Chie Nitta 

The Japanese wiki advises that this story contains "depressing content."

Chie Nitta, a senior in high school, had come to a spot near the small river that ran through town.
She found herself reflecting on the past year’s events as the river’s water flowed slowly but surely, with a sense of loneliness.

“Worthless.”

Chie muttered under her breath.

The headphones that were supposed to be precious.
The memories that were supposed to be precious.
The feelings for the person who was supposed to be precious.

Chie had come to this river with the intention of throwing them all away.

Her senior year would soon be over.
A year in which everything began and everything ended was coming to a close.

“I don’t care anymore.”

She just wanted to leave this town, as quickly as possible.
She wanted to go somewhere where no one knew Chie Nitta.
Because there was no longer a place for Chie Nitta in this town.

Chie Nitta had someone she loved.
But that person, one she cherished more than anyone else, would not accept her.
Faced with such a firm rejection, Chie’s world, which used to shine in seven colors, faded all at once.

“The colors… are fading. Everything is turning gray…”

To Chie, rejection by the one she loved felt like rejection by the world itself.
On this vibrant planet where billions of people live, she had been left all alone.

“My heart is so dry… It will never be quenched again…”

Chie spoke her words into the void.
In truth, no matter what happened, she remained alone.
Even when a boy in her prep school class confessed his feelings to her, even when a classmate was uncharacteristically kind to her, even when a teacher praised her grades, the thirst in Chie’s heart was never quenched.

“I must have died once back then. If that’s the case, then I’m like a ghost now.”

With a touch of self-mockery, Chie murmured.
And then, as if to block out everything, she put on her headphones.

Chie had just one friend.
That was Yumi Fujita, the most popular girl in the class.
Chie trusted and respected Yumi from the bottom of her heart. Yumi felt the same affection for Chie.

However, they hadn’t been best friends right from the start of high school.

It wasn’t until a certain day in their third year that their bond suddenly grew much closer.
Until then, they had been polar opposites.

Yumi was trusted not only by her classmates but by everyone in the school; the boys treated her like a madonna, the girls praised her for her straightforward nature, and she was always at the center of attention.

In stark contrast, Chie was seen by both boys and girls as a quiet, aloof girl who was hard to get close to; she always spent her time alone, on the outside of any group.

While she was shy and reserved, she wasn’t particularly good at talking to people in the first place, so this situation wasn’t particularly painful for her.

However, perhaps out of concern for Chie, Yumi treated her kindly whenever the opportunity arose.
At first, Chie was bewildered by Yumi’s advances, but she gradually began to open up.

“I want to talk to Yumi more properly…”

Before she knew it, Chie had started thinking that way.

One day after school…
Chie was visiting a CD shop as usual.

Today was the release date for a CD by a band Chie really liked, and she had been looking forward to buying it since the morning.

With her heart racing, Chie headed for the shelf where the CD was located.
Then, she saw Yumi standing there.

“Oh, is that… Fujita-san?”

Chie’s confusion spilled out of her mouth.
Perhaps Yumi heard it, because she suddenly turned around.

“Oh, Chie?”
“Fujita…-san…”
“Come on, don’t be so formal. We’re classmates, so just call me by my first name.”
“Um, okay…”
“…Huh? Did you come here to buy this band’s CD too, Chie?”
“Um, yeah, but… You too?”

When Chie asked timidly, Yumi nodded with a smile.

“This band’s pretty obscure, but their sound is so soothing and really resonates with me.”
“Huh?! Really? That’s exactly how I feel…! The melodies are so calming… Listening to them on rainy or snowy days really helps me relax…”
“I’m surprised. So you listen to them the same way I do, Chie?”
“Fujita… oh, um, Yumi…-san, too?”
“Come on, you’re still being so formal. Just call me Yumi! Yu-mi!”
“Ah, um… Yumi…-chan”
“…Well, I guess that’s okay. Chie, let’s talk more about this band! I was getting bored because there’s no one in class I can talk to about it♪”
“Y-yes! If you’re okay with that…!”

