Chapter 1 - A fateful encounter

It had been a long time since I met her.
That day, when I was still five years old, I dreamed of being visited by a cute little girl.
She hid behind her mother’s back, trembling and nervous.
Slowly, her mother urged her out of her hiding place to introduce herself.
I remember, her legs were shaking, cold sweat ran down her skin, and her blushing face was lowered in embarrassment.
But still, she managed to introduce herself properly.

“... Call me Lilia. And I’ll call you Azami.”
“Childhood friends usually do that, right?” she said that day, her voice trembling.

I smiled at her. Lowering myself, I raised my hand.
“Un. From now on, let’s get along.”

She shook my hand.
Tears welled up in her eyes. A sign that she had tried her hardest to fight her fear.

From that day on, we spent our daily lives together.
Every single day, at any time, she would sneak into my house to play.
We read light novels, played games, wrote, or drew something together on paper.
That continued even after we entered elementary school.

In elementary school, once, I saw some messy papers left on the teacher’s desk. Out of curiosity, I climbed onto a chair and read them.
They were advanced algebra and arithmetic math problems. But not as complicated as my mother’s.
Around the test papers, there were many blank sheets scribbled over with rough pen strokes. It seemed whoever owned them had given up.
So, curious, I pulled some paper from my bag and worked on that test questions.
Of course, I didn’t scribble on the question sheet. From experience, the last time I did that, my mother scolded me.
After finishing, I just left my answer sheet on the teacher’s desk in the empty staff room.
Even now, no one knows who solved it.

When I was in fifth grade, the teacher ranked everyone’s scores in class.
I got first place with a perfect score. But Lilia… she ranked 25th out of 27 students.
Because of that, Aunt Inami was furious at her.
I tried to stop her, to keep her from hurting Lilia any further.
Lilia’s ears were already red from it.

“Aunt Inami! Please leave Lilia to me!”
“I’ll make sure to teach her properly!”

I don’t know what was wrong with my words, but Aunt Inami looked a bit startled, then smiled widely as she watched me spreading my arms to shield Lilia.

“Very well. I’ll leave Lilia to you,” she answered.
Something about her statement and reaction felt strange to me back then, but oh well.

I taught her since that every day.
She studied with me earnestly, often staying the night at my house.
“(Azami’s house… my second home…)” she murmured in her sleep, her arms folded on the desk as a pillow.

Surprisingly, in the next exam, she ranked 2nd, right below me.
When that happened, something seemed strange with Aunt Inami.
It was as if she trusted me more... or something like that.
For example, she no longer worried or told Lilia to come home whenever Lilia said she would go to my house or be with me.
And from then on, she never ranked below 5th place in any school exam.

In our first year of middle school, surprisingly, Lilia was bullied by her classmates.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

I found them behind the gym building.
Lilia was curled up on the ground, protecting her head with her arms.
Her hair and clothes were soaking wet, as if they had just poured something over her.
There were seven of them—three boys and four girls.

“You think we’re scared of you?”
“Take this!”
The boy in the middle of the other two lunged at me with a straight punch.

Well, long story short—I beat them up.
One was crouching and clutching his stomach, another was holding his bloody nose. Another, still standing, was trembling so badly he wet himself.

I grabbed Lilia’s hand and helped her stand.
She immediately clung to me, crying.
I turned to the ones still standing.

“From now on, don’t ever mess with us again."
"Or ... you’ll pay the price.”

After that, I held her hand and left the place.
Near the restroom, I put down my bag and told her to change into the spare clothes I had brought from home that morning.

“You don’t want to make Aunt Inami worry, do you?” I gently patted her hair, forcing a small smile.
“Un...”

It was actually her own clothes that she had once left at my house.

She obeyed and went into the restroom to change out of her wet clothes.

