At first glance, it didn't seem like there was anything wrong with what she said. But the more he thought about it, the more Haruto realized… he hadn't been singing anything grand or powerful. His eyes drifted to Yuka's face, and seeing the gentle, reserved smile on the girl's lips, he quietly sat back down and said nothing more.
Seeing Haruto fall silent, Yuka also lost the urge to keep singing. With soft music playing in the background, the two sat quietly in the karaoke room, sipping juice and picking at the fruit they had ordered.
"Have you thought about your future?"
Sitting on the couch, bathed in the faint glow of the neon lights and gentle music, Haruto turned his gaze toward the girl. Her hands were wrapped around a glass, her head lowered slightly as she chewed on the straw. Watching her, Haruto finally spoke, asking about what lay ahead for her.
Yuka, suddenly realizing how personal the question was, lowered her head, quietly sipping her juice. She fell into her own thoughts for a moment. The question caught her off guard, and though she turned to look at Haruto, no answer immediately came to mind.
"There's not much time to think about things like that. Every day is just work, work, and more work. School takes a lot of my energy too. By the time I can finally rest… there's not much left in me to think about something as distant as the future."
The room was dim, but flickering with soft neon light. Yuka looked down at the juice in her glass. Just the thought of "the future" felt like a luxury she couldn't afford.
When she was a child, her dream was simple: to wear a pure white wedding dress, to be with someone she loved, to have a family just like the one she used to have—happy and whole.
Later, that dream evolved into a goal: she wanted to become a singer.
But reality had crushed those dreams mercilessly.
Her parents couldn't bear the betrayal they had suffered from close friends. In the end, they chose to take their own lives, leaving her behind to live alone in this world. With no family left, she suddenly realized just how hard it was to survive on her own.
Food. Clothing. Shelter.
Clothes—those she could make do with, wearing her old clothes from when she was younger. But everything else became a serious issue. Her small savings, the money her parents had left behind, barely lasted two weeks.
And the burdens she carried—the whispers, the stigma, the unspoken blame—drove her relatives away. No one wanted to be involved with her. No one wanted to get entangled in her life.
Her eyes drifted toward the boy beside her.
Sometimes she wondered: what would have happened if, on that day, the person she had met hadn't been Haruto? What kind of life would she be living now? How far might she have fallen, how dark might the world around her have become?
She couldn't say for sure.
But she knew one thing—it definitely wouldn't have been a happy ending.
If she had never met Haruto, then surely… her future would have been a tragic one.
Lying in that cramped "home" of hers at night, Yuka would sometimes find tears slipping silently down her cheeks. The pain in her heart was one she couldn't share with anyone—a sadness and uncertainty about what lay ahead.
The beautiful moments she once experienced had now become recurring nightmares that woke her far too early, forcing her to face a cold and merciless reality.
He was her only light.
"I looked up the legal clauses regarding it. Your parents served as guarantors for that debt, but even then, the liability is limited to their assets. You're not a direct guarantor, so you're not responsible for paying it off."
"After my parents died, those people never came after me, but… even so, my life's already been difficult enough. Just surviving is a struggle—I don't know how much longer I can keep going."
With a history like hers, even after graduating and finding a job, that stain would follow her. It would always be a weight on her shoulders.
"Would you be willing… to leave Tokyo?"
Hearing Yuka's words, Haruto's gaze settled on the girl before him. Looking into her eyes, he spoke softly.
"If you're willing to leave this place, I might be able to help. My hometown—Gifu, Itomori—is a quiet place. No one there would know about your past. You could start over."
Yuka looked at him with a puzzled expression.
She understood what he was offering, but understanding his motive… that was something else entirely. She stared at the boy in front of her, her heart brimming with confusion.
"Why are you helping me like this?"
"I just can't stand seeing someone right in front of me sinking deeper into the mud. A normal person couldn't just watch a blooming flower be swallowed by filth, could they?"
Hearing his gentle, sincere answer, Yuka found herself speechless. She looked at Haruto's serious expression, and slowly smiled.
"You've already done so much for me. It's more than enough. And now you're offering me this support too… With that, I don't need to rush anything. I'll take some time and think seriously about what comes next."
She looked him in the eyes, her lips curving into a smile.
Haruto, seeing the pure expression in her eyes, couldn't help but remember someone from his past—someone who had once been kind to him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath and calmed himself.
When he opened them again, he smiled softly.
"Alright. If there's anything I can help with, just let me know."
"I will… Thank you, in advance."
"If I've decided to help someone, I don't quit halfway. That's just not who I am."
Yuka blinked, then bit her lip gently as she looked at the boy in front of her. Her gaze flickered slightly.
"Hey… what you said back then… have you really never thought about it again?"
"Huh?"
