The person who likes me is a yandere.

For the first time, I understood. All beautiful things lie on the opposite side of cowardice.

"...What are you doing here?"

Her voice was like snowflakes hitting her cheek, cold and painful.

Final Chapter: I Like You the Most in the World

Her voice was like snowflakes hitting her cheek, cold and painful.

But I still answered.

"Because I have something to say."

I don't want to hear it.

"Well, I still hope you can listen."

She tried to shake my hand off, but I held on to her even tighter.

"Tohka-san."

"What's wrong? This has nothing to do with you, does it? Anyway, I'm just one of those people who are being looked down upon by Qianyu..."

"...That's not true."

"You're lying. Because I'm definitely the kind of person Qianyu hates the most. A silly woman who doesn't know how to read people and only cares about herself."

...If only I hadn't gotten involved with you. Why did I even become interested in you in the first place? I curse myself.

Rather than being cruelly rejected by you, it's better to ignore my feelings from the start. Asami is the furthest away from me. That's fine. I understand now, I've learned. I! I! ...I already know that one day I'll become like Grandpa Tadokoro. I understood after hearing Asami's words that day. Of course..."

"That's not right."

That's how it is.

"But it's still not right."

As I said this, I hugged her tightly. Tohka's surprised breath lightly touched my neck.

"I'm sorry, I've been avoiding you. But I've decided to stop, so I hope you'll listen to what I have to say."

“...shallow words”.

It started out as a coincidence. I don't know what got into me, but some trivial things happened.

But those initial words successfully connected us.

So let me repeat it once more. Let us connect with words once more.

Believe this, pray, repeat.

"...Not being afraid of getting hurt, facing others head-on. In my opinion, that's a very impressive thing. It's like being in a battle."

"........."

"Whether it's right or wrong, it doesn't matter."

Because no matter which side the answer is, aren't you working hard for someone else?

Even though they are afraid of getting hurt, they are still trying their best for someone.

Looking at you like that, I used to think you were so foolish, so inflexible, and I even secretly mocked you for it. But actually, seeing you forget your fears for the sake of others, a part of me felt jealous. I, who fear others and can only put on a fawning smile, looked at you, the complete opposite.

"Because, isn't that because of courage? Isn't that cool?"

I said those words to her after school that day. That's how our relationship started.

"Even if there were any mistakes along the way, it was all out of courage."

When you're clearly afraid but still facing others head-on, there's nothing more important than this.

"This is just self-indulgence..."

"Even so, there are people you've saved, aren't there? You used the courage to save others."

I don't have that kind of thing, which is why I hate it, fear it, and want to avoid it.

But it is precisely because of this that Tohka seems so dazzling, making it hard for me to control my feelings.

So—I also want that kind of courage.

"...That day was the day I asked you to come out during summer vacation. I was originally planning to end it all. A relationship that's just a formality will only add to the exhaustion if it continues in the long run. So I sent you a text message that day."

"........."

"But actually, what I really wanted to do that day was probably different. I probably wanted to get from you the courage to move forward together, which is why I tried so hard to ask you out."

My voice became very low. Tohka just listened quietly. I don't know when, but tears had already welled up in my eyes, and I couldn't see clearly ahead. But on my shoulder, the same hot tears were dripping.

"Contact with others is terrifying, and I still believe so. Because it means hurting others and being hurt by others. And this will continue, it will continue. Because we live in this world, as human beings, existing here."

"........."

"However, I prefer to treat others gently rather than hurt them. Because I would rather be treated gently than be hurt by others."

"But I..."

...Their bodies seemed to be breaking down, the blood seemed to be flowing faster, and the pain seemed to be howling faintly. But at this moment, their thoughts finally reached each other for the first time.

"I can't treat others with gentleness... I'm not like Qianyu, who can understand what others are thinking. I've only been hurting them... Someone like me can only end up isolated and alone."

Her voice was so cold, yet her heart was filled with pain, as if blood was flowing through her veins.

Everyone survives this way, struggling to live amidst inner torment.

This pain has shaped us into who we are today. Everything we've been through together so far has made us who we are, and here we are now.

Even if you lose your memory, this will never disappear. The things you did that hurt each other and misunderstood each other will not be so easily erased.

The only way is to accept it all and keep living.

"Tohka-san..."

I called her name. I called softly to the girl I had been trying to avoid, who now seemed so close but was actually far away and all alone.

"Even so, as long as I can be with Tohka, I feel that something can definitely change. Even if it's not me, but someone else who has the same phobia as me, seeing you struggling to survive, would want to be gentle with you instead of pretending not to see and just running away."

“A soft whisper…”

"I can think this way because I gained courage from you. The person I'm with is indeed the one who harbors fears of others. I'm here now. We can change little by little, just like on our previous dates, so..."

so--.

"So, in order to become a gentler version of ourselves, let's try to live together as a couple. Until that day comes, let's walk together as a couple."

This is my wish.

I have been praying for this until now, but out of fear, I have not dared to reach out my hand, nor have I ever faced my true feelings head-on.

I'm using the excuse of long-term use to hypnotize myself; this is my honest, incompetent self.

Will she believe it?

"but……"

Extremely uneasy, I heard her sorrowful reply.

"...Just as Qianyu said, even if we both change, can we really continue smoothly together?"

"I don't know... But I still think it's a sad thing to live alone."

"Even if you're with someone, the pain you experience might not decrease at all, right?"

"Even so, there will still be the same joy waiting for us, right? That's why I want to be with Tohka."

"Together with someone like me...?"

"It's precisely because of who you are that I want to be with you."

Hearing my words, her body trembled slightly. The wrist I held in my hand felt even more important now—

"...Qianyu is such a willful person."

Her answer sounded somewhat defiant, and carried a gentleness unlike her usual self.

"But... this is also acceptable. I've been waiting for such a gentle whisper for a long time."

My emotions spiraled out of control, and I began to sob. After avoiding her for so long, at this moment, we finally made contact. This warmth is something no one can ever feel alone.

No matter how much we try to shorten the distance between us, we can never truly become one. But as long as we have this warmth, our hearts can be connected.

After a brief silence, she spoke softly.

"...The last thing."

"Huh?"

"Also... there are some important things I haven't asked you."

She raised her head as she spoke. Although her face was covered in tears, she smiled happily.

"...So I really had no choice but to tell you?"

"I won't forgive you if you don't tell me."

I couldn't help but laugh. How should I put it? If I tried to get away with it, she definitely wouldn't forgive me, given her personality. So, I'll just go through the motions for now.

The final words were simple.

"I love it! It's probably my number one favorite in the world."

"……well done."

We looked into each other's eyes, and then, for the first time, we kissed.

Subsequent signs of death

Qianyu gently closed the notebook, recalling the figure and words she had heard when she had just traveled through time.

"Why did you dump me for no reason... I'll make you fall in love with me again, and then I'll dump you..."

In the end, did I betray her?

Seemingly having made up her mind, Qianyu dialed a familiar number.