulled her closer.

As I held Ayana in my arms, a strange thing happened—my

feelings of affection for her surged strongly in my heart.

It’s just as it always is… that’s for sure.

But this determination residing in my heart is not something

half-hearted. I can’t just go with the flow; that would be
wrong. Two conflicting emotions fight within me, almost
making me want to laugh, but my strong determination is
the only thing that’s certain.

“Alright! Thank you, Ayana.”

“Um… Towa-kun?”

“Haha, Ayana, your surprised expression is cute.”

“Thank you…?”

Ayana wasn’t just wide-eyed; she also blinked rapidly, and it

was utterly adorable.

We spent about an hour strolling through knick-knack shops,

and when it was past 5 o’clock, we decided it was time to
head home…

However, at that moment, I witnessed something that left

me speechless.

“Ah…”

“What’s wrong?”

Who I had witnessed… was clear as day from their backs.

[You know, you’re not needed.]

[Ayana Onee-chan, it was a disaster wasn’t it]

As if to trigger an old wound, those voices echoed in my

mind.

The two people with their backs to me—Shu’s mother,

Hatsune Sasaki, and his little sister, Kotone Sasaki.

I had met Kotone once since I became Towa, but I hadn’t

met or spoken to Hatsune … although I remembered the
conversation we had in a dream in the hospital, I had
nothing but unpleasant memories associated with them.

“Towa-kun, come over here.”

Softly, Ayana led me by the hand.

For a split second… just for a split second, I thought I saw
Ayana’s expression turn stern. But I quickly dismissed it as
my imagination and just as I tilted my head in confusion,
everything around me suddenly went quiet, as if the sound
had been turned off.

“What’s going on…?”

It felt like I had been isolated from the world, as if I were the
only one left.

Ayana was still leading me by the hand, and everything

seemed to be moving in slow motion. What on earth…?

“Ayana—”

“What are you feeling right now?”

I asked that question in an instant, and as I did, someone

passed by me.

In this strange situation, I couldn’t help but be drawn to that

presence. A person in a black coat with a hood, an unusual
sight that didn’t reveal their expression or identity, yet I
couldn’t take my eyes off them.

“…Eh?”

When I turned to follow that presence, it had vanished.

As if it had never existed to begin with.

I was left speechless by this surreal experience. But when I

turned my gaze to where I had just been looking, Kotone
and Hatsune-san were still there, with their backs turned.

Corner them… Corner them

Make them suffer… Make them suffer…

Someone whispered in my ear… a girl’s voice.

And it seemed to be reciting the same text that had

appeared on the chalkboard during class today, resonating
in my eardrums.

“…!”

I put my hand to my forehead and stopped in my tracks.

Suddenly, an image from the past flashed before my eyes.

A still depicting Kotone and Hatsune being r*ped and

corrupted by men respectively in the game, and their
depravity, where they talk about Shu, whom they loved so
much, as if he were an obstacle. …… and.

“Towa-kun!”

“!?”

I was snapped back to reality when my name was called. I

had thought we hadn’t walked that far, but apparently, it
was all my own confusion. We were quite a distance from
Kotone and Hatsune-san. How could I have been so absent-
minded?

“Are you okay? You seemed lost in thought.”

“I’m fine… yeah. I’m fine. Sorry, Ayana.”

“………”

Geez, I shouldn’t have worried Ayana!

She doesn’t need to worry about anything, and I want her to

know that. So, I took Ayana’s hand and started walking,
silently letting her know that I was okay.

We headed to that park, a place filled with memories for

both of us.

Since it was late in the evening, there were no children

playing around like usual, and except for us, there was no
one in sight.

“……”

Ever since we came here, or perhaps from the moment I

took her hand, Ayana has been like this. Although she
usually wears a smile when she’s by my side, now she’s just
looking down in silence.

The cause is probably my reaction when I saw Kotone and

Hatsune-san… I hug Ayana and pat her back gently.

“I’m okay. I was just surprised, and…”

“That’s a lie.”

“………”

She said it was a lie, and I fell silent. Since I was holding her,
our faces were very close as we looked at each other, and
her dark, cloudy eyes locked onto mine.

“Ayana?”

“Yes. It’s your very own Ayana, okay?”

Her voice was very gentle, but her eyes were frightening,
and I felt like averting my gaze.

Ayana wrapped her arms around my back, hugging me

tightly, and continued.
“It’s okay, Towa-kun. I promise, I’ll take care of everything.”

“What do you…?”

“It’s okay. You’ll be fine, Towa-kun.”

It’s fine. The sound of those words was like a sweet melody
invading the depths of my heart.

Even though her demeanor was different from usual, and

there was something scary about it, I still accepted her
embrace and held onto her.

“Ayana… how do you feel about those two?”

She answered my words with a smile and a chuckle.

“I hate them. I’ve always hated them, from the bottom of

my heart.”

◇◆◇◆

“Phew…”

After dinner, I let out a small sigh in my room.

After that, I dropped Ayana off near her house.

Originally, I had gone to the bustling city for an after-school

date with Ayana. However, the day ended on a somewhat
sour note after witnessing those two.

Well, by the time we said our goodbyes, Ayana had already

returned to her usual self, so I was relieved. But it was still
the first time I had seen her like that.

“… What was that all about?”

I was certainly concerned about Ayana, but what bothered
me even more was the strange phenomenon that occurred
when I saw Kotone and Hatsune-san.

It felt like I was isolated from the world, and I saw a woman
wearing a black hood. When I turned around, my thought
process was interrupted because Ayana called me, but I
definitely saw the same figure that was present when those
two fell.

“Write down everything that’s bothering you. There might

be a hint.”

I organized the information about this world, the

protagonist, Shu, and the heroine, Ayana, in a notebook that
I took out from the desk drawer.

I documented everything that happened after school, as

well as events at school. As I looked at the pages, they
seemed like strange messages, and I chuckled.

“What was that phrase… I wonder what it meant?”

I recalled the phrase that was etched into my memory and

repeated it:

“Corner them… Corner them… Make them suffer… Make

them suffer…”

To corner them and make them suffer – these words had

nothing but negative connotations. I whispered these words
to myself repeatedly, and something strange happened.

“….Huh?”

As if the sentence continued, my hand holding the pen

moved on its own.
Corner them… Corner them…

Make them suffer… make them suffer…

And then, take away the most important thing… and they’ll
have nothing but despair. Right?

My hand unconsciously composed these words. I didn’t

understand the meaning behind these words or how they
appeared on paper. However, there was something about
these words that felt familiar.

I sat in the chair for a while, staring at the words I had

written, but I couldn’t recall anything beyond a faint sense
of familiarity.

“…Damn it”

It’s frustrating, way too frustrating.

Still, I remained motionless as I tried to trace my memory,

trying to remember something, but after more than ten
minutes, I had reached the limit of my patience.

“I can’t take it anymore!”

I can not continue! I can’t remember anything. Aaaghh!

I half-threw my notebook, closed it, and headed to the living

room to drink something cold to cool my head.

“Ara, what’s the matter?”

I initially assumed that my mother had already gone to her

room, but she was leisurely watching TV. She looked
surprised when I suddenly appeared, but then clapped her
hands and went to the refrigerator, pouring barley tea into a
glass and handing it to me.
“Here you go. You wanted this, didn’t you?”

“Yeah… How did you know?”

“Well, you’re my son. It is only natural.”

Is it only natural…?

Well, I got it because she offered, so I thanked her and then

quickly drank it all.

“You’re a good drinker.”

“I guess so…”

“Let me have it.”

“It’s fine. It’s just a cup, and I can do it myself.”

I didn’t want to trouble her that much, so I took the initiative

and started washing the cup.

During that time, my mother just smiled at me the whole

time. It was a bit unnerving and made me pause.

“Something wrong?”

“Fufu, I’m sorry. I just can’t help but think my son is

handsome no matter when I look at him.”

That’s… well, since I’m Towa now, I’m bound to be

handsome. It’s not like I can help it.

Even though it had been several days since I became Towa,

every time I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but think I
was quite the good-looking guy.
Nevertheless, being told I was handsome still made me feel
good.

“Well, I’m your son, so it’s only natural, right? I’ve inherited
the beauty of my beautiful mother.”

“…Towaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

She pounced on me in an instant.

I tried to endure the shock that surged through my entire

body and was relieved that the cup in my hand didn’t fall.

“You’re just too good-looking, even your personality! Always

saying things that make me happy!”

“Hey, a little personal space here! And don’t kiss me!”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Not good at all! I lightly chopped her on the head to push

her away.

She seemed quite dissatisfied as her cheeks puffed up. I

almost wanted to say, “Think about your age,” but I
refrained, as they say it’s a taboo topic when it comes to
women’s ages.

“Well, I’m heading back.”

“Alright—–Towa.”

“Hmm?”

Right before I left the living room, my mother called me to a

halt.
“If you ever need anything, just rely on me, okay? You can
tell me anything you can’t tell Ayana-chan, and I’ll be here
to help with anything you need.”

“…Yeah. Thanks.”

I guess she noticed when I was lost in thought during dinner.

My mother truly loved me and cared for me. She was always
ready to support and help me with anything.

I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the people in my life.

Towa, you probably felt the same way, didn’t you?

[Ayana PoV]

“Oh? It feels like something good happened to Towa-kun.”

While lying on the bed, I──Ayana Otonashi murmured.

I’m not pretending to be a psychic, but I have a strange

sense that allows me to understand Towa-kun’s feelings
somehow.

There might not be anything going on, but the intuition I’ve
developed over the years has caught Towa-kun’s sense of
happiness.

“…I must admit, this feels a bit creepy.”

Even though I love him, I realized this was a bit creepy, so I

reflected on it.

In my hands, I held a single photograph – a picture of Towa-

kun and me, both smiling.

“Towa-kun!”
I kissed the Towa-kun in the photo.

As always, it’s the same. Just thinking about him makes my

heart leap with joy, and I feel so happy. That’s why, even a
hint of malice toward him, and my head boils over with
anger.

“Tsk…”

That’s why, when I thought about what happened after

school, I couldn’t help but click my tongue.

My date with Towa-kun was a sweet time, a moment filled

with love, like a return to the time we spent during lunch.

It was fun, endearing, and blissful… In our world, filled with

such emotions between Towa-kun and me, those people
stepped into it with their muddy boots.

“I won’t forgive them… I won’t forgive them, won’t forgive

them, won’t forgive them, won’t forgive them, won’t forgive
them, won’t forgive them!”

Those people didn’t notice… Towa-kun.

Still, when I saw the distorted look on Towa’s face when I

saw those people, I thought to myself: After all, those people
have to be cleaned up.

“You’re late? Were you playing with Shu-kun?”

My mother called out when I returned, but I couldn’t stand

her connecting everything to Shu-kun.

While my mother has never directly spoken harsh words to

Towa-kun from the past to the present, when she conveyed
unkind words to me about Towa-kun, she was guilty by
association.

“…Shall I go outside for some fresh air?”

I got up from the bed and went out to the balcony.

Despite the turmoil in my heart, when I raised my head, the

beautiful starry sky was gazing down at me.

I’m sure that what I’m about to do… No, what I’ve already
started is by no means a beautiful thing. My heart is tainted
in stark contrast to this beautiful starry sky.

“Towa-kun… I’m your…”

Is it appropriate…?

Thinking that, I suddenly snapped back to my senses,

realizing I can’t stop my actions any longer. I lightly slapped
my cheeks.

“It’s okay. I can do it … Definitely.”

I will bring despair to those who tormented Towa-kun, in a

cruel way. I’ve thought this before, but Towa-kun is so kind
that I can never tell him. That’s why I want those people to
fade away without him realizing.

Only they will change… I won’t change at all.

I will always be by Towa-kun’s side… I can be by his side.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Why does everything seem to go so

well?”

Now is the time to sow the seeds, and it will be a little while
before the seeds of despair will sprout.
“Most people would never think about it, but I’m convinced
that this is the ultimate way to achieve the worst possible
result, and strangely, it always seems to work, even when
success is uncertain.

“Corner them… make them suffer…”

I’ll corner them. I’ll make them suffer… and then I’ll hit them
with unbearable despair.

After thinking like this for a while, I received a message from

my beloved.

“Towa-kun!”

I wondered where the Ayana Otonashi from just a moment

ago had disappeared to; my thought process had
completely shifted.

“What is it~? What can I do for you? Ufufu~♪”

Slightly… Just slightly, I also have something I think about,

and that something is related to Towa-kun. It’s not too
disturbing when others are around or when someone is
nearby. But when I’m alone like this, I have the confidence
that I can get as disturbing as I want.

[The futon flew away.]

“….??”

I was surprised when I received a message from Towa-kun.

“The futon… flew away?”

I vocalized my thoughts to understand the meaning.

It’s one of those old, worn-out puns, and I thought about
whether there was a hidden meaning because Towa-kun had
sent it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t come up with an answer.

“No, I can’t! If I can’t grasp this intention, I’ll be disqualified

as a woman for Towa-kun!”

But… but, but, but, but, I have no idea at all! Towa-kun sent
this message suddenly, and I don’t understand the meaning
at all!

“Ah, uhm… an orange on top of an aluminum can…”

No, I definitely don’t need to reply with such a lame pun.

Huh?

Could it be that there’s an intention behind this, aimed at

getting me to say it?

Mumumu… as I was struggling to respond, I received

another message from Towa-kun.

[Sorry. Sorry for sending such a weird message out of the

blue.]

“Ah, don’t apologize! You don’t need to!”

Even though Towa-kun wasn’t here, I was shaking my head

vigorously.

[Sorry about the sudden weird message. I was thinking

about going to sleep, and then I thought, ‘Hmm, Ayana
might be feeling down.’ So, I sent that awful pun. I’m sorry;
my sense of humor is a total disaster.]

Knowing the reason for why he sent such a message, I once

again felt my heart race for Towa.
“….Fufu.”

Certainly, it was a bit of an unusual pun to send on the spot.

However, I was happy because he had thought of me and
sent that pun. We are truly connected, and I believe that
from the bottom of my heart.

“Perhaps I made Towa-kun worry about the situation as

well.”

Today, I clearly told Towa-kun that I disliked Shu’s family, for

the first time. Since Towa-kun is kind, he probably thought
he would worry if he knew that I, a close family member, felt
such aversion. Well, he could probably have guessed it
considering everything that’s happened so far, but I didn’t
actively tell him. However, today, I felt it was fine.

In the end, the conversation ended there, and Towa-kun

probably won’t ask further. So, the only thing left is for me
to act and eliminate those people and turn them into bitter
memories.

“Towa-kun, it’s almost over… just a little more.”

No one will be there to torment you anymore.

Once achieved, the world that Towa-kun and I want will be

there…Aaa ♪ With that, the days of being able to flirt with
Towa-kun will begin.

Anywhere, anytime… Mufufu♪!

 Chapter 2

[I hate them. I’ve always hated them, from the bottom of

my heart.]

Those words repeated in my head. While Ayana smiled when

she said that, her words expressed a negativity far removed
from her smile.

Originally, this world revolved around the heroines growing

apart. Given that there was roughly a year of leeway before
the story began, there hadn’t been any events at this stage
that resembled the narrative.

However, because I lived as Towa and had glimpsed through

his memories, one underlying premise concerning a specific
character had already been shattered.

(…Ayana.)

Yes, it was Ayana, the main heroine.

Needless to say, her presence held great significance in my

mind, and I had liked her from the time I played the game.
Now, I truly loved Ayana, both as Towa and as my original
self. Having already engaged in a relationship… well, in that
regard, it was something I had from the beginning, but when
you love someone and they love you back, it takes on a
special meaning in itself.

(That’s right… at this point, everything has already fallen

apart.)
The fact that Ayana and I were in a relationship meant that
Ayana didn’t have special feelings for Shu. In other words,
she wasn’t in love with him, and this deviation from the
routes I knew was significant.

When Shu and Ayana’s relationship progressed, the story’s

curtain would rise, and from there, all the gears would start
to misalign. That pivotal moment – when Shu witnessed
Towa and Ayana in a relationship, leading to his despair –
would mark the ending.

(Let’s temporarily separate the existence called “me.” First,

Towa was originally in a relationship with Ayana. At that
point, it’s inconceivable that Ayana would accept Shu’s
confession… after all, Ayana loves Towa so deeply.)

At this point, it was clear that I couldn’t follow the original

route. While in games with a “netorare” theme, characters
are often portrayed as complete scoundrels, I couldn’t
fathom Ayana taking such actions, especially considering I
had observed her from the sidelines. She may have a
vulnerability tied to her affection, but she was a kind-
hearted girl through and through.

My mother had mentioned that Ayana was clearly carrying

something heavy, but I couldn’t bring myself to think that it
was something wicked.

(…Maybe I should dig a little deeper.)

Just as I had that thought, I arrived at school.

I usually go to school with Shu and Ayana, but today I woke

up a bit later than usual, so I asked them to go ahead
without me.
In reality, I had been pondering the same thing as before
last night, so I probably went to bed well past 2 AM.

I had received a message from Ayana, worried if something

had happened. I replied that I had overslept, and in
response, she sent a cute yet slightly bewildered stamp. It
was enough to brighten up my morning.

“Hmm?”

As I changed my shoes using a geta box, I spotted Iori and

Mari changing the printouts on the school bulletin board
located just in front of the entrance.

While I found it strange that Mari, who wasn’t involved with

the student council, was working alongside student council
president Iori, I stared at them for a moment. But those two
knew each other, and there was nothing particularly odd
about it, so I quietly accepted it.

While observing them, the two turned to face me at that

moment.

Mari flashed an overflowing smile and waved her hand,

while Iori, though still offering a modest smile, waved her
hand as well.

“…I wonder if I’ll be told something if I wave back casually.”

I ended up thinking that, so I headed over to them.

“Good morning, Yukishiro-kun.”

“Good morning, Yukishiro-senpai!”

Iori’s voice was quiet, but Mari’s was quite loud. It resonated
somewhat throughout the morning hallway, but since the
hallways in the morning were generally noisy, her voice
didn’t particularly stand out.

“The president aside, what are you doing, Mari?”

“Well, you see, Iori was originally changing the printouts by

herself, but when I showed up while coming to school, I
decided to help her.”

“I told you that you didn’t have to.”

“Well, is it really a problem? Besides, I don’t think Iori senpai

has any reason to complain about it.”

“…Gununu!”

“Fufu♪”

This looked like a showdown among women over Shu. But

still, it was a strange and heartwarming sight when I didn’t
think about the original story.

Mari had little free time due to her club activities, while Iori,
who didn’t belong to any club, could maximize her time with
Shu. In my memories, the two of them were depicted as
eventually falling to the approaching menace, so people
might wonder in which direction the story was heading, but
watching them was genuinely enjoyable.
(At this point, I’m just a game fan, aren’t I?)
I couldn’t help but smile to myself. Meanwhile, things were
developing around me.

“In that case, I’ll help too. My club activities are canceled
today!”

“Ara, is that so? Then, please.”

No matter how much they argued, in the end, they agreed

like this. They were love rivals but seemed to have good
chemistry.

While it might appear that Mari, a younger student, was

being roped into Iori’s plan, it was an agreeable relationship.
Their apparent dispute, at least on the surface, showed a
fun and peculiar interaction.

“Hey, Yukishiro-kun.”

“What is it?”

As I halted my conversation with Mari and turned to Iori, she

addressed me.

“I want to see you and Otonashi-san together with me at

some point. If you don’t mind, would you help us out after
school?”

“…..Help out?”

Does that mean she is asking for Shu’s help too? I wondered
why other members of the student council weren’t helping,
but they were probably busy with other tasks.

“It’s not a matter of not having enough hands. I just wanted

to spend time together with you and Shu-kun. I asked you to
join because I was curious.”
“I see…”

It seemed like it wasn’t a matter of lacking manpower; Iori

was simply curious.

Mari looked a bit overwhelmed by Iori’s words, which

aligned with her desires, but she was determined to help
today.

I had no issue with helping out, but I couldn’t agree without

first discussing it with Ayana since her name came up.

“I’ll ask Ayana if she can join. If she has other plans, though,
it might not be possible.”

“Thank you. I’m looking forward to it.”

You’re looking forward to it. Does that mean it’s already

decided that we’re going…?

“But that means I might finally have a chance to talk to

Ayana-senpai at length!”

Seeing Mari smile with delight, I couldn’t help but think that
I definitely wanted to invite Ayana.

With no immediate commitment made, I said my goodbyes

to them and headed to the classroom.

“Towa-kun.”

“Towa.”

As I entered the classroom, Ayana and Shu, who had been

talking near the entrance, called out to me.

I’ve been in touch with Ayana, so I think she knows that I

overslept. Yet, when Ayana directly spoke to me, she quietly
examined my entire body, as if she wanted to confirm that
there really was nothing.

“It’s unusual, isn’t it? Towa oversleeping.”

“Well, I stayed up pretty late. Staying up all night isn’t really

my thing.”

Saying this, I made my way to my seat, and the two of them

naturally followed.

Inwardly, I couldn’t help but smile at the situation. I then

shared the recent conversation I had with the Student
Council President and Marika.

“I met the Student Council President and Mari at the

entrance earlier…”

I explained about the request from the Student Council

President for help after school and Mari’s interest in talking
with Ayana. Both Towa and Ayana seemed okay with it.

“I don’t mind. I’d like to see just how close Towa has gotten
with Iori-Senpai and Mari♪.”

“W-what makes you say that…”

“…Haha.”

The exchange between Ayana and Shu …… is nothing more

than an act of childhood familiarity.

It reminds me of the happy couple in the game just by

looking at them, and it’s so amicable that I don’t think a
tragedy will happen like in the game.

However, it is a certain truth that I am having a relationship

with Ayana, and I am betraying Shu in that regard.
[I want you to root for me with Ayana.]

Memories of the words she once said to me in the hospital

room come flooding back.

I’m not going to give her to you, and Ayana is my only girl…
These mixed feelings are turning black, but the relationship I
have with Ayana makes me feel superior to Shu and calms
me down. …… This is a really troubling feeling.

“Towa-kun?”

“Hmm… What is it?”

It seems like I was lost in thought again.

I suddenly realize that Shu is nowhere to be seen, and

Ayana is gazing at me with a worried expression.

“Where’s Shu?”

“He went to the restroom.”

“I see.”