In our second year of middle school, I made a friend.
He was a bookworm and an otaku I barely even noticed when we were first-years.
“M-my name is Nakami Akira.”
“P-please take care of me. (よろしくお願いします。)”

He was… a strange guy, I guess.
Because almost every boy who approached me always had some sort of hidden motive.
What else, if not to get closer to Lilia.

“Lilia…?”
“Ooh, Inami-san, huh. She really is popular, isn’t she?”

But no, he wasn’t. He didn’t even know Lilia herself, he only recognized her family name.

He was my very first friend throughout all my school years.

He always seemed busy typing something on his phone. I had no idea what he was doing, and I never asked.

Until a few hours before the middle school graduation ceremony.

“After we graduate, I’ll be moving away.”

“It's because... my parent's job.”

He made a shocking statement.
At that moment, he also asked for my opinion on a light novel manuscript he had written, which he was planning to submit to a publisher.
So this was why he’d been so busy the past year.

When I read it, as usual, Lilia clung to me from behind, pressing against me as if reading it along with me.
After finishing his manuscript, I gave him my opinion as a hardcore otaku with a full bookshelf of light novels.
Of course, so did Lilia.

And then, after the graduation ceremony ended, he moved away.
But we had already exchanged Line IDs, so we could talk whenever we wanted.

Second year of high school—a terrible incident happened.

“Azami! Look out!!”

Haruto shouted just as a basketball came flying toward me.
It struck directly at my right ankle, instantly dislocating it.
That kind of pain ... I had never experienced before.
Everyone rushed over, carrying me straight to the School Medical Room.

The teacher in charge immediately treated me. With skilled hands, she fixed my ankle.
“nnh...”

My ankle was set back into place.
But the pain, the throbbing, and the fear still haunted me.
The teacher compressed my ankle, then wrapped and braced it with elastic bandages.
This school’s teachers were truly skilled.

The one who had thrown the basketball admitted his mistake and apologized. He said he had meant to pass it to Satoru but missed and hit me instead.
Since it was supposedly an accident, I forgave him.

At first, I believed his words. But, in the end—

That afternoon after school, he approached Lilia, who was erasing the blackboard, saying he wanted to talk.
It was a normal sight. Lilia often received confessions like that.
She turned toward me.

With a strange smile, she jogged over and whispered in my ear:

“If I accept him, what will you do?”

Without another word, she turned back, winked at me, and walked away.
I knew it was just her joking around, but for some reason, this one really bothered me. A terrible feeling churned in my chest.

So, I followed her.

She went into the AV room, where Iwani had asked to speak with her.
Lilia deliberately left the door slightly ajar, not closing it all the way. I think she knew I was trailing her.
But that didn’t matter. I was here to confirm why this awful feeling inside me existed.

And sure enough, something happened.

“I’m sorry, Iwani-san, but I already like someone else.”
When Lilia said that, Iwani’s expression twisted.

"... Is it ... Azami?”

Seeing his change, Lilia flinched and slowly stepped back.

　“ANSWER ME!!” he suddenly shouted.

　“Y-yes...” Lilia’s trembling voice answered as she kept retreating. She was scared.

　“AZAMI, AZAMI, AZAMI AGAIN!”
　“I’M SICK OF HEARING IT!”
He looked more and more terrifying.

His fists clenched tightly, and he grabbed Lilia’s hand roughly. Her bag fell to the ground.

“Iwani-san, you’re hurting me...”
“Let me go.”

He glared into her eyes, feral.

“You think you can just run away from me?”
“DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH!”

With all his strength, he shoved her back, slamming her against the window.
She was completely trapped.

“(Ahhkk…!?)”
Suddenly, the pain in my ankle flared up again. This even worse than before.

My fists clenched, my eyes widened. I wanted nothing more than to beat that bastard senseless.
But until the pain subsided a little, I couldn’t move.

“W-what are you doing?”
“Stop it!”
Lilia was terrified, pressing herself against the wall even though there was nowhere left to retreat.

“You know, Lilia-san.”
“This room is soundproof. No one will hear you, no matter how much you scream.”

