Chapter 1 - I’ll never leave you
Part 1
Early April.
Spring in the countryside is peaceful. Or rather, life in the countryside is pretty much dictated by the calendar of local events. Around this time, everything feels relaxed and easygoing.
On such an afternoon, a group of girls was chatting excitedly in one corner of the classroom.
"Hey, wasn't Himari post this morning amazing?"
"I thought so too! She was way too cute!"
They were both looking at their phones.
The post this morning was about an Instagram photo Himari had uploaded. It was taken at a cafe on Route 10 during spring break.
In the photo, Himari was standing on a breezy wooden deck, holding a new summer gelato from Hiyuu.
She wore earrings adorned with preserved lily-of-the-valley flowers on both ears.
Peering through her oversized sunglasses, her marine-blue eyes held a captivating allure. Beyond the window, the blue sea of Hiyuga Nada stretched endlessly.
This week, the temperature had risen sharply, forcing thoughts of summer to the forefront. Her Instagram post, with its vivid and striking visuals, had left a deep impression on viewers.
Himari Inuzuka had started her Instagram account shortly after entering high school.
Given her natural charm and striking appearance, it was no surprise that she had amassed over 50,000 followers in less than a year.
She was well-known locally, and every time she uploaded a new post, the excitement would ripple through her peers, as evident from scenes like the one in the classroom. On afternoons when we went to the mall, we would often overhear girls from other schools in the food court chatting about the same topic. …Yeah, classic countryside life. Just how few events do we have here?
The seat next to mine…
Himari was casually packing her textbooks into her bag, her expression calm and composed.
As always, she exuded an inexplicable aura. It was strange how even the drab uniforms of this countryside school looked like the latest fashion brand when she wore them.
Over the past two years, she'd grown a bit taller—enough to make you wonder if only her legs had stretched, given her stunning proportions. Unsurprisingly, she often drew mischievous glances from the boys around her.
Her expressions had also taken on a subtle allure. Her softly shaped lips, lightly glossed, would glisten faintly. And whenever she absentmindedly licked her lips, it left everyone around her flustered.
Her flowing, beautiful hair… she’d cut it quite boldly. But the naturally tousled short bob suited her playful charm perfectly.
Those transparent marine-blue eyes of hers remained unchanged—almond-shaped, wide, and as captivating as ever.
The delicate, ethereal beauty she had two years ago had grown more mature, yet paradoxically, her mischievous, unfiltered side had become even more apparent. It perfectly reflected the innate contrariness of Himari.
The two girls from earlier approached Himari’s desk and started talking to her.
“Where’s this café?”
“If you head toward the city on Route 10, you’ll find it pretty easily. That gelato is a seasonal item, available only until autumn.”
“What about these earrings? Can I get them at the mall?”
“These are custom-made, so you probably won’t find them in stores.”
“Aw, no way! They’re so cool—I want some too!”
In response, Himari handed them a business card.
It was for a flower accessory designer, with only the name "you" written on it.
“You can order it online,” Himari explained, pointing to the QR code on the card. “Just scan this code and place your order on the website. If you enter this key code, the delivery fee is waived. You can use it as many times as you like, even for a single item.”
“Really!? Thanks so much!”
With that, the conversation shifted, and they invited Himari to hang out after school.
The plan was karaoke—hardly surprising. In this town, the usual go-to options for after-school fun were the mall, karaoke, or Sushi-ro.
Apparently, quite a few people were joining. Some were students who had just met her for the first time after the recent class shuffle. They were clearly eager to bring Himari into their group.
…The prestige of being the local "daughter of a well-off family" was still alive and well for Himari, even in high school.
In fact, her family’s influence had likely grown even stronger over the past two years. One of her older brothers, who worked at the city hall, had been leading a regional development project, and their latest success—the opening of a new highway—was a big deal. With the improved access to the neighboring prefecture, the Inuzuka family’s reputation had skyrocketed.
Himari, with her trademark radiant smile, responded to the overly kind yet equally calculated invitation with a cheerful, “Hmm, what should I do?”
For a brief moment, it felt like her gaze flicked over to me.
“... … …”
Without saying a word, I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood up.
I left the classroom without exchanging goodbyes with anyone. The hallway was filled with students heading home, while others in tracksuits passed by on their way to club activities.
I made my way to the science room in a separate building. Using the key I borrowed from the faculty office, I unlocked the door. Inside, there were six large tables, each seating six people. I placed my bag on the front table by the window.
At the back of the science room stood large steel shelves.
I walked to the shelf on the right and unlocked the bottom sliding door. Inside were rows of LED planters, a convenient tool for growing plants indoors without worrying about pests.
The winter-blooming flowers had already been harvested.
Now, the spring seedlings and plants were taking root—amaryllis, lavender, pinks, marigolds…
I carefully photographed each one, documenting their growth. After replacing the water, I completed my tasks as a member of the gardening club.
Now it was time for my personal project.
I slid the door of the LED planter shelf shut and locked it. Then, I unlocked the sliding door on the shelf just above and pulled out two cardboard boxes.
