The story has been said so much, but in my heart, I understand it clearly.

Yukari, who used to be my senior from the previous year, changed because of that accident...

After finishing the activities on the playground, Yukari and her two good friends hid in the dressing room, planning to wait out the heavy rain inside for a while.

Just as everyone was complaining about the terrible weather...

"Hey, guys, how about I tell you some interesting news?"

"What news?"

"Hehehe..."

The petite girl with two lively braids reached out her hand and immediately pointed at Yukari, who was drying her hair, and started gossiping.

"Wasn't that boy from this morning Yukari's brother?"

"Huh?"

"No way, right? Could it be that he's Yukari miss's boyfriend?"

"How is that possible? Besides, I'm an only child, I don't even know that guy..."

With a bang, the door was slammed open in front of Yukari's companions!

Amidst the shocked expressions of everyone, I couldn't believe it myself, but I suddenly rushed in angrily!

"Is that so...? Is that your true feelings?!"

Those words almost burst out of my mouth.

Because I hoped for a different outcome right until the end, but it turned out to be blatant deception!

"You! You're just a fraud..."

That was the first time I talked to Yukari, but it was also the last.

After saying that, I dropped the umbrella in my hand and dashed out in front of Yukari's astonished gaze.

"No, it's not what you think, Juxi—!!"

She picked up the umbrella and started chasing after me.

"Juxi, wait... Tachibana... ah!"

"..."

Suddenly, a silver car sped through from a side road, and Yukari, who couldn't react in time to avoid the sedan, froze in place...

"Screech—!!"

Amidst a piercing screech of brakes, the ten-year-old Yukari was sent flying like a piece of thin paper.

The accident happened too fast, and the next second, she was lying in a pool of blood mixed with rainwater!

I, who was at the forefront, was completely unaware, but at this moment, Yukari was already lying in a pool of blood!

"Tachibana... Yu..."

It was my fault; if I hadn't run away...

If I had stayed, maybe... Maybe this unnecessary trouble wouldn't have happened.

Soon after, as soon as I arrived home, my mother received a call from the city hospital, informing us to rush to the emergency room!

"What did you say...?"

"Our medical staff is currently doing everything they can to save your daughter. Please come to the hospital as soon as possible!"

As soon as the other party finished speaking, fear filled my mother's face, and her mouth opened, but she didn't say a word. It scared both me and my father.

That was the first time young me understood what fear felt like.

Because my sister had always been following closely behind me, but when I returned home, I found that she wasn't there anymore!

"Huh, where did sis go?"

Completely drenched in rainwater, I turned my head and looked down the coastal road in front of our house.

But Yukari's figure was nowhere to be seen. Did she give up?

That's what I thought at the time...

It wasn't until Dad anxiously grabbed Mom's shoulders and shook her hard that Mom finally snapped out of her shock.

"Her husband...," Mom stammered.

Then, trembling, she cried to Dad, and what she said next was like a thunderbolt to me!

"Yukari, Yukari was in a car accident!"

"What... my sister?!"

Upon hearing this, the toy robot in my hands snapped in half from my fear.

I lay flat on the floor, like a frightened ostrich, clutching my hair tightly with both hands, unable to breathe from the discomfort in my heart.

Because there was always a horrible monster in my mind reminding me, it was your fault that your sister died...

Your fault that your sister died!

The air, like that day's dark clouds, became condensed.

Dad and Mom were silent in the car, driving as fast as they could, desperately wanting to reach the hospital in an instant!

Just as we arrived at the entrance of the central hospital, a doctor came to greet us.

"You're Mr. Tsubaki Kyu Yukari's father, right?"

"Yes, I'm Tsubaki Kyu Shingo. Tell me about my daughter... What happened to my daughter?!"

Dad's anger flared up as soon as he approached the doctor, gripping her shoulders tightly without letting go.

"Well, um... please calm down first. Don't worry, your daughter is out of danger now. We were able to treat her in time!"

At first, I thought the doctor was just trying to reassure Dad with her words, so I was very worried about Yukari.

At the same time, I was also afraid, hugging my trembling body, my mind always wandering, imagining what could happen, contradicting my inner desires.

Under Dad's urging, I endured the coldness of my bare arms and walked into the spacious hospital!

Although I can't remember how long it took, all the memories before that moment are hidden in my past.

"I can only remember these now, until the end..."

After revealing so many embarrassing past events, I can no longer continue to escape.