From that day on, Chie and Yumi grew closer and closer.

Being alone was easy. Being lonely was fine. Chie had always thought that way, but her life began to change dramatically after she became close with Yumi.

As colorful paints were applied to her monochrome, sketch-like heart, Chie’s heart had become vivid and radiant before she realized it.

Before long, Chie was spending all her time with Yumi; they went to see live concerts together, went shopping, and even had sleepovers.

Then one day, after enjoying a concert as usual, the two stopped by a café on their way home to share their thoughts.

“Whew, hearing it live really is a whole different experience.”
“Yeah…! It was amazing…! I never get tired of it, no matter how many times I hear it, and I want to go again right away.”
“Hehehe, you look so happy~ Well then, maybe I should make you even happier?”
“Huh?”

Chie tilted her head at Yumi’s words.
Yumi laughed playfully and, with a dramatic flourish, pulled a cute, wrapped box out of her bag.

“Ta-daa♪ Happy birthday, Chie♪”
“Huh!? Y-you remembered…?”
“We’re best friends. Of course I did!”
“Best… friends… hehe, hehehe…”
“Come on, stop smiling so cutely and open it.”
“Okay… Oh! These are the same headphones as yours!”
“Hehehe, I got us matching ones. …As proof of our friendship♪”
“…”
“W-what!? You don’t like them!?”

Facing a bewildered Yumi, Chie shook her head.

“…No, that’s not it. I’m just so happy… I can’t find the words… Thank you, Yumi…”
“Hehehe, you’re welcome♪”

Wiping away the warm, gentle tears she shed for the first time in her life, Chie smiled.

Thanks to her one-and-only best friend, Chie had found happiness in life.

However, her happiness didn’t last long.
Suddenly, something changed with Yumi.

Specifically, she stopped asking Chie to go see concerts with her, and she began frequently turning down invitations to go shopping or have sleepovers.

Confused, Chie mustered up her courage and asked Yumi why.

“D-do you… hate me now…?”
“N-no way! That’s not it, Chie! I’m sorry I haven’t been able to spend much time with you lately… It’s just… Well, this is hard to say, but I think I’ve… fallen in love.”
“F-fallen in love!?”
“It’s a college student I met at my part-time job. He’s so handsome, totally my type! So, I’ve been going out with him a lot lately…”
“O-oh, I see…”
“Hey, if you don’t mind, would you give me some dating advice? I’m not used to this kind of thing… You’re my reliable best friend, Chie~”

For a moment, Chie wanted to refuse.
But hearing Yumi call her her “best friend,” she couldn’t bring herself to shake her head.

And more than anything, she felt that if she refused, Yumi would drift even further away. Terrified of that, Chie lied to herself about her own feelings.

“If you want, I’ll listen. We’re best friends, after all.”
“Wow! Thanks, Chie! I love you!”

She heard the sound of flesh being torn, a sound that shouldn’t have been there. It must have been an auditory hallucination. But Chie was certain she’d heard that sound coming from her own chest.

(…I love you, too… Yumi…)

However, Chie was slowly beginning to realize something. Even though they both said the same phrase, the feelings they held for each other were different.

From that day on, Yumi began confiding in Chie about her love life.
Each time, it felt like Chie’s heart was being torn apart, and she often found herself crying when she was alone.

Her heart would churn and fray, and those overwhelming emotions would spill out as tears.

“Why? I want Yumi to be happier than anyone else…”

After a while, Chie became certain.

“Yumi, I love you too… Yes, I love you. I love you so much that I don’t want anyone else to take you away from me…”

Chie harbored feelings for Yumi that were stronger than friendship. Chie was in love with Yumi.

“But I can’t tell Yumi how I feel. …What should I do?”

