Kono Monogatari O Kimi Ni Sasagu - Volume 1 Chapter 3.14

“It’s true that I made significant changes to the story when turning the play script into a novel. But I don’t think I ‘distorted’ it,”

“I see it as creating a new story,”

He gently took Kotoha’s hand, thin yet supple, and held it tenderly.

“…Shinigami aren’t allowed to defy a predetermined fate of death. So Hiyori accepts her fate and lets Ren guide her to the underworld. That was the original story’s conclusion. But this new story unfolds much further from there.”

Kotoha nodded slightly and continued, prompted by Yuto.

“If that’s the case, they just need to prevent the fate of death from being finalized. Ren comes up with an outrageous idea. He time-travels to the past and arranges for Hiyori’s illness to be discovered much earlier than in the original timeline, slowing the disease’s progression. He also revives a stalled pharmaceutical project for the cure of the terminal illness. In doing so, he erases the fate where present-day Hiyori dies from the illness…”

As a result, Hiyori and Ren are not supposed to meet, but the story ends with a serendipitous encounter between Ren, who is performing his duties, and Hiyori, who does not carry the fate of death, similar to their encounter before the timeline change.

The original story had a sad but beautiful ending.

But the new story was a hopeful happy ending.

Kotoha exhaled deeply. Her breath was trembling.

“The story is disjointed, and it’s a bit too convenient. If I had seen this plot beforehand, I probably would have asked for a rewrite. And yet…! The people Ren and Hiyori saved became key figures in the past, their feelings accumulated, combined with Ren’s desperate efforts—before I knew it, I was completely absorbed! I couldn’t think of anything else, I became Ren and Hiyori! This story is practically held together by sheer intensity. It’s rough, and totally unlike Fuyutsuki Haruhiko…”

“…Unlike me?”

“It’s the most touching story I’ve ever read!”

Kotoha looked at Yuto with resentment, then her expression softened into one of helplessness. She squeezed Yuto’s hand tightly.

“…I found myself wanting to live!”

Her words echoed in the hospital room.

Yuto looked at the crying Kotoha and exhaled softly.

“I’m glad…”

His feelings embedded in the story had reached the person he wanted to reach the most.

“W-What’s so ‘glad’ about it? It’s not good at all! You understand, right!? I am already—”

“You want to struggle like Ren and Hiyori, cling to life, and seize the future, right?”

Yuto thought that reading the story and wanting to live surely meant that. Kotoha seemed at a loss for words, then let out a frustrated noise and raised her arms to hit Yuto.

But her blows landed weakly on Yuto’s chest. She pressed her forehead against his chest and kept hitting him, but it didn’t hurt at all.

Yuto spoke slowly, letting her hit him.

“I want you to have the surgery.”

Kotoha’s hands stopped on Yuto’s chest.

He whispered, but clearly,

“I want you to live.”

Her hands trembled slightly.

“It’s unfair…”

Kotoha’s shoulders shook.

“I told you! If I have a language disorder, I won’t be able to stand by your side as an editor. No, it’s more than that. I can’t bear to lose the stories that mean so much to me. I’m scared! And yet…”

“Even so, I want you to have the surgery. I want you to live. I want you to stay by my side. It has to be you, Kotoha.”

“Ugh… Don’t say such embarrassing things… You heartless person…”

“Fine, call me heartless. All I can do is write novels, but if you choose to live, I’ll do anything. Not just now, but even after the surgery. Is there anything I can do?”

There was a short pause at his question.

“Anything…?”

“Yeah.”

“Then… if I have the surgery, and I can’t read books anymore,”

Her words trailed off in midair.

When they connected to the next words, her tone dropped slightly.

“…I want you to leave me alone.”

“Kotoha…”

“I can’t bear to meet you in a state where I can’t read books.”

Kotoha raised her face.

She smiled ambiguously, with tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.

Of course, Yuto knew that wasn’t her true feelings. When she hesitated earlier, she must have had a different wish. But she held back out of consideration for Yuto.

“No.”

“Huh…?”

Kotoha’s smile froze on her face.

“U-Um, Senpai…? You said you’d do anything…”

“I said anything I can do. That, I can’t do. If you can’t read…”

“If I can’t read…?”

“I’ll be tough on you. I’ll keep writing novels, making you read them, 24/7, 365 days. We’ll do rehab until you can read again. Forever, for life.”

“Multiple novels…? For life…?”

Kotoha looked at Yuto in astonishment.

“Yes. Wanting you to have the surgery and wanting you by my side are both my selfish desires. So I’ll take that much responsibility and want to. So don’t make requests that would make me unable to take responsibility. Within that, I’ll do anything I can. Just say it.”

Kotoha stared at him, wide-eyed, then suddenly came to her senses.

Her eyes had changed slightly.

“…One novel every three months.”

“Huh?”

“Can you write a novel every three months?”

“Huh? Oh, um…”

It’s a high pace, but with the writing speed he gained from this project, he could manage while maintaining quality. He’d have more time once he entered university.

“Yeah, I think I can manage that.”

“Oh, and one more thing—”

“There’s more…?”

Yuto was surprised by her enthusiasm and began to regret saying he’d do anything.

“Can you tell me how you feel about me?”

He almost made a strange noise, caught off guard.

“…Isn’t that unrelated?”

“It’s important!”

“It won’t change whether you have the surgery, right…?”

If it did, answering would be terrifying.

“It won’t. I’ve already decided to have the surgery.”

“Huh…?”

Did she just say what I think she said?

With such a matter-of-fact look.

“What!? You’re going to have the surgery!?”

“Fuyutsuki Haruhiko will write a new novel every three months just for me!? I’d be crazy not to take that bet. If by some great luck after the surgery, I can read again, I’ll enjoy a ton of new works by Fuyutsuki Haruhiko all at once.”

“Then you don’t need to ask that question anymore…”

“That’s separate. You’ve mentioned responsibility, forever, and other risky keywords, but you haven’t answered the main question!”

“You already know the answer…”

“I want to hear it from you.”

Kotoha’s eyes sparkled with expectation.

The aura of death had disappeared from her.

In its place was hope for the future.

Her intensity was overwhelming, Yuto thought.

But knowing his story had reignited her spirit made him happy.

“Alright, fine.”

He looked out the window.

Beams of sunlight shone beautifully through the gaps in the snow clouds.

The next day, Kotoha underwent surgery.