《 Prologue: The End of a Long-Distance Love 》
To an outsider, the scene would seem bizarre.
It was almost time for the morning bell, and a crisp autumn breeze swept through the school gates, where a long line of students had formed, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a certain girl.
“What’s with this line?”
“Oh, you’ll see, it’s about to—”
A newly arrived student, startled by the commotion, would ask what was going on, only to be drawn in by the explanation and join the growing queue. The cycle repeated, and by the time a veritable snake of a line had taken shape, she finally appeared.
“Ahh… she’s as gorgeous as ever, the untouchable beauty…”
Someone’s dreamy murmur was met with nods of agreement from the crowd.
Silky, semi-long black hair and large, sparkling eyes. Tall for a girl, with a figure that boasted curves far beyond the norm. She wore the navy blazer—often criticized by other girls as “plain and unflattering”—with the effortless grace of a runway model, striding down the ordinary school path like it was a catwalk.
Her name was Kousaka Nanami, a girl who embodied both cuteness and beauty. With her refined, almost ethereal appearance and a calm, Yamato Nadeshiko-like demeanor, she was overwhelmingly popular at school.
Her divine beauty left boys and girls alike spellbound, rooted to the spot, hearts stolen.
Amid the crowd, a sharp-featured boy raised his hand dramatically, calling out to Kousaka Nanami.
“Morning, Kousaka-san! Got a sec?”
He was handsome, academically brilliant, and athletically gifted—a trifecta that made him a school heartthrob. This fall, he’d been elected student council president by unanimous vote.
The students gathered here had heard the rumor: the president was about to confess to Kousaka Nanami. They watched with bated breath.
“Good morning… Is there something you need?”
Her voice, clear as a ringing bell, made him catch his breath. Snapping out of it, he fixed her with a serious gaze and poured out his heart.
“It’s been six months since I met you, and every single day, I’ve worked to better myself! As you know, I’ve even been named student council president! I swear I’ll keep pushing to be a man worthy of you! So, please, let me say it—I want you to go out with me!”
He dropped to one knee, extending a hand toward Kousaka Nanami in a gesture so bold it felt like a public proposal.
“…I’m sorry. I can’t go out with you.”
Nanami’s voice was tinged with regret.
The crowd erupted into murmurs. “Shot down, huh?” “Even the hotshot president couldn’t crack her…” “Guess that’s why they call her the untouchable beauty!”
In the past six months, over a hundred boys had confessed to Kousaka Nanami. Not one had succeeded, earning her the nickname “untouchable beauty.”
The student council president, now rejected by the school’s most stunning girl, gave a wry, self-deprecating smile.
“Yeah, I guess… thinking I had a shot just ‘cause I’m president was pretty arrogant, huh?”
“That’s not true. I voted for you in the election, and I think you’re an impressive person… It’s just, I already have a boyfriend I’m set on. I love Haru-kun with all my heart.”
The revelation that Kousaka Nanami had a boyfriend didn’t faze anyone, not even the president. It was common knowledge that one guy had managed to win the heart of the untouchable beauty.
Still, almost nothing was known about this “Haru-kun” boyfriend. The only clear fact was that Kousaka Nanami loved him so deeply she’d maintained a long-distance relationship with him for over four years.
“Long-distance, huh… I thought maybe there was a chance, but you’re still with him, aren’t you?”
“Yes. My feelings for Haru-kun… they’ll never change.”
Her declaration of devotion prompted a bittersweet yet relieved smile from the president.
“Got it. I hope you two find happiness. Here’s to the day you’re not stuck in a long-distance thing anymore.”
“Y-Yes. Excuse me, then.”
With a polite bow, Nanami left the crowd behind and headed to the entrance, slipping into her indoor shoes. She made her way to Class 1-1, sank into her seat, and let out a quiet sigh.
Her classmates cast sympathetic glances her way.
“Poor Kousaka-san… being separated from her true love for over four years like that.”
“Her boyfriend had to move far away for family reasons, right? It’s so cruel, splitting up two people so in love…”
“But hey, there’s always a chance he could move back! If he does, you know he’d transfer to Hazakura High to be with the girl he loves!”
“It’d be such a shame for Kousaka-san otherwise. I hope it happens!”
