Act 4: I Like You Just the Way You Are
That morning, the heat was unbelievable from the very start.
On top of that, my back was throbbing, my arms felt heavy… My whole body was wrapped in sluggishness, and the damp shirt clinging to me only added to my discomfort.
This was the worst possible way to wake up. For now, I should at least drink some water and refresh myself. The moment I decided that and took a step forward—
“Ow!?”
I tripped over my backpack, and a sharp pain shot through my toe.
Rubbing my aching foot, I glanced at the clock… and when I saw the short hand pointing at eleven, the blood drained from my face.
“Oh crap, crap, crap, crap, crap!!”
I was ridiculously late! And it wasn’t even a holiday—why didn’t anyone wake me up!?
I couldn’t waste any more time!
Ignoring the pain in my toe, I rushed out of my room in a panic. I dashed into the dining room, gulped down a glass of ice-cold barley tea…
And then—I noticed something off.
The magnet calendar stuck to the fridge had been flipped to July.
…Wait, why July? It’s still April.
Was it so hot that Sana switched it ahead by mistake?
Yeah, that had to be it. Sana would totally do something like that. Even though she’s already a second-year in middle school, she still does the most childish things.
But even Sana wouldn’t mess with the clock. The time was definitely eleven. I had to hurry and get ready.
The entrance ceremony was already over, but I still had to go to school. I needed to check in at the staff room, figure out my classroom and attendance number—otherwise, I wouldn’t even know where my seat was.
Leaving the living room, I washed my face in the bathroom, then returned to my room—only to notice my phone blinking.
It was flashing to signal a missed call. Probably Mom or Sana, worried about whether I’d woken up yet.
Thinking that, I flipped open my phone—
“Huh!? July 27th!?”
The date displayed was a future one.
What the hell? Why is it off by nearly four months? I just got this phone recently—did it already break?
…Wait, and who’s this girl on my wallpaper? She’s smiling and making a peace sign… She’s seriously cute—an idol? But I’m pretty sure my wallpaper was a character from an idol anime, not an actual person…
Waking up had already been bad enough, but now, a series of incomprehensible events had completely thrown me into a mild panic—when suddenly—
“Whoa!?”
Suddenly, my phone started ringing.
The screen displayed the name "Koikawa Yuzuhana."
“W-Who the hell… is Koikawa Yuzuhana?”
For the first time today, a chill ran down my spine at the sight of an unfamiliar name.
I had watched a horror movie like this during spring break. In it, someone gets a call from an unknown number, and when they answer… they get cursed.
“…”
Yeah, no way. Not answering that.
I decided to ignore it, and after a moment, the ringing stopped. But before I could fully relax, a new notification popped up—an email.
From the same Koikawa Yuzuhana.
Hesitantly, I opened my inbox.
…It was filled with emails from Koikawa Yuzuhana.
Two new messages. The rest were already read—and worse, they had reply marks on them. I had responded.
Except, I had no memory of it.
Scrolling down, I found the oldest email, dated April 9th.
That horror movie I watched? The curse came through calls—but I’d never heard of one that spread through emails.
I felt uneasy, but curiosity won over. I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and opened the very first message.
[You called me selfish, didn't you?]
…What kind of greeting is that?
A first message is usually something like "Nice to meet you," right? Not that I'd know what to do if a stranger suddenly sent me that, either.
Still confused, I checked the next email.
[You called me selfish, didn’t you?]
…Okay, is she the persistent type?
I kept scrolling through the older messages, trying to make sense of it all.
[Don’t make me laugh. People around us will think I’m weird.]
Apparently, I had tried to make Koikawa Yuzuhana laugh.
[Then just look the other way.]
And I was close enough to her for her to say something like that.
I opened the next email.
There was no text—just an attached photo.
…It was her.
The girl from my phone’s wallpaper.
So—this was Koikawa Yuzuhana.
“…”
I searched my memory, but nothing came up.
And yet, judging by these emails… I had been exchanging messages with her for quite some time.
[Duck lips! Did I really make that face when we kissed!?]
[Come on, just be honest! I won’t get mad!]
[I said I won’t get mad!]
[I’m NOT mad!!]
Koikawa Yuzuhana was angry from start to finish.
I couldn’t tell whether we got along well or not… but considering she was calling me and sending me emails, our relationship must have continued up until today.
“What the hell is actually going on?”
I woke up on the floor.
My whole body felt sluggish.
It was suddenly July now.
And I was apparently close to a girl I didn’t even know.
None of it made any sense.
But at the same time, it didn’t feel like a dream.
I didn’t even need to pinch my cheek—my back and arms were already aching enough to tell me this was real.
“…Wait. Are my arms… bigger?”
Not just my arms—my chest looked more built too.
What the hell? Was this some “sleep and you’ll grow” thing? Sure, I had technically been asleep for nearly four months… but as far as records were concerned, I had been awake that whole time.
Just as I was struggling to process it all, the doorbell rang.
I wasn’t in any state to be answering the door, but I couldn’t just ignore it either. I hesitantly made my way to the entrance.
When I opened the door, a girl stood there, her brows slightly furrowed in irritation.
Her sharp eyes stared straight at me, and her silky brown hair swayed in the breeze.
She was—
“…Koikawa Yuzuhana.”
I muttered her name under my breath, and she blinked in surprise.
“Huh? Why the full name? And if you’re awake, at least answer my calls properly!”
“W-Well, I mean… I just…”
How do you even talk to a girl? Especially one who’s even cuter in person than in her photos? I was way too nervous for this.
“…Why are you acting so weird? You’re throwing me off. Whatever, I’m coming in.”
“Ah, wait—”
“What? Am I not allowed?”
“It’s not that, but…”
I didn’t know her.
I could try and fake it, but I’d get caught immediately.
She wouldn’t believe me right away, but I had no choice—I had to tell the truth.
“Actually… I don’t really understand anything right now…”
“…Were you doing your homework? Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
“No, not that. I mean… I don’t know who you are.”
“…Huh?”
Koikawa Yuzuhana’s eyes widened in shock.
This wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.
If someone suddenly said something like that, most people would assume it was a joke.
But instead—
“…You too…?”
She looked at me with a face full of despair.
“Did you… lose your memory too?”
Kohei looked at me uneasily. His eyes didn’t meet mine; instead, they wandered—lingering on my hair, my lips, my chest.
…This isn’t like him.
The old Kohei could never look a girl in the eyes. He used to fidget, staring at weird places while talking.
But ever since the day he learned I was self-conscious about my gaze, he stopped looking away.
He forced himself to meet my eyes so I wouldn’t have to struggle with that insecurity anymore.
And yet, the Kohei in front of me now wouldn’t look at me.
Like he was speaking to me for the first time.
Like he wasn’t even him anymore.
“You… you really don’t remember me?”
“S-Sorry. I don’t remember anything…”
“I see…”
“Uh, um… do you actually believe me?”
“I don’t want to believe you, idiot!!”
“H-Hey, why are you yelling—”
“Of course I’m yelling, you moron! How could you forget me!?”
You told me you’d stay by my side forever!
You said you wanted to keep seeing my smile—until the day you died!
So why? Why did you leave me behind like this!?
How am I supposed to smile if you’re not here anymore!?
“I-It's not like I wanted to forget! I just woke up and suddenly it was July 27th—I don’t understand what’s happening either!”
I grabbed Kohei’s hand tightly.
He flinched, his face turning slightly red.
“W-What?”
“Come with me.”
“H-Huh? Where?”
“My house.”
“Why…?”
“I’m gonna help you get your memories back.”
“Help me? …Wait, is your house a hospital or something?”
“That’s right! Now hurry up and follow me!”
I clenched his sweaty hand firmly so he wouldn’t slip away and dragged him along to my apartment.
By the time we arrived, Kohei looked up at the building with a dazed expression.
“This… looks like a normal apartment complex.”
“Just come inside!”
I pulled him through the entrance, into the elevator, and straight into my place. As soon as we reached the living room, Kohei hesitantly glanced around, clearly uneasy.
“H-Hey, Koikawa-san… this really doesn’t look like a hospital…”
“Just sit down! I’ll make you remember!”
“…You’re the one treating me?”
“Hurry up and sit already!!”
Forcing Kohei to sit on the sofa, I spread the album open on the table.
"This... what is this?"
"Photos."
"Wh-why photos? Aren't we supposed to be doing treatment...?"
"This is the most advanced treatment!"
If Kohei’s case followed the same pattern as mine, then his memory loss was caused by anxiety about the future. His survival instincts had kicked in to protect his heart from painful experiences, sealing away his memories.
But Kohei had told me that being with me made him happy.
If that was true, then looking at photos from when he was happy should make him want to walk through life with me again. If he could believe, deep in his heart, that happiness would outweigh the painful experiences, he should be able to regain his memories.
"The most advanced treatment… Do you think I’m an idiot?"
Kohei frowned in displeasure.
"Just look! Just take a look at the photos, even if you think you're being tricked!"
Desperate to bring Kohei’s memories back as soon as possible, I ended up shouting.
"O-Okay..."
Shrinking back slightly, Kohei dropped his gaze to the album.
"Look, this one! When we went to the zoo together! Do you remember anything?"
"I've been to that zoo before, but..."
"You remember!?"
"N-no, not with Koikawa-san. With my family."
"I-I see... Then what about this one? Do you remember this?"
"It looks pretty blurry... Is this also the zoo?"
"We took it in front of the lion statue. We got close to each other’s faces. You said we didn’t need to get it developed, but I thought it would be a good keepsake..."
"Sorry. I don’t remember."
"Th-then how about this? Look, Rinrin-chan!"
"...Some kind of mascot character?"
Kohei had even forgotten about Anipara.
Even though he had read the fanbook on the train for my sake... Even though just the other day, we had fun at the collaboration café in the observation tower together.
The realization that the Kohei who had laughed with me was gone slowly sank in, and sadness spread through my chest. Tears welled up, blurring my vision of him.
"U-uhm. She's an Anipara character. S-see? She's self-conscious about her long neck..."
"I don’t really get it, but... does Koikawa-san like giraffes?"
"Not a giraffe—it's the fact that she’s self-conscious about her long neck... S-see, I have sharp eyes, and that’s my insecurity, so..."
I looked at Kohei through my tear-filled eyes.
The usual Kohei would look back at me and say, ‘I like them, though.’
But…
“S-So, I see.”
Kohei wouldn’t meet my eyes.
He looked away uncomfortably, fidgeting restlessly—he was feeling stressed just by spending this time with me.
I showed him the entire album, but not once did he look like he was enjoying it. He kept glancing toward the door, looking like he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“Uh… Koikawa-san? Is that the last photo?”
“Y-Yeah. That was the last one, but…”
“I-I see! Well then, I should get going!”
Kohei hurriedly said that and started to rise from the sofa.
“W-Wait a second! We’re not done talking yet!”
“B-But there’s no point in continuing, right? I don’t remember you, Koikawa-san. Even if you show me photos or tell me stories, I can’t relate to any of it…”
“T-That’s why this treatment is to help you remember—”
“It’s fine. The treatment, I mean. I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but I’ll go to a proper hospital and get checked out.”
It seemed like being dragged here, shown photos under the guise of treatment, had only made him distrust me even more. With a slightly irritated expression, Kohei said that and made his way toward the door.
If I forced him to stay, he might end up hating me. That fear kept me from stopping him… The sound of the front door closing echoed through the room, and silence fell.
I thought I was used to being alone.
It wasn’t the first or second time Kohei had stormed out after a huge fight.
But… this time was different.
Unlike before, he had lost his memories. There was no way to make up with him.
Kohei wouldn’t come back here of his own will, and if I tried to help him remember, he’d just find me annoying.