He looked at her, puzzled. Seeing the calm look in her eyes and the smile playing on her lips, he slowly understood. After a quiet pause, he stood and moved to sit beside her.
Under Yuka's hesitant and nervous gaze, Haruto didn't do anything to make her heart race. He simply shifted his body slightly… and rested his head gently on her lap.
"Mind if I just lie here for a bit?"
"...Of course not."
Resting quietly with his head on her lap, eyes closed—this wasn't some unreachable dream for him. With a word, either the world or even fate itself might bow to him. And yet…
With his eyes shut, Haruto stayed like that, and Yuka silently lowered her gaze, watching him as he lay there peacefully.
For nearly half an hour, the two remained in that position. By the time they left the room, Yuka's legs were sore and numb. She walked awkwardly beside Haruto, who helped support her, drawing curious glances from others.
But neither of them cared enough to offer any explanation. After walking for a while, they stopped by a nearby diner to rest and have dinner. Once they finished, Haruto escorted Yuka back to her place, waved goodbye, and headed for the subway to return to his own apartment.
Standing quietly outside the manga café where she lived, Yuka looked down at the plastic bag in her hands—it held the book they bought together at Kinokuniya.
"…Time to go back."
Returning to her tiny rented cubicle, she placed the book on the desk and picked up her clothes. Taking advantage of the quiet hour, she went straight to the communal showers.
By the time she finished and stepped out, a long line had formed behind her. She avoided eye contact and returned to her room. Locking the door, she slowly sat down again.
Even with the lights on, the narrow space remained dim at night. Though the cubicles were separated by boards, the tops were left open. Every small sound could be heard through the walls. And then there was the smell…
Newcomers found the place just a bit smelly, but for those who lived here long-term, it wore down both their patience and spirit. Yuka had bought some cheap air fresheners to help cover the scent in her "room."
Living in a place like this for long would erode anyone's will. Even thinking clearly became a challenge within those suffocating walls.
Having showered, Yuka closed her eyes and sat still for a while. Once she had calmed her heart, she opened her eyes again and picked up the book on her desk. The title read: The Angel with a Stigma.
She fell into deep thought.
She didn't know who the "angel" referred to. When Haruto told her the book's name and she learned that it was, in part, based on her own story, she began to wonder—was she the angel?
Her eyes fell on the name "Miyamizu Yuka" on the cover. She smiled faintly and carefully removed the plastic wrap protecting the book, folded it up, and turned the first page…
_ _ _ _
"I'm home," Haruto murmured to himself as he saw the lights on in the Kiyoura household across the balcony. He sent a quick text to Setsuna, then drew the curtains and tossed his phone onto the desk before heading off to boil some water.
When he returned, her reply had already arrived: "Mm."
He smiled, then walked toward the bathroom.
—
Lying on her bed in light pink pajamas, Setsuna read the message. She buried her face into the pillow, shut her eyes, and took a long, shaky breath before rolling onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.
Even now, she didn't really understand what Haruto was always thinking. He never attended the same school, never talked about his daily life. It was like he lived in another world.
Even after all this time together, so much of him remained a mystery.
That uncertainty lingered in her heart, but she pushed it aside. She closed her eyes again, and his face floated to the front of her mind. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling.
"…"
Throwing off the covers, Setsuna walked to the coat rack. She pulled on a jacket over her sleepwear and left her room.
Her mother, Mai, still awake and watching variety shows on the couch, looked up as she heard the door open.
"The bathroom?"
"No. I'm going to see Haruto."
"He's home already?"
"Yeah."
"…"
Mai almost offered to go along, but the serious look on her daughter's face made her hold her tongue. She knew that if she pushed now, Setsuna might snap at her.
There would be other chances anyway. And with thoughts of Yoko floating in her mind, Mai frowned slightly and let the matter go.
"You coming back tonight?"
"No."
Standing by the door, Setsuna glanced back once before quietly closing it behind her.
Mai pursed her lips and sent Haruto a short message.
—
Haruto was still in the bathroom when he heard the knock. He turned down the water and paused, listening more closely.
After rinsing off quickly and wrapping a towel around himself, he walked to the door.
"Setsuna?"
Standing there was Setsuna, in pajamas and a jacket, looking straight at him. Haruto blinked, then silently let her in and closed the door before heading back to finish drying off.
Whatever had brought her here, he figured he should at least finish bathing first.
Once he was dressed and back in his room, he found her already lying in his bed, eyes closed as if asleep.
He quietly poured himself a glass of water, took a few sips, and slipped into bed beside her.
He was ready to sleep—until he felt her hand reach out and tightly grasp his.
Opening his eyes, he found Setsuna staring at him with a conflicted look. Her silent gaze said more than words could.
Haruto's eyes wavered for a moment. But as her boyfriend… he knew what she needed from him.