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I'm Hayakawa Anori.
I'm gloomy, withdrawn, and bad at talking to people. Because of that, I've never had many friends, and I've always gone everywhere alone.
That is, until I met a girl named Rika Orimoto.
When she smiles, the corners of her mouth turn up so prettily. When she says my name, her voice is gentle and sweet.
Rika-chan shines like the sun and is adored by everyone at school. But she still takes my hand and kisses my cheek, telling me I'm her best friend.
Her smile always makes me happy, so Rika-chan is the person I love most.
Then one day, my only friend was stolen away by a pale, timid boy. I was no longer the most special person in Rika's heart.
So Rika wouldn't be sad, we promised to stay together forever. We'd go through middle school, high school, and even university together, then work and travel after graduation...
The future that was supposed to belong to just me and Rika-chan would now have to include someone else's name, too
I hate him so much!
That jerk named Yuta Okkotsu always looks guilty. He shrinks away and apologizes to me in a tearful voice while taking everything I love...
"Rika, Anori, and Yuta are going to get married when we grow up! We'll always, always be together!"
Rika had her arms around mine. Beneath her radiant smile, I was forced to take Yuta Okkotsu's hand. I protested, feeling wronged. "But we're only allowed to have one spouse now... I don't think we can get married..."
Waaah... Why?! I don't want to be the one Rika-chan leaves out!
"I'll be Anori's wife, and Yuta will be the husband. That way, it'll be one husband and one wife! Anori, you're such a silly girl!"
I-is that how it works?
Rika placed her hand over mine and Yuta Okkotsu's joined hands. Her palm was so warm, and her smile so sweet, that I couldn't think too hard. I could only nod along with her idea.
All right... As long as I can be with Rika.
But three people's feelings are just too crowded!
I secretly tried to sabotage that jerk, hoping to lower his standing in Rika-chan's eyes and make her like me a little more. But things always backfired, and she misunderstood me.
"Anori and Yuta seem even closer today than they were yesterday! You even shared your lunch with him without being asked. Good job, Anori!"
When all I really wanted was to dump the spinach I hated into that jerk's lunchbox?
"Huh? You asked Yuta for help with your homework? You two are getting so close~"
When all I really wanted was to dump all my homework on him so he wouldn't have time to bother Rika?
With all my little tricks, I thought that jerk would be the first one to leave our relationship. But the first one to break our promise turned out to be me
Because of my father, I was forced to transfer to a school overseas.
On the day I left, I burst into tears when I didn't see Rika at the airport.
I'm doomed. I made Rika angry. She doesn't love me anymore. She'll give all her love to someone else
I secretly called Rika's house, wrote her letters, and sent her all kinds of gifts to make up with her, but she never replied.
Later, when I sneaked back to Japan and waited around all day, I only found that Yuta Okkotsu at school... Well, I had no choice but to add him on Line. Every day, I bombarded him with messages despite the time difference, tried to pry information about Rika out of him, and humbly begged him to put in a good word for me.
But I never expected that jerk to delete his Line account without saying a word.
I never heard from either of them again. In the end, I lost even that annoying friend.
After returning to Japan, I learned that Rika had died in a car accident. That jerk had been lying to me all these years
The next time I saw Yuta Okkotsu was at Tokyo Jujutsu High. I charged at him and kicked him hard, but I couldn't do anything more.
I heard them all call the white shadow behind him the Queen of Curses.
They all said it was Rika...
That's so cruel, so selfish. That jerk was keeping Rika hidden away and wouldn't even tell me...
"Do you want Rika? I can help you take her back from him." A man with foxlike eyes and half-long hair stroked my head and asked with a smile, his words clearly meant to tempt me.
I was tempted.
[Content warnings]
| My take on Yuta, severe OOC warning
| Yuta and Rika are not a couple; pure-love sandwich pairing, Yuta is excessively emotional
| Love triangle drama + corruption
| Everyone's favorite Mary Sue
Theme: Those who are favored have nothing to fear