“Did you really not see anything?”

“I told you, I didn’t see anything.”

I assure her, and Ayana places her hand gently on my

forehead, scrutinizing me closely, as if she’s making sure
I’m okay.

I can’t help but smile at her watchful eyes. I hold her hand
to reassure her once again that I’m fine.

“I’m telling you, everything’s okay. Just like I told you when I
woke up.”
“But… You sent that random joke last night, didn’t you?”

“Let’s not talk about that…”

It was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. I couldn’t explain

that I’d just felt a little concerned about Ayana and sent the
message on a whim. Of course, I know that the message
was horribly nonsensical and lacked any sense of decorum.
I’m still repenting for that.

“Fufu… Well, it was quite unexpected coming from the usual

Towa-kun, so I was surprised. But I was happy that you
cared about me.”

“I see…”

“Yes. I was actually thinking about you too. After what

happened yesterday evening…”

“It’s just… I don’t know how to put it, but it feels like we’re
connected, doesn’t it?”

It was a somewhat embarrassing statement. Despite the

distance between us, our feelings seem to be connected.
It’s because I felt that way last night that the words just
slipped out naturally.

Ayana looks at me in surprise and then smiles with her hand

on her lips.

That soft gaze makes me feel like I’m enveloped in her

kindness. It’s as if I’m being told, just like before, not to
overthink things. That’s the feeling I get.

“That’s right. We are connected… I thought the same thing

yesterday, too.”
In that moment when I saw Ayana’s smile, all the sounds
around me seemed to fade away. If I were to describe it
romantically, I’d say that I was once again enchanted by her
smile, an enchantment that had happened countless times
before.

I was captivated… yes, truly captivated.

It’s not that I genuinely believed there was no one else in

the world except for Ayana at that moment, but I reached
out towards her.

Ayana smiled even deeper when she saw my outstretched

hand and softly called my name.

[Towa-kun.]

[Towa-kun.]

However, I heard two voices.

I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to rub my eyes

because, in front of me, it looked like there were two
Ayanas.

In addition to the Ayana who was gazing at me with a smile,

there was another Ayana who had such a fleeting smile that
she seemed like she would disappear at any moment. The
second Ayana disappeared immediately, and by the time
the sound returned, there was only one Ayana in front of
me.

“What’s the matter?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Again, it happened… it was a sensation similar to when I
saw that woman in the black hooded coat.

Back then and now, every time I experienced such

inexplicable phenomena, Ayana’s expression had likely
changed enough to make her appear strange.

(I know very well that it’s not normal. I understand it. But
seeing such a bizarre scene suddenly like this… It’s hard to
keep it off my face.)

Each time, I couldn’t help but worry Ayana, but I didn’t know
how to explain it with words. Perhaps… no, Ayana might
genuinely listen and believe me.

If that’s the case, maybe I should just tell her.

“It’s getting noisy~. Take your seats~.”

“Ah… I’ll talk to you later, Towa-kun.”

Our homeroom teacher arrived, and Ayana returned to her

seat. Shu also returned a bit later, and since the bell hadn’t
rung yet, nothing was said. Soon after, the morning
assembly began.

“We’ll have a whole-school morning assembly over the

weekend, so be prepared for that. As for the rest…”

While listening to the teacher’s words, I glanced at the

notebook.

Not just the setting of this world but also all the strange
phenomena that happened around me, I had recorded
everything in that notebook.

“…All right, this should do.”

What I had just recorded was what I had seen a moment
ago.

The smiling Ayana and the fleeting-smile Ayana… It could be

a misunderstanding, and even worse, there was a possibility
that something might be wrong with me.

Until lunch break, the time passed quickly. Ayana

approached me with concern during the break, but I
reassured her each time, and in the end, she agreed to
relax.

“Still, I can’t believe Towa and Ayana will help out.”

“I’m sorry. It seems like we might be interfering with your

time, Senpai.”

“No, that’s not it… I mean—”

“Ah, it comes with rice~?”

Ayana removed a grain of rice from Shu’s mouth.

Shu blushed visibly and gazed blankly at Ayana, but she just
smiled slightly, not doing anything more.

This scene alone, if taken out of context, would resemble a

scene from a game that I knew well. Shu exchanged an
earnest smile, and Ayana’s knowing smile was enough to
make him blush. However, I couldn’t help but sense a hint of
acting somewhere, perhaps just me overthinking it.

As if they wanted to charm the other person by presenting

their best selves. Maybe I was thinking too much.

“Towa-kun? Why are you staring so intently like that?”

“Eh? Oh, no, sorry, just thinking…”

“Fufu, could it be… you’re captivated by me?”

She said it while smiling. Her smiling expression was the

same one she had directed at Shu, but I responded honestly
without feeling embarrassed like Shu did.

“It’s not so much being captivated as me being completely

enchanted by Ayana.”

“Ah…”

It was a bit cheesy… Uwaa, it makes my skin crawl!

I regretted saying it as soon as I said it, but it seemed to

have some effect. Ayana widened her eyes for a moment
but then blushed and looked down.

Her reaction was adorable, but it didn’t seem to be very

amusing to Shu.

“I thought the same thing, Ayana! You’re always cute,

Ayana!”

“Ah, yes thank you.”

Shu’s heartfelt words didn’t seem to resonate with Ayana

the way he had hoped.

What I just felt – Shu’s faithful depiction of himself in the

game and Ayana’s contrasting, somewhat detached
demeanor – I had wondered about it before in relation to
Shu, but I decided to record it in my notebook again.

Afterward, we spent time together with the three of us even

after finishing lunch.

However, Ayana’s friend happened to pass by and pulled

her away, taking her with them. This left Shu and me alone
with no conversation.

“Hey, Towa.”

“What is it?”

Even without much talking, it didn’t feel awkward, and the

silence was not uncomfortable. It was almost like reading
quietly, playing games, or going to each other’s homes to
do so.

Shu looked at me and continued to speak while staring at

me.

“Towa… Are you rooting for Ayana and me?”

I fell silent for a moment.

In response to Shu’s words, there were various things I

wanted to say, and feelings of superiority and anger mixed
in my chest, stimulating me. But, strangely, that heat
quickly subsided, and I found myself smoothly speaking the
words that I seemed to have prepared in advance.

“Well, maybe. If you dawdle, I might steal her away, you

know?”

“N-No way! Absolutely not!”

“Absolutely not? Who do you think you are, saying that?”

After that, the bell rang, and Shu returned to his seat to
prepare for the next class. I took out the notebook and
began making notes.

While doing so, I found myself thinking as I read the written

content.
(Where is my will, ultimately…?)

I should just take action myself, make a decision, but I was

just hesitating. When I first awakened in this world, I was
determined to bring Shu and Ayana together without
influencing the game’s storyline.

But in the end, I soon felt something was amiss, and I

allowed myself to be carried away by the circumstances,
yearning for Ayana… enjoying sweet moments hidden from
Shu.

(I want to be with Ayana, protect her… That’s because I

already have the memories of Towa, and I felt this from the
time I spent with Ayana. I can’t leave her to Shu; I don’t
want to leave her to him.)

Maybe it would have been so much easier if I were just a

player who played the game without thinking about the
consequences.

Avoiding this, not allowing that… even if I thought about it,

in the end, it was my actions that would lead to a result, and
it would depend on how I acted, impacting Ayana and Shu.
They had their own will, they weren’t programmed entities;
they were living humans.

“…Haa”

I wonder who said, Don’t sigh, the more you sigh, the more
happiness escapes.

Anyway, now that I think about it, it’s only been about a
week since I clearly awoke as Towa. Considering that, I’ve
managed to stay calm after organizing the facts revealed
and the information crammed into my head during this short
time. I really should commend myself.
Of course, I’m not entirely calm about all the events, but it
seems that my soul has become deeply ingrained in Towa’s
body.
“…Fuwaa.”

Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to let my guard down, as a

huge yawn escaped from me.

During this time, it was the classical literature class, and a

female teacher was in charge. I, who had just yawned so
openly, was caught by the teacher.

“Yukishiro-kun? Are you that bored?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

“Be more careful next time, okay? I’ll cut you some slack
this time since you usually have a good attitude in class. But
remember, I’ll be strict next time, so be prepared.”

“Okay.”

After the teacher’s words and the chuckles from the people
around me, I scratched my head.

I glanced around, and both Ayana and Shu, who were seated
apart, and Aisaka were all laughing. It’s truly
embarrassing… this is what they mean when they say you
wish the ground would swallow you up.

◇◆◇◆

During class, there was a mishap when I yawned and got

scolded by the teacher, but afterward, time passed without
any significant events.

There were no strange occurrences to worry about, and I

endured my sleepiness throughout the class. Afterward, it
was time for us to help with student council activities, as we
had agreed.
“Excuse us.”

Shu led the way as the three of us entered the student

council room. This was my second time coming here, and I
hadn’t expected all of us to gather in this place.

“Welcome, all three of you.”

“Shu-senpai! Hello, Yukishiro-senpai and Ayana-senpai too!”

“Yes, hello to both of you.”

Iori and Mari were already sitting in chairs and working on

something, and Shu also took a seat next to them.

“Yukishiro-kun and Otonashi-san, please sit wherever you

like.”

We were told to sit wherever we wanted, so Ayana and I

took seats next to each other.

Shu, of course, was experienced, and it seemed that Mari

had helped out a few times before. Ayana had also assisted
when Shu introduced her to Iori. That meant I was the only
one who didn’t know what was going on.

“I’ll teach Towa-kun. It’s not much different from before,

right?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, Yukishiro-kun. Even though we call it

‘help,’ it’s more about spending some enjoyable time with
everyone this time.”

“Understood.”

Afterward, Ayana taught me the work.

Just as Iori said, it wasn’t much work – primarily organizing
printed materials and checking for errors.

“This one… Hmm, it looks fine. And here…”

Next to me, Ayana smoothly organized the printed

materials.

Shu and Mari, being more experienced, had quicker hand

movements. Unsurprisingly, I was the slowest among us.
Still, as Iori had said, I worked steadily without getting
flustered.

“But it’s fun when all five of us gather like this.”

“Yes! It’s so enjoyable with Shu-senpai here!”

“Wait, Mari!?”

Mari stopped her work and jumped onto Shu, surprising him
a bit. He seemed to handle this kind of situation calmly,
probably because it had happened before.

“Ara ara, you two are so close.”

“That’s right! Shu-senpai and I are good friends!”

“Please, don’t speak so loudly in my ear, Mari.”

“Sorry!”

“Like I said….!”

The scene in the student council room was getting a bit

noisy, but I found it to be a pleasant background to the
tasks at hand.
With Iori joining in, things became even livelier. The
atmosphere was joyful, and I couldn’t help but watch the
three of them playfully interacting.

(…This is quite a pleasant sight.)

Iori and Mari, who are in a hurry to get close to Shu, by

making body touches in their own way, are somewhat ……
like that.

It was a scene seen in common romantic comedies, not

erotic ones.

“You’re too attached!”

“Ara, isn’t that a bit rich coming from you?”

“Both of you, please! Stop having a heated discussion with

me in the middle!”

Despite his words, Shu wore a mischievous smile. I looked at

Ayana sitting next to me, and her gaze was also fixed on the
group’s interaction, even though her eyes were hidden
behind her bangs.

“Is it always this lively here?”

“Eh? Oh, yes. It seems so… It’s much friendlier than I

imagined, and it’s heartwarming.”

I had heard that Iori and Mari introduced Shu to each other,
and considering Shu’s less outgoing nature initially, it was
clear that Iori and Mari had played a significant role in
making him more comfortable.

If Ayana had thought about this, it was further proof of her

kindness and thoughtfulness. I couldn’t help but feel the
same way.

“Fufu, it’s truly wonderful. They’ve all become so close.”

“…………”

Her smile is so beautiful that I can’t help but stare at it.

It is natural to be fascinated by the sight, but there is also

this other feeling: ……What is really this strange feeling?

“…Ayana.”

“Yes?”

Are you truly able to laugh right now?

Just as I was about to ask her that question, Mari hugged

Ayana from behind, causing her to let out a little scream,
and the question became a moot point.

Although I thought it was bad timing, I decided to give up

for now because I could always make time to be alone with
Ayana.

“Ayana-senpai! How can I become a woman with a great

figure like you and Honjo-senpai?”

“A great figure… Is that what you’re aiming for?”

“Yes! I mean… having a large bust definitely gives you a

significant advantage when it comes to seducing men,
right?”

“Mari-chan, why are you suddenly concerned about such

things?”
The conversation between the two girls began
unexpectedly, and I tried to avert my gaze as I looked at
Iori.

She was sitting beside Shu, grinning, and it was clear that
she had teased Mari about her own figure. Ayana seemed to
have figured it out too and let out a small sigh.

“Mari-chan, a woman’s charm isn’t just about her figure.

What’s important is her personality, and, at the same time,
her feelings for the other person.”

“Feelings for the other person… I see.”

“That’s right. Rather than taking Honjo-senpai’s words too

seriously, it’s better to keep a balance. It’s for your own
good, Mari-chan.”

“Come on, Otonashi-san, aren’t you being a bit too harsh?”

Iori joined in on the conversation at this point.

Shu and I were completely left out of the conversation, and

it was difficult for us to contribute to a discussion that was
so centered around women’s issues.

I subtly moved my chair away from the girls, hoping to give

them space for their discussion, and returned to organizing
the printouts.

“Shu, how’s it going over there?”

“It’s going smoothly. I’m getting used to it.”

Shu had significantly fewer printouts to sort through, and

both of us were close to finishing our tasks.
Including Ayana, Iori and Mari were chattering away, making
it difficult for us to focus on our work. We could have asked
them to work too, but it seemed better to let them enjoy
their conversation.

“….Haha”

Watching the three beautiful girls having a good time

together was indeed refreshing. But more than that, the
sight of Ayana, happily surrounded by her two friends, was
the most captivating.

“They look like they’re having fun.”

“Yeah… Well then, let’s finish our part for the three of
them.”

“Understood.”

Let’s try to complete the rest as best as we can.

However, a few minutes later, Shu and I found ourselves

making eye contact and silently wondering which of us
should intervene and reprimand them.

“Hey, both of you! That’s a bit too much, don’t you think?”

“What’s wrong? A little tickling never hurt… Oh, it’s so soft.”

“It’s such a peculiar sensation, touching someone else’s

ch*st like this.”

A strange conversation was unfolding in the room, and it left

us both at a loss.

In terms of positioning, the exchange is happening behind

me, and from where I’m sitting across from Shu, when I
slightly raise my gaze, I can see the interactions between
those three.

“…!!……!?!?”

For a while now, she has been sneaking glances and

blushing, completely acting suspiciously as if to amuse me.

But …… yeah, I’m curious about this too.

I close my eyes and focus behind me.

Ayana’s ticklish voice, Iori and Mari’s happy voices, the

sound of hands crawling on clothes, the footsteps made by
writhing…… having played numerous gal and a few er*ge in
the past, I can see the picture in my mind’s eye.

“Towa? Your expression seems to have changed quite a

bit…”

“In what way?”

“It’s like you’re not your usual handsome self anymore.”

“Oops, that wouldn’t be good.”

I made an effort to maintain a sharp expression and lightly

tapped my cheeks. Despite the continuing commotion
behind me that made me want to turn around, I immersed
myself in my work as if it were a soothing background
music.

Honestly, I’ve always thought that these kinds of things

were troublesome. However, helping someone can be quite
nice, and above all, the happiness of seeing Ayana has been
my most cherished time.

“Ah, I see… So that’s it.”

It clicked in my mind as if I’d solved a puzzle. I realized that
in this world, I was drawn to Ayana, and I wished to be with
her. I thought about what I could do in this situation. Despite
being swayed by circumstances, the core of who I am still
revolves around my desire for Ayana to be happy.

(But that’s alright. I’m going to protect Ayana… and for

that…)

I turned around.

The boisterous spectacle of beautiful girls playfully

interacting with each other had already dissipated. Now
they were just having a normal conversation, but Ayana was
still smiling.

Not only Ayana, but Iori and Mari as well, all had genuine
smiles on their faces.

(I want to protect this scene …… Kotone-san and Hatsune-

san are honestly difficult, but I’m sure even Ayana would be
saddened if she knew the future of these two unhappy
people)

I’ve said it many times before, but this world is already my

reality. It may not follow the exact path of my memories,
and I might experience things that are far from ordinary,
even hearing mysterious voices. But let’s consider that all of
this has some kind of meaning.

“Ah…”

As I contemplated this, I once again pressed my head lightly.

Two scenes appeared in my mind as if the scenery was

switching: Iori and Mari in a scene where they were stained
and fallen by a man’s hands.
(You again…)

And beside them stood someone in a black hood, whose

identity flashed through my mind.

The view returned to its original state, and I had merely held
my head lightly, so there was no need to worry anyone.

This needed to be documented as well, and I agreed with

that.

I still didn’t understand the meaning of these numerous

visions, but I had an intuitive feeling that something was
influencing my memories.

“Towa-kun?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you making that difficult face again?”

“Not really. I’d say my mood is quite the opposite.”

“Eh? Is that so?”

“Ou.”

That’s right. To put it another way, I’m feeling quite good

now.

I think I’ve finally been able to redefine what I want in my

heart.

[Shu PoV]

“President, I can handle it.”

“Then, may I ask you to?”

It was sudden, but even Towa was coming to the end of

helping Senior Iori, according to my understanding.

For me,Shu Sasaki, assisting Iori had already become a

routine, but for Towa, it was his first time, and he struggled
a bit at first.

(But Towa is incredible. He can do anything by the end.)

Towa’s initial difficulty had disappeared. Of course, the tasks

Iori assigned to Towa were simple, but I remembered that
when I first started with Iori, I had been desperate for
several days, asking her questions and learning how to do
things.

(But Towa can do everything already.)

He could even find and complete tasks on his own and was
now working together with Iori, shoulder to shoulder.

“…”

Him helping was a source of happiness for me, and, above

all, just having Ayana near me was something that made me
happy.

But… but!

I couldn’t stand how our abilities and qualities were

highlighted, showing how different we were. It made me feel
down, as if I’d never be able to surpass him.

And, what’s worse, Ayana was also praising Towa.

[Towa-kun, you really can do anything. It’s amazing♪]

Why is that? I wanted to shout, “I’m doing my best too, you
know!” But it would be embarrassing, and it wasn’t in my
nature to seek praise.

Hey, Ayana, don’t you see I’m right here, next to you? Why
do you only look at Towa without even noticing me right
next to you?

I felt an ugly surge of jealousy, something I didn’t even want

to admit to myself.

I was working hard too. I wanted to tell Ayana to praise me,

but it was embarrassing and unseemly, and I couldn’t bring
myself to say it.

(…And besides…)

In this situation, I remembered what happened during lunch

break.

Back then, in the hospital room, I had told Towa that I

wanted him to root for Ayana and me. He hadn’t replied at
the time, but he had nodded slightly. However…

[Well now, if I keep dawdling, I might snatch her away, you

know?]

He had said this with a provocative expression, showing how

well he pulled off the handsome look. It made me think,
handsome guys are just cheating. And Towa, in particular,
was a real cheat.

He could do anything, he had everything, and he was loved

by many. He possessed many things that I didn’t.

“Shu-kun?”
“… Ayana?”

I had been so absorbed in comparing myself to Towa that

my work had come to a stop.

Ayana was looking at me with a puzzled expression, so I

frantically tried to finish my work, as if I wanted to convey
that I was doing my best.

“Shu-kun, this part is incorrect, you know?”

“Eh”

“The digits are completely off. And here, the rows are off by
one.”

“…..”

I realized my mistakes when Ayana pointed them out. I

understood that everyone made small errors while thinking
about something else while working, but since I had been
asked by Iori-senpai to help, I had to make sure to be
careful.

I slapped my cheek as Towa had done earlier, making a

satisfying sound. It stung a bit, and I turned a little red, but
it re-energized me.

“Shu-senpai is really fired up now!”

“Fufu, it’s a good thing to have motivation. Keep up the

good work, Shu-kun.”

When Ayana praised me, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of

accomplishment, even though I hadn’t sought praise.

“Tell me if you need any help, okay? I’ll assist with

anything.”
Ayana leaned over, looking into my face. It was the first
time she had looked at me so closely. “Anything?” I thought
to myself, remembering those words I had seen online. But I
knew I would never make any weird requests.

“It’s alright. I can handle it by myself.”

“Waa… You look so cool, Shu-senpai!”

I didn’t mean to show off, but hearing it from Mari made me

feel genuinely happy.

Ayana looked surprised at my response.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m just a bit surprised.”

“Why?”

“I thought you would ask for help right away, Shu-kun. I

didn’t expect you to decline so confidently.”

“…I just wanted to look cool, that’s all.”

“Eh?”

“Nothing!”

I had raised my voice, and I felt a bit embarrassed about it,

but I focused on my work again.

I wondered if I might have been showing off a bit too much.

I also worried if I might come off as weird. While thinking
about this, I glanced over at Towa and Iori-senpai.

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s fine like this.”

“Good to know.”

“As for the next set of documents… Can you handle them?”

“Of course, leave it to me.”

“You’re reliable.”

Their conversation flowed so smoothly.

Iori-senpai was often seen as cold and distant because of

her cool appearance and way of speaking, but she was
indeed a kind person.

…But I couldn’t help feeling a bit uncomfortable about how

close she and Towa seemed to be.

“…Fufu.”

Ayana laughed as she watched the two of them.

Even just her profile had a significant impact, and Ayana

was most lovely when she smiled like that.

As I kept watching, Ayana turned her face towards me.

When she tilted her head, I couldn’t help but say:

“Hey… You’re smiling more today than usual.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Towa being here definitely contributes, but you seem

to have a lot of fun when you’re talking with Iori-senpai and
the others.”

“…”

“Huh…? Did I say something strange?”

Ayana seemed even more surprised by my words.

Ayana appeared completely bewildered as she averted her

gaze from me, her focus shifting toward Towa and Iori-
senpai. She even began to look at Mari, who was sitting next
to her.

“Ayana-senpai?”

“…It’s nothing, really.”

She replied, looking down, her behavior obviously out of the

ordinary.

I was about to ask her what was wrong, but Towa acted
before I did.

“Ayana, what’s wrong?”

“…Towa-kun.”