But Lan, after listening to all this, still had a silly smile on her face and said, "So you've finally grown up? It must have been difficult..."

"Yes, I never dared to mention the truth of the car accident, not even Yukari's part. I hid it for her."

My parents and I arrived on the first floor of the hospital, to the intensive care unit where Yukari was.

Unfortunately, all we could see through the glass was Yukari wearing a white and blue striped hospital gown, her forehead covered in bandages, lying still and peaceful.

Her pale skin appeared lifeless.

Helplessly standing next to Dad, I stared at her unconscious form. Dad's heart was in tremendous pain, and I could see the tears he had secretly shed from his swollen eyes.

In Dad's heart, Yukari had long become his daughter!

Even if she wasn't his biological daughter, Dad still treated her with the same love as he did me.

On the other hand, I not only rejected Yukari, but I also rejected Dad's love. I often thought that Dad was biased and that she had taken away the place that should have been mine.

In reality... it was me who was acting like a spoiled child from the beginning.

"Just knowing is enough. I've also experienced love, sister!"

"Hey, has Lan ever had a boyfriend?"

"Well, of course!"

She casually gave me a thumbs up and grinned at me.

"I used to have a romantic relationship with a handsome noble from a foreign country, you know!"

"A romantic relationship, huh? You really know how to make things up."

"Hey, I'm serious! His name was Paroni!"

When Lan mentioned Paroni's name, her eyes suddenly became exceptionally gentle, like the first glance Yukari sister gave me after waking up from a coma, having slept for over a week.

Although she had escaped danger, upon waking up, something was off!

"Uh, who are you...?"

"Ah, it's me."

But all the memories that belonged to me had disappeared.

"... Who are you?"

After that came a long silence, a very long silence... so long that I almost felt like I was going to break down and go crazy, thinking, is it okay to deny everything like this?

She was lying, and I could see through it.

At the moment those words were spoken, she hesitated, and everything she said was against her own will.

Even the doctor seemed troubled as he said those words and glanced repeatedly at Yukari sister lying in the bed.

It was as if some parts were fabricated. Although both she and I knew the truth, only our parents were deceived, and I thought that was enough... maybe...

Everything is not real, it is all my fault, all caused by my wrong judgment!

And it was for someone like me, someone who needed forgiveness, that Yukari sister showed affection beyond kinship, even deceiving her own parents and the only family in the world, protecting me with all her might.

That day, in the room filled with the smell of medicine.

Yukari sister was leaning on the bed, and I sat next to her, carefully peeling the skin off an apple for her.

During the short visit, Yukari sister tried to bring up a topic with me.

"Well, even though I don't know who you are, and why you are taking care of me, hmm?"

"Well, it's better not to know."

"How can you say something like that?"

"Oh."

The topic was simple and monotonous, and she once again closed off the conversation between us and avoided eye contact.

Yukari sister in front of me seemed somewhat lost and dared not look at me.

Only I, when handing her the apple, said that one sentence...

"I've peeled it for you. Do you... want to eat it?"

"... Hmm, I want to eat it!"

Her small and chubby fingers took the apple from me and she nodded with a smile.

In front of me, she was speaking to me in a language I couldn't understand or hear.

"It's over... and we can never return to the past!"

"As long as we're alive, the only thing that will remain in this world is that last breath. There is no other meaning to existence, unless... unless people really have a next life. Otherwise, it's just empty talk and an excuse for your selfishness!"

That's right, Yukari sister said all of this.

I felt that at that moment, I made the only correct choice in my life, so I clenched my fist, prepared to leave in silence.

Before leaving, with a look as if I understood everything, I said.

"Goodbye, perhaps it's better if we never see each other again."

From now on, Yukari and I are just passersby in each other's lives, as I am merely a transient figure in hers.

However, I cannot forget the affection in that memory. In the most difficult moments, I cannot let go!

"Ugh—!!"

I forcefully banged my head against the wall, attempting to forget the past in this way.

"Ugh...!"

Enduring the intense pain in my head, I once again directed my forehead towards the wall and shouted!

"You bastard, just go and die!"

Bang! Bang!

Two solid impacts, causing even the painting hanging on the wall to shake and come loose from its nail. But my memories still won't allow me to forget the past and escape!

With my disheveled appearance, I decided to take off the strange purple half-sleeve that made me look eccentric and only wore the shorts that I usually casually put on.

However, my whole being transformed from eccentricity to decadence. Did this action only have a counterproductive effect?