Hananoi Tojiko is a figure shrouded in controversy, a human being who has long wished he had never been born. From his earliest memories, he saw himself as a miserable creature, cursed by existence itself. At the age of eight, he attempted to end his life—a desperate act that not only failed but also set his life spiraling into chaos. His mother’s hatred for him grew venomous, and the violent fights between his parents became the backdrop of his shattered childhood. When the news of his suicide attempt spread like a plague through the neighborhood, the shame and scrutiny became unbearable, forcing him to flee Japan, a broken boy exiled from his own home.

Years later, Hananoi returns to Japan, a shadow of his former self, yet bearing the title of a recommended student at Noriko High School—a prestigious institution reserved for the elite. The school is a gilded cage, filled with the children of powerful families, prodigies, and those destined for greatness. But beneath its polished surface lies a world of cutthroat ambition, hidden cruelty, and unspoken rules. Hananoi, with his fractured psyche and the scars of his past, is an outsider in this world of privilege.

His return is not a homecoming; it is a collision. His nemesis, a figure from his past, lurks in the shadows, waiting to reignite their bitter rivalry. And within Hananoi’s mind, the demons of his childhood still linger, whispering doubts and feeding his darkest impulses. Will he find a way to confront the darkness that has followed him since childhood, or will it consume him entirely? In a world where power and influence reign supreme, Hananoi’s tormented mind may be his greatest weapon—or the chain that drags him into the abyss.

I stared at Fuka's face. *"You've done it, right?"*  


*"Ye…ah. I went ahead my boundary and loss control."* Her words trembled.  


*"I'm going to meet Yui inside. Just stay here—understand?"*  


*"I don't think I can. I'll have to leave,"* she replied.  


I flipped the sign from **OPEN** to **CLOSED**.  


Inside, I found her sitting alone. I dragged a chair beside her.  


*"Nothing. Just… girl stuff,"* she muttered.  


*"What 'girl stuff' has you crying like this?"*  


*"No! It's just—"* She choked it's something that sounds childish 


*"I know about it (I'd been waiting for her to say it first)


*"But Fuka said she was in Osaka. Did you… travel there?"*  


*"No. She texted me her address. Said she'd been sick for days. When I arrived, the place was a wreck—her lying in bed like a corpse. I ran to the pharmacy, got her medicine, cleaned up, and made her food. Checked her temperature later… the fever reduces like the drug did magic


(She covered her face as she was about to utter the next word)


I pitied her,  poor girl, dragged into some scum shoujo manga plot.  


I hugged her tight, relieved she was okay (she continued talking)


Minutes later, we were kissing desperately, clothes half-off—until I snapped back to reality.  


*"I've liked you all along,"* she whispered. But I couldn't even look at her anymore.  


What made me look pathetic is that? I'd *enjoyed* it at first. (Sobbing.)  


*"What do you mean?! I can't—my dream's to have three kids someday!"*  


*"Go home. You need time alone I suggested."*  


I put her in a taxi, tidied up, and called Fuka to confess everything.  


Passing the post office, I grabbed Vice's package.  


*Damn, I forgot to take out the trash.* I cleaned furiously, then checked my phone. **4 missed calls from Chisato.** *Why's she—?*  


And—*shit*—a message from Vice: a reminder about her books.  


I sent them both explanations, then tore into the package. Turned out, it was my favorite author. Devoured every page. *Brilliant, as expected.*  


My phone died. Too lazy to charge it, I let it drop and collapsed into bed.  


All this time, she'd been on a lovesick deathbed. Poor Yui—she never realized *her own face* was the cure.  


Chapter 24 - Chapter 23