The Strange Okkotsu

I’ve always thought my classmate Yuta was really strange. His face is always covered in blue or purple bruises. He never turns in his homework, is always losing things, and keeps his bangs too long. He’s always secretly talking to his own shadow, or else he doesn’t say a word at all. Oh, and he really loves apologizing. He’ll crouch in a corner with his arms wrapped around his knees, repeating, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry...” As time went by, Yuta and I gradually got to know each other and grew closer. I saw him smile for the first time, tutored him, and spent a whole day with him at an amusement park. “That’s not strange. He’s obviously being bullied at school,” my childhood friend told me one day. I also learned that Yuta had a childhood friend who’d died in a car accident when they were young. They had promised each other, “When we grow up, we’ll get married, Yuta.” I decided I never wanted to see Yuta again. Reader advisory: 1. You’re my best friend, but I’m not yours. Fake extrovert × introvert. A love that burns just to be near. 2. The story begins when Yuta is in middle school and covers a long period of time. There’s also another type I like: black-haired men (who else?). 3. Includes, but isn’t limited to, gloomy obsession, heartache, a sense of oppressive gravity, wanting to run away with you, misunderstandings, love triangles, and related negative themes. In short, I want to write a school story full of dark crawling around. Please leave lots and lots of comments. Do not plagiarize. Theme: Let’s run away together