His expression was disgusting. He looked like a beast ready to pounce on prey right before his eyes.

“N-nooo!!”
“A-Azami, help me!”

She crawled backward. Lilia kicked out at him desperately, trying to resist.

“Hhahahahaha…!”
“Pointless. He won’t come save you!”

He lowered himself, licking his lips.

“Well then, now—it’s time to have some fun.”

“NOOOO!!! LET GO OF ME, LET GO!!”
“NOOO!!!”
“Azami, help me, please, help me!”
“AZAMIII!!!”

She kept screaming for me.

My rage could no longer be contained. As if my body had forgotten the pain in my ankle, I burst the door open and lunged with my fist clenched.

“LET HER GO, YOU BASTARD!!!”

He turned his head toward me.

“Hah, finally you show up, you piece of trash.”
“Come at me!”

He stood, letting Lilia slump against the wall.
Instead of dodging, he threw his fist straight at my face. A clean horizontal punch.

I dropped my body low, evading his strike.
With all my strength, I drove my fist into his stomach.

“Aahhkk—”

He staggered back, clutching his stomach in pain.

But he attacked again. A spinning kick this time.

I blocked it with my left arm.

“Wh—?!”

Quickly, I swept his supporting leg. He fell instantly.
I climbed on top of him and pummeled his face mercilessly.
“Ahk! Sto— ahk! Ahk!”

He was helpless. I struck until blood splattered from his nose, staining my knuckles red.
I stood, grabbed his collar, and hurled him into the desks and chairs.
He crashed into them, scattering everything.

Panting, my fists still clenched, I wasn’t satisfied yet.
I took a step forward.
Then heard a faint, weak voice behind me.

“A… za… mi...”

Instantly, my fury was extinguished.
Her face was bruised, her hair disheveled, her gaze empty, tears streaming endlessly.
Only fear and emptiness remained.
Her uniform was in tatters. Cardigan and blouse buttons scattered on the floor, bra strap snapped, skirt slipping from one side.

“Aza… mi...”

She reached out toward me.

Tears welled in my eyes. Ignoring Iwani, I rushed to Lilia and pulled her into my arms.
I pressed her face against my chest, stroking her hair.

“Aza… mi?”
“I’m here. It’s over now.”
“Calm down, I’m with you.”

Her arms fell to the floor. She didn’t hug me back—her body limp, crushed by fear and trauma.
The psychological damage was severe.

“Hhahahahaha, ‘over,’ you say?”
“Don’t make me laugh!”

That bastard ....

“Aahhkk...”

The pain returned, just as I tried to stand.

“Ahhahahahaha... what’s wrong? Can’t get up?”

He was laughing, satisfied, completely deranged.

“The basketball should have hit your head. Too bad it missed.”
“If it had gone according to plan, I could’ve sent you to the hospital and had Lilia all to myself here!”

Damn it...

“Well then, time to end this.”
He grabbed a desk, lifted it high over his head.

“Before I kill you, I’ll tell you one thing.”
“After I kill you, I’ll take Lilia somewhere with my hired men.”
“And after that, I’ll use her however I want—you’ll never stop me.”

“Now then, farewell ... AZAMIII!!”

He hurled the desk with all his might.
It must have weighed at least 15 kilograms. Taking it head-on would be bad.

Only one idea crossed my mind. I wasn’t sure it would work, but—
I had no choice.

I stood, balancing on my left leg.
Crossing my arms in front, right leg lifted halfway, I braced myself.
The moment the desk reached me, I twisted my body left, redirecting its path.

Crashhh!

The desk smashed into the other tables and chairs.

I had avoided it.

Right then, a man’s voice thundered from the doorway.

“WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?!”

It was our terrifying P.E. teacher, Watabe-sensei.

“H-he attacked me out of nowhere!”
“I didn’t do anything!”