Towa. Even though he had been talking with Iori-senpai just

moments ago, he naturally approached Ayana like a hero
coming to her rescue.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, well… I just zoned out for a moment.”

Towa leaned over Ayana’s face with a worried expression.

Even someone of the same sex as me had to admit that
Towa looked cool. Yet, at the same time, I couldn’t help but
feel a tinge of jealousy.

Although I realized it too, it seemed that the situation was

being dominated by Towa, making me feel left out.
Everyone, including Iori-senpai and Mari, was watching
Towa’s actions closely.
“I’m really fine. Besides, Towa-kun, you’ve been spacing out
quite a bit recently, so maybe I caught it from you.”

“That’s… not a pleasant way to catch it.”

I had no idea what they were talking about. They were

chuckling, and Towa had a slightly worried expression, a
conversation that only the two of them seemed to
understand. I felt like an outsider.

Despite thinking that, I chose not to point it out, wanting to

avoid making things awkward. We pushed through and
finished our tasks. By the time we were done tidying up,
everyone seemed satisfied. I felt a strong sense of
accomplishment, even more than usual.

“Today, it was great that we got to chat not only while

working but also with Ayana and Yukishiro-kun.”

“That’s true. I usually have club activities, so I don’t get

many opportunities like this. It was really enjoyable!”

Iori-senpai and Mari seemed content. As the tasks were

completed, it was time to disband. However, I found myself
pulled away by Iori-senpai and Mari, losing my chance to
leave.

“You really did your best today, Shu-kun.”

“Ah, I guess so…”

“Absolutely! You were amazing, Shu-senpai!”

“Ahaha… Thank you, both of you.”

Although I had been shown as a cool guy to Ayana, I

couldn’t deny that it was a bit of an overstatement.
Nevertheless, I felt a strong sense of achievement, and the
warm sensation of my arms being wrapped by both of them
enhanced the feeling.

(But…)

Even amidst all this, I couldn’t help but wonder about

Ayana’s bewildered expression. I had never seen her like
that before. I couldn’t help but wonder what she was
thinking at that moment.
 Chapter 3

“…Heh, so there was a setting like this.”

In a room now shrouded in darkness, a man sat at his desk,

muttering to himself. His gaze was fixed on the computer
monitor in front of him, displaying a certain website.

The site contained discussions and developer comments

about an adult PC game titled “I Was Robbed Of
Everything.”

“It was quite a sensational game in its time. Playing it

doesn’t reveal everything, so having it all summarized like
this is quite helpful.”

On his desk lay the packages for both the main game and
the fan disc of “I Was Robbed Of Everything.” Living alone
meant he could leave such games out in the open without
concern.

“…What’s this?”

He spent the next few minutes scrutinizing the site.

What became clear, once again, was that there were events
in the game only involving Towa and Ayana.

To anyone who played the game, this fact would be evident,

but the developer’s comments provided further clarification:

“It’s a story from Ayana’s perspective, so the fan disc

contains a significant amount of content involving Towa.
However, in our concept, Towa only gets involved with
Ayana. There are no heroines like Iori or Mari among Ayana’s
close friends. If Ayana were to become friends with them,
she would also be unsure about what she should do.”

Indeed, he nodded in agreement.

In the main story, aside from that, the fan disc goes into
great detail from Ayana’s perspective. By unraveling the
past between the two of them, there may be no room for
clemency when it comes to Kotone, Shu’s younger sister,
and his mother, Hatsune.

But, when it comes to Iori and Mari, who were inadvertently

drawn into Ayana’s quest for vengeance, it’s honestly hard
not to feel sympathy for them.

Sympathy… no, it’s more like they’re truly pitiable.

[It’s because she was driven by the desire for revenge that
Ayana focused solely on that. The sorrow that may come
from the vengeance she orchestrated for Towa was
completely overlooked, and all she cared about was bringing
it all to an end.]

To eliminate any obstacles for Towa’s sake.

Ayana used whatever things were necessary to destroy the

family itself, including Shu, and even Iori and Mari, who
were close friends, became part of the cogs and performers
in her revenge play.

“…Ayana’s formidable side was depicted entirely, but if

Towa were to find out, he’d surely put a stop to it. The more
you play the fan disc, the clearer it becomes… Towa is an
incredibly kind person.”
The man continued to read the developer’s comments.

[It’s our shared understanding that aside from Ayana, Towa

doesn’t have much interaction with anyone else. He might
have a few conversations here and there, but if he were to
get close or seem to be having fun with Ayana’s friends,
he’d surely cause Ayana to hesitate.]

When he read that comment, the man could easily imagine

such a scenario.

The fan disc was Ayana’s story of revenge but also depicted
her internal struggles so intensely that he couldn’t help but
feel deeply immersed in it.

As an outsider watching the story, he had thought endlessly

about making Towa aware of Ayana’s feelings. He truly liked
Ayana as a character and wanted her to find genuine
happiness.

[Ayana always prioritized Towa, and she loved him dearly. It

was pure, straightforward love that drove her, and that’s
how she could endure even when her heart was breaking.
As people often say, we’re not thinking about future
stories… or alternate scenarios. Please, in your own
imaginations, let them find happiness.]

With that, the developer’s comments came to a close.

It was already decided that there would be no sequel, let

alone an alternative story, as per the official announcement.
The disappointment was evident in the online community’s
reactions.

The man sat in a daze for a while but eventually moved his
mouse and launched the fan disc’s files.
The first image that appeared was of Ayana, wearing her
familiar black hood, under a pitch-black sky with eyes that
didn’t shine even a glimmer.

“It’s still hazy… the more I get to know this character, the
more I wish she had found happiness. Even if nothing had
happened, she would have ended up with Towa. There
would have been some struggles with Shu, but it wouldn’t
have been insurmountable. Ayana would choose Towa over
Shu, and Towa would choose Ayana… that’s all it would’ve
been.”

Ayana on the title screen remained still, but if you gazed at

her for a while, it seemed as if she was shedding tears.

Then, the man played the game again, almost as if he were

immersing himself in memories.

There were many moments that made him chuckle, and as

long as he didn’t think about Shu, Towa and Ayana were all
smiles.

However, the story continued to progress, with suspenseful

moments when Towa almost encountered people who would
have caused him distress.

[Towa-kun, should we go this way?]

[Eh? Oh, okay.]

However, thanks to Ayana’s advance notice, Towa was able

to lead peaceful days.

He never had any contact with Kotone and Hatsune, who

had verbally abused him in the past. There was also no
interaction with Ayana’s mother, who indirectly uttered
derogatory remarks.
Not only from Ayana’s perspective but also from Towa’s,
there was really not much interaction with the other
heroines. So, whatever happened to them, Towa wouldn’t
know.

“…Ah, it’s over.”

After watching Towa and Ayana’s lovey-dovey moment, the

ending showed them walking towards the light. The man
continued to watch silently, and as Ayana’s figure
disappeared, Towa’s monologue began.

[In my arms, there’s Ayana, always smiling. Looking at that

smile, it makes me happy. But… was this really the right
choice?]

Those words disappeared like fleeting moments, and the

next sentence appeared.

[I was the one who she acted for, but what truly shattered
her heart… was that I couldn’t realize it. I might have been
the one who took away that gentle girl from myself.]

If Towa had realized… it was as if this function, inserted as a

playful gesture by the developers, was his heart’s cry.

After gazing at the screen for a while, the man let out a sigh.

He leaned back in his chair, resting against the backrest,

and muttered softly.

“If I were Towa… well, I can’t say I’d do anything so heroic.

But I guess I’d still move for Ayana, even if I didn’t
understand a thing. Haha, it’s pointless to think like this, but
it’s okay to entertain these thoughts, right? After all, it’s a
story that made me feel this way.”
He wasn’t implying he could replace Towa, but he wanted to
save Ayana nonetheless. Feeling this level of empathy for
characters in a game might seem strange, but it was a
testament to how much he loved this story.

“I’m not used to doing this. My shoulders are a little stiff.”

I muttered this while massaging my shoulders.

We had been working in the student council room earlier.

Even though I had gotten used to it to some extent in the
latter part, doing something I didn’t usually do was tiring.
However… to put it simply, I had enjoyed that time.

It was still part of our duties and not just play, but working
together with someone was undoubtedly part of the typical
student life, and it was truly a pleasant experience.

But perhaps the most significant reason was that she was
by my side.

I suddenly glanced toward her, and she looked up at me.

Our gazes met, and though she seemed surprised for a
moment, she soon smiled.

“Something wrong?”

“No, I was just thinking that I had fun during that time
earlier.”

“Fufu. It was sort of a coincidence that we ended up doing

this, but… yes, it was fun.”

“Ayana?”
She mentioned it was fun, but Ayana still had a somewhat
gloomy expression. She quickly put on a smile again, not
wanting to worry me. Her smile was cute, and I couldn’t help
but think it was better not to ask.

Since Shu had gone with Iori and Mari, there were just the
two of us. Now would be a good time for us to have a
serious conversation that we couldn’t have at school.

“Ayana, can we talk for a moment?”

“Of course. What’s on your mind?”

She smiled sweetly and agreed, but I couldn’t shake the

feeling that something was bothering her.

I didn’t want to see her like this, so I decided to take her

hand and lead her to a nearby cafe.

“Welcome! Just the two of you?”

“Yes.”

“Please have a seat over there. When you’re ready to order,

just let us know.”

“Thank you.”

Following the waitress’s instructions, we headed toward a

table further inside.

We looked through the menu while we waited and decided

to start with some tea and cake. While waiting for our order,
we engaged in light-hearted conversation.

“Here it is!”
Our order arrived, and we stopped our conversation to enjoy
the flavors.

The tea was perfectly sweet, and the cake tasted excellent.
Ayana was savoring her dessert too.

“Towa-kun, may I try a bit of your chocolate cake?”

“Of course. Shall we exchange a bite of that strawberry

shortcake too?”

“Certainly.”

We cut our cakes into bite-sized pieces and shared them

with each other.

After finishing our cakes and sipping some tea, we both

settled in for a moment. I gazed directly at Ayana and
broached the topic.

“Hey, Ayana.”

“Yes?”

“Is there something you’re not telling me? Something you’re

carrying inside?”

“What do you mean?”

She gazed at me intently and tilted her head slightly.

She had a genuinely puzzled expression, which, because

she looked good in any expression, even in one that
emphasized her pure curiosity, appeared attractive.

“Ayana, you’re… always smiling.”

“That’s because I’m with Towa-kun. Every day is fun, and
I’m happy… under those circumstances, I don’t have any
expressions other than a smile. Well, I’m still a human, so
it’s a bit much to say that I don’t have any other
expressions besides a smile.”

“….…”

She giggled, her shoulders shaking slightly.

Her expression seemed genuine, just like the smile she

always showed, but there was something different about it.
Even though it was supposed to be my favorite smile, I
couldn’t help but notice a shadow in her smile.

“Is it true?”

“…Eh?”

“Is Ayana really genuinely able to smile from the heart?”

“…Fumu”

The way I was asking was delving even deeper into her
inner thoughts. But Ayana didn’t appear disturbed or
concerned in the least; instead, she placed her hand on her
chin and took my question seriously.

“From the bottom of my heart, I can truly smile, you know?

Look, does the smile where Towa-kun says I’m cute seem
fake to you?”

Saying that, Ayana broke into a broad smile.

Honestly, it was vexing, but I had no choice but to

wholeheartedly agree with her words, and I had an intuition
that this was indeed a smile from her heart.
Was I overthinking it? No, there was no way I was
overthinking it. That’s what I believed.

Observing Ayana as she smiled sweetly, my heart felt not

only cleansed but also the thought of wanting to gaze at this
smile forever filled my mind.

“Towa-kun? What’s really going on? The serious expression

on Towa-kun is lovely, but I don’t want you to make a
complicated face in a place like this.”

“Right…”

That was the silent plea behind the pouting Ayana, who was
clearly signaling that she didn’t want any heavy
conversation in this cozy cafe. So, I apologized.

This way, no matter how much I asked, Ayana wouldn’t

answer. And perhaps most of all, I was beginning to doubt if
it was just a misunderstanding on my part.

“Sorry. I’m going to the restroom for a moment.”

“Sure, take your time.”

I got up from my seat and headed to the restroom.

While taking care of my business and washing my hands, I

looked at myself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at
me clearly showed my discontent at not getting a
satisfactory answer from Ayana.

“….Am I rushing too much? What do you think, Towa?”

When I asked that question, the reflection of me in the

mirror, of course, remained silent and gave no response.
I kept staring, but nothing changed, and time just passed by.
I chuckled at my own thoughts and then returned to Ayana.

“I’m back. What should we do now? Ready to leave?”

“Yes, you’re right. We’ve had our cake and tea.”

So, after paying the bill, we left the cafe. I had been
observing Ayana subtly during our time there, but I couldn’t
find anything unusual. Maybe I was just overthinking it.

Haa…..What a ridiculous thing to do, only to be noticed by

Ayana, who is sensitive to such matters.

“Oh, how about going to that shop on our next day off?
There’s a little item I want to check out, and I’d also like to
get a small present for Akemi-san.”

“Sure thing. I’ll make sure to clear my schedule for it.”

While replying to Ayana, I let the thoughts from earlier come

back to mind.

The moments when Ayana interacted with Iori and Mari, and
how she seemed to enjoy it.

Ayana’s seemingly reluctant reaction to Iori’s advances was

quite amusing. Her gentle expression when she looked at
her cute junior who was struggling with how to be more like
her was also quite lovely.

“And also… Towa-kun? What are you grinning about?”

See, I knew this would happen. Well, at least she didn’t see
me worrying. Instead, she saw me grinning foolishly, which
is also embarrassing.
“Hey, I wasn’t thinking anything perverted or anything like
that. I was just thinking about what happened in the student
council room earlier.”

“Again? It was indeed fun, but… Ah, now I can’t help but
remember when Iori-senpai fondled my br*asts.”

“What?”

Ah… I had a bit of a reaction.

There wasn’t a scene like that when I was watching them,

but I saw…Shu’s face turned red.

“I wanted to see that… What kind of expression are you

making?”

“Eeh?”

“Fufu, just kidding. Anyway, since we’re here, shall we go

find a quiet spot for a bit of touching time? I won’t mind at
all!”

“Don’t make it sound like you’re flaunting it! I mean, we

were talking about br*asts!”

By the way, we’re in a crowded public area, so it’s not the

place for this kind of conversation.

After we laughed for a bit, we both regained our composure

and started walking.

“…Kuku”

“…Ufufu.”

We both chuckled for a while, and then we continued

walking after our laughter subsided.
During that time, we didn’t exchange a single word, but the
atmosphere was far from uncomfortable. In fact, the silence
was strangely comfortable.

As we walked together, I suddenly stopped. Matching my

pace, Ayane naturally halted and looked up at me, waiting
for my next move.

“Well, it’s like this. What I asked you earlier was, in a way, a
kind of resolution for me.”

“A resolution?”

“Yeah.”

I nodded.

“I want to protect Ayane’s smile, and after seeing you

having fun in the student council room, that feeling has
grown stronger.”

Since there were still people around, we moved to a quieter

spot. Even though we shifted, the evening streets were
bustling with people, and there was no escaping the crowd.

We positioned ourselves at the edge of the road, and I faced

Ayane directly.

“You see, I really… I love seeing you smile. Not just in front
of me, but like the way I saw you being friendly with the
Student Council President and even with Mari earlier… It’s a
precious sight. In today’s terms, I guess it’s something like
‘teehee’ or something?”

Teehee… It’s a trendy phrase these days, right?

As I thought that it would be a good phrase to use in such a
situation, there were no words coming from Ayane in
response.

I began to wonder if I had missed the mark, but when I

looked at her, she seemed somewhat dazed.

She appeared to be taken aback, as if I had conveyed

something unexpected or surprising to her.

“Ayane? What’s wrong?”

She stammered and seemed dazed.

“…….”

“…..Ayane?”

She lowered her gaze and took a step back, as though

distancing herself from me. It almost felt like rejection. I
reflexively reached out to her but then pulled back.

I began to doubt if I had done something wrong or said

something inappropriate. I revisited our recent conversation
in my mind, but I couldn’t pinpoint any obvious cause for
her reaction.

“Ayane—“

I might be misunderstanding something, but the way she

distanced herself from me hurt like a sharp blade piercing
my heart. It was as if a heavy, suffocating atmosphere filled
the space between us.

“Umm… I…”

Ayane lifted her head, but her expression remained somber.

The awkward silence lingered when, just then, someone
appeared, seemingly to break the tension.

◇◆◇◆

“Osuu~! I knew I saw Yukishiro-kun and Otonashi-san.”

Waving from a little distance away was Aisaka-kun. He was

in his uniform, so he must have just finished a club activity.
He approached us with a smirk.

“What’s going on? It’s not that unusual to see Yukishiro-san

and Otonashi-san together, but were you on a date by any
chance?”

Aisaka-kun playfully nudged my shoulder, which irritated me

slightly, but he quickly realized that he might be intruding if
it were a date and hastily apologized.

“If you’re going to apologize, don’t bother interrupting in the

first place.”

“Sorry, really… You know, I’ve been so caught up with

practice lately. I haven’t had much time to hang out with
friends, and then I saw you two. I just felt like saying hi.”

“Is that all it is?”

“Just that… Yeah.”

In response to my question, Aisaka scratched his head.

Ayana is a classmate of Aisaka’s, but they don’t talk much,

so the jovial sports boy is a bit intimidated in front of me.

Nevertheless, considering the subtle tension between Ayana

and me, Aisaka’s arrival provided a breath of fresh air.
“Aisaka, isn’t it a bit unusual for you to be on your way
home from club activities? Isn’t your house in the opposite
direction from here?”

“My mom asked me to pick up some groceries. If I complain

about being tired from baseball, she’ll kill me.”

“What kind of mom is she?”

“She’s like a demon – well, not quite.”

Referring to your own mother as ‘a demon’?

Well, I’ve never been to Aisaka’s house, and I don’t know

what his family is like.

“She might be a demon, but she’s still my mom.”

I guess a mother’s request is hard to refuse.

Although Aisaka and I get along well, I’ve never been to his
house, and I don’t know anything about his family.

But I see, it’s a request from his mom… I get along pretty
well with Aisaka, but I’ve never been to his house, and I
don’t even know what his family is like.

“Whether it’s because of Aisaka or not, it’s hard to refuse a

mother’s request, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. She’s been making me bentos and taking

care of me all the time, so I’ve probably been a bit of a
bother too.”

“I see.”

It seems like both of us have trouble saying no to our

mothers.
We’ve never really had the opportunity to talk about our
families like this before, even though we’re students.

“Fufu, Aisaka-kun, you really love your mom, don’t you?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say ‘love’ because it sounds embarrassing,

but I definitely don’t dislike her, I think that’s pretty
normal.”

“That’s true. Towa-kun also loves Akemi-san… I mean his

mom.”

“You look like you love your family too, Yukishiro.”

“What kind of face is that?”

I lightly poke Aisaka’s shoulder.

I’m really glad Aisaka came along… Maybe if he hadn’t,

things could have been awkward between me and Ayana.

“Are you two leaving already?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes, we were just about to head home.”

Ayana smiled her usual smile and walked up to my side. In

that moment, Aisaka voiced a question that seemed to have
been on his mind.

“In class, you’re always taking care of Sasaki, right,

Otonashi-san? But it seems like you and Yukishiro-kun go
better together…”

“Ara, thank you, Aisaka-kun.”

Ayana smiled sweetly, and I could see Aisaka getting a bit
flustered. While I understood that being smiled at by such a
beautiful girl as Ayana could have that effect, I distinctly
remembered that Aisaka had someone he was interested in,
particularly a younger girl.

“By the way, Aisaka, about the shopping…”

Just as I was about to ask if everything was alright, a

powerful voice echoed that caught Aisaka’s and my
attention.

We quickly turned our heads in that direction, surprised and

even a bit alarmed.

“Come on, let go of me!”

A university-aged guy was making advances towards a

young woman. The woman clearly showed her discomfort,
but she didn’t back down and instead confronted him with a
strong gaze and voice, trying to intimidate him. In contrast,
the guy didn’t seem to be fazed at all and just grinned.

He hadn’t approached her in a friendly manner; it was clear

that he was interested in the woman’s body, and his
expression was lecherous.

“…”

“Nampa, huh… ” [TL: Nampa = Hitting on women, seducer,

etc]

Nampa attempts weren’t particularly unusual in the city.

However, the woman in question was not someone we could
simply ignore. She was someone I recognized and stirred up
memories of my past as Towa.
“Is that Seina-san?”

It was Seina Otonashi, Ayana’s mother. She was around the

same age as my mother, probably in her forties. Despite
that, she looked remarkably youthful, almost like a college
student. She shared a similar beautiful appearance and aura
with Ayana, which made it even more surprising that
someone would attempt to hit on her like this.

“Seems like that guy is making Otonashi-san

uncomfortable… Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be right back.”

“Aisaka?”

Putting the luggage in its place, Aisaka heads to Seina and

the man.

Most people might choose to ignore such a situation, but

Aisaka’s nonchalant response seemed to reflect his sense of
justice. Seeing him like that also inspired me.

“I’m going with him. Ayana, I know youre mother doesn’t

think well of me, but she’s still your mother, and that’s
reason enough to help… Ayana, you wait here.”

Even if she doesn’t have a high opinion of me, that’s not a

reason not to help. She’s Ayana’s mom, and I felt like I
would regret it if I didn’t do anything.

But… what’s this?

As I tried to head over to Seina-san, my legs felt heavy, as if

I were stuck in quicksand up to my knees.

(Just like back then…)

I remembered the feeling from when I watched Shu and Iori
carrying bags. In the end, I did nothing and went home with
Ayana.

I forced my feet to move.

As if something had clicked in my mind, I found myself

standing next to Aisaka.

I couldn’t ignore this feeling, but the urgency to help Seina-

san overrode it. That’s what filled my heart.

“Wait, Aisaka.”

“Huh? Yukishiro-kun, are you coming too?”

“Yeah, well, it’s because she’s Ayana’s mom.”

“Heh… eh?”

Aisaka blinked in surprise at my explanation. It was

understandable; it’s not often you see someone so young-
looking having a high school daughter.

We headed over to the two people who were arguing. The

first one to notice us was Seina-san, and she seemed
surprised when she saw me, not Aisaka.