The fog in her heart wouldn’t lift, and time just passed by, as if in mockery…

After that, Chie continued to give Yumi relationship advice, just as Yumi wanted.
Even though it left her feeling uneasy, Chie eagerly offered her advice for the sake of her beloved best friend.

As time went on, the fateful day finally arrived.

That day, Yumi was in an even better mood than usual.
Seeing Yumi’s flushed cheeks and giddy demeanor, Chie felt her heart grow even more uneasy.

“Chie! Chie!”

Stop it.

“Listen! Listen!”

I don’t want to hear it.

“You know, I confessed to him, and guess what? He said YES!”

Oh. Oh…

The sound that shouldn’t have been audible, the sound of her heart being torn apart, stopped. Instead, Chie heard the sound of something shattering.

“…Ch-Chie? Are you okay?”
“…I-I’m fine. I’m just so happy… that your love has come true… I’m truly, so happy…”

Drop by drop, cold, lonely tears began to fall from her eyes.

“Come on, Chie, you don’t have to cry anymore! Thank you so much, Chie…!”

So that her best friend wouldn’t sense her broken heart, Chie forced a hollow smile.

“No, you don’t have to thank me. Congratulations, Yumi.”

Words of congratulations she didn’t mean in the slightest trickled out of her mouth.

(…As long as Yumi is happy, that’s all that matters.)

Chie desperately tried to convince herself of this. There was no lie in that thought.
It was true that Chie was deeply hurt.
But by giving up on everything, she was trying to accept it as a sad yet beautiful memory of her first love.

…At least, not yet.

A short while later, Yumi introduced her boyfriend to Chie.

Seeing the man who looked like a playboy, Chie couldn’t believe her eyes.
The man, who introduced himself as Tomari Kawagoe, certainly looked cool at first glance, just as Yumi had described. However, the moment she laid eyes on him, Chie realized his true nature.

(…He’s so fishy.)

It wasn’t merely a feeling distorted by the flames of jealousy.
Until she met Yumi, Chie had lived a lonely life since childhood. She has always been watching others’ reactions, which had sharpened her ability to read people.

(That guy… he’s definitely deceiving Yumi!! I have to protect her!)

The feelings she had once tried to suppress resurfaced, and Chie began to lose control.

Sensing something fishy about Yumi’s boyfriend, Chie had begun investigating his background without Yumi’s permission.

Her actions escalated day by day, and she eventually began stalking Kawagoe.

Soon enough, Kawagoe slipped up. It turned out he was seeing a whole bunch of different girls.

(I can’t believe it! Even though he has Yumi! Did he toy with her feelings!? I can’t allow it…! I can’t allow it…!!)

Chie trembled with rage, but she realized that if she told Yumi the truth right now, Yumi would never believe her.

(In that case…)

Having come up with a plan, Chie called Kawagoe out to a place where Yumi wasn’t present.

“Kawagoe-san…”
“Oh, aren’t you Yumi’s best friend… Chie-chan?”
“You remembered my name. That makes me happy.”

Feeling a chill run down her spine, Chie desperately kept up her act.

“Of course. I never forget a girl’s name or face once I’ve met her.”
(This makes me sick… But it’s for Yumi’s sake, to protect her!)

Forcing a smile, Chie struggled to find the right words.

“I’m really sorry to Yumi… but, um, ever since I first saw you, I haven’t been able to forget about you, Kawagoe-san.”

Hearing the words she’d struggled to form, Kawagoe’s eyes widened for a moment. But after a while, he smiled gently and placed his hand softly on Chie’s head.

“It’s okay. In that case, let’s date. I like you too, Chie-chan.”

Chie felt like she was about to explode with rage at those flippant words, spoken without a hint of hesitation. If she could, she would have punched him right then and there.

But this was all to protect Yumi.
Chie told herself that and desperately pretended to be happy.
And so, Chie and Kawagoe ended up going on a date.

The date with Kawagoe was extremely painful, but Chie endured it all for Yumi’s sake.

