“Ugh… Damn it, today’s just not my day…”

It all started when Hinamori-san dumped me. Then, all the girls I usually interacted with started messing with me and making fun of me. I thought it was finally over, and I could just go home and relax.

“Why are they sold out of ice cream…!”

I stopped by a convenience store to buy ice cream, but they were sold out… I went to another store, but they were sold out too.

Apparently, the ice cream I was looking for was featured on TV the day before, and there was a temporary shortage.

“I managed to buy some, but… Ugh, I’m exhausted…”

Before I knew it, I had ended up at a convenience store in the complete opposite direction from my home. It was a small convenience store, so I was lucky enough to get some, but I felt terrible. I was already exhausted, and now I had to do even more work.

On top of that, I was having a headache, I felt nauseous, and I even had a bad feeling that I might die.

“——Ah, a park”

Just as my vision started to blur, I spotted a park. There was a nice-looking bench there.

“…I guess I have no choice”

It was summer, so even if I slept outside for a bit, I wouldn’t die from a few mosquito bites.

“Just a little, just a little… I’ll just rest for a bit.”

I shoved the convenience store bag, with water droplets clinging to it, into my school bag. I used my school bag as a pillow so no one would steal it and lay down on the bench.

“Oh no…”

Suddenly, all the fatigue I had been holding back came rushing over me.

The tension I had been holding in disappeared, and before I knew it, I closed my eyelids and fell asleep——

!next

++Hot… My body is burning hot. Ugh, it hurts, it’s hot, it’s painful!++

“Ah, ah”

++Why, why is this happening, why why!!++

“Haruto, are you alright?”

What stopped my thoughts from going crazy due to the pain and heat was my mother’s voice.

“M-mom?”

“Oh, Haruto, thank goodness”

“Mom… Mom!”

I opened my closed eyelids and reached out towards the direction of the voice.

“—Huh?”

But there was—

“I’m sorry… I can’t, ugh, hug you anymore, huff, huff”

—My mother, with parts of her body missing, metal and glass piercing her, covered in blood, yet still leaning over me protectively.

!next

“Ugh! Ha, ha, ha”

I woke up with a start at the sight of my mother.

My shirt was drenched in sweat, and my breathing was ragged as if I had just run a marathon.

“Calm down, calm down, calm down…”

It was a dream. Just a dream. It was a distant past that had already passed, so there was no point in regretting it now.

“Ugh”

Even as I told myself that, I couldn’t shake off the feelings that surfaced.

++”Ahh… My beloved, my beloved… Haru… to”++

I suddenly remembered my deceased mother’s words.

“Mom”

++”Li… live… haa… become… a kind person… especially… haa, haa, you have to be kind to girls, okay?”++

My mother’s words, forever etched in my memory. I had been trying my best to live by her words, but now, I didn’t feel like I could walk forward like I used to.

“I… I can’t be a kind person”

I helped people when they were in trouble, and I prioritized those who were hurting in front of me over myself.

But what did I gain from all of that?

Of course, I didn’t expect anything in return for helping others.

But that doesn’t mean I should be subjected to scorn and malice as a result of my actions… That’s just not fair. Can’t I even have a normal, ordinary life?

“…I’m at my limit”

Ever since that day, when my mother, my only family, died, I’ve wanted to die countless times. But if I committed suicide here, my mother’s thoughts and actions to protect me would be in vain, so I couldn’t choose death.

The contradiction of wanting to die but having to live was driving me crazy.

In fact, my emotions were becoming duller day by day, and I couldn’t express anger, sadness, or joy strongly anymore. Especially recently, my heart has been worn down and broken by the heartless words and actions of the girls I was close to.

++—I have nothing left.++

++Can I even say that I’m alive in this empty state? Even if I died, no one would grieve, and nothing would change, would it?++

All that came to mind were negative words.

No matter how hard I tried to stop them, the torrent of words relentlessly filled my mind.

“…Ah”

++—How can I escape from this hell?++

A wish that couldn’t even be voiced. A wish that wouldn’t be heard by anyone, and I would continue to live a life where I didn’t even know if I was alive or dead.

I thought so, and I was even starting to accept it. Yet—

“—Hey, are you okay?”

“…Huh?”

I lifted my head at the sudden voice.

“You look very troubled.”

When I looked up, I saw a young woman looking down at me with concern.

Her divine figure, illuminated by the moonlight, looked like she was there to save me, and without thinking——

“An angel?”

The words slipped out of my mouth.

“Eh? An angel?”

“Ah, I-I’m sorry!”

++What am I saying to a woman I’ve just met? That’s just creepy!++

As I felt like dying from my own words, the woman smiled with a surprised expression.

“No, no! It actually surprised me!”

“Huh?”

“You see, I’m a nurse. So, calling me an angel isn’t entirely wrong, you know? Nurses are called angels in white coats, right?”

The woman smiled innocently like a child.

“So, I was thinking I’d like to look after you a little, as an angel… Is that okay?”

She must be saying this out of goodwill. But because of what had happened in the past, I couldn’t help but look for ulterior motives.

++…If this woman betrays me, so be it. I’m used to being hurt, right? Besides, I have nothing left to lose.++

“…Yes, please.”

“Alright! Then, let’s start by checking your pulse.”

Saying that, the woman grabbed my arm, gently rolled up my sleeve slightly, and checked my pulse.

“Hmm, your pulse is definitely fast. And your complexion is very bad… Your eyes aren’t focused either.”

The woman quickly checked my condition.

“Personally, I think the best would be to call an ambulance right now and have you rest in the hospital for a day or two.”

“W-well… I can’t do that.”

If I did that, it would definitely cause trouble for Sakura-san.

“Hmm, is there a reason?”

“…Yes.”

“I see… then what should we do?”

“I think I’ll be fine if I rest for a bit, so please just leave me alone.”

I tried to continue by saying I was fine.

“No way! As a nurse, and as a human being, I can’t just abandon you when you’re clearly unwell!”

The woman gently grasped both of my hands with a serious expression, enveloping them. For some reason, the warmth I felt from her hands was comforting.

“Hmm, hmm…”

The woman hummed while holding my hands, as if she was thinking about something. After repeating humming for a few seconds, she looked at me from a close distance and smiled.

“I’ve decided! You’re coming to my place!!”

“…Huh?”

I was so surprised by her sudden statement that my eyes widened.

“Yep! This way, I can respect your situation and ease my worries! I’m a genius!”

The woman, oblivious to my bewilderment, was calling a taxi company on her phone.

“Alright, the taxi will be here in about five minutes, so you don’t have to worry anymore! When you come to my place, you’ll eat first, and if you’re up to it, you should wash your body too!”

“Huh?”

Ignoring my confusion, the woman counted something on her fingers. And when she reached five, she seemed to realize something and turned to me.

“Ah, that’s right!”

The woman who turned around had a radiant smile on her face that outshone even the moonlight.

“What’s your name?”

“…My name is Minazuki Haruto.”

Hearing my name, the woman’s expression softened—and then.

“Haruto-kun, right! My name is Kusunoki Miku! Nice to meet you!!”

—She said so with a warm expression that seemed to melt even my frozen heart.

!next

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