Prologue

Why is it that people's feelings are never as one wishes them to be, she thinks.

Like, dislike──that is the foundation. Not being interested does not even register as a feeling in the first place, so it need not be considered in this case.

And, if it was a choice between those two, she liked him.

However, even within that "like", there were two major classifications──was it affection, or was it romantic love? After that rough categorization, there were even more finely divided boxes, such as lust, doting affection, carnal love, and platonic affection. Each of those is slightly different, so then, this feeling of hers, into which category would it be classified?

The answer came out immediately.

Love-hate. It was a simple answer.

I love you I love you I love you die I love you I love you I want to kill you I love you die I love you I love you die I love you!

If put into words, it was such a childish thought. Where and how had she gone wrong? What should have been beautiful in the beginning was decorated with hideous murderous intent at some point.

What first sprouted was a lovely fondness. A single flower, blooming powerfully in a beautiful garden. It possessed no arrogance, appeared lovely to all who saw it; it was a modest, platonic affection.

However, that flower had withered into a miserable sight at some point.

Instead, what now swirls in her chest is an ugly jealousy born of love-hate. Her heart has no shape, but if it did, it would surely have a hideous form that would make anyone avert their eyes.

──And so, he speaks the decisive words.

Yes, that was what was decisive. If only he hadn't said that──even so, she.

She might have been able to keep those ugly feelings hidden.

「────, ─────」

There was a crisp, shattering sound.

It is not her heart, but the sound of her self-control shattering.

The sound of reason, the chains that held her emotions in check, being torn asunder.

She had the disposition for it from the very beginning. She had all the time she needed to nurture it.

That's why.

That's why, she──