Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/822139838626691253/episodes/822139838627096665
Nanase Misora’s parents divorced when she was young, and she was apparently raised by her mother.
Later, her mother remarried Nanase’s current father.
She had two children with him, so Nanase now has a younger brother and sister who are quite a bit younger than her.
Her parents get along well, and her brother and sister seem loved.
Her mother is head over heels for her new husband and loves her younger siblings, but she resents Misora.
Misora was told to her face, “Looking at your face reminds me of your father, the one I left, and it pisses me off.”
Her new father, while not exactly ignoring Misora, seems to avoid her in some way.
Because of this, Misora is essentially a nuisance, left alone in the house.
Growing up in that environment, Nanase developed extremely low self-esteem and became terrified of interacting with others.
She never made a single friend through elementary, middle, or high school, always feeling utterly alone.
No one needs me. There’s no point in me living.
Trapped by those thoughts, Nanase confessed to me that she attempted suicide.
“That’s why, when you told me you liked me, Kurose-kun, I was so incredibly happy.”
Nanase said this with a smile as she brought a piece of rolled omelet to my mouth.
I chewed the omelet, which felt like it was being forced into my mouth.
It didn’t taste bad.
What I was eating now was the homemade lunchbox Nanase had made.
Ever since I stopped Nanase from committing suicide on the rooftop, she started talking to me every day.
She comes to my desk during breaks, brings me homemade lunches at noon, and we walk home together after school.
…Probably, no, definitely, Nanase thinks we’re dating.
Of course she does.
After what happened, it’s only natural anyone would think we’re together.
But that was a lie I told to save Nanase. I don’t ‘love’ her.
Keeping up this lie forever… isn’t that really not okay?
“I’ve never been needed by anyone before. Being needed by you, Kurose-kun… it made me really happy.”
Smiling, she brings another meat roll to her mouth.
When I open my mouth, she puts the meat roll inside.
I chew it slowly.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m glad.”
Nanase flashed a bright, shining smile.
I finally brought up what I’d been meaning to tell her all along.
“Um, Nanase. I need to talk to you about something…”
“Hm? What is it?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to say it before… but actually, that was a lie.”
“A lie…?”
Nanase tilted her head, looking puzzled. I nervously told her the truth.
“Remember when I said I liked you on the rooftop? That was actually a lie. My mind went blank then, and I just blurted out a lie on the spot—”
Clatter, clatter, clatter…
Nanase dropped her chopsticks.
She stared at me with a stunned expression.
“It was… a lie? All of it? Kurose-kun… didn’t like me…?”
“Ah, no… well… I was planning to tell you eventually…”
“It was all… a lie… I… wasn’t needed after all…”
“Nanase!?”
Tears streamed down Nanase’s cheeks.
“Yeah… I knew it… I thought it was weird… There’s no way Kurose-kun could like me… Something that convenient… couldn’t possibly happen…”
“I-I’m sorry… My lies made things complicated…”
Nanase’s tears fell steadily.
The surrounding students… mainly the girls, shot cold stares at me.
I felt like they were seeing me as some awful boyfriend who made her cry.
It’s not like that.
There’s a reason for this…
“I… can’t do this… I guess I’ll die…”
“…Huh!?”
Beyond the classroom door, the figure of the Grim Reaper appeared.
The Grim Reaper, who should have left, was slowly approaching again.
This is bad.
If this continues, Nanase will think about suicide again.
I grabbed Nanase’s hand and pulled her away.
“Just… just kidding!! It was a joke…!”
“…?”
“Of course it’s not all a lie!? It’s a prank!! I’d never lie about liking you!”
“Huh…? Huh…?”
Nanase looked confused.
“Sorry, Nanase. I wanted to surprise you. But this means you like me enough to cry, right? I’m happy about that feeling. Sorry for saying such mean things?”
Saying that, I wiped away Nanase’s tears.
Nanase gradually regained her smile.
“R-Really…? You’re not lying?”
“Yeah, I’m not lying! Everything I said on the rooftop was true!”
“For Kurose-kun… am I… necessary?”
“Yeah, you’re necessary. I need Nanase.”
“I’m so glad…”
Nanase smiled.
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and beamed.
“I thought you were lying, Kurose-kun. I thought you were lying about liking me, just to save me…”
“Ahaha. Like that would happen?”
Scratching my head, I covered it up with a dry laugh.
No good.
If I tell Nanase the truth, the grim reaper will come.
For Nanase right now, the fact that “I’m needed by him” has probably become her reason for living.
When that ends, Nanase will likely choose suicide again.
Until Nanase breaks free from her dependence on me, I have no choice but to keep this relationship going for a while.
“Oh no. My chopsticks fell.”
Nanase picked up the chopsticks that had fallen to the floor.
“Sorry, Kurose-kun. I’ll go wash the chopsticks.”
“Oh… okay.”
“I’ll be right back, so wait here, okay?”
I watched Nanase’s retreating back as she trotted out of the classroom, sighing.
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