“That’s enough. Can’t you see she’s not interested?”

“Do you really have the nerve to do this in such a public

place?”

“…Who the hell are you?”

The guy stared at us menacingly, but when he realized

there were two of us, he seemed a bit taken aback. He
released Seina-san’s hand for a moment. I didn’t let that
chance slip by and quickly pulled Seina-san away from him.

“You are—“

“Please don’t say anything now and let me help you.”

But deep down, I was anxious. Considering the words I’d

heard from Kotone and Hatsune-san, I didn’t expect to hear
anything more shocking. However, I still didn’t want to hear
anything harsh from the mother of the girl I like, so I
preferred if she didn’t say anything.

“You brats, it’s none of your business.”

“I won’t go into details, but we’re involved.”

“Just give it up. It’s not cool.”

The man’s anger flared up even more at Aisaka’s words, and

he picked up a traffic cone nearby.

Seeing this, Seina let out a small scream, and I quickly

placed my hand on Aisaka’s shoulder, pulling him forcefully
to our side.

“You’re playing baseball, right? It’d be trouble if you injured

yourself.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Stay back!”

But here was where my shortcomings became apparent.

While my intention was to protect them, I hadn’t thought of
a clear course of action. By pulling Aisaka strongly, I put
some distance between him and Seina-san, which was
reassuring. However, Seina-san, who was standing right
behind me, was still in danger.

As the commotion continued to attract more attention,

people started to make a fuss. For now, I needed to endure
a blow to the head or back… or did I?

“Don’t get cocky, you bastards!”

As I shifted my gaze away from the man swinging the traffic

cone, I saw Seina-san, her eyes wide open, staring at me in
shock. Aisaka was about to rush towards me. Seina-san’s
expression was particularly striking, though.

Well, the memories of direct conversations with her are from

Towa’s past memories, and they aren’t featured much in the
game, so I can’t say if “fresh” is the right word, but it felt
that way.

“Ah…”

I closed my eyes and braced for impact. I just hoped it

wouldn’t hurt too much. However, I didn’t feel any pain.

“DON’T YOU DARE TO DO SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO TOWA-

KUUUUUUUUUUN!”

That was indeed Ayana’s enraged shout.

I turned around at the sound of something dull hitting the

ground, and I saw the traffic cone falling to the ground. The
man was crouching, clutching his groin, and Ayana stood
with her back to us, between the man and me.

With her back turned and standing right in front of us, Ayana
had a stance that resembled a battle-hardened warrior.
Aisaka and I exchanged glances.
“Ayana… san?”

“Otonashi… san?”

We… were we the side characters? I was genuinely

overwhelmed by Ayana’s presence, as were not only Aisaka
and me but also, as I briefly glanced behind, Seina, who was
wide-eyed, seemed to find Ayana’s current appearance
quite unusual or something she hadn’t seen much before.

“…”

For now, there was no need for either of us to ask about

what had just happened with Ayana.

What mattered more was that while the scene had calmed
down, both Seina and the Ayana were present. This became
evident as Seina’s voice broke the silence.

“Ayana… What just happened? Or rather, why are you with

this child?”

The words “why are you with this child” obviously referred
to me. In the end, it was Ayana who had repelled the man,
but I couldn’t help but find it amusing that she hadn’t said a
word of thanks to me, who had protected her at my own
expense.

“Mom, wouldn’t it be better to thank Towa-kun first? He

went so far as to protect Mom.”

“Why would I… What kind of joke are you making?”

Ayana snorted as she looked at me. To be honest, I had no

idea why she disliked me, or rather, Towa, so much. Even if I
were to ask her, she probably wouldn’t tell me, no matter
what reasons there might be. I wished I could say something
that would strongly affect her, but as I was thinking about it,
Ayana began speaking. She unleashed a barrage of words
that hit harder than a right straight, a high-powered attack.

“It was the same back then, wasn’t it? Even though I was
the one in the wrong, Towa-kun comforted me, and you
treated him coldly. Even when Towa-kun got injured!!”

Ayana took a deep breath and continued in a calm voice, as

though she hadn’t been raising her voice just moments ago.

“Not only can’t you say thank you, but you even said such
horrible things to Towa-kun. I don’t just dislike you; I don’t
even want to think that we share the same blood.”

“A… Ayana…?”

Ayana’s words left Seina-san dumbfounded, as if she

couldn’t believe it. She stared at Ayana as if she had
forgotten that Aisaka and I were even there.

(Isn’t this a bit too much of a fireball straight?)

As far as I was concerned, all I had were unpleasant

memories of Seina-san. However, that didn’t mean I
thought, “Serves you right” when I heard Ayana say that.
That would be a petty way of thinking.

Now, what should I do in this situation? As I pondered this, I

noticed that Ayana had a scratch on her hand—probably
from her exchange with the man earlier, where his nails had
likely grazed her.

“Seina-sa… cough, I’m sorry, can you please give me a

hand?”

“Towa-kun?”
I was about to call her name, Seina-san, but I stopped
myself just in time.

When I approach her in her stunned state, she seems to be

properly conscious as only her gaze follows my face ……
well, of course she is.

“There’s a scratch. I don’t have any antiseptic cream with

me, so please wash it and take care of it when we get back
home.”

I wrapped a handkerchief around the scratch, and while I

expected her to resist or brush my hand away, she simply
watched me go about it.

“All right, that should do it.”

After finishing the simple first aid, I released Seina-san’s

hand. I didn’t know what to say to her. There was a flood of
emotions and questions, but I had no idea how to approach
this situation.

“Shall we go, Towa-kun? You too, Aisaka-kun.”

Ayana held my hand tightly as we started walking.

Aisaka seemed to have forgotten that Ayana had once been

the one to hit him with that heavy blow. He probably still
didn’t know the full story, and I wasn’t about to tell him.

“Um… haha, it feels like a lot happened.”

Once Seina’s figure disappeared from our view, Aisaka

chuckled with a perplexed smile. He had no idea about the
circumstances, and he was understandably bewildered.
Nonetheless, I appreciated that he was making light of the
situation and trying to ease the tension.
“I’m sorry, Aisaka-kun. Well, you know, a lot happened.”

“Yeah, even without knowing the details, it was pretty

obvious just by seeing that. Well, both Otonashi-san and you
are unharmed, so that’s a relief.”

“Yeah.”

We agreed on that point.

But, anyway…

“…”

“…”

“What’s the matter?”

With Aisaka and me staring at her, Ayana looked

uncomfortable and shrank into herself. It was a far cry from
the confident and powerful presence she had displayed
earlier.

I had a sense that this was a side of her I hadn’t seen

before. Although my past memories of her and the games
didn’t portray her in such a way, she was definitely acting
differently today.

“Well, Ayana… When she gets angry, she becomes like that,
huh? That… um, I don’t know, it felt kind of different from
her usual self.”

“Exactly… I don’t think she’s a bad person, but that’s just

how she acts. Her mother didn’t even thank you for what
you did. And, she said such harsh words for no reason…”

“Um, I see.”
I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. In a way, I understood
her better now, but it didn’t make the situation any less
awkward.

“Shall we go, Towa-kun? Aisaka-kun too.”

Ayana gripped my hand tightly, and we resumed walking.

With Ayana leading the way and holding my hand, I couldn’t

help but look back at the situation. However, Aisaka’s didn’t
seem to have any intention of following us or saying
anything to us.

“Uh, well… ha ha, I’m not sure how to feel about all this.”

We walked a bit further, and Aisaka smiled, trying to ease

the atmosphere.

He must be quite confused, not knowing any of the

circumstances, but even so, I was grateful that he could
smile like this, as it helped ease the tension in the air.

“Sorry, Aisaka. Well, you know, a lot of things happened.”

“Well, if you saw that, even if you were incredibly dense,

you’d understand. Well, that goes for that person too, but
I’m glad that neither of us got seriously injured.”

“Yeah.”

I agreed with him on that point.

Well, that being said… when it comes to who was

responsible for us not getting seriously injured, it was
undoubtedly her, moving like an Amazoness.

“…………”
“…………”

“W-What’s the matter…?”

Ayana looked uncomfortable and made her body smaller as

Aisaka and I stared at her.

Considering her loud voice from a moment ago and how she
effortlessly took down that man with a single blow… I
realized that Ayana was much stronger than I had thought.
Her sudden use of rough language was also unexpected, as
it didn’t seem to fit her character.

“Well… I had no idea Ayana could get like that when she’s
angry. Uh… I mean, I didn’t see anything dangerous, did I?
Will I get killed for that?”

“Who would kill you! Please don’t treat people like

dangerous freaks!”

“…..Kuku.”

Ayana bit back at Aisaka’s joking remark, her face turning

bright red.

Aisaka laughed, looking troubled as he glanced at Ayana,

who seemed unamused. Then, he turned to me and
continued.

“I want to make it clear that I’m not involved in this. I’m

curious, but I won’t ask anything. Still, I don’t think
Yukishiro-kun is the kind of person who would be disliked for
no reason. So, I’m hoping for some improvement in your
relationship.”

“Yeah… thanks, Aisaka.”

“Hehe, well, then… shopping! I almost forgot!!”

Aisaka hastily waved his hand and ran off.

Given the situation, it felt like the storm had passed, but
being told such things made my face turn slightly red.

Ayana held onto my arm and stared at me intently.

There had been that exchange earlier… I thought that if I

sent her home today, things might become awkward
between Seina-san and her. So, I proposed that she stay
over at my house.

“I’d like to visit… I’ll leave early tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

In that case, it seemed like I would be taking her home

tomorrow and then going to school. My mother was likely
already home, so I should call her before taking Ayana with
me and let her know that Ayana would be staying over.

[Hello?]

[Mom? I’m sorry for this sudden request, but Ayana will be
staying over today—]

[That’s fine. I’ll make a bit more food then.]

My mom agreed without asking for any reasons, which was

wonderful.

Ayana, who was close by, seemed to have heard my mom’s

voice that leaked out, and she quietly held my hand while
chuckling.

“Thank you, Towa-kun. I should also thank Akemi-san.”

“You really don’t need to thank her. But it’s more about my
mom… She gets all excited when someone stays over, and
it can get annoying, you know?”

“It’s okay. I’m used to dealing with a tipsy Akemi-san when

she’s had a bit of alcohol♪”

That was… really reassuring, and I smiled wryly.

I was soothed by Ayana’s excitement at being able to meet

her mother and Ayana being by my side. I took her with me
and returned home to where my mother was waiting.
 Chapter 4

Ayana PoV

[Not only can I not thank you, but for whatever reason, I
hate Mom for uttering those awful, awful words.…… I don’t
even want to think that I have the same blood in my veins
as you.]

When I said that, my mother looked at me as if in utter

shock. It was as though she hadn’t even remotely expected
me to say such a thing, or to hear those words coming from
me. Despite the guilt I felt, there was a sense of satisfaction
that I had said it rather than a sense of wrongdoing.

But… Towa-kun moved to help my mother.

[I’ll go too. Ayana’s mother may not think highly of me, but
she’s still your mother, and that’s reason enough to help
her. Ayana, stay here.]

Towa-kun didn’t know about the terrible things my mother

had said, but he knew she didn’t have a good opinion of
him. Even so, Towa-kun, being kind as he is, didn’t hesitate
to help my mother. Despite being told to wait, I couldn’t
help but act and kick the man in his vulnerable spot.

[Get lost already.]

I was desperate, and that’s why such strong words came

naturally to me. I had kept it hidden all this time, but for the
first time, I showed it in front of Towa-kun, my mother, and
my classmate. To be honest, I felt more embarrassed than
relieved for doing it, but there was still a little sense of relief.

If asked whether I liked or disliked my mother, I could firmly

say that I disliked her. She had raised me, and I knew she
had been through a lot due to my father’s infidelity and the
subsequent divorce. But Towa-kun was far more important
to me than any of those things!

“Hey there! What’s Ayana-chan thinking about?”

“Kyaa!?”

Was it because I was lost in thought that Akemi-san, who

had somehow appeared behind me, embraced me. Not only
did she embrace me, but she also started massaging my
bre*sts without reservation.

“Ah, Akemi-san! I’m washing dishes right now!”

“Well, then, let’s stop for a bit and have some quality time
together~.”

“If I stop, it’ll never end!”

I said so in a slightly raised voice, and Akemi-san pouted

and backed away.

I’m the one who needs to be sulked like that…. but since
she’s also Towa’s mother and my favorite person too,
Akemi-san’s appearance like this is also very cute and
adorable, a gap from her usual appearance.

(I wanted to take a bath with Towa-kun…)

When I come to Towa-kun’s house, I want to be by his side

as much as possible. I’d even say I’d want that in any place
except the bathroom. Is that normal?

I tried to convince myself, and I expected to be able to sleep

next to him at night.

I thought I was quite a maiden, I suppose.

I was a bit intoxicated, so I resumed household chores in

place of Akemi-san.

“Ayana-chan, are you really okay with not helping out?”

“I’m fine. You’ve already prepared the meal, so let me do

this.”

“Hmm… Ayana-chan, you might be the only one who can

save Towa from becoming a useless human. He should be
careful, don’t you think?”

I’d welcome Towa-kun becoming a “useless” person if that

means he’ll never leave my side, and I’ll have to take care
of him. Isn’t that the best future plan?

“Well, I think Towa would never let himself become a

‘useless’ person, though.”

Akemi-san laughed heartily.

I completely agreed with her opinion. Towa-kun would never

let himself rely on others entirely. If he had any troubles, he
would share them, and if he was worried, he would seek
advice.

“…Ah.”

“What’s wrong?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

I suddenly changed my expression, and Akemi-san noticed.

I put on my best smile, as if to dispel her suspicion, but she

continued to stare at me while sipping her beer.

I felt a little uneasy.

Towa-kun shares his troubles, and he interacts with me at

school. This was something I realized through recent events.

“I… I…”

Not just Towa-kun but also Shu-kun said the same thing to
me. They said it seemed like I was really enjoying my
interactions with them, and that they sensed my happiness
from it.

“…I had fun… I enjoyed those interactions…”

I had to admit it. When I was interacting with them, I felt a

sense of enjoyment. Even though they should have been
nothing more than stage props to make Shu-kun despair,
that perception hadn’t changed.

(If that’s the way it should be, but why ……?)

I stopped washing the dishes, shook my head, and thought,

“I’m wrong, I’m wrong.”

Doing this could make Towa-kun worry when he returns from

the bath, just like at the café, and I’d make him
uncomfortable again. I don’t want that. I always want Towa-
kun to see me with a smile on my face!

“Ayana-chan, stop.”

My hand, which had been washing dishes, was tightly held

by Akemi-san.
It wasn’t the Akemi-san who had been drinking beer
contentedly a moment ago. Now she was standing beside
me, looking at me seriously.

“I know I handed it over to you earlier, but I’ll take care of

the rest. Ayana-chan, take a break.”

“But–“

“Take a break.”

“Yes…”

Uh, it’s not like I meant that, but I was genuinely scared by
her serious stare.

I entrusted the remaining dishes to Akemi-san and sat down

where Akemi-san had been sitting before. I kept an eye on
her. Well, she is drunk now.

“Hey, Ayana-chan.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve been briefly hearing about what happened from Towa.

You really said something quite bold, didn’t you?”

“Yes…”

I hadn’t told Towa-kun not to talk to anyone about it, and,

more than that, it was very unusual for him to stay
overnight on a day when we had school the next day. So it
was quite natural for him to talk to Akemi-san for that
reason.

But personally, I didn’t want Akemi-san to know. I didn’t

want to be thought of as barbaric or mean, and I didn’t want
to leave a bad impression. It could affect my future, you
know!

“Um… Was I too harsh?”

“Well, let’s see… If Towa said the same thing to me, I think
I’d rather die.”

“Ugh…”

I looked down, feeling downcast, and Akemi-san smiled

wryly.

Just as she finished washing the dishes, she wiped her

hands and took mine.

“Shall we move to the sofa? That way, I can hold you more
closely, Ayana-chan.”

“Um…”

Oh, it suddenly feels ominous… Towa-kun, please come back

soon!

I can just imagine Towa-kun right now, relaxing in the bath

with the perfect water temperature.

As soon as I sat down on the sofa, Akemi-san embraced me

firmly, and the smell of alcohol stung my nostrils.

“I’m sorry about the alcohol smell.”

“No, I’m sure it bothers you, but it’s okay. It’s Akemi-san,
after all.””

“If I get that ‘It can’t be helped’ look, I feel like I should
distance myself suddenly.”
“Fufu, no worries!”

It’s natural to be concerned about the smell, but Akemi-

san’s pleasant scent was also mixed in. Plus, I liked it when
Akemi-san held me like this. I hugged her back tightly.

“You’re really cute, Ayana-chan.”

With that, Akemi-san patted my head, and I couldn’t help

but recall my childhood. I used to be comforted like this by
my mom. It felt like I had experienced that a lot, especially
before I met Towa-kun.

But even with that past in mind, I couldn’t help but think:

“How happy would I be if Akemi-san were my mom?”

I let slip such words without even using polite language.

Akemi-san might be at a loss when hearing those words out
of the blue, but I had genuinely spoken them.

After a brief silence, Akemi-san spoke up.

“Ayana-chan, I’m sure you’re carrying something heavy.”

“……”

“I don’t know what that is. No matter how much I try to

express it in words, I doubt you’ll tell me.”

That was a painful thing to hear. I considered myself good at

hiding my true self. Neither Shu-kun, his mom, Hatsune-san,
Kotone-chan, nor anyone else really knew the real me. So I
thought I was good at concealing myself. But Towa-kun and
Akemi-san saw through it immediately.

“Still, I have a feeling you’ll be okay.”

“…Eh?”

Akemi-san gazed at me with a gentle look in her eyes as I

raised my head.

Despite her flashy appearance that could intimidate some

people, she was a genuinely kind mom when looking at me.

“Because Towa is by your side. I’m sure he’d rescue you no

matter what situation you’re in… I have that kind of
confidence.”

“Towa-kun…”

“Yeah. And of course, it’s not just Towa. I’m always ready to
lend a helping hand. So, Ayana-chan, always remember that
you’re not alone. Keep in your heart the fact that there’s
always someone you can rely on.”

“Yes…”

Ah… those words are comforting. Yes, I will keep them in my

heart.

But all of that can come after everything’s over—then, I’ll

decide to rely on Towa-kun. Once you’re assured that there’s
no longer anyone to hurt you, it’ll be safe to feel that way.

“Akemi-san…”

“Yes?”

“…May I be a bit spoiled right now?”

“Of course.”

I buried my face in Akemi-san’s chest, and just as I said, I

indulged myself for a while.
“I’m back~! Mom, you’re really spoiling Ayana, aren’t you?”

“Ara, welcome back, Towa.”

“Welcome back, Towa. Umm… I got a bit spoiled.”

Shortly after, Towa-kun came out of the bath… and, well, I

apologize for the rather eccentric choice of words, but the
way he dried his hair with a towel, with his cheeks flushed,
was rather sensual, and it made my heart race.

“Ayana-chan is giving off a scent of mating!”

“W-What are you talking about?!”

It’s fine for me to flirt with Towa-kun on my own… but to

have it noticed and pointed out by his mother, Akemi-san,
was embarrassing enough to make me want to disappear on
the spot.

“What are you talking about…? Ayana, go take your bath.”

“Understood…!”

Towa-kun probably sensed that I was feeling embarrassed,

so he kindly urged me to go to the bath. I nodded in
agreement and quickly stood up.

“Ayana seems like a guest, huh? There are some pajamas

and underwear placed here. I forgot because it’s too
common.”

“Fufu, I appreciate it. Thank you so much.”

Thanks to the kindness of Towa-kun and Akemi-san, I have

several sets of underwear and pajamas stored here, so I can
have a spontaneous overnight stay like today without any
problems
“Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Aiyo.”

“Have a safe trip.”

Just before leaving the living room, I overheard Towa-kun

being pestered by Akemi-san, and it was quite amusing.
With a chuckle, I headed to the changing room and
undressed before entering the bathroom.

While taking a warm shower and feeling the water on my

head, I suddenly glanced at the mirror.

“…Eh?”

For a moment, I felt like there was someone behind me,

wearing a black hood.

“Who…!?”

Bathrooms are generally places where you relax and let

your guard down, so I was startled and quickly turned
around. However, there was no one there, and I wondered if
I had just imagined it.
But I definitely saw it, clear as day. The face concealed
beneath the black hood was probably… mine. It had eyes
filled with an endless sense of despair, as if seeking help
from someone. I felt like I was looking at myself.

“…Is it because I’m tired?”

Indeed, it wouldn’t be surprising if I were tired after

everything that had happened today. I was lost in thought
for a while, but then hurried to clean myself up because
Akemi-san would also need to use the bath later.

By the time I soaked in the tub, I had forgotten about the

strange vision I had seen earlier. When I got out of the bath,
I was thinking about what Towa-kun and I would do next.

“…Towa-kun♪”

It seemed like my thought processes significantly

deteriorated when it came to Towa-kun.

“Fufu, this is love, right?”

Yes, it’s all because of love! No matter what anyone says,

it’s because of love!

I made a strong fist inside the bathtub, and I spent my time

in the bath healing and thinking only about Towa-kun.

◇◆◇◆

When Ayana stayed over, the question of whose room she’d

sleep in seemed rather unnecessary at this point. I had set
up a futon right next to my bed, more in the center of my
room, creating an environment where Ayana could sleep
comfortably.

“I want to sleep in your bed, Towa-kun…”

“Ahaha, I thought so too, but it can’t hurt to have it ready
just in case. We might find it a bit cramped, after all.”

“Umm… It’s not painful at all for me to sleep snuggled up

with you, and I can’t imagine giving up such happiness
willingly.”

“That much, huh?”

“That much.”

Ayana squeezed her hand into a strong fist to emphasize

her determination, and I chuckled.

“…Fumu”

But I crossed my arms and thought for a moment. It was the

first time I had invited her to stay in my room since I had
become Towa, and it was true that I felt excited and eager
to be as close to her as possible right now.

However, more than that, I was overwhelmed by the joy of

her being there. Even though this time together was
unusual, I felt the most happiness from being able to make
eye contact with her.

“What’s the matter?”

Ayana asked, voicing her question, and her smile conveyed

that being intently stared at made her happy.

