Oneshot: My Girlfriend of a Year Told Me, “This Is a Prank. We're Not Even Dating.” So I…

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Translator: Soafp

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The first time I met her was at the seaside park behind the apartment building at night.

It was a very pleasant place, my favorite park. And it was my last night there.

She stood there in a tracksuit, humming to herself while looking out at the sea.

Meiko Miyake, a classmate from high school.

We weren't particularly close. We didn't even say hello. We'd only exchanged a few words out of obligation.

“…Huh? You live in the same apartment, right? If you’re out here at this time, it must be the case. Hey, I'm bored, so talk to me.”

That's what Miyake said when our eyes met. I don't remember much about what we talked about that time.

Because it was already a year ago when we started dating—

I, Rintarou Kuzunoha, got dumped by Miyake.

No, to be precise, we weren't even really dating.

It was just another ordinary day. The time before homeroom started. A regular school life. Walking to school in the morning with Miyake, my girlfriend.

I thought that this kind of life would go on forever.

As soon as Miyake sat down, she took a deep breath and put on a strange smile.

And then—

“Today marks one year since we started dating, right? So, honestly speaking, the whole thing was a prank. It was a fake confession, a fake couple, you know? I don't like you or anything, but it was just part of the punishment game, so I couldn't help it, right? You know, that kind of thing students do?”

“A… prank?”

The classroom suddenly buzzed with noise. “A prank?” “Seriously?” “No way, they were definitely dating, right?” “But Miyake would do something like that…” “Kuzunoha's so unlucky…” “Whoa, that loser got dumped! Serves him right.” “Meiko, isn't that a bit too much?” “Wait, who even came up with that punishment game?” “Oh, was it part of our game? But…”

Miyake looked around, fanning the flames with a cool expression.

“Alright, alright, enough. It was just a prank, so laugh it off! Listen, I never liked this guy or anything. I was only with you because of a punishment… no, we weren't even together to begin with! Well, the gloomy you should be thankful you got to hang out with an incredibly beautiful girl like me for a whole year! Ah, mou, this is annoying, I'm going to the bathroom.”

Miyake stood up. From her words, it seemed like the prank was real. Even though it was about me, it felt like it was happening to someone else.

She was the first person I ever liked, someone who had never felt love before.

As I watched Miyake's back as she hurried off, memories came flooding back.

We met many times at that park. We talked about trivial things.

On the day of the fireworks, the two of us watched from the park—

“Uh, um, you know, I… I want to go out with you… n-never mind.”

At school, we started talking more—

“Hey, we're dating, so we're supposed to go to school together! Don't walk ahead of me! Oh, by the way, you always buy bread for lunch, right? I made you a bento today.”

We dated, went on dates—

“Ugh, you're so dull! You should smile more. You're too gloomy! You're walking next to me, so you should dress better! What? You don't have any clothes? Fine, we'll go to the mall together. …A date? Y-yeah, it's our first date!”

Those days were so bright, like treasures to me—

“Hic, hic, that movie was amazing… Huh? You don't get why I'm crying? You're so dense! Sure, it was a horror movie, but couldn't you feel the romance in that extreme situation?! Whatever, we're going to a café for round two.”

I thought we'd be together forever—

“Ughhh, I am such an idiot. You're actually pretty smart, huh? I hate tests… Hey, let's stop studying and play games instead. …Yeah, we'll both go to the same university… Yeah, that's right, okay! I'm going to do my best and show you what I'm capable of!”

My once gray youth had started to shine with color.

Miyake's back disappeared from the classroom.

The memories shut off. My mind switched. For the first time in my life, I felt what it was like to feel bad.

My chest was a mess. I didn't know what had gone wrong, but it was probably my fault.

So, I just need to blame everything on myself and forget that I ever loved her.

Time will surely heal me. Bob, the guy sitting next to me, says, “You'll get a cute girlfriend in no time! I mean, what Miyake did was awful.”

The next girlfriend…

All I could do was nod in response.

---

Time passes, leaving people’s emotions behind.

Miyake isn't doing well in class. She's become rough, like a completely different person, and her friends have drifted away.

She only comes to school occasionally now.

Since I'm no longer Miyake's boyfriend, I've made new friends.

“Hey, hey, Kuzunoha-kun, let's go to karaoke sometime!” “Kuzunoha, you should join the track team. I'd be happy if you did!” “Kuzunoha-san, would you care to join me for lunch? My butler, Sebas, has prepared an afternoon tea as well.”

Nanjo-san, the class rep, Izumo-san, the captain of the track team, and Christine Yamada, who calls herself a noblewoman.

Many other people have started talking to me too.

But still, my heart feels empty. It's like there's a gaping hole inside me.

When Miyake said it was all a prank, she was smiling… but something felt off. To me, it looked like she was crying.

That's why—

“Sorry, I've got something to do, maybe next time.”

Even if Miyake hated me.

Even if I wasn't her boyfriend anymore.

Even if we couldn't be together anymore.