In reality, when I had lost my memories, I had acted just like him.
When he confronted me at the school entrance, it felt genuinely creepy. When he waited outside my apartment, it was terrifying. When he said he’d wait until I came out, his persistence only made me more irritated.
And yet—
Kohei never gave up. He kept trying for my sake.
Even when I was cold to him, he refused to give in and kept reaching out to me.
“…I have to try too.”
There’s no way I’m letting this be our goodbye.
I don’t want to give up on Kohei.
If photos can’t bring back his memories, then I’ll just have to do what he did. If I help him overcome the “anxiety” that caused his memory loss, then he should remember me.
And I have an idea of what that “anxiety” is.
Calling him now might make me seem like a clingy woman, and he could end up hating me… but if I don’t take action, nothing will change.
"Please, answer…"
I called Kohei.
Kohei didn’t pick up the phone; I called every thirty minutes but couldn’t get through, and even sent emails with no reply…
“He's completely ignoring me…”
Then, perhaps I should barge into his house. Unlike me, Kohei lives with his family— even if he ignores me, if one of his family members comes to the door, I can get inside.
“…No, that's not good.”
Even if I managed to see Kohei, he’d surely try to kick me out. And if his family witnessed that, Kohei would end up getting in trouble.
Even though the Kurose family is a close-knit one, I mustn’t do anything that would make things awkward.
I have to find another way to create a situation where I can speak with Kohei one-on-one.
“…That’s it. Sana-chan.”
A brilliant idea flashed, and I sent an email to Sana-chan.
[I've got something I’d like to ask you, Sana-chan. Are you home right now?]
[At the school gymnasium! I just finished club activities and am in the middle of changing! What’s the favor?]
Sana-chan replied immediately.
After leaving Koikawa-san’s house—
I went straight home, turned on my computer, and started researching memory loss.
As I browsed different sites for information, my phone let out a digital chime. When I checked it, I saw yet another call from Koikawa-san.
She had been calling me every thirty minutes. She probably wanted to continue her so-called treatment to help me regain my memories.
Though calling it a "treatment" was a stretch—she had only shown me some photos, and my memories didn’t return. But I did come to one realization: Koikawa-san and I were a lovey-dovey couple.
In every single photo, we were smiling so happily together.
I do feel bad for tearing apart such a deeply in-love couple, but there’s nothing I can do about it. And honestly, I don’t feel particularly motivated to get my memories back.
Of course, I’d like to remember—but to do that, I’d need to see a doctor.
If I go to a hospital, my family will find out about my memory loss. Maybe I won’t be able to keep it hidden forever, but just imagining how much it would worry them makes it hard for me to come clean.
The more time I spend at home, the more I risk getting found out, so I’d prefer to go out. But if I run into people I’ve met in the past four months, that could cause problems.
If it’s just a casual acquaintance, I can probably bluff my way through. The real issue is this person—Akabane Chizuru.
They’re in my contacts, which means we must be on decent terms. If we meet and start talking, there’s a chance they’ll realize I have amnesia. And if rumors start spreading, it might reach my family’s ears.
“Wait a sec—judging by the name, Akabane Chizuru is a girl, right? Why do I only seem to have close relationships with girls?”
The me from before losing my memories… was I the type to actively go after girls? If that’s the case, was all that weight training I did just to be more attractive?
“If so, I really overdid it…”
This morning, when I kicked my backpack, I found a weight plate inside. I must have been doing push-ups with it on my back, then passed out right there on the floor. I probably rolled over in my sleep, hit my head, and—boom—my memories were gone.
I don’t feel any pain in my head, but I can’t think of any other reason for my memory loss.
I must have worked hard to get with Koikawa-san. She’s really cute, and I was probably desperately trying to become a guy worthy of her. But I can’t imagine someone that beautiful would have fallen for me just for my looks. If she liked me for who I was inside, I should’ve quit the intense workouts once we got together…
Well, it’s all in the past. Nothing I can do about it now.
“I’m home!”
Suddenly, a bright voice echoed from the entrance.
The sound of someone running up the stairs rang out, making my heart pound.
I was scared of being found out about my amnesia, but more than that, I was nervous about seeing Sana’s face.
What if she turned into a gyaru over the past four months? Back in middle school, there was this quiet and prim girl in my class who came back after summer break as a full-on gyaru. It’s not impossible…
"Big Bro! I’m home!"
Sana burst into the room in her school uniform, throwing the door wide open.
T-thank god. It’s the Sana I know. Judging by the way she came in with a huge grin, it looks like our sibling relationship is still on good terms.
"Oh, welcome back."
"Big Bro, you’re free right now, aren’t you?"
"What’s with the sudden question? As you can see, I was messing around on my computer."
"So, basically, you’re free?"
"Well, I guess you could say that… Why?"
"I was hoping you could go buy some ice cream from the convenience store nearby."
"Why me…? Go get it yourself."
"I’m tired from club activities."
"You sure sounded full of energy just now, though."
"That was just forced enthusiasm! So, please! I’m begging you! Just this once! Go buy some ice cream!"
"Don’t waste your ‘once-in-a-lifetime favor’ on something like this… Fine, I’ll go get it."
"Thanks, Big Bro! Any ice cream is fine, just get it from the convenience store nearby!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Not like she needed to tell me—I had no intention of going any farther than the local store in this heat.
Shoving my wallet into my pocket, I left the house.
The thick, humid air clung to me as I walked to the convenience store about five minutes away—
"…Ah, Kohei."
Standing beside the mailbox, Koikawa-san spotted me and quickly approached.
W-why is she here? There’s a convenience store near her house too…
As I hesitated, Koikawa-san fixed me with a serious expression.
"Please, Kohei. Hear me out."
"I-I’m kind of busy right now… I have something important to do."
"Your ‘important task’ is buying ice cream, right?"
"H-how do you know that?"
"I sent Sana-chan a message. I asked her to get you to go to the convenience store nearby so I could surprise you."
They’re close enough to exchange messages…? Does that mean I already introduced Koikawa-san to my family?
Or were the two of them already friends, and I was the one who asked Sana to introduce her to me…?
Either way, this was bad.
If I cut off contact with Koikawa-san, Sana would bombard me with questions about why we broke up, and she might find out about my amnesia.
She didn’t seem to be acting worried about me, so it looked like she hadn’t noticed yet, but…
"…Did you tell Sana about my amnesia?"
"I didn’t. I didn’t want to worry her. Besides, if things go well, you might be able to get your memories back without her ever finding out."
"Get my memories back…? You mean continuing with that cutting-edge treatment?"
She shook her head.
"No, let me explain step by step. You might not believe me, but… to tell you the truth, you and I made a promise about our future."
"Uh… our future?"
"We’re supposed to get married."
"M-married!? But we’re only first-years in high school! And we’ve only known each other for four months…!"
"No. You and I… we time-traveled here from twelve years in the future."
W-wait, time travel…? What is she saying with such a serious face?
"Are you messing with me because I have amnesia?"
"N-no! That’s not it! It’s true! We were married! But… we got divorced. And right after we submitted the divorce papers, we time-traveled back here."
"Then normally, we wouldn’t start dating again, right?"
"That’s what I thought too… but I ended up falling for you all over again. So this time, we promised not to get divorced. You even said you’d get my dad’s approval no matter what… Since my dad likes strong men. The first time we got married, he was against it, and I became estranged from him… But we didn’t want that to happen the second time, so you started working hard on strength training."
I gasped.
"I see… So that’s why I was working out…"
"Did you remember!?"
"N-no, not exactly. It’s just that when I woke up, there was a heavy backpack lying on the floor. I think I hit my head on it, and that’s how I lost my memories."
"I see… So even after we broke up, you kept working out…"
Koikawa-san had a complicated expression on her face.
She was happy that I kept up with the training, but at the same time, it was the reason I lost my memories.
"But that’s not it."
"Not it?"
"The cause of your amnesia. If you had hit your head, you’d have a headache, right?"
"Now that you mention it, my head doesn’t hurt, but…"
"Right? Kohei, the reason you lost your memories is because you felt anxious about the future. To avoid going through painful experiences again, you ended up sealing away your memories of me."
Koikawa-san wasn’t a doctor, but I didn’t have any medical knowledge either.
I didn’t have enough information to deny her theory, and in fact, I had just found something online that supported it. There were cases where people lost their memories due to stress.
"…Will you believe me?"
Koikawa-san looked up at me with pleading eyes.
"I can’t believe the time travel part… but the reason for my amnesia might really be what you said."
Her face instantly lit up.
"Thank you! Yes, exactly! I knew it! And you know what? About two months ago, I also lost my memories for the same reason as you."
"You did?"
"Yeah. But thanks to you, I got them back. Back then, you were the one who told me how to recover. You said, ‘If you can overcome your fears about the future, your memories will return.’"
I had no way of knowing how much of what she said was true.
But if I assumed everything was real…
"The ‘fear of the future’—you mean, you were afraid that your father might oppose our marriage?"
"That’s what I think… but you’re kind, Kohei. Maybe you were more afraid that my dad and I would become estranged again."
"Either way, if we get his blessing, that fear will disappear, right?"
"Yeah. Strictly speaking, if he approves of you at the first meeting two weeks from now, then everything should be fine."
So, the time limit was two weeks. That’s why I was desperately training—to become strong enough by then.
"If everything goes well, your memories should return in two weeks. That’s why, if there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll give it my all. But Kohei, I need you to train."
I wasn’t sure if I could become the kind of muscular guy her dad liked in just two weeks, but if it meant I could regain my memories, it was worth trying. It was worth it, but…
"…Sorry. I don’t want to train."
Koikawa-san’s face filled with confusion.
"Why not? If you train, you’ll get closer to my dad’s ideal. And if he accepts you, your fears will disappear, and your memories will come back!"
"Even so, I just don’t feel like it. If my memories return, I’ll have to live with that anxiety for the rest of my life."
"W-why would it turn out like that!?"
"I mean, if I marry you, Koikawa-san, I’ll have to keep trying to stay in your father’s good graces for the rest of my life, right?"
"Th-that’s… true, but… b-but it’s not like we’d be living with him…"
"But I’d still have to keep worrying about slipping up one day, right? And if the image of me as a ‘strong man’ crumbles, worst case, he might even pressure us to get divorced… If I have to live with that fear, I don’t think I could be happy in our marriage."
As I indirectly brought up the idea of breaking up, Koikawa-san’s eyes slowly welled with tears.
"S-sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad… But if we just keep dragging this out, I feel like we’ll both end up miserable… A-also, you’re cute, Koikawa-san, so I’m sure you’ll find someone who fits your dad’s ideal right away. That way, you can have a worry-free married life…"
"Don’t… say things like that…"
My attempt at comforting her only made her face twist in sorrow as tears spilled down her cheeks—
"T-that’s just how it is!"
Not knowing how to console a crying girl, I turned and fled from the scene.
A few days had passed since August began.
That morning, I had been working on my summer homework, but… my progress wasn’t great.
I wasn’t good at studying to begin with, and the pages were filled with problems I had no memory of learning.
For subjects like classical literature and world history, I could manage by reading the textbook, but the real problem was math. The formulas were in the textbook, sure—but I had no idea when to use them.
More than anything—
"…I really did something terrible."
I couldn't concentrate on my homework because I kept thinking about Koikawa-san.
I had brought up breaking up, and I had made her cry. Her tearful face was burned into my mind, and the guilt was swirling in my chest…
Even though a whole week had passed since then, I still couldn’t shake this feeling.
If only we had been able to part ways with a smile, maybe I wouldn’t be feeling like this.
But even if I had phrased things differently, as long as I was breaking up with her, Koikawa-san would have ended up crying all the same.