Her smile was not only cute but also seductive, wrapped in
her pink pajamas. The full curves underneath emphasized
her concealed allure, showcasing a completely different side
of her from her usual school uniform or casual clothes.
“It’s nothing. But more importantly, you seemed to get
along really well with my mother.”

“Oh… Yes, that’s right. We had a very pleasant

conversation.”

I didn’t miss the momentary darkening of Ayana’s

expression, of course. I patted the space next to me on the
bed and told her to come here, and she immediately stood
up and sat down next to me.

“Ayana.”

“Yes♪.”

I moved my hand, which was initially on her shoulder, to her

head and gently stroked her while continuing to speak.

“I have some idea of what my mother talked to you about.

She cares a lot about you, just as I do… don’t forget that.”

“Of course. I’m very happy to be thought of in that way.”

Although her voice lacked its usual cheer, Ayana said this
with a smile.

As we continued to gaze into each other’s eyes, Ayana

suddenly let out a small yelp and picked up the smartphone
that had been placed on top of the futon to check
something.

“I thought maybe my mother had sent me a message or

something, but it seems not.”

“…I see.”

Ayana would normally be at home, so the fact that there

was no message from her could be interpreted as her being
too cold or too shocked by something Ayana said. There was
no way to confirm that now.

However, just as Ayana was gazing at her phone, a call

came in.

“Ah…”

“? You can answer it?”

“Understood.”

I couldn’t say I wouldn’t answer regardless of who was

calling, and I had no intention of saying anything like that.
But I was certainly concerned about who it could be.

It wasn’t that I wanted to say I didn’t care at all, but I asked

myself not to be concerned. Nonetheless, it appeared that
the other person was someone I was concerned about.

“What’s the matter—Shu-kun?”

It seemed the person on the other end of the line was Shu,
and the conversation seemed like the usual casual talk.

I don’t know what kind of expression Ayana has on her face

as she turns her back to me, but the tone of her voice gives
me the impression that she’s having a somewhat
troublesome conversation.

“Did you need something? You just wanted to talk, right?… I

wonder how much of a freeloader you think I am in your
mind, Shu-kun?”

Shu hadn’t thought of her as a freeloader but simply wanted

to chat with Ayana.
With nothing else to do, I decided to read a manga, but then
I learned something about my own feelings.

“…I don’t like this.”

Although I had said it was okay to answer the phone, I was

regretting it now.

I realized I was much smaller than I had thought. I had

conflicting feelings: one was the feeling that I didn’t want
Ayana to talk to another man while I was there, and the
other was the feeling that Shu was interfering with our time.

“What are you doing right now? I’m not doing anything
special…”

The two voices, like a devil and an angel whispering from

both sides of my head, argued within me. I was responding
to the whispers of the devil.

I stood up and walked over to her, still seated on the futon,

hugging her back.

“Kyaa!?”

“…”

Ayana was taken by surprise since she had been relaxed.

By approaching her like this, I can faintly hear Shu’s voice

through the smartphone, but I don’t pay it any attention as I
hold Ayana in my arms tightly.

“No, it’s nothing. So …… are we still going to talk about it?”

Ayana, although surprised for a moment, didn’t complain,

didn’t voice any objections, and didn’t even protest by
hitting my arm.
“Today, I won’t sleep just yet, right? But it’s tiring to keep
talking on the phone for too long, isn’t it? I want to relax
before sleep, too.”

I’m sure Shu hasn’t even considered that Ayana is in my

house. I feel no guilt whatsoever about getting closer to
Ayana like this, and I can’t help but feel somewhat
inappropriate emotions while she’s in my arms.

“Mmm…”

Ayana’s voice, full of allure, escapes her as she seems to

enjoy my touch from behind.

As I touch her provocatively from behind, I remember a

similar scene from a game. I try to recall where that was
when Ayana tells Shu goodnight and ends the call.

“Ayana?”

“No more, Towa-kun! I can’t stand it anymore!”

She then surprised me by leaning in and kissing me. Her

kiss began gently, almost pecking, but it grew more
passionate, and our tongues intertwined in no time.

When our lips finally parted, a silvery thread of saliva

connected us for a moment before it broke.

“Doing that during a phone call, Towa-kun, you’re such a

bad boy.”

“…Don’t laugh at me.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Right now, it’s just the two of us… That’s why I wanted you
to focus on me only.”
She replied with a clear and honest voice, and Ayana
covered her mouth with her hand, giggling.

Her laughter wasn’t mocking; it was a gaze that was looking

only at me. I am Towa, but there’s another person inside
me… even so, Ayana never doubts that I am Towa.

(…Will I be able to stay here forever… Or will I disappear

once I’ve fulfilled some kind of purpose…?)

Thinking about this, I suddenly feel a chill.

I am Towa Yukishiro now, and I believe in it. I have a strong

sense of being established in this world as myself. However,
by experiencing reincarnation, I have already witnessed the
impossible happening—suddenly disappearing and returning
to the way things were.

“Towa-kun?”

I placed my hand on Ayana’s head and pulled her close,

wrapping my arm around her back.

I don’t want to let go of this warmth, I want to be by this

girl’s side; I truly feel that way. She is an important presence
for me, and she’s not just a girl who exists only within a
game.

“…Towa-kun, this might be the first time you’ve wanted me

so much.”

“Eh?”

I looked at Ayana with surprise.

She gently placed her hand on my cheek and continued.

“Towa-kun, I love you very much. I love you so much that I’d
do anything for you, and I truly love you.”

Then, she kissed me again, and I pushed her down.

We were on a clean, white futon. I could easily imagine what

this futon would look like in a few hours. But I intertwined
with her again, my arms outstretched, my eyes slightly
moist, and we shared unforgettable moments.

A few hours later, I was looking out of the window.

“She’s breathing so peacefully…”

I watched the adorable sound of her regular breathing as

she snuggled under the covers.

She had fallen asleep soon after our passionate encounter,

but her determination to sleep with me in bed until the very
end seemed to have dissolved.

“Heh, a bit dramatic, isn’t it?”

After chuckling to myself, I returned my gaze to the view

outside the window.

The only thing visible from here was the neighboring houses
with their lights off and the night sky filled with stars.

“….”

However, as I gazed at the night sky, my mood started to

calm down.

In the moments after a passionate encounter with Ayana, I

found myself gazing out of the window. The view was
simple, consisting of neighboring houses with lights turned
off and a night sky filled with stars.
The serene atmosphere outside made me realize that my
worries were insignificant, perhaps even trivial. However, I
knew that I couldn’t simply dismiss my concerns. I had to
address them.

“Ayana… I love you too. That’s why I want to protect you. As

Towa and as myself, I want to be able to see your smile for a
long time.”

I reached for a notebook I had with me, the one where I

recorded events and thoughts from the moment I
recognized myself in this world. It was like a detailed diary
that would be utterly incomprehensible to anyone else, as if
I were aspiring to become a novelist.

With a pen in hand, I jotted down a few words: “To protect

Ayana. Because I want to keep seeing her smile.”

I closed the notebook and moved closer to Ayana, gently

caressing her head. She squirmed playfully, and her reaction
was incredibly endearing. I could watch her like this forever.

In that moment, I felt a strong desire to be with her, to have

her by my side. Her presence was so dear to me that I
couldn’t imagine my life without her.

“I thought earlier that I might disappear someday… But no

matter what happens, I want to be with you.”

I admitted with all my heart.

There was one more thing I had been thinking about while
making love to Ayana—a sensation that I had almost
forgotten. It felt like something within me was on the verge
of unlocking, like a sealed door was about to open.
“Fuwaa… I’m getting sleepy too. We can sleep in bed, but
we might as well stay close together…”

However, just as I was about to continue my sentence, a

sudden, excruciating headache hit me.

“….?!”

I clutched my head as pain coursed through it. Bright sparks

seemed to fly in front of my eyes. Despite the agony, I
witnessed a strange sight.

A black-hooded woman, an unexpected presence, was

standing beside Ayana, gazing at me as I touched Ayana’s
head.

“It is…you…”

In the midst of enduring the intense pain in my head, I

couldn’t help but think, “Is this a ghost?” The throbbing in
my head began to subside, allowing me to focus on this
mysterious presence.

As the pain lessened, I looked at her face, still hidden

beneath the black hood, and what I saw left me utterly
shocked.

“…Ayana….?”

Yes… the face I saw beneath the hood was that of Ayana.

Her features were almost identical to Ayana, who slept

beside me, but her eyes were different. Instead of the
bright, lively eyes of the sleeping Ayana, these were pitch-
black, filled with despair. The sight was distressing, and I
hesitated to reach out.
However, when I reached out my hand to touch the figure
hidden under the hood, I was jolted back to reality.

“Huh…?”

The hand reached out into emptiness; there was nothing

there. It was just my ordinary room, nothing out of the
ordinary. There was no Ayana with a black hood.

I wondered if I might be more tired than I thought, but a

realization suddenly dawned on me.

“I know her… I’ve seen that Ayana before…?”

As this thought crystallized, I felt something click into place.

The figure I saw wasn’t an actual presence; it had
stimulated some kind of memory within me. It was a key to
a part of my past, a piece of the puzzle I had forgotten.

“Towa… kun?”

I heard my name, and when I looked toward the source of

the voice, it was Ayana herself. But this Ayana was asleep,
her mouth drooling as she smiled contentedly.

The sight of her, so different from her usual self, left me

with a wry smile. I wiped away the drool and turned off the
room’s lights.

(Maybe… Maybe there’s something I can remember… just a

little more, and I’ll be able to recall it.)

Before I could retrieve my memories, there was much to

ponder, such as why Ayana seemed to despise me so much.
Even after unlocking my memories, there would be many
questions to answer. However, if Ayana was there with me, I
felt like I could overcome anything.
I closed my eyes, preparing for sleep, and reflecting on my
day. But then…

[Towa-kun]

“?!”

Suddenly, a voice echoed in my mind.

The voice called my name, but Ayana was still asleep, and I
was unsure of what to do. It sounded so sad and desperate,
making me want to help, but I didn’t know how.

“…Why? Why are you calling my name …”

The voice was filled with sadness, and it almost made me

want to say, “Why?” It sounded so painful.

I couldn’t just leave it be. I had to do something, but I had

no idea what to do. Anxiety and restlessness mingled,
wrapping around me, causing even my heart to beat faster
and making it hard to breathe. It was so suffocating that I
wanted to shout for help…

“Haah… Haah…”

But, it quickly subsided. Though it had been just a few

minutes, I was drenched in a cold sweat, and my head felt
foggy. I was terrified and desperate for help, and it was
almost unbearable.

However, that feeling soon dissipated. I tried to calm myself

down and regulate my breathing, hoping to fall asleep.

As I lay still, gradually, drowsiness began to overtake me.

But the sense of unease never completely vanished.
The next morning, my wake-up call was a kiss from Ayana. I
felt something moving on top of me, and as I struggled with
sleepiness, I opened my eyes to find Ayana’s face right in
front of mine. It was a cheeky, playful “you found me” look
as she stuck her tongue out, and she leaned in for a kiss. If
it had been a holiday, I might have been quite worked up
from such a stimulating wake-up.

“Good morning, Ayana. It’s still early, you know?”

“Good morning, Towa-kun. It is morning, but we have plenty

of time?”

….Geez! She’s not only cute but also quite naughty. I

sighed, letting out a breath and took a deep breath to calm
down my racing heart.

As Ayana had mentioned, there was indeed plenty of time,

but I still had a slight urge to go back to sleep, considering
I’d woken up so early.

“Well, I guess it’s time to get up.”

“Fufu, let’s get up. Instead of Akemi-san, I’ll make breakfast

today! I’ll do my best!!”

With a determined fist, Ayana, still in her pajamas, left the

room.

“…Oh, right. When I think about it, I don’t really need to go

home unless I’m going back for my school uniform.”

I had originally planned to send her back in the morning, but

considering she had some clothes and things here, there
wasn’t a pressing need to send her home.
However, Ayana did mention that she was planning to go
back after school today. In that regard, I didn’t want to
cause any concern for her mother.

“…”

When I tried to get up, my head spun a little. It wasn’t due

to a cold or any illness. However, it reminded me of the
discomfort I felt last night.

“…What was that?”

Nevertheless, it was such a minor sensation that I soon

stopped worrying about it. Fortunately, neither Ayana nor
my mother expressed concern for me.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast prepared by Ayana, we

set off together without meeting up with Shu. Ayana
continued discussing how much fun she had during her
overnight stay, seemingly unconcerned about her
interactions with Akemi.

My mind, however, was still preoccupied with the events

from the night before.

(That voice… What on earth was it?)

It was a voice that sounded just like Ayana’s but filled with
sorrow and suffering. It wouldn’t let go of my thoughts.

As we walked towards school, my head was filled with

questions. I was so deep in thought that I hardly noticed
Ayana beside me.

“Good morning, Ayana!”

“Good morning, Otonashi-san!”

After exchanging greetings with friends, I watched Ayana’s
back as she headed towards them, still oblivious to my
distracted state. Though Shu and Aisaka tried to engage me
in conversation, I remained lost in thought.

The morning assembly concluded, and classes began. I

absentmindedly looked at my notebook, the page filled with
unrelated notes.

“…FD?”

I tilted my head at the two letters I had unconsciously

written in my notebook.

I couldn’t understand what these letters represented or why

I had written them. However, given the recent mysterious
events, I couldn’t help but feel that these letters might hold
some important meaning.

So, I made a mental note to remember them.

Then, as I looked up at the blackboard, a voice once again

echoed in my mind, just like the previous night.

[I’m sorry. You have nothing to do with this; you were just
caught up in it. But what does it matter? You look so
comfortable right now, don’t you? Come on, keep using that
body of yours a little more. Because if you do, that boy who
‘used to like you’ will come.]

It wasn’t just a single word; it was a lengthy voice message.

As I heard it, a sharp headache hit me, causing me to

instinctively hold my head.

I had the urge to kick my desk but managed to restrain

myself.
Unfortunately, my current state was noticed by my
classmate in the adjacent seat.

“Yukishiro-kun? Are you okay?”

He asked with a worried tone, and I reassured him that I was

fine. The headache subsided, but a lingering feeling of
discomfort remained in my chest. It wasn’t nausea, but a
strange sensation, like floating in the air. I was feeling
unwell, though not to the extent of needing to throw up.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and gradually, the

discomfort lessened.

(Good, it’s getting better… Well, I guess I’m fine now)

I muttered to myself, feeling some annoyance for my earlier

outburst.

But it wasn’t long before I was caught up in another

episode. As soon as the break began, I slumped forward
onto my desk. The headache was gone, but the unsettling
feeling returned.

[I’m sorry. You have nothing to do with this; you were just
caught up in it. But what does it matter? You look so
comfortable right now, don’t you? Come on, keep using that
body of yours a little more. Because if you do, that boy who
‘used to like you’ will come.]

And the voice returned.

It wasn’t just the voice; even if I closed my eyes, I could see

hallucinatory images. I was overwhelmed by it all.
I was frustrated not just because I didn’t understand what
was happening, but also because I had a nagging feeling
that there was something I should remember.

“…Damn it.”

I cursed softly. I couldn’t even reprimand myself for using

bad language.

The break was only about ten minutes long. I knew I had to
prepare for the next class, so I took out my textbook, hoping
to refocus my mind.

But then the voice returned once more.

[She might be the one I took her from… me.]

It wasn’t Ayana’s voice this time. Could it be my own voice?

I instinctively placed my hand on my forehead, just as I had

done before. The classroom was noisy, but those nearby
quickly realized that something was wrong with me.

“Hey, Yukishiro-kun. I’ve been watching you since earlier.

Are you really okay?”

Like the classmate who noticed my strange behavior during

the previous class, Aisaka and…

“Towa-kun? What’s wrong…?”

Not even realizing that the two of them had been standing
nearby, I was clearly absorbed in my own thoughts.

When I raised my head towards the two people standing

next to me, Ayana and Aisaka’s expressions changed, as if
they had changed in appearance…Ayana’s change was
especially noticeable.
“Your face is completely pale!”

“Let’s go to the infirmary!”

Both of them tried to lead me, but as I was about to say I’ll
be fine, my words got stuck in my throat.

As for me, I couldn’t help but think that if my condition had

become known to so many people gathered here, it would
be quite worrisome for anyone who looked like they were
unwell in the middle of class. Well, that’s true, isn’t it?

Since it had come to this, I reluctantly managed to stand up

and said, “Let’s go to the infirmary.”

“Aisaka-kun, I’ll take Towa-kun there”

“No, but it would be better if a guy helps—”

“Just me is enough… okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

I don’t know what expression Ayana had when she looked at

Aisaka, but Aisaka saluted crisply.

Her upright and unmoving posture reminded me of someone

who had undergone training in the Self-Defense Force…
well, I’ve never had any experience with the Self-Defense
Force, but I could somehow imagine it.

Ayana quickly slipped into my side and supported me by

wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

“Aisaka-kun, please inform the teacher that I might be a

little late.”

“Understood!”
I wonder what kind of look Ayana gave Aisaka…

After that, as I was about to leave the classroom with Ayana,

I wanted to convey that I was fine and didn’t need all this
help, but Ayana beat me to it.

“I won’t listen to that. I’ll go with you to the infirmary.”

With her words, I understood and nodded as if giving up.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

I received questioning looks from those around us as we

made our way to the infirmary, and I reported my symptoms
to the teacher before lying down on the bed.

The teacher handed me a thermometer, suspecting it might

be a cold, but my temperature was normal. Perhaps I was
just tired, so teacher suggested I take a short nap. So, I
decided to rest without reservation.

Ayana placed a chair by my side and stared at me intently.

As Ayana had mentioned to Aisaka, she didn’t immediately

return to the classroom but seemed to be watching over me
for a while.

“I’m sorry, Ayana . I caused you trouble.”

“Don’t say it’s trouble. I’d do anything for you, Towa-kun.”

Those were undoubtedly words filled with Ayana’s affection,

but they also revealed a hint of vulnerability.

She seemed composed, but was she actually a bit anxious

due to my unusual condition?
I thought that, but Ayana’s gentle gaze remained the same,
and the warmth of her hand, as she reached out and held
mine, was unchanged.

“…”

When she did this, I felt reassured… but it’s true that
humans tend to become a bit emotionally fragile when their
physical condition is poor. While tightly gripping Ayana’s
hand in return, I voiced something I didn’t quite understand
myself.

“Ayana, are you… happy now?”

“Eh?”

Happy… why did I suddenly ask her something like that?

She was smiling just now. I could tell she was carrying some
burdens, but Ayana smiled before me. So, even though I
knew this question was meaningless, I still asked it.

“Of course. Just being by your side, Towa-kun, that alone

makes me happy.”

From the bottom of her heart, she said this with a smile that
seemed to say she believed it.

Of course, her happiness is naturally something that makes

me happy too…

Taking into account the words she had just said, I asked her
like this:

“Ayana, what about your own happiness? If you think about

it without me in the picture, can you say you’re happy?”

“Well, that’s…”
No good… My eyelids are getting heavy.

Until the moment I fell asleep, Ayana didn’t answer my

question.

I couldn’t know what kind of expression she wore or what

answer she would have given.

“…My own happiness doesn’t matter to me. I belong to

Towa-kun… Towa-kun alone. My happiness is tied to Towa-
kun being happy. And isn’t that alright? That’s the purpose
of my life.”
 Chapter 5

“Eight Treasure Vegetable!! …Huh?”

Wait… I woke up and looked around. It feels like I woke up

after uttering some incredibly embarrassing… nonsense. But
it’s probably just my imagination.

“…My head feels oddly floaty.”

I felt like I was still in a dream, but I couldn’t believe I’d have
such a vivid dream. I looked around and found myself in my
familiar home. I looked around, and then I saw something on
the desk that made me gasp.

“What the…!?”

I quickly stood up and picked up an erotic game.

This er*tic game was legendary among the ones I’ve played.
It wasn’t just me who thought so; everyone who played it
praised it highly. The game was legendary, or maybe it was
an exaggeration to say “everyone” loved it. But it had
certainly created a lot of buzz, and people were drawn to its
compelling storyline.

[Towa-kun and Shu-kun.]

“!?”

I suddenly heard a voice, and I turned around, but there was

no one there. Just the view of my room.
I wasn’t at an age where I’d experience auditory
hallucinations, so I must be fine, right?

With a bit of unease, I turned my attention to the game’s

package, and to my surprise, I found the heroine of the
game, Ayana, who was the one that made me think, “Am I
really going to steal her?”

“Ayana…”

Come to think of it, the voice I heard earlier sounded like

Ayana, didn’t it?

It was a voice that brought calm, a voice I wanted to hear

forever, a voice that mixed tenderness and a contradictory
seductiveness.

Well, even if it was Ayana’s voice, it was for one of my

favorite characters, so it wasn’t strange to think that way.

“…But something feels off. What is this sensation?”

I gazed at the package for a while and then spotted another

game.

“…This?”

It was placed on the desk just like the game I was holding.
This was the fan disk of “I Was Robbed Of Everything.” It
told the untold story from the main game—the story of
Ayana’s revenge.

“…”

I silently started my computer, opened the fan disk files,

and began to play. Suppressing my racing heartbeats, but
driven by an inexplicable sense of urgency, I decided to play
this fan disk once more.

“Playing an er*tic game anxiously like this is really

something…”

I chuckled wryly and immediately arrived at the title screen.

Under a dark sky, Ayana stood in the rain, wearing a black
hood that didn’t suit her usual self, creating an eerie
atmosphere.

But it suited her well. Her unusual appearance and the

atmosphere matched perfectly, creating an atmosphere that
piqued players’ expectations regarding the secrets that
would be revealed in this fan disk.

“…”

From there, I played the fan disk without interruption. Was it

my second playthrough? Wait, was it the second one? I felt
like I’d played it multiple times, but my memory was
strangely vague. Still, I continued playing.

I played it with single-minded devotion, burning each scene

into my memory. I watched not only the intimate scenes
between Towa and Ayana, but also the scenes where Ayana
expressed her hatred towards Shu and his family that she
had been harboring. All of them… I watched them all
carefully.

“…”

To be honest, getting so engrossed in a game like this was

quite strange. However, as the ending approached, I
gradually began to remember – what had happened to me
and where I had been all this time.
“Oh… that’s right. I was… Towa.”

