My name is Rena Takamine, a second-year high school student. I live alone, and maybe you could say my hobby is reading—especially novels and fictional works like manga.
One day, I went to the school library to find a novel to read before the bell rang.
However, I had a bit of trouble because there was a boy standing right in front of the shelf where the book I wanted was placed.
"Excuse me, can I take that book?" I asked politely.
"Ah, sure. Eh—aren't you Rena Takamine?"
I looked at his face for a few seconds, trying to remember.
"Yeah… if I'm not mistaken, your name is…"
"Hey, it's me—Haruto Takahiro," he said with a smile.
Oh, right. He was Haruto Takahiro, my classmate.
He was cheerful and athletic, but because he was too kind, people often took advantage of him.
"Uh, are you gonna take the book or not?" Haruto's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Oh, yeah—sorry, Takahiro. I'll take it," I replied quickly.
"Eh, Takamine, why are you apologizing?"
"Ah, just forget it," I replied briefly.
"Hmm… alright then," he said, scratching his head, looking confused.
I continued reading my novel by the window. But suddenly, from behind me—
"What is it, Takahiro?" I asked without turning around.
"Nothing. I'm just curious," he replied.
"Takamine-san, do you like reading manga?" he asked again.
"Yeah, maybe a few. Why? Are you interested too?"
"No, just curious," he said quickly.
What's with this guy? I thought, holding back a small laugh.
Not long after, the school bell rang. We both returned to class.
The days after that felt different since that day in the library. For some reason, since then, Haruto Takahiro often appeared around me. Sometimes in the cafeteria, sometimes in front of the classroom, even on the way home from school. Not in a way that was bothersome, but… somehow, his presence felt too frequent to be called coincidence.
At first, I thought it was just by chance. But after several times, I began to feel that he was hiding something.
"Rena! Want to go home together?" he shouted one afternoon.
I lifted my face from the novel I was reading. "Don't you have basketball practice, Takahiro?"
He smiled, but… there was a slight pause. "Not today. The coach is sick."
I slowly closed my book. "In that case, sure. But don't be surprised if I stay quiet most of the time."
"I'm used to it," he said with a small laugh. "You're the quiet type, aren't you?"
I glanced at him. "And you're someone who talks too much."
He laughed again. But this time, his laughter sounded… forced.
We walked along the sidewalk about half a meter apart. The afternoon sun shone softly through the leaves, casting moving shadows along the road. There was something calming about that quiet afternoon—but also, somehow, it felt tense.
"Takamine," Haruto said suddenly. "Have you ever felt… really alone?"
I went silent. That question came out of nowhere, without any context. His voice was soft but clear, as if the words came not from his mouth—but from the deepest part of his thoughts.
"Yes," I finally replied. "Maybe every day."
He looked at me, as if surprised by my answer.
"I live alone, Takahiro. My house is too quiet to be called a 'home'. So yeah… I often feel lonely," I continued, this time without trying to hide it.
He lowered his gaze. "I thought I was the only one who felt that way."
I turned to him. His usually bright face now looked calm, his eyes staring blankly at the ground. There was something faint behind that expression—not ordinary sadness, but like a wound he'd been covering for a long time.
"You look happy, Takahiro," I said softly.
He smiled faintly, but without sparkle. "Happiness is… sometimes just a mask, Takamine."
I didn't know how to respond. His words echoed in my head for a long time. "Happiness is just a mask."
Since that day, I started to look at Haruto differently. In class, he was still the center of attention. Still helping friends in need, still laughing the loudest among the crowd. But now I knew—behind all of that, there was something unseen.
One afternoon, when everyone had gone home, I went back to the library. The room was quiet, with only the sound of an old fan spinning lazily on the ceiling. I was looking for a new novel, but my eyes caught sight of someone sitting in the corner.
Haruto.
He was sitting alone, staring at the empty table in front of him. Both his hands were holding something—a small, worn-out photo.
I quietly approached. "Takahiro?"
He flinched, quickly hiding the photo behind a book. "Rena! I was just… taking a break."
I looked at him for a while. "Whose photo is that?"
"No one's," he replied quickly. Too quickly.
I sighed. "You don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me, you know."
He looked at me, his eyes trembling slightly. Then slowly, he took the photo out again. It was of a young woman with long hair, smiling softly.
"My mother," he said briefly. "She passed away when I was in first year."
I fell silent. A heavy stillness hung between us.
"Since then… my dad rarely stays at home. He says he's busy working. But I know—he just can't stand seeing me because I look too much like her."
I could hear the bitterness in his voice. Those words were no longer just a story—they were like a wound reopened after being frozen for so long.
"That's why you pretend to be happy?" I asked quietly.
He gave a faint laugh. "Heh, guess I'm not good at pretending, huh?"
"Not like that," I said softly. "It's just… I know what it feels like to live in loneliness. Sometimes, we don't need someone who makes us happy—we just need someone who's willing to sit in silence with us."
He looked at me for a long time. That gaze felt warm yet deep, as if he wanted to say something but held it back.
"Takamine…" he whispered finally. "You don't know how much I wanted to hear words like that."
I didn't reply. I just sat beside him, silent. We only listened to the ticking of the clock and the faint wind blowing through the library window. In that silence, somehow, something felt… right.
Days passed. We spent more time together—not in a romantic way, but more like two souls both searching for a place to rest and belong. Yet slowly, I began to realize… something inside me was changing.
Every time he smiled, my chest felt warm. Every time he looked at me, time seemed to stop. I knew this wasn't just pity.
This was… maybe… love.
Something I thought I could never have again.
But on the other hand, I also knew—Haruto wasn't someone easy to love. There was a shadow in his eyes, one that couldn't be erased by just saying, "I like you."
One night, I received a message from him.
> "Takamine, I won't come to school tomorrow. I just need some time alone."
I felt uneasy. Then, without thinking twice, I went to the small park near the river where we usually sat after school. And there he was, sitting under a tree, staring at the gloomy night sky.
"Why didn't you tell me you were here?" I asked, sitting beside him.
He smiled faintly. "I'm just… tired."
"Tired of what?"
"Of pretending."
I looked at him. This time, there was no smile, no mask. Just Haruto—with all his pain and fear.
I looked up at the sky and said softly, "If you're tired of being someone else, just be yourself. I won't leave."
He turned to me. "Aren't you afraid to see my dark side?"
I shook my head. "We all have a dark side, Takahiro. The difference is, you're brave enough to admit it."
A few seconds later, he chuckled softly. Then, unexpectedly, he held my hand.
Warm. Yet fragile.
"Thank you, Takamine," he whispered. "Maybe… you're the only person who truly sees me."
I didn't respond. Because at that moment, I knew—whatever would happen after that night, I was already bound to him. Not by teenage affection, but by two hearts both searching for the meaning of existence.
And under that dark night sky, for the first time, I didn't feel alone anymore.
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~ To Be Continued