Putting aside whether or not the time travel story was believable, the fact that she liked me enough to want to marry me someday was undoubtedly true.
And I had made a girl like that cry. I felt awful about it. I really did, but…
"In the end, breaking up was the right choice for both of us, wasn’t it…?"
For now, I decided to set the whole time travel thing aside. It seemed unrealistic, but she didn’t look like she was lying, and since I had no memory of any of it, I had no way of knowing what was true or not.
So I assumed that everything Koikawa-san said was the truth. And based on that assumption, I decided that breaking up was the right thing to do.
I had already given up on love, convinced I’d never have anything to do with it in my life. Of course, dating such a cute girl made me happy. It really did.
But if I wanted to be with her, I’d have to overcome the "father" problem.
Like Koikawa-san said, it’s not like we’d be living with him. At most, I’d probably only have to see him a few times a year.
But that also meant I would have to see him a few times a year.
It was like being forced to take a test where I had to get a perfect score—several times a year. And I wouldn’t just have to cram for the test on the day itself. I’d have to stay fully prepared at all times to guarantee I’d never fail.
Living my whole life with that kind of pressure and anxiety? I just couldn’t do it.
Koikawa-san was feeling the same pressure. That’s why she tried to push me toward strength training—because she knew that, as things were, I wouldn’t be accepted.
In that case, wouldn’t it be easier for her to just date a guy who was already a macho type from the start?
That way, neither of us would have to deal with any of these anxieties, and we could both live our lives without worry.
That’s why I wanted her to forget about me as soon as possible… but over the past week, my phone had rung again and again. I hadn’t answered a single one of her calls.
I wanted Koikawa-san to understand how firm my decision was. The number of calls had been decreasing day by day, and today, there hadn’t been a single one so far.
At this rate, she’d probably give up completely by the time summer break was over.
"I'm hoooome!"
A cheerful voice echoed from the entrance. The sound of footsteps clattering up the stairs followed, and—
"Big news, big news, bro!"
The door burst open with a bang, and Sana came in with a beaming smile.
"I told you to knock."
"I did!"
"In your head, right?"
"If you heard it, then it’s fine!"
Sana hadn’t changed at all. She was always grinning, always looking like she was having fun. I didn’t want to be the one to wipe that smile off her face, so I hadn’t told her about my memory loss. Not to her, not to Dad, not to Mom.
Maybe I’d slip up eventually, but… after seeing Koikawa-san’s face that day, I didn’t want my family looking at me the same way.
"So, what’s the big news?"
"Ooooh, you wanna know!?"
"I wanna know, so just tell me."
When I pressed her, Sana puffed out her chest proudly and declared—
"Guess what! I just became the captain of the basketball team!"
"Oh, seriously? You’ve been working hard at practice every day. Congrats."
"Thanks! And guess what else? When I texted Dad about it, he said he’d bring home cake to celebrate!"
"That’s something to look forward to."
"Right?! He said he’d get a bunch! And from that super famous cake shop! Sooo, let’s invite Koikawa-san too!"
"Wh-why?"
"Because you fought with her, right?"
"Well… yeah, I guess…"
Apparently, I had already told my family about my relationship with Koikawa-san and even introduced her to them. At meals, she often came up in conversation—things like, ‘Aren’t you going on a date today?’ or ‘If you’re short on cash, we can cover your date expenses.’
Each time, I brushed it off with vague excuses like, ‘She’s got plans today, I think.’ or ‘I wanna focus on my homework today, probably.’
But it seemed like we had been close enough that not seeing her for a whole week felt unnatural. Now, my family had assumed we were fighting.
"So yeah, go ahead and invite her over!"
"I-I mean, even if I invited her, she wouldn't come. We had a fight."
"She'll come! Koikawa-san definitely wants to make up too, and besides, it's cake from a famous shop! It's gotta be super sweet and delicious!"
"Well, cakes are generally sweet and delicious."
"Yep! When you eat something sweet and delicious, you get wrapped in a happy feeling, you both smile, and before you know it, you've made up! So let's invite her!"
"I said it's fine. I mean, why are you so eager to get us to make up?"
"Because you've been looking down lately, Big Bro. I want you to be happy like before."
Sana had an unusually serious expression.
Sana, whose personality was almost missing the middle two of the four emotions—anger and sadness—was making a face like this. Sana, who didn’t even bother with something as considerate as knocking, was being considerate like this.
It's true, I lost my memories and made a girl cry. Of course, I feel uneasy, and I have a sense of guilt.
But it's not like I'm feeling down. More than that, I'm just not the type to be as cheerful as Sana. I’ve hardly ever been the kind of person to show a big, beaming smile.
And yet, if Sana is this worried about me, then that must mean the me from these past four months has been showing big, beaming smiles all the time.
In other words, I was genuinely enjoying the days I spent with Koikawa-san.
Which is exactly why I can’t be involved with her anymore.
The more happiness swells, the greater the cost when it bursts.
Rather than making her suffer an immeasurable sadness, it’s better to cut things off now—for both of our sakes.
"I'll think about it."
"Think about it in a positive way, okay?"
Believing my words without hesitation, Sana left the room.
Of course, I had no intention of inviting Koikawa-san over. I'll just say I invited her, but she turned me down.
Sana will probably be disappointed... but since it's cake from a famous shop, once she eats it, she should smile.
"...Alright, time to do my homework."
To shift my focus, I lightly slapped my cheek and picked up my pen.
Just then, my phone vibrated.
A message from Koikawa-san.
Curious about what she was feeling right now, I opened it—
【I'm waiting at the park in front of your house.】
She still hadn’t given up.
Ignoring her would weigh on my conscience, but…
If I don’t show up, she’ll eventually give up.
“…Sorry.”
Swallowed by guilt, I closed my phone and resumed my homework.
A week had passed since Kohei brought up breaking up.
That day, I sank deep into the sofa, absentmindedly staring at the wall.
I kept my phone tightly in my hand, ready to pick up at any moment… but in this past week, there had been no reply from Kohei.
“…I really did something awful, didn’t I?”
To Kohei, I was just a complete stranger.
And yet… despite him already being bad with girls, and on top of that, struggling with the anxiety of losing his memories, I had forced my own feelings onto him, pushing him relentlessly.
Getting Kohei to regain his memories—that was the grand excuse I clung to, all while disregarding how he felt in the present.
Of course, he would hate spending time with someone as selfish as that.
“Kohei even showed me how it’s supposed to be done, so what the hell am I doing…?”
If anything, I should have followed the steps properly, just like he did for me.
Earn his trust—
Spend happy moments together—
Make him feel at ease—
Make him want to walk into the future with me—
And when he, of his own will, said, ‘Let me meet your father,’ that would have been the right time to ask for his help. To say, ‘Let’s work hard to earn my dad’s approval together.’
“But… just getting my dad’s approval won’t be enough to put Kohei at ease, will it…”
Kohei was anxious. He feared that if we got married, sooner or later, his true self would slip through the cracks, and he would be tormented by that worry forever.
If that’s the case, then maybe it would be best to keep them from meeting—aside from the first introduction.
If my dad wanted to see us, I could visit home alone. We could just say Kohei was too busy with work.
If I suggested that to Kohei, he would surely be freed from his fears. His memories would return to normal.
For that to happen, I needed to start by earning his trust.
Once I had made up my mind, I couldn’t sit still. I rushed outside into the thick, humid air.
Cutting through the warm wind, I ran to the park directly across from the Kurose house. Then, gripping my phone, I opened it.
I thought about calling Kohei, but… he probably wouldn’t pick up. So instead, I decided to send a message. With a text, at least there was still a chance he’d see it.
【I'm waiting at the park in front of your house.】
After hitting send, I sat down on a bench in the rest area.
The same rest area where lightning had struck four months ago.
Its half-destroyed roof had been torn down, leaving the bench exposed to the elements. Now, it looked even more blackened than before.
“…It’s already been four months since then, huh…”
That afternoon on the day I time-slipped—
I had given my umbrella to a child taking shelter from the rain and sat on the bench, waiting for the rain to stop. That was when Kohei held out his umbrella to me.
Even though he had just gotten divorced, even though he hated me, he still shared his umbrella with me… and let me stay in his room until the rain stopped.
In the end, we found out that Kohei had also time-slipped that day, and we parted on bad terms after a fight… but no matter where I went, I kept running into him. We started spending more time together… and gradually, I began to feel at ease.
We became friends, got back together—
And from then on, every day was truly happy.
I thought that happiness would last forever.
I thought we'd go to the beach and the amusement park together over summer break. I thought I’d get to tease Kohei when he got flustered seeing me in a swimsuit, or cling to him in a haunted house.
I thought we'd walk around the school festival together after summer vacation ended.
I thought I'd cheer for him loudly at the sports festival.
Next year, I thought we’d explore the old capital together on our school trip. The year after that, we’d study hard for exams together. Then, we’d go to the same university and enjoy a fun campus life.
I thought we’d graduate, get jobs, get married, have kids, visit places filled with memories on family trips, and cheer our kids on at their sports festivals.
The first time, it ended as a dream.
The second time, I won’t let it.
I won’t let my relationship with Kohei end here.
An hour passed since I arrived at the park. Then two hours, then three. But Kohei never showed up.
The thick clouds blocked out the sunlight, but they couldn’t hide the midsummer heat. The sweltering air wrapped around me, drenching my entire body in sweat.
And yet, of all things, I had come without even bringing a water bottle—or even my wallet.
I could easily go home and come back, but I couldn’t shake the hope that I might miss Kohei if we crossed paths.
Four hours passed. Five. Six. And still, I remained seated on the bench.
Maybe I was starting to get heatstroke, because my head was spinning… but Kohei had endured this and invited me on a date. This time, it was my turn to push through.
By the time 6 PM rolled around, the sky was covered in dark clouds, and the surroundings had begun to dim.
I hadn’t watched TV all week, but I was certain the rain probability for today was 100%. Just looking at the cloudy sky, I knew.
And, of all days, I had rushed out so quickly that I forgot to bring my folding umbrella.
Please, don’t start raining—
That wish went unanswered. Raindrops started falling, dripping one by one.
And in the blink of an eye, the rain grew stronger—
"Normally, you'd go home when it starts raining…"
Amidst the sound of the rain, a familiar voice called out from behind me.
When I turned around, Kohei was standing there, holding an umbrella.
"I decided to wait until you came."
"That doesn't mean you should wait this long..."
Kohei sighed in exasperation as he moved the umbrella to cover me and held out a bottle of water.
"You brought this just for me?"
"There aren’t any vending machines around here, and if you’ve been here this whole time, I figured you’d have run out of whatever you brought."
"Thanks. I haven’t had anything to drink, so this really helps."
"Haven’t had anything... Don’t tell me you came without bringing water. What would you have done if you collapsed?"
"I would’ve drunk muddy water if I had to."
"Muddy water… Why are you going this far?"
"Because when I lost my memories, you did the same for me. Though I think I ended up waiting longer than you did."
"Sorry for making you wait so long... But I thought you’d leave partway through."
"No way. I promised to wait, didn’t I?"
Saying that, I took a long gulp of water.
"I feel alive again... Really, thank you."
"You're welcome. You can keep the umbrella, so you should head home before it gets too dark."
"Before that, I want to talk with you."
Kohei ruffled his hair in frustration.
"Even if you say that... I don’t know what to talk about with girls."
"We could talk about anime or manga."
Kohei looked surprised.
"Wait, Koikawa-san, you’re an otaku?"
"Yep. A full-fledged one."
"A full-fledged..."
He frowned slightly, as if hesitating about something. His face made it clear that whatever he was debating saying, it wasn’t good news.