I murmured, and in that moment, the fog that had clouded

my mind lifted completely. Just a while ago, I had been
attending classes at school like usual, but suddenly, my
health had deteriorated, and Ayana had led me to the
infirmary. I had fallen asleep there.

“…So, this is a dream… right? Haha.”

As I realized that this dream was just too realistic, or

perhaps because I remembered something I had forgotten
for so long, a dry laugh escaped my lips. Would I be able to
return to her when I woke up from this dream?

By remembering everything like this, would I be deemed

unnecessary by the world and erased, becoming prey for
the Correction Force? Such fearful thoughts made my body
tremble.

“Maybe… I saw Ayana wearing a black hood in the city or at

home, or heard a voice that sounded like her with darkened
eyes. Perhaps all of it was suggesting to me that I had
memories I needed to remember. She might have been
asking me that all along.”

Thinking that way, everything seemed to fit together

perfectly. Even as I thought about it, I couldn’t stop playing
the game.

Despite having remembered everything, the story reached

its conclusion, an ending. A special event appeared as a
condition to view on the second playthrough.

Towa and Ayana walking toward the light, but Ayana’s figure
disappeared midway, leaving only Towa in that place. The
light vanished, and darkness enveloped everything,
revealing a message:

[Maybe I’m the one…. who took her away from me]

In a sense, that was true, I nodded. Strictly speaking, it

wasn’t Towa’s fault but rather the influence of the people
who tormented him, which led to Ayana accumulating
negative emotions.

In her pursuit of revenge, Ayana gradually broke down, and

Towa didn’t notice until the very end. That’s why he couldn’t
forgive the ones who had caused her pain, and that was his
inner cry.

“Ayana… truly loves Towa. She loves him so much, it’s

overwhelming. She hurt those who tormented Towa because
she loved him from the bottom of her heart and couldn’t
stand to see him suffer.”

I leaned back against the chair’s backrest and let out a sigh.
When I closed my eyes and concentrated on my thoughts,
the image of that girl who had been smiling in front of me—
Ayana’s smile—flashed before my eyes.

“You’ve been carrying a lot, Ayana.”

I knew that Ayana had something on her mind, but the

thought of what might have happened if I hadn’t
remembered anything was terrifying. While there was no
guarantee that the game and reality were identical,
considering my past experiences, it was a plausible
possibility.

“I see. Iori and Mari seemed to be having fun… so that’s

why her behavior seemed strange when I mentioned it.”
Iori and Mari weren’t the direct targets of Ayana’s revenge;
they were merely sacrifices prepared to push Shu further
into despair. Ayana shouldn’t have had any deeper feelings
toward them. But that wasn’t the case—Ayana acted like a
normal girl, finding joy in talking and playing with them.

When I pointed this out, Ayana discovered her own feelings,

and she reacted in such a way because she thought it
couldn’t be true. That’s probably not far from the truth.

“Ayana… Ayana Otonashi….huh?”

If I were just a regular player and hadn’t actually

experienced reincarnation, I probably wouldn’t have thought
about her this deeply. It makes sense. After all, she was
right in front of me, and I had interaction with her in reality.

“Towa-kun.”

“Towa-kun!”

“Towa-kun…”

“Towa-kun♪”

Various expressions of her flashed in my mind. Oh, how I

longed to see her, and more than anything, to talk to her. I
should have remembered her on my own, and having a
conversation with her would have been cooler, but well,
there’s no helping it.

“Should I watch that scene again?”

As I returned to the title screen, I operated the game once

more. I entered the gallery and chose a scene before the
ending. It was a rare movie scene for this type of game,
showing Ayana wearing a black hood visiting a certain park
—this park was where Ayana had originally met Towa, the
starting point of her time.

“Once it was over, I couldn’t help but feel stunned…

every~one was gone.”

Ayana, not minding the dirt on her coat, leaned her back
against the wet tree. Her revenge was already over, and
since Shu and the others, as well as Iori and Mari, had
served their roles in the story, there was no deceit in
Ayana’s words.

“…It’s all over now. Fufu, serves them right.”

She said it as if she were spitting it out. It wasn’t clear if it

was due to being wet from the rain or if it was genuine, but
Ayana’s tears, flowing down her cheeks, might have been
due to her unconscious sorrow at the end of her revenge,
and the heartbreak she had endured.

“Let’s go back to Towa-kun. There’s no one left to hurt him

now… Finally, Towa-kun can have days where he won’t be
hurt by anyone. And I’ll just continue to support him, day by
day… That’s a happy life, absolutely.”

The destination of one’s happiness varies greatly. Ayana

didn’t doubt that Towa’s happiness would come because she
had achieved her goal. Ayana would never show it on her
face or through her attitude. She had made up her mind to
continue to support Towa by his side until the end.

“If I were Towa… No, it’s a bit of a cheat, but if I had known
this, what could I do for her?”

If I were shown an ending like this… as someone who had

fallen in love with Ayana, I thought deeply about what I
could do to bring her a future where she would genuinely
smile.

“It’s just self-satisfaction. But… I absolutely don’t want to

allow her to walk a path like this.”

I clenched my fist tightly. In the story, Towa didn’t know

anything, and Ayana wouldn’t let Towa realize anything. This
meant that Ayana was the only one who would live with this
truth. She couldn’t share it with anyone, couldn’t talk to
anyone… That’s why she had to endure it, which would
continue to break her heart.

“That’s just too tough, no matter how you look at it.”

Though revenge might bring a sense of relief, Ayana’s true

intentions were unknown since I hadn’t directly questioned
her. However, I couldn’t forget Ayana’s pained expression in
the pouring rain at the park.

“Happiness and suffering… even though the kanji looks so

similar, the difference is overwhelming, isn’t it?”

Smiling wryly while contemplating such obvious things, I

slapped both my cheeks. It took a while to remember… or
maybe it was a short period of time? But I’d never forget
now. I remembered everything!

“I don’t know how to change things, but it’s definitely better

to have regrets about things you did than to regret not
doing anything. Besides, some things have already
changed.”

Playing the fan disc and exploring Ayana’s memories, I

learned a lot. One significant thing was the time spent
working with Shu, Iori, and Mari, and the encounter with
Seina. These were all events that wouldn’t have existed in
the original story. This is evidence that they aren’t following
a preordained program but are living within reality, where
the course of events can easily change with just one
decision.

“…That being said, how do I wake up?”

I muttered these words in my once-familiar room. I never

expected that there would come a day when I’d be troubled
by how to wake up from a dream. I’m honestly quite
puzzled.

I turned off the computer, stood up from the chair, and

looked around.

“Actually… How did I get reincarnated?”

Reincarnation implies dying in a past life… but now that I

think about it, I don’t even know why I died. For a moment, I
envisioned an iron beam falling from above, but now it’s no
use dwelling on it.

As I was contemplating this, the surroundings suddenly

changed, and I found myself in complete darkness.

Where is…. this?

“What’s this…?”

It was pitch dark, and I couldn’t see anything. Even if I

reached out, there was nothing to touch. When I spoke, my
voice echoed as if absorbed by the surroundings, which was
eerie, but surprisingly, I didn’t find it scary.

“…Is anyone here?”

I quietly muttered, but as expected, there was no response.
I thought it was empty, but then, to my surprise, I heard a
reply.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Who are you!?!?”

Startled, I turned to face a man who was standing there.

However, the voice I just heard… no, was this person…
could it be…!?

“Ah… you’re…”

“Haha, it’s quite a peculiar thing, isn’t it? Talking to

someone who looks exactly like yourself.”

Perhaps you can’t imagine my surprise right now.

It is funny to say so myself, because this encounter is

something that would never have happened in the first
place.

“…Towa?”

“Ahh… This is the first time we’re meeting like this, isn’t it?”

The person standing before me, Towa Yukishiro – the one

who appeared to have taken Ayana from Shu, but who, in
reality, held unwavering love for her – and the existence I
had taken over was right in front of me.

“…”

I was completely dumbfounded. Even though I had lived as

Towa, constantly wearing his face, seeing him in person
made me realize that he was undeniably a different
individual.
Once I understood that, a certain word naturally slipped
from my mouth.

“…I’m sorry. I took over your life…”

It was an apology, but before I could continue to say that I

had taken her away from him, Towa, placed his hand on my
shoulder, stopping me from saying more.

When I raised my gaze, which had been directed downward,

Towa was smiling.

“You don’t need to apologize at all. In a way, your arrival in

this world was both a wish and a fulfillment for me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

I didn’t understand what Towa was trying to say, but he

smiled wryly and continued speaking.

“It’s strange how you can realize many things once it’s all
over. In my case, what I realized was that Ayana had been
suffering all along. She seemed normal when she was with
me, but sometimes I saw a hint of darkness in her
expression. When I asked her what was wrong, she wouldn’t
tell me, and in the end, she never did.”

“That is… Wait, what’s going on?”

I felt a slight unease in Towa’s words, and something was off

when I looked at him. He was Towa, but there was a certain
maturity in him, as if he had aged slightly more than the
high school student Towa I remembered. Considering this, I
tentatively asked:

“Could it be… are you a future version of Towa?”

Towa nodded.

“That’s right. I’m the idiot Towa who couldn’t notice the
darkness in Ayana’s heart. I was foolish not to realize it and
ended up hurting her.”

For that matter, it was understandable, and I couldn’t blame

him. In my case, I was able to penetrate her heart to some
extent. However, Towa here didn’t know about this world to
begin with, and Ayana was simply too skilled at hiding her
true feelings.

“I couldn’t… save Ayana. Whether I realized it or not, she,

who was by my side, had already gone through everything.
She consoled herself that it was for my sake, gradually
wearing down her own heart… That girl… Ayana is
incredibly kind.”

Pausing for a moment to exhale deeply, Towa continued.

“I probably wished in my heart that someone would come

and save Ayana… an existence to protect her heart.”

Wait, was he implying that it was me? That’s quite a heavy

role to play… but it made sense.

My wishes to change the future, my regrets for the past, all

wanting someone to save Ayana… Towa’s feelings and mine
aligned perfectly.

“That sounds way too convenient, but well, I guess I became

you.”

“Same here. It’s frustrating, but even now, Ayana’s heart

has some cracks that weren’t there when I was in control.
You can definitely save her.”
Hearing those words from Towa was incredibly reassuring.

I clenched my fist tightly this time.

“I might not be able to do anything special for Ayana. All I

can do is face her seriously and talk to her.”

“That’s enough. I couldn’t even do that in my time…”

Towa looked down, seemingly regretful.

What a strange sensation… A handsome guy right in front of

me, still acting gloomy and pitiful after all this time. I felt a
bit irritated.

So, I decided to give him a good pat on the back, making a

crisp smacking sound. Towa let out a pained cry.

“Ouch!”

“Don’t make that miserable face! I don’t want to see it

anymore, always having that expression right by my side.”

Even though I was practically intruding in his personal

space, it was what it was.

“Helping Ayana doesn’t mean ‘all’s well that ends well.’ This
world is not a game anymore, and there’s no predetermined
ending. There are still various things, like Shu’s family, and
even Seina-san’s situation.”

“That’s… yeah, do your best.”

“That sounds easy for you to say!”

Smacking him again with a crisp sound, I couldn’t help

myself.
“I’ll say it again: all I want is to save Ayana. I can’t help but
think about whether my consciousness will continue to exist
no matter which path we take, but in any case, I want to
save her.”

“It’s okay. You already realize it, don’t you? The fact that you
don’t feel uncomfortable living as Towa, with your soul
merged. That means you are yourself in this world now. So,
there’s no need for you to feel guilty, and you don’t have to
apologize like you did earlier.”

Towa patted my shoulder gently while speaking. I looked at

him for a moment, and his words were straightforward and
genuine. I nodded firmly in agreement.

“But in the end, there are still many problems left to deal
with. You’re not just leaving all of that behind, are you?”

“….”

Towa seemed to accept my punches with a resigned

expression, as if saying that it didn’t matter. I realized that
hitting him wouldn’t change anything, and it wasn’t the
right course of action.

“Um? Could it be…?”

I couldn’t help but ask the one thing that had been
bothering me since our meeting.

“You know, I’ve been experiencing some strange visions

from time to time. I used to think someone was trying to jog
my memories, but could it have been you?”

“No, it has nothing to do with me. You saw those visions

because of your own desire to save Ayana and shape her
future.”
Hearing that, I felt reassured that my feelings were not in
vain.

“I’ll confront Ayana and have a direct conversation with her,

but I’m not sure about the best approach.”

Towa observed me, deep in thought, and couldn’t help but

chuckle. He seemed to think, “Well, it’s all up to you now,”
taking things lightly.

“Don’t give me that stern look. I entrust you with things that
I can never do, and that’s also a source of frustration for
me.”

I realized that moping about it wouldn’t change anything,

and it would only make things more complicated for Towa.

As we continued our conversation, a soft light started to

pierce through the darkness. It seemed like it was time to
say our goodbyes.

“It will be fine. Don’t give up, and with your strong feelings
for Ayana, I believe you can bring about the best possible
future. Do your best, Towa Yukishiro.”

“Towa… Ah, I understand!”

It was a peculiar sight, the two of us calling each other

“Towa.” But I had a premonition that this might be the last
time we’d meet, even in a dream.

Considering it, I didn’t feel sad or lonely. It was a strange

feeling. It was as though my existence had merged further
with Towa. It was like I was indirectly being told not to worry
about being Towa anymore.
“Judging from your reaction, it seems like you’ll be fine. But
before I go, there’s one thing I think I can help with.”

“Oh? What is it?”

I leaned in to hear what Towa had to say, hoping for some

useful information.

“You know that I used to really enjoy playing soccer in the

past, right?”

“Yeah, I do. Those memories are etched into my mind, body,

and heart.”

“I hope you can show Ayana the sight of you playing soccer
in front of her. I want you to help her move forward from the
time she’s been stuck in because of the accident, to not be
trapped by her past, and to move forward…”

As he said that, Towa seemed to realize something and gave

a wry smile, scratching his head.

“Sorry… I think that was more of a personal wish on my

part.”

“No, if I think about Ayana’s past self, it might actually be a

good idea… No, it’s definitely a good idea. ‘Don’t be trapped
by the past, move forward’… Yeah, those are great words.”

Don’t be trapped by the past, move forward… Right. They’re

really good words.

But I had one concern. I scratched my head just like the

earlier Towa, and then I voiced my concern.

“But, sorry to bring this up after agreeing to your idea, but I

have no experience with soccer.”
“I think your body remembers it. You’ll be fine.”

“Well, that’s convenient.”

It’s amazing how the body retains memories.

Just as we were discussing this, the surroundings became

much brighter, and Towa’s figure started fading away. It
really seemed like the time to say goodbye.

“Then, take care. I’m counting on you to help Ayana.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll do my best in other aspects as well. If I

can save Ayana, I’m sure I can take care of Iori, Mari, and
the others… and as for Shu, I’ll definitely settle things.
Though Kotone and Hatsune are a bit intimidating!”

In any case, my priority was Ayana. I would protect her

heart in my own way.

Towa seemed satisfied upon hearing my determination and

nodded. He gently patted my shoulder once again, just like
in the beginning.

“Watching you makes me feel like I can do my best too. I’ll

support that girl who’s been through so much in my own
way, within my limits.”

“What do you…”

Before I could ask what he meant, Towa’s form began to

vanish.

But right until the very end, his words reached my ears.

“I hope you find a resolution that satisfies you… And one

last thing, thank you.”
With that, I awoke from my meeting with Towa.

Ayana PoV

“Towa-kun, you seem to have calmed down.”

Lying on the bed, Towa-kun no longer displayed the

distressed expression he had moments ago. I felt relieved
by this change. Checking the time, it had been about twenty
minutes since our last communication with Aisaka-kun, and I
had to admit that I couldn’t return to the classroom as I had
promised.

“Thanks to our teacher’s understanding. Ordinarily, I would

have been instructed to return to class.”

Towa-kun fell asleep almost immediately upon lying down.

As I observed him in peaceful slumber, I thought about
going back to the classroom. However, Towa-kun held my
hand and didn’t let go. I was unsure about what to do until
our school nurse kindly suggested an idea.

“Well, usually, I wouldn’t make such a suggestion, but why

not skip one class… I mean, watch over Yukishiro-kun and
see how he’s doing? What subject is it, anyway?”

“It’s English.”

“Alright, I will convey the message.”

In this exchange, I ended up deciding to stay and watch

over Towa-kun as he slept.

“…..”

But it seemed that there wasn’t much to be concerned

about. His complexion had improved significantly, and he
looked like he was having a peaceful sleep. I couldn’t help
but smile as I stared at his serene, youthful sleeping face.
He might always be so cool, but this childlike slumbering
face was adorable and amazing.

“Fufu♪”

During this time when the others were in class, I felt a bit
exhilarated to be together with my beloved person while
away from class. I have to admit, I can be a bit naughty
sometimes.

I continued to gaze at Towa-kun’s face for a while. I simply

held his hand while watching him. Although it made me feel
happy, there were still some lingering words that troubled
my mind.

“Is Ayana… happy now?”

Towa-kun had asked me that question earlier. I should be

happy; there was no doubt about it. Being able to stay by
his side and actually experience it in reality, there was no
way I could be unhappy. So, why did he ask me such a
question?

The grip of my fingers on his hand grew tighter, but I quickly

realized it and relaxed. I breathed out, letting my thoughts
flow.

“Yes… I’m happy. There’s no other way. That’s why I want

you to be even happier. I don’t want anyone to hurt you
ever again…”

For that reason, I…

At that moment, I stopped in my tracks. My mind was

overwhelmed, and I had to think about something else. The
nurse had left for a while, and there were no other students
with health issues. Currently, it was just the two of us.

“I can’t do this, can I? Thinking about negative things brings

my spirits down. Let’s just focus on enjoying the view of
Towa-kun’s cute sleeping face!”

Watching my beloved person made me feel better. Perhaps

that’s why the overwhelming sleepiness that had been
building up suddenly struck me. I suppressed a yawn and
decided to endure it.

“But it’s not like I’ll be going back to class at this hour….. Is
that alright?”

I usually don’t have this problem, but even with patience,

my head shook with depression and …… I found myself
closing my eyes as I leaned my weight against the back of
the comfortable chair.

◇◆◇◆

“…Eh?”

I was sleeping next to Towa-kun, but somehow, I had ended

up in a strange place. The surroundings were dark, and my
vision was unclear. I realized that this was a dream, and it
didn’t cause me to panic.

“A dream… a dark space… fufu, it’s as if it’s reflecting my

heart.”

As I said this, I suddenly felt startled. Why had I expressed

my own heart as such a dim and gloomy place? If I were to
represent my own heart, it should be brighter, as that’s the
color of happiness I’ve tried to convey to Towa-kun.
“…This is uncomfortable. What is this dream?”

Most likely, I must be displaying a face in this dream that I

wouldn’t show to anyone, not even Towa-kun.

I was about to click my tongue, and I did. With that sound

echoing, or as if it served as a signal, the dark space
changed. Something gripped my leg, making me exclaim.

“….Eh?”

It was a girl – a face I recognized – grasping my leg as

though emerging from a swamp.

“Senpai?”

Yes, it was Iori Honjo.

She looked quite different from how I usually knew her. Her
clothes were dirty, her hair was dry and disheveled, and,
most notably, she emitted a strange odor. It was difficult to
believe this was the same person.

“What are you doing here…? Eh? You look a bit more…
mature?”

I noticed that she seemed more mature than the Honjo-

senpai I knew.

Could it be that she was deliberately showing me an older

version of herself in this strange and unpleasant dream? As I
pondered this, she glared at me and spoke.

“You will never be able to be happy… never.”

“…Haa?”
I could be told I wouldn’t be happy, but that was fine. My
happiness was secondary; all I wanted was for Towa-kun to
be happy. No matter what anyone said, it wouldn’t affect
me. That’s what I thought, and just because this was a
dream, I considered crushing her head under my foot.

[Maybe it was …… myself who took her away from me.]

“…Eh?”

After the figure of Honjo-senpai, who had been grabbing my

leg, disappeared, I heard his voice from behind. In the dark
void, his voice sounded like a healing balm to my heart, a
beacon of hope that illuminated my path. I turned around
swiftly and found him there, just as I had expected.

“Towa-kun!”

I rushed towards him and reached out to touch him, but for
some unknown reason, I retracted my outstretched hand
just as it was about to make contact. I didn’t understand
why, but for a fleeting moment, I thought that the person in
front of me wasn’t Towa-kun.

“No, he is Towa-kun, but it seems like he’s not the one I

want to be close to. What’s this discomfort?”

The Towa-kun I had been facing away from was indeed him,
but he wore a pained expression as though his heart was on
the verge of being crushed.

Why? Why is he wearing such a look? Why does he look like

he’s about to cry?

“Towa-kun…!”
I knew… this was a dream, and I knew that the Towa-kun in
front of me was different.

Nevertheless, I couldn’t help but reach out my hand

because the thing I least wanted to see in this world was
Towa-kun’s sorrowful expression. I never wanted to see that
face, the one crying on the bed, again.

“Towa-kun…?”

Desperately reaching out, my hand cut through empty air,

and Towa-kun’s figure vanished. However, his voice still
reached my ears.

My chest tightened, and I put my hand over it. This is so

unpleasant… I don’t want to see or hear any of this. Yet,
Towa-kun’s voice keeps reaching me.

[I took away the kind Ayana for real… I should have realized
it sooner… I should have talked to Ayana more… Damn it…
Damn it!!]

“Stop… please…”

I begged him to stop mentioning my name in such a

sorrowful way. It’s like I’m hurting Towa-kun by doing what
I’m about to do. As I contemplated this, I suddenly realized
something.

“If I continue like this… will Towa-kun not be able to find

happiness…? Am I making Towa-kun like this? Am I causing
Towa-kun pain…?”

Towa-kun is so kind, and that’s why I can’t reveal what I’m

about to do. I wanted to end this without him finding out, so
he wouldn’t be hurt, and it would get rid of an annoying
presence for me. However, it’s impossible to cover up all the
changes happening around us. All I have to do is stay close
to Towa-kun, provide him with happy dreams, and make him
forget. That’s what I thought. Why is this dream showing me
these scenes?

“I….I… even so…”

While clutching my head with both hands, I tried to say

something. Suddenly, I realized…

Am I doing all this for Towa-kun’s happiness, or am I using

him as an excuse to vent my hatred towards those who hurt
me?

