CH 23

“Ha …”

Finally I was able to catch onto some fresh air.

I returned to my room as fast as I could and closed the door behind me…

A sigh of regret left my lips as I leaned against the door.

But with my legs giving out I slipped down against it and sat on the floor staring blankly at the ceiling.

“That was dangerous …”

It was hard for me to control my emotions.

I almost nodded.

I was on the brink of accepting Haru’s suspicions.

I almost admitted it.

We were friends in our childhood too, when we were little and used to spend our time together just like now… I was about to say that.

Gulp

But that’s no good.

If I do that, I’ll end up digging Haru’s traumas.

That’s no good.

I have to keep it a secret.

――――――――――

Did I meet Haru about 10 years ago?

At that time, I was very weak, and I was traveling with my parents in search of a place to recuperate.

Then, we arrived at Haru’s village and chose to stay there as a I got treated.

There seemed to be nothing particular or contrasting in his village…

But, the water and air were clear and very beautiful.

Even, a small amount of dust which flew up in the cities by horse-drawn carriages seemed to be poisonous to me, who was weak.

So I had to recuperate in a village where Haru was born. It was the perfect place which my parents had chose for me to stay during the medical treatment phase.

And a little while after we moved to the village…

I met Haru.

On that day, I was unusually in a good physical condition so I was asked to take a walk outside of the house.

If I don’t move my body once in a while, my physical strength will continue to decline, so I was allowed that much.

I used to take a walk about once a week.

So, I was very much looking forward to it.

The feeling of the wind going wild, and clashing against my skin.

The Warm sunshine.

The chirping of the melodious birds.

All of them were fresh and it was really fun just to take a walk.

It was then…

Haru tumbled… no he rolled down in front of me. Though, I didn’t knew who he was at that time. He was a stranger.

My house was near the mountain …

It seems that he was exploring the mountain… misstepped, and rolled down.

I was really scared at that time.

Was he okay? I didn’t know.

Out of nowhere, a strange boy rolled down from above.

However, Haru was extremely calm, contrary to me who was in a panic …

“Who are you? Would you like to play with me?”

What did he say?

I was surprised, but …

I didn’t have any friends because of my illness, so I was happy to play with Haru.

Then, Hull always came to see me once a week when it was the day where I could move out of my house and when I could play.

It was an enjoyable day every week, but one day, I had a fever and fell asleep.

That day too Haru came to my house and stood beside me.

I would have felt bad since I couldn’t go out as promised on that day.

But he came just to be accompany me, so that I don’t feel sorry.

Occasionally, Leticia accompanied us too.

But Leticia didn’t seem to like Haru being with me and didn’t show up often.

Her bullish personality hadn’t really changed since then, it had only worsened.

That was how, I spent a year with Haru.

It was just once a week actually, so it may be much less if converted to days …

But those were really some fulfilling days.

I wondered if such emotions of spiritual fulfillment had an effect on my body, but I gradually became more energetic.

But the god of fate really is capricious and sometimes cruel.

On that fateful day, I went out to play with Haru as usual …

But for some unknown reason, he spit up blood and collapsed.

Panicked. I had a seizure that had never happened since I met Haru.

Fortunately, the place where I fell down was inside the village.

Immediately an adult noticed me and treated me, helping me to survive.

However, Haru blamed himself, believing that I was driven to a dangerous state, because he had taken me out.

My parents did not blame Haru or that was what I was told.

They were rather thankful that I was always able to laugh when with him.

Of course, I don’t blame Haru either.

I think it all of it happened because the timing was bad.

But Haru felt that it was his fault.

He kept blaming himself, blame, blame …

I felt so responsible for it, that I was worried that he would break.

At this rate, Haru’s heart would have really broke apart. We were only kids at that time around. It was almost scary how he blamed himself for all of it.

With such anxiety, I decided to ask my parents to erase Haru’s memory.

I decided to have everything about me erased.

My parents were doing a lot to treat me, so they knew a lot of treatment methods.

I also knew how to deal with cases like Haru …

I knew that it was best to erase the burden on the mind by erasing the memory with medicine and magic.

Without hesitation, I asked Haru’s memory to be erased.

Of course, it was harsh for me to be completely forgotten by him.

It’s also painful to have to leave the village because meeting me even by chance might trigger his memory and he might remember everything that happened between us.

But if Haru can smile again.

I will do anything.

And … we erased all of his memories of me.

I left the village and Haru regained his peaceful life or so was what I had thought.

That was the past I had chosen to bury behind.

A record of only one year’s friendship between Haru and me.

However, afterwards……

I managed to get rid of my illness.

Then, I changed the color of my hair to make it look different.

After that, I went to see Haru.

The year I spent with Haru was the brightest of all, I’ve ever lived.

Also, I want to spend such days again.

I thought so …

But, Haru was already working for Leticia.

I’ve never been as disappointed as I had been once I found out this.

But I was not giving up.

I wanted to see Haru again.

Even if he doesn’t remember me, I would like to meet him once again and thank him.

Without Hull, my will would have been broken halfway and I wouldn’t have been alive now.

I wanted to look for Haru for that alone …

And I was able to find that chance.

no.

Maybe it was fate.

Haru was tattered because of Leticia when I met him again …

I had do something about it.

I had to do it.

That was my chance at gratitude.

This was probably fate too.

With that in mind, I chose to be with him.

I was not going to reveal the old days, and I think it’s okay to forget it.

I just want Haru to laugh.

With that in mind, I decided to do my best.

――――――――――

“Although……”

I couldn’t help but think about Leticia as I sat in the room assigned to me.

“What’s wrong with Leticia?”

Maybe not a lot, but I’ve played with Leticia several times too.

When she was little, she wasn’t a tyrant, as Haru claimed.

Although bullish, she was a kind girl.

Why had it changed?

Did she become obsessed with Haru and changed?

That shouldn’t be strange.

“Hmm … I’m was behind the scenes so far, and I want to take the initiative.”

I want to help Haru, but I can’t think of a good plan.

Leticia is probably Yandere or something strange is happening with her …

I’m scared because I don’t know what to do. THere are times when I lose sight of the means and am driven by the purpose alone causing Haru to be driven to more confusion.

Both he and I are confused as to what to do with Leticia.

And, Haru doesn’t even know what he wants …

“I don’t know what is going to happen … but Haru’s smile is my priority. I won’t allow anyone to take that smile away.”