After a moment of internal struggle, he finally spoke, hesitantly.
"I mean, I’d love to have an otaku friend, and I wouldn’t mind talking about anime or manga… But if we’re just going to keep a half-hearted connection, it’d be better to cut ties completely."
"…I’m sorry."
"Huh? Why are you apologizing?"
"Because last time, I forced my feelings onto you... and I ended up making you feel awful because of it."
"I-I didn’t feel awful! I mean, if anything, I was the one who forced the breakup on you…! I should’ve chosen my words more carefully."
Kohei looked guilty as he admitted that, but he didn’t take back what he had said.
Even though he regretted how he handled things, he was still determined to cut ties with me.
Not just marriage. Not even dating.
He didn’t even want to be friends.
He doesn’t hate me.
He just wants to make sure neither of us suffers.
Even without his memories, Kohei is still Kohei. That kindness of his hasn’t changed.
If his rejection came from fear or wariness, there might still be hope. But if it comes from kindness… then no matter what I say, we’ll never be together again.
The future I had dreamed of—both the first time and now—was never meant to be anything more than a dream.
Then… if we really can never be together again…
“Just once. Just one last time, I want to go on a date with you.”
If we part ways with sadness, Kohei will carry that guilt with him forever.
I don’t want that for the person I love.
I want to smile.
If we go on a date and say goodbye with a smile, Kohei will be able to move on without worry.
“...When?”
“Right now.”
“R-Right now? It’s raining, and it’s already night…”
“Right now. I want to have a date at your house.”
“...At my house, right now…?”
Kohei hesitated, glancing back toward his home.
“...Then, if you promise not to tell my family about the memory loss…”
I nodded firmly. “I promise.”
At that, Kohei opened his spare umbrella and led me to his house.
After arriving at Kohei’s house—
"Congratulations on becoming club president, Sana! Party time~!"
"Sana-chan, congrats~!"
"I still remember when you were so little… and now you’re a club president. I’m so proud."
—I somehow ended up being treated to cake.
As I was taking off my shoes, Sana-chan ran up to me with a beaming smile, grabbed my hand, and dragged me to the dining room, leaving Kohei behind. She was excited to show off the cakes from a famous bakery.
Of course, Kohei followed shortly after, sitting next to me and fidgeting slightly as he congratulated Sana-chan.
"Congratulations, Sana-chan."
"Thanks for coming, Koikawa-san! You can eat as much as you want!"
"Thanks! Everything looks delicious."
"Of course! They’re from a famous bakery! They’re definitely sweet and amazing! So, which one do you want first?"
"Huh? I get to pick first? But it’s your celebration…"
"It’s fine, it’s fine! I love them all anyway!"
"Dad knows exactly what Sana likes."
"As expected of Dad!"
"And I know that Sana loves anything sweet."
"As expected of Mom! C’mon, hurry and pick one!"
"Umm… then, I’ll go with the shortcake?"
"Nice choice, Koikawa-san! You’ve got great taste! By the way, do you eat the strawberry first, in the middle, or last?"
"Hmm… first, I guess."
"You’re my people!"
"Koikawa-chan truly understands the art of eating shortcake."
"Right? The strawberry has to be eaten first!"
"Right, right~! That makes it four against one. First-bite team wins!"
"Ugh, shut up. I bet most people eat it in the middle."
"Did you take a survey?"
"No, but…"
"Then first-bite team wins~!"
Sana-chan threw her arms up in victory while Kohei looked a little annoyed. Their parents watched over them with warm smiles.
As I sat there, watching the Kurose family laugh together, I thought—this really is a wonderful family.
Even when we first met and I was too shy to talk much, they welcomed me with open arms and bright smiles. At our wedding, they went out of their way to talk to me so I wouldn’t feel lonely.
I love Kohei.
I love Sana-chan.
I love Uncle and Auntie.
"Itadakimaasu!"
With everyone having a slice of cake, we all took a bite at the same time.
"Mmm, so good~!"
Sana-chan held her cheeks, melting with delight. Uncle murmured something about how the chestnut on a Mont Blanc tastes best when saved for last. Auntie, without hesitation, sliced her chick-shaped cake clean in half.
Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile.
The Kurose family—unchanging now and in the future—are truly wonderful people.
But…
My dad is just as wonderful as Uncle and Auntie.
He raised me on his own.
He took me anywhere I wanted to go.
He never missed a sports day, always there to cheer me on.
When I was sick, he stayed by my side until I got better.
Since I was little, he always put me first—always wished for my happiness with all his heart.
…And yet, I became estranged from him.
That was my own decision. When I had to choose between my dad and Kohei, I didn’t hesitate—I chose Kohei. If I had to make that choice again, my answer wouldn’t change.
That’s how much Kohei means to me. He’s irreplaceable. I wanted my dad to know how amazing he is.
…Yes. Kohei is amazing. Truly amazing.
And yet, I…
"Ahh, that was delicious!"
"I ended up eating three pieces. I’m going to gain weight at this rate."
"That’s what they call happy weight."
"Yeah, yeah! If you’re happy, then gaining weight is fine!"
After finishing our cakes, we put our hands together in thanks.
Then, hesitantly, Kohei spoke up.
"S-So… wanna go to my room?"
I nodded. Sana-chan and the others grinned mischievously as they saw us off.
Inside Kohei’s room, he fidgeted nervously.
"S-So, um… what exactly do we do for this 'date'?"
"I want to play a game."
Kohei blinked, dumbfounded.
"That’s… all?"
"Yep. I want to play a racing game."
"Alright. Hold on."
Kohei set up the console and handed me a controller and a floor cushion. I placed the cushion beside him and sat down.
As I settled in, Kohei fidgeted restlessly.
The race game begins.
Since making up with Kohei, we’ve played this game over and over again. It was just released this spring, and since Kohei isn’t used to it yet, I keep winning.
Maybe that’s why—
"H-Hey, Koikawa-san… Are you really okay with this being our last date?"
Kohei looks like he wants to stop playing and do something else.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
"N-No, that’s not it! It’s just… this doesn’t feel very date-like. I mean, if this is our last date, shouldn’t we do something more special?"
"No. I want to play games."
"Do you really love games that much?"
"That’s part of it… But if this is our last date, I don’t want to do something special—I want to do what we always did."
Spending time like we always have makes me realize how happy I was every single day.
I could never give up a happiness like this.
That’s why—
"Sorry, Kohei. I’m breaking my promise."
"W-Wait, you mean… you’re going to tell Sana and the others about my memory loss?"
"No. I mean I’m going to keep bothering you every day from now on."
"Huh? But… wasn’t this supposed to be the last time?"
"That was the plan, but I’ve changed my mind."
"You’ve changed your mind…?"
"Sorry. I’m selfish… and stupid, too."
"N-No, I don’t think you’re stupid!"
"No, I am. The biggest idiot in the world. Because I made a huge mistake."
"A mistake…?"
I nod.
"Trying to turn you into my dad’s ideal was a mistake."
Kohei lets out a confused, startled sound.
"B-But… from what you told me, if you’re not his type, he won’t approve of our marriage, right?"
"He won’t."
"Then… wasn’t making me his type the right choice?"
"No. It was a mistake. Even if you’re not his type, you’re already amazing. I want my dad to love you just the way you are. Because that way, we can all share a truly happy meal together."
I want Kohei to love my family, too.
Just like how I feel at home with the Kurose family, I want him to feel comfortable eating meals with my dad.
"I mean… yeah, that would be ideal, but… the problem is, he won’t accept me as I am, right?"
"I’ll make him accept you."
"How?"
"By showing him how much I love you."
Kohei blinked in confusion.
"Uh… what does that mean?"
"I’ll show my dad just how crazy I am about you."
"That… sounds like it’ll make him really mad."
"At first, yeah. But in the end, he’ll have to accept it."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because my dad always puts my happiness first."
My dad only opposed our marriage because he wasn’t sure if I would be happy with Kohei.
Even if Kohei had bulked up like my dad’s ideal son-in-law, it wouldn’t have mattered if I wasn’t truly happy.
That’s why I have to show him—convince him with all my heart—that I am.
I’ll prove that we love each other so much that there’s no way we could be unhappy together.
That’s the only thing that matters.
"…Sorry, Koikawa-san."
Kohei suddenly apologized.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because… I said something awful to you."
"Something awful?"
"I said we wouldn’t be happy even if we got married."
"Does that mean… you don’t think that anymore?"
"Yeah. Now, I actually think we’ll be really happy."
"Even if you have to meet my dad?"
"Even if I have to meet your father. I don’t know if your 'love attack' will work, but even if it doesn’t, I still won’t believe we’ll be unhappy. Because… someone loves me this much. If someone loves me like that, I think that alone is enough to promise a happy future."
Hearing him say that so confidently—so brightly—
Tears spilled from my eyes.
"W-Why are you crying?"
"Happy tears… How could I be sad when I have you? No matter what happens, as long as I have you, my happiness will never end."
I smiled as I said it.
And Kohei smiled back—
"Then, once we’re married, let’s be happy togeth—Ugh!?"
Suddenly, he clutched his head and collapsed.
He groaned in pain and fell to the floor—
"Idiot!"
A sharp smack landed on my shoulder.
"Ow… What was that for!?"
"Because! You absolute, complete, total idiot!"
Tears streamed down Yuzuhana’s cheeks as she glared at me.
I barely had time to process the mix of emotions flashing across her face before she hit me again.
"You forgot everything! You pushed me away! You acted like a total stranger! Do you have any idea how painful that was!?"
Her voice cracked, and she wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand.
I could only sit there, letting her words sink in.
"…Yeah. I know. I’m sorry."
Yuzuhana sniffled. "You should be."
"I am."
I reached out hesitantly, brushing a tear from her cheek.
"I’m really, really sorry, Yuzuhana."
She hiccupped, glaring at me for a moment longer before finally sighing.
And then—
She threw herself into my arms.
"Idiot…! But I’m glad you’re back."
I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine.
The scent of her shampoo, the way she fit perfectly in my embrace—everything about her filled the emptiness I hadn’t even realized was there.
"I’m back."
I tightened my hold, never wanting to let go again.
I was yelled at—really loud.
"Whoa, what’s with you all of a sudden?" [Kohei]
"If your memory came back, you should’ve said so the moment you woke up!" [Yuzuhana]
"I-I did say it." [Kohei]
"No, you didn’t! The first thing out of your mouth was ‘don’t dig your nails in’!" [Yuzuhana]
"Well, it hurt… Besides, you didn’t say anything right away when your memory came back either." [Kohei]
"I told you immediately!" [Yuzuhana]
"No, you didn’t! You started talking about sandwiches and omelets first!" [Kohei]
"Why do you even remember something so trivial from two months ago?!" [Yuzuhana]
"Like I could forget! I was seriously so happy when your memory came back!" [Kohei]
"I was just as happy when yours did!" [Yuzuhana]
"Then stop yelling at me!" [Kohei]
"I’ll yell if I want to! Do you have any idea how I felt when you lost your memory?! Did you even think about that?!" [Yuzuhana]
"It’s not like I forgot on purpose! I was terrified I’d end up separated from you and the old man again!" [Kohei]
"There’s nothing in this world worse than losing you!" [Yuzuhana]
"That’s why I already apologized! I said I was sorry! And you lost your memory too, didn’t you?!" [Kohei]
"That wasn’t my fault! I was scared we’d end up divorced again!" [Yuzuhana]
"Like I’d ever divorce you! I won’t let you feel that way again! I swear I’ll make you happy!" [Kohei]
"I’ll make you happy too! No matter what! No matter what!" [Yuzuhana]
"Then never disappear from my life again!" [Kohei]
"You stay by my side too!" [Yuzuhana]
"I will! Even when you’re all wrinkly!" [Kohei]
"I will too! Even if you go completely bald!" [Yuzuhana]
If someone was eavesdropping from behind the door, they’d probably think we were fighting.