In the end, as I pondered this, I woke up.

“Ah…”

“Ara, are you awake?”

“Sensei…?”

I woke up, and Sensei spoke to me. Perhaps due to just

waking up, my head felt a bit foggy, but seeing Sensei
looking at me and Towa still asleep in bed, I fully woke up.

“Otonashi-san? You are looking a little pale. Are you okay?”

“Um… I’m totally fine. It’s just that I had a rather unpleasant
dream.”

“Is that so? Well, if you say so, Otonashi-san, then it’s
probably okay.”

Saying that, the teacher leaned in to check on Towa-kun’s

face.
“Yukishiro-kun, your complexion has improved quite a bit
too. Maybe it was just sleep deprivation? Did you stay up
late, or did you do some exercise before going to bed?”

“Ah…”

When the teacher mentioned exercising before bed, I

suddenly realized something.

Thankfully, the teacher was focused on Towa-kun, and my

comment didn’t catch their attention.

I checked the clock and saw that I had slept for about fifty
minutes.

“The class… should be ending soon, right?”

“Yes, it should. The bell will ring shortly, so you should go

back now.”

“Understood. Please take care of Towa-kun for me.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Towa-kun, please get well soon. Show me your usual lively

self and put my mind at ease.

“Well then, excuse me.”

I wished I could have stayed a bit longer, but there was no

helping it.

After leaving the infirmary, I headed straight back to the

classroom. During that time, my mind was filled with
thoughts of Towa-kun and one more thing—the content of
that dream.

“Why do I remember it in such detail?”

I remembered every detail of the dream.

It would have been better if I could have just forgotten it

all… the dream wasn’t pleasant enough to warrant such
clear recollection.

As I walked down the hallway, the bell rang, signaling the

end of class.

When I entered the classroom, his friends asked about Towa-

kun’s condition, so I told them that he was sound asleep.

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

“If anything happens to Yukishiro-kun, Ayana will cry!”

“Fufu, I’m sorry to have caused you all worry.”

After his friends, Aisaka-kun also came over to ask about

Towa-kun.

“I heard what you said earlier. I’m glad nothing happened to

Yukishiro-kun.”

“Yes, you don’t need to worry at all, Aisaka-kun.”

Come to think of it… I wasn’t conscious of it, but I might

have spoken a bit harshly to Aisaka-kun.

I wonder if I looked really scared…?

Well, it just means I was really concerned.

“Ayana.”

“…”
After Aisaka-kun returned to his seat, both he and Shu-kun
came over.

“Is Towa okay?”

“Yes, there’s nothing to worry about.”

I reassured them, and Shu-kun visibly relaxed.

However, Towa-kun, who was being worried about by so

many people like this, made me strangely happy as if his
personality endeared him to many.

“Hey, Ayana.”

“What is it?”

Smiling faintly at that thought, I noticed that Shu-kun was

scratching his cheek and looking a bit embarrassed. Then,
for a while, he remained silent and eventually shook his
head, saying it was nothing.

“Sorry about that. Oh, but last night, thanks for answering
the phone. It made me happy.”

“Oh, that’s what you’re talking about. It’s not a big deal.”

“It feels nice to hear your voice at night. Maybe it’s because
it’s always Ayana’s voice I’ve been hearing?”

“Well, who knows?”

To be honest, my responses to such trivial conversation

were a bit absentminded because I had been thinking about
that dream not only now but also during my conversation
with Shu-kun, Aisaka-kun, and my friends.
Shu-kun seemed dissatisfied with my response and voiced
his thoughts.

“Ayana, you know… you worry too much about Towa. You
don’t have to go that far, you know?”

“What are you trying to say?”

My voice was surprisingly low even to myself.

Shu-kun shook his shoulders as if he was shivering, and

then he said it was nothing and left as if he were escaping.

“…”

I couldn’t care less about what Shu-kun thought or the fact

that he ran away.

After that, even as the class started, I couldn’t concentrate

on the lesson. All I could hear echoing in my mind was that
voice.

[That girl… Ayana acted out of concern for me. Suppressing

her own feelings… to keep me from seeing her hurt.]

Towa-kun’s voice, saying that over and over again,

continued to reverberate in my mind.

I shouldn’t have to worry… I shouldn’t care about some

unclear dream. I should just let it go. But even so, the voice
of the person I love kept echoing endlessly.

(What I was trying to do… is it wrong? Is it wrong to make

those guys who said terrible things to Towa-kun suffer, even
if it involves unrelated people…? Because if they’re around,
Towa-kun will continue to suffer in the future…!)
Since that day, since the day Towa-kun cried in the hospital
room, I had made up my mind. To rid Towa-kun of the people
who hurt him… even if it involved innocent people. But if my
actions ended up hurting Towa-kun, what was the point of all
the preparations I had made?

Please help me, Towa-kun… I found myself muttering

unconsciously in my heart. I desperately wanted to be
comforted by Towa-kun.
 Chapter 6

“…. Ayana?”

When I suddenly woke up and sat up, I found myself calling

her name. I didn’t quite understand why, but it felt like she
had called for help, like she had said, “Help me.” However, it
was not Ayana who welcomed me as I awoke; it was our
teacher.

“Ara, I’m Otonashi-san? Are you disappointed?”

“Um… It’s not like that.”

“Fufu, I’m just kidding. But it seems like you’re feeling

better, right? Your complexion looks better than when you
arrived.”

“I might have just been really tired. I’m completely fine

now.”

I struck a muscle pose to show off, and the nurse chuckled.

However, when I checked the clock, I was surprised—several
hours had passed since I had come to the infirmary, and it
was already lunchtime.

“I slept quite a bit.”

“Every time I glanced at you, your sleeping face was so

cute. I found it soothing. And also, make sure to thank
Otonashi-san properly, and show her your lively self soon for
peace of mind. She’s been coming here during every
break.”

“Understood.”

Ayana… she definitely had a sudden health issue, and I

seemed to have caused her a lot of worry. After thanking the
teacher again, I tried to leave the infirmary.

But just as I reached for the door, it swung open with a loud
noise.

“Ah…”

“Ah…”

We both exclaimed and stared at each other, frozen in

place.

The one who opened the door was Ayana. Even though it
had just become lunch break, it seemed she had come to
check on my condition before having lunch.

“Towa-kun!”

“Ooh!”

With a thud, she came forward and hugged me tightly. I

could sense the teacher grinning in the background, but I
placed my hand on Ayana’s shoulder. That’s when I noticed
something.

“Ayana… did something happen?”

I asked, and Ayana’s eyes widened in response.

From that reaction, it was clear that something had

happened, and I could somewhat predict what she would
say next. She would probably say, “It’s nothing.”

“Fufu, it’s nothing, you know? I just worried too much about
Towa-kun.♪”

Her response was just as I had expected, so there wasn’t

any real surprise. But even her smile at the end seemed like
a facade to hide her true feelings.

(…Is this what Towa was talking about, Ayana’s hidden

feelings…?)

Well, it didn’t matter. Regardless, I needed to have a proper

conversation with Ayana.

I remembered everything from the dream, including what I

had talked to Towa about. It was possible that it was all just
a dream and my imagination, but at this point, it seemed
unlikely, and I felt it with a strong sense.

“Both of you can have your lovey-dovey moments, but make

sure to have a proper lunch, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Sorry.”

We separated from the hug and left the infirmary. Once we

were out in the school corridor, Ayana’s actions were not as
intense, but our eyes met, as expected. Every time that
happened, we both smiled involuntarily.

That’s right… I’ll protect this smile.

Not a forced smile, not a smile hiding something behind a

mask, but a genuine smile that I would protect from now on.
To do that, I needed to talk to Ayana.
“Hey, Ayana, can I have some of your time after school
today?”

“Of course, Towa-kun. I’ll make as much time as you need

for you♪”

“Haha, thanks, Ayana.”

I secured an after-school appointment with Ayana and

returned to the classroom. When I got back to the
classroom, several classmates approached me and asked
how I was doing. I felt a bit apologetic for making them
worry, but it reminded me of the joy of having so many
people concerned for me.

Aisaka naturally came over, and Shu also greeted me.

However, I couldn’t help but notice that Ayana gave Shu a
slightly disapproving look, but I didn’t ask anything
intentionally.

“Oh, Yukishiro-kun, you’re back. I heard you weren’t feeling

well. I was worried, you know?”

“I’m completely fine now!”

“Alright, I got it. You don’t have to push yourself today. Just
relax and focus on your classes.”

Oops, that was basically the same as telling me I could go to

sleep… Why did I think that way? I scolded myself internally.

My interaction with the teacher amused my classmates, and

the class returned to normal.

(…When I can focus on my thoughts like this, I can think

about various things. It seems like I’ve merged even more
with Towa’s soul than before.)
I had never felt uncomfortable living as Towa, but now, as
Towa had told me in the dream, it seemed I was almost fully
integrated into this world as Towa.

Maybe the encounter in the dream was the final push I

needed. I had been a bit worried about whether I would
revert to being Towa when I woke up, but that was just an
unnecessary concern. It seemed that I had settled into Towa
almost completely.

To move forward, to clarify my ambiguous relationship with

Ayana, I needed to have a conversation with her.

At least, I hoped that Towa would hear my plea. I might not

be able to reach him with my voice anymore, but I felt a
warm feeling in my chest, and I smiled, feeling reassured.

The time until the end of the school day passed quickly.
When I was organizing my things, Iori appeared in the
classroom and took Shu away. Soon after, Ayana came to
me with her bag in hand.

“Ayana, could you come to that park at around 4:30?”

“That park… Got it. And, it’s not a date, right?”

“Haha, sorry if you were hoping for that.”

“No, not at all. I’ll head there at the agreed time.”

“Thank you.”

I waved goodbye as Ayana left the classroom, and I let out a

sigh. Now that I had made this appointment, there was no
turning back. But I wasn’t planning on running away in the
first place, and my determination to have a proper
conversation with Ayana remained unwavering.
After a quick visit to the restroom, I went home directly from
school. I placed my bag on the living room sofa, headed to
the fridge, and grabbed a bottle of juice.

“…Puhaaa”

As my throat quenched its thirst, my body tingled with a

refreshing sensation. I checked the clock and confirmed I
had plenty of time. Then, I headed to the storage room.

“Heh… I thought it would be all dirty and dusty, but it’s

quite clean. Maybe Mom cleans it regularly.”

I had expected a certain level of dirt and dust since it wasn’t

a frequently used space, but it was cleaner than I thought.

I wasn’t supposed to know about the storage room’s

existence or what was kept inside. However, due to my
strong connection with Towa, I had come to understand
these things.

“Ah, there it is.”

What I was looking for at the moment was a soccer ball.

“Hey there, old buddy. I’ve left you alone for quite a while,
haven’t I?”

I had virtually no experience with soccer, as I had

mentioned to Towa in the dream. Nevertheless, holding the
ball in my hands made it feel like a trusted companion that
had been with me for years.

“Alright, let’s go.”

With a final boost of determination, I left the house.

Carrying the soccer ball by my side as I walked, I was
surprisingly calm during this time, and there was no sign of
nervousness.

However, to say there was absolutely no nervousness might

be a bit of an exaggeration. But anyway, I was going to do
what I could do—clear Ayana’s troubled heart, put an end to
our half-hearted relationship, and take the first step
together to move forward, for both of us.

I headed to the park.

After a while, I arrived at the park. It was still early, not even
five o’clock, and, for today at least, there were no other
people around. There were only a few distant figures
walking along the road outside the park.

I placed the soccer ball I had brought in a shaded area and

took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I gazed at the park,
reflecting on how it was where our story began—not just
Towa’s, but mine as well.

One holiday, I was bored at home, so I left home to go to an

arcade run by an old man I knew… and that’s how I met
Ayana at this park I passed by.

[What are you doing here all alone? Your eyes are really red,
are you crying ……?]

When I saw Ayana raise her head and say that, that’s when
our time together began.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but there are things I

understand now.

“From that moment, I think I’ve liked you, Ayana.”

It wasn’t exactly love at first sight, but there was something

special about our meeting that day. I didn’t understand it
back then, but now I do.

“From that time, we’ve been together for years. Ayana has
always been there by my side.”

No matter what happened, Ayana was always there. She

had been there in the past, and I hoped she would be there
in the future. I needed her with me, and together, we would
move forward.

“Just a bit longer.”

I only had to wait a little longer until our appointment. I took
out my smartphone and made a call.

“Hello?”

“Hello.”

“Is that you, Towa?”

I had called Shu, even though I didn’t really have anything

to talk to him about. But there was one thing I needed to tell
him right now.

“Sorry, Shu. I need to cancel the promise I made back then

then. I love Ayana.”

“…Eh? Towa—-“

Without waiting for his response, I ended the call, and at

that moment, Ayana appeared at the park entrance. When
she spotted me, she ran over, a bright smile on her face.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Towa-kun!”

Her cheerful greeting made me smile, and I couldn’t help

but be touched by her presence.

“Thank you, Ayana, for coming.”

“I’ll come anywhere if Towa-kun calls for me!”

Ayana moved closer, her warm smile illuminated by the

setting sun. The scene felt almost magical with the sun’s
warm light surrounding us. However, I could see through her
forced smile. I knew that something was bothering her.

“Ayana.”
“Yes?”

I wanted to find out what was causing Ayana’s unease, so I

need to talk to her. But what I was about to say might, in a
way, invalidate everything she had done until now. I was
afraid of how she would react to my words, but I had already
made up my mind.

“I wanted to talk to you again, Ayana. About something

important… about our future.”

“Our future… Something important? Is it, by any chance…?”

She blushed and fidgeted, making it clear that she

understood where the conversation was heading.

Certainly, my choice of words could be misconstrued as a

confession or something similar. I apologized to her for that,
but I proceeded with the conversation.

“Lately, I’ve been really concerned about you, Ayana. I’ve

been wondering about the reasons behind your smiles,
especially the ones with a hint of sadness that you show
from time to time, or the smiles that seem forced.”

“Towa-kun?”

Ayana’s expression noticeably changed. The cheerful smile

she wore moments ago had vanished, replaced by a
perplexed look. She kept her gaze fixed on me. I continued
without averting my eyes, determined to speak my mind.

“Ayana, you might have been carrying something all this

time, something that you shouldn’t have had to bear. The
anger and sadness that you’ve been carrying might have
been mine.”
“!?”

Ayana’s eyes widened, and her reaction was clear

confirmation. I had already known from my own memories
and what I had heard from Shu, and this world’s revelations
aligned. I had been right all along.

“It seems like I wasn’t wrong, right?”

“….”

To be honest, it would have been easier to reveal

everything, but it wouldn’t change anything for them if they
knew it was a video game world. Besides, it was my private
memory, something that only I knew, and it just felt wrong
to talk about another world.

After a while, Ayana took a deep breath and then raised her
voice with intense emotion.

“It’s not something that I shouldn’t have to bear… that!

Those people said such terrible things to you, Towa-kun! I
can’t stand it… How could I let the person I love be treated
like that!!”

Ayana rarely raised her voice like this. She only showed
such raw emotions when something concerned me. When I
had saved a little girl or helped Seina-san, she had worried
about me too. This time, her emotions were even more
intense.

“At first, Hatsune-san said terrible things to Towa-kun!

Kotone-chan did the same when she met Towa-kun! Even
my mother… And that accident happened because of Shu-
kun’s carelessness, and he was laughing about it! There’s
absolutely… absolutely no way I can forgive them!”
I apologize for the confusion. Here’s the corrected
translation:

“…Ayana.”

Ayana’s eyes were filled with intense anger, and she glared
as if she were looking at someone other than me. She spoke
rapidly, and her shoulders heaved as she caught her breath.
Sweat dripped from her forehead, and her composure had
completely disappeared.

The eyes that gazed at me contained not only the anger she
mentioned earlier but also a plea, much like the eyes of a
child about to cry.

“…I’m sorry, Ayana.”

“Eh…?”

She widened her eyes in surprise when I suddenly

apologized. Given the current situation, Ayana must be
wondering why I was apologizing. There was a clear reason
behind it.

“I couldn’t notice it all this time. I didn’t realize it until you

became like this… I’ve been basking in the happiness of
having you by my side, but I haven’t truly seen you.”

This was a statement I could make because my soul had

merged with Towa. I was Towa, and Towa was me. Therefore,
Towa’s past was also my past.

Ayana shook her head, insisting it wasn’t true.

“N-No, that’s not true! Towa-kun has always been watching

over me!”
No, it was evident that Towa hadn’t been paying attention,
considering Ayana’s current state. I had been selfish,
enjoying the happiness of having Ayana by my side and
neglecting to see the darkness she carried within her.

“In the end, I was just like Shu. I’ve been depending on your
kindness all along.”

“No, you’re wrong! Towa-kun isn’t anything like that guy!”

Ayana kept shaking her head, refusing to accept the words.

The cheerful girl who was usually by my side had
disappeared, replaced by the Ayana who vehemently denied
everything I said.

(I feel terrible… I don’t want to see Ayana like this. Not like
this…)

My heart ached, and I had a strong urge to embrace her,

even stronger than before. But, I managed to hold myself
back.

“No, it’s different… it’s different! Towa-kun is…”

Pressing her forehead against my chest, Ayana finally raised

her head. It seemed she wouldn’t give me any opportunity
to speak.

“Don’t worry… Towa-kun. It’s going to be fine! Please leave

everything about those people to me. I will make sure they
regret it… That’s why… that’s why!”

She had finally disclosed her intentions, even if she hadn’t

provided a detailed explanation. She was planning to take
action behind the scenes to make Shu and the others regret
their actions. It was likely a plan similar to the scenarios in
the game, something Ayana was orchestrating and
executing.

“Finally, you’re talking to me, right?”

“…Ah.”

Maybe Ayana didn’t even understand what she was saying.

Ayana’s plan was likely to continue without ever telling me

anything and handling everything on her own in secret.

But it’s not over yet.

Ayana will probably find a way to take action and persuade

it. In the end, Ayana is a person with the power to do so,
driven by her unwavering and heavy love for me. It’s
embarrassing to say it myself, but it makes me happy.

“Because it’s Ayana, you were probably planning never to

talk to me, to finish everything on your own, and carry the
burden of that event by yourself, right?”

“Why…”

Ayana seemed visibly shocked by how much I understood

her feelings. Without dismissing her feelings as mere
deception, I continued to express myself.

“Ayana, there’s no need for you to do something like that.”

The moment I spoke those words, Ayana’s expression

shifted from surprise to despair. Her biggest fear is my
rejection. This reaction was her response to me denying her
intentions.

While still gently stroking her head and maintaining eye

contact, I began to recount the dream I had in the infirmary
that day.

“Today, you know, I had a dream while I was asleep in the

infirmary.”

“A dream…?”

“Yeah. It was about a future that would come to pass if I did

nothing. It was an incredibly convenient dream, but I saw a
future where you were suffering alone.”

“That… is…”

Ayana seemed even more shocked. However, her reaction

was different from what I expected. She didn’t seem to find
the concept of the dream strange, and it appeared as
though she had some inkling about it.

I couldn’t help but ask.

“Could it be that you also had this dream?”

Although it seemed impossible, I couldn’t resist asking.

Ayana took a moment and then nodded in affirmation.

(Could there really be something like that? But considering

how I felt about Ayana when I saw her after waking up, it
doesn’t seem like a lie.)

Perhaps, this was another miracle that had touched Ayana’s

heart. Nevertheless, it appeared that Ayana had a different
perspective. I know it might be too strong to say this at this
point, but Ayana was resolute.

“Even so, even if you had such a dream, it won’t change

anything! I don’t mind how much I suffer! I just want to live
for Towa-kun’s sake… even if I’m in pain, as long as Towa-
kun is happy, that’s enough!”

Upon hearing her words, something inside me snapped. I

had never expressed such anger towards her, and the
intensity of my emotions was overwhelming.

“WHERE’S THE GOOD IN ANY OF THAT, AYANA!”

She was startled by my outburst, and I firmly gripped her

shoulders, an expression on my face unlike any she had
seen before.

As evidence, Ayana had been continuously looking at my

face, and her visible fear was quite apparent.

I continued to speak as words flowed out of me, as if I were

expelling all the frustration I had been feeling.

“What kind of world allows a man to endure seeing the girl

he loves suffering? And to make matters worse, it’s because
of his own actions! Imagine it from the opposite perspective,
Ayana. How would you feel if I were working hard for your
sake, only to get hurt in secret?!”

“T-That’s…”

It seemed that Ayana could imagine it, and she lowered her
head once more.

Isn’t that right? Ayana must feel the same way, right? Her
attitude is the proof. She was trying to do the same thing to
me.

Even after speaking so strongly, Ayana refused to leave my

side. We had never engaged in such exchanges before, and
Ayana probably didn’t know what to do, so she clung to me.
I smiled and gently caressed her head as I continued,

“I’m sorry for speaking so strongly, but I needed to say it.

You know, Ayana, you can be incredibly stubborn when it
comes to me. It’s frustrating, yet at the same time, I
appreciate it.”

“Are you… mad?”

I held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. She
was still crying, but our recent conversation seemed to have
softened her expression.

“Do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you. I welcome being strongly cared for by the

girl I love.”

I patted her head and then gently placed my hands on

Ayana’s shoulders.

We gazed at each other once again.

◇◆◇◆

Ayana was still crying, but her expression had softened

thanks to our recent conversation. I thought to myself, “This
is it,” and started to act to make Towa’s and my
conversation a reality.

“Hey, Ayana, today I want to overcome the sadness from my

past right in front of you. And at the same time, let’s move
forward together. Let’s not be trapped by the past but aim
for the future.”

“Eh?”
I held a ball that I had hidden in the shade away from
Ayana.

Ayana’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight of it. Well, it’s

understandable that she was so surprised. If my memory
serves me right, I haven’t touched a ball since I was
discharged from the hospital, which must have been one of
the reasons for her surprise.

(To be honest, even if you told me I was playing soccer, it

wouldn’t have rung a bell… But now I know what to do… No,
that’s not it. I know what I want to do.)

From there, I simply followed my instincts.

I placed the ball on the ground and skillfully balanced it on

the tip of my toes, then began juggling it. It was a strange
feeling, as if my body remembered the skill as if I had done
it before. I was adept at controlling the ball, just like I had
been in the past.