That night, at that seaside park, meeting Miyake saved me.

A life that had nothing, where everything was being taken away. I was so tired of it that I was ready to end it, but then I found a reason to live.

“So, even so—”

I took a step forward.

---

[Meiko Miyake PoV]

I wonder if I didn't have such a good life. But still, that last year was so much fun. It was so much fun… that I forgot I was dying.

Cough, cough… Ugh, it's awful. Just let me die already…

I was weak from the moment I was born. I tried hard to live, but when I started high school, the doctor told me I only had a year left.

Maybe I could live a bit longer, but only by a margin of error. There was no way I'd make it to graduation.

“Aah, I wanted to graduate with Kuzunoha.”

Thinking about Kuzunoha makes my chest hurt.

My beloved, beloved Kuzunoha, the boyfriend I'm so proud of. He always had a grumpy face, but when he smiled, it was so cute and cool…

I was the one who broke up with my beloved Kuzunoha.

“If I said that, I'd be the bad guy. He'd hate me, right?”

It hurts so much to think that Kuzunoha would hate me. …Honestly, someone like me, who's going to die, shouldn't have dated him in the first place.

It was just too much fun, and I almost forgot about my limited time left…

I can see the ocean from my hospital room.

I'm far from Tokyo now, living in Izu.

“This way, when I die, no one will be sad. Yep, I'm all set, I can die anytime now.”

If I don't say it out loud, I feel like the weight of it will crush me.

I'm scared of dying. But more than that, I'm terrified of seeing Kuzunoha sad.

“Haha, I'm such an idiot… If that's how I felt, why did I start dating him in the first place…? I really am stupid.”

I couldn't stop my feelings. I hated hiding the truth. Even though I knew Kuzunoha would be sad, I didn't know what else to do.

But now it's all over. If I die here alone—

“Hmm? It's noisy outside the room. Hey, can you keep it down?! I don't have much time left, you know! Quiet down already!!”

The sound of hurried footsteps and voices echoed.

My room's door flew open, and I saw the faces of a security guard and a doctor.

“Y-you can't bring unauthorized people into the patient's room…!” “You little brat, follow the rules!!”

Wait… why? The face I had been dreaming of was right there.

Kuzunoha, being wrestled by the security guard and the doctor. I'd never seen him look so desperate.

“Miyake!! I need to talk to you—talk to me—!”

But no, it absolutely cannot happen. I have to break his heart here, make him hate me, or else… kind, gentle Kuzunoha will be hurt. That's why—

I put on the most scornful expression I could manage—yet…

“Miyake, I don't care if you hate me, or if you only have a short time left! None of that matters!! I'll stay by your side until the end!!”

I heard the sound of my own heart breaking.

Whatever I had been holding back collapsed inside of me. I could feel my face scrunching up with tears, but my mind remained calm…

I spoke to the doctor and the security guard…

“Rintarou… Let's talk one last time.”

---

Miracles don't happen.

Still, God gave me just a little more time.

My condition improved a lot. I couldn't go to school, but I could walk a little, at least nearby.

I guess it's because of my mindset.

I finally realized that the will to live can affect the body.

“Ehehe, that wasn't our last moment after all.”

“Of course not. We promised, didn't we? To graduate together.”

Since the night breeze wasn't good for me, we were in the park during the day. A day just like that one, filled with ordinary moments.

A precious treasure to me.

“But you know, Kuzunoha, you really do love me, huh?”

“…It's annoying, but yeah, seems like I do. But you're an idiot, Meiko. Did you really think I'd hate you?”

“Ugh… I'm sorry…”

During the time I was in the hospital, Kuzunoha did everything he could to find me.

And I decided to face Kuzunoha properly.

I realized that making him hate me was just me running away.

“But… I'm still going to die, you know?”

“Everyone dies someday. It's not about how long you live. What matters is who's by your side when it happens. I'll be with you until the end.”

“Then, I'll try my best until the last moment! I'm going to ask for lots of selfish things, okay?”

“I don't mind. That's what youth is about, isn't it?”

Kuzunoha's face glowed in the sunlight. Somehow, he looked really… cool.

“Hm? What is it? You're smiling.”

“N-nothing! Oh, um… can we hold hands?”

Kuzunoha crouched down slightly and took my hand.

A comfortable silence passed between us.

And then, without a word, we let go, and Kuzunoha began to push my wheelchair.

“…Promise me. Don't be sad, okay?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

---

[Kazunoha PoV]

And so, time passes.

I'm sitting at the park, looking out at the sea.

“Meiko, I'm sorry… I lied. I promised I wouldn't be sad…But it's impossible.”

Meiko passed away after the graduation ceremony, as if she'd just fallen asleep.

In the end, she smiled, just like always—

I should have been able to send her off with a smile too.

There's no regret. And yet, my heart is in turmoil.

Still, as long as those memories and her smile stay with me, I won't be crushed by the sadness.

“Meiko, thank you.”

Those spilled words were words of gratitude.