Sincerely, Hanako

“Suzuki, here.”

The girl who sat directly in front of our protagonist looked back to hand him a printout, to which he only replied with a stiff nod.

It had already been more than a week since the first year of primary schooling had begun for the young boy, but he had been unexpectedly shy around his new peers.

He was still settling into his new environment, after all. Grade school was an entirely different atmosphere for him. And despite the boy’s leading social track record during his earlier childhood, moving to the big city and saying goodbye to his steadily built empire of elementary friends had left him as nothing more than a country bumpkin that had only recently been acquainted with the city.

Well, a fresh start must have been hard for somebody who didn’t ask for such a thing.

Suzuki reached his hand out, looking right into the girl’s smile. It was a very shallow, meaningless curl of the lips, but a kind one nonetheless. I’m sure that to him at the time, that much must have been enough for his appreciation on its own.

Even though… or perhaps precisely because he was often so apprehensively analytical of others and their intentions, he could come to find a meaning in such an expression.

This Shoutarou Suzuki was also quite the optimistic character, despite his developing introvertedness. He knew that she thought neither one way or another about him. But you could see it in his eyes, that he saw a relationship which was half full, rather than half empty.

Well, he would never end up with a girl like that, right? Especially because of what was about to happen, but even without that, a girl of that caliber didn’t stand a chance. They were like apples and oranges.

I personally think apples would be much better suited to mandrake fruits, don’t you think?

…

Actually, now that I think of it, it’d be no good to spoil something like somebody’s traumatic past all willy-nilly like. Especially the protagonist in question, who happens to be extra sensitive about the topic.

Or perhaps I just want to keep such a special bit of personal knowledge for myself. It’s one of the few things I have to prove our bond, after all.

Well, you’ll likely get to hear about it eventually. But we haven’t quite gotten there yet, so you’ll have to be patient for now.

Or, really, this isn’t a story that’s supposed to be told from my perspective to begin with, now is it?

Ah! I apologize. Really.

It’s just that I couldn’t help myself. I’ve just been so excited to get things going. I’ve been so excited to introduce such a sweet, heartwarming story to you. You could say that I’ve been waiting an eternity for this opportunity to do so.

Or longer, even.

But as you traverse this lovely exposition, just be sure to keep it in mind; he’s taken, okay? He’s mine and mine alone. No alternate ships, no fanfictions, and no yaoi!

That last one is especially off limits! Actually, all of them are super duper no-no’s!

Because, well, truth be told…

I love Shoutarou Suzuki with all of my heart.

I’d hate to lose sight of this feeling. I’d hate for a day to have to come where I’d need to let it go.

So in lue of the real thing, at the very least, I’d like to protect the uncertainty of the future. For now.

Well then…! With that out of the way, please enjoy getting to know the most wonderful and special person in the whole world, and the beginning of his and my romance.