Iwani pointed at me, lying through his teeth. But—

Watabe-sensei walked over to him. And then—

“Hhn…!”
“Aahhkk!!”

He smashed Iwani with his huge fist, sending him flying.
Then he turned to me.

“I saw everything on the CCTV. You don’t need to explain anything.”
“Take care of that girl. I’ll deal with this bastard.”

He strode toward Iwani.

“Come with me!”

Grabbing his collar from behind, he dragged him out.
Before I could even say a word, they were gone.

　“...”

I felt a faint tug on my uniform from behind.
Lilia. Her eyes empty, as if trapped in darkness.

“Calm down. I’m here.”

I turned, lowering myself until our eyes met.

“I’ll never leave you.”

She reached up, gripping the fabric of my cardigan.
“Azami...? Is it really you?”

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her warmly.

　“Yes, I’m here.”
As if regaining her senses, she looked up at me.

Tears spilled down her cheeks.

“Azami!”
She threw herself into me, crying harder than ever before in my arms.
Her body shook violently, releasing all her fear in that single loud, unrestrained cry.

Several hours passed, yet her tears still hadn’t stopped. My uniform was completely drenched because of her.
Around 6:00 PM, her sobs finally began to subside.
Exhausted, she lay down and fell asleep on my lap.

Her clothes were still in disarray.
I took off my cardigan and waved it lightly in the air.
Slowly, relying on gravity, the cardigan drifted down and landed over her body. It covered her like a blanket, giving her a bit more comfort.

At 10:15 PM, she woke up.
Around 7:30 earlier, the teacher had come to check on Lilia’s condition, as well as mine.
After examining us, she noticed Lilia still fast asleep.
Unable to bring himself to wake her, she left her to rest and asked me to watch over her instead.

That teacher even said that if we were too exhausted to go home, we could stay overnight in the infirmary.

“It’s already 10:15 now.”
“If you’re scared to go home this late, I’ll stay with you in the infirmary tonight.”

She rubbed her eyes, glanced at the clock near the AV room to her right, then turned toward me.
She crawled closer, clinging to my chest and gripping my shirt tightly.

“Azami…”
“I’m afraid Mama will worry and start looking for us.”
“So… let’s just go home, okay?”

“Alright.”
“But before that, you should change your clothes first.”

“Okay.”

She pushed herself back a little, then stood up.
Without warning, she unbuttoned her blouse right in front of me.

“W-wait a second!”
“I’ll wait outside, so—”

But as I bowed my head and walked past her, she caught my hand.

“Don’t leave me…”
“You promised, didn’t you?”

While holding her half-open blouse with her left hand, she held my arm tightly with the other.

“B-but...”

“If it’s you ... I don’t mind.”

“What… do you mean?”

She lifted her face. Anxious expression, eyes shimmering with tears.

“Hey Azami, can you… still see me as a girl?”

“Huh?”

Azami is the most precious person in my life.
I don’t want him to feel disgusted with me. I want him to keep seeing me the same as always.
I… I don’t want him to drift away from me.
I don’t want… him to be repulsed by me…

Without Azami noticing, her tears fell once more.
Her trembling hands clutched the back of my uniform, as if desperately holding on to something unseen.

“…”

“After what happened today…”
“You don’t… find me disgusting, do you?”

Her question shifted.
What was it she truly wanted to know?

“W-what are you saying?”
“Just hurry and change your clothes.”

Suddenly, Lilia shouted—

“ANSWER ME!”

I flinched. Lilia had never raised her voice like that before.
“Please…”

Her yell immediately softened into a plea.
The sound of her voice, quivering as if she were holding back more tears, struck painfully deep in my chest.

“… of course. I’m normal guy.”

She pressed her forehead against my back.
A sob of relief escaped her lips.

“Thank goodness… you still see me as a girl.”

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything back.

“Hurry and change your clothes.”
“Aunt Inami and the others must be waiting for you.”

“Un.”
She pulled back and began changing behind me.