I opened one of the boxes, revealing a collection of sealed containers I had purchased from a 100-yen shop. Picking one out, I carefully checked its contents.
Inside was a preserved pansy bloom, treated with desiccants and a solution during the preservation process.
I inspected the flower’s color. The vivid yellow had deepened slightly, giving it a richer, more mature hue. The result was pleasantly refined. There was no visible degradation in the petals, though I still needed to confirm the dryness level.
"Alright."
I opened the second cardboard box.
This one contained my tools. I retrieved tweezers from the supply kit and put on a pair of vinyl gloves before unsealing the container.
Using the tweezers, I gently removed the preserved pansy.
"Looks… pretty good, doesn’t it?"
Yeah, it’s in excellent shape.
Honestly, I was worried the petals were too delicate and might fall apart, but so far, so good.
For now, I’ll handle it with care—losing a petal would be such a waste.
"Alright, now for the main event."
I set up the tabletop magnifier, ready for the intricate work ahead.
With the magnifier in place, I began crafting the flower accessory.
The first task was threading the preserved flower onto a ring. This required the most care—damaging the delicate flower or compromising its appearance was out of the question.
I worked meticulously, securing the flower with adhesive as quickly and precisely as possible.
Angle, aesthetics, durability… perfect.
Next, I moved on to the earring base. Using wire and metal sticks, I shaped the earring’s structure. Since the pansy was yellow, I chose a cool-toned blue metal to create a striking contrast.
Finally, I combined the base with the ring holding the pansy. I adjusted the orientation so that when worn, the flower would appear to bloom outward from the earlobe—a design meant to give the impression of a flower blossoming from the wearer’s ear.
Using a soldering iron, I fused the base and ring together. This step was critical—one misstep, and all my effort so far would be ruined. If the tip of the soldering iron so much as grazed the flower, it would scorch instantly.
The science room was utterly silent.
From somewhere in the distance, the faint sounds of the wind ensemble practicing reached my ears. The stillness here was soothing.
It made me wonder: was this the kind of focus and quiet a swordsman might feel in the Edo period before a duel?
...And then, it was time for the final step.
I carefully brought the tip of the soldering iron close to the joint and the solder. It barely made contact, and I quickly pulled it away. It felt a bit weak. I hadn’t quite completed it in one go. On the second attempt, the solder bead grew a little larger, but it was solid enough—not threatening to ruin the flower’s aesthetic.
Finally, to prevent corrosion and add a bit of color, I applied a patina solution to the soldered area. This would help camouflage any subtle discoloration.
The first earring was complete. I held it up to the desk lamp and examined it closely.
“...Okay.”
I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
There was a certain satisfaction in the moment the accessory was finished. It was a feeling I could never get enough of—like being in my own world, completely isolated from everything else.
Honestly, I enjoyed these solitary moments.
My sisters often called me gloomy, but that’s just my nature. I was a creator, after all. It’s only by embracing solitude that you can truly face yourself...
“Wow. This one turned out so cute too!”
“...!?”
Without any prior warning, my peaceful solitude was shattered.
From over my shoulder, two slender arms suddenly reached forward, and in one swift motion, they wrapped around my neck from behind.
It was Himari. She had slipped her arms around my neck and was now looking down at the accessory in my hands.
"Hehe, did I surprise you?"
With a playful tilt of her head, Himari's soft hair brushed against my cheek, sending a light tickling sensation through me. Her radiant marine blue eyes met mine with an intense gaze.
The twin-flower choker she’d worn since middle school caught the light just faintly.
"Himari, don’t sneak up on me when I’m using the soldering iron. And when did you even get here?"
"About an hour ago. You completely ignored me when I tried talking to you," she replied, her tone teasing.
Her hand swiftly turned off the soldering iron. "From here on, it's playtime with me, right?" she whispered softly in my ear.
"Geez, Yū, you're such a dummy."
"Wait, I still have one more earring to finish..."
"Not today. Your sparkly eyes are off-limits now," she interrupted. "Time to close up shop for today. You can deal with your grumpy partner later."
"Okay, okay, but please stop whispering in my ear..."
Himari grabbed a Yo-guruppe juice box, taking a quick sip.
She then pulled another one out of her skirt pocket and inserted the straw into my mouth.
"Here, drink."
I gratefully took the juice, feeling a bit more refreshed. I had been so focused on my work that my throat had become dry. Though, if I had to choose, I’d have preferred something like Pocari Sweat instead of yogurt-flavored juice.
"Himari, didn’t you get invited to karaoke earlier?"
"Huh? Oh, I turned them down."
"Really? That’s a shame. There were even some people from the class you haven’t met yet. You should’ve gone and had fun."
"Well... it wasn’t bad, but then you’d be throwing me jealous looks, wouldn’t you?"
"I wasn’t. Don’t make up stuff about my feelings."
Himari smiled brightly.
It was the kind of smile that said, "I'm the luckiest girl in the world, and you should be more thrilled to have me all to yourself. I could make you the happiest, or, you know, the opposite. But seriously, I’m cute, right?"
No kidding, she was cute, but the whole "selling luck" thing was kind of a scammer’s move, honestly.
