In his dream, Akiyama Haru felt a splitting headache, as if someone had struck him repeatedly with an iron rod. A flood of memories, some his own, and some not surged together and intertwined.
For a brief moment, it felt as though he was becoming someone else entirely. In the end, however, Haru's own consciousness prevailed.
The memories that did not belong to him slowly sank deep into his mind, fragmenting into something like old video clips—sealed away, dormant, much like the vague memories adults have of early childhood.
You know they exist, yet no matter how hard you try, you can't clearly recall them.
Everyone has, at some point, dreamed of past events.
Haru was experiencing something similar now.
In his dream, he wasn't himself, but someone else.
A girl.
She lay sprawled on her bed in her bedroom, eating potato chips and drinking cola, her eyes fixed on the computer screen sitting on her desk. Playing on the screen was an anime Haru had never seen before.
Ao Haru Ride.
The moment he slipped into the girl's perspective, the title surfaced in his mind without hesitation.
In this strange dreamlike state, Haru calmly watched the romance anime through her eyes.
In modern Japan, light novels, anime, manga, and games—the entire otaku culture—was deeply developed, forming one of the country's most influential entertainment industries. Japanese works in this field were popular worldwide, and most teenagers were avid fans.
Haru was no exception.
Though the situation was bizarre, he didn't resist it. The girl's emotions and senses flowed directly into him, giving him an overwhelming sense of immersion.
In the dream, the girl watched episode after episode of Ao Haru Ride.
No job.
No school.
No pointless social obligations.
Her parents had passed away early, leaving behind an enormous trust fund. While the principal was locked away, the yearly returns alone amounted to several million yen—far more than enough to live comfortably.
There was no chance she would ever struggle financially.
All she had to do was live the life she loved.
She stayed indoors as a shut-in, occasionally went out with friends to anime conventions as a cosplayer, collected figures, indulged in her hobbies, and spent her annual allowance without restraint.
Because Haru was fully immersed in her perspective, he felt the same joy—both physically and mentally—while the anime kept playing.
Is this the life of an ultimate shut-in?
She's… genuinely happy.
While watching, the girl ordered delivery.
Haru would even taste the food. It was a bizarre feeling.
He tried to forget the bizarreness and refocused on the anime.
Beautiful artwork.
Youthful, bittersweet storytelling.
The heroine, Futaba Yoshioka, reunites in high school with her middle school crush, Kou Mabuchi, who had moved away years ago due to family circumstances.
Thus began a painful, tender romance of youth.
Though it was a shoujo anime, who said Haru—as a normal teenage boy—couldn't get sentimental once in a while?
He consumed romance anime and novels often. But as the episodes progressed, his expression grew serious.
This story… is really good.
Two people with lingering feelings.
A reunion three years later.
Misunderstandings.
Regrets.
Youth itself.
Before he realized it, the anime reached
episode six. Futaba was conflicted—both she and her best friend had fallen for Kou.
Should she prioritize friendship, suppress her feelings, and help her friend confess to the boy she had loved for years?
Or…
Should she be honest, compete fairly, and risk losing her closest friend?
Unable to decide, Futaba left the answer to Kou himself. On their way home, just as the train was about to depart, she pretended she had forgotten something at school. She stepped back and exited the train.
The doors began to close.
Separated by barely a meter of glass, the boy and girl stared at each other.
Would he step off the train to go back with her?
Or would he find it troublesome and go home alone?
If Kou doesn't get off the train with me… I'll stop liking him.
If he does… I'll keep loving him.
Futaba's inner monologue echoed as the background music swelled.
Kou, unaware of the weight of his decision, stood frozen.
His choice—one second later—would determine whether her feelings would continue.
"I can't watch this!" the girl suddenly muttered.
"If he doesn't get off, I won't be able to sleep! I'll stop here and watch the rest tomorrow. That way, the story won't ruin my sleep!"
Smack.
She shut off the computer.
Leaving Haru's consciousness in complete chaos.
No! don't stop there!
One more episode!
Are you even human?! How can you sleep at a moment like this?!
That familiar, infuriating pain—having a story cut off at the worst possible moment, surged through him.
The dream went dark.
Haru jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.
"What… was that?"
The dream felt disturbingly real.
As he lay there, realization dawned.
Another world… a girl…
Did her soul merge with mine and fail?
Not completely. Her will was gone, but fragments of her memories remained sealed in his mind. Occasionally, he could glimpse pieces of her life through dreams.
Which meant—
That anime, Ao Haru Ride…
Haru ground his teeth.
She stopped halfway.
And now he was stuck not knowing what happened next.
But the frustration faded quickly as reality crashed back down.
In the dream, immersed in her carefree life, all his worries had disappeared.
Now, awake, the weight of the past month returned all at once.
Akiyama Haru.
Sixteen years old.
176 cm tall, 63 kg.
Somewhat handsome.
A second-year student at Minato Municipal High School.
His mother had died of illness ten years ago.
A month ago, his father's small company collapsed due to mismanagement during an economic downturn. Crushed by debt, his father and his mistress took their own lives.
Things you usually only read about in newspapers.
Now they were Haru's reality.
The company's debts far exceeded its assets. Even selling the apartment wouldn't cover them.
Haru refused the inheritance.
More than 20 million yen in debt was not something a teenager could bear.
In two or three months, once the legal auction concluded, he would be forced to move out.
He had no relatives to rely on. Those who once called themselves family were now strangers.
What stood before him now was simple and terrifying.
Survival.
A sixteen-year-old boy, facing homelessness within months.
His choices were limited.
Dropping out and entering society.
Or enduring the pressure and continuing school.
But continuing his education would be difficult.
University tuition in Japan wasn't cheap. Prestigious fields like medicine or law required a huge investment but promised high returns. For more common majors, student loans were an option.
Haru chose to keep studying.
He could apply for aid. And scholarships were a option too.
The road wasn't closed, it was just steeper.
Dropping out now meant no high school diploma.
That was unacceptable.
He had studied for over ten years. Half of high school was already behind him.
His available assets?
Just 40,000 yen in savings.
Money he had once planned to use during winter break to go on dates with his girlfriend, a class committee member.
She broke up with him immediately after learning about his family situation.
Society was cruel.
Even high school romance paid attention to family background.
Dating comes with a price tag. Between dinners, movies, and little surprises, the costs can add up faster than you expect.
Lying on his bed, Haru stared at the cityscape outside his twenty-first-floor apartment—Tokyo glowing beneath him.
Soon, even this view would be gone.
Turning his head, he looked at his shelves, stacked with anime DVDs, light novels, and manga.
His eyes narrowed.
"…I can't draw manga. I can't make games. I can't write anime scripts…"
"But I can write novels."
That anime—Ao Haru Ride—was far better than many romance light novels he'd read in this parallel world of Japan.
If he rewrote it as a light novel and submitted it…
Even a modest manuscript fee could solve his living expenses.
The industry was brutal.
But if it wasn't profitable, no one would compete so fiercely.
He didn't need fame.
Just money.
And writing wouldn't get in the way of school, especially during those confusing math and physics classes where he was already zoning out anyway.
He sat up and looked at the blank paper on his desk.
The only problem was—
He'd only seen half the story.
Would he dream of the rest?
Would the memories return?
"…Heh."
Why worry?
First, he had to write something good enough to pass an editor's review.
Everything else came later.
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Guys translation was harder than I thought lol. Took a while! Especially since I'm trying to input my own thoughts into the fanfic.
Let me know if there is any mistakes!
And most importantly! If I should continue this work?