In the middle of a dark room, with loads of eaten cup noodles, used tissues, and dirty laundry piling to make a garbage fort, a single failure of a human being lies defeated in the midst of it all.

Yup, that’s me, Fuutsuno Hakuen. You’re probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. I screwed up, big time. That’s how.

I used to be your typical image of a spoiled rich brat, spending money on all kinds of shitty things without a care in the world. And last year, when my old man croaked, I was even joyous to think that now I’d have all the money I wanted. But the old man had thought it through and wrote in his will that I’d only get my money if I divorced, all without even thinking that I wasn’t married.

And so, I tried to find a girl to marry. After a while, I thought I’d found the one, but then I did a lot of stupid things. And now, I’m paying for that price - by keeping on living in this dump, wasting away my life without any worth to my name.

Shrouded in darkness and filth, that is my current way of life. And that is the punishment that I deserve, for not only having lost my direction in life but also betraying the trust my friends placed in me.

Ah, I can even hear it. The Reaper knocking on my door, coming to take my worthless life away…

Wait, knocking? The sound is coming from the window, isn’t it? I live on the fourth floor, what on earth could be knocking on the window?

With my curiosity overtaking my sadness, I get up and pull open the curtain.

“Ahhhh!!!” The burning sunlight hitting like a freight train is one thing, but the figure outside the window is scarier than any ghosts or monsters I could have imagined.

Outside, with his voice muffled through the window glass stands Yoichi in an upside-down position like some kind of creepy vampire that somehow operates during the day. And his usual black magician suit, cape (which is just dangling on his shoulder) and top hat aren’t really helping his case.

“Dude, what’s with you? First, you spammed my CURVE with messages over two weeks, and when I finally answered, you left me on read?”

Hearing those words lights the fire that was supposed to be dead within me once more.

“And how much of it is my fault? You ghosted me for two whole weeks!”

“My phone was broken!” Yoichi retorts. “And can you let me in already? It’s getting hard supporting all these… wires!”

“Actually, how did you even find this place?”

“Just let me in, will you?”

In the end, I still have to open the window to let the crazed magician in, who then wastes no time to flip over his cape and reveal a full tea set, complete with a table and matching chairs.

“I thought you wouldn’t have somewhere to sit,” says Yoichi, pouring himself a cup right away.

“I don’t, but did you really have to put it that way?”

“... My bad.”

Letting out a sigh, I reluctantly take my seat and cup as well, and pour one out to calm myself.

“So,” I continue. “Can you explain what you said just now?”

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“Right,” now it’s time for Yoichi to let out a sigh as he puts down the tea. “So… how do I start?

Two weeks ago, after the show, Natsume texted me to ask for more pointers on performances - I think she was trying to dig deeper into a creative’s mind. But when we went to our meeting place…”

“So you were together without telling me!”

“Well, we were trying to contact you,” Yoichi lets out a sigh once more. “Only once we’ve met that Natsume realized she forgot to text you, so she pulled out her phone… and then it got robbed.”

“Wait, seriously?” I raise my voice.

“Seriously,” a nod from Yoichi confirms my suspicion. “It's been two weeks since the incident, and she still hasn’t found her phone. And when I was chasing the robber, mine fell into a puddle, and it’s been kaput since. See it for yourself.”

I raise my hand out to catch the piece of machine Yoichi throws at me. Ignoring the fact that he still uses a flip phone in this day and age, I try to press its various buttons only to receive the obvious result - the black screen it displays remains a silent black.

“And you probably also realize how I couldn’t fix it even after two weeks,” Yoichi shrugs to conclude his story.

“Yeah, I can see why,” I answer with a sigh. After all, finding another phone like this is hard enough, let alone finding the mechanical parts fit to fix it.

“And then there’s the fact that neither of us knows where you live, so contacting you has been basically impossible.”

“But didn’t you manage to come here?”

“Yeah, after two weeks of searching,” Yoichi retorts. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to find this place? I had to use all the crows I have, and…”

“Haha, I can see why…” I can only let out an awkward laugh, for I know what he’s talking about. Who would have thought the heir to the biggest corporation in Japan would be living in this dump of a building?

“Well, that’s my reasoning,” Yoichi sips on his tea before turning his attention to me once more. “Now tell me yours.”

It’s the question that I don’t want to answer the most.

“I…”

“... You were jealous, right?”

“I… I don’t know, really…”

Yoichi pauses for a while, his face not showing any particular emotions. I was prepared for the worst, but… somehow, I don’t have the feeling that he’s angry at me.

After a moment of thought, the prodigy finally continues with a smile on his face:

“I see now. You’re still lying to yourself, huh?”

“... What?”

“Your feelings, I mean,” continues Yoichi. “I know that you first approached Natsume to get her to marry you in the future, right?”

“How did you know that?” My eyes widen before the conclusion. “I’ve never…”

“Told anyone? No, you didn’t. But my eyes are sharper than most, remember?” Yoichi proudly gestures to the parts in question. “Reading people is just child’s play.”

“... How long have you known, then?”

“Since the start, obviously. But don’t worry, I haven’t told Natsume… though, I guess now it doesn’t matter anymore, right?”

“You knew what happened the other day also?”

“Hard not to notice, man,” Yoichi sighs.

“Well… then I guess I don’t have to continue anymore.”

As if waiting for that answer, Yoichi continues. “Then, why did you have that arranged date with Hoshino Shiori?”

“Wasn’t it obvious? To get my inheritance back,” I shrug at the question. However, everything was going according to the genius magician’s plan.

With the final trap laid, Yoichi lets out a confident smile:

“Then why did you sabotage yourself like that?”

“Wait, how did you…”

“I told you, reading people is just child’s play,” Yoichi smirks at my bewildered face. “But think about it properly, Hakuen. You had your perfect chance, but you threw it away. Then you rushed over to a girl who didn’t contact you for two whole weeks. I think you’ve long known the answer to my question, haven’t you?”

I know that everything he’s said is the truth. I know what my feelings are.

But…

“Am I worth it to have these feelings, right?” Before I can even think about it, Yoichi has already finished the question for me. And right away, he gives me just the answer I need:

“Well, she’s not here, is she? What’s the harm in indulging yourself, even if it’s just for a while?”

“I…”

His final words have given me the courage I needed. The courage to admit my heart’s desire.

“I love Natsume.”

“Atta boy,” with a satisfied smile, Yoichi lightly pats me on the back. “Now, you obviously want to make up with her, right?”

‘Of course. But…“

“I’m not helping you with that,” before I can say further, Yoichi has already raised his hand in front of me. “But… I can get Natsume anywhere you want. Think long and hard about what to do, then give me the location. After I get her there, you’re on your own. Deal?”

“That’s all I need,” I gladly take the handshake Yoichi offers. “Thanks, Yoichi.”

“No problem,” answers the magician with a smile. “Now, let the show begin.