"But still, you were sending me some pretty intense glances, though."
"I was just reminiscing about the middle school cultural festival. Your hair was long back then, wasn’t it?"
"So, you’ve grown taller too, Yu. Didn’t I used to be taller back then?"
"………"
I stood up to check, and Himari squealed, "Kyaa!" as she hung onto my neck, kicking her legs around. …Yeah, it wasn’t that Himari hadn’t grown much; it was just that I’d grown way too much.
Looking at the clock, it was already past 5 p.m.
"Hey, can you get off now?"
"I can’t do that. This spot here on your back is my special seat."
"This spot…"
Well, I was used to it by now.
"…Weekdays are slow. If I could work at home, it’d be easier."
"Wasn’t your room off-limits again?"
"My cat. She kept playing with the flowers I was working on. No matter where I move, she always finds them."
"Hahaha. Why not just work at my place? I’ve got extra rooms, and you can use one as a workshop."
"I’m not doing that. Your brother always brings home expensive sushi."
When my whole family is overly welcoming, it’s actually kind of hard for a teenage guy. …I used to think that local power players in the countryside were more intimidating.
"Anyway, lately I haven't even been able to keep up with the flowers."
"You could just buy flowers from a shop," Himari suggested.
"I want to use the flowers I’m confident about, though."
"…Hmm, I see."
Wait, why does she sound so pleased?
Even though I’ve known Himari for so long, I still don’t get what exactly makes her happy.
And honestly, I never thought we’d still be friends two years later. Himari has so many friends, I figured she’d get tired of me pretty quickly...
"Either way, it’s all thanks to Himari’s Instagram."
The "you" Himari had been talking about was, of course, me.
Her Instagram isn’t just a hobby; she uses it to promote my flower accessories.
Just like today’s post about the gelato, Himari wears my flower accessories in all her posts. She shares the link to the shop in her bio, where people can order anything they like.
It’s a strategy that combines raising funds for opening a shop and promoting my accessories at the same time.
I tried various things during middle school—visiting local bazaars, uploading the making process on YouTube—but this method has been the most effective. Turns out, the combination of "beautiful girl + flower accessories" is pretty easy to understand and appealing.
"So, Himari, what happened with that entertainment agency you were talking to the other day?"
"Oh, I turned them down since I’ll be staying local until high school."
"Seriously? What a waste."
"Haha. If I went that route, I wouldn’t have time to help promote your accessories anymore."
"They even said they'd come all the way out here to meet you."
"Yeah, well, if the world notices my cuteness too much, things get complicated. I mean, can you imagine? A rich oil tycoon falls for me at first sight and proposes? Then there’d be a whole wife competition, and it would end in tragedy."
"What’s with that over-the-top confidence? No one’s worried about that."
While she was watching my hands, Himari’s juice carton made a slurping noise as she finished it off.
Then, she casually asked, "Want the rest of mine?" as she folded both cartons and stuffed them in her pocket.
"Hah, yeah right," I muttered. "If I can’t even get married, I guess you’re stepping in to take responsibility, huh?"
"Well, we’re partners in fate, right? If you can’t get married, I’ll have to apologize to your parents," she said with a teasing smile.
"Please don’t say that. Ever since you mentioned it, your brother has been calling me 'little brother-in-law,' and it’s just awkward as hell."
"Oh, come on. Why not just become my little brother-in-law?"
"I’m not doing that! It’s bad enough dealing with you; I can’t handle your noisy brother too."
"Well, it's fine. Our house is really big, so we could easily have three generations living together and still have enough privacy."
"Why are you assuming that you'll be living with your brother?"
At that moment, it really seemed like it was going to happen, and that was scary. Waking up and going to bed surrounded by day-to-day interactions with Himari felt like some kind of punishment game.
"If you don't like it, you could get married first, you know? You've been in high school for a year now, so you must have found someone you like, right?"
"...Well, about that..."
"Eh? You still can't forget about your first love?"
"Tch, stop it. It's not that I can't forget her. It's just that I haven't had a meeting or encounter as shocking as that one."
"A shocking encounter, huh? Wasn’t it that girl you helped when she got lost at the botanical garden?"
"Yeah, that's right. We saw the hibiscus flowers together at the time. She was in a white dress, quiet and cute. She was lost too, and she kept holding onto the back of my shirt. It was adorable..."
"........."
Himari stared at me intently, then suddenly, with a serious expression, she poked my cheek.
"There's something I've been meaning to say to you..."
"What? What is it?"
Himari let out a snort through her nose.
"Maybe that girl is just a figment of your creepy imagination?"
"I'll kill you."
"Or maybe you love flowers so much that you're seeing hallucinations..."
"Could you explain how that's different from your creepy imagination?"
"Being a dreamy person is part of your charm, you know. But maybe it's time for you to start paying attention to real girls?"
"Wh-why? What's wrong with that...?"
"Well, even if you were to meet that first love again, it wouldn't look good if you're still a virgin, right?"
Her words pierced my chest like a knife.
I accidentally dropped the equipment I had been putting away.
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