The concern in their voices only deepened the anxiety welling up inside Nanami. She fought to keep it at bay.
Kousaka Nanami had a boyfriend in a long-distance relationship.
Every student at Hazakura High knew it. And yet, plenty of guys held out hope, thinking, “Long-distance means there’s gotta be an opening!” In her first six months at school, Nanami had turned down a hundred confessions.
Even now, countless boys still harbored feelings for her, but her untouchable reputation was starting to wear them down. One by one, they gave up—culminating in even the dashing student council president striking out. Everyone assumed Kousaka Nanami would keep her long-distance love with “Haru-kun” going strong.
Except… Kousaka Nanami didn’t have a long-distance boyfriend.
In fact, she’d never had a boyfriend at all.
She’d never even wanted one.
For Nanami, interacting with boys was nothing short of nerve-wracking. Being stared at by them sent her into a panic, rendering her unable to hold a proper conversation. Even during that exchange with the president, she’d put on a calm front, but inside, her heart had been pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.
That’s why, in the spring of her second year of middle school, she decided to tell a lie.
If she claimed she had a boyfriend in a long-distance relationship, maybe the confessions would stop—or so she hoped.
The lie worked like a charm.
Thanks to it, she no longer had to endure aggressive confessions or persistent badgering for her contact info.
To make sure no one saw an opening, she crafted a story of being hopelessly in love, which meant she had to constantly play up her devotion to her “boyfriend.” It was mortifying every time, but barring rare moments like today, Nanami had managed to live a peaceful school life.
“…Sorry, Haru-kun. For using your name like that…”
Her whisper was so soft no one could’ve heard it.
Nanami didn’t have a boyfriend, but the “Haru-kun” she’d built her lie around—Hayakawa Haruki—was very real.
He was her childhood friend, the one she’d played with almost every day from the time she could remember until the end of fifth grade. To Nanami, he was her only male friend.
But just before starting sixth grade, Haruki had to move far away due to family circumstances.
For Nanami, who was painfully shy around boys, Haruki was the one exception—the only one she could relax and have fun with. Losing him had left her genuinely lonely.
The distance made her miss him… but it also made him the perfect candidate for her lie. Their close bond and his absence lent her story just enough truth to feel real.
And so, to this day, Nanami kept up the pretense of being in a long-distance relationship with “Haru-kun, aka Hayakawa Haruki,” without ever telling him.
Of course, she felt guilty about using his name without permission… but the idea of confessing to him, “Hey, I’ve been saying we’re madly in love,” was far too embarrassing.
“Alright, everyone, take your seats!”
While Nanami was lost in thought, the bell rang, and their homeroom teacher, Yokota-sensei, strode in. As the class settled, Yokota-sensei cleared his throat loudly.
“Before we start homeroom, I’d like to introduce a transfer student.”
The classroom buzzed with excitement.
“A transfer student in October? That’s rare.”
“So that’s why there was an extra desk.”
“Is it a guy or a girl?”
“Gotta be a guy. Our class is already heavy on girls.”
“Lucky transfer student, huh? Not only is our class full of girls, but we’ve got the cutest one in school—Kousaka-san.”
“Bet you a hundred percent they’ll fall for her.”
“And then they’ll find out how untouchable she is.”
“A love doomed to fail from the start—kinda tragic, huh?”
“No helping it. Kousaka-san’s head over heels for that Haru-kun—Hayakawa Haruki.”
“Quiet down, you lot! I can’t introduce the transfer student like this!”
The students, eager to meet the newcomer, fell silent at once. Yokota-sensei nodded, satisfied, and called toward the door at the front of the room. “Come on in!”
As curious eyes turned forward, the door opened, and the transfer student stepped inside.
He was a mild-mannered boy, the kind who seemed incapable of looking angry. Black hair, average height, average build—not particularly striking…
But Nanami felt a flicker of recognition.
Not quite recognition, but… a sense of familiarity in his features.
“Hey, everyone. I’m Hayakawa Haruki.”
The moment the transfer student took the podium and introduced himself in a slightly nervous voice, every head in the class swiveled toward Nanami.
She ducked her face onto her desk, desperate to escape their stares, utterly dumbfounded.
“…Huh?”
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