But this wasn’t a fight. It was just our way of showing love. Even as we argued, my heart was overflowing with happiness, and Yuzuhana was smiling through her tears.
"Honestly, you should be grateful that I love you so much."
"Where’s this coming from?"
"Think about it. Thanks to my love, your memory came back in just one week. You should be thanking the power of my love."
"If anything, my love is stronger. I brought your memory back in six days."
"Stop trying to compete with me!"
"I'm not competing. I just wanted you to know how much I love you. I can't wait to tell the old man about this."
"I'm telling him too."
Talking about him used to make me so uneasy, but now, I didn’t feel that way at all. If anything, I was looking forward to seeing him.
"Alright, let's get back to the game."
"Now?" [Yuzuhana]
"I've been focused on working out lately and haven't had much time to play. Let's pull an all-nighter for old times' sake."
"Yeah. I want to stay up all night gaming too." [Yuzuhana]
"Then it's settled. I can't wait to see that frustrated look on your face." [Kohei]
"Can’t you just say you’re excited to play? You always have to add something extra!" [Yuzuhana]
"But you love that about me, don’t you?" [Kohei]
"Stop grinning at me like that!" [Yuzuhana]
"Not happening." [Kohei]
"Then I’ll wipe that grin right off your face! Get ready to be completely crushed!" [Yuzuhana]
"That’s what I was hoping for! Bring it on!" [Kohei]
Gripping our controllers tightly, shoulders pressed together, we played until dawn, completely lost in the game.
Act 4 END
And I was close enough to her for her to say something like that.
I opened the next email.
There was no text—just an attached photo.
…It was her.
The girl from my phone’s wallpaper.
So—this was Koikawa Yuzuhana.
“…”
I searched my memory, but nothing came up.
And yet, judging by these emails… I had been exchanging messages with her for quite some time.
[Duck lips! Did I really make that face when we kissed!?]
[Come on, just be honest! I won’t get mad!]
[I said I won’t get mad!]
[I’m NOT mad!!]
Koikawa Yuzuhana was angry from start to finish.
I couldn’t tell whether we got along well or not… but considering she was calling me and sending me emails, our relationship must have continued up until today.
“What the hell is actually going on?”
I woke up on the floor.
My whole body felt sluggish.
It was suddenly July now.
And I was apparently close to a girl I didn’t even know.
None of it made any sense.
But at the same time, it didn’t feel like a dream.
I didn’t even need to pinch my cheek—my back and arms were already aching enough to tell me this was real.
“…Wait. Are my arms… bigger?”
Not just my arms—my chest looked more built too.
What the hell? Was this some “sleep and you’ll grow” thing? Sure, I had technically been asleep for nearly four months… but as far as records were concerned, I had been awake that whole time.
Just as I was struggling to process it all, the doorbell rang.
I wasn’t in any state to be answering the door, but I couldn’t just ignore it either. I hesitantly made my way to the entrance.
When I opened the door, a girl stood there, her brows slightly furrowed in irritation.
Her sharp eyes stared straight at me, and her silky brown hair swayed in the breeze.
She was—
“…Koikawa Yuzuhana.”
I muttered her name under my breath, and she blinked in surprise.
“Huh? Why the full name? And if you’re awake, at least answer my calls properly!”
“W-Well, I mean… I just…”
How do you even talk to a girl? Especially one who’s even cuter in person than in her photos? I was way too nervous for this.
“…Why are you acting so weird? You’re throwing me off. Whatever, I’m coming in.”
“Ah, wait—”
“What? Am I not allowed?”
“It’s not that, but…”
I didn’t know her.
I could try and fake it, but I’d get caught immediately.
She wouldn’t believe me right away, but I had no choice—I had to tell the truth.
“Actually… I don’t really understand anything right now…”
“…Were you doing your homework? Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
“No, not that. I mean… I don’t know who you are.”
“…Huh?”
Koikawa Yuzuhana’s eyes widened in shock.
This wasn’t the reaction I was expecting.
If someone suddenly said something like that, most people would assume it was a joke.
But instead—
“…You too…?”
She looked at me with a face full of despair.
“Did you… lose your memory too?”
*
Kohei looked at me uneasily. His eyes didn’t meet mine; instead, they wandered—lingering on my hair, my lips, my chest.
…This isn’t like him.
The old Kohei could never look a girl in the eyes. He used to fidget, staring at weird places while talking.
But ever since the day he learned I was self-conscious about my gaze, he stopped looking away.
He forced himself to meet my eyes so I wouldn’t have to struggle with that insecurity anymore.
And yet, the Kohei in front of me now wouldn’t look at me.
Like he was speaking to me for the first time.
Like he wasn’t even him anymore.
“You… you really don’t remember me?”
“S-Sorry. I don’t remember anything…”
“I see…”
“Uh, um… do you actually believe me?”
“I don’t want to believe you, idiot!!”
“H-Hey, why are you yelling—”
“Of course I’m yelling, you moron! How could you forget me!?”
You told me you’d stay by my side forever!
You said you wanted to keep seeing my smile—until the day you died!
So why? Why did you leave me behind like this!?
How am I supposed to smile if you’re not here anymore!?
“I-It's not like I wanted to forget! I just woke up and suddenly it was July 27th—I don’t understand what’s happening either!”
I grabbed Kohei’s hand tightly.
He flinched, his face turning slightly red.
“W-What?”
“Come with me.”
“H-Huh? Where?”
“My house.”
“Why…?”
“I’m gonna help you get your memories back.”
“Help me? …Wait, is your house a hospital or something?”
“That’s right! Now hurry up and follow me!”
I clenched his sweaty hand firmly so he wouldn’t slip away and dragged him along to my apartment.
By the time we arrived, Kohei looked up at the building with a dazed expression.
“This… looks like a normal apartment complex.”
“Just come inside!”
I pulled him through the entrance, into the elevator, and straight into my place. As soon as we reached the living room, Kohei hesitantly glanced around, clearly uneasy.
“H-Hey, Koikawa-san… this really doesn’t look like a hospital…”
“Just sit down! I’ll make you remember!”
“…You’re the one treating me?”
“Hurry up and sit already!!”
Forcing Kohei to sit on the sofa, I spread the album open on the table.
"This... what is this?"
"Photos."
"Wh-why photos? Aren't we supposed to be doing treatment...?"
"This is the most advanced treatment!"
If Kohei’s case followed the same pattern as mine, then his memory loss was caused by anxiety about the future. His survival instincts had kicked in to protect his heart from painful experiences, sealing away his memories.
But Kohei had told me that being with me made him happy.
If that was true, then looking at photos from when he was happy should make him want to walk through life with me again. If he could believe, deep in his heart, that happiness would outweigh the painful experiences, he should be able to regain his memories.
"The most advanced treatment… Do you think I’m an idiot?"
Kohei frowned in displeasure.
"Just look! Just take a look at the photos, even if you think you're being tricked!"
Desperate to bring Kohei’s memories back as soon as possible, I ended up shouting.
"O-Okay..."
Shrinking back slightly, Kohei dropped his gaze to the album.
"Look, this one! When we went to the zoo together! Do you remember anything?"
"I've been to that zoo before, but..."
"You remember!?"
"N-no, not with Koikawa-san. With my family."
"I-I see... Then what about this one? Do you remember this?"
"It looks pretty blurry... Is this also the zoo?"
"We took it in front of the lion statue. We got close to each other’s faces. You said we didn’t need to get it developed, but I thought it would be a good keepsake..."
"Sorry. I don’t remember."
"Th-then how about this? Look, Rinrin-chan!"
"...Some kind of mascot character?"
Kohei had even forgotten about Anipara.
Even though he had read the fanbook on the train for my sake... Even though just the other day, we had fun at the collaboration café in the observation tower together.
The realization that the Kohei who had laughed with me was gone slowly sank in, and sadness spread through my chest. Tears welled up, blurring my vision of him.
"U-uhm. She's an Anipara character. S-see? She's self-conscious about her long neck..."
"I don’t really get it, but... does Koikawa-san like giraffes?"
"Not a giraffe—it's the fact that she’s self-conscious about her long neck... S-see, I have sharp eyes, and that’s my insecurity, so..."
I looked at Kohei through my tear-filled eyes.
The usual Kohei would look back at me and say, ‘I like them, though.’
But…
“S-So, I see.”
Kohei wouldn’t meet my eyes.
He looked away uncomfortably, fidgeting restlessly—he was feeling stressed just by spending this time with me.
I showed him the entire album, but not once did he look like he was enjoying it. He kept glancing toward the door, looking like he wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“Uh… Koikawa-san? Is that the last photo?”
“Y-Yeah. That was the last one, but…”
“I-I see! Well then, I should get going!”
Kohei hurriedly said that and started to rise from the sofa.
“W-Wait a second! We’re not done talking yet!”
“B-But there’s no point in continuing, right? I don’t remember you, Koikawa-san. Even if you show me photos or tell me stories, I can’t relate to any of it…”
“T-That’s why this treatment is to help you remember—”
“It’s fine. The treatment, I mean. I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but I’ll go to a proper hospital and get checked out.”
It seemed like being dragged here, shown photos under the guise of treatment, had only made him distrust me even more. With a slightly irritated expression, Kohei said that and made his way toward the door.
If I forced him to stay, he might end up hating me. That fear kept me from stopping him… The sound of the front door closing echoed through the room, and silence fell.
I thought I was used to being alone.
It wasn’t the first or second time Kohei had stormed out after a huge fight.
But… this time was different.
Unlike before, he had lost his memories. There was no way to make up with him.
Kohei wouldn’t come back here of his own will, and if I tried to help him remember, he’d just find me annoying.
In reality, when I had lost my memories, I had acted just like him.
When he confronted me at the school entrance, it felt genuinely creepy. When he waited outside my apartment, it was terrifying. When he said he’d wait until I came out, his persistence only made me more irritated.
And yet—
Kohei never gave up. He kept trying for my sake.
Even when I was cold to him, he refused to give in and kept reaching out to me.
“…I have to try too.”
There’s no way I’m letting this be our goodbye.
I don’t want to give up on Kohei.
If photos can’t bring back his memories, then I’ll just have to do what he did. If I help him overcome the “anxiety” that caused his memory loss, then he should remember me.
And I have an idea of what that “anxiety” is.
Calling him now might make me seem like a clingy woman, and he could end up hating me… but if I don’t take action, nothing will change.
"Please, answer…"
I called Kohei.
Kohei didn’t pick up the phone; I called every thirty minutes but couldn’t get through, and even sent emails with no reply…
“He's completely ignoring me…”
Then, perhaps I should barge into his house. Unlike me, Kohei lives with his family— even if he ignores me, if one of his family members comes to the door, I can get inside.
“…No, that's not good.”
Even if I managed to see Kohei, he’d surely try to kick me out. And if his family witnessed that, Kohei would end up getting in trouble.
Even though the Kurose family is a close-knit one, I mustn’t do anything that would make things awkward.
I have to find another way to create a situation where I can speak with Kohei one-on-one.
“…That’s it. Sana-chan.”
A brilliant idea flashed, and I sent an email to Sana-chan.
[I've got something I’d like to ask you, Sana-chan. Are you home right now?]
[At the school gymnasium! I just finished club activities and am in the middle of changing! What’s the favor?]
Sana-chan replied immediately.
*
After leaving Koikawa-san’s house—
I went straight home, turned on my computer, and started researching memory loss.
