Chapter 1 | I Was Lied to by My Childhood Friend

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“Yukkun, I love you! Please go out with me!”

Those words were confessed to me by my childhood friend, Chisato Nishimiya, behind the school building, where the usually lively trees were silent.

My heart, Yuzu Hanazawa’s, was pounding at its peak.

There was no one but the two of us behind the school building. In front of me was only Chisato, with her straight gaze.

Chisato and I had been close since kindergarten, and we went to the same elementary, middle, and high schools.

Until the third year of middle school, I had thought of her as a little sister.

She was a bit of an airhead, clumsy, and still somewhat childish.

However, as she got older, she began to have a more mature aura.

Gradually, I started to become aware of her as a member of the opposite sex, and I couldn’t maintain the same distance as before.

That’s when I realized my feelings.

It had been about half a year since I entered high school that I had been in love with Chisato.

I had always thought it was one-sided, but here I learned that Chisato felt the same way.

While feeling a little regret that I had made her confess, I replied to her confession.

“I’m sorry for making you say it, Chisato. I love you too. So, I’m happy to go out with you.”

“Eh…?”

Chisato’s eyes widened. And for some reason, she looked away.

Her face was pale, and she was fidgeting a little.

I felt something was off, and I had a bad feeling.

Unfortunately, that bad feeling was correct.

The bushes behind us rustled, and three female students emerged.

Then, they approached me with smirks on their faces.

“Ta-da! A super successful prank~!”

“…Huh? Hey, Chisato?”

“Um, well… I’m sorry… It was a dare.”

Chisato said looking very guilty.

My heart clenched instantly at that moment.

(So… It was a fake confession, huh?)

“It’s not like Chisato would like you.”

“Right~”

The three girls other than Chisato said that while laughing.

I felt like I wanted to punch them, but I thought it would be foolish to ruin my life because of these guys, so I endured it by clenching my fists tightly.

(So… It was my own delusion again. I can’t trust anyone anymore.)

“I see. Yeah, that’s right.”

“Yukkun, um, I really…”

Chisato probably didn’t even think that I liked her.

The other girls were still laughing.

(What the heck is this…)

I began to feel like the feelings I had held until now were stupid.

Suddenly, when I looked at Chisato, I no longer felt anything like I used to.

All I felt was unbearable anger, shame, and sadness.

It was like being at the bottom of despair again.

There was no one around.

“…This is the worst.”

“Yukkun… Wait!”

Ignoring Chisato’s voice, I trudged home.

My steps were heavier than ever before.

I couldn’t trust anyone anymore.

I staggered and wandered aimlessly towards home.

What they did completely trampled on my feelings.

If it was a dream, it was a terrible one. And it was even worse because it was reality.

If I had confessed and been rejected, I could have accepted it myself.

If Chisato had a boyfriend, I could have given up.

My heart was already in tatters.

To heal my wounded heart, I bought a can of soda from a vending machine and decided to take a break in a park.

I sat on a bench, and a hot sensation rose in my chest.

But strangely, tears didn’t come.

I got reckless and gulped down the soda in one go.

“Chisato…”

I crushed the empty can in my hand.

And then, a sigh came out naturally.

The hole in my heart was hollow. And around it were negative emotions such as regret, sadness, and anger.

I slowly closed my eyes.

There was no one in the park, and the only sound was the cawing of crows.

Or so I thought, but then I heard the sound of someone digging in the sand from the front.

I opened my eyes and looked ahead to see a girl about five years old, diligently digging in the sand and making a sandcastle.

There was no one around, and she was quietly making a sandcastle all alone.

The situation made me unintentionally overlap with my own.

Even though it shouldn’t have, what I unconsciously felt was loneliness.

Were her parents not nearby? I looked around, but there was no one there.

Before I knew it, I had approached the girl.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“I’m Karin Amase, and I’m five years old~!”

The girl named Karin held up five fingers to show her age.

Seeing her like that, I couldn’t help but smile at how energetic and cute she was.

She was healing my wounded heart. I felt like I saw a halo above Karin’s head.

“I’m Yuzu Hanazawa. Would you like me to play with you?”

When I said that, Karin’s face lit up.

And she jumped up and down, raising her hands.

Seeing that, I smiled again.

(Ah-! Well, for now, I’ll just play my heart out with this kid.)

I was half desperate. Anything was fine if it could distract me from my heartbreak even a little.

“Yes! Please! I’m making a sandcastle now, and then…”

Karin’s way of speaking was age-appropriate. And she had an innocent cuteness.

(What are this child’s parents doing, leaving her alone like this?)

It was extremely dangerous for her to be without a companion.

Even though she was only a five-year-old girl.

I was a little doubtful, so I asked Karin while making the sandcastle bigger.

“Where’s your mom, Karin-chan?”

“Um, my mom is at home! My dad said he’ll be home late today!”

“Did you come here by yourself?”

“Yeah, I did! My mom is busy at home, so she doesn’t pay much attention to me. My Onee-chan is busy too. So, I secretly sneaked out!”

It was due to a child’s whim and curiosity. If that was the case, I had to ask her where her house was and take her home.

It was almost sunset, and it was about to get dark.

Her family would probably be worried about her.

“I see, then let’s go home soon. Your mom might be worried.”

“…Okay, I understand.”

Karin was a little dejected, but she also seemed to want to go home before it got dark, so she accepted it obediently.

I decided to get excited and finish making the sandcastle anyway.

“Do you want to make a tunnel in the sandcastle?”

“Yes! Can you do it, Onii-chan?”

“I may look like this, but I’m a pretty handy guy~”

I lightly rotated my shoulders and within a few minutes, I had made a hole in the sandcastle and created a tunnel.

Karin was peeking into the hole, happily jumping around.

“Thank you, Onii-chan!”

She seemed satisfied with the game and was jumping around again.

My heartbreak was hidden in an invisible place.

That’s how absorbed I was in playing.

“Well, let’s go home soon. Can you tell me where your house is?”

“Yeah, I got it!”

Karin took my hand with her little hand.

It was cute and adorable.

Even though it was only for a little while, it wasn’t bad to interact with a child.

“Hmm, this way.”

Karin was walking energetically, pointing her finger.

I had suddenly thought that I wanted a little brother or sister.

As I started walking, I heard a voice calling Karin’s name from ahead.

“Karin!”

“Ah! Onee-chan!”

Karin waved her hand widely.

And it seemed that her older sister, who was far away, noticed her and was running toward us.

It seemed she had been searching for her. I was relieved, anyway.

“Karin!”

“Onee-chan!”

Karin left my hand and ran to dive into her sister’s arms.

Her sister hugged her tightly.

“I was so worried about you, you know? You can’t leave the house alone, okay?”

“I’m sorry, but you know, that Onii-chan played with me!”

Karin pointed at me.

And I was speechless at the identity of Karin’s sister who had appeared.

“…Amase?”

Silky long hair and sparkling, moist eyes.

Her looks, her demeanor, a beautiful and talented high school girl with a mature aura that captivated everyone.

Kotomi Amase, the most beautiful girl in my school, the one called an angel.

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