A few minutes later.

“I’m done.” Lilia said.

I turned around and found her wearing my gym uniform.
I guess I won’t ask why she did that when she actually had her gym clothes in her own bag.

“All of them can’t be used anymore.”
She lifted her head.

“Hey Azami, how should I tell mom about this?”
I fell silent for a moment.

“I’ll be the one to explain it to Aunt Inami.”
“You don’t have to do anything.”

“Un.”
I saw lots of beads scattered all over the floor.

“No need to pick them up. Mom has plenty at home.”
“Alright.”
We went home, leaving the AV room just as it was.

Even though our houses actually stood face-to-face, separated only by a small alleyway, I still walked her home.
On the way, she clung tightly to my arm. She didn’t let go until we arrived at her house.

As soon as I pressed the doorbell, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing closer.
My mom and Aunt Inami were there, their faces full of worry.
Without saying a word, Lilia walked past them and went straight upstairs.

“About that, there’s something I need to talk about.”

We entered the living room, sat on the sofa, and then I explained everything that had happened.
They couldn’t believe what I was telling them.

“Everything Azami said is true, Aunt Izumi, Mom.”

Lilia suddenly came back in, carrying all the ruined uniforms. She placed them on the table and sat down on the sofa beside me. She grabbed my hand.
Her hand was trembling.

“Blood?!”
“H-hey, Azami, did you get into a fight?” Mom noticed the bloodstains on the uniform I was still wearing—and also on my hand.
“I already explained everything earlier, didn’t I?”

The atmosphere sank into silence. They lowered their heads, lost for words.

“Th-thank goodness you both came home safely,” Mom said.
“Y-yeah.”
“For now, take some rest in your rooms. We’ll prepare dinner for you,” Aunt Inami replied.

Lilia stood up, still holding the hand she had been clutching.
“Come on, Azami.”
“W-where to?”
“You promised me earlier, didn’t you?”

I couldn’t answer her. I stood and followed behind her.
She led me into her room.
As soon as I stepped inside, she shut the door.
She came closer, pressing her face against my chest.

“Don’t leave me, please...”

I raised both hands. My left hand supported her back, my right gently stroked the back of her hair.
“Un.”

That night we slept together. She clung to my arm, never letting go, even after she had fallen asleep.

...

The next day, Iwani was expelled from school and sentenced by a family court to be sent to a rehabilitation center in Tokyo.
We had several days off until things settled down.

Lilia’s personality changed completely. The cheerful girl she used to be had turned quiet and obedient.

After three days of skipping school, I took her back to class.
She had grown extremely fearful of boys, even avoiding her female friends.
She was always with me, clinging tightly to my arm.

I couldn’t even talk to Haruto anymore.
Luckily, he understood the situation and told me not to worry about it.

Until a few weeks later, one evening, in Lilia’s room.
On the bed, she held my hand. Her face flushed red.

“Azami...”
“I like you.”
“Long before all this, ever since we were kids.”

Wearing her pale blue pajamas, she suddenly confessed her love.

“I know this is sudden, but...”
“Will you make me yours?”

She lifted her face, and our eyes met.
The cold sweat on my forehead didn’t lie. I was frozen in place, unable to respond.

“Are you sure... with a guy like me?”

“You’re underestimating yourself too much!”

She lowered herself, leaning against my chest.

“Besides, I’ve liked you since we were little.”
“At least realize that, idiot.”

Though her cheerfulness had faded, that spoiled side of her was still there.
Without realizing it, I smiled softly at her.

I raised my hands around her head, embracing her with all the warmth I had.

“If you want to spend the rest of your life with me...”
“Un.”
“Then, let’s take care of each other from now on.”

She lifted herself up, our eyes meeting once again.

“Un! Let’s take care of each other!”

“Ooh.” She jumped into me once more.

It had been so long since I last saw her smile like that.

Seeing her like this made me feel truly... happy.