As I browsed different sites for information, my phone let out a digital chime. When I checked it, I saw yet another call from Koikawa-san.
She had been calling me every thirty minutes. She probably wanted to continue her so-called treatment to help me regain my memories.
Though calling it a "treatment" was a stretch—she had only shown me some photos, and my memories didn’t return. But I did come to one realization: Koikawa-san and I were a lovey-dovey couple.
In every single photo, we were smiling so happily together.
I do feel bad for tearing apart such a deeply in-love couple, but there’s nothing I can do about it. And honestly, I don’t feel particularly motivated to get my memories back.
Of course, I’d like to remember—but to do that, I’d need to see a doctor.
If I go to a hospital, my family will find out about my memory loss. Maybe I won’t be able to keep it hidden forever, but just imagining how much it would worry them makes it hard for me to come clean.
The more time I spend at home, the more I risk getting found out, so I’d prefer to go out. But if I run into people I’ve met in the past four months, that could cause problems.
If it’s just a casual acquaintance, I can probably bluff my way through. The real issue is this person—Akabane Chizuru.
They’re in my contacts, which means we must be on decent terms. If we meet and start talking, there’s a chance they’ll realize I have amnesia. And if rumors start spreading, it might reach my family’s ears.
“Wait a sec—judging by the name, Akabane Chizuru is a girl, right? Why do I only seem to have close relationships with girls?”
The me from before losing my memories… was I the type to actively go after girls? If that’s the case, was all that weight training I did just to be more attractive?
“If so, I really overdid it…”
This morning, when I kicked my backpack, I found a weight plate inside. I must have been doing push-ups with it on my back, then passed out right there on the floor. I probably rolled over in my sleep, hit my head, and—boom—my memories were gone.
I don’t feel any pain in my head, but I can’t think of any other reason for my memory loss.
I must have worked hard to get with Koikawa-san. She’s really cute, and I was probably desperately trying to become a guy worthy of her. But I can’t imagine someone that beautiful would have fallen for me just for my looks. If she liked me for who I was inside, I should’ve quit the intense workouts once we got together…
Well, it’s all in the past. Nothing I can do about it now.
“I’m home!”
Suddenly, a bright voice echoed from the entrance.
The sound of someone running up the stairs rang out, making my heart pound.
I was scared of being found out about my amnesia, but more than that, I was nervous about seeing Sana’s face.
What if she turned into a gyaru over the past four months? Back in middle school, there was this quiet and prim girl in my class who came back after summer break as a full-on gyaru. It’s not impossible…
"Big Bro! I’m home!"
Sana burst into the room in her school uniform, throwing the door wide open.
T-thank god. It’s the Sana I know. Judging by the way she came in with a huge grin, it looks like our sibling relationship is still on good terms.
"Oh, welcome back."
"Big Bro, you’re free right now, aren’t you?"
"What’s with the sudden question? As you can see, I was messing around on my computer."
"So, basically, you’re free?"
"Well, I guess you could say that… Why?"
"I was hoping you could go buy some ice cream from the convenience store nearby."
"Why me…? Go get it yourself."
"I’m tired from club activities."
"You sure sounded full of energy just now, though."
"That was just forced enthusiasm! So, please! I’m begging you! Just this once! Go buy some ice cream!"
"Don’t waste your ‘once-in-a-lifetime favor’ on something like this… Fine, I’ll go get it."
"Thanks, Big Bro! Any ice cream is fine, just get it from the convenience store nearby!"
"Yeah, yeah."
Not like she needed to tell me—I had no intention of going any farther than the local store in this heat.
Shoving my wallet into my pocket, I left the house.
The thick, humid air clung to me as I walked to the convenience store about five minutes away—
"…Ah, Kohei."
Standing beside the mailbox, Koikawa-san spotted me and quickly approached.
W-why is she here? There’s a convenience store near her house too…
As I hesitated, Koikawa-san fixed me with a serious expression.
"Please, Kohei. Hear me out."
"I-I’m kind of busy right now… I have something important to do."
"Your ‘important task’ is buying ice cream, right?"
"H-how do you know that?"
"I sent Sana-chan a message. I asked her to get you to go to the convenience store nearby so I could surprise you."
They’re close enough to exchange messages…? Does that mean I already introduced Koikawa-san to my family?
Or were the two of them already friends, and I was the one who asked Sana to introduce her to me…?
Either way, this was bad.
If I cut off contact with Koikawa-san, Sana would bombard me with questions about why we broke up, and she might find out about my amnesia.
She didn’t seem to be acting worried about me, so it looked like she hadn’t noticed yet, but…
"…Did you tell Sana about my amnesia?"
"I didn’t. I didn’t want to worry her. Besides, if things go well, you might be able to get your memories back without her ever finding out."
"Get my memories back…? You mean continuing with that cutting-edge treatment?"
She shook her head.
"No, let me explain step by step. You might not believe me, but… to tell you the truth, you and I made a promise about our future."
"Uh… our future?"
"We’re supposed to get married."
"M-married!? But we’re only first-years in high school! And we’ve only known each other for four months…!"
"No. You and I… we time-traveled here from twelve years in the future."
W-wait, time travel…? What is she saying with such a serious face?
"Are you messing with me because I have amnesia?"
"N-no! That’s not it! It’s true! We were married! But… we got divorced. And right after we submitted the divorce papers, we time-traveled back here."
"Then normally, we wouldn’t start dating again, right?"
"That’s what I thought too… but I ended up falling for you all over again. So this time, we promised not to get divorced. You even said you’d get my dad’s approval no matter what… Since my dad likes strong men. The first time we got married, he was against it, and I became estranged from him… But we didn’t want that to happen the second time, so you started working hard on strength training."
I gasped.
"I see… So that’s why I was working out…"
"Did you remember!?"
"N-no, not exactly. It’s just that when I woke up, there was a heavy backpack lying on the floor. I think I hit my head on it, and that’s how I lost my memories."
"I see… So even after we broke up, you kept working out…"
Koikawa-san had a complicated expression on her face.
She was happy that I kept up with the training, but at the same time, it was the reason I lost my memories.
"But that’s not it."
"Not it?"
"The cause of your amnesia. If you had hit your head, you’d have a headache, right?"
"Now that you mention it, my head doesn’t hurt, but…"
"Right? Kohei, the reason you lost your memories is because you felt anxious about the future. To avoid going through painful experiences again, you ended up sealing away your memories of me."
Koikawa-san wasn’t a doctor, but I didn’t have any medical knowledge either.
I didn’t have enough information to deny her theory, and in fact, I had just found something online that supported it. There were cases where people lost their memories due to stress.
"…Will you believe me?"
Koikawa-san looked up at me with pleading eyes.
"I can’t believe the time travel part… but the reason for my amnesia might really be what you said."
Her face instantly lit up.
"Thank you! Yes, exactly! I knew it! And you know what? About two months ago, I also lost my memories for the same reason as you."
"You did?"
"Yeah. But thanks to you, I got them back. Back then, you were the one who told me how to recover. You said, ‘If you can overcome your fears about the future, your memories will return.’"
I had no way of knowing how much of what she said was true.
But if I assumed everything was real…
"The ‘fear of the future’—you mean, you were afraid that your father might oppose our marriage?"
"That’s what I think… but you’re kind, Kohei. Maybe you were more afraid that my dad and I would become estranged again."
"Either way, if we get his blessing, that fear will disappear, right?"
"Yeah. Strictly speaking, if he approves of you at the first meeting two weeks from now, then everything should be fine."
So, the time limit was two weeks. That’s why I was desperately training—to become strong enough by then.
"If everything goes well, your memories should return in two weeks. That’s why, if there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll give it my all. But Kohei, I need you to train."
I wasn’t sure if I could become the kind of muscular guy her dad liked in just two weeks, but if it meant I could regain my memories, it was worth trying. It was worth it, but…
"…Sorry. I don’t want to train."
Koikawa-san’s face filled with confusion.
"Why not? If you train, you’ll get closer to my dad’s ideal. And if he accepts you, your fears will disappear, and your memories will come back!"
"Even so, I just don’t feel like it. If my memories return, I’ll have to live with that anxiety for the rest of my life."
"W-why would it turn out like that!?"
"I mean, if I marry you, Koikawa-san, I’ll have to keep trying to stay in your father’s good graces for the rest of my life, right?"
"Th-that’s… true, but… b-but it’s not like we’d be living with him…"
"But I’d still have to keep worrying about slipping up one day, right? And if the image of me as a ‘strong man’ crumbles, worst case, he might even pressure us to get divorced… If I have to live with that fear, I don’t think I could be happy in our marriage."
As I indirectly brought up the idea of breaking up, Koikawa-san’s eyes slowly welled with tears.
"S-sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad… But if we just keep dragging this out, I feel like we’ll both end up miserable… A-also, you’re cute, Koikawa-san, so I’m sure you’ll find someone who fits your dad’s ideal right away. That way, you can have a worry-free married life…"
"Don’t… say things like that…"
My attempt at comforting her only made her face twist in sorrow as tears spilled down her cheeks—
"T-that’s just how it is!"
Not knowing how to console a crying girl, I turned and fled from the scene.
*
A few days had passed since August began.
That morning, I had been working on my summer homework, but… my progress wasn’t great.
I wasn’t good at studying to begin with, and the pages were filled with problems I had no memory of learning.
For subjects like classical literature and world history, I could manage by reading the textbook, but the real problem was math. The formulas were in the textbook, sure—but I had no idea when to use them.
More than anything—
"…I really did something terrible."
I couldn't concentrate on my homework because I kept thinking about Koikawa-san.
I had brought up breaking up, and I had made her cry. Her tearful face was burned into my mind, and the guilt was swirling in my chest…
Even though a whole week had passed since then, I still couldn’t shake this feeling.
If only we had been able to part ways with a smile, maybe I wouldn’t be feeling like this.
But even if I had phrased things differently, as long as I was breaking up with her, Koikawa-san would have ended up crying all the same.
Putting aside whether or not the time travel story was believable, the fact that she liked me enough to want to marry me someday was undoubtedly true.
And I had made a girl like that cry. I felt awful about it. I really did, but…
"In the end, breaking up was the right choice for both of us, wasn’t it…?"
For now, I decided to set the whole time travel thing aside. It seemed unrealistic, but she didn’t look like she was lying, and since I had no memory of any of it, I had no way of knowing what was true or not.
So I assumed that everything Koikawa-san said was the truth. And based on that assumption, I decided that breaking up was the right thing to do.
I had already given up on love, convinced I’d never have anything to do with it in my life. Of course, dating such a cute girl made me happy. It really did.
But if I wanted to be with her, I’d have to overcome the "father" problem.
Like Koikawa-san said, it’s not like we’d be living with him. At most, I’d probably only have to see him a few times a year.
But that also meant I would have to see him a few times a year.
It was like being forced to take a test where I had to get a perfect score—several times a year. And I wouldn’t just have to cram for the test on the day itself. I’d have to stay fully prepared at all times to guarantee I’d never fail.
Living my whole life with that kind of pressure and anxiety? I just couldn’t do it.
Koikawa-san was feeling the same pressure. That’s why she tried to push me toward strength training—because she knew that, as things were, I wouldn’t be accepted.
In that case, wouldn’t it be easier for her to just date a guy who was already a macho type from the start?
That way, neither of us would have to deal with any of these anxieties, and we could both live our lives without worry.
That’s why I wanted her to forget about me as soon as possible… but over the past week, my phone had rung again and again. I hadn’t answered a single one of her calls.
I wanted Koikawa-san to understand how firm my decision was. The number of calls had been decreasing day by day, and today, there hadn’t been a single one so far.