“Alright! Ho! There!”

As I continued to juggle the ball, memories of the past

flooded my mind—memories of the first time I met Ayana. I
wanted to cheer up the downcast Ayana and did everything
in my power to make her smile. I wanted to see that smile
again, the one that was the beginning of my feelings for her.

“Ah… sniff“

While skillfully handling the ball, I glanced at Ayana, who

was in tears. But her teary face wasn’t solely filled with
sadness.

And then, I saw it.

“Fufu.”

Ayana was smiling.

“Ayana, do you remember? How I tried to make you smile

when you were on the verge of tears… I did this because I
wanted to see you smile!”

“Yes… yes! I remember, of course… After all, that was when

I first met you, Towa-kun!”

I nodded as I continued to juggle the ball.

That’s right… from that moment, our time together began,

and we’ve shared so many moments since then. But this
isn’t a story that ends somewhere—it’s a story that we don’t
want to end. The story that started from our meeting
continues to stretch on.

I stopped juggling and kicked the ball as I stood in front of

the soccer goal. The reason I chose this place to spend time
with Ayana was that it held so many memories, and the
presence of a soccer goal felt symbolic.

As if this place was saying, “Use me,” everything was

coming together perfectly, making it a suitable starting
point for both Ayana and me.

“It’s true that I still have remnants of sorrow and anger from
that accident… It’s natural to have moments when I think,
‘Why did this happen to me?'”

The sadness and resentment that Towa held still smoldered

within me. But isn’t it enough now? Even if I can’t change
the past, I can overcome it. Let’s show that changing
Ayana’s crumbling future is as simple as that.
“So, I’m going to overcome it! That’s why, Ayana, you
should stop being trapped by the past here. Let’s overcome
it together—because I’ll be just fine… So there’s nothing you
need to carry in my place!”

“Towa-kun…”

With Ayana’s watchful gaze fixed on me from behind, I

focused my stare on the goal.

“….Fuuaa”

I took a deep breath to steady myself. It might seem like an

overly simplistic notion or something too trivial, but for now,
I needed to settle the negative emotions that had lingered
in my heart. Because it was my own feelings that I held, and
only I could deal with them.

(I’m going for it… I can do this, Towa.)

I wasn’t sure if he was still within me, but I sensed a

presence nodding in agreement. I swung my leg, sending
the ball straight into the goal with a powerful kick.

The ball sailed directly into the net, making a satisfying

“swish” sound. It was a sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time,
and it brought a sense of freshness, as if something that
had been clinging to me had been blown away.

“Nice shot.”

I nodded to myself; it was indeed a great shot. While I was

self-praising, Ayana suddenly embraced me from behind,
her arms wrapping around my stomach.

For a moment, I was surprised by the unexpected impact,

but it was quickly replaced by overwhelming love for her.
The euphoria of scoring that goal began to subside.

“I thought I’d never see Towa-kun playing again… Showing

me that now, it makes me happier than anything. I really
loved watching Towa-kun play soccer.”

“I feel the same… I loved seeing you and Mom cheering with
your megaphone.”

As we reminisced about the past, I gently unwound her arms

from my waist and turned to face her again. I held her, just
like I had earlier.

(…I’m really happy. To hold the person I love in my arms like

this.)

After holding Ayana for a while, I looked into her eyes once
more.

“I said this before, but I’m really okay now. With this, I say
goodbye to the sad past and the difficult times.”

“… … … …”

“Once again, Ayana… You don’t have to carry anything. You

really don’t.”

“But…”

Even after all I had said, Ayana still couldn’t bring herself to
accept it. As I thought earlier, she was really stubborn.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, thinking that I must look like the
protagonist struggling to win over a stubborn heroine.
Nevertheless, I continued to address Ayana earnestly.

“Don’t carry it, don’t bear it. Ayana has always been like
that, and I know it’s not something that can be easily
discarded. So, I won’t deny those feelings… I’ll be there for
you, constantly trying to heal those emotions.”

“Towa-kun…”

“So, I will teach Ayana that there’s no need for past hatred
or sadness. If one of us is happy while the other is
miserable, that’s not the right way. It’s not either of us… We
both have to be happy.”

“!?”

That’s right, it’s meaningless if only one of us is happy. If we

truly want the other to be happy, we must find happiness
ourselves. I believe this is the way we can both be happy
and truly hold each other’s hands for the future.

“I invited Ayana here today because I wanted to talk about

this. And there’s one more thing I want to tell you.”

“…Is there more than this?”

“Of course… Oh, but this one might be more important.”

I hadn’t received an answer from Ayana yet, but I would let

her hear what I had to say now and let her decide. What I
was about to share was necessary to end our current
ambiguous relationship and take a step forward.

“Um… So… well…”

Why am I getting shy now? I’ve been holding Ayana like this,
said a lot of embarrassing things, and even had intimate
moments… So why am I hesitating now? I took another
deep breath and finally voiced the words.
“Come to think of it… I never really told you, did I? We’ve
just sort of drifted into this relationship… So, let me say
this… I love you, Ayana.”

“Ah…”

Honestly, this is a part where I should complain about the

original me.

Originally, Ayana and I just went with the flow and didn’t
properly communicate our feelings… Of course, we said we
loved each other many times, but it was ultimately just
words that went with the flow of the moment.

That’s why I made a real confession now.

This is my answer, after thinking about how to overcome the

past and move forward.

“…Towa-kun, you…”

“Yeah…”

“You’re a truly mysterious person, Towa-kun.”

Saying that, Ayana once again placed her forehead against

my chest.

Her hug became tighter, conveying her strong feelings for

me.

“Honestly… I didn’t expect all of this to happen. Not only did

you notice the things I’ve been carrying all this time, but
you also showed me the side of you that I wanted to see
again. And on top of that, you said the words I wanted to
hear the most.”
Ayana lifted her head and looked straight into my eyes as
she continued,

“Towa-kun, I’m a terrible person. I wanted to make those

people regret what they did, and I considered using Shu-
kun’s feelings to further my own goals. I even thought about
using people who had nothing to do with it as pawns. But
with just your words, I wavered so easily. I’m a fickle
person… But even with that, Towa-kun…”

“I love you. No matter what kind of person you are, I love

you. I can say it as many times as you want—I love you with
all my heart.”

I firmly conveyed this, and Ayana nodded in response.

“I love you too, Towa-kun. I love you so much it’s

unbearable. No matter what happens, I don’t want us to be
apart. That’s how much I love you. Even if you think I’m a
heavy girl, I don’t mind. I love you that much.”

With Ayana’s sincere words and the feelings in my chest, I

felt joy swelling within me. While we had expressed our
feelings to each other many times before, the words we
exchanged now held a different, deeper meaning.

As I gazed at Ayana, she gently closed her eyes. In response

to her signal, I leaned closer to her and kissed her lips.

“…Ayana.”

“…Towa-kun.”

We exchanged a kiss, then parted slightly and said our

names, each kiss feeling like a confirmation of our love.

“Kisses really make you feel this happy, huh?”

“Yes, they do. I’ve always felt this way, but this kiss was
even happier than any other time.”

I agreed with her sentiment. Now, there’s just one more

thing… One more thing I have to say.

“Ayana.”

“Yes?”

“Would you be my girlfriend? Will you go out with me? I

want you to be with me from now on, always.”

“Yes, I’d like that. I want to be in a relationship with you… I

want to be with you always.”

Having conveyed our feelings, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Regardless of the complications and difficulties we might
face in the future, I was content.

“A bit tired, aren’t you, Towa-kun?”

“Yeah… Let’s sit on the bench for a bit and take a break.”

I sat down on the bench with Ayana, just like we had done
before. It was getting a little dark, but it seemed that Ayana
had no intention of leaving. As a sign of that, she hugged
my arm tightly.

(…It’s really comforting. Just being together with Ayana like

this.)

It was indeed comforting, but considering everything that

lay ahead, I couldn’t help but think about how challenging it
might be. However, I had a strong conviction that with
Ayana by my side, we could overcome anything.

“….Towa-kun.”
“Yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I was lost in thought and accidentally used formal

language.”

“Fufu♪”

I shouldn’t be so absorbed in my thoughts with someone by

my side, but for now, I hoped she’d allow it.

She placed her hand on her mouth, stifling a chuckle. “It’s

unstable how you switch between speech patterns!”

Geez! It just means I’m so happy!

In response to Ayana’s request, I leaned closer and kissed

her again. We kissed as if trying to reduce the distance
between us each time we broke apart.

“Thank you… Ehehe.”

“You’re so cute.”

To me, Ayana had always been cute, beautiful, and

attractive from the beginning. But now, she seemed even
more charming than before. I couldn’t help but be anxious,
wondering if my fondness was becoming too evident on my
face. Nevertheless, I considered this happiness I had finally
grasped as one of my treasures.

Still, there was one thing that concerned me.

(Both in the game and in this world, Ayana was plotting to

torment Shu and others, but could she really have achieved
it all on her own?)
Though it had been mentioned in the fan disc that Ayana
had arranged for a different guy for each heroine to
compete over, it seemed unlikely that she could have
orchestrated it all by herself. However, now was not the
time to dwell on this.

“Towa-kun.”

“Yes?”

Ayana called my name, and I turned my attention to her.

She gazed up at the sky, not meeting my eyes, making her

look like a beautiful moon goddess. Although we had
arranged to meet here in the late afternoon, it was already
getting dark. It was about time to go home, but I wanted to
talk to her a little longer.

“Towa-kun, you mentioned that the way I’m doing things is

cruel. To be honest, I agree with you… What I’ve been trying
to do is make Shu-kun despair by showing him the
degradation of people who’ve become close to him, and in
the end, I wanted to make him believe that I was never with
him from the beginning.”

“…”

It felt strange to hear these words directly from her. Her

words meant that she intended to cause cruel
consequences, yet the atmosphere she exuded was so
gentle that it didn’t make me fear her. I couldn’t help but
feel that Ayana would never really do something like that.

“I still have feelings of not being able to forgive those

people… But Towa-kun has been there for me, comforting
me and saying that we should move forward together… So I
will do my best to overcome those feelings.”
“Ayana…”

“From the beginning… From the very beginning, I didn’t

need to bear it alone. But I had always thought, as strange
as it may sound, that I could do it on my own. I had this
conviction that I would definitely get my revenge on those
people. Somehow, I just knew that I could. It’s puzzling.”

“I see…”

“Yes… It’s really strange.”

Perhaps it was the will of the world that had made Ayana
feel that way.

But still, because we’re living in this world, this is our reality,
and that’s precisely why talking like this can change the
future as much as we want.

“Ayana is my girlfriend… My girlfriend, huh.”

Despite that, when I acknowledged our current relationship

again, it made me grin. Ayana chuckled and playfully poked
my cheek with her index finger while saying,

“I’m happy too, so please contain yourself. Otherwise, my

cheeks might get all loose and never return to normal.”

“I’m lucky, you know. You look cute even when you make
that face.”

“Ara, if you say that, Towa-kun, you’re still handsome, so it’s

unfair.”

“….Haha.”

“….Fufu.”
And like that, spontaneously, we both shared a laugh. This
feeling was really, truly amazing. Even though being with
Ayana was the same as always, there was a freshness and
innocence to our current situation.

I mumbled softly, looking up at the slightly reddened sky,

“…I wonder if this is good for now… Phew.”

Perhaps Ayana still wasn’t entirely reconciled like me… But

it should be alright now.

I muttered that unconsciously, my voice barely audible, but

Ayana seemed to have heard it.

“It’s alright. After all, there’s no way I would do something

so foolish as revealing my plans to the person I love.”

“Does that mean you would have done it if it weren’t

known?”

“Of course. It just shows how strong my feelings were!”

…Geez, her words may be wicked, but because she’s

already at ease, it just makes her look adorable.

“You mischievous little devil.”

“Fufu, if you don’t punish me, I might do something.”

“……”

I was running out of vocabulary to describe how adorable

Ayana was.

After gazing into each other’s eyes for a while and sharing
another kiss, we stood up to head back home.
 Chapter 7

As the twilight hours passed, Ayana and I walked together

along the darkening path.

“Towa-kun.”

“What’s up?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I just wanted to call you.”

“….I see.”

“Yes.”

We had been engaging in this sort of exchange repeatedly

for a while now. Ayana’s cuteness had been overwhelming,
even before we left the park. She clung to my arm as if she
had no intention of letting go, making her even more
adorable. Her soft and ample chest pressing against me
made me feel like it was an added bonus.

After sharing a chuckle with Ayana, I looked away from her

gaze and, in silence, we continued walking. But every time I
glanced at Ayana, I found her looking at me.

For some reason, we both blushed and looked away, only to

meet each other’s eyes again. What time was this, exactly?

“Even though you’re sticking to me, you should look

ahead…”

“Nope. I’m only looking at Towa-kun.”

Even though I tried to point out that she should look ahead,
her cute response made it difficult for me to insist. Ayana
didn’t divert her gaze from me and continued walking, still
clinging to my arm.

However, at that moment, someone appeared in front of us.

“Oh…”

Ayana and I stopped in our tracks as we saw a figure before

us.

“Shu.”

“…”

Yes, the person who appeared before us was Shu. He had

been running and seemed out of breath, with a considerable
amount of sweat on his face. Shu looked at me and Ayana
with a mixture of surprise and disbelief in his eyes. It was a
gaze I had never experienced from Shu before.

In those eyes, there was shock, sorrow, and anger directed

at me.

When Shu tried to catch his breath and open his mouth,
Ayana spoke before him.

“Towa-kun and I are now dating.”

“…..Eh?”

Shu was left speechless by the words uttered by Ayana.

Eventually, I felt the need to join the conversation and move
closer, but it was Ayana who stopped me.

“Please leave this to me.”

In a soft voice, Ayana said that and faced Shu.

I obeyed Ayana’s request and watched the situation without

saying anything. However, I noticed something.

It was the way Ayana looked at Shu.

Before, I had felt that Ayana’s gaze toward Shu was

somewhat devoid of emotion, but now it was different. It
was a gaze that recognized Shu as her childhood friend, not
a detached or mechanical one. She looked at him as if they
were close friends.

“I’ve loved Towa-kun for a long time, Shu-kun. Since we

were kids, from the moment we met, I’ve loved him.”

With each word, Ayana’s gaze revealed the depth of her

sorrow, which intensified in Shu’s eyes. He didn’t want to
believe it, to accept it; those emotions were so vivid in his
gaze.

It was my existence that seemed to have been forgotten as

Shu stared fixedly at Ayana, the only one in his line of sight.

He opened his mouth, spitting out his words vehemently.

“Why… Why is this happening?! We’ve been together since

we were kids! We’ve been together for so much longer than
you with Towa! You’ve always been with me… You’ve always
been by my side with a smile!”

These were the words of a childhood friend who had spent

his life with Ayana.

Shu never suspected that he was well-regarded by Ayana,

and he had always believed that he would be the one to be
with her. That’s why he couldn’t accept it.
Today, I observed various expressions on different people’s
faces, and although I thought about that, I never averted my
gaze from the two of them.

“That’s true. We’ve been together for a long time.”

“In that case!”

“That’s precisely why!”

“…”

Ayana’s calm voice continued, even louder than Shu’s

outburst, cutting off his words.

“Find someone better than me. I’m a terrible person who

kept lying and taking advantage of your feelings. I’m sure
there’s someone wonderful out there for you, Shu-kun.”

Ayana’s words conveyed a sense of farewell and apology.

Her expression was undoubtedly a smile, but from Shu’s
perspective, she was delivering a harsh reality. I had my
own thoughts and feelings about Shu, and I didn’t intend to
assert that I was in the right.

The days I spent with Shu were undoubtedly etched in my

memory, and that’s why it was a bit painful to see the hurt
expression on his face.

“What lie…? You’ve always…”

Shu said, tears welling up in his eyes as he reached out to

Ayana. However, Ayana didn’t respond to his outstretched
hand.

Realizing everything from Ayana’s demeanor, Shu withdrew

his hand and turned his gaze to me. His eyes held a clear
sense of hostility, making me feel like a traitor.

“Because of you—-”
Shu took a step forward, but Ayana once again interrupted
him.

“Shu-kun!”

“….!”

“Please don’t let yourself get consumed by anger like those

people. Don’t let yourself throw a tantrum when things don’t
go your way. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck forever.”

“….Damn it!”

Just as he was about to let his anger take over, Ayana’s

words hit him like a cold shower, and Shu hastily ran away.

Watching his back grow smaller in the distance, Ayana let

out a small sigh and then jumped back into my arms.

“To be honest, I thought it might backfire a bit like a

boomerang. But… I think I’ve taken a step forward.”

“Yeah, you did well. I also plan to have a talk with him
eventually.”

I patted Ayana’s head while she was in my arms. I continued

for a while, and when I finally let go, she gave me a slightly
unsatisfied look. It seems I couldn’t gauge when to stop.

“Today, I… don’t want to go back.”

“…Aah~.”

I should point out that this wasn’t the first time she said she
didn’t want to go back, but I had no reason to refuse her,
especially now that we were officially a couple. Yet, when
she said that today, it sent shivers down my spine and
made me realize we were truly a couple. I couldn’t help but
grin again. It’s too late for me today!

“Towa-kun? Why are you trembling so much?”

“Whose fault do you think it is? It’s your fault that I can’t
stop shaking!”

“Eh, eeeeh!?”

I hugged Ayana as hard as I could to give her her

punishment, or rather, her reward, for making me like this.

After some affectionate moments on the dimly lit night road,

we were startled back to reality by a message from my
mom asking where we were. We quickly decided to head
back home.

“My mom… She was so thrilled.”

After returning home and letting my mother know that

Ayana would be staying over again today, my mother was
overjoyed, and her joy knew no bounds. As usual, she was
already tipsy, swaying from side to side.

“Well, it seems like she was waiting for this moment.”

She didn’t have any doubts about our relationship, but I

think she had been eagerly waiting for an official
announcement. I believe I’ve given her good news after all
the time she’s watched over us.

“Indeed… a lot has happened.”

The events of the past few days were like a few months’
worth of events packed into a short time. I woke up as Towa
in this world, met my beloved Ayana, spent sweet moments
with her, realized the discrepancies, and then recalled the
world’s truth and talked to Ayana. Somehow, I managed to
dispel the darkness in her heart. It was indeed a dense and
eventful period.

“Starting with Shu and Kotone… Senia-san and Hatsune-san

too. There are still challenges ahead, but I think it should be
fine with Iori and Mari. As long as I stop Ayana, they should
be okay.”

Of course, that didn’t mean I would stop watching over

them. To them, they were simply a senpai and kouhai, but
since we had become close, I could keep an eye on them
and make sure nothing happened to them.

“…Hmm?”

While gazing outside, I noticed my reflection in the window

glass. The familiar appearance of me as Towa was still there,
and I smiled at that image.

“Towa, it somehow worked out. I did my best.”

Did my reflection really smile? I might be tired, and it could

be my imagination, but I’ll choose to believe that it looked
that way.

Lost in my thoughts, I heard footsteps from the other side of

the door, and Ayana, fresh out of the bath, returned.

“The bath was wonderful! Sorry for making you wait, Towa-
kun.”

“Welcome back, Ayana.”

After drying her hair thoroughly, Ayana stood beside me. I
silently wrapped my arms around her waist from behind.

“Couldn’t you wait for me?”

“I missed you a bit… Yeah, I missed you.”

“Fufu, you’re really cute today, Towa-kun.”

“What are you saying? You’re cuter than I am.”

As a guy, I’m not sure if I should be happy about being

called cute, so those words suit a girl like Ayana better.

“…Suuu”

“Fufu, you’re tickling me.”

I buried my face in Ayana’s hair and inhaled her scent. I held

her tightly, not letting her squirm away. She didn’t seem to
be trying to escape, though.

“Just hugging you like this is enough for me. Your fragrance
and the warmth you bring are incredibly comforting. We
won’t be able to do this when summer comes, so we should
enjoy it while we can.”

“I wouldn’t mind, even if you’re all sweaty in the summer.”

“Sweaty might be a bit much…”

“Nope, not at all!”

Ayana giggled. It was a genuine smile. I felt an

overwhelming sense of sentimentality at that moment.

For a brief moment, Ayana widened her eyes, but she

quickly smiled again.
“Towa-kun, I feel like I’ve grown wings.”

“You mean…?”

“It’s liberating… I think that’s the right word. It feels so

fresh, like I’ve finally cast off the shackles that have been
weighing me down all this time.”

“I see… I see…”

I couldn’t help but feel really happy about what she just
said. I held Ayana even tighter for a moment, and she, in
turn, placed her hand on top of mine.

“Not everything will go perfectly. I’m sure there will be more

tough times ahead… I’ll probably have to suppress the dark
side of me that tries to come to the surface, but it’s okay.
Because Towa-kun is here with me.”

“That’s right. And I’m the same. No matter what happens,

no matter what people say, I’ve already overcome it. I don’t
care anymore, as long as you’re here with me.”

“Yes!”

The two of us could surely overcome any challenge

together. This was not wishful thinking but a belief I held
confidently. After all, we had each other.

“Now, I can accept myself as I am. If I had stayed the way I

was, I wouldn’t have been able to be by your side like this.”

“I would have accepted you the way you are, Ayana.”

“Maybe so… but I like it this way better.”

I released my hold on Ayana’s waist, and she turned to face

me. Looking up at me, she seemed to be seeking
something, and I thought it might be this.

“Ehehe, you understand even without me saying anything,

don’t you?”

Oh, it looks like I got it right. Perfect!

I don’t know why, but today, I’ve been feeling light and
fluffy all day. I want to stay in this mood for a while longer,
especially today.

As if taking me by surprise while I was letting my guard

down, Ayana spoke openly about her emotions.

“Towa-kun, thank you for finding me, for helping me, and for
loving me. I really appreciate it!”

With these words, her smile was incredibly beautiful. It was

a smile I would never be able to forget, etched into my
memory.

But, Ayana, it’s me who should be saying thank you. Thank

you for letting me meet you, for helping me, and for loving
me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Undoubtedly, today, we’ve crossed another hurdle. As I

realized this, I made a silent vow to protect the girl in my
arms for as long as I could. Together, we’ll find happiness,
not alone. That’s the answer Ayana and I have discovered.
 Credits

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