As she spent time that felt no different from torture, the moment of parting finally arrived.

As Chie pretended to be reluctant to get separated, Kawagoe whispered gently.

“I want to stay with you a little longer… Hey, what do you think? Want to spend the night together?”
“…What about Yumi? Aren’t you two dating?”

Kawagoe forcefully wrapped his arm around Chie’s waist.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a fling with her. Spending time with you today made me realize… the person I should be cherishing is you…”

Kawagoe kept spouting those shallow words, but then he saw something and froze.
And the blood drained from his face before Chie’s very eyes.

“Chie… Kawagoe-kun…? He-hey… what’s going on here…?”

At the end of Kawagoe’s line of sight stood Yumi.

Of course, this had all been Chie’s plan. She had called Yumi at this exact time.

Chie knew that no matter what she said, Yumi wouldn’t believe her about Kawagoe’s misdeeds. And so, she had no choice but to show her the evidence firsthand. To create a definitive scene that would leave no room for denial, Chie had put herself on the line.

And her plan had succeeded brilliantly.

“W-wait! This isn’t what it looks like! It’s all a mistake! Let me expla-“
“You’re the worst!!”

Paying no heed to Kawagoe’s pathetic excuses, Yumi slapped him across the face.

(Serves him right…)

Watching the scene with a smug grin, Chie was genuinely delighted that her plan had gone so well.

However, the very next moment, she would come to deeply regret it. That was because Yumi, with tear-filled eyes, was glaring fiercely not at Kawagoe, but at Chie.

“Yu-Yumi…?”
“I trusted you. I thought you were my best friend…!!”

With that, Yumi ran off, crying.

“No, no, Yumi!!”

Chie desperately chased after Yumi.

“Wait! Please, wait, Yumi!”

At Chie’s call, Yumi finally stopped in her tracks.
Chie tried frantically to explain herself to Yumi, but Yumi wouldn’t listen to a word she said.
With eyes burning with rage, Yumi glared at Chie.

“What were you thinking?! Why did you steal my boyfriend!! And you call yourself my best friend!?”
“N-no, that’s not it. I was just trying to protect y-“
“Shut up!”

Yumi was absolutely convinced that Chie had stolen Kawagoe from her.

Come to think of it, it was only natural. If you witnessed your boyfriend and your best friend cheating without knowing the full story, it would be spontaneous to think that.

Chie was filled with intense regret. She had acted solely to protect Yumi, and because of that, she hadn’t been able to think clearly even about the simplest things.

Stumbling over her words, Chie continued to desperately try to explain herself. Yumi slapped Chie’s cheek as hard as she could.

“Ugh…!!”
“I hate you!! I fucking hate you!! You’re not my best friend!! Don’t ever come near me again!!”

Yumi yanked the matching headphones, the proof of their friendship, off her neck and threw them away with all her strength.

(Oh, it’s all over now…)

Chie simply stared intently at the figure of her best friend, the girl she had loved so dearly, as she walked away.

Yumi was drifting away from Chie’s heart, not just physically.

And just as Yumi’s figure disappeared from view, Chie realized that Yumi had become the person farthest from her.

Chie’s vision blurred with tears.
It wasn’t just because of the burning pain in her cheek.

About six months had passed since then, and Chie found herself alone once again.

In fact, she had become someone despised by everyone in the school.

This was due to various rumors circulating, such as “She stole her best friend’s boyfriend” or “She likes women.”

But for Chie, who had lost something irreplaceable and lost interest in everything, it didn’t matter how bad the rumors got.

She simply wanted to go somewhere far away, anywhere but here.

“Worthless.”

Chie muttered under her breath.
Then, removing the now-meaningless headphones from her neck, she tossed them into the river.

“Farewell.”

Like the river’s current, Chie bid farewell to the past year, a year that had flowed slowly, yet surely, away.

(…I’ll go to a place where no one knows me, and find someone who will accept me.)

Having made that decision, Chie walked home alone.