[After careful thought,]
[you decide to skip class with him. Only by sharing a small secret can you gain the chance to become his friend.]
["You're not leaving? Lunch break is almost over." Toru frowns when he sees you crawl into his tent.]
[He had originally believed that his earlier reckless behavior would scare you away.]
[Your unexpected boldness catches him off guard.]
['Ugh, I really am too handsome for my own good.' Toru thinks with annoyance.]
To be fair, he really is handsome.
Kita continued reading.
["I can skip class with you, as long as Kitahara-kun-kun is willing to be my friend." you answer.]
["Good students should be in class. Why follow me?"]
[You come up with an excuse: "Ueno-sensei's first period is so boring. I really don't want to listen."]
[Toru doesn't reply.]
[Just like that, you skip class the whole afternoon.]
[The next day, the teacher calls you to the office and scolds you.]
[Your 'partner in crime' is completely fine.]
[At lunch, you go complain to Kitahara-kun.]
[He only laughs a few times with no intention of comforting you.]
[This experience seems to bring you two closer.]
[During the next few days, you spend lunch breaks with him on the rooftop, chatting about small trivial things. Couples forming, conflicts at school, rumors here and there. As Shuka High's social butterfly, you have endless stories.]
[The week draws to an end.]
[That weekend, you proudly tell Kessoku Band that you and Kitahara-kun have become friends.]
["He's a good person, everyone misunderstands him."]
[Ryo nods slightly.]
[Idichi Nijika is happy for you.]
[Hitori looks envious. She has never had any male friends and is always alone.]
[The weekend passes peacefully.]
[On Monday, you walk into class, excited.]
["Good morning, Kitahara-kun-kun!" you say cheerfully.]
[He turns his face slightly, his expression confused.]
[Then he speaks, leaving you frozen—]
["Who are you?"]
["Kitahara-kun-kun… are you joking?"]
["…Sorry." Kitahara-kun takes out the black diary you once saw, flips it open, examines it for a moment,]
[then gives you a strained expression. "Kita-san, right?"]
["…Yes." Something feels off.]
[Just now, Kitahara-kun truly did not seem to know your name.]
[As if... every memory of you had vanished from his mind overnight. Your week of friendship evaporated the moment Monday arrived.]
[During lunch break, you discover the rooftop door is locked.]
[Kitahara-kun had returned the key to the teachers. The tent and all his items were gone.]
[Your secret base has disappeared forever.]
[On Tuesday, Kitahara-kun begins paying attention in class.]
[After school, your homeroom teacher calls you to the office again, praising you. In her eyes, your hard work made Kitahara-kun stop skipping classes and become a normal student again.]
[But you know you did nothing.]
["Why does Kitahara-kun-kun refuse to be friends with others?" you mutter on the way home.]
[You feel discouraged. You only wanted to be his friend because he looked so lonely. Why was it so difficult?]
[On Wednesday,]
[you speak to Kitahara-kun again at lunch.]
[You find a topic about food.]
["Kitahara-kun-kun, you always eat bread for lunch."]
["Mm." Kitahara-kun chews a pineapple bun, voice muffled.]
["Kitahara-kun-kun likes bread?"]
["I live alone in Tokyo. Cooking is troublesome." he says quietly.]
[Your affection points truly seem to have reset to zero.]
[Your chest aches a little.]
[Putting aside your disappointment, you smile.]
["Kitahara-kun-kun must be rich… you could hire a cook, maybe?"]
[Kitahara-kun nods.]
[He is indeed tired of bread. Hiring someone sounds good.]
[Seeing his reaction,]
[you test the waters: "If you don't mind… I could make lunch for you."]
[Your cooking is average at best, and you rarely cook at home, but you say it anyway.]
[In that moment you only want to grow closer, no matter the cost.]
["No need."]
[He rejects you instantly.]
[During the next few days,]
[you still accompany him at lunch and share your food with him.]
[At first, Kitahara-kun resists, but your enthusiasm forces him to accept.]
[Slowly,]
[your relationship deepens.]
Good.
At this rate, I'll nab him sooner than I thought.
[Unfortunately—]
Hm?
[Next Monday,]
[when you enter the classroom, Kitahara-kun's face is cold again.]
["Good morning, Kitahara-kun-kun."]
[He repeats the same line you heard last week——]
["Who are you?"]
[You pause for a few seconds, then smile. "I am Kita Ikuyo. Can we be friends, Kitahara-kun-kun?"]
[Kitahara-kun lowers his gaze, composes himself, then forces a small smile. "Sure, of course."]
[His eyes show no joy.]
[You do not notice. You simply think he is joking.]
[On Wednesday, while working at the live house, you feel tightness in your chest and abnormal fatigue.]
"Wait… no way."
Kita remembered what she chose before the simulation began, leukemia.
According to her plan,
she needed to raise Kitahara-kun's affection as much as possible, then die, so he would regret her for life.
But right now, they could barely even be called friends.
If she died now,
lifelong regret?
At her funeral… Kitahara-kun shedding two drops of pity tears would already be generous!
Another me, you can't die yet!
[Unbeknownst to you, Toru is also suffering from a severe illness.]
No.
Seriously?
What was this…
A death race?
Kita's mind became a chaotic blur.
This was not the kind of mutual love she had wished for.