At this rate, she’d probably give up completely by the time summer break was over.
"I'm hoooome!"
A cheerful voice echoed from the entrance. The sound of footsteps clattering up the stairs followed, and—
"Big news, big news, bro!"
The door burst open with a bang, and Sana came in with a beaming smile.
"I told you to knock."
"I did!"
"In your head, right?"
"If you heard it, then it’s fine!"
Sana hadn’t changed at all. She was always grinning, always looking like she was having fun. I didn’t want to be the one to wipe that smile off her face, so I hadn’t told her about my memory loss. Not to her, not to Dad, not to Mom.
Maybe I’d slip up eventually, but… after seeing Koikawa-san’s face that day, I didn’t want my family looking at me the same way.
"So, what’s the big news?"
"Ooooh, you wanna know!?"
"I wanna know, so just tell me."
When I pressed her, Sana puffed out her chest proudly and declared—
"Guess what! I just became the captain of the basketball team!"
"Oh, seriously? You’ve been working hard at practice every day. Congrats."
"Thanks! And guess what else? When I texted Dad about it, he said he’d bring home cake to celebrate!"
"That’s something to look forward to."
"Right?! He said he’d get a bunch! And from that super famous cake shop! Sooo, let’s invite Koikawa-san too!"
"Wh-why?"
"Because you fought with her, right?"
"Well… yeah, I guess…"
Apparently, I had already told my family about my relationship with Koikawa-san and even introduced her to them. At meals, she often came up in conversation—things like, ‘Aren’t you going on a date today?’ or ‘If you’re short on cash, we can cover your date expenses.’
Each time, I brushed it off with vague excuses like, ‘She’s got plans today, I think.’ or ‘I wanna focus on my homework today, probably.’
But it seemed like we had been close enough that not seeing her for a whole week felt unnatural. Now, my family had assumed we were fighting.
"So yeah, go ahead and invite her over!"
"I-I mean, even if I invited her, she wouldn't come. We had a fight."
"She'll come! Koikawa-san definitely wants to make up too, and besides, it's cake from a famous shop! It's gotta be super sweet and delicious!"
"Well, cakes are generally sweet and delicious."
"Yep! When you eat something sweet and delicious, you get wrapped in a happy feeling, you both smile, and before you know it, you've made up! So let's invite her!"
"I said it's fine. I mean, why are you so eager to get us to make up?"
"Because you've been looking down lately, Big Bro. I want you to be happy like before."
Sana had an unusually serious expression.
Sana, whose personality was almost missing the middle two of the four emotions—anger and sadness—was making a face like this. Sana, who didn’t even bother with something as considerate as knocking, was being considerate like this.
It's true, I lost my memories and made a girl cry. Of course, I feel uneasy, and I have a sense of guilt.
But it's not like I'm feeling down. More than that, I'm just not the type to be as cheerful as Sana. I’ve hardly ever been the kind of person to show a big, beaming smile.
And yet, if Sana is this worried about me, then that must mean the me from these past four months has been showing big, beaming smiles all the time.
In other words, I was genuinely enjoying the days I spent with Koikawa-san.
Which is exactly why I can’t be involved with her anymore.
The more happiness swells, the greater the cost when it bursts.
Rather than making her suffer an immeasurable sadness, it’s better to cut things off now—for both of our sakes.
"I'll think about it."
"Think about it in a positive way, okay?"
Believing my words without hesitation, Sana left the room.
Of course, I had no intention of inviting Koikawa-san over. I'll just say I invited her, but she turned me down.
Sana will probably be disappointed... but since it's cake from a famous shop, once she eats it, she should smile.
"...Alright, time to do my homework."
To shift my focus, I lightly slapped my cheek and picked up my pen.
Just then, my phone vibrated.
A message from Koikawa-san.
Curious about what she was feeling right now, I opened it—
【I'm waiting at the park in front of your house.】
She still hadn’t given up.
Ignoring her would weigh on my conscience, but…
If I don’t show up, she’ll eventually give up.
“…Sorry.”
Swallowed by guilt, I closed my phone and resumed my homework.
*
A week had passed since Kohei brought up breaking up.
That day, I sank deep into the sofa, absentmindedly staring at the wall.
I kept my phone tightly in my hand, ready to pick up at any moment… but in this past week, there had been no reply from Kohei.
“…I really did something awful, didn’t I?”
To Kohei, I was just a complete stranger.
And yet… despite him already being bad with girls, and on top of that, struggling with the anxiety of losing his memories, I had forced my own feelings onto him, pushing him relentlessly.
Getting Kohei to regain his memories—that was the grand excuse I clung to, all while disregarding how he felt in the present.
Of course, he would hate spending time with someone as selfish as that.
“Kohei even showed me how it’s supposed to be done, so what the hell am I doing…?”
If anything, I should have followed the steps properly, just like he did for me.
Earn his trust—
Spend happy moments together—
Make him feel at ease—
Make him want to walk into the future with me—
And when he, of his own will, said, ‘Let me meet your father,’ that would have been the right time to ask for his help. To say, ‘Let’s work hard to earn my dad’s approval together.’
“But… just getting my dad’s approval won’t be enough to put Kohei at ease, will it…”
Kohei was anxious. He feared that if we got married, sooner or later, his true self would slip through the cracks, and he would be tormented by that worry forever.
If that’s the case, then maybe it would be best to keep them from meeting—aside from the first introduction.
If my dad wanted to see us, I could visit home alone. We could just say Kohei was too busy with work.
If I suggested that to Kohei, he would surely be freed from his fears. His memories would return to normal.
For that to happen, I needed to start by earning his trust.
Once I had made up my mind, I couldn’t sit still. I rushed outside into the thick, humid air.
Cutting through the warm wind, I ran to the park directly across from the Kurose house. Then, gripping my phone, I opened it.
I thought about calling Kohei, but… he probably wouldn’t pick up. So instead, I decided to send a message. With a text, at least there was still a chance he’d see it.
【I'm waiting at the park in front of your house.】
After hitting send, I sat down on a bench in the rest area.
The same rest area where lightning had struck four months ago.
Its half-destroyed roof had been torn down, leaving the bench exposed to the elements. Now, it looked even more blackened than before.
“…It’s already been four months since then, huh…”
That afternoon on the day I time-slipped—
I had given my umbrella to a child taking shelter from the rain and sat on the bench, waiting for the rain to stop. That was when Kohei held out his umbrella to me.
Even though he had just gotten divorced, even though he hated me, he still shared his umbrella with me… and let me stay in his room until the rain stopped.
In the end, we found out that Kohei had also time-slipped that day, and we parted on bad terms after a fight… but no matter where I went, I kept running into him. We started spending more time together… and gradually, I began to feel at ease.
We became friends, got back together—
And from then on, every day was truly happy.
I thought that happiness would last forever.
I thought we'd go to the beach and the amusement park together over summer break. I thought I’d get to tease Kohei when he got flustered seeing me in a swimsuit, or cling to him in a haunted house.
I thought we'd walk around the school festival together after summer vacation ended.
I thought I'd cheer for him loudly at the sports festival.
Next year, I thought we’d explore the old capital together on our school trip. The year after that, we’d study hard for exams together. Then, we’d go to the same university and enjoy a fun campus life.
I thought we’d graduate, get jobs, get married, have kids, visit places filled with memories on family trips, and cheer our kids on at their sports festivals.
The first time, it ended as a dream.
The second time, I won’t let it.
I won’t let my relationship with Kohei end here.
An hour passed since I arrived at the park. Then two hours, then three. But Kohei never showed up.
The thick clouds blocked out the sunlight, but they couldn’t hide the midsummer heat. The sweltering air wrapped around me, drenching my entire body in sweat.
And yet, of all things, I had come without even bringing a water bottle—or even my wallet.
I could easily go home and come back, but I couldn’t shake the hope that I might miss Kohei if we crossed paths.
Four hours passed. Five. Six. And still, I remained seated on the bench.
Maybe I was starting to get heatstroke, because my head was spinning… but Kohei had endured this and invited me on a date. This time, it was my turn to push through.
By the time 6 PM rolled around, the sky was covered in dark clouds, and the surroundings had begun to dim.
I hadn’t watched TV all week, but I was certain the rain probability for today was 100%. Just looking at the cloudy sky, I knew.
And, of all days, I had rushed out so quickly that I forgot to bring my folding umbrella.
Please, don’t start raining—
That wish went unanswered. Raindrops started falling, dripping one by one.
And in the blink of an eye, the rain grew stronger—
"Normally, you'd go home when it starts raining…"
Amidst the sound of the rain, a familiar voice called out from behind me.
When I turned around, Kohei was standing there, holding an umbrella.
"That doesn't mean you should wait this long..."
Kohei sighed in exasperation as he moved the umbrella to cover me and held out a bottle of water.
"You brought this just for me?"
"There aren’t any vending machines around here, and if you’ve been here this whole time, I figured you’d have run out of whatever you brought."
"Thanks. I haven’t had anything to drink, so this really helps."
"Haven’t had anything... Don’t tell me you came without bringing water. What would you have done if you collapsed?"
"I would’ve drunk muddy water if I had to."
"Muddy water… Why are you going this far?"
"Because when I lost my memories, you did the same for me. Though I think I ended up waiting longer than you did."
"Sorry for making you wait so long... But I thought you’d leave partway through."
"No way. I promised to wait, didn’t I?"
Saying that, I took a long gulp of water.
"I feel alive again... Really, thank you."
"You're welcome. You can keep the umbrella, so you should head home before it gets too dark."
"Before that, I want to talk with you."
Kohei ruffled his hair in frustration.
"Even if you say that... I don’t know what to talk about with girls."
"We could talk about anime or manga."
Kohei looked surprised.
"Wait, Koikawa-san, you’re an otaku?"
"Yep. A full-fledged one."
"A full-fledged..."
He frowned slightly, as if hesitating about something. His face made it clear that whatever he was debating saying, it wasn’t good news.
After a moment of internal struggle, he finally spoke, hesitantly.
"I mean, I’d love to have an otaku friend, and I wouldn’t mind talking about anime or manga… But if we’re just going to keep a half-hearted connection, it’d be better to cut ties completely."
"…I’m sorry."
"Huh? Why are you apologizing?"
"Because last time, I forced my feelings onto you... and I ended up making you feel awful because of it."
"I-I didn’t feel awful! I mean, if anything, I was the one who forced the breakup on you…! I should’ve chosen my words more carefully."
Kohei looked guilty as he admitted that, but he didn’t take back what he had said.
Even though he regretted how he handled things, he was still determined to cut ties with me.
Not just marriage. Not even dating.
He didn’t even want to be friends.
He doesn’t hate me.
He just wants to make sure neither of us suffers.
Even without his memories, Kohei is still Kohei. That kindness of his hasn’t changed.
If his rejection came from fear or wariness, there might still be hope. But if it comes from kindness… then no matter what I say, we’ll never be together again.
The future I had dreamed of—both the first time and now—was never meant to be anything more than a dream.
Then… if we really can never be together again…
“Just once. Just one last time, I want to go on a date with you.”
If we part ways with sadness, Kohei will carry that guilt with him forever.
I don’t want that for the person I love.
I want to smile.
If we go on a date and say goodbye with a smile, Kohei will be able to move on without worry.
“...When?”
“Right now.”
“R-Right now? It’s raining, and it’s already night…”
“Right now. I want to have a date at your house.”
“...At my house, right now…?”
Kohei hesitated, glancing back toward his home.
“...Then, if you promise not to tell my family about the memory loss…”
I nodded firmly. “I promise.”
At that, Kohei opened his spare umbrella and led me to his house.
*
After arriving at Kohei’s house—
"Congratulations on becoming club president, Sana! Party time~!"
"Sana-chan, congrats~!"
"I still remember when you were so little… and now you’re a club president. I’m so proud."
—I somehow ended up being treated to cake.
As I was taking off my shoes, Sana-chan ran up to me with a beaming smile, grabbed my hand, and dragged me to the dining room, leaving Kohei behind. She was excited to show off the cakes from a famous bakery.
Of course, Kohei followed shortly after, sitting next to me and fidgeting slightly as he congratulated Sana-chan.
"Congratulations, Sana-chan."
"Thanks for coming, Koikawa-san! You can eat as much as you want!"
"Thanks! Everything looks delicious."
"Of course! They’re from a famous bakery! They’re definitely sweet and amazing! So, which one do you want first?"
"Huh? I get to pick first? But it’s your celebration…"
"It’s fine, it’s fine! I love them all anyway!"
"Dad knows exactly what Sana likes."
"As expected of Dad!"
"And I know that Sana loves anything sweet."
"As expected of Mom! C’mon, hurry and pick one!"
"Umm… then, I’ll go with the shortcake?"
"Nice choice, Koikawa-san! You’ve got great taste! By the way, do you eat the strawberry first, in the middle, or last?"
"Hmm… first, I guess."
"You’re my people!"
"Koikawa-chan truly understands the art of eating shortcake."
"Right? The strawberry has to be eaten first!"
"Right, right~! That makes it four against one. First-bite team wins!"
"Ugh, shut up. I bet most people eat it in the middle."
"Did you take a survey?"
"No, but…"
"Then first-bite team wins~!"
Sana-chan threw her arms up in victory while Kohei looked a little annoyed. Their parents watched over them with warm smiles.
As I sat there, watching the Kurose family laugh together, I thought—this really is a wonderful family.
Even when we first met and I was too shy to talk much, they welcomed me with open arms and bright smiles. At our wedding, they went out of their way to talk to me so I wouldn’t feel lonely.
I love Kohei.
I love Sana-chan.
I love Uncle and Auntie.
"Itadakimaasu!"
With everyone having a slice of cake, we all took a bite at the same time.
"Mmm, so good~!"
Sana-chan held her cheeks, melting with delight. Uncle murmured something about how the chestnut on a Mont Blanc tastes best when saved for last. Auntie, without hesitation, sliced her chick-shaped cake clean in half.
Watching them, I couldn’t help but smile.
The Kurose family—unchanging now and in the future—are truly wonderful people.
But…
My dad is just as wonderful as Uncle and Auntie.
He raised me on his own.
He took me anywhere I wanted to go.
He never missed a sports day, always there to cheer me on.
When I was sick, he stayed by my side until I got better.
Since I was little, he always put me first—always wished for my happiness with all his heart.
…And yet, I became estranged from him.
That was my own decision. When I had to choose between my dad and Kohei, I didn’t hesitate—I chose Kohei. If I had to make that choice again, my answer wouldn’t change.
That’s how much Kohei means to me. He’s irreplaceable. I wanted my dad to know how amazing he is.
…Yes. Kohei is amazing. Truly amazing.
And yet, I…
"Ahh, that was delicious!"
"I ended up eating three pieces. I’m going to gain weight at this rate."
"That’s what they call happy weight."
"Yeah, yeah! If you’re happy, then gaining weight is fine!"
After finishing our cakes, we put our hands together in thanks.
Then, hesitantly, Kohei spoke up.
"S-So… wanna go to my room?"
I nodded. Sana-chan and the others grinned mischievously as they saw us off.
Inside Kohei’s room, he fidgeted nervously.
"S-So, um… what exactly do we do for this 'date'?"
"I want to play a game."
Kohei blinked, dumbfounded.
"That’s… all?"
"Yep. I want to play a racing game."
"Alright. Hold on."
Kohei set up the console and handed me a controller and a floor cushion. I placed the cushion beside him and sat down.
As I settled in, Kohei fidgeted restlessly.
The race game begins.
Since making up with Kohei, we’ve played this game over and over again. It was just released this spring, and since Kohei isn’t used to it yet, I keep winning.
Maybe that’s why—
"H-Hey, Koikawa-san… Are you really okay with this being our last date?"
Kohei looks like he wants to stop playing and do something else.
"Do you want to kiss me?"
"N-No, that’s not it! It’s just… this doesn’t feel very date-like. I mean, if this is our last date, shouldn’t we do something more special?"
"No. I want to play games."
"Do you really love games that much?"
"That’s part of it… But if this is our last date, I don’t want to do something special—I want to do what we always did."
Spending time like we always have makes me realize how happy I was every single day.
I could never give up a happiness like this.
That’s why—
"Sorry, Kohei. I’m breaking my promise."
"W-Wait, you mean… you’re going to tell Sana and the others about my memory loss?"
"No. I mean I’m going to keep bothering you every day from now on."
"Huh? But… wasn’t this supposed to be the last time?"
"That was the plan, but I’ve changed my mind."
"You’ve changed your mind…?"
"Sorry. I’m selfish… and stupid, too."
"N-No, I don’t think you’re stupid!"
"No, I am. The biggest idiot in the world. Because I made a huge mistake."
"A mistake…?"
I nod.
"Trying to turn you into my dad’s ideal was a mistake."
Kohei lets out a confused, startled sound.
"B-But… from what you told me, if you’re not his type, he won’t approve of our marriage, right?"
"He won’t."
"Then… wasn’t making me his type the right choice?"
"No. It was a mistake. Even if you’re not his type, you’re already amazing. I want my dad to love you just the way you are. Because that way, we can all share a truly happy meal together."
I want Kohei to love my family, too.
Just like how I feel at home with the Kurose family, I want him to feel comfortable eating meals with my dad.
"I mean… yeah, that would be ideal, but… the problem is, he won’t accept me as I am, right?"
"I’ll make him accept you."
"How?"
"By showing him how much I love you."
Kohei blinked in confusion.
"Uh… what does that mean?"
"I’ll show my dad just how crazy I am about you."
"That… sounds like it’ll make him really mad."
"At first, yeah. But in the end, he’ll have to accept it."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because my dad always puts my happiness first."
My dad only opposed our marriage because he wasn’t sure if I would be happy with Kohei.
Even if Kohei had bulked up like my dad’s ideal son-in-law, it wouldn’t have mattered if I wasn’t truly happy.
That’s why I have to show him—convince him with all my heart—that I am.
I’ll prove that we love each other so much that there’s no way we could be unhappy together.
That’s the only thing that matters.
"…Sorry, Koikawa-san."
Kohei suddenly apologized.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because… I said something awful to you."
"Something awful?"
"I said we wouldn’t be happy even if we got married."
"Does that mean… you don’t think that anymore?"
"Yeah. Now, I actually think we’ll be really happy."
"Even if you have to meet my dad?"
"Even if I have to meet your father. I don’t know if your 'love attack' will work, but even if it doesn’t, I still won’t believe we’ll be unhappy. Because… someone loves me this much. If someone loves me like that, I think that alone is enough to promise a happy future."
Hearing him say that so confidently—so brightly—
Tears spilled from my eyes.
"W-Why are you crying?"
"Happy tears… How could I be sad when I have you? No matter what happens, as long as I have you, my happiness will never end."
I smiled as I said it.
And Kohei smiled back—
"Then, once we’re married, let’s be happy togeth—Ugh!?"
Suddenly, he clutched his head and collapsed.
He groaned in pain and fell to the floor—
*
"Idiot!"
A sharp smack landed on my shoulder.
"Ow… What was that for!?"
"Because! You absolute, complete, total idiot!"
Tears streamed down Yuzuhana’s cheeks as she glared at me.
I barely had time to process the mix of emotions flashing across her face before she hit me again.
"You forgot everything! You pushed me away! You acted like a total stranger! Do you have any idea how painful that was!?"
Her voice cracked, and she wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand.
I could only sit there, letting her words sink in.
"…Yeah. I know. I’m sorry."
Yuzuhana sniffled. "You should be."
"I am."
I reached out hesitantly, brushing a tear from her cheek.
"I’m really, really sorry, Yuzuhana."
She hiccupped, glaring at me for a moment longer before finally sighing.
And then—
She threw herself into my arms.
"Idiot…! But I’m glad you’re back."
I wrapped my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine.
The scent of her shampoo, the way she fit perfectly in my embrace—everything about her filled the emptiness I hadn’t even realized was there.
"I’m back."
I tightened my hold, never wanting to let go again.
I was yelled at—really loud.
"Whoa, what’s with you all of a sudden?" [Kohei]
"If your memory came back, you should’ve said so the moment you woke up!" [Yuzuhana]
"I-I did say it." [Kohei]
"No, you didn’t! The first thing out of your mouth was ‘don’t dig your nails in’!" [Yuzuhana]
"Well, it hurt… Besides, you didn’t say anything right away when your memory came back either." [Kohei]
"I told you immediately!" [Yuzuhana]
"No, you didn’t! You started talking about sandwiches and omelets first!" [Kohei]
"Why do you even remember something so trivial from two months ago?!" [Yuzuhana]
"Like I could forget! I was seriously so happy when your memory came back!" [Kohei]
"I was just as happy when yours did!" [Yuzuhana]
"Then stop yelling at me!" [Kohei]
"I’ll yell if I want to! Do you have any idea how I felt when you lost your memory?! Did you even think about that?!" [Yuzuhana]
"It’s not like I forgot on purpose! I was terrified I’d end up separated from you and the old man again!" [Kohei]
"There’s nothing in this world worse than losing you!" [Yuzuhana]
"That’s why I already apologized! I said I was sorry! And you lost your memory too, didn’t you?!" [Kohei]
"That wasn’t my fault! I was scared we’d end up divorced again!" [Yuzuhana]
"Like I’d ever divorce you! I won’t let you feel that way again! I swear I’ll make you happy!" [Kohei]
"I’ll make you happy too! No matter what! No matter what!" [Yuzuhana]
"Then never disappear from my life again!" [Kohei]
"You stay by my side too!" [Yuzuhana]
"I will! Even when you’re all wrinkly!" [Kohei]
"I will too! Even if you go completely bald!" [Yuzuhana]
If someone was eavesdropping from behind the door, they’d probably think we were fighting.
But this wasn’t a fight. It was just our way of showing love. Even as we argued, my heart was overflowing with happiness, and Yuzuhana was smiling through her tears.
"Honestly, you should be grateful that I love you so much."
"Where’s this coming from?"
"Think about it. Thanks to my love, your memory came back in just one week. You should be thanking the power of my love."
"If anything, my love is stronger. I brought your memory back in six days."
"Stop trying to compete with me!"
"I'm not competing. I just wanted you to know how much I love you. I can't wait to tell the old man about this."
"I'm telling him too."
Talking about him used to make me so uneasy, but now, I didn’t feel that way at all. If anything, I was looking forward to seeing him.
"Alright, let's get back to the game."
"Now?" [Yuzuhana]
"I've been focused on working out lately and haven't had much time to play. Let's pull an all-nighter for old times' sake."
"Yeah. I want to stay up all night gaming too." [Yuzuhana]
"Then it's settled. I can't wait to see that frustrated look on your face." [Kohei]
"Can’t you just say you’re excited to play? You always have to add something extra!" [Yuzuhana]
"But you love that about me, don’t you?" [Kohei]
"Stop grinning at me like that!" [Yuzuhana]
"Not happening." [Kohei]
"Then I’ll wipe that grin right off your face! Get ready to be completely crushed!" [Yuzuhana]
"That’s what I was hoping for! Bring it on!" [Kohei]
Gripping our controllers tightly, shoulders pressed together, we played until dawn, completely lost in